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Unofficial Picture: Sony Ericsson XPERIA X3

2009-10-17T01:15:00.000-07:00

After several leaked “official” Sony Ericsson XPERIA X3 images and even a video demonstrating how its UI should look like, now we have something even more tempting – the first live shot of the device.

The first Android-powered device by Sony Ericsson was first spotted 3 months ago. A few days later we saw its user interface caught on video and now we have its first pic shot in the wild.

We admit, the image might be on the small side and of rather low quality but it's the long awaited sign that the official announce of Sony Ericsson XPERIA X3 is getting closer.

All the fuss around the XPERIA X3 (which you might also know as Rachael) is not only because of its hot looks but also because of what's hiding underneath.

The device will run Android OS and comes with the superfast Qualcomm QSD8250 Snapdragon 1 GHz CPU. Reportedly, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X3 will feature HSDPA and Wi-Fi support as well as an integrated GPS receiver.

Also aboard are expected to be a large 4-inch capacitive touchscreen display of 852 x 480 pixels resolution and an 8 megapixel autofocus sharpshooter. We look forward to seeing more of the XPERIA X3 live, so if you've got one lying around, snap a pic for us and send it over, please!

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: Sony Ericsson's Financial Report

2009-10-17T01:13:00.000-07:00

Just as promised, Sony Ericsson revealed their financial report for Q3 2009 today. Things are still looking pretty gloomy for the company, continuing to lose money, but at least the numbers are better this time around (compared to the previous quarter).

The company has managed to ship 14.1 million handsets, which according to the company analysts, accounts for 5% market share. This is a 0.3 million increase over Q2, but still 11.6 million lower than Q3 2008.

The operating income of the company is in fact a loss of 193 million euro. While this by itself is pretty bad it shows sings of improvement over the 274 million euro loss in Q2 2009.

The average selling price of the Sony Ericsson handsets has dropped to 114 euro, from 122 euro in Q2. However this is still higher than the 109 euro ASP recorded in Q3 of 2008.

The hopes of the troubled company for survival depend on the cost-cutting programs started since mid-2008, which should reduce annual operating expenses by 880 million euro. The effect of those programs however will be felt in the second half of 2010.

In shorter terms we expect the market release sales of the Satio, Aino and Yari to have a positive effect on the company's result for the last quarter of the year. An announcement of the XPERIA X3 would also most probably benefit the profit quite a bit.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: Palm Pre Lands in Europe

2009-10-17T01:10:00.000-07:00

Finally, as of today, you can also purchase Palm Pre in the UK and Ireland. Germany was first to get the long awaited GSM Palm Pre and a day later on 14 October 2009, it became available in Spain as well. And exactly as planned the UK and Ireland will be able to get it with O2 offering it exclusively.

While the Palm Pre pricing in Germany and the UK have been announced long before the launch date those in Spain and Ireland have still been unknown. Till now that is.

The citizens of Germany who intend to purchase a new Palm Pre at a local O2 store should prepare 481 euro for the device (with or without a contract). However, that price doesn't include any free minutes or data (last time we checked, a data plan costs additional 8.50 euro a month).

In the United Kingdom you can get the Palm Pre for free after signing an 18-month agreement with O2 and you will have to pay at least 44.05 GBP (good 48 euro) a month. At first. But keep in mind that in UK you also get up to 3000 minutes to all UK networks, tons of text messages and unlimited data and Wi-Fi.

One of the most anticipated mobile phones of the year is already on sale at the O2 stores in Ireland, as well. The most affordable way to get it with included minutes and data is to sign an 18-month contract with a monthly fee of 40 euro and pay additional 49 euro for the phone itself. Pay-as-you-go customers will be able to get it for 419 euro.

To get the Palm Pre for free in Spain through Movistar you'll have to sign a two-tear contract with a 54.90 euro monthly.

Well, some of those numbers certainly are steep but nobody said the Palm Pre was going to be cheap in the first place. Go ahead and tell us do you think of buying the Palm Pre in the comments.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Unofficial Picture: Nokia N920

2009-10-17T01:05:00.000-07:00

Nokia N920 showed its fancy face for the first time. The N900 successor is rumored to be a touch-only device with a huge 4.13-inch capacitive screen, ARM Cortex A8 CPU, 32GB internal memory and Maemo 6 OS.

Well that wasn't such a surprise, since the rumors for the N920 flooded the web since the N900 announcement. While the N900 sports a hardware full QWERTY keyboard and a smaller resistive screen, the N920 should leave the keyboard and upgrade the screen to the capacitive technology allowing for multi-touch input.

Following the N900, the N920 will also come with GSM connectivity, along with HSPA capabilities. All the other connectivity stuff will be also onboard - Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. The standard 3.5 mm audio jack is not forgotten along with the microSD card slot. The camera will remain the same as the N900 - a 5 megapixel unit.

The CPU is rumored to be the same as the one on Nokia N900 - the 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 embedded on the OMAP3430 platform. The Maemo OS is supposed to be next sixth iteration, which is quite doubtful given the fact that ver. 5 has just been announced with N900. No matter the version however, the N920 UI is expected to implement more portrait-oriented applications and interface in contrast to the all-landscape N900.

Despite its GSM powers, the N920 remains a tablet device and will centralize around the VoIP telephony along with all the modern social networking stuff and integration.

In conclusion, we've gotta admit the Nokia N920 surely impresses and intrigues. However until everything is official, we can only speculate here. There's always the possibility that this is just the next Chinese interpretation that will try to make use of the hype that surrounds N900 - Nokia's latest tablet.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Blackberry Storm 2

2009-10-17T01:03:00.000-07:00

Finally, after all those leaks the BlackBerry Storm 2 is official. This second version of BlackBerry touch phone has piles of technology by its name - starting with the amazing piezo touchscreen, right to almost every nuke and cranny of the 802.11 specification (something sorely missed in the original).

