musicphone
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Samsung's SCH-V940 slider packs 1GB
Do you find that the SCH-B570 is just a bit bulky to fit comfortably in your pocket? Are you cool with carrying around roughly one-eighth the tuneage? Do you live in South Korea? If you answered "yes" to all of the above, Samsung's new SCH-V940 might just be for you. Its 15.8mm of thickness might not make it the thinnest slider in the world, but it's pretty darn impressive considering the 1GB of flash it packs away for your music-toting pleasure. Besides the relatively vast storage, the EV-DO V940 gets you a glorious QVGA display and a 1.3 megapixel camera. Motorola, are you listening? This is how you make a sexy music phone.
ASUS announces music-centric J206 phone
ASUS, better known for motherboards and laptops, has been dabbling in the cutthroat cellphone world as of late; their latest offering is the J206 "music phone." In this case, we say "music phone" with giant air quotes because the device ships with an absolutely anemic 60MB of internal flash to its name. Fortunately, you have a MicroSD slot at your disposal, but we have a hard time taking any music-oriented device seriously with this kind of capacity out of the box (unless, of course, you're only interested in bringing a hundred songs with you). Storage issues aside, this looks to be a decent midrange tri-band GSM slider, rocking a pretty standard 220 x 176 display, 1.3 megapixel camera, MP3, AAC, and WAV support, Bluetooth, and iPod-esque touch control for music and basic phone operations. No word on US availability, but without coverage on the 850 band, we're not holding our breath. More shots after the break.
Sony Ericsson's W42S 3G Walkman phone for Japan
We've been feeling the Walkman love from Sony Ericsson for what constitutes forever on a tech timeline. Oddly, Japan is only now getting their first taste of these little musicphones with the newly announced W42S. However, don't feel sorry for our former tech overlords just yet, the W42S packs in a cool 1GB of internal memory which can be supplemented with up to 4GB of Memory Stick Pro DUO expansion and sports a power saving mode allowing up to 30 hours of music playback. This 3G (CDMA2000) slider also features a 1.3 megapixel cam, a 2.2-inch 262k color QVGA LCD, FM radio, an EPG to keep you hip to the TV schedule, and a feast of dedicated player controls including a new mechanical wheel unique to Walkman phone navigation. And by partnering with KDDI, owners can snag music over-the-air via the 5 million downloads per month strong LISMO music service. No price announced but "local media" is reporting that this musicphone will fetch $181 (with contract and telco rights to your vital organs we presume) when these drop in late June. Click on for a few hands-on pics.[Via Impress Watch]
Nokia 6315i musicphone approved by FCC
It looks like Pantech and Nokia have been hanging out again, but this time Nokia will be the one dropping the rebranded handset, an EV-DO-sporting model for Verizon known as the 6315i (and formerly known as the PN-E330). Phone Scoop discovered this recent approval while enjoying the FCC website, and reports back that it features a 1.3 megapixel camera, microSD slot, and Bluetooth, along with dedicated external music controls. We'll let you know when we find out a release date and some pricing info for this fairly feature-filled flip phone.[Via Phone Scoop]
Pantech's SKY IM U-MU110 1GB "Jukebox" clamshell
What do we know about Pantech & Curitel's new SKY IM U-MU110 clamshell (besides the fact that it has a tongue-twister of a model number)? Not much, unfortunately, as AVING is heavy on the images but light on the deets, so all that we can discern about this model -- two megapixel camera, 1GB of memory, EV-DO, external music controls -- comes from pics of the so-called "Jukebox" phone. Besides snapping photos and rocking tunes, pictures seem to indicate that the IM U-MU110 also makes voice calls. No word on such trifles as pricing or release dates/locations, but keep reading for another hot pic...[Via MobileMag]
FCC approves two new ones from LG
Nothing too exciting, but it looks like the US might be getting a couple more handsets from LG: the VX8400 and VX8500. The VX8500 (pictured right) is a bit camera shy, and we're otherwise short on deets, but we can tell it least has a camera, and it could be a slider -- or something. As for the VX8400 clamshell (pictured left), the FCC was kind enough to share the manual, so we know it's a musicphone with 128MB of storage, Bluetooth, a 2.2-inch 176 x 220 pixel screen, external color display and a 1.3 megapixel camera. The EV-DO phone also promises to have a 3D graphics GUI, so that should be exciting. Phone Scoop is predicting Verizon on this one, but no word on price or availability of either handset.[Via Phone Scoop]Read - LG VX8400Read - LG VX8500
Sony Ericsson's W710 Walkman quad-band GSM/EDGE clam for sportos
