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Pharos' Traveller 117 and 127 WinMo phones show up courtesy of Dell
Pharos' line of GPS-equipped Windows Mobile handsets has sort of lost its place in our hearts now that seemingly every phone under the sun -- smartphone or otherwise -- comes equipped with wicked advanced AGPS out of the box, but the company's latest pair actually looks competitive for reasons that have nothing to do with GPS whatsoever. Sure, GPS is nice, but the Traveller 117 and 127 really rock on account of tri-band 7.2Mbps downstream HSPA, and in the case of the 117, a VGA display. They've also got 2-megapixel primary and VGA front-facing cames, Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, and covert semi-official launches courtesy of Dell's online store. What more could you ask for?[Thanks, rock99rock]Read - Traveller 117Read - Traveller 127
Samsung shows off W600 with T-DMB, HSUPA, 5MP camera
From around back, you'd never know that Samsung's W600 was a phone. Well, we mean, you might be able to piece it together, but you catch our drift. At any rate, the Anycall W600 was recently on display in South Korea, and aside from the wicked 5-megapixel camera and all-black motif, it was also boasting a 3-inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen, T-DMB tuner, haptic UI and HSUPA support. Look for it to set locals back a stiff ???800,000 ($600) or more depending on carrier when it ships next month.[Via IntoMobile]
The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1, unboxed at last
Wow, that was one hell of a wait, wasn't it? Some eight months after its February announcement, X1s are finally available for sale in some parts of the world -- and naturally, any retail availability comes with the distinct possibility of a properly-documented unboxing. The packing materials don't look like they're anything terribly special, but to the Windows Mobile faithful of the world, the contents certainly are. Ain't that black, brushed metal casing awfully purdy?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sorry, CDMA: Telus, Bell finally fess up to HSPA, LTE aspirations
Capping months of speculation, Canadian CDMA carriers Bell and Telus have both announced that they'll be moving to HSPA to power portions their 3G networks as a stop-gap on their way to an eventual LTE rollout. While both networks will be investing heavily to build out the necessary infrastructure, they'll be sharing the fruits of their collective labor to extend roaming agreements that are already in place between the two -- a logical move, considering they'll be going up against the Rogers juggernaut which has the distinct advantage of already being on the GSM technology roadmap. The carriers are looking at 2010 to flip the switch on HSPA, but don't worry, owners of EV-DO handsets: the CDMA goods will continue to be supported for the foreseeable future while HSPA is getting layered on top. Odds are, anyone using a CDMA handset will be due for new hardware long before the lights finally go out.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Two flavors of hot: differences between Sony Ericsson X1i and X1a explained
As we already know, Sony Ericsson won't be unifying all the awesomeness that is its X1 in a single retail model -- there's just too much awesome for any one phone to handle, apparently. Instead, there'll be an X1a and an X1i, and thanks to a quick post over on Sony Ericsson's semi-official Xperiancers site, we now know exactly where the differences lie. The X1a will be sold exclusively in North America, Latin America, and Australia, featuring a different "networking configuration" (presumably referring to the presence of 850, 1700, and 1900MHz HSPA there) and 24fps video instead of 30 -- kind of out of the blue, but whatever. We also now know that the North American release date will be announced on November 3, which isn't nearly as cool as a release on November 3 last time we checked.[Thanks, Dustan]
Telus claims BlackBerry Storm on behalf of Her Majesty's Canadian Dominion
Seems that the bickering over which Canadian carrier would land the Storm has drawn to an end -- either that, or Telus is gearing up to jump the gun and just declare itself the preemptive winner in the hopes of elbowing Bell right out of the picture. Whatever the case, the CDMA giant now has a page up on its site encouraging folks to sign up to find out when the 9530 is available -- which according to Boy Genius Report's leaked press release, should be "just in time for the holiday shopping season." If that unnecessarily nebulous statement means November, that puts 'em right in line with Verizon to the south and Vodafone to the east; so much for preferential treatment on the home turf, eh?[Via Boy Genius Report]Update: What's this -- a truce? Could it be? Bell has now also announced that it's getting the Storm, so if there's any sort of exclusivity going on here, it's for an awfully short period of time. Thanks, everyone!
