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China Unicom launches WoPhone Linux platform, because the world can't get enough of Tux
Another day, another Linux mobile platform launched. The latest flavor hails all the way from China Unicom -- Apple's sole iPhone partner in China thanks to its WCDMA network -- who's just announced the WoPhone platform to, ironically, "break up the foreign smartphone platform monopoly." Of course, this isn't the first time that a Chinese carrier has pushed out its own OS -- TD-SCDMA operator China Mobile already has OPhone, though it's really just a bastardized Android; whereas China Unicom claims that WoPhone's an entirely new OS built around the Linux core. That said, some of WoPhone's UI elements do look awfully familiar. While we don't expect to see this new OS trickling out to the rest of the world any time soon, a big handful of manufacturers -- namely Motorola, Samsung, HTC, TCL, K-Touch, ZTE, Huawei, etc. -- and cloud service partners were present at yesterday's launch event to show off the first batch of devices, including the K-Touch U2 pictured above. Head over to ifeng for more hands-on pics.
ZTE Amigo, Blade, and Skate hands-on
ZTE outed several new sets -- and a tablet -- at MWC 2011, so we went to grab some specs and pics of the Blade, Skate, and the Amigo (from left to right). The ZTE Skate is the top of the line product in this group with Android 2.3 -- though, the placard at the stand has been blanked out -- triple-band GSM, HSPA in 1900 / 2100Mhz range, a 4.3-inch WVGA capacitive display, 5 megapixel cam, and likely the smallest keyboard we've ever seen, seriously, have a peek at the gallery. The Blade, which as our favorite in the group, runs Android 2.2, is downgraded to a 3 megapixel camera, a 3.5-inch display, quad-band GSM and 900 / 2100Mhz HSPA. The Amigo -- what may be the lowliest as far as numbers are concerned -- still has decent specs such as a 3.2-inch display, triple band GSM, 1900 / 2100 HSPA, and a side-sliding QWERTY keypad. The Blade and Skate both have great build quality, the screens are really bright and easily seen, the Amigo appears a bit more washed out and the housing build quality feels very cheap. The Skate is definitely the winner in the bells and whistles category, but unless you can swap out the onscreen keyboard it would definitely get a pass -- and again, check out Joanna's finger modeling in the gallery for proof. Enjoy the giant glossy gallery. %Gallery-116756%
ZTE Skate coming near you later this year with Android 2.3, 4.3-inch goodness
For most of us, ZTE's only known for its budget Android devices in the cellphone market, but this ever-expanding company's aiming to change its image with a slightly more powerful flagship device come May. Dubbed the Skate, this Android 2.3 smartphone sports a generous 4.3-inch display (although no screen type or resolution is specified here), and is powered by an unnamed 800MHz processor plus a soon-obsolete Adreno 200 GPU. There's also a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash on the back, along with the usual Bluetooth, A-GPS, and WiFi bundle. Sadly, the listed cellular frequencies indicate that the Skate won't be heading to the US any time soon, which is rather ironic given ZTE's desire to make it big in the North American consumer market this year. On the flip side, maybe the Chinese giant's got some surprises for us, and we like surprises. Press release after the break.
ZTE 005Z emergency cellphone keeps your kid safe, cooler than other kids
Remember back in 2005 when kiddy phones were all the rage? Well, with the release of the single-button 005Z, Softbank and ZTE are giving toddler connectivity another try. Like the Firefly and the Migo before it, this little guy limits outbound calls, but unlike its predecessors, the 005Z only allows for one pre-programmed number -- so if baby's in danger, mommy better have her cellphone charged. While the one-button approach is limited, the phone also acts as an alert system: when the cord is pulled, a loud buzzer sounds (à la the rape whistle) and SMS and voice messages (both of which contain the kid's location) are sent to emergency contacts. As far as we're concerned, a child with a cellphone is a nightmare in the making, but if you're into that sort of thing (and live in Japan) the 005Z will be available this March for ¥490 ($5.90) a month.
IDC: ZTE takes fourth in global cellphone rankings, leapfrogs Apple and knocks RIM out of top 5
You like numbers? Good, because it's the season and amid all these lovely financial reports we've been hitting there are some broader trends to look at. IDC has released its mobile phone report for 2010 and has concluded that, worldwide, the industry grew 18.5 percent over 2009, shipping a massive 1.39 billion units. That's nice and all, but check out this bit about ZTE. The manufacturer boosted its annual shipments by 94 percent, stealing Apple's recently-won fourth place position globally and, in doing so, knocking RIM straight into the dreaded "others" category. Can RIM make it back? Will Apple recover? Will Siobhan and Lucky ever reconcile their differences? Tune in next quarter to find out.