The Storm2 is available in two versions, both of them having quad-band GSM radios. The North American version (BlackBerry Storm2 9550) also sports CDMA as well as EV-DO Rev A. BlackBerry Storm2 9520 on the other hand comes single-band 3G with HSPA (2100MHz).

The centerpiece of the BlackBerry Storm2 is of course the SurePress touchscreen. No, it's not the old one, which everyone loved to hate (though it won an award). It's a brand new one, complete with piezoelectric gadgetry, which makes the screen clickable only when the device is on.

Here are the other important features of the BlackBerry Storm2: the screen is 3.25" big with HVGA resolution using capacitive technology, while the autofocus camera has 3.2 megapixel resolution. The list goes on with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, built-in GPS receiver and a 1400 mAh Li-Ion battery.

The BlackBerry Storm2 will be available to Vodafone customers in seven European countries and South Africa before the end of the month. A 2-year 35 GBP/month contract will get you the handset for free.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Samsung S7550 Blue Eartg

2009-10-17T01:00:00.000-07:00

Being eco-friendly is increasingly important to companies (or rather to their public image). But whatever the reason, the end result are several eco-friendly phones - the latest of which is Samsung S7550 or otherwise known as Blue Earth.

Samsung S7550 Blue Earth is the most advanced eco-friendly phone by the South Korean giant and besides charging from the sun it's capable enough in GPS navigation, Wi-Fi connectivity and it packs enough TouchWizardry to keep the crowds entertained.

The S7550 Blue Earth will start selling this month with shipments already started towards... Sweden. Yes, Sweden of all places, will be the first country to welcome the Blue Phone by Samsung. Other countries should follow soon.

The timing of this announcement is anything else but accidental - it's been only a couple of days ago that LG reminded us of their new eco-friendly LG GD510 Pop, which boasts environmentally conscious materials and design, as well as an optional solar panel. The Pop is set to launch in Europe mid-October (so it should be days away).

France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Portugal along with other European and Asian countries will be getting the S7550 Blue Earth "soon after" the Sweds. How soon however is not really clear.

Are Samsung finding it hard to close operator deals for the Blue Earth - perhaps operators are not really ready to welcome the eco efforts of the manufacturers and those products are doomed to remain marginal.

This year at the EISA, LG snatched the European Green Award and they did it with the LG KM900 Arena. This could be Samsung's counterblow.

We can already tell the competition next year for that same prize will be much more heated. Samsung are slowly building up quite the arsenal - the old Samsung E200 Eco, the E1107 Crest Solar and of course, the more feature-full S7550 Blue Earth. And others are getting into it too.

We reviewed Samsung S7550 Blue Earth and we didn't mind the recycled plastic and paper. In fact, the plastic the phone was made of was on par with that of most other phones and the recycled-paper box had one of the cleverest designs we've seen - it can turn into several different things, like a photo frame or a pen stand. And the phone was a nice break from the bare-minimum eco phones that came before it.

Now, we're just waiting for the first solar powered smartphone, so all that's left to say is - gentlemen (and phone manufacturers), start your electric vehicle's engines and let's spin off!

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Samsung W820 Armani

2009-10-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

After the recent release of new images, Samsung has unveiled its new Giorgio Armani, fashion-based mobile phone that will run on the new Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system.

Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer presented the new device, which he described as 'the most fashionable phone I've ever had a chance to talk about'.

The new smartphone resembles the Samsung Armani W820/W8200 mobile and, in addition to featuring the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, the new handset includes a full QWERTY keyboard, a high quality, 3.5 inch-AMOLED screen for more intense colours and GPS.

It also features a five-megapixel camera, according to the Engadget website. In addition, the new Samsung is accompanied by a microSD slot to increase the internal memory capacity, which is already a healthy 8GB.

The Samsung Armani Windows phone will cost €700 in Europe but the release date is, as yet, unannounced.

Hot News: Nokia Maemo on Way

2009-10-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

Continuing its recent developments, according to Nokia, the next generation of the Maemo OS will feature support for capacitive screens and multi-touch.

Nokia has revealed that it is working on the next generation of its new operating system, Maemo. Currently usable as version 5 and part of the new, high-end, mobile phone, the N900, the Linux-based OS will be known as version 6 and will include support for capacitive screens and multi-touch, elements of version 5 that have already received some measure of criticism, according to the Intomobile website. In addition, future mobiles that support the new Maemo 6 operating system will support both landscape and portrait mode. Currently, the N900 works only in landscape mode.

Analyst, Tero Kuittinen from MKM Partners, said, "Maemo is clearly far more flexible than Symbian, so it's a better option for advanced devices using various display technologies and rapidly evolving user-interface software."

Thanks to: Mobile Choice

Hot News: Sony Ericsson Readying for Rugged Mobile

2009-10-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson is working on two new mobile phone designs which promise to be both rugged and waterproof.

At the moment, the new phones are being described as the Sony Ericsson Sunny and the Sony Ericsson Susan - although, observers say that these are merely codenames. The highlight of each phone, apart from their rugged natures and their waterproof capabilities, is that both sport a 5-megapixel camera. However, neither phone will be positioned within the Cyber-shot series of handsets, such as the latest C702, according to the Esato website, which is both rugged and part of the Cybershot family.

While the Sony Ericsson Sunny is based upon a sliding form factor and resembles the T715 handset, the Sony Ericsson Susan sits within a candybar chassis and includes, intriguingly, a Home button - similar to that found on Android handsets. It is not thought that the new phone will support the Android operating system, however.

There are no release, price or distribution details available yet.

