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Acer's Ferrari c500 Pocket PC spotted in the wild
The folks over at The Inquirer sneaked up on an Ferrari-branded Acer c500 and snapped this grainy picture before getting kicked out of the booth by the camera-shy Acer peoples. At least we're almost positive it's the c500, The Inq wasn't able to get any specs or a model number, but this shiny bugger looks to be the exact unit we saw hit the FCC a few weeks ago, which features WinMo 5, a 2.8-inch QVGA touchscreen, a 300MHz Samsung 2442 processor, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS and a decent complement of storage and RAM. We're guessing we'll know more about this sucker soon enough, Acer was never one to keep a random and possibly ill-conceived Ferrari-based concept under wraps for long.
Toshiba's G900 superphone passes FCC muster
FCC ratification really doesn't mean much of anything about a phone's eventual release or non-release stateside, but in this case, we're doing a little jump of joy nonetheless. The reason? Toshiba's do-it-all G900 with slide-out QWERTY, Windows Mobile 6 Professional, WiFi, biometric security, 2 megapixel primary cam, tri-band HSDPA, and a glorious wide VGA display has been stamped with the feds' seal of approval. Yep, we said tri-band HSDPA, so anyone interested in trying their luck at obtaining an import should have no trouble using it here for fast data. We've seen the G900 variously referred to as a Portege and a Satellite -- here it's just called RG4-E02 -- but frankly, they can call it whatever they like and we'll still be happy campers.Update: Sorry to break hearts here, but it appears that this particular variant of the G900 isn't even remotely bound for US shores; besides failing to support WCDMA 850 / 1900, it doesn't even offer GSM 850. Our apologies for the mix-up; let's hope the next G900 we see in the FCC offers just a little more juice. [Thanks, Mike]
Evidence grows for imminent T-Mobile Wing launch
We're not sure if it's the newfound presence of the Wing on T-Mobile's support site or the ever-growing throng of individuals reporting that customer service agents and in-store reps are touting May 22 as the launch date, but something tells us that tomorrow's starting to look pretty good for getting some Windows Mobile 6 Professional love. Seeing how T-Mobile is without a Pocket PC phone option right now, the Wing's arrival isn't just welcome -- it's necessary -- and as 2.5G Pocket PCs go, the Wing's a doozy. The slim case and soft-touch finish alone are enough to make Wizard owners shed a tear, but the real prize is likely Windows Mobile 6 Professional and a revised, spring-loaded keyboard with a more traditional numeric layout. Get your pocketbooks ready, ladies and gentlemen.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
More shots of the HTC Elf
Again, we really can't stress enough how appropriate the name "Elf" is here. HTC's latest QWERTY-less Windows Mobile 6 Professional device seems as though it could've dropped right off a spaceship, looking distinctly un-HTC -- and that could be a good or a bad thing, depending on who you ask. Click on for views from every conceivable angle, including some alongside the Artemis, one of our favorite HTC devices of recent memory.
WoW goes mobile on the OQO!
No, this isn't the wireless property that we saw Blizzard hiring for recently. This is a completely seperate thing. The OQO is a "uPC" (ultra-portable computer) that you can take anywhere for wireless on-the-go access. "Cool," you say. "But what does it have to do with WoW Insider as opposed to going on one of your sister blogs like EngadgetMobile?" Not only is it cool new tech, but the OQO can run World of Warcraft -- and surprisingly well, considering!Check out part one:
Psion Teklogix's WORKABOUT PRO gets rugged with WinMo
We've seen handheld workhorses before, but Psion Teklogix is taking Windows Mobile 6 to the tough side in its new line of WORKABOUT devices. Offering users the choice of Windows CE 5.0 or WinMo 6 Classic / Professional, the WORKABOUT PRO C sports a full alphanumeric keypad, while the PRO S trims down by nixing the alphabet. Both units are powered by a 520MHz PXA270 CPU, and boast 128MB of Flash ROM, 128MB of SDRAM, optional 802.11b/g via a CF adapter, GSM / GPRS / EDGE WWAN connectivity, Bluetooth, a 3.6-inch VGA touchscreen, built-in speaker / microphone, and the obligatory dust, rain, and shock proof qualities that you'd expect on such a rugged machine. Additionally, a bevy of scanning expansion modules are included, and while pricing details aren't readily available, anyone that's likely to be interested in this one can just charge it to the corporate card and fuhgetaboutit.[Via PocketPCThoughts]
T-Mobile Wing gets unboxed
MyMobile911 has somehow managed to acquire a "production package" of T-Mobile's upcoming Windows Mobile 6-equipped Wing, and perhaps the most interesting news here is that it is, in fact, called the "Wing." Previous reports had suggested that execs weren't happy with the name, but hey, they could call it "Poo" for all we care -- the fact that retail packaging is in the wild suggests that a release could very well be imminent. The box's contents turn out to be pretty standard fare: a charger, stereo headset, cables, software, and a handful of manuals, though one gem is the audio/charging dongle that appears to let you juice the battery and rock out at the same time. With the MDA axed from the lineup, T-Mobile's Pocket PC-less shelves are looking a wee bit bare; Wing, you can't possible get here soon enough.[Thanks, Wally S.]
