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Microsoft unveils new Windows Phone 7 Mango handsets from Samsung, Acer, Fujitsu and ZTE
Generally Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference is a relatively low key affair, but today it caught a few in the tech world off guard by unveiling not one or two, but four new Windows Phone 7 handsets running Mango. Acer and ZTE both have models on tap, as does Fujitsu -- which slathered its mobile in pink and gave it a waterproof seal. The biggest news though was Samsung. Microsoft pulled out what is believed to be the SGH-i937, a version of the Galaxy S II that sports the Redmond mobile OS instead of Android. From the screen cap above it appears as if the phone is sporting a front-facing camera, something that has been missing from WP7 handset until now and is rumored to be supported in Mango. It's only a brief glimpse but you can catch it in the video after the break. [Thanks, Simon]
ZTE Skate dubbed 'Monte Carlo,' will be classing it up on Orange in the UK soon
Odds are that mentions of the Skate caused your mind to immediately wander to roller derbies or marine biology, but that's clearly not the sort of imagery ZTE is looking to evoke with its forthcoming smartphone. After all, the Gingerbread device does seem a step up from the company's usual offerings, and therefore deserves a far classier name -- like the Monte Carlo. The rechristened phone will be arriving shaken, not stirred on Orange -- no word on an exact date at the moment, just "soon." The Android handset has a 4.3-inch screen, an 800MHz processor, and a five megapixel camera. From the looks of the Orange page, however, the giant Android drawing appears missing from the rear of the device. So much for class.
Leaked Sprint roadmap outs LG Optimus Slider and BlackBerry Torch 2, among others
Leaked carrier roadmaps are the closest thing we have to a crystal ball and can offer precious insight into upcoming devices and launches. Stumbling upon these lists isn't a common occurrence, and they can't be fully relied on since carriers tend to change their minds frequently, but the one shown here got our full attention. Among the highlights: the BlackBerry Torch 9850 Monaco, which is possibly a CDMA version of the Torch 9810 we previewed last week, is listed as a TBD release; the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9930 appears to be Sprint-bound on August 21; and the phone we've heard the least about thus far is the LG Optimus Slider LS700 (Gelato Q), most likely the successor to the Optimus S, prepping for a September launch. Several handsets are listed alongside dates for release, but we wouldn't take a lot of stock in the launch dates. Anything could happen in the coming months, and it's quite likely these are tentative dates the company hopes to hit so long as there aren't any hiccups along the way. Keep in mind that screen shots like this one can easily be faked, but the accurate prediction of the Motorola XPRT launch does make it slightly more believable. Scope out another shot after the break.
Huawei dips its foot into Windows Phone pool, considers going for a swim
Wherefore art thou, Huawei? Noticeably absent from the Windows Phone party last week, we were left to wonder if the Chinese manufacturer is still on the fence or it hopped off and walked away from WP7 altogether. After an interview with ZDNet, Huawei CMO Victor Xu confirmed that his company is indeed keeping a close eye on the platform and will "probably" have something cooked up and ready to go in 2012. This can't be much of a surprise since ZTE threw its hat into the ring last week, and Huawei won't want to lose much ground to its bitter rival. Nothing is set in stone yet, but this is still good news for Microsoft, which has a lot to gain by gathering another OEM into its fold.
ZTE plans to launch LTE devices later this year, Windows Phone in early 2012
It may have been the third runner-up in global market share last year, but ZTE isn't content to just sit down and keep quiet in its new position. Speaking to Reuters, CEO Cheng Lixin mentioned his company wants to push LTE devices out to the States during the second half of the year, and introduce phones blessed with Windows Phone's Mango update in early 2012. We're already expecting an LTE-based tablet from ZTE in this same timeframe, but are unsure of what handsets may pop up between now and then. With thriving markets like LTE and Windows Phone, the Chinese manufacturer has a golden opportunity to grow right alongside them. But as hopeful as we'd like to be about the whole thing, let's not take Lixin's announcement as a guarantee that his phones will end up on AT&T's and / or Verizon's 4G lineups specifically -- while they'll be the only national players using LTE this year, MetroPCS already has a history of working with ZTE and could swoop in to pick one of its phones (or tablets) up. No matter where they land, we want these phones to be blazing fast.