Thanks to: Mobile Choice

New Phone: LG GD510 Pop

2009-10-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

Today, LG officially announced the LG GD510 Pop … again. This time they gave green light to the in-depth explanation of the Pop's eco-friendly nature.

So what is all this fuss about? According to the new info, the GD510 Pop is an environmentally conscious phone from the ground up - starting with the materials used, going through the production process and ending with the product disposal.

The LG GD510 Pop packaging is made from recycled paper with soy ink printing. The battery charger cuts off power supply once the phone is fully charged, while the phone alerts the user to unplug the charger.

Pre-installed applications like Eco-tree and Eco-calculator under the phone's CO2 menu allow people to track how much they have reduced CO2 emissions just by taking the train instead the car, for instance.

The most important eco feature of the LG Pop however is its optional solar-powered battery cover that uses the power of the sun to charge the phone. According to the official information, it appears to be more efficient than the oneof its rival Samsung Blue Earth. Ten minutes of sunlight exposure should provide the LG Pop user with up to 2 minutes 15 seconds of talk time or up to 180 minutes of standby time - that's impressively efficient.

But turning our attention aside from the eco nature of the Pop, the new LG touch phone is also impressive design-wise - with a thickness of only 11.2mm.

While we're quite fascinated by the single receiver key design, we still can't figure out how you're supposed to reject an incoming call with it.

Specs-wise it has been confirmed that the phone will not have 3G support, but the rest of the specifications remain the same: 3" WQVGA resistive TFT display, 3 MP camera with fixed focus and video recording, Bluetooth, microUSB slot, and FM radio - not much different than LG Cookie.

The LG GD510 will be available in Europe beginning in mid-October (which means right about now), with other markets following soon. The solar panel battery cover will be sold as an optional accessory and its price (much like the price of the LG Pop itself) will be market and region dependent.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Nokia N97 Mini RAOUL Edition

2009-10-10T00:43:00.000-07:00

We seem to be amidst a fashion phone splash today as the wave is still rolling with no intention of stopping. The star in this next fashion show is the Nokia N97 mini RAOUL Limited Edition coming only in 1000 units (and it's a Singapore deal for now).

You all know the Nokia N97 mini, so we'll just skip the introduction. The upcoming RAOUL Limited Edition will pack an additional emblazoned back cover with RAOUL signature stripes, a cal-skin leather pouch and appropriate lather dangler. All that stuff will be sold in a huge, beautiful leather-wrapped RAOUL box.

As far as software is concerned, the limited edition Nokia N97 mini will have a special Fashion Asia widget made exclusively for this package.

As a reward for buying this limited edition you will receive a complimentary RAOUL Gold membership with 25 euro credit, which can be traded on your next purchase in their boutiques. In addition Nokia will grant you a 25 euro voucher to show how much they appreciate you buying the fashion package.

Nokia N97 mini RAOUL Limited Edition costs exactly 400 euro and can be pre-ordered now from Nokia Snigapore until 29 October. Remember there are only 1000 available packages so you better hurry up.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: SE Aino, Satio, Yari, Jalou, and Naite Hits Stores

2009-10-10T00:41:00.000-07:00

Shortly after the release of the Sony Ericsson Satio, here comes the launch of the Aino, Yari and Naite. With those three fellows released almost the full Sony Ericsson portfolio is on the market now with only the X2 and the XPERIA Pureness waiting in the line for release.

From now on the Sony Ericsson Aino, Yari, Jalou and Naite are available for purchase. After the launch of the long awaited Satio, it seems that Sony Ericsson just can't stop pushing their phones out in the wild.

The Aino can be yours for nearly 420 euro, while the Yari can fit in your hand for 250 euro. The fashion-conscious Jalou is priced at 170 euro, while the eco-friendly Naite will cost you around 200 euro and it might not save the nature, but will still will make quite a few green guys happy.

Almost the whole Sony Ericsson phone lineup has been released now and there is only XPERIA X2 and Pureness left in the works officially. It's a public secret that the XPERIA X3, also known as Rachael, is cooking somewhere hidden from the public and it's rumored to be announced next month. It should be the company's first Android smartphone. Let's hope the income of the released trio will help push Sony Ericsson through Q4 so that they will be able to finish all their planned stuff.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: Sony Ericsson Satio Hits Shelves

2009-10-07T20:03:00.001-07:00

The long sought after Sony Ericsson Satio has just been released and it's attacking the retailers worldwide. So if you spent the last couple of months dreaming of buying the beast, now might be a good time to break that piggy bank of yours. After all early adopters and rip-off prices are pretty much synonyms as far as mobile phone manufacturers are concerned.

The Sony Ericsson's flagman Satio, previously known as Idou, became the dream gadget of many people since its announcement back in February during the MWC 2009. The Satio managed to impress with 3.5-inches touchscreen, 12 megapixel camera with xenon and LED flashes, all connectivity options you may think of and the latest Symbian S60 5th edition OS.

Its hardware resembles that on its rivals - a 600Mhz AMR Cortex CPU with PowerVR SGX graphics - the same stuff used to power up Apple iPhone 3GS, Nokia N900 and Samsung i8910 Omnia HD.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: Blackberry Onyx 9700 Out in November

2009-10-05T18:48:00.001-07:00

Mobile dealers are saying that the BlackBerry Onyx 9700, the follow-up device to the powerhouse Bold 9000 will launch in November, and on Orange and Vodafone.

BlackBerry has been totally mum on the Onyx, which leaked back in September. Though likely to be another high-end, 3G smartphone like the Bold 9000, a leaked photo showed it with an optical trackpad instead of the traditional trackball, just like recent entry-level 'Berry, the Curve 8520.

Wonder if that's the end of the trackball - we recently also got wind of two new 3G BlackBerrys, both of which feature optical trackpads.

