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ViewSonic heats up phone collection, V901 spotted on Microsoft China site
In just one week, ViewSonic has gone from a glint of a 3G phone maker to having two models prominently on display. We've already seen VPC08 Windows XP phone, and now up to bat is the V901, found in the pages of Microsoft China's official site. The Windows Mobile 6.5, apparently TouchWiz-skinned device has a 3.6-inch, 480 x 800 touchscreen, a Marvell PXA310 processor, 128MB RAM and 256MB ROM storage with microSD expansion, 5 megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth, all hailing to the wavelengths we call CDMA EV-DO Rev. A. Launch is Q4 2009, so sometime very soon -- but we get the feeling this is China-only, at least for now.
HTC sets Window Mobile 6 upgrade deadline for October 31st
Back in April of last year, HTC came clean with its Windows Mobile 6 upgrade plans. Fast forward to now, and the very same company is getting official with the cutoff plans. October 31st will be the very last day (no tricks, folks) for select Windows Mobile 5 users to get a free upgrade to WinMo 6 via HTC's website. More specifically, October 31st at 12:00PM GMT -- after the clock strikes 12:01PM, the download link will be removed for eternity. The affected handsets are the S621, S620, P4350, P3300 and HTC Advantage, and while we'd typically encourage you to stop procrastinating and get on with the upgrade, we know in our hearts there's no way you're still rocking WinMo 5. Right? Right.[Via phonescoop]
AT&T certifies Opticon smartphone for compatibility, not beauty
Avert your eyes, average consumers, because Opticon's two new Windows Mobile smartphones are aimed squarely at the business fleet market and they've got spec sheets to match. The H16 is a Windows Mobile 5 -- yes, you read that right, Windows Mobile frickin' 5 Pocket PC phone with EDGE data, WiFi, Bluetooth, and an integrated barcode scanner for the princely sum of $1,195. The H19 meanwhile gets a little bit closer to modern era technology with Windows Mobile 6, WiFi, Bluetooth, integrated GPS, and a barcode scanner, though it shares the H16's lame EDGE radio and stratospheric price tag. The big deal here is that AT&T has officially certified the H16 for use on its network and certification for the H19 is expected (hoped) by September; in other words, corporate brass will be able to rest a little easier knowing that their wireless requisitions aren't considered unsupportable rogues by the carrier -- and with most of those types already at their daily Tums limit, any stress reduction is a good thing.[Via the::unwired]Read - Opticon H19Read - Opticon H16
T-Mobile inexplicably brings back MDA
So, we imagine it went something like this: some dude at T-Mobile USA's headquarters was crawling through the attic. Maybe he was looking for some classic Jamie Lee Curtis promo shots to throw up on eBay, maybe he was seeking out a replacement battery for his trusty Ericsson T68; the purpose of his adventure is pretty irrelevant. Anyway, he stumbles upon this giant flippin' stash of dusty MDAs. You know, HTC Wizards -- the things T-Mobile sold back in the day before the Wing reigned supreme. What's a company to do? They can't rightfully dump 'em in the local landfill, it just wouldn't be right. May as well sell the whole lot off for a song ($79.99 apiece, to be exact) on the corporate website! If you simply must get in on this circa-2005 action, we might recommend you do it soonly 'cause there's really no telling how long these relics are going to be available the second time around.[Thanks, Cesar G.]
HTC self-brands retro Panda as P6300
If you're still hung up on 2.5G data and Windows Mobile 5... well, first, we recommend you consult a professional. Failing that, though, check out HTC's P6300, the self-branded version of the throwback "Panda" that looks straight outta 2004 and has a feature set to match: tri-band EDGE data, Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC Phone Edition, and SD / MMC slot. Mercifully, internal Flash is a more 2007-ish 256MB, and the WiFi and 3.5-inch QVGA display certainly helps round this one out. You can already grab this one on O2 as the Xda Argon, but it looks like folks elsewhere should be able to pick it up now too -- if you're into that sort of thing.[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
Orange intros SPV C200 with Windows Mobile... 5?