Russia's first GLONASS phone an 'iPhone 4 competitor,' except not really (video)
As the story goes, Russia-based AFK Sistema's subsidiary Sitronics (along with US' Qualcomm and China's ZTE) have developed the first smartphone to use GLONASS -- specifically one with a 90nm GPS-GLONASS chip. It's been called, in so many words, the "Russian answer to the iPhone 4" by the Powers That Be, and without getting into key details like platform and specs, we know officially the phone is going on sale in Russian sometime in March for 10,990 rubles (about $360 in US). For other details on the device, we seek more unofficial (and therefore not 100 percent confirmed) sources, like the notably well-connected Eldar Murtazin. According to him, we're looking at the ZTE model A918, an analog of the A916 with Android 2.1, a 3.2-inch QVGA screen, FM radio, and 2 megapixel camera -- yeah, hardly an iPhone 4 competitor, if you ask us. That version is supposedly launching on MTS for 7,500 rubles ($246), meaning the GLONASS-equipped equivalent has a 3,490 ruble ($114) markup. And the March release? Apparently in limited quantities, with mass production not coming until second half of 2011. Unfortunately, we're not sure this one'll be making an appearance at CES for further inspection. Check out the video after the break for a cameo of the device featuring Putin, Russian billionaire (and head of AFK Sistema) Vladimir Yevtushenkov, and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov.
T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot shows up in FCC courtesy of ZTE
Remember those rumors earlier this week that T-Mobile was finally getting ready to launch a mobile hotspot or two? Seeing how Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint have all done it, it certainly makes sense -- especially with this newfangled 21Mbps HSPA+ network T-Mobile's got going on -- and sure enough, we've now got concrete evidence of a unit in the FCC's database. The MF61 from Chinese manufacturer ZTE is pretty clearly labeled "T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot" inside... so yeah, there's your smoking gun. Confidentiality prevents us from seeing the user's manual or a photo of the thing, but from what little we can see, looks like we'll end up with a rounded unit not unlike the variant of the Novatel MiFi on AT&T and a number of European carriers. Really, though, doesn't matter what it looks like -- as long as it fits in a pocket and blasts high-speed data to a handful of WiFi connected devices of our choosing, that's all we need.
Novatel sues ZTE and Franklin over MiFi-related patents
Smartphones aren't the only mobile devices caught up in patent warfare, it seems: Novatel's just sued ZTE and Franklin over five patents related to the "key architecture and functionality" of its MiFi series of mobile hotspots. What's interesting is that Verizon carries the MiFi and ZTE-built Fivespot, while Sprint's MiFi lives alongside the ZTE Peel and carrier-branded Franklin modems, so we're curious to see if any of the carriers step in to mediate the dispute. We also took a quick skim of the complaint, and it looks like the five patents in question are broad enough to cover WiFi tethering from phones, so we've got a feeling this suit could affect more than ZTE and Franklin -- we'll see what happens.
Sprint ZTE Peel officially announced, adds a little 3G to your iPod touch
As expected, Sprint's just announced the ZTE Peel for the iPod touch will arrive on November 14th. The $79 slider case for Apple's media player features a built-in mobile WiFi hotspot, essentially turning your iPod into a bulky iPhone without a native phone or SMS app. Of course, you'll still be stuck paying Sprint for a $29/mo data plan, but you'll be able to connect up to two devices to the Peel's WiFi as well, so that's a plus. Another big plus: since the iPod thinks it's on WiFi, you'll be able to use FaceTime on the road -- something we've tried using a MiFi with pretty decent results. Of course, you'll be saddled with a big fat case around your oh-so-slim iPod, and we can't imagine why the Peel is limited to WEP when it comes to security, but we'll definitely applaud Sprint for attitude when it comes to iOS devices on its network-- now just kick out a 4G Peel and we'll be all set. PR after the break.
Sprint's ZTE Peel embracing your iPod touch sans contract on November 14th?