Sprint PPC-6800 delayed until fall?
A May launch for Sprint's variant of the HTC Titan sounded too good to be true, and indeed, it just might be. We've now heard from enough individuals to give some credence to a rumor that the PPC-6800 has been pulled back into the shop to get reworked for an October release just weeks before it was supposed to hit store shelves. The reason? Well, it's a pretty good one, it turns out; Sprint allegedly wants to take the time to do the launch up right by launching its flagship Pocket PC with Windows Mobile 6 and EV-DO Rev. A out of the gate. Now to be fair, we see no reason why they couldn't go ahead and launch it with Windows Mobile 5 and EV-DO Rev. 0 on the original timetable and push out an upgrade come this fall, but we've been through too many launch delays at this point to be too surprised or disappointed by the news.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC P3450 "Elf" in the wild
HTC's 2007 plan is starting to play itself out, and the latest device to make a cameo is this here lovely looking (but only so-so spec'd) "Elf" in HTC-branded P3450 guise. Guts include a rather anemic OMAP850 putting along at 201MHz, 128MB of ROM, 64MB of RAM, microSD expansion, a 2 megapixel cam, Bluetooth 2.0, and quadband GSM plus UMTS (though it's not clear whether there are any American 3G bands kicking around in there). The big draw here -- besides the presence of Windows Mobile 6, of course -- seems to be a shell that clocks in at a rather svelte 14 millimeters. If this all pans out, expect an official introduction in the next couple months.[Via Slashphone]
NES-playin' Taiwanese smartphone comes gamepad-equipped
Oh my -- we're fallin' in love. Our always-inventive pals in Taiwan have developed a "PDA Phone" called the Century Sutra 1688 that comes complete with a gamepad controller (not Bluetooth, darn) and an NES emulation system. If you're fond of "Super Mario Brothers" and "The Legend of Zelda" from the NES craziness of the 80s, you'd probably hand over a month's paycheck for one of these beauties just to take a trip down memory lane. We know we would. The gamepad for Windows Mobile isn't exactly a new concept, but add in NES emulation -- even though there are a ton of portable NES emulators out there -- and we're sold.
E-TEN's glofiish X500+ gets official
First, the good news: the glofiish X500+ takes the original X500's thin formula and packs in a glorious VGA display. Now, the bad: 3G data is still nowhere to be found. We suppose we'll have to wait for the upcoming X800 to sup the sweet nectar of HSDPA from an E-TEN device, but in the meantime, it seems the X500+ is a worthy upgrade its predecessor thanks to a stylish new black casing, Windows Mobile 6 Professional, and, of course, the aforementioned 640 x 480 touchscreen. No word on pricing or availability just yet, but we can probably guess "a lot" and "not here."[Via the::unwired]
Gigabyte g-Smart i300 to get Windows Mobile 6
Not to suggest many among our readership have one of these suckers, but for the few (and proud) who do, rejoice. The g-Smart i300 is now slated to get an upgrade from Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC Phone Edition to Windows Mobile 6 Professional, though the translated press release doesn't seem to offer details on exactly how or when the upgrade will go down. Forgetting for a moment the sickly GPRS data speeds, the i300 offers up decent specs with a 520MHz PXA270 core, Bluetooth 2.0, WiFi, GPS, and a full 256MB of internal Flash with miniSD expansion. Look for the Windows Mobile 6-enabled version of the i300 to launch first in Taiwan with a follow-on launch in Turkey, of all places.[Via the::unwired]
Willcom teases with Windows Mobile 6 equipped "X"
Those crazy cats at Japan's Willcom don't let their bizarre PHS network stop them from releasing some of the most lustworthy devices on the planet. For whatever reason, Windows Mobile seems to be particularly loved in Willcom's ranks, and the trend continues with the upcoming "X" (opposite NTT DoCoMo's "Z," perhaps?). Little is known about what the phone will look like -- or what exactly it'll do, for that matter -- but we do know that Windows Mobile 6 is under the hood and it'll be a good deal smaller and thinner ("slim-thickness," to use Willcom's verbage) than its predecessor. Is this a bittersweet goodbye, W-ZERO3?[Via Akihabara News]
Ferrari-branded Acer c500 Pocket PC passes through FCC
This isn't the first Ferrari-branded Pocket PC we've seen from Acer, but they're still a relatively rare breed compared to the many, many Ferrari-themed laptops coming out of the company. Unfortunately, the FCC hasn't exactly given us the best look at the device's added stylings, but we do at least have a good idea of its specs, which are pretty much in line with its non-Ferrari namesake, Acer's c500 Pocket PC Travel Companion. That means you'll get Windows Mobile 5 for an OS, along with a 2.8-inch QVGA touchscreen, a 300MHz Samsung 2442 processor, 64MB SDRAM, 128MB NAND flash, and built-in Bluetooth, WiFi, and GPS, with an SD slot to cover to expansion needs. As with most products that make their first appearance by way of the FCC, however, there's no word on pricing or availability.[Via PC Joint, thanks Staska]
