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Lamborghini-branded ASUS ZX1 smartphone coming to CeBIT?
Long a tradition in ASUS' notebook line, it seems like the storied Italian marque might be making a fateful move from the lap to the pocket. The rumored ZX1 handset from ASUS is said to be a fairly high-end smartphone -- and frankly, Lamborghini should expect nothing less -- with Windows Mobile 6 Professional, a 520MHz core, integrated GPS, HSDPA, and to loosely translate the French source, "all the colors of the Lamborghini brand." It looks like ASUS will be targeting the Touch crowd with this one, too, thanks to an expansive touchscreen that we'd guess will be at least a bit finger-friendly. If this all checks out, we can expect the ZX1 for about €650 (about $963) this summer following a CeBIT announcement.[Via Unwired View]
Hands-on with the Samsung ACE
After spending some quality time with Samsung's ACE for Sprint the past few days, yep, we can now say with confidence what we've suspected all along: it's essentially a BlackJack in Sprint clothing. Actually, it's more accurate to say that it's 95 percent BlackJack and 5 percent improvement, with a more inward-slanted, square d-pad that makes it considerably harder to accidentally hit the surrounding controls, and angled keys that offer an embedded numeric pad in the proper configuration (we appreciate what Samsung tried to do with the original BlackJack's every-other-key layout, but in practice, it just didn't work out). The Windows Mobile 6 Standard software load is fairly typical, albeit mildly Sprint-ified with a yellow theme and shortcuts to access On Demand, Sprint TV, and the like. The phone seemed reasonably snappy, and the EV-DO modem hauled butt when we downloaded the Sprint TV client; don't expect that kind of performance overseas, though, as the ACE's GSM radio lacks any sort of 3G. Check out the gallery for all the glamor shots -- the Sprint-branded SIM card gets us every time!%Gallery-16813%
Samsung i640 now available on Vodafone
Took a little while, but the Samsung i640 is finally here. Well, "here" is the proper word to user if you live in the UK, anyway; otherwise, "there" is likely a better term. The follow-on to the attractive i620 (and the i600 before that) packs Windows Mobile 6, HSDPA, a 2 megapixel camera, QWERTY keyboard, and the BlackJack II's scroll wheel into a fabulously compact slider form factor. The i620's white was a nice change of pace, but we imagine they'll still be able to push a few of these in the subdued, biz-friendly black we're seeing here, especially considering that it's as cheap as zilch on contract.[Via Coolsmartphone]
Fido picks up Samsung Jack and Motorola Q9h, just like mommy Rogers
Fido has announced the availability of the Samsung JACK (Americans will know this one better as the BlackJack II) and the Motorola Q9h, and although both these phones are old news for customers of Rogers proper, the handsets are actually a pretty big deal for folks on Fido. Why? Well, it turns out these are now the only Windows Mobile devices available on the carrier; prior to this, the Nokia E62 was the only smartphone available, period. One thing, though Rogers: let's try to tighten up the turnaround time on letting your goodies filter down to your subsidiary, k?[Via Mobile In Canada]
Samsung takes i780 to retail in Europe
Let's try to get past the fact that Samsung ended a sentence with a preposition for just a moment, if you will, and turn our collective attention to the real headline here: the SGH-i780 Windows Mobile 6 Professional handset. True, it's been official for quite some time now, but it seems that the phone's just now getting its proper European launch with support from Orange and Telefonica along with an unlocked, unsubsidized version that should be turning up in retailers across the continent for something in the range of €549 (about $805). A little steep, perhaps, but considering the HSDPA, 320 x 320 square display, WiFi, and "optical joystick" for navigation, we'll cut it just a little slack. That grammatically problematic sentence, though -- well, that's another matter altogether.[Via the::unwired]
Samsung ACE global smartphone, M520 go live on Sprint
Given the BlackJack's popularity on AT&T, it only makes sense that Sprint (among other carriers) would be looking to get in on that action. Indeed, as expected, Sprint has now launched Samsung's ACE (get it? like the really good card to have when you're playing blackjack?) that comes out swinging with Windows Mobile 6 Standard, 1.3 megapixel camera, microSD slot, stereo Bluetooth, EV-DO, and a SIM slot for hooking your globetrotting butt up with GSM service when you find yourself overseas; what it doesn't have is HSDPA, so don't look at this puppy as an apples-for-apples BlackJack II replacement. It's available now for $199.99 after the usual laundry list of rebates and contract discounts.Separately, Sprint has also gone live with the M520, an unassuming slider we've known about for a while now with GPS, a 1.3 megapixel cam, and tethering capability. This one comes in at a reasonable $49.99 after rebate on contract.[Via PhoneNews]Read - Samsung AceRead - Samsung M520
The ASUS "Galaxy Mini" -- slow, but small
It's not nearly as interesting as the mighty M930, but ASUS is prepping another Windows Mobile model that'll appeal to a decidedly different segment of the market. The device, codenamed "Galaxy Mini" and clearly intended to do battle with the HTC Touch, looks to be just about as diminutive as you can realistically expect a WinMo 6.1 Professional device to be -- though the tradeoff is that 3G data doesn't make the cut (you'll have to rely on WiFi for that) and the TI OMAP core mopes along at a molasses-like 200MHz. Other goodies should include GPS, Bluetooth, a 2 megapixel camera, and a selection of colors when it launches for somewhere between 300 and 400 (about $445 to $593) later this year.[Via the::unwired]
ASUS M930 in the wild
Never mind the silly little internal display for just a moment -- the Windows Mobile 6 Standard-based M930 from ASUS is still a pretty interesting phone in a form factor that doesn't come along every day, and it'll likely get scrutinized for purchase by a good many folks in 2100MHz 3G-friendly parts of the globe over the next few months. TamsWMS had the opportunity to touch one at a recent ASUS press event and compare it side-by-side with a variety of other devices; it appears to be roughly the same size as a Treo 680 (pictured), but don't be fooled -- it also makes the chubby Nokia N71 look like a RAZR. Anyone out there thinking this is their next WinMo device?[Via CoolSmartPhone]
Gigabyte's g-Smart MW700 and MS800 ready to rumble at MWC?