While the general assumption would be that handset manufacturers would jump at the chance to pre-load their mobiles with the latest and greatest Windows Mobile flavor on the market, it seems that the SPV C200 is going against conventional wisdom. The Amoi-built handset is slated to launch on Orange, and will include tri-band support, Bluetooth, and an integrated 1.3-megapixel camera. Of course, the expected €9 ($12) pricetag that will reportedly grace this device (if you commit to a two-year agreement, that is) may explain the lack of WiFi and slightly obsolete OS, but this sure is an interesting maneuver to slash the price.[Via TheUnwired]
HP crushes dreams, offers no WM6 upgrades
The former Windows Mobile heavyweight champ (sorry, HP, but we're pretty sure that title belongs to some friends of yours now) has made the unfortunate -- though not altogether unexpected -- announcement this week that it will not be providing Windows Mobile 6 upgrades to its existing line of Windows Mobile 5-based devices. That list includes the rx4000, rx5000, rw6800, and hw6900 series -- among others -- leaving even buyers of the company's more recent models in the lurch. If it's any consolation, the models won't be offered with Windows Mobile 6 preinstalled either (because let's face it, it'd just be downright insulting to be teased with an upgrade you can't have) though all future models out of the company will mercifully be rocking Redmond's latest and greatest.[Via the::unwired]
BlueBird's BM-500 Pocket PC debuts at CeBIT
If you're in Germany this week and have a chance to hit the CeBIT show, you may be able to peep the new BlueBird BM-500 WM Smartphone (yes, it's Windows Mobile 5-based). This bar handset -- part of the PIDION line -- features a rather nice 2.8 inch touch-screen, EV-DO data speeds, built-in 802.11b WiFi, Bluetooth, the now-standard 1.3 megapixel cam and the less-often used miniSD card slot. Changes we'd make? Get microSD in there and dump the miniSD, upgrade that cam to 2 megapixels and get WM6 in there. Seriously -- WM5? The older BM-200 and BM-300 had this way back when. Come on now; WM5 is so January 2007.[Via Wired.com]
Zenum Opus Operis aims for spring launch
Man, we hope this is true. Switzerland's Zenum has been talking up its gorgeous "Opus Operis" concept Pocket PC for a while now -- but as is too often the case, the alleged release date came and went with no product in sight. Zenum's site has been reborn recently, though, suggesting that the company is still on track to eventually offer the QWERTY device, this time with a spring '07 launch. Though the site shows Windows Mobile 5 as the platform of choice, we trust Zenum will have the wisdom to switch over to 6 by the time the Opus gets out the door. Other specs should include 128MB ROM, 64MB RAM, 2 megapixel cam, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 1.2, and a tri-band GSM radio (no 850MHz, apparently) atop a 200MHz OMAP750. We'd love to see a successful launch on this one, folks, but we'd gladly wait a few weeks if you could squeeze some quadband action in there. Oh, and Windows Mobile 6, while you're at it, eh?[Thanks, Ramesh]
Palm makes Treo 700wx official for Verizon
Palm and Verizon have made official today what we've known now for a while (as have Sprint and Alltel): 32MB of RAM in a Windows Mobile 5 device just doesn't really cut it. The Treo 700wx rights the 700w's wrongs with an extra 32MB of memory for a grand total of 64MB; otherwise, though, the device is all but identical to its older sibling, with Windows Mobile 6 sadly nowhere in sight. Get it now while it's hot at Verizon stores or online for a stiff $399 on 2-year contract after $100 rebate.
Sharp shows EM-ONE Pocket PC for Japan's EMOBILE
Goodbye W-ZERO3, hello EM-ONE. As lust for Japan-only Windows Mobile devices goes, Sharp's W-ZERO3 for Willcom (along with its various spinoffs) has always held a very special place in our hearts, but it looks like there's a new sheriff in town. The EM-ONE, also from Sharp, will be a launch device for Japan's new GSM carrier EMOBILE next month, rocking HSDPA, WiFi, and one-seg TV tuning in a 18.9mm-thin package. "But wait," as they say, "that's not all." Nope, not hardly. The madness continues with a dual-slide design, providing what Sharp calls "Control Style," "Input Style," and "View Style." And just what will you be viewing, you ask? A true wide VGA (800 x 480) display showing Windows Mobile 5 in all its glory sitting atop a 520MHz XScale. Throw in a little Bluetooth here, 512MB of onboard Flash there, and you have pretty much the hottest thing going (at least among the outgoing batch of WinMo 5 devices). It'll apparently run ¥95,000 (about $796) contract-free, but tack on the requisite 2 year agreement and you're only looking at ¥39,800 ($333) -- not bad at all, considering the package.[Via Unwired View]
Pre-installed Opera to come on some WM6 devices?