O2 gets HTC Panda as "Xda Argon"
If this wasn't actually on O2's website, we'd think it was just a late (really late) April Fool's joke; alas, it now seems that the HTC Panda is the real deal in all its throwback glory. Looking pretty much like an HTC Himalaya or Alpine, the Panda reminds us of everything that was great about 2004 -- and thankfully, O2 has decided in its infinite wisdom to pick up the device as the "Xda Argon." Don't get your hopes up for modernized guts, though -- those are throwback, too, with EDGE data and Windows Mobile 5 leading the charge. On the other hand, Bluetooth, WiFi, a 2 megapixel camera, and a gloriously large 3.5 inch display all help make the Panda's case for a place in the sentimental Pocket PC user's pocket. Get it now on O2 for as little as... well, nothing, depending on the contract you select.[Via the::unwired]
Official data sheet for Sprint's PPC-6800
Boy Genius has scored Sprint and HTC's data sheet for the HTC Titan -- known as the PPC-6800 in Sprint guise -- and although it doesn't reveal anything new about the device, it always gives us a reassuring feeling to see official documentation leak out ahead of a device's supposed release date. On the downside, the handset will ship with Windows Mobile 5 installed, but on the plus side, 256MB of in-built Flash is a welcome boost, and the EV-DO radio is upgradeable to more-than-welcome Rev. A speeds. See you soon, dearest Pocket PC!
E-TEN's glofiish M700 gets FCC approval
HTC naturally gets the lion's share of the Windows Mobile QWERTY fun, but E-TEN's doing its best to steal some of that thunder with the upcoming M700 in its "glofiish" line of Pocket PC phones. Happily for those of us well west of zero degrees longitude, the M700 packs quadband GSM plus EDGE; we suspect no American carriers will be picking it up directly, but as the FCC will happily vouch, it'll be a trivial matter to get it imported. 3G data is missing, but the M700 makes out with a SiRFstar III GPS receiver built in -- much like other devices in the glofiish line -- plus WiFi and a 2 megapixel cam.
HTC reveals official Windows Mobile 6 upgrade plans
It seems HTC has finally gotten all of its leaves in a pile by releasing the much anticipated Windows Mobile 6 upgrade roadmap; while this news isn't a surprise, it's always reassuring to hear it straight from the manufacturer. Starting in April (the clock is ticking HTC) the updates will begin rolling out on HTC's European site for your downloading pleasure (link below). The list includes the HTC Advantage, HTC TyTn, HTC S620, HTC P3300, and the HTC 4350. All of you folks rolling with carrier-branded handsets will have to wait until June, and to make it a bit more unbearable, no operators or devices are specifically mentioned. HTC's rationale in choosing these handsets over others in their portfolio -- in case you are screaming "why not me?" -- is that devices with a focus on messaging will most benefit from the upgrade. Maybe it's just us, but aren't all of HTC's handsets focused on messaging? We will be bringing you a blow by blow as these things land, so if you see one posted and we haven't mentioned it, drop us a line.[Thanks, Sed]Read - HTC's WM6 roadmap [Warning: PDF link]Read - HTC Europe download site
T-Mobile "Wing" to change name, see Q2 release?
Call it a T-Mobile device... just don't call it "Wing." Word has it that execs at the nation's number two GSM carrier were less than pleased with the naming for its latest Pocket PC phone (but "Dash" somehow made the cut?), though it's unknown what the new name will be. But wait, we haven't gotten to the good part yet: the same rumor claims that the release date has been pushed up (not a typo) to May 27 for a mere $249 on two-year contract, perhaps a nod to perceived pressure from Sprint and Verizon's latest round of HTC superdevices. That's quite a launch bump from the original estimate of August; we'll believe it when we see it, but we're doing our best to stay optimistic.[Thanks, Seth]
Sprint PPC-6800 (HTC Titan) in the wild
Canada's Telus may be in the process of beating it to the punch, but that's not stopping Sprint (and Verizon, for that matter) from prepping its own variant of the HTC Titan, the PPC-6800. A PPCGeeks forum member recently got the enviable opportunity to screw around with a prototype of the Sprint-branded unit -- and besides coming away with a veritable cornucopia of imagery, they've posted a few key details: in addition to rocking Windows Mobile 5 AKU 3.3 (Pocket PC Phone Edition, of course), the device will use a Qualcomm MSM7500 to push bits and bytes at around 400MHz (as we've already seen in its XV6800 sibling) and end up with about 174MB of usable Flash and 49MB of RAM. Of course, this is a prototype -- specs are subject to change -- but seeing how the Telus version is already on the streets, what you see here is probably darned near what you're going to get. Follow the break for some key shots.[Thanks, Brian C.]