Not to be outdone by E-TEN, Gigabyte's ready to pull some aces out of its sleeve for Mobile World Congress, too. If you can really call these "aces," that is. According to Russian site MyBestPDA, the g-Smart MW700 and MS800 are getting all geared up for MWC debuts with Windows Mobile 6 (possibly 6.1), 256MB of ROM and 64MB of RAM, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, integrated FM tuner, and in the MS800's case, 3G data. Physically, both devices look the same -- which is to say very, very bland -- but then again, that's exactly how some Windows Mobile users like it. More on these devices, we presume, in a couple weeks from Barcelona.[Via Unwired View]
The Palm Treo 500, now SIM free
We're not confident that many folks were waiting with bated breath for this to go down, but sure enough, that rumored unlocked Treo 500 we'd told you about is now a reality. Features mirror Vodafone's original -- 256MB of storage, 2 megapixel camera, UMTS, Windows Mobile 6 Standard -- the only difference is that the Vodafone logo is now stone-cold gone from the phone's face, replaced with a more generic Treo logo. Grab it now for £269 (about $528) -- but beware if you're stateside, there's no 850MHz support for GSM and the 3G data resides only on the 2100MHz band.[Via PHONE Magazine and Reg Hardware]
Windows Mobile 6 upgrade for Samsung BlackJack hits today
After having given its newer BlackJack II cousin plenty of breathing room in the WinMo 6 spotlight, Samsung's finally doubling back to bring the original up to spec. No, seriously: as of 5PM Eastern Time today, you'll be able to hit the attached link and download Windows Mobile 6 (an official ROM, finally) for your old-skool BlackJack in all its glory. For folks not in need of the II's GPS, the upgrade should breathe new life into a handset that still holds its own in the smartphone pack, and for some time now, has been just one small upgrade away from avoiding the proverbial glue factory. Let us know how it goes, updaters!Note: Prior to 5PM EST, you'll be redirected to an old Windows Mobile 5 update for the phone. Hang tight, folks!
Verizon's XV6900 Touch, in all its shockingly white glory
If you hate ridiculously out of focus shots of unreleased handsets as much as we do (it's actually more of a love / hate relationship, but you know what we mean), this here is a welcome sight for sore eyes. About all we can say is this: Verizon's XV6900 Touch from HTC features EV-DO, Windows Mobile 6, and a 2 megapixel camera like its Sprint and Alltel cousins, it includes GPS, and yep, we're now absolutely certain it's real. There's still no word on whether it's actually thinner than Sprint's version, but it looks pretty chubby from the diagrams in our gallery, so we have our doubts. See the biggie-sized visuals over in the gallery![Thanks, anonymous tipster]%Gallery-14378%
US cut of the HTC S730 makes the FCC's cut
If you're looking for a multitalented Windows Mobile 6 Standard handset, the follow-on to the nifty S710 Vox from HTC, the S730, is a fine device -- it really is. Only one problem, though: in its current iteration, European 3G is the one and only name of the game. That kinda took us by surprise when we first heard it since HTC's announcement of the S730 promised "worldwide 3G." What they didn't make clear is that the promise would be delivered in the form of two separate models. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the "WING200" -- an homage to the S730's "Wings" codename -- bearing support for US HSDPA on the 850 and 1900MHz bands. No mention of the S730 name is made anywhere in the documentation, but the rear end that we see here clearly resembles the S730's hindquarters, so we're pretty well convinced. Only thing left then is for HTC to start selling this thing, eh?
