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Motorola Q with HSDPA and WiFi by Christmas?
QWERTY smartphone fans on GSM carriers, cautiously rejoice: our Italian is admittedly a little rusty, but Italy's Cellulare Magazine seems to be reporting some unconfirmed, wildly speculative deets regarding the forthcoming (?) GSM Q. Not only might it drop in time for Christmas (in Europe, anyway), but when it does, it might be bearing gifts of WiFi and HSDPA for its patient buyers -- up from the previously reported plain-vanilla UMTS -- while maintaining the same lovely form factor. They're also reporting the device will rock quad-band GSM, meaning anxious North Americans should have little trouble jumping the gun if it launches in Europe first. Of course, if the HSDPA support doesn't come in all the right bands, the US will get left out of the 3G fun and we might just end up with another E61 / E62 debacle, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.
O2 announces updated Xda Atom for Asia
As if Asia isn't already getting the lion's share of the world's smartphone action, O2 has used this week's CommunicAsia expo to announce the Xda Atom Exec, an Asia-exclusive update to the Atom (pictured). At about six months of age, the Atom isn't exactly an old fart, but the Exec ships with AKU2, boosts the XScale processor from 416 to 520MHz, and adds an extra 64MB of ROM for a grand total of 192MB. Otherwise, the Exec trades its predecessor's glossy exterior for a matte one, but the Atom's remaining specs carry over to the new model. If you're rocking an Atom and you're thinking that an upgrade might be in order, hold up: the roughly $844 USD O2 will be asking for the Exec might give you pause.[Via the::unwired]
Samsung's new i320N in the wild
It turns out our paranoia hunch was correct last week when we thought we spotted an alternate version of Samsung's Q-killing i320. The re-designed GSM device rocks a different keyboard shape than the original, but boasts similar specs, including a 1.3-megapixel camera (with flash), QVGA screen, stereo speaker, Bluetooth and EDGE support. Still no info on pricing or availability on this Windows Mobile powered hotness, but we've got our fingers crossed that this makeover won't drive the price tag through the proverbial roof. With all these Q knocks (like TechFaith, for one) making it out though, we imagine competition in price is gonna be pretty stiff.
Samsung's Ultra Edition 9.9, 12.9, 6.9: World's slimmest cellphones launched
Get ready Guinness 'cause Samsung just launched an entire series of "World's slimmest" handsets. Sure, we've seen the D830 clam, X820 candybar, and FCC approved D900 slider before, only now they've been turned-out onto that mean global scene official, spec'd, and rebadged with their ultra-slim, millimeter measurements right in the name: the Ultra Edition 9.9 (D830), 12.9 (D900), and 6.9 (X820) pictured left-to-right. The UE 9.9 brings tri-band (900/1800/1900MHz) GPRS/EDGE, a 2 megapixel cam with auto-focus and flash, a 2.3-inch 240x320 262k TFT main display (0.8-inch 92x16 grayscale external), Bluetooth, 80MB embedded memory with MicroSD expansion, MP3/AAC media player, and even an MPEG4 recorder with TV-out jack slammed into this world's slimmest flip. The UE 6.9 brings pretty much the same network coverage, cam, Bluetooth, media capabilities, and on-board memory as the 9.9 but had to forgo the microSD card and flash while dropping down to a 1.9-inch 176x220 262k TFT display in order to slip into that world's slimmest, 6.9-mm, 2.33-ounce dress. The relatively plump UE 12.9 takes advantage of all that, uh, roominess to squeeze in quad-band GPRS/EDGE, a 3.13 megapixel shooter, 2.1-inch 240x320 262k TFT, that good media lovin' we've already seen, Bluetooth with A2DP stereo audio support, and 80MB with microsSD expansion. Yeah, that makes it the world's slimmest slider, er, with 3 megapixel camera -- kind of a stretch, but that's how Sammy likes to roll. They didn't bother with drop dates, countries, or prices but the fact that the press release hit their English site gives us hope for this Samsung triptych to drop in the US sometime this year. [Via AVING]
Cingular 3G option appears on Lenovo's ThinkPad page
We're still not really sure what's taken Lenovo so long to make good on pushing out Cingular 3G options in their beloved ThinkPad line (well, yes we are -- could be anything from hardware to network optimization to Verizon exclusivity -- but is simply most likely the lack of HSDPA rollout), but from the looks of things Lenovo's finally about to launch some laptops with Cingular BroadbandConnect. If it's anything like their Verizon option it'll cost you a bit of cash (about $250 for EV-DO, anyway), but all we know for now is that there's at least one page on Lenovo's site advertising a ThinkPad T60 for a cool $1,900 (not counting the $200 mail-in rebate they're serving up). Hey, these laptops aren't for mere amateurs, so consider yourself warned; you didn't exactly expect the baseline model to come in real cheap, now did you? [Thanks, Dale]