Still clinging on to your iPod touch in the hope that Sprint will one day launch an iPhone? Well, it's rather early to make a call, but news has it that we may get the next best thing very soon. According to our buddies over at BGR, the ZTE Peel that we saw a little while back is apparently hitting Sprint on November 14th, which is merely a week from today. Sadly, no one knows yet how much this 3G router case (read: no phone functionality) will cost, but both BGR and our own sources have confirmed that it'll be available on a contract-free 1GB data plan for $29.99 per month. Meanwhile, you may consider the Apple Peel 520 that can actually turn your jailbroken iPod touch into a phone, or grab yourself an Overdrive and duct tape for some hot WiMAX Skype action. [Thanks, Delon H.]
Sprint axes Huawei, ZTE telecom bids due to security fears in Washington?
Huawei might be making inroads into the US consumer smartphone market, but the Chinese telecom supplier's attempts to break into big business have been stonewalled. Now, the Wall Street Journal reports that Sprint is excluding both Huawei and competitor ZTE from a multi-billion dollar contract -- where they would have been the lowest bidders -- primarily because of national security concerns. The US Secretary of Commerce reportedly called Sprint CEO Dan Hesse to voice concerns about letting firms with possible ties to the Chinese government supply local communications infrastructure, a perspective also penned by eight US senators back in August. "DoD is very concerned about China's emerging cyber capabilities and any potential vulnerability within or threat to DoD networks," the Department of Defense told the publication, without naming Huawei or ZTE directly. We're not doctors, but it sounds like someone's got a serious case of supercomputer envy.
ZTE's AD8000 Android MID gets sized up at the FCC, with full specs in tow
What first we thought was the Light is actually something wholly different -- and rather less exciting. What we have here is called simply the AD8000 MID, a 7-inch device from ZTE with an 800 x 480 resistive touchscreen. Power comes courtesy a 600MHz processor, smarts courtesy Android 2.2, and there's up to 16GB of storage internally and SDHC expansion for when that's tapped out. 802.11b/g are your wireless options, while 10 hours is rated as maximum battery life while listening to music, though that drops to six if you're cruising the web and/or watching videos. The FCC has kindly posted the thing's full operating manual including all specs if you'd like to know more, but since Archos already has this segment rather well covered we'll go back to waiting for the Light to light up our lives.
ZTE announces 7-inch ZTE Light Android tablet
ZTE didn't exactly manage to impress with its low-cost ZTE Racer Android handset, but the company's now back with yet another Android device: the 7-inch ZTE Light tablet. Not a ton in the way of surprises here, as you might expect, but the tablet does cover all the basics with Android 2.1, WiFi and 3G connectivity, built-in GPS, an SD card slot for expansion, and a promised ten hours of battery life -- along with what appears to be a custom Android skin. No word on pricing just yet, but the tablet is apparently now on display at the Beijing Exhibition and should be launching soon. Full press release is after the break.
Verizon gets official with Wireless Fivespot mobile hotspot, touts awful global roaming plans
Really, Verizon? Play up the global roaming features of your new-but-not-unexpected Wireless Fivespot, only to strangle it with GlobalAccess plans that top out with 200MB of international data? Thanks, but no thanks. For those still interested in the new WWAN modem for domestic use (psst... the MiFi 2200 is a better deal), this ZTE-built device is the first in VZW's stable to offer global data access. That's due to having both a SIM card slot (for GSM roaming) and a CDMA radio inside, and as with the aforesaid MiFi, it'll handle up to five simultaneous WiFi connections. The unit itself will run $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and a two-year agreement, and Verizon's providing both postpaid and prepaid domestic data plan options: $39.99 per month gets you 250MB with a $0.10 overage, while $59.99 nets you 5GB and a $0.05/MB overage (the prepaid details reside after the break). Where it really gets ludicrous is GlobalAccess -- customers traveling abroad have the choice of two plans, a $129.99/month option with 5GB in the US / Canada and 100MB elsewhere, or a $219.99/month alternative that simply adds an extra 100MB on the international end. That's $90 for an extra 100MB. We'll spare you the chore of stressing over all of this and point you to Xcom Global -- trust us, if you're touching down in a foreign land for over an hour, you'll need close to 100MB just to digest the inbox explosion from being in the air 14 hours.