BlackBerry Storm bows, comes next month to Verizon and Vodafone
A storm's arrival typically isn't something to celebrate, but we're going to make a notable exception here seeing how the BlackBerry Storm is less of a destructive weather pattern and more of an incredibly hot smartphone -- arguably RIM's hottest to date. Fit to its business-savvy roots, the long-rumored handset comes equipped with the most comprehensive global roaming capabilities of virtually any wireless device you'll find anywhere, featuring EV-DO Rev. A, quadband EDGE, and 2100MHz HSPA for Europe. Beyond that, the Storm becomes RIM's very first touchscreen phone, mounting a 3.26-inch 480 x 360 glass display on a unique clickable surface so that the entire thing can be pressed downwards -- just like a real button -- for tactile feedback when making selections. It includes a full HTML finger-navigable browser, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint editing capabilities, Bluetooth 2.0, 1GB of on-board storage with an 8GB microSD card bundled in the box, 3.5mm headphone jack, automatic orientation and ambient lighting sensors, and a 3.2-megapixel autofocus cam with dedicated flash, making it a legitimate jack-of-all-trades that seems likely to be able to handle even the most chaotic personal and professional lives users can throw its way. It'll allegedly do 15 days of standby or 5.5 hours of talk time on either GSM or CDMA networks. No word on pricing yet -- we're told all will be revealed "in the coming weeks" -- but it'll launch on both Verizon and Vodafone in November.%Gallery-33946%
Small carriers, spectrum owners band together for 3G and beyond
In the wireless biz, simple economics ensure that the little guys have a harder time of everything, including the all-important matter of getting decent handset selections from manufacturers. That's just the tip of the iceberg, though -- beyond the lack of hot hardware, rural carriers are struggling to find a way to pay for network upgrades that'll get them in line with what the rest of the world's up to. Some 28 companies so far have banded together as NextGen Mobile, a consortium designed to share the cost of network upgrades and give smaller operators a unified voice for approaching manufacturers and demanding what it calls the "next 'it' handset." Though members haven't yet been identified, everyone involved in NextGen is GSM-based and either has or intends to deploy UMTS -- and down the road, LTE. We're probably not looking at a team that's going to be challenging Verizon or AT&T for market dominance here, but if it means more people are going to have access to high-speed data faster, we're down.[Via Phone Scoop]
Telstra on track to roll out HSPA+ upgrade by end of year
Making good on a promise delivered at MWC earlier this year, Telstra has announced that its customers will be "the first in the world" to experience 21Mbps of blazing download speed when it launches the first phase of its HSPA Evolution network by the end of 2008. We don't have any particularly good reason to believe it'll be the iPhone 3G that's experiencing those ridiculous data rates, but by the same token, Telstra has yet to announce exactly what hardware it'll be offering at retail to go along with the service. If we had to guess, the first round will see a data card or two.
FCC approval ensures American Sony Ericsson X1 users aren't bandits
Now that Sony Ericsson's mighty X1 has earned the FCC's love and affection, you won't be an outlaw for using one in the States -- but unfortunately, you won't be a speed demon everywhere, either. The version that just nabbed approval here is the X1i, and anyone familiar with Sony Ericsson's naming scheme can tell you that an "i" means a phone's not really meant for North American consumption; in this case, we're lucky to squeak by with UMTS Band II support, which means we'll theoretically be able to pick up some of AT&T's 1900MHz signal. On 850, though, you'll be stuck with EDGE. Of course, a true global launch has been in the cards for the X1 from day one, and we're not worried that we won't see a more 3G-rife model getting torn down by the feds -- this just ain't it.
New 3G licenses in Germany next year may mean new players
German carriers who've complained that the country hasn't doled out enough 3G spectrum to meet their data-heavy needs are going to get their collective wishes granted next year with another auction, this time in the 1.8GHz and 2.6GHz ranges. Thing is, they'll need to bid like they mean it, because the government is allowing new players outside the current four -- T-Mobile, E-Plus, O2, and Vodafone -- to enter the race. If there's one thing the world doesn't need, it's two entirely new UMTS bands -- but if it means a whole lot more 3G in Bavaria, we guess we're going to have to deal.[Via mocoNews]
Nokia 5800 Tube press shot leaks into the wilds
One day after Google goes touchscreen, along comes what looks to be an official press shot of Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic -- aka, the Tube. No new details here, though Nokia appears to have cleaned up the industrial design around the buttons of some of those earlier prototypes we've seen. October 2nd looks like the date that we'll finally get our fill of the first S60 Touch handset. Though given the number of leaks and rabid competition Nokia faces in the touchscreen OS space -- our appetite for this device might be quickly satiated. [Via unwired view]
O2's GPRS network gets a speed boost, EDGE-style
We all can remember a time when our mobile Internet experience consisted of the painful trickling bytes that only GPRS can deliver. It would seem O2's trying to turn German's frowns upside down by broadening its EDGE footprint with 700 GPRS sites getting a speed bump from a measly 53kbps to a more pleasant 236kbps. A further 4500 sites are green lighted for upgrade and that can be expected before the end of the year. O2 has also noted that 75 percent of its UMTS network has already been upgraded to 3.6Mbit HSDPA and they are working to roll out HSUPA in 2009.
