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Samsung shows i780 with Windows Mobile 6, possible BlackJack 2?
Remember that trick Samsung with Windows Mobile and the mouse pointer? Turns out it's the SGH-i780, a device that was passed around at Dubai's GITEX show earlier this month. From the spec sheet adjacent to the display phone, we can pretty clearly make out Windows Mobile 6 Professional (as opposed to Standard -- score), WiFi, HSDPA, a 2 megapixel camera, GPS, and an "optical mouse" (whatever that means), which explains the presence of a pointer on the screen. HTC pulled this off with the trackball-equipped Artemis; we toyed with it briefly and it seemed usable, so we'll be curious to see what approach Samsung takes. We've heard talk of a BlackJack 2 coming to AT&T later this year; we don't know whether this (or a model based on this) is it, but it certainly looks the part, doesn't it?[Via the::unwired, thanks Daniel F.]
AT&T Tilt delayed a few weeks?
Unlocked Kaisers are already available from your friendly local importer (and yes, it rocks, by the way), but if on-contract AT&T pricing is more to your liking, the wait may have just gotten a little longer. We're hearing unconfirmed reports that the 8925 Tilt -- AT&T's branded version of the Kaiser -- has been pushed back a few weeks from its September 25 release window thanks to some pesky network certification issues. You know, those tests that cause a phone mentioned in December of one year to be released late the following year (pardon if we sound bitter). Anyway, the phones have apparently been shipped back to HTC for some last-minute rejiggering; with any luck, we'll still see 'em before October's out if the rumor's true. If this ends up being nothing more than a case of a few misinformed AT&T reps, though, make sure to bring enough cash on your shopping trip next Tuesday for both the Tilt and Halo 3, k?[Thanks, John L.]
Rogers releases WM6-equipped Palm Treo 750
AT&T customers still have a grueling wait ahead of them (apparently) for an official Windows Mobile 6 update to their Treo 750s, but our buddies north of the border are on the ball. Canada's GSM grandpappy, Rogers, has finally gotten around to launching the device -- a bit late, yes, but with Windows Mobile 6 and enabled HSDPA out of the gate. Normally we'd say the timing sucks with a newer product having just launched overseas, but let's be honest: between the Treo 500 and the 750, we're sure there are still plenty of folks willing to take the older model. Pick it up now for $599 CAD (about $584) on a two-year contract, or a far more palatable $249 CAD (about $243) on a three-year.[Via the::unwired]
Feature-filled ASUS p550 PocketPC phone clears the FCC
Bonus time must be approaching for the folks over at the FCC as they've been madly busy this week kicking handsets out left, right, and center. Of course, this Asus P550 took us a bit by surprise, as we'd not heard even a whisper of this little fella until just this morning. Featuring Windows Mobile 6 Pro, a smokin' 570 MHz CPU, GPS, WiFi, triple-band GSM, and a dash of 2100 MHz flavored UMTS, it will slot quite nicely into the middle of Asus' existing lineup. The spec sheet -- and the photo tells no lies -- doesn't mention a forward facing cam, but the unit does feature a 2 megapixel fixed-focus jobbie, with storage for said pics in either the system memory -- listed as 256 MB ROM and 64 MB RAM -- or via miniSD. Not a bad outing for Asus, and while it lacks HSDPA in any of our favorite bands, it'll do just nicely.
HP iPAQ 910 coming to AT&T?
We're not really used to being buried in an endless array of Windows Mobile devices on any American carrier, but that could be the very problem we all face on AT&T if this latest tidbit materializes. Between the Tilt, Q Global, SMT5700, Pantech Duo, Treo 750, and the BlackJack -- all released or just around the corner -- pretty much every form factor, platform, and price point is covered, and it looks like the recently announced HP iPAQ 910 is in play now, too. Documentation on HP's site calls out the 910c (the version equipped with a 3 megapixel autofocus cam) as destined for AT&T's airwaves, a logical move considering the device's support for HSDPA 850 / 1900. Yeah, the extra choice means extra confusion for consumers just looking for a decent smartphone -- but with GPS, WiFi, and a touchscreen rocking Windows Mobile 6 Professional, we're not about to complain. [Warning: PDF link][Via Boy Genius Report]
Verizon customers manage to sneak in, receive Samsung i760 orders
Golly, it's been so flippin' long since this thing was supposed to come out, we'd kinda forgotten about it! We kid, we kid -- it's not every day that Samsung comes out with a creative new Windows Mobile 6 Professional device, particular stateside, and we're as excited as anyone to see examples of the i760 start to find their way into patient buyers' hands. Rumor has it it's not supposed to be released until September 24, but folks have had luck calling Verizon directly and asking for the device by SKU (seriously, how hard is it to get everyone on the same page?). It'll run $519.99 full retail, with a two-year contract earning you a more manageable price of $399.99 before a $50 mail-in rebate. Be sure to spill the gory details of your efforts to evade the 9/24 official drop date in comments![Via Boy Genius Report, thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Motorola Q Global makes surprise, unorderable cameo on AT&T site