Orange launches OLED-donning San Francisco, doesn't break the Android piggy bank
Oh snap! This is exactly what Nokia needs right now -- another cheap Android handset to gobble up its wallet-friendly stronghold. What we're looking at here is Orange's oddly named San Francisco, a £99 ($154) pay-as-you-go Eclair handset crafted by ZTE. Much like its humble sibling Racer, Orange's 4.6-ounce offering is loaded with a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset, 3.2 megapixel camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, FM radio, and MicroSD expansion. Yet for the same price, the San Francisco somehow comes with a larger 3.5-inch 480 x 800 OLED capacitive touchscreen. This sure sounds like a tempting deal, but don't whip out your credit card just yet -- we'll give you a yay or nay once we've seen how the phone fares in real life. For now, check out the official promo video after the break.
Verizon Fivespot mobile hotspot launch materials hitting stores
Well well, what's this? We haven't heard much about the Verizon Fivespot global mobile hotspot since we saw it hit the FCC after first leaking out in July, but it certainly seems like it's about to get official -- we just got this shot of Verizon's "launch kit" for retail outlets. No word on when it'll actually hit, but it's bound to be soon -- and if Verizon sells this thing cheap with some of those new prepaid data plans it's going to be awfully hard to resist. [Thanks, Wildkat]
ZTE intros Agent for MetroPCS -- and yes, Uno is built-in
When our favorite feature of a phone is that Uno is included in firmware, that should give you a pretty good idea of the kind of device we're talking about -- but regardless, the fact that the ZTE Agent sells for $69 commitment-free from MetroPCS makes it notable, we suppose. The candybar features a 1.3 megapixel cam with video capture, stereo Bluetooth support and a 3.5mm headphone jack (which means you've got a music player on board, naturally), microSD expansion, and a 2.4-inch QVGA display. It's available now, which means that if you're close to a MetroPCS store, you're mere minutes away from delivering a brutal Wild Draw Four on your unsuspecting opponents.
Verizon launches its first ZTE handset: the Salute F350
Nice to see Verizon and ZTE making nice with the newly launched -- but not very surprising -- ZTE Salute. The Salute's launch marks ZTE's second foray into the arms of Big Red this month and the set maker's first top-tier carrier launch in the US. So what does ZTE's little slider bring to the table? A 2.4-inch display, 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, Bing search, a pile of messaging features, and social apps, of course. Unfortunately the phone only chugs along at 1xRTT speeds, but hey, for only $19.99 after rebate, we expect it'll find some fans. Follow the break for the full press release.
Verizon's Fivespot gets FCC approval by way of ZTE
This actually happened a few days ago, but since we admittedly weren't on the lookout for hot filings from Chinese manufacturer ZTE, we totally missed it until we circled back for our FCC Fridays roundup this week. That's right: what you're looking at above is a non-carrier-branded version of the Fivespot global mobile hotspot for Verizon that we'd broke the news on last month -- and if you sift through the user's manual in the FCC filing, you'll see that this is indeed the same thing as the Verizon device. As a refresher, this puppy is supposed to replace the aging MiFi and offer support for triband HSPA alongside EV-DO in the event you're dying for some 3G coverage outside the States. We've heard rumors that it's been canceled recently to make room for Big Red's LTE plans, but we're not sure we buy it since widespread LTE coverage is still a long way out -- especially in a tiny, sexy, global mobile hotspot form factor like this. And hey, with FCC approval behind 'em, why not go ahead and release it?
ZTE Racer review
In a battlefield now abundant with Android handsets, there's only one easy way for a young smartphone brand to grab our attention: make a seriously dirt cheap handset. And we're not just talking about a free phone chained to a pricey 18-month contract (like the Vodafone 845); we're looking for a Pay & Go smartphone tagged with a standalone dumbphone price, so even the £200+ ($316+) "budget" HTC Wildfire and Sony Ericsson X10 Mini / Mini Pro are out of the question. This is where Three UK's ZTE Racer comes in: priced at just £99.99 ($158) or for free on various contracts, this Android 2.1 handset has quite rightly stolen the paper crown from the 845. But don't let that price tag fool you -- this 14.5mm-thick device still comes with a fairly modern 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset (as featured on the Aria and X10 Mini / Mini Pro), garnished with a 3.2 megapixel camera (sans flash), HSDPA 7.2Mbps connectivity, 2GB microSD card, FM radio, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, and a Skype app for free Skype calls within the UK. There is just one caveat: you'll have to live with a 2.8-inch QVGA resistive touchscreen. So, is this an immediate deal-breaker? Can the other features make up for this flaw? Read on to find out.%Gallery-98528%
