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Lenovo reveals K860 LePhone, quad-core Exynos and a 5-inch screen
It's been a pretty good week for Lenovo all things told, but the Chinese firms isn't stopping to congratulate itself too much. Today, it's business as usual, marked by the official arrival of the new K860 "Music Phone" aka LePhone. The quad-core 1.4GHz Exynos 4412 chip, Mali-400MP GPU, 5-inch (1,280 x 720) display, 1GB of RAM and slight 9.6mm-thick form should come together to sing a sweet song though. The 8-megapixel snapper is no slouch either, with support for 100 frames continuous shooting and 1080p video recording (plus there's a 2-megapixel camera around the front, too). If all this sounds like a recipe for battery-drain, there's a 2,250 mAh cell to help keep you going. This will all be running on Android 4.0.4, but currently no word on price or availability -- but it's not like there aren't any other large phones to think about in the meantime. Update: We got a little excited in the translation for a moment there. The "Music" (or Happiness -- both the same symbol) Phone is of course the LePhone we link to in the article.
Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones
What we have here today isn't just another pair of ordinary headphones: Sony Ericsson's MH907s are button-free, minimalistic headphones that activate upon the magical touch of your skin. Well, your ears to be precise. You must bear in mind that the MH907s are exclusive to Fast port-equipped Sony Ericsson phones thus excluding the forthcoming XPERIA X10 -- so chances are you're already not interested. That said, we shall see if Sony Ericsson is really going to change things forever with these gleaming buds featuring SE's SensMe Control technology, or by just stopping everyone from using their 3.5mm headphone jacks. Read on to find out how these €39 ($57) headphones fared. %Gallery-75958%
Sony Ericsson W595 headed to Europe in Sandy Gold hue
If you're looking to sprinkle just a pinch of Mr. T into your life, there's hardly a better way than to pick up Sony Ericsson's forthcoming Sandy Gold W595. Reportedly, the only thing changing is the color, and Europeans enamored by that can get their jollies next February.
Samsung's M3110 clamshell music phone is simple, colorful
There's not a whole lot of excitement packed between the hinges of Samsung's M3110, but the vivacious exterior is certainly worth a look for those who appreciate varying hues. The self-proclaimed music phone does itself a huge favor by offering up a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, and there's also an internal display (160 x 128) there to complement the external 96 x 96 pixel screen. Finally, you'll find a 1.3-megapixel camera and a very traditional numeric keypad, but your guess is as good as ours on pricing / availability.
Sony Ericsson's W595 toyed with on video
Looking for a bit of video on Sony Ericsson's W595, are you? If so, you've come to the right place, as Megawhat has hosted up a hands-on clip toying with the fanciful slider. Far and away the reviewer's favorite feature is the easy upload to YouTube once the handset logs a video clip, and admittedly, it does seem to work well. Hit the read link for 3 minutes (and 3 seconds) in SE heaven.
LG lets loose glitzy KC560 slider
We've been staring for hours, but no matter how hard we attempt to think outside of the box, we can't figure out what LG's attempting to do with the design of the KC560. It is for disco lovers? Tweens? Fanatics of anything gilded? The mobile, which is clearly having an identity crisis at its core, has just been revealed over in China. Specs wise, it's packing a 2.4-inch QVGA display, plenty of LED accents, a 3-megapixel camera, inbuilt music player, Bluetooth 2.0, USB, an FM radio, microSD card slot and tri-band GSM connectivity. Word on the street places a $300 to $350 unsubsidized price tag on it, which makes us even more sure this is really a limited run meant specifically for Diana Ross and her loyal posse.[Via UnwiredView]
Samsung officially unveils Beat s and Beat b musicphones
Lowish-end tunes are the name of the game with Samsung's latest pair, the M3200 "Beat s" slider (pictured) and M3510 "Beat b" candybar. The Beat b you may remember from IFA, offering EDGE data, 2-megapixel camera, and FM radio all packed into a 9.9mm body. The Beat s, meanwhile, goes just a tiny bit upmarket with an integrated Bang & Olufsen-sourced ICEpower audio processor. Both phones feature 3.5mm headphone jacks, stereo Bluetooth, and something Samsung calls "Motion Play," which smacks of Sony Ericsson's Shake control by letting you knock your phone around in various ways to start playback, change tracks, or mute the sound. Both models will be available this month.
LG's simplistic KP265 slider skids into Russia
Lookie here -- LG has a fresh new slider built for making / receiving calls, listening to tunes and not taking up too much space in your front pocket. The KP265 comes with a multimedia player capable of understanding AAC, AAC+, MP3 and WMA file formats, and the FM radio keeps things interesting if your jams get stale. There's also support for Bluetooth stereo headsets, and if the 5MB of internal capacity proves too small (surely not!), the microSD slot is there to alleviate any space constraints. You'll also find a 1.77-inch 160 x 128 resolution display, a 1.3-megapixel camera, 900mAh battery and GSM support. As for when it will leave Russia? That's a good question, friend.
