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StyleTap brings PalmOS apps to Windows Mobile
StyleTap's Palm OS emulator for Windows Mobile has been kicking around in beta and preview versions for well over a year now, but the Toronto-based company has finally put all the pieces together and given its eponomously-titled software the big 1.0 release. From the looks of it, the emulator's come a long way since its earliest incarnations, now able to run apps written for any version of Palm OS -- including the ARM-based version -- as well as making use of your device's WiFi, Bluetooth, IR, and USB connections. It's also not a Boot Camp situation where you'll be switching back and forth between operating systems, with Palm OS apps instead simply showing up as native Windows Mobile applications on your device. If you're skeptical, you can grab a 14-day trial version from StyleTap's site before forking over the fifty bucks for the complete package. Not ones to rest on their laurels, StyleTap says this edition is only the first in a family of products, with versions for Symbian and Windows Mobile for Smartphones coming next.[Via Reg Hardware]
Cingular launches 3G-enabled 8525, sort of
It's still forwarding us back to the old-skool 8125's product page at the moment, but a tipster has managed to coax Cingular's site into giving up the goods on the 8525 -- Buy Now link and all. We're guessing it has something to do with region or Premier account status, we're not sure, but the point is that a select few are able to place their orders for Cingular's first HSDPA smartphone as we speak. Breaking out the wallet might be hard to justify for folks in 2G areas coming from an 8125, but if speed and power are top priorities, lick your chops as you read the full specs (highlights include a 400MHz Samsung core, 2-megapixel cam, and that fabulous 3G radio) after the break.[Thanks, John]Update: Judging from commenters' experiences, it's sounding like there's some buffoonery going on behind the scenes over at Cingular HQ -- the phone may not be shipping to anyone yet after all. In the meanwhile, enjoy the literature and imagery we've scooped, and we'll let you know what's going on as soon as we do.
E-TEN glofiish X500 smartphone gets official
While its hard to take a Pocket PC phone seriously that goes by the name of "glofiish," and even harder to take it seriously when it ain't got no 3G data, we're still fairly impressed with E-TEN's new X500 phone. The glofiish X500 packs in SiRF Star III GPS, Bluetooth 2.0, 802.11b/g WiFi, and an EDGE radio all into a 0.6-inch thick form factor. While it was at it, E-TEN stuff in a 2 megapixel camera, 2.8-inch QVGA screen, 400MHz Samsung processor, 128MB ROM, 64MB RAM and a microSD slot. No surprises, since we spotted this thing a few weeks ago, but now it's getting "official," with an expected November launch and that silly glofiish moniker. Still no word on price.[Via Mobility Site]
A Treo 750w on Sprint: is CompUSA confused?
So, last time we checked, the Palm Treo 750 was a GSM / GPRS / EDGE / UMTS / HSDPA handset destined for the likes of Vodafone and Cingular. So why is it, then, that a couple images have leaked out of a draft CompUSA ad offering a Sprint 750w with "EDGE/EVDO technology" for a cool $300? Hey, if Sprint wants to rock an upgraded 700wx with GSM for global compatibility, far be it from us to complain -- but something tells us our friends at CompUSA just got a little confused while getting their ad flyers ready.[Thanks, Akijikan]
Kinpo's Tin becomes iDo S630
Whether Kinpo planned this name change all along or it was a last-minute decision after realizing that tin is a nearly worthless, weak, and altogether uninspiring metal, we don't know, but either way, the Tin has become the iDo S630. Our American readers might want to stop reading this right about now, seeing how the rather attractive Pocket PC phone lacks GSM 850, EDGE, and any sort of 3G data -- on the other hand, our friends hangin' out in Asia probably want to pay close attention here: the mid-range device is going to come packing Bluetooth with A2DP, a 2-megapixel cam, 128MB of Flash, 64MB of RAM, WiFi, miniSD expansion, and a Freescale i.MX21 clocked at a reasonable 350MHz. It sounds like Kinpo hasn't quite gotten around to getting the S630 out the door yet, but when it does, expect to find them for about HK$4,180 (about $540).