Microsoft announces Windows Phone 'Mango' update, coming in autumn (updated)
Mango may no longer be a secret in and of itself, but we doubt Microsoft would've set up an entire event to preview its big Windows Phone update if there was nothing hidden up that Redmond sleeve. To that end, we've just come across an official press release from the company, released on its Romanian website. The machine translation awaits after the break. Update: We've now swapped in the natively English press release. There's also confirmation that Mango will indeed be known as Windows Phone 7.1. Update 2: Turns out Microsoft "had to give [the SDK] a name" and dubbed it 7.1, so Mango retains its formal WP7 moniker. The first thing to note is that the update will be "freely available" to all current Windows Phone handsets, something Microsoft already committed to, and will be ready for download "at the beginning of this summer." (Update: it looks like our translation machinery betrayed us, tipsters are saying it's actually the beginning of autumn.) Naturally, the new goodness will also figure in new devices and from new partners, including Acer, Fujitsu, and ZTE. Those fresh faces join Nokia and the incumbent partners of Dell (maybe) HTC, Samsung, and LG to expand the WP ecosystem. A Beta SDK of the new Windows Phone free tools will be available within 24 hours, we're promised, for developers to sink their teeth into. In the communications department, Microsoft is introducing conversation threads, which seamlessly transition between MSN Messenger chats, SMS, and Facebook messaging to keep you talking to the same person irrespective of the method. New contact group tiles are also incoming, with the ability to send quick emails or IMs to entire groups. Twitter and LinkedIn contact integration is mentioned, though we expect this go a lot deeper in Twitter's case, as Microsoft has already demonstrated. Speaking of more in-depth integration, Microsoft has improved the Live Tiles to allow the display of more dynamic information from apps, which will of course be able to multitask beautifully. Internet Explorer 9 is also joining in on the Mango fun with support for HTML5. Jump past the break for all the details. Update 3: Would you look at that, Bing search has gotten a thorough sprucing up as well. Video of all the new goodness follows after the break -- or you can click here to hit up Microsoft's own video library, which is loaded to the gills with feature overviews. %Gallery-124305%
T-Mobile flips on 42Mbps HSPA+ across 55 markets, launching Rocket 3.0 modem stick tomorrow
Fellow road warriors, we bring you good news: starting today, T-Mobile customers across 55 markets -- including Chicago, Detroit, Honolulu, Pittsburgh, Miami, and many more -- will have immediate access to a faster HSPA+ "4G" network. This means anyone with compatible devices can achieve theoretical download speeds of up to a whopping 42Mbps, as opposed to just 21Mbps from the good ol' days. But of course, only time will tell whether this upgrade will deliver its promise -- you may recall that even AT&T's LTE demo last week delivered "realistic" download speeds of up to just 28.9Mbps, when in theory it should be capable of hitting up to 100Mbps. Anyhow, if you want to soldier on and be a guinea pig an early adopter, then help yourself to ZTE's Rocket 3.0 USB modem stick starting tomorrow -- the entry price is $99.99 after a $50 mail in rebate, but tied to a two-year broadband plan of 2GB or higher; or you can opt for the contract-free price of $199.99. Hit the press release after the break for the full list of activated markets.
Virgin Mobile announces new Broadband2Go plan, doles out 500MB for $20
Having an exclusive plan all to yourself deserves bragging rights -- just ask Virgin Mobile's ZTE Peel. When introduced last month, the Peel came with a brand-new monthly option that offered 500MB of data for $20, earning the envy of its broadband brethren. Starting today, Virgin Mobile is changing course to offer this plan on the network's other Broadband2Go devices, the Ovation MC 760 USB and MiFi 2200. What's a bit puzzling here is that this new plan will be simultaneously offered next to Walmart's deal -- which doubles the capacity to 1GB for the same monthly fee. Confused? Us too. Anyway, if you're still interested, look for the new plan to go live at 10 AM ET.