LG takes KM380, KM710 music phones to emerging markets
The roll-out of LG's KM380 and KM710 models has already started, but the company has announced that it wants to take them to a whole pile of emerging markets by the third quarter. When all's said in done, it looks like customers throughout most of Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa will be able to snap them up locally, offering solid music control (just look at that big honkin' wheel on the KM710!), advanced equalization capabilities, and in the case of the KM380, a whopping 40 hours of continuous playback. Given the target markets, we'd expect the pricing to be pretty reasonable at every local launch, too.[Via Unwired View]
China-bound Philips M600 touts SRS WOW technology
Not that we haven't ever seen a mobile get that mildly interesting SRS WOW badge slapped on it before, but Philips is becoming the next to do so with its M600. This oh-so-sleek candybar makes a play for the music lovers heart -- well, so long as said adorer is in China, anyway. Aside from providing one click access to your stored tunes (not to mention easy access to volume / track controls), the handset packs a 2-inch 220 x 176 resolution display, 1.3-megapixel camera, microSD expansion slot, Bluetooth, a very welcome 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, support for MIDI / MP3 / WMA / AMR files, USB 1.1 connectivity, dual-band GSM / GPRS connectivity and a number of preset equalizer settings to boot. Best of all, Philips keeps its tradition of providing ultra-longevous phones alive by giving users up to 40-hours of music playback on a single charge. 'Tis a shame there's no information on pricing just yet.
Sony Ericsson gets official on the W910 and K850
For you Walkman / Cyber-shot buffs out there who've been dying to get your hands on some new phoneage -- look no further. The Sony-Ericsson dreamteam have just announced the official release of two of its new mobile phones sure to have player haters... um, player hating. The W910, which we took a look at back in June, apparently has music-playin' on its mind, though with HSDPA, a 1GB Memory Stick, and its "shake" feature (which allows you to jostle the device to switch songs or randomize playback), you might find other uses for it. If you're more of an Ansel Adams-type, you can get your mitts on the K850, a camera-minded phone that's got a considerable 5-megapixel camera (with a Xenon flash / video light), has more of that beloved HSDPA, and can do 30fps video -- if that's your thing. Both of these sweet babies will be available in "selected markets" this month, no word on price.
LG, Samsung handsets on top in entertainment phone study
Although the necessity (or desire, actually) for integrated mobile entertainment in one's phone has long been argued over, we can't help but notice that the fad is ever-so-methodically catching on. Recently, a consumer study from Parks Associates found that LG and Samsung handsets led the way in "advanced mobile entertainment features," noting that their cellphones were more likely to support mobile TV, music, and games in the US. More specifically, nearly 12-percent of LG / Samsung owners reported having the aforementioned features, while just eight-percent of Moto users checked the box and nary a single Nokia respondent claimed to have such luxuries. Hmm, we're guessing the N95 owners were all too preoccupied to represent?[Via mocoNews]
LG Shine gets Titanium Black makeover for Europe
As if the original Shine wasn't hot enough, LG is bringing a Titanium Black edition to those across the pond in hopes of wrangling a few more customers who have an eye for anything covered in metallic grey. A member of the coveted Black Label series, this handset won't deviate feature-wise one iota from the original, but the classy all-metal exterior should catch quite a few eyes regardless. You'll still find the two-megapixel camera, scroll wheel control scheme, media player, Bluetooth, and compatibility with GPRS and EDGE networks, and while pricing details on this sexy handset are currently unavailable, those dwelling in the UK can expect it to land late this year, while those in France, Netherlands, and Austria should receive it sometime thereafter.[Via UnwiredView]
Verizon poised to launch LG VX8550?
It looks like Verizon and LG are gearing up to release to their latest addition in the Chocolate lineup, the VX8550. This round, the VX8550 is sportin' two new colors than before -- this time "black cherry" and "blue mint" will make your mouth water, and lets not forgot the traditional black. The device is expected to hit the street around around July 9 and cost $100 with a two year contract. There's even talk about reducing the cost of the music essentials kit that includes a microSD card, data cable, Bluetooth headset, and a gift card for music. Could this be Big Red's attempt to persuade consumers away from AT&T's music phone for their own latest addition? We hope not.[Thanks, HTC Kid and SC]%Gallery-4335%
Sony Ericsson's new MBW-150 Bluetooth watch rocks AVRCP
Bluetooth wristwatches are all the rage lately -- or at least Sony Ericsson hopes so, because it has a vested interest in most of them -- and just like we suspected, the JV has announced its latest model, the MBW-150, complete with AVRCP support for wireless control of your music phone. This followup to the MBW-100 comes in three styles (Classic, Music, and Executive, pictured left to right) that all perform the standard caller ID / SMS notification thing, while tossing in the highly-desirable ability to change tracks and adjust volume as well as view track info on the face. No pricing or release details were immediately released, so we'll keep ya updated.