Thanks to: Mobile Choice

Hot News: Motorola DEXT Out This Week

2009-10-05T18:46:00.001-07:00

This week sees the arrival of what many are tipping as Motorola's return to the mobile phone arena. The Motorola DEXT is a Google Android phone and is the first to sport the manufacturers MOTOBLUR solution that cleverly manages and integrates all your contacts into one view. The handset which is exclusive to Orange will be available from Orange Stores from 7 October, with Phone 4u following suit the next day. However, early birds will be able to get their hands on the DEXT from 3pm tomorrow at the Orange Multimedia Store in Milton Keynes, the operator's first Multimedia Store in the UK.

The Motorola DEXT will be available for free on a 24 month contract at a cost of £34.26 per month. This includes 900 any network call minutes, unlimited texts, Orange Maps along with inclusive anytime internet browsing.

Thanks to: Mobile Choice

New Phone: Samsung T939

2009-10-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

T-Mobile are pretty keen on getting every hot Android-powered device so the arrival of Samsung T939 Behold II in their window comes as little surprise. The US version of the Samsung I7500 Galaxy has just appeared on the company website in a pretty nice brown dress.

The full-touch Samsung T939 Behold II is quite similar in terms of functionality to its overseas cousin. It sports a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and relies on a 3.2-inch AMOLED display for its operation.

Some of the other highlights of the Samsung Behold II include WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and microSD card slot. It will also have the company's proprietary TouchWiz UI preinstalled on top of the Android OS.

T-Mobile are yet hesitant to reveal the exact release date or the pricing of the handset but they promise to start selling it "in time for the holidays."

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: Android 1.6 Donut Now Released

2009-10-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

T-Mobile has confirmed that over-the-air updates of the Android operating system, version 1.6 but known by many people as 'Donut' (and which will succeed Cupcake), have now begun to be issued.

The new version of the Android operating system improves upon several areas of the current version including Android Market, enhancing the navigation aspects to and in this service plus an integrated camera, camcorder and gallery interface.

Voice Search has now been improved so that, in use, it responds quicker. This search option is also better integrated with the applications on your phone making the utility more efficient - it also includes the ability to dial contacts, according to the Mobile Crunch website.

Speaking of searching, the general search option has also been updated making it easier to search a variety of areas including the browser, bookmarks, history, your contacts area and the web itself. You will also be able to do this directly from the homescreen.

Thanks to: Mobile Choice

Hot News: Samsung Giorgia Armani

2009-10-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

New press images of the forthcoming Samsung Giorgio Armani W820/W8200 (which appears to be different from the Samsung Armani 2) have been released.

A luxury mobile phone, the Samsung Giorgio Armani features a standard keypad format interface while the rear the of the chassis appears to be coated with gold. Features for the new phone include a large, 3.1in touchscreen packing in a WVGA resolution. HSDPA connectivity is supplied to aid fast data transfer of the likes of music files, video and images while a built in camera offers a good specification of 5-megapixels. A DMB TV socket is also supplied along with a microSD card slot that will enable you to expand the internal memory up to a maximum of 16GB. Bluetooth is also supplied to attach accessories wirelessly, according to the Samsung Hub website.

At the moment, there are no details of any distribution outlets. In addition, there are no price details mooted at the moment.

Thanks to: Mobile Choice

Hot News: Nokia N86 8MP Get an Up Date. Now with Face Detection

2009-10-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

Nokia has released another update that improves the camera performance of its imaging flagship - the Nokia N86 8MP. The key addition in this one is face detection, but there's also a general improvement of still image and video quality plus other updates and bugfixes.

The previous major update for the N86 8MP was 11.043, which improved quality in videos and low-light shots. The new update builds on that, adding red-eye removal, a new focus point indication and improved macro shots.

With this new update, Nokia N86 8MP also gets bugfixes to Ovi Maps, the browser, Nokia Messaging, Music store client, Here and Now (which is still in beta), N-Gage and the RealPlayer.

The update also adds an Ovi Store client (which reportedly is still buggy) and does some tweaking that should improve performance. Interestingly it seems like Nokia did some spring-cleaning - the update also frees up some memory both in storage and in RAM - C: now has 70MB free and RAM has 65MB free on system boot. As for the update itself - it's about 8MB big and preserves user data. The new (20.115) update is available over the air or through Nokia Software Update.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: LG GD510

2009-09-30T21:01:00.000-07:00

LG is trying to build on the success of the LG KP500 Cookie and have announced the LG GD510 Pop to do just that. They advertise it as the most compact 3-inch touchscreen bar ever - and keeping in mind how tiny the Cookie was, that should stand for something.

LG used consumer research to figure out what should have been obvious from the number of Cookies sold - people really, really like affordable full touchscreen phones. The design process of the LG GD510 went pretty much like this - design a high-end handset, then drop all the features most people don't use to arrive at a mid-range price.

LG reminds us that they were the first to release a fully touch operated phone - the LG Prada, though that's not quite true (this is more like it).

Anyway, to back up their claims they demonstrated how innovative they can be. In tune with the strive for simplicity, the GD510 Pop has just one button but it serves different functions, easily distinguishable by the backlight of the button - either green or red. It can be used as Call or End key, Menu or Cancel key, you get the idea.

Anyway, the LG Pop has a brushed aluminum frame and an TV-set inspired extra thin bezel around the screen - only 4.8 mm. Speaking of the screen, it has a 3" diagonal and WQVGA resolution (240 x 400 pixels). The GD510 Pop also sports a roomy 8GB internal memory and a 3MP camera.

There's more - the exact specs of the GD510 are still shady, but three of the promo shots feature a solar panel. It seems that the special back cover with the solar panel will be optional.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Samsung W880

2009-09-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

You probably remember the Samsung M8920, which leaked several months ago. While it's still in Rumorlandia, Samsung have just announced its Korean counterpart - the SCH-W880 or Anycall AMOLED 12M as its mundane name goes. Yes, it's a silly name, we know, but South Korea is a market that's entirely different from Europe or the Americas.