Velocity Mobile 103 shipping this month
After a spring intro, WinMo-powered start-up Velocity Mobile is ready to unleash its first product on an unsuspecting (or suspecting, as the case may be) world. The 103 -- a QWERTY-less device with quadband EDGE and tri-band HSPA, VGA touchscreen, 2-megapixel primary and VGA secondary cameras, TV-out, and 256MB of ROM with microSD expansion -- is now available for preorder with an expected launch by the end of the month. Considering the solid specs, the unlocked price of £334.99 (about $591) seems pretty reasonable, too; we'd probably hold out for the QWERTY 111 model, personally, but hey, this is a start.[Via Phone Scoop]
Sony Ericsson launching first round of XPERIA X1s on September 30
Feel that heat, Touch Pro? That's right -- the Great QWERTY Smartphone War of 2008 is officially gearing up for kickoff now that Sony Ericsson has announced a firm date for the first handful of lucky countries to be scoop up the mighty XPERIA X1. Sweden, Germany, and the UK will be the inaugural launch sites come September 30, with no fewer than 32 more on tap in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America for the fourth quarter of the year. North America, China, Australia, and Russia are also listed as committed launch regions, though dates for those will be announced "in the coming months" -- scary verbiage considering that they weren't even willing to slap the Q4 label there. 2009's a long way off yet, and if there's a Touch Pro in front of us... well, let's just say that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, if you catch our drift.
Sony Ericsson's hot G705 slider gets real, YouTube video uploads
There it is, Sony Ericsson just went live with its new G705 powerhouse, 3G slider. Just as we heard, it sports a 2.4-inch display with automatic screen rotation courtesy of an accelerometer, WiFi, aGPS with Google Maps for Mobile, 1GB included M2 memory, built-in FM radio, RSS reader, and full HTML browser. It also features a 3.2 megapixel cam that can capture video and then upload directly to YouTube under a new partnership with Google. Also announced in a UMA variant (G705u) -- an SE first -- built exclusive for Orange to bridge GSM and WiFi networks. Headed to the US in Q1 2009.Update: US version to support GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS/HSUPA 850/1900/2100 with Bluetooth A2DP. Orange model available in its markets in early Q4.
AT&T Fuze gets FCC approval?
It's always good news when some sort of Touch Pro garners approval from that lovable bureaucracy we call the FCC, but this one has an extra-special place in our hearts: we're pretty sure it's the Fuze. Digging a little deeper into the documentation for the HTC model with code "NM8RPLT" reveals that it's a Raphael, and it sports HSUPA 850 / 1900 -- and if that doesn't dovetail nicely with what we're expecting out of AT&T any day, week, month, or year now, we don't know what does. So tell us, FCC, how are AT&T's customizations to TouchFLO 3D? Tasteful? Annoying?
Novatel Ovation MC950D set to burn up the aisles at Fido's shop
Seeing as Fido now has data plans worth mentioning, it only makes sense that we start to see some new products appear that'll let its Canadian customers use -- and abuse -- those plans. For speedy data download, the cross platform -- Windows XP / Vista / 2000, MAC OS X, and Linux -- USB Ovation MC950D will fit the bill handily at outrageous 7.2 Mbps down and up to 2.1 Mbps upload speeds. Connectivity is handled via a tri-band HSPA, quad-band EDGE, radios and the driver install, manuals and such for the supported OSes are in the stick itself. We didn't get any word on pricing or availability, but the parent company Rogers will let you take one home for as little as $49, so we're betting that's not too far off what you'll pay at Fido.
Bell, Telus to announce HSPA partnership this week?
Now that literally everyone on the planet except Bell and Telus themselves has accepted that the Canadian carriers are moving away from CDMA, the rumors are really starting to heat up -- and there's a twist this time around. Rather than wait for LTE, the Financial Post is reporting that Canada's two CDMA giants will proceed directly to HSPA posthaste, dropping $1 billion in the process to try to get a network up and running in just one year's time. Furthermore, they won't be trying to outbuild one another; instead, FP's sources report that Bell and Telus will be partnering in an effort to take the Rogers juggernaut head-on. It's starting to look more and more like CDMA is becoming a burden and a competitive disadvantage for the carriers that are still on it -- and if this all goes down, Rogers had better be looking over its shoulder.[Thanks, Justin S.]
Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1 reviewed in breathtaking detail
If you're looking for pictures from every conceivable angle of Sony Ericsson's first foray into the danger-fraught tar pit that is Windows Mobile, well, here you go. In fact, Smape goes so far as to take a look at both the black and metallic versions of the X1 (but don't get to attached to the metallic one just yet, seeing how it might have gotten the axe in some markets), noting that they're assembled exceptionally well and exude a premium look that's rarely seen in the WinMo realm. Unfortunately, they've dinged the keyboard for the same crappy feel observed elsewhere, something we're all hoping gets fixed by the time it hits production in a couple months' time. With that wild panel interface, you might expect some pretty miserable performance when you have the thing going at full tilt; fortunately, though, Smape reports that lags occur "only occasionally," which is better than "frequently" or "always" as far as we're concerned. Camera performance is said to be better than the Touch Pro's, though both HTC and Sony Ericsson (via HTC, ironically) still have plenty of time to tweak that via a well-placed firmware update or two. At any rate, we're definitely looking forward to seeing this thing finally materialize so the Touch Pros and X1s of the world can start duking it out in those rough, dog-eat-dog professional trenches of the world.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