Samsung's F200 music phone stays slim and trim
Your options for a slim music phone are nearly limitless, and if you dig the sliders of the world, you've probably eyed Samsung's X830 a time or two before. The handset has apparently went over fairly well, as now we're seeing a very similar successor hit the market with a trimmed down feature set. The F200 touts the same elongated design, a 1.46-inch 220 x 128 resolution external display, support for MP3, WMA, OGG, DCF, and SMP file formats, and a paltry 5MB of internal storage versus the 1GB found on the X830. Thankfully, Samsung included a microSD slot for toting more than a tenth of an album at any given time, and you'll also find a hold switch and headphone jack to compliment the musical abilities. Per usual, there's no word just yet when this sucka will hit the market nor how much it'll run you when it does, but judging by the lackluster feature set, it'll shouldn't hurt too bad. Click on through for a few extra views. [Via Slashphone]
Nokia's XpressMusic 5300 and 5200 announced, 3250 gets makeover
If the hoard of N-series Nokias raining down from Espoo yesterday was a bit too much on say, the fuddy-duddy side of the generational slope, then check these new XpressMusic cellphones kiddies. Well "new" only if you missed the 5300 and 5200 peeped before. Still official is official so let's run 'er down again. The 5300 slider is the biggest news here, going tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900MHz with GPRS/EDGE support and 262k color TFT LCD, QVGA (240x320) resolution. It features up to 2GB of microSD storage, dedicated music keys, an adapter for 3.5-mm headphones, built-in IM software, FM radio (with Visual Radio), 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and an expected retail of €250 pre-tax, or $317. The 5200 shares the looks of the 5300 but features an even lower rez camera and display for a pre-tax price of €200 or $254. Meanwhile, the original XpressMusic 3250 twister sports a new look with added support for 2GB microSD cards. Expect the 3250 to pull a pre-tax €400 or $507. All phones, according to Nokia today in New York, will "begin shipments in select markets within weeks." MobileBurn however claims that a US variant of the mix will hit Q1, so who knows. Click-on for a snap of the updated 3250.[Via MobileBurn]
Sanyo prepping 1-gigabyte M1 for Sprint?
While Sanyo's phones are known for their tendency to leave customers delighted here in the US, one thing they're typically not known for is keen industrial design -- with the possible exception of the Katana released earlier this year. The Katana's proven to be a decent low- to midrange piece, but now it looks like the Japanese manufacturer is gearing up to take on the SCH-A990s and Blades of the world with the rather attractive (as best as we can make out from the smallish picture) M1 clamshell. As music phones go, the rumored specs leave almost nothing to be desired, with a QVGA display, 2-megapixel cam, external controls, Bluetooth with A2DP, microSD expansion, and an impressive 1GB of storage on board. We don't quite know what to make of the circle on the phone's front, which we're guessing plays into the external music controls somehow -- but if its a scroll wheel, get out of our way, people; we've got a Sprint store to get to.[Via phoneArena]
Apple on iPhone: "We're not sitting around doing nothing"
Apple's been dogged with rumors of an iPod / phone hybrid (the real deal, not a rehash of a Moto E398 with iTunes support) for nearly as long as the iPod's been kickin' around. Apparently looking to beat the dead horse yet again, an analyst mentioned Sony's success with their Walkman line of music-oriented phones during Apple's Q3 earnings call, prompting CFO Peter Oppenheimer to respond with a fairly solid non-denial: "As regards cell phones, we don't think that the phones that are available today make the best music players. We think the iPod is. But over time, that is likely to change. And we're not sitting around doing nothing." Knowing Apple, of course, this is about the biggest admission we'll get until the iPhone actually drops, so relish in the moment, keep your eyes peeled in a year or so, and if you're really hard up, you could fashion your own, like the pictured Nokia 6680 makeover.[Via MacDailyNews]
Sony Ericsson W300i music phone reviewed
The W300i may not be the most fascinating phone out there, but golly, it's good to see a midrange flip once in a while coming from someone besides Samsung and LG. The music-oriented W300i earned a 7.6 on CNET's 10-scale, earning praise for its "remarkable" call quality but getting knocked for its tricky button placement, lackluster VGA cam, flimsy feel (attributed to the phone's feather-like 3.3oz), and tendency to freeze for a few seconds on occasion. In our opinion, the dismal 20MB of internal storage doesn't really jive with its Walkman branding -- thankfully, the Memory Stick Micro slot is there to bail you out. No word on any US carriers picking the W300i up, but it's rockin' quadband GSM plus EDGE, so feel free to buy your own if you can stomach the $299 Sony Ericsson is asking.[Thanks, Jen B.]