The W880 AMOLED 12M is the world's first 12 megapixel cameraphone with 3x optical zoom. Despite being mainly a CDMA mobile phone, the W880 will sport tri-band GSM connectivity and 3G connectivity (WCDMA 2100). But don't just open champagne yet as the W880 will remain exclusive for the South Korean market and the GSM radio will be used for roaming purposes only.

The Anycall (Samsung) W880 is not a smartphone, but boasts a 3.3-inch WVGA AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 4GB internal memory, 12 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom and variable aperture, xenon and power LED flashes, 720p@30fps video recording, T-DMB TV tuner, Bluetooth, microSD card slot, microUSB connectivity and 1100mAh Li-Ion battery.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: iPhone 3G and 3GS Coming to Orange UK

2009-09-29T00:36:00.000-07:00

Who says Apples and Oranges are different? Not Apple or Orange, that's for sure as they've reached an agreement to offer the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS to Orange UK customers. Sure enough, the iPhone is already available in the UK but competition is always good.

Unfortunately, they were in such a hurry to announce this agreement that they didn't take the time to figure out pricing or tariffs, not even a launch date. What they did do is let you register your interest allowing you to check what type of tariff you're interested in (pay monthly, pay as you go or business) and if you're an Orange customer already. Hopefully, this will have some bearing on their decisions.

In the wake of the Orange UK and T-Mobile UK merging we are wondering if current T-Mobile UK users will also be able to join in on the fun at some point. We do remain pretty skeptical about it though, as the two brands are supposed to remain separate for at least 18 months.

As an immediate response, O2 which held the iPhone exclusivity in the UK upsofar, issued a quick press release, which broadly stated that losing a battle is not like losing the war, and they will offer Palm Pre exclusively in an attempt to keep the upper hand in the smartphone battle.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: Samsung Announces 1GHz Mobile Processors

2009-09-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

Samsung introduced several more chips today that are meant for use in mobile devices such as phones. First, the S5K4EA is a 5 megapixel system-on-a-chip CMOS sensor that offers auto focus, Xenon flash, mechanical or electronic rolling shutter, and support for high-quality video capture at 30 frames per second. Samsung also announced a new chip that integrates a capacitive touch screen control function in a mobile display drive. Samsung points out that, compared to resistive screens, "capacitive touch screen control technology allows more advanced features such as soft-touch and multi-touch functions." Samsung has used resistive screen technology on many of its mobile devices.
Thanks to: Business Wire

Hot News: LG BL40 New Chocolate Hits The Shelves

2009-09-21T21:53:00.000-07:00

LG didn’t let its customers down and managed to get the LG BL40 New Chocolate on the market in the promised time frame. The sleek touchscreen bar is already available for purchase in the UK, through O2 and Orange. Meanwhile its little brother, the LG BL20 made another public appearance, this time in a leaked promo video.

The Orange customers will be able to get the LG BL40 New Chocolate for free if they are willing to sign a 2 year 30 GBP/month contract. The ones unwilling to commit to the carrier for as long will have the option of signing only a 12 month contract but will have to pay 130 GBP (140 euro) for the handset itself.

The terms offered by O2 are pretty similar, with a 24 month 30 GBP/month contract securing you a shiny new LG BL40 New Chocolate for free. The shortest option available here is 18 months, which brings the price up to 50 pounds (55 euro). We will have to wait a while longer to see what the new S-class flagship will be worth contract-free as none of the carriers offers that kind of deal yet.

The ones that are more into the BL20 New Chocolate, rather than its higher-end sibling also got some good news over the weekend. The handset has been around for so long now, that we are almost wondering how LG haven’t got around to officially announcing it. The fact that an officially looking promo video of the handset has just leaked, however, suggests that the moment for lifting the curtain can’t be too far away now.

The video reveals some more bits of the sleek slider specs sheet and makes it even more attractive, at least as far as we are concerned. Being a debut for the S-class interface on a non-touch handset, the LG BL20 will sport touch-sensitive keys under the display, much like the original LG Chocolate. It will also pack a 5 megapixel camera with a LED flash, 3G connectivit.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Unofficial Picture: HTC Pro Three

2009-09-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

It seems that HTC have been keeping themselves busy with the 1GHz Snapdragon platform and some leaked shots have just revealed the HTC Leo (or should we say HTC Pro Three), which runs on the 1GHz CPU and boasts a 4.3-inch WVGA touchscreen for some good measure.

HTC Leo specs have been in the rumor mill for quite some time now, but this is definitely the first time it leaks in live shots - though now that we see it, there seem to be some quite correct digital renderings floating around the net.

Anyways, the HTC's own Snapdragon beast has 320MB of RAM and 512MB ROM and it runs on Windows Mobile 6.5 with some TouchFLO 3D magic on top. The shots below compare the Leo to the HTC Touch HD and it seems quite thinner but also definitely larger due to the impressive screen real estate, which is currently unmatched in the mobile phone world - or is that the world of tablets with phone functions?

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: Nokia E72 Has a Pre-Sale Today

2009-09-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

The only reports of Nokia E72 getting a market release so far suggested October availability, however we got word of a special pre-release event to be held in Jakarta where some 72 units of Nokia E72 will be sold exclusively.

The Grand Ballroom of Ritz-Carlton Jakarta is where the Nokia E72 spin-off event will be held - a world's first public appearance for this device. Details are a bit scarce, but as the magazine ad testifies 72 units of the yet unreleased Nokia E72 will be on pre-sale that day. Boy, we can't imagine what the price will be. Update: As one of our readers explains, you have to be an E-series device owner to attend - that and a VIP pass perhaps?