Call it the q9, the Q9h, the Q9 global, whatever, but AT&T's apparently going by the "Q Global" moniker (properly capitalized, no less!) for Motorola's latest QWERTY smartphone when it goes on sale shortly. The carrier has thrown up a teaser site to help hold over the throngs of impatient masses who hoped the darned thing would've launched by now -- particular considering it was announced long before Verizon's version -- though no mention of an actual launch date is made in the verbiage. With any luck the October rumor will stick, but for now, a submission of your email address into some AT&T database will have to do.[Via phoneArena]
Palm Treo 500 gets dressed for September 12 announcement
Okay, we suppose it might not be as silly looking as we'd originally thought, but let's be honest: would this be your first choice for a Windows Mobile 6 Standard device? Yep, that's right, we said "Standard," meaning there's no touchscreen in the cards for Palm's latest and greatest device, a distinct departure from Treos of yore. So yeah, anyway, if this document turns out to be legit, the long-rumored Gandolf is going to end up christened as the Treo 500 when it's announced for Vodafone on the 12th. 3G data will thankfully be in tow, too, though there's no word on whether it'll be HSDPA or plain ol' UMTS. Not bad, but seriously, there are plenty of solid WM6 Standard handsets in the pipeline from manufacturers big and small. Best of luck, Palm.[Via Boy Genius Report]
Sharp's WS011SH Windows Mobile superphone in the wild
Sometimes -- all too often, in fact -- devices simply don't live up to their carefully selected and prepared press shots, but yeah, we're pretty sure that's not the case here. LetsGoMobile recently had a peep at Sharp's lovely WS011SH Advanced/W-ZERO3 [es] on the floor of IFA, and seriously, it seems to look every bit as good in the wild (if not better) than it did in Sharp's own materials. With a 3-inch WVGA (yes, wide VGA) touchscreen serving up Windows Mobile 6, you can sorta think of it as an HTC Vox on performance-enhancing drugs -- the only difference being that we stand zero chance of ever seeing this 'round here on account of the PHS radio designed for Willcom service in Japan. Tragedy, ain't it?[Thanks, David]
O2 Germany getting Xda Atom Life as "Xda comet"
O2 has a track record of running largely different product lineups between its European and Asian operations, but German subscribers might be delighted to hear that they're getting a particularly strong import from their cousins on the other end of the globe. This here device, sold in the Asia Pacific region as the Xda Atom Life, is getting rebranded as the "Xda comet" (yes, lower case "c," as annoying as that is) -- and it's picking up an upgrade to Windows Mobile 6 as part of its transcontinental transformation (though Atom Life owners have access to an official upgrade now too). The handset holds its own with 3.6Mbps HSDPA, Bluetooth, WiFi, a healthy 624 megahertz of XScale action, 2 megapixel cam, and a full 1GB of storage onboard; the lack of a slide-out keyboard might be a deal breaker for some, but otherwise, looks like HTC's got a solid bit of Bavarian competition on its hands. Look for it to hit in October for a yet-to-be-announced price. [Warning: PDF link][Via the::unwired]
Amazon gets impatient, offers Pantech C810 for AT&T
You know, if it weren't for retailers and the FCC, manufacturers' and carriers' employees would lead relatively stress- and hypertension-free lives -- but in this heavily embargoed, NDA'd, confidentiality agreemented world in which we live, bean spillage is an inevitable occurrence. We're not saying that's what's going on here, but we find it odd that Amazon would start offering Pantech's C810 dual slider Windows Mobile smartphone for AT&T with nary a peep from the carrier itself (not that we're complaining in the least). Even better, they're offering it for a cool $180 which seems really reasonable for a Windows Mobile 6 Standard device with UMTS in such a creative and useful form factor. Give us a holler in comments if anyone grabs it![Via Smartphone Thoughts]
i-mate's Ultimate 8150 out and about
Okay, we've gotta admit, it looks way better in black than it did in the sickly champagne hue we'd originally seen. ce4arab's had a chance to play with the production version of i-mate's 8150, one of the first members of its flagship Ultimate line to see the light of day. We'll save the review itself for the Arabic speakers among us, but the extensive visuals (right down to a test of its TV out capability) here are enough to justify taking a peep. In particular, we're feeling the blue backlighting on the keypad -- and as we said, the black theme is a huge improvement. The specs are less notable now than they were back when these things were announced at CeBIT, but hey, if you can score one at the right price, at least it's not gonna look like you're pulling a brick of fool's gold out of your pocket.