We never thought we would live to see the day that Pocket IE was pushed aside hastily by some Windows Mobile users in favor of the Opera browser. In the "fat lady sings" department that is in rumorland at the moment, the CEO of Opera has flat-out stated that some WM6 handsets will have the Opera browser pre-installed. Eek, say it isn't so! Until we can confirm this, we're on pins and needles along with every other Opera-lovin' WM customer on the planet. How about specific devices? Those beans have no been spilled yet, although the Motorola Q was alluded to along with some unspecified HTC, Toshiba and Asus units. If you're still on PIE (Pocket IE) and have not downloaded Opera already (or some other browser), having that beauty pre-installed is next to foolproof for a better browsing experience for many of us. We're counting the seconds until confirmation of this rumor.
AKU3 for Verizon's XV6700 WM5 device 'officially' going to be launched
Just when we thought mighty Verizon had given up on official WM5 update support for the XV6700, this comes along in the form of an official email response to one of our readers in a response from UTStarcom, distributor of many things HTC ending in "6700" in relation to WM Smartphones -- "AKU3 will be coming out sometime late March or early April". While that response is quite the vague picture and is by no means filled with detail, we have to give it up to Verizon Wireless who has decided (apparently) to throw some support love up for existing UTStarcom XV6700 owners. You know, the ones who paid more than a few bills for their WM devices in the first place and who are most likely avid wireless data users and decent data revenue subscribers. Verizon, you just scored a point in our book.[Thanks, Huntley]
'Virtual Navigation' WM5 Smartphone unveiled by Taiwan's OKWAP
Taiwan's OKWAP is sitting on a new Windows Mobile smartphone that looks eerily reminiscent of many newer Sony Ericsson designs. It's not really a first for OKWAP -- a Windows Mobile Smartphone, that is -- but this baby sports a slick "virtual" scroll wheel, ala iPod. Sporting a very clean and almost sterile white design, we were first perplexed by the absence of a joystick or d-pad of some kind, but alas, OKWAP has designed the whole keypad to be a touch-sensitive virtual navigation array. The SD slot on the top of the unit (great move OKWAP) takes old school full SD cards and the single connector -- miniUSB -- rounds out the bottom. Price in Taiwan? $450US for that beauty, once you find it.[via Slashphone]
Skin your WM5 Pocket PC to look like the iPhone, get sued by Apple
With the various OS X and Vista themes we're always seeing crop up, just to be shut down by Apple and Microsoft legal teams all lickity split like, it's really no surprise that someone whipped up an iPhone theme for Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC already, and it's equally unsurprising that Apple legal is already doing its darnedest to put the kibosh on the skin. The pretty view comes to us courtesy of "hanmin" of the XDA Developers forums, and while there's only so much you can do by swapping out a few icons, we're still liking the look -- WM5 was never really the pretty one.[Via MoDaCo; thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Voxtel shows W740 Pocket PC phone
What happens when you introduce a nifty looking Windows Mobile 5-based Pocket PC Phone Edition device with a bizarre mix of hot (4 megapixel autofocus cam) and cold (GPRS data) specs? Voxtel is about to find out, showing off its W740, a 15 millimeter thick Pocket PC with what appears to be an etched metal keypad, a la RAZR and company. Other details include Bluetooth 1.2, 64MB of RAM, 128MB of ROM, and a 900 / 1800 / 1900 GSM radio, all sitting atop a 200MHz OMAP730 from the good folks at TI. A slide-out QWERTY keyboard is absent, but we suspect that's just how some folks like it. Now, who's making the trek to Russia to pick up a couple for us?[Via AVING]
i-mate gets real with JAQ3
Let's just sweep that original JAQ under the mat and carry on as though it never existed, shall we? The TechFaith-commissioned JAQ3 looks to take a major leap beyond the original Inventec piece in the looks department, thanks in part to its slimmer form and black shell. High-speed data is conspicuously missing here, though it'll top out with EDGE on all four GSM bands -- better than the previous intel we had indicating that GSM 850 and EDGE would be no-shows. Other major features for the Pocket PC Phone Edition device include a 2 megapixel cam, 802.11g, 128MB of ROM, and 64MB of RAM. Initially, it looks like the JAQ3's launch is restricted to the Middle East, but who knows? If we ask nicely, it might just come to grace US shores alongside the JAQ and SPL.[Via the::unwired, thanks kerunt]
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.
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).