The Nokia E72 was initially announced with an estimated price of around 350 euro or 500 US dollars (much like Nokia E71 last year), and current online pre-orders seem to confirm that price tag.

Still, the Nokia E72 is nowhere near ready for hitting the market en masse as the earliest availability rumors claim October launch (such as on Vodafone in the UK).

In case you've missed all the hype, the Nokia E72 is the successor of the highly popular Nokia E71. The Nokia E72 extends the functionality of its forerunner with a 5 megapixel camera, HSUPA (up to 2Mbps) and faster HSDPA (Up to 10Mbps). The UMTS support has upgraded and now the E72 will come with two tri-band versions (850/1900/2100 Mhz and 900/1900/2100 Mhz). The best part is that the Nokia E72 has managed to maintain the slim 10mm waistline of its predecessor, despite the added goodies.

Among the other goodies on board the new Nokia E72 is the new optical Navi key, which serves as an optical trackpad for going through menus and applications and the electronic compass that enhances the GPS navigation experience.

The rest of the Nokia E72 features are pretty much on par with the E71 - S60 3rd edition UI, a 2.4" QVGA landscape screen, microSD card slot and FM radio. On the connectivity end we've got WLAN, A-GPS, FM radio and quad-band GSM. There's also a 3.5mm standard audio jack, Bluetooh and USB onboard.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Nokia 8800 Erdos

2009-09-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

Nokia 8800 series of luxury phones have always focused on high quality materials and superior build quality, while holding back on the spec sheet. With the Nokia 8800 Erdos this reputation is about to change.

First off, "Erdos" is just a code name so expect that to change at some point. And second - this won't be an Arte. The Arte phones have had largely the same design, differing in materials only. The 8800 Erdos changes not only the design but also the way the phones are built.

The Nokia Ardos body will be constructed out of a single piece of "bullet silver". This apparently is marketing talk for stainless steel, so you probably can't kill a werewolf with it, but carving out the body out of a single piece of metal is all the rage with high-end laptops and the ridiculously expensive luxury phones.

The screen of the Erdos however is covered with regular scratch-proof glass, rather than sapphire, which is the usual weapon of choice in such cases. The glass covering the screen though turns silver when the display is off, giving the impression that the phone is a single slab of stainless steel. The screen itself is an OLED unit with QVGA resolution and a diagonal of 2.4 inches.

The high-end design of the Nokia 8800 Erdos includes a rather unique feature too - it's a slider like the rest of its siblings, but the keypad raises to the level of the display when you slide it out. This should make the keys of the top row much more accessible.

Sounds good already, but we haven't even gotten to the good part yet - the Nokia 8800 Erdos is the first of its breed to be a full-on smartphone. It'll run the Symbian OS S60 and feature Wi-Fi and A-GPS. The internal memory is 8GB, though there's no card slot.

The camera is the best in the luxury class with its 5 megapixels and Carl Zeiss lens with autofocus. There's a dual-LED flash too.

Rounding off the specs is the reasonably compact size of the phone. The 8800 Erdos measures 116.9 x 50,3 x 15.0 mm, though its weight is kept on the hush-hush. There is also a dedicated noise reduction microphone on the back.

The Nokia 8800 Erdos will be available in October with tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900) and dual-band 3G/HSPA. The price is the other thing missing from the rumored specs, though this could easily top the price point of the Gold Arte.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Motorola Entice W766

2009-09-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

As we told you a couple of months ago, Verizon will launch a new Motorola phone, the Entice W766. After we’ve seen the Cliq the other day I can honestly say that nobody should get excited about any of Moto’s current phones, including the W766. That doesn’t mean the Cliq is a flawless phone. It’s probably not, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction for Moto.

Verizon’s Entice is going to be available on September 22 and it will cost you $39.99 with a 2-year contract. That’s after $50 mail-in rebate so you’ll be paying $89.99 upfront. Wouldn’t you rather wait to get the Cliq free with a new T- Mobile contract?

Oh and just in case you were wondering about specs, the Entice will offer you a 2.2-inch internal TFT display, Stereo Bluetooth, 2.5-mm headset jack, 2-megapixel camera with video recording and 35MB of internal memory upgradeable to 8GB via microSD.

Unofficial Picture: Nokia Erdos

2009-09-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

Looking almost like a cigarette lighter on steroids, the Nokia Erdos is actually a cellphone encased in a smooth stainless steel body. When the slider is open, the keyboard rises to meet your touch and the screen is a mirrored 2.4 inch QVGA OLED display. The Erdos sports a 5MP camera with AF and optics from Carl Zeiss, along with dual LED flash, Wi-Fi, LED activity lights, microSD memory expansion by 8GB, and 3G connectivity. While the Finnish manufacturer normally uses the S40 OS for its 88xx line, the Erdos is said to be powered by S60. Launch Date? Carrier? Pricing? No, No and a thousand times No. And speaking of numbers, you know that this device-if it comes to market-will not be found in the bargain bin.
Thanks to: Phone Arena

New Phone: Samsung S5230W Star WiFi

2009-09-12T22:35:00.000-07:00

Samsung surely haven't gone out of their way to popularize that one, but we just stumbled on some pretty interesting version of the highly popular Samsung Star - one with Wi-Fi, which is quite naturally called Samsung S5230W Star WiFi.

The "Star with Wi-Fi" will hit the markets in Africa and Asia as well but under a slightly different model number - the Samsung S5233W - nevertheless it's still the same Star.

Samsung have already sold the original Star in more than 5M units, so this is an attempt to boost the sales even further. Except for the Wi-Fi, the rest of the specifications of S5230W remain the same as the original Star - even the dimensions and weight are the same.