Sony Ericsson has yet another Walkman phone lined up for Q3 launch with the W710 clam for active types. As such, the W710 features a motion sensor and slew of fitness applications which can be managed from both the internal 176 x 220 TFT and 128 x 128 external STN displays to measure running speed, distance and time, or simply count steps back and forth to the Twinkie source. It ships with a 512MB Memory Stick Micro card (expandable up to 1GB) and features a standard 3.5mm jack, RDS FM radio, 2 megapixel shooter, MusicID service, Bluetooth (A2DP stereo audio not specified), and measure in at about 1-inch thick and 3.6-ounces. And just in case you'll be using it to make calls, it goes quad-band GSM with EDGE support meaning this device is also a US athletic supporter. More snaps after the break.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sony Ericsson's W850 Walkman tri-band GSM/UMTS slider
Sony just announced their new W850 Walkman cellphone and this baby's hot. Available in black or white as designs tend to go these days, this tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 slider also delivers UMTS 2100. It comes pre-loaded with the latest Walkman 2.0 player with TrackID allowing you to lookup and identify recorded music samples via the Gracenote Mobile MusicID service. Not only that, but it ships with a 1GB of Memory Strick PRO Duo'in storage (with up to 4GB supported) and features a horizontal mode 2 megapixel shooter with LED light. Rounding out the features are a 2-inch QVGA TFT 260k color display, RDS FM Stereo radio, and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP stereo audio. No price but we can expect these to ship sometime Q3 2006... in Europe. More pics after the break.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Samsung's SCH-B570: the 8GB i310 music phone now with T-DMB
In the E3 fury that was last week, we managed to overlook that Samsung dropped a pretty major update into their 8GB i310 music phone – some of that sweet T-DMB mobile teevee sugar. That change bumps the model to an obscure SCH-B570. Other than some additional, unspecified multimedia capabilities, that's about all we know for sure. Though it's likely to carry the same specs as the i310: WinMo 5.0, microSD expansion, 2 megapixel shooter, Bluetooth with A2DP stereo audio support, TV-out, and integrated dual-speakers. Normally at this point, we'd tell you there's no chance in Hades we'll ever see this phone in these United States. However, with the FCC approving T-DMB phones of late, well... you just never know.
Fiat introduces line of branded cellphones
In yet another example of an automobile manufacturer leveraging the brand to release a distinctly non-car product (see: BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini), Fiat has announced that it will begin selling a line of cellphones conspicuously emblazoned with the company's logo. Suggesting that this lineup values fashion over function, no specs are immediately available for any of the individual models, although we do know that all will feature cameras, MP3 playback, Bluetooth, and the usual suite of Internet functions. Crafted out of "cold" aluminum, the handsets were designed to be displayed in engine piston-like cases that are meant to invoke the good times you can only find by tooling around the European countryside in your Fiat Panda Monster. The new models -- which were built to easily pair with the Microsoft-powered Blue&Me in-car Bluetooth system -- will be available in chichi Italian boutiques later this month, with a general European rollout to follow this summer.[Via textually and Autoblog]
More sweet chocolate from LG: the "Black Label II"
LG just unveiled the next generation of its popular "Chocolate" phone at the recent Expo Comm Wireless Korea 2006, and it seems to maintain the same features and minimalist elegance as its predecessor in a slightly thicker package (16.5-millimeters versus the original's 15.3). Also called the "Black Label II" or by its model number, KV6000, this handset is primarily targeted at the fashion-conscious crowd who also want to snap a pic or rock out to tunes once in awhile, letting them load the 512MB of memory with up to 120 MP3 tracks. Starting price for this newest bit of Chocolate is around $530, but it will probably only be seen on the streets of Seoul for the time being.Update: You guys are the best. Reader Jay saw this post and directed to us a slew of great BLII pics at Korean site Cetizen, including one which shows that the camera is a very respectable 1.3 megapixels. Keep reading for a few more shots...
Qtek 8500 / HTC Star Trek gets UK price, launch date, new name
Contradicting an earlier report that the Qtek 8500 / HTC Star Trek smartphone would available in the UK sometime this month, The Register is now citing an official announcement from HTC that claims the Windows Mobile-powered clamshell won't hit stores until "late June." Furthermore, Reg Hardware is reporting that the Star Trek will henceforth be known as the STRTrk, probably to avoid trademark issues with Spock and friends, due to the fact that the internal codename has seen widespread adoption. (Not sure that this will do any good, as now we'll have to include a "the phone formerly known as the HTC Star Trek" every time we mention one of the rebadges). Whatever you want to call it, the music-centric device will supposedly come in black, silver, or pink, and go on sale during the third week of June, at least according to distributor 20:20 Logistics, for around $500 before carrier subsidies.