ZTE Peel 3200 joins Virgin Mobile's broadband bargain bin
If you own an iPod Touch, you know that finding a wifi hotspot in the outside world is more precious than gold. How much would it be worth to have such a treasure with you all of the time? Virgin Mobile thinks it's worth $100, the cost of the quietly-launched ZTE Peel 3200. If the name sounds familiar, that's because Sprint has been offering the 3G mobile-hotspot-in-a-case since November. The only difference between the two -- aside from the logos -- is the number that follows the dollar sign. Compared to Sprint's $80 offering, Virgin's model tragically demands a larger share of your wallet than its twin brother, and only offers one prepaid plan of 500 MB per month for $20. That's not too shabby if you're a casual user looking for a bargain, but it certainly isn't ideal for those of us data guzzlers who voraciously download every Engadget podcast. And we almost forgot the important part: the Peel will only fit on second and third-gen iPod Touch models, so take a quick glance at your device to make sure it's compatible before you click that "buy now" button. [Thanks, Eli]
Patent spar between ZTE, Ericsson escalates to courtroom showdown
Like nostrils, tensions are flaring between two powerhouses in the wireless industry. Ericsson and ZTE have chosen to trade off the role of both plaintiff and defendant, since each company is suing the other for several patent infringements. It's hard to say who the guilty party really is -- with the number of accusations flying around, it's possible everyone is at fault somehow. All we know is that Ericsson challenged its rival company to a throwdown once attempts to reach a licensing agreement failed two weeks ago. ZTE accepted the challenge and raised the stakes by filing a lawsuit of its own. It's not exactly clear what got the quarelling pair's feathers all ruffled, though it reportedly involves 4G / WCDMA / GSM network technology employed in each other's handsets. That sure narrows it down, doesn't it? At least we have a good idea of what's up for grabs: as is oftentimes the case in these types of tumultuous proceedings, the loser has to stop selling the products and services in question and fork over some cash for damages caused to the winner. Why oh why can't we all just get along? [Thanks, Alex]
LG steps into Nokia's MeeGo void (updated)
Sure, Nokia will ship a single MeeGo handset this year. But after that, MeeGo, Nokia's previous strategic smartphone platform, will be pushed into the incubation lab as the team shifts focus to future user experiences. According to Reuters, LG Electronics has stepped in to fill the void by joining a working group with ZTE and China Mobile intent on developing a handset version of the software. This, according to a member of the MeeGo technical steering group, Valtteri Halla, speaking at a developer conference today. Of course, LG was talking about MeeGo phones back in January of 2010 when it was showing off its short-lived Intel Moorestown-based GW990 (pictured above). Happy now, MeeGo fans? You should be, we certainly are. Update: LG has issued a statement meant to dampen any early enthusiasm we may have felt about an LG handset running MeeGo. According to the Reuters update, an LG spokesman says, "At this point in time LG has no definitive plans to mass produce devices with MeeGo other than car infotainment systems."
T-Mobile blesses contract-averse with Rocket 4G modem and better data plans
If you're waiting impatiently for the ability hook your laptop in to T-Mobile's blazingly fast 42Mbps HSPA+ network, you are going to have hold tight just a little bit longer. But here's some good news to tide you over: the 21Mbps capable Rocket 4G USB stick is here, and available starting April 17th with new prepaid data plans for those who prefer not to chain themselves to a two-year contract. The $30, 30-day plan will jump from 300MB to 1GB, and the $50 plan will be bumped from 1GB to 3GB. It's not as flashy as the 4G Mobile Hotspot nor as fast as the 42Mbps Rocket 3.0, but it's priced at a reasonable $59.99 -- and controlling the destiny of your mobile broadband soul must be worth something.
Intel's first Medfield-based smartphone to be a ZTE?
It wasn't that long ago that Intel pulled a Dell, Anand Chandrasekher showing off a fancy new thing then quickly hiding it away out of sight. That was a Medfield-based smartphone, an Atom-powered mobile that the company pledges is built on "the most efficient architecture on the planet." Whether that's the case remains to be seen, as we're still waiting on any sort of details on that mystery phone, but according to Businessweek one question has been answered: the manufacturer. Intel is said to be working to design the handset for ZTE, the 32nm processor expected to provide decent performance and high efficiency for a mid-range smartphone. Now, ZTE has certainly been trying to make waves on the US market of late, but we can't help thinking Intel's going to need a somewhat higher profile partner before it really starts hitting ARM where it hurts.
T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot hitting stores tomorrow, just as expected
Don't ya just love it when a plan comes together? As expected, T-Mobile has confirmed that its 4G Mobile Hotspot will be hitting stores tomorrow. The ZTE-sourced sliver of plastic and OLED will be T-Mo's first such device and, with its HSPA+ radio, clocks in at 21Mbps, while an SD card slot means it can provide up to 32GB of wireless storage. You can read more about it from our hands-on, or just go get your own tomorrow for $79.99 -- after the requisite rebate and contract negotiations, of course.