The new S5230W Star WiFi is already on sale in some retail sites (eBay including) and it runs around 250 US dollars, which is only a tad higher than the unsubsidized price of the original Star.

The Samsung Star WiFi will be available in black, silver, pink and white colors.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: Samsung to Produce First LiMo OS

2009-09-12T22:29:00.000-07:00

The leaked images you’re about to see in a second aren’t simply some images of a still unannounced device. They are pictures of a device that's first of its kind - a full touch phone with Linux Mobile OS - and it comes from Vodafone, straight from the heart of the well-forgotten LiMo foundation.

We're short of detailed info about the new Samsung phone but we do know the LiMo based device will feature an OLED touchscreen with haptic feedback, 8-megapixel snapper and access to the upcoming Vodafone People service.

Vodafone people will feature things like active contacts, location-based services and access to social networks. So, Android (which is based on Linux OS as well), better prepare for a battle 'cos Vodafone are hiding some strong cards in their sleeves.

Word on the street is the device is actually the Samsung I8305 Riedel, which was Wi-Fi certified recently and might be unveiled on 24th September in London. We guess, we'll do the waiting then.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: AT&T Halts Sales of Nokia Mural

2009-09-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

Just earlier this month we notified you of the impending AT&T release for the Nokia Mural. Well, it seems that before the device even got a chance to take off, AT&T is halting all sales.

Unfortunately, this delay is until further notice (which could mean forever) due to the production model of the device unable to work over AT&T’s 3G network. As for the stock that’s already out there, BGR reports that retailers have been ordered to send the phone back to headquarters for a software update.

Those of you discouraged about this news need not be as there are countless 3G clamshell alternatives out there.

Thanks to: Mobile Whack

New Phone: BlackBerry Onyx

2009-09-10T17:41:00.000-07:00

An official image of the new BlackBerry Onyx smartphone has been leaked, and it shows an optical trackpad in the space reserved for the usual RIM offering, the trackball.

Despite the revelation of a first official image, the new design has not been officially announced, so the name of BlackBerry Onyx persists for now. Observers have admitted that this label is just a codename and that the real moniker is more than likely to be the BlackBerry Bold 9700.

According to the Cio website, the new Onyx/Bold handset will be released via T-Mobile. As for specifications? The design is believed to feature 3G for fast data transfer, Wi-Fi for wireless connections to the internet, visual voicemail, BlackBerry App World access, GPS and an Amazon MP3 app included.

Although no price has been mooted, observers say a release before the end of 2009 is likely.

Thanks to: Mobile Choice via Mobile Today

Unofficial Picture: Samsung Galaxy Lite

2009-09-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

New, live, images have appeared of the cut down Galaxy mobile phone from Samsung, the i5700 Galaxy Lite.

To be released as a more affordable brother to the grown up and fully featured Galaxy i7500, the Galaxy Lite i5700 will also target a younger audience, as the bright green back of the live pictures indicate.

The i5700 should arrive with a 3.2-megapixel camera, but with no flash, while the internal memory should top 1GB. The rumoured Android home button does appear too. However, according to the ai.rs blog website, all the other features currently found on the bigger i7500 should be present on the Lite model. That includes the quality AMOLED touch-screen display.

Details of when the i5700 will be available are yet to be released. Similarly, there are no clues as to a possible official price point, but watch this space.

Thanks to: Mobile Choice via Mobile Today

Hot News: Nokia Skipping Carrier Customization for N900

2009-09-10T17:35:00.000-07:00

Reuters reports that Nokia will not allow carrier customization on its forthcoming Maemo-powered N900 smartphone, which could hurt relationships with global network carriers who may refuse to offer the device.

Nokia is following the example of companies like Apple and Google, which mostly lock out carrier customization and create compelling value for end customers with their mobile operating systems, Nokia Vice President for Devices R&D David Rivas told the publication. Some analysts told Reuters that it could hurt the company to skip the customizations it installs specifically for carriers, though Nokia feels that it will help get its devices to market more quickly.

Nokia announced the N900, a slider smartphone with a full-QWERTY keyboard, at the end of last month, as we reported. The device features a 600MHz processor, a 3.5-inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixels) resistive touchscreen display, a 5.0 megapixel camera, and more.
Thanks to: Mobile Burn

Hot News: Sony Ericsson to Launch Android Phone in 2010?

2009-09-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

It’s still early to tell if Motorola is going to be successful in its Android venture but considering the popularity of Android and considering that new MOTOBLUR interface, we should assume that Motorola will have no problem selling lots of Android devices. Is this the way to go if you happen to be a manufacturer dying each day little by little?

Sony Ericsson is certainly not doing so well. In fact we’ve seen report after report showing financial loss after financial loss. So should we believe the rumors suggesting that Sony Ericsson will drop Windows Mobile next year in favor of Android and Symbian devices? According to those rumors, Sony Ericsson doesn’t believe in the power of Windows Mobile anymore. We’ll be waiting to see how Sony Ericsson plans to get reborn out of its own ashes. How does Sony Ericsson Android sound to you?