ASUS goes Hermes style with Mars II
If imitation is truly the sincerest form of flattery, HTC must be turning beet red right about now. The Mars II from ASUS follows the HTC Wizard / Hermes formula down to the letter, featuring that fabulous side-opening QWERTY keypad we'd now be lost without, an Intel Xscale PXA270 core making haste at 520MHz, 128MB of ROM, 64MB of RAM, UMTS, 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.0, 2-megapixel shooter, and a 2.8-inch QVGA display (why no love for the VGA?). As you may recall, we were able to correctly call all the specs out last month with the exception of the name and the ODM, which we'd heard would be HTC -- and given the Hermes-esque dimensions and feature list, who could blame us? Look for the Mars II to grace O2's networks before too long as the "Xda Zinc," but thanks to the old-skool tri-band GSM radio sans 850 support, we're going to be putting our import plans on hold.[Via phoneArena]
i-mate's JASJAR redux, the K-JAR
It looks like i-mate's ongoing collaboration with TechFaith is starting to pick up a good head of steam, seeing how they've gone and entrusted the Chinese ODM with serving up the de facto successor to the HTC-sourced JASJAR. Not a heck of a lot is known about this pivoting, flipping, QWERTY-sporting monster of a device, though it apparently (strangely) lacks that all-important 3G radio its predecessor packed. Features are rumored to include a 2.8-inch QVGA display, WiFi, Bluetooth, 128MB of ROM, 64MB of RAM, and a TI OMAP750 core clipping along at an undisclosed clock speed. With i-mate making (or at least trying to make) inroads in the US market, this is one Pocket PC phone the full-keypad lovers among us will be tracking with eagle eyes.[Via HowardForums, thanks Galt]
RoverPC G5 GPS-equipped Pocket PC
Russian manufacturer Rover Computers recently announced a new Windows Mobile 5.0-based phone to beef up its line up, looking remarkably similar to a certain other Pocket PC phone from another Russian company. Unlike that device, however, the RoverPC G5 appears to be only tri-band GSM (900 / 1800 / 1900MHz), though it adds a GPS receiver to compensate for that shortcoming (it's not clear if that's actually integrated or just an add-on). Apart from that, the G5's specs appear to be identical to its Pocket PC doppelganger, with a 2.7-inch screen, 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, IrDA, and WiFi, an FM tuner, 64MB RAM, 128MB ROM, and a microSD slot for additional storage. There doesn't appear to be any word on price or availability, although those more fluent in Russian than us may have better luck finding out than we did.[Via Mobilewhack]
Gigabyte's dual-tuner g-Smart i200
Though Gigabyte's not much of a mobile presence here in the US, folks in Asian countries might want to listen up: the spec sheet on their g-Smart i200 Pocket PC phone makes it sound like the best thing since... well, the i120 and i300. The 512MB of internal storage is hot, the promise of Crossbow (if it's available by the device's launch in Q1 '07) is pure gold -- but what's really got us all fired up are the integrated dual tuners (DVB-H and DVB-T) and 2.69-inch VGA display. Yep, we said it: VGA. Everyone waiting for the promise of compromise-free mobile web browsing and remote desktop connections can come out of hiding, because this bad boy could very well be the phone you've been waiting for. The TV-out and DVR functionality don't hurt, either. Now if you'll excuse us, we need to book our flights to Taiwan.[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
E-TEN shows thin X500 Pocket PC phone
In a world of 6.9mm-thick phones, we use the term "thin" somewhat loosely, but what the heck -- it is a full fledged Pocket PC phone, after all. E-TEN's latest, the X500, manages to pack Bluetooth 2.0, microSD expansion, 802.11g, FM radio, GPS, and a 2-megapixel autofocus shooter into a sub-15mm frame sporting Windows Mobile 5 with AKU3. The device also rocks 64MB of RAM, 128MB of ROM, and a respectable 400MHz Samsung core, though the complete lack of 3G is starting to become a sore spot for us. No details on when or where the X500 might drop (or how much it might be, for that matter) on account of it not officially having been announced quite yet, but we'll keep our ear to the ground on this one.[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
O2 Xda Stealth in the flesh
We're still smarting from the thought that O2's sexy little Pocket PC slider has virtually no shot of ever gracing US shores, but that doesn't stop us from torturing ourselves with an endless onslaught of fabulous visual stimuli. PhoneDaily's quick take on the Gigabyte-manufactured Xda Stealth is a bit tricky to translate (we suggest spoon-feeding paragraphs into Google Translate one at a time), but let's be honest -- pics are what we're all here for. As a reminder, the diminutive Windows Mobile device packs 802.11g and a healthy 192MB of ROM on board, which'll come in handy when you're making use of the 2-megapixel cam. If you're capable of subjecting yourself to photo after beautiful photo of a great-looking device that'll never find its way here, click through for the full spread.[Thanks, Dida]
HTC Trinity's GPS receiver lies dormant
Just when we thought HTC couldn't physically stuff any more receivers into their Trinity, here we find out that the HSDPA Pocket PC has GPS guts crammed in there, too. The catch? They're turned off for the time being. From what we can gather from Google's oft-comical translation services, HTC discovered very late in the game that the GPS subsystem didn't play nice with Qualcomm's GSM chipset; rather than hold the release, they decided to disable the nav functionality for the time being and press on with the launch. Worry not, early adopters; a software update is promised for early next year that'll iron everything out, making the Trinity a solid alternative to its GPS-enabled (but 3G-impaired) Artemis sibling.
"Krma" from izenMobile blurs Pocket PC / Smartphone lines
San Diego-based izenMobile (no, we haven't heard of them either) looks to take a page from the ASUS P525's book, combining a numeric keypad with Windows Mobile's Pocket PC Phone Edition platform to create the "Krma," a distinctly Motorola-esque name, if we do say so ourselves. We don't have much to go on other than the crappy press shot (above) and a somewhat vague press release, which falls short on detailing the Krma's specs but promises that the handset is the first of several (as many as seven) to be released over the coming year. izenMobile says they'll be initially targeting businesses in North and South America with their devices, but if the spec sheet fills the bill and actual Krma is as hot as the picture seems to indicate, we anticipate a few individuals trying to get in on the action.