Sony Ericsson's K610im 3G candybar for i-mode
Let's play a little game, Engadget Mobile readers. Take a look at the picture above. What's the difference between this phone, the K610im, and the K610 upon which it's based? If you spotted that "i" on the right side and guessed i-mode support without gleaning it from the headline, give yourself a little pat on the back. NTT DoCoMo and Sony Ericsson have co-launched the K610im this week on NTT's network, but other than the addition of i-mode software, we reckon there's not much to talk about. Of course, the hardware -- all 17mm of it -- is as beautiful now as it was in February: UMTS 2100, 2 megapixel shooter plus VGA video call camera, 220 x 176 display, and Memory Stick Micro M2 slot round out the feature list.[Via The Gadgets Weblog]
Motorola shows variety of entry-level phones
With the exception of the Q, it's been a while since we've had the good fortune of being able to talk about some genuinely new Moto handsets in the pipeline -- not counting the endless array of RAZR, SLVR, and PEBL variants, of course. That looks to have changed thanks to this week's CommunicAsia expo in Singapore, where Motorola's dropped a handful of clever-looking handsets for emerging markets (Nokia, pay attention here). First up is the W170, a roundish ultra low-end candybar sporting a 128 x 128 black and white display with blue backlight, 32 tone polyphony, speakerphone, and FM radio. Next up in the pecking order is the W208, which trades the black and white display for color at the same resolution and a slightly different case design. Finally, arguably the most interesting of the bunch, the W375 clamshell borrows design cues from its pricier cousins in the V3 line but eliminates the external display in favor of a series of status icons. Look for all of these to drop in Q3 and Q4, and if you ask politely, Moto might even drop some of 'em in the States thanks to GSM 850/1900 support.[Via Phone Scoop and Mobilewhack]
"Black Tie Edition" Treo 650 is real, shipping in US
Well, color us a bit surprised. It turns out that the rumored "Black Tie Edition" Treo 650 for Asia-Pacific was not only real, it's coming to this side of pond as well. The specs sadly haven't changed from what we've reported before: you get the same old Treo 650 repackaged in black, a unique hard case, a dual-purpose stylus/pen, and that's about it. The Black Tie Edition is shipping immediately for a whopping $599 unsubsidized; we're not holding our breath for our 700p-toting readers to make the switch, but for folks on GSM carriers, this is now the snazziest Treo money can buy.
GlobalSat TR-101 GPS phone for easily misplaced children
Thanks GlobalSat, we we're starting to think the worrying-parent market was drying up a bit. After that first wave of GPS kiddie phones hit, the feature set has been slowly sinking into the everyphone, which doesn't allow for that special self-importance that comes to a child owner of a stripped-down tracking phone. The TR-101 allows for calls to 3 preset numbers, and sends location data via SMS or over the Internet. It uses a full-on SiRF Star III chipset, and can be remote controlled via other phones or through Online software. There's also an SOS button for emergencies, Google Earth integration for visualisation, and quad-band GSM support to keep track of the little bugger all over the globe. No word on price or availability.
Sony Ericsson bleaches the W810i
If Sony Ericsson was going to bother re-releasing the W810i, you'd think they would add a touch screen to keep up with the counterfeiters. Instead, they've simply taken the PSP approach and resheathed the music phone in iPod white. The spec sheet is identical to the original black model, so if you were hoping for UMTS or A2DP to sneak its way in, keep on dreaming.
Possible details emerge on Samsung D830
We caught a brief glimpse of the Samsung D830 not too long ago during CommunicAsia, but it looks like some pics and specs are surfacing about the slimmer-than-thou RAZR competitor. Apparently the 9.9mm thick clamshell will have tri-band GPRS / EDGE, a capacious QVGA display and cramped but functional 96 x 16 external screen, Micro SD, 80MB internal memory, Bluetooth, mini USB, and 2 megapixel camera. Mostly standard fare (ok, so we didn't see the QVGA display coming), but a price still seems out of reach. Then again, this all came from a Hungarian mobile site, so there's little here we can trust, anyway, barring those pretty convincing pics.[Thanks, Harel]
T-Mobile Sidekick 3 hands-on!
As promised, our initial impressions of the new T-Mobile Sidekick 3...