Windows Mobile 6 SDK reveals GPSID config utility for Standard devices
If you're pleased as punch with the BlackJack II's in-built (and non-free) TeleNav app, you can go ahead and skip over this blurb. Otherwise, take note: the latest release of Microsoft's SDK for Windows Mobile 6 has revealed a little gem that'll change everything. The GPS Intermediate Driver, or GPSID as the cool kids are calling it, now has an on-device configuration utility that allows you to specify that the GPS chipset on your WinMo 6 Standard device be exposed on a particular serial port, allow third party location-based apps to get in on the fun. Of course, downloading, installing, and sifting through the actual SDK doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun, but never fear -- MoDaCo has done us all the favor of boiling it down to the utility alone. Click on!
Verizon getting in touch with its Touch?
A poster over on HowardForums has a series of convincing shots of a little something we'd like to call "Sprint's Worst Nightmare." Okay, that's going way too far, but if this Verizon-branded HTC Touch is legit, Sprint has to be just a little bummed that it's about to lose exclusivity on the fancy little Windows Mobile piece among the big four US carriers (though Alltel's on the ball already). If it's simply the same Sprint hardware we know and love repackaged in white, we can expect EV-DO, microSD expansion, Windows Mobile 6 Professional dressed up to be about as finger-friendly as it possibly can be, and a 2 megapixel camera. Thing is, the poster says that this one's "a little thinner" than Sprint's -- amazing if true, considering that it's already a svelte and manageable 0.6 inches -- so all bets on specs are off until we get some official confirmation. Word on the street is that we'll see it in March.
HTC Pharos, Greek for "next, please"
Our eyes! This fat little guy, bearing a face only a mother could love, is said to be the HTC "Pharos" (no, not that Pharos) with a date with destiny as early as March, making a CeBIT announcement a distinct possibility. It'll apparently go by the name P3470 in HTC's lineup, clearly shoring up the very, very low end of the company's line with a mere 200MHz TI OMAP850 core, 256MB of ROM and 128MB of RAM, Bluetooth, integrated GPS, and a 2 megapixel camera -- not terrible specs, we suppose, until you take a good, hard gaze at the darned thing. No word on whether it'll be crossing the pond, but we're not going to get too caught up on that one.[Via PHONE Magazine and UberGizmo]
ASUS M930 gets official, Nokia styling and all
Yep, pretty much everything we'd heard about the upcoming M930 from ASUS has turned out to be the real deal, making the brick-like device nearly a dead ringer for Nokia's E90 communicator with Windows Mobile doing the dirty work in place of S60. The exterior nets you a traditional QVGA display and numeric keypad, while unfolding the beast yields a slightly larger 400 x 240 display along with a full QWERTY board. Internal storage clocks in at 256MB with 64MB of RAM, there's a 2 megapixel autofocus cam around back, and you get the usual microSD expansion, WiFi, and Bluetooth. Oddly, the whole package runs Windows Mobile 6 Standard -- not Professional -- so you can just put away any hopes and dreams of touching the display with a stylus. Look for a public reveal at CeBIT in March, so retail availability isn't expected before that.[Via MoDaCo]
HTC S730 gets previewed
The Vox and Libra have been largely overlooked in the US market (though Verizon's finally looking into fixing that issue), which is a crying shame considering the cool side-sliding QWERTY WinMo Standard form factor that remains largely unique to HTC. The S730 succeeds the Vox, adding most notably 3G and a supposedly better keyboard, and Tracy and Matt's Blog have given the bugger a thorough once-over. It seems that the phone is a little fatter than the already-fat Vox, a potential problem for those hoping to discretely pack it in a pants pocket; battery life was a little weak, too, with normal usage resulting in a nearly drained device at the end of the day. On the positive side, though... well, where the heck else are you going to find this form factor running 3G and Windows Mobile 6 Standard?[Via pocketnow.com]
E-TEN turns glofiish X650 into reality
In case the FCC-style announcement wasn't enough for you, the glofiish X650 is now being trumpeted by E-TEN itself which promises availability in "two to three weeks." The phone is essentially a tweaked X600 -- a phone that was announced not long ago, making for some miffed owners, we'd imagine -- adding a VGA display, FM radio, and an FM transmitter (on certain versions) while maintaining the 2 megapixel cam, EDGE data, GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth. VGA resolution is great and all, but we think the best feature here might be the color selection: black or purple. Purple! You go, E-TEN.[Via phoneArena]
Alltel makes Touch official
As we reported last week, Alltel has now become the second major US carrier to offer the CDMA version of HTC's Touch. Not unlike Sprint's version, the diminutive, finger-friendly Windows Mobile 6 Professional device has been customized for Alltel with a fourth panel on the home screen that essentially acts as a portal into the carrier's content deck (whether that's a feature or a blight, we'll leave to the readers to decide). Alltel's site is still taking preorders at the moment, but expect to be able to find them in store and online either today or tomorrow for $199 on contract after rebates.