Singapore to get Palm Treo 750v
Cingular may still be playing dumb about its next-gen Treo launch plans -- but Vodafone and their partner network in Singapore, M1, are happy to share theirs. It turns out that M1 will be launching the Windows Mobile-powered 750v in October of this year, 3G data and all, which could ultimately make it just the second launch for the stubless Treo globally (after Vodafone proper). This all depends, of course, on whether Cingular wants to get off its hindquarters and kick things into high gear; we're not holding our breath, so enjoy your 15 seconds of fame, M1.[Via the::unwired]
ASUS shows nav-enabled P535
If you're willing to trade the P525's honest-to-goodness numeric keypad for an embedded SiRF Star III GPS antenna, ASUS is about to drop your hookup with the upcoming P535. The Pocket PC Phone Edition device is rumored to come packing some serious heat with an XScale humming along at a generous 520MHz, Bluetooth 2.0, 802.11g, a 2-megapixel cam, and a miniSD slot in the event that 256MB of internal flash doesn't cut it for you. No word on release, but without GSM 850, 3G, or EDGE on board, we're not getting too worked up about it.[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
Palm briefly confesses to Treo 680, 750 for Cingular
Dear Palm,Why is it that you have such a devil of a time keeping a lid on your product pipeline? It seems like in those precious few moments when your carriers aren't leaking documents describing unreleased Treos, you're doing it yourself. No bother; we already knew darned well Cingular would be getting a pair of new handsets from you, freshly freed of their pesky external antennas, in Palm OS and Windows Mobile flavors -- we just wish you'd make it a little more challenging to scoop the deets sometimes. Anyway, you've got a crowd of Palm fanatics anxiously awaiting your 680 and 750 here in the US, so let's get this show on the road, shall we?Love,Engadget[Thanks, William and Jon]
O2 gets HTC Artemis as "Xda Orbit"
We're not really feeling the carrier-specific exterior (apparently known by HTC as the "Cruiser") as much as the sculpted lines of its generic sibling, but at least O2 Germany customers can take solace in the knowledge that they'll be getting some form of the nav-enabled device. The "Xda Orbit" brings all of that GPS, trackball, and WiFi goodness in a slightly more conservative package -- it's by no means ugly, just not as nifty as the original Artemis we're used to seeing strut its stuff. Look for the Xda Orbit to drop complete with a 512MB microSD card loaded with maps of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland for €249.99 (about $315) on contract in the next few weeks.[Via the::unwired]
Zenum's Opus Operis Pocket PC in November?
Don't shoot us -- we're just the messengers on this one, but an outfit going by the name "Zenum" is claiming that they'll be releasing their rather comely "Opus Operis" Pocket PC Phone Edition device come this November. If real (and we really have no basis to form an opinion one way or another on this), it's shaping up to be a hot handset, rocking a full keyboard, 128MB of ROM, 64MB of RAM, 802.11g, Bluetooth with A2DP, miniSD expansion, a 2-megapixel shooter, and a landscape-mounted QVGA display, all in an attractive, thin (looking) shell. Of course, with devices in this category, keyboard comfort is a huge factor, and we won't get a sense for that until this thing -- if this thing -- hits the streets. Sadly, the Opus Operis leaves both GSM 850 and EDGE out of the equation, so data-hungry users and Americans are probably best off looking elsewhere.
HTC's nav-friendly Artemis reviewed
French site Ultimate Pocket had a crack at the HTC Artemis this week, coming away with a solidly positive impression of the GPS-enabled unit. They were really digging the trackball (as were we), the comprehensive software package, and the FM radio support which allows direct-to-MP3 recording. The review doesn't really go into the device's GPS, and for folks planning on using the Artemis as their navigation system, it's an important point to touch on. What the author does mention is a rumor of a GPS-less version of the Artemis eventually dropping; given its exceptionally sexy chassis, we're all for it, but we don't have availability information (or even so much as an HTC code name) to back that one up right now -- we'll keep our eyes peeled.
ASUS P525 Pocket PC phone gets reviewed
CNET's Australian outpost had a chance to put the ASUS P525 smartphone through its paces recently, using the BlackBerry 7130 series and the just-launched HP iPAQ hw6900 series as measuring sticks. They found it compared favorably to both, clocking in a bit heavier (though similarly sized) to the 7130 and besting the hw6900 for battery endurance, though some folks cross-shopping the P525 with the hw6900 might be swayed by the latter's QWERTY keyboard nonetheless. Strangely, though the P525 includes business card recognition software, the reviewer found that the phone's 2-megapixel cam wasn't sufficient to deliver the clarity needed for the software to actually function. The lack of 3G is a downer, too, but hey -- it looks mighty purty, and that's the important thing with a smartphone, right?