Galaxy Prevail leaked along with other Boost and Virgin Mobile updates
A few hours ago -- mere days before a joint Samsung and Boost Mobile event scheduled April 5th in New York City -- we received a 19-page document from Sprint's Prepaid Group outlining the updates and devices coming to Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile this month. The piece de resistance in this document is the Galaxy Prevail, a Samsung phone that's been rumored for a couple weeks now. Details are scarce, but spec-wise it looks like a low-end Android smartphone with a 3.2-inch touchscreen and a 2 megapixel camera. As such, it's similar to the Galaxy Gio, but with a CDMA radio and a downgraded shooter. The Galaxy Prevail will be Boost Mobile's first CDMA Android smartphone and will be priced at $180. Boost Mobile will also begin volume sales of the Samsung Factor, a simple clamshell phone costing $50, and will offer new international flat-rate packages starting April 11th. The document also highlights a couple of devices for Virgin Mobile that are already available from parent company Sprint: the Samsung Restore, a QWERTY slider that will sell for $80, and the ZTE Peel 3200, an iPod touch case with built-in 3G hotspot that will retail for $100. We don't have any details on availability other than "April", but you can take a look at the leaked document in our gallery below. %Gallery-120277% [Thanks, anonymous tipster]
World's first GLONASS-enabled smartphone ships in Russia, GPS ponders a recalculation
Well, would you look at that? The planet's first GLONASS phone is now available, but it looks as if you'll need to soar over to Russia in order to use it. Of course, if you've followed the GLONASS story at all you wouldn't find that shocking in the least, and if you choose to pick up the ZTE-built MTS GLONASS 945 on your next trip, you'll be treated to full-on GPS support back in the States. It's a Froyo-based device with a 3.2-inch capacitive touchpanel, 2 megapixel camera, 130MB of memory, Bluetooth / WiFi and a price tag of just under 11,000 Rubles. That's around $400 in real money, which you'll probably find suits you best in your wallet if you've already picked up the all-too-similar Vodafone 945. Here's hoping the world's second GLONASS phone is a bit more compelling in the design and feature standpoint, yeah? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
ZTE's Style S and LTE tablet coming to the US during the second half of the year
We've long covered ZTE products at Engadget, but hardly ever do we see the company's phones touch down on a US carrier. Well, that's all going to change very soon. While the Chinese company isn't sharing exact carrier partnerships, it did reveal that its new Style S and LTE tablet will be coming stateside in the second half of 2011. The first of those two is that 4.3-inch Android 2.3 handset up there. Unfortunately, the Style on display at ZTE's booth was just a mockup, but we're certainly digging the large screen and soft back of the device. According to the placard, it will have dual cameras (a .3 megapixel shooter on the front and a 5 megapixel cam around back) and a 1350mAH battery. That aforementioned LTE tablet was also on display on the showfloor, albeit behind glass. The Honeycomb slab, which we hear will be aggressively marketed, has a 1280x800-resolution 10-inch display, two cameras, a 6800mAH battery, and an 1.2GHz processor. Unfortunately, that's all we've got for now, but check out the gallery below and expect to hear more during the second half of the year. %Gallery-119633%
ZTE gets tight with T-Mobile, launches Rocket 3.0 modem and 4G Mobile Hotspot for HSPA+
T-Mobile's 42Mbps HSPA+ coverage is expanding and expanding, and ZTE is helping to bring it back down to earth. The company has launched two new wireless devices especially for the T-Mo's 42Mbps service, the first being the Rocket 3.0, a USB modem that's due this spring. The second is the simply titled 4G Mobile Hotspot, the same we got a little quality time with earlier, which beams out WiFi connectivity for up to five devices at one time. If you can't handle all that speed, ZTE also has the Jet 2.0 and Rocket 4G, both of which top out at 21Mbps. All should be available in the next few weeks, and all should help you get your bits on from anywhere.
T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot hands-on
We were wandering the show floor at CTIA like a pack of hungry wolves when we came across the T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot which we'd discovered a while back and which was officially announced yesterday. The ZTE-sourced device is T-Mobile's first ever mobile hotspot, and features an AWS-compatible HSPA+ radio capable of speeds up to 21Mbps. Sadly, the unit we handled was missing a SIM and we were politely asked not to insert our own, so we just snapped some pictures. Until we find out more about pricing and availability, feast your eyes on our gallery below.
Apple's mobile partner in China announces its own iPhone rival
The parent company of China Unicom, Apple's sole partner for carrying the iPhone in China, revealed plans on Monday to release its own mobile computing platform. Dubbed "Wophone," the platform will compete directly with Apple's iOS and Google's Android. Last year, Apple partnered with China Unicom, the nation's second largest mobile carrier, to release the iPhone 4 in China. The exclusive availability of the iPhone on China Unicom's network helped the carrier compete with rivals China Mobile and China Telecom for new customers in China's nascent 3G wireless services market. In a statement, China Unicom said it hopes Wophone will help the company and its manufacturing partners develop a broader variety of more affordable 3G devices and introduce them to market more quickly. The rapid introduction of new 3G devices could help woo new customers away from market-leading China Mobile who released its own mobile platform, "Ophone," in 2009. China Mobile leads the wireless market in China with about 589 million total subscribers, but has only 22.6 million customers for its higher revenue 3G services. China Unicom said 15.5 million of its 170 million subscribers were on 3G at the end of January.