Qtek to get its HTC Muse, the S300, early
Remember the HTC Muse Windows Mobile 5.0 multimedia phone? You know, the one with 4GB of NAND storage dedicated to media files as well as dual cameras, including a 2.1 megapixel shooter with flash? Well anyway, DigiTimes is reporting that HTC will be shipping Qtek its version of the Muse, the S300 (not to be confused with Dopod's S300, based on another HTC design called the Star Trek), earlier than expected, as part of HTC's commitment to first release their HSDPA-enabled handsets in European markets. Qtek should be getting their Muses, which also sport 416MHz processors, 64MB of both RAM and ROM, WiFi, Bluetooth, and FM tuners, sometime in the third quarter, according to "market sources." Besides its lack of a keyboard (or even a numberpad, for that matter) and frustrating inclusion of that 240 x 240 display, the Muse looks to us like a pretty hot model, and will certainly give Nokia's N91, Sony Ericsson's W950i, and Samsung's i300 musicphones some strong competition.[Via the::unwired]
VK Mobile's waif-like VK2020 musicphone reviewed
VK Mobile seems like a very flashy company to us, what with their fashion-over-function ethos, their, shall we say, liberal "borrowing" of design elements from some of the sexier phones on the market, and who could forget the airbrushed nude models that they employed to hawk their products at CeBIT this year? We think PC Mag would agree that the company's quad-band GSM VK2020 musicphone -- that, like the models, we also spotted at CeBIT -- falls in line with this assessment, as their review highlights the handset's RAZR- and SLVR-killing thinness and "wow factor," but knocks it on nearly every aspect important to people who actually like their stuff to function properly. Among the laundry list of flaws reported are this model's small, dim screen, barely acceptable MP3 and call audio quality, lack of even EDGE-speed data, sub-four-hour battery life, limited filetype support, and flaky Bluetooth connection. Still, PC Mag's Sascha makes a good point when he compares the VK2020 to a hot date, in that you're a lot more likely to accept its faults just because it looks so damn good. If you're the type that rushed out to buy LG's silly Style-i non-hands-free, non-headset Bluetooth headset when it became available from Verizon this week, then you'll probably be just fine with forking over $400 to Dynamism in order to sport one of today's hotter-looking imports.
Nokia N72 launched
Along with the N93 and N73, Nokia just launched their new N72 multimedia tri-band GSM / EDGE cellphone. This Symbian S60 handset features a 2.1-inch, 176 x 208, 262k color display, Bluetooth 2.0, and 20MB internal memory expandable via RS-MMC. Media support includes a digital music player with dedicated music keys supporting MP3 and AAC playback, an FM Radio with Visual Radio support, and throws in a 2 megapixel shooter with integrated flash capable of CIF video capture at 15fps. Nokia is positioning this pup as a "multimedia computer" which is a bit of a stretch, but we'll play along for now. Expected in Pearl Pink or Gloss Black sometime in June 2006. More pics on the flip.[Via PhoneScoop]
Sony Ericsson W950i 4GB musicphone reviewed
Mobile-review has taken Sony Ericsson's upcoming W950i musicphone through their usual exhaustive testing, and although the translated-from-Russian review may be a bit difficult to fully comprehend, the plethora of screenshots and comparison pics alone make it a must read for anyone considering this Symbian-powered handset. Although its 4GB of flash memory and integrated RDS-enabled FM tuner clearly make this a music-oriented device, S-E's inclusion of the UIQ 3.0 interface along with a ton of productivity software (Opera, QuickOffice, PDF , along with the usual PIM suite) allow the W950i to easily do double duty as a smartphone. Easily, that is, for those of us who aren't diehard QWERTY-enthusiasts -- the flush keypad only offers regular T9 input along with the never-pleasant on-screen handwriting options -- or don't require WiFi and a camera in our pocket at all times. Still, the UMTS radio should suffice for most data needs, and music lovers will appreciate the A2DP-enabled Bluetooth and 13 hour real-world battery life, making the ~$740 W950i look like strong competitor for such storage-heavy models as the Nokia N91 and Samsung i300/300x when it hits stores in July.
New DS801 musicphone from DNet
DNet's new DS801 music-centric slider might not be the most exciting thing around, but it seems a large improvement over their crazy-go-nuts DM751 iPod mini phone. The handset sports a 1.8-inch 176 x 220 LCD, 1.3 megapixel camera, and tri-band GSM radio, along with a bit of MP3 music and MPEG video playback functionality. You can add memory via miniSD, and scroll through your music with that convenient, if slightly "familiar", scroll wheel. No word on price or availability.[Via MobileMag]
Software bugs at fault for delays of Nokia's N91, E61 and four others
Nokia is blaming software problems for the delays in their N91, N71, N80, E60, E61, and E71 phones. No word on what exactly is at fault, but Nokia does claim they'll be shipping the N91 -- which was slated for a holiday release last year -- this week. The N71 and N80 are supposed to follow later this month. Nokia claims the business-centric E61, E61, and E71 -- which all missed their March launch target -- are still wrapping up in software testing, and that the E61 will get priority for release. In other news, Nokia managed to to get a class-action lawsuit by a New York judge dismissed last Friday. The 77-page opinion thoroughly trounced the opposition, which had filed suit in April 2004.
Nokia's 3250 WESC Limited Edition Travel Kit drops
Now's the moment you've been waiting for: that Nokia 3250 WESC Limited Edition Travel Kit's now officially available, people. As usual, your limited edition handset won't be featuring anything out of the ordeinary except a retooled paint job, but if you've been thinking of taking the plunge with a Nokia 3250, and as a side note wanted your handset to be one of 500 pieces, and come packaged with travel info on an MMC card, Sennheiser PX 100 phones, an inline remote, Stereo Skateboards wheel, an eyemask, WESC travel guide, passport holder, cellphone strap, pins, and, um, balloon (for trafficing drugs, perhaps?), then this is your phone.[Thanks, Jack]