HP introduces iPAQ 600 and 900 series Windows Mobile 6 phones
In its fray of iPAQ introductions today come two new phones from HP -- the first since the rather bland 510 -- potentialy throwing the once-dominant Windows Mobile force back into the hunt. First up, the 600 series Business Navigator comes equipped with integrated GPS a generous 2.8-inch touchscreen, 128MB of RAM, 256MB of ROM, 3 megapixel autofocus cam, WiFi, and Windows Mobile 6 Professional, all sitting atop a Marvell PXA270 putting along at 520MHz. The 600 rocks a numeric keypad; a dealbreaker for some, yes, but the nifty touch-sensitive scroll wheel integrated into the keys may be enough to sway a few back. The 900 series, meanwhile, swaps out the numeric pad for a standard QWERTY outfit and steps down to a 2.46-inch display, but the specs remain otherwise similar to its stablemate. Look for both to ship before the year's out.[Via Phone Scoop]
HTC website leaks AT&T Tilt, BlackBerry Connect support
In case there was any lingering doubt that AT&T would pick up the Kaiser as the successor to its 8525, this should put all those nasty thoughts to rest. Paul from MoDaCo has noticed that HTC's US site now rocks a guide to setting up BlackBerry Connect on the AT&T 8925 "Tilt," confirming several notable things: one, that AT&T is getting the device, two, that it's called the Tilt and its model number is 8925, and three, that it'll support BlackBerry Connect. Sadly, HTC's apparent misstep (or clever leak designed to get us all foaming at the mouth, depending on how you look at it) reveals nothing about a Tilt release date, but we've gotta think it's coming before too long now.[Via MoDaCo]
How-to upgrade Fujitsu Siemens N560 GPS to WindowsMobile 6
Alright, so it's a discontinued model and all, but is that necessarily a bad thing? A member of the dubiously named PPCWarez forum has figured out a way to upgrade this heavily featured PDA to WindowsMobile 6 capability. Fujitsu Siemens seems pretty unlikely to make the effort to upgrade, so these talented fans have stepped in and done it for them. Check out the package over at the link, making sure to reclick once you've accepted the terms and conditions of viewing the forum. Again, there's a slight tinge of dubiousness to the whole proceedings, so don't blame us if by some freak happening your precious PDA gets bricked.[Thanks, Geert]
Samsung SGH-i620 smart slider gets official
Though we think we prefer it in white, Samsung's follow-on to the i600 and its variants -- the compact SGH-i620 slider -- is now official. Taking the wraps off at Berlin's IFA show this week, Samsung is calling attention to the unit's small size (just 95 x 59 x 16mm closed), jog dial navigation, HSDPA, and inclusion of Windows Mobile 6 out of the box. No word on a stateside release, but like its immediate predecessor, Samsung would have to craft a new version with the right bands anyhow since this one's rocking out with triband GSM and UMTS 2100. Expect a release in Germany, presumably on Vodafone, in September.[Via the::unwired]
Palm rolls out WM6 upgrade for Vodafone's Treo 750v
Still no love for AT&T customers just yet, but Palm's Treo 750 is slowly transforming from a Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC to a Windows Mobile 6 Professional device across the globe. Following an earlier Australian announcement, it now seems that the official upgrade is available to customers of the Vodafone variant -- the 750v, naturally -- in the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Even better, the free download flips the switch on HSDPA, but careful: it's one download per customer for whatever reason, so make sure you drop it on a hard drive that's not seconds away from crashing.[Via the::unwired]
Hands-on with the HTC Advantage X7501
Take a peek inside the mind of a good many mobile power users and you'll find two diametrically opposed, seemingly contradictory voices locked in an eternal struggle: one demanding as much power, speed, and capability as possible, the other crying out for portability (and heck, maybe even fashion). HTC has a long, storied track record of trying its darndest to satisfy every possible smartphone market segment by designing and offering devices spanning the full range of size, appearance, and capability, meeting the needs of those two voices to various degrees. Now that we have that mental imagery set up, let us be clear from the outset -- the Advantage X7501 feeds heaping loads of happiness to the power voice while mercilessly beating the portability voice into submission.%Gallery-6402%
Alltel launches HTC PPC6800
Gee, Verizon, go ahead and take your time there, will ya? Alltel follows up Sprint to become the second network in the US to launch HTC's next-gen CDMA Windows Mobile 6 Professional handset (Alltel's site claims it's Windows Mobile 5, but we're not believing that -- check the screen shots), offering WiFi, stereo Bluetooth, 2 megapixel cam, and just about all the EV-DO you can handle as the HTC PPC6800. Grab it for $549 off contract, or $249 after two-year agreement and a $100 snail mail rebate.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC P4350 Herald gets Windows Mobile 6 update
HTC's slowly coming around on Windows Mobile 6 upgrades for its full suite of recent self-branded handsets, thank goodness. Latest to get blessed is the P4350, HTC's very own rendition of its thin, EDGE-only QWERTY slider. Of course, if you've had a T-Mobile Wing, you've been feeling this love for quite some time now -- but if the HTC logo rests atop your unit, go grab yourself an update, will ya?[Via the::unwired]