Nokia announces 1110i for "first time users"
Apparently there exists a market somewhere for bargain-basement phones, devoid of even the most basic features, that look like they've been sitting in a warehouse somewhere since 1999. Wherever you folks are, Nokia's got you covered with their latest ultra low-end offering, the 1110i. A modest update for the similarly-designed 1110, the 1110i rocks a freshly updated version of S30, 96 x 68 1-bit display with green backlight, 20-tone polyphony with "MP3-grade tones," EGSM 900 / 1800 support, and that's about it. At just €45 ($57) unsubsidized, what's there not to love? Available starting Q3 in areas friendly to dual-band coverage. [Warning: PDF link][Thanks, Donald]
Nokia's simple 6080 for Asia
We don't have much to say about a phone whose "blinking light effect" for missed calls is highlighted as a primary feature in the press release, but for our friends in Asia looking for a no-frills Nokia candybar, the S40-powered 6080 might be your baby. For its intended market segment, the phone doesn't look half bad, sporting a comely black/gold or black/silver scheme (though we're admittedly a bit apprehensive about this blinking light thing). The phone packs 4.3MB of apparently non-expandable flash memory, an FM radio, a forgettable VGA camera, and EDGE in your choice of 850 / 1800 / 1900 or 900 / 1800 / 1900 bands. Shipments drop in the fourth quarter, but for the hefty €180 Nokia expects to charge, we've already started to forget it ever existed. [Warning: PDF link][Thanks, Donald]
Nokia adds low-end 3G 6151
Not a week ago, we were talking about GSMA's "3G for all" project to bring UMTS to the world's poor, and although Nokia's new 6151 doesn't promise to hit the $30 unsubsidized mark, they are using the similar-sounding "3G for Everyone" tagline to hype the phone. The candybar 6151 joins NEC in the largely uncharted territory of low-end 3G action, filling the bill with a 1.3 megapixel shooter, 30MB of internal flash with MicroSD expansion, FM radio, PTT, and Bluetooth, all sitting atop S40. The phone looks to drop for about €240 unsubsidized, which works out to $300 -- not quite fit for developing countries yet. North America gets left out of the party with the phone's lack of UMTS 1900 and GSM 850, but the 6151 should start trickling into the hands of underprivileged phone aficionados across the remainder of the globe in the third quarter in your choice of black, pearl white, orange, light blue, or lime green. [Warning: PDF link][Thanks, Donald]
ASUS adds a slider and flip
Personally, we have a softer spot in our hearts for ASUS' smartphone offerings, but they're doing their best to win us over on their, uh, less smart offerings with the J208 slider and M310 clamshell. The M310 offers the discerning consumer a scary, HAL-like camera lens sporting 2 megapixels of autofocus resolution, a QVGA internal display, and MicroSD slot in a music-oriented 90g chassis with external player controls. The more attractive of the pair, the J208 brings a 2.0 megapixel shooter (without the 2001 drama), 64MB of internal flash, a MicroSD slot, and a 220 x 176 display in a 17mm thick package; we would've liked to have seen QVGA, but we're not going to lose sleep over it since we're betting these tri-band GSM units are Asia-only.
BenQ-Siemens E61 music phone ready to rock 'n roll
Before we go any further, let's lay out two very important points about BenQ's E61. First, it sports 1MB (yes, that's "megabyte") of internal shared memory. Second, it bears a strong resemblance to a doorstop. That being said, if you're still reading, the the tri-band GSM E61 could end up being a good bargain for you if you're in Europe -- Virgin Mobile is launching it for free with contract. The MiniSD slot will necessarily be where all your tuneage resides, and BenQ gets you started with a 512MB card in the box. Once you load it up, music playback is good for about 10 hours. Not much else to write home about -- you get a VGA camera, passable 160 x 128 display, and with that wedgelike design, you'll be able to chock aircraft and pry off manhole covers.[Via Stuff]
Qtek 8500 gets put through its paces
HTC's Qtek brand may be looking to close up shop but they're going out with a bang, dropping their version of the Star Trek / Smartflip. TrustedReviews has posted a fairly thorough, honest opinion of the WM5 clamshell, and the reviewer has thrown a good bit of fair criticism at the phone. The shared 64MB of RAM and 64MB of ROM leave less than half for the user to play with, battery life when busting out the tunes works out to about four hours, the headset connector is of a proprietary design, and the phone is arguably not quite as stylish as the RAZR it looks to emulate. The author concludes that while the 8500 is the only real game in town if you demand a WM5 flip, there's no compelling reason to get it over, say, a Faraday.
Sony Ericsson M600i shipping in UK
Like memory card standards, we get a little tired of tracking all the me-too text input methodologies floating around, but it's very hard to dislike Sony Ericsson's new flagship UIQ 3.0 piece, the M600. The "i" variant that Expansys UK now appears to be shipping is intended for Europe and sports triband GSM with UMTS 2100 -- not the most useful setup for us poor, smartphone-starved Americans, but we're not naïve enough to believe that'll stop every last one of you from importing this beauty for the £415 (roughly $766) Expansys is asking. If you get your hands on one of these, be sure to drop us a note on the key layout, ya hear?[Thanks, Soven]
Keepin' it real fake, part XXVII: Vertu loses some girth
If you're loving the Vertu Signature 2006 but the gargantuan 122 x 42 x 15.5mm dimensions have left a bad taste in your mouth -- not to mention the absurd price tag -- boy oh boy, do we have just the phone for you. The "Mars Bar size" miniature Signature knockoff, apparently made by CISC, comes it at a smallish 89 x 38 x 22mm. The chubby little bugger strikes a strong resemblance to its costlier role model if you squint, but that's where the resemblance ends: you lose a GSM band, leaving you with just 900 and 1800, the camera is a laughable "30k pixels," and we're guessing that our lookalike friend here doesn't sport the Vertu's jeweled key action. On the upside, internal flash is allegedly good for a hefty 128MB, and you can buy a small army of these for the cost of the genuine article.[Thanks, Nick]