Thanks to: Mobile Whack

Hot News: Sprint Introduces Any Mobile, Anytime

2009-09-10T17:27:00.001-07:00

It started with the Simply Everything plan, which still gives unlimited calling and just about everything else for a flat $99.99 a month. Then it was several network tests that showed Sprint has some seriously good 3G. Sprint continued the onslaught with exclusive phones that are actually worthwhile in the form of the Pre and upcoming Hero. Now Big Yellow has fired another shot across the bow of Verizon and AT&T with their introduction of Any Mobile, Anytime. Simply put, you can call any cellular number for free, no matter the network. That's over 250 million numbers; suddenly Verizon's 80 million IN network just became insignificant and AT&T's A-List seems too little, too late. Two catches: you have to be on an Everything Data plan (or a Business Essentials with messaging and data) and it doesn't apply when roaming, but given that the Everything plans were already hands-down the best value in wireless we'll take some icing on the cake at no extra charge! The feature is available immediately to new customers and existing customers switching to an Everything Data plan. For those of you alread on those plans no need to do anything, the feature will be auto-added when your next bill cycle starts.
Thanks to: Phone Arena

New Phone: Nokia 2220 Slide

2009-09-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

Today we familiarized ourselves a bit with yet another low-end Nokia phone, the 2220 slide. Some information and renders have leaked, revealing a device that won’t really take you by surprise with features, but actually looks pretty sweet. Delivering only basic functionality, the Nokia 2220 slide will allow you to take snapshots at VGA resolution and listen to FM radio. The display will be pretty low-res, only 128x160 pixels, capable of showing up to 65k colors. In addition, you will get 10MB of built-in memory and dual-band GPRS connectivity that will be utilizable with the pre-loaded Opera Mini browser. The Nokia 2220 slide should be available in a total of 6 different colors, all of which are spreading sweetness. The source suggests that it is to be launched in the fourth quarter of the year, at a retail price of about $125 (EUR 86), with taxes.
Thanks to: Phone Arena

New Phone: Motorola Cliq

2009-09-10T17:18:00.001-07:00

Today at the Mobilize Conference, Motorola and T-Mobile announced the Motorola Cliq, a new Android handset. They call it "the first phone with social skills." It is a touch-based handset that has Motorola's new MOTOBLUR service on board. The Cliq is a sideways slider that has a full QWERTY keyboard and 3.1-inch HVGA touch-screen display. It has a 3G, Wi-Fi, 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, video capture at 24 frames per second, 3.5mm headset jack, full HTML Google browser, and Google services. It will support microSD cards up to 32GB. It will be available in titanium and white, pricing wasn't disclosed. It will be sold worldwide as the DEXT starting in 2010.
Thanks to: PhoneScoop

New Phone: Nokia 7705 Twist

2009-09-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

Verizon Wireless and Nokia introduce the Nokia 7705 Twist™, a fun phone with a unique square shape that swivels open to reveal a full QWERTY keypad. The phone’s shortcut buttons provide quick access to messaging, the 3.0 megapixel camera, Web browsing, V CAST Music with Rhapsody®, voice commands, and speakerphone options. The Contact Light Ring, located in the lower right corner, can be customized to identify a message or a call from those listed in the contact directory. Customers may purchase the Nokia Twist online at www.verizonwireless.com beginning Sept. 13 and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on Sept. 21.
Thanks to: Verizon via PhoneScoop

Hot News: Vodafone and 02 Eye 3

2009-09-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

Vodafone and O2 could be out to buy Hutchison Whampoa’s 3 in the wake of the T-Mobile and Orange merger, industry experts said this week.

With O2 relegated to second place and Vodafone to a humiliating third place by the merger, both operators could be eyeing 3’s UK market share of 8%.

O2 and Vodafone are likely to have both entered bids for T-Mobile, but would not have been able to consider a 50:50 merger, as their UK arms are worth more than T-Mobile’s.

Some observers believe the merger will be ‘very, very good news’ for the industry.

Vodafone will be itching to take share off the new joint venture, which will have to achieve 38% net additions just to stand still.

3 is likely to become a very attractive acquisition target to Vodafone and O2, who will be keen to narrow the massive gap in market share. For 3’s owner Hutchison Whampoa, it will be the first sniff of a successful exit strategy from the UK market.

CCS Insight’s research director, Ben Wood, told Mobile: ‘Operators will be looking at 3, particularly Vodafone. Being pushed into third place with just 25% to the joint ventures’ 37% will be a bitter pill to swallow. Buying 3 will return Vodafone to a strong position in its home market.
Thanks to: Mobile Today

Hot News: Sony Moves in on Sony Ericsson with Joint Branding

2009-09-09T17:34:00.001-07:00

A major image overhaul for Sony Ericsson has prompted speculation that Sony plans to take over or sell the ailing joint venture.

The new look will see Sony Ericsson moving closer to its parent under the umbrella of Sony’s new brand message ‘make.believe’, which will be carried on all Sony Group products.

The overhaul includes a revamp of Sony Ericsson’s website and its ‘liquid logo’ alongside a massive marketing campaign.

The manufacturer said the move signals a refocusing of its efforts at the high end of the market.

However, industry experts believe the move reflects Sony’s plans to take control of the manufacturer in the face of spiralling market share, said to have fallen ‘significantly’ in the past few months.

One senior manufacturer source said: ‘The move appears to be a final roll of the dice – a last attempt to see if they can make it work before it is sold.’

Others say Sony is implementing long-term plans. One senior industry source said: ‘Buying Sony Ericsson has always been Sony’s end game. I suspect that day is getting closer. It is the best time to buy Sony Ericsson right now.’

The joint venture is proving costly for Ericsson. In January, it blamed Sony Ericsson for a 31% drop in fourth quarter profit.

The manufacturer has undergone a major restructuring in 2009 to cut costs. In January, it revealed a £6.9m loss in 2008.

Sony Ericsson’s UK marketing director, David Hilton, said closer ties with Sony would help the joint venture increase its market share at the high end of the market ‘more quickly’.
Thanks to: Mobile Today

Hot news: Sony Ericsson Cutting Out WinMo

2009-09-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

Sony's Xperia line of smartphones seems like it's suddnely reviving, but it seems Sony Ericsson will forego using the Windows Mobile operating system to concentrate on Android and Symbian handsets.

According to Russian mobile news site Mobile Review, Sony Ericsson is no longer supporting the WinMo OS, as seen its Xperia X1 smartphone. The upcoming X2, running on Windows Mobile 6.5, will be its last WinMo phone, with the possibility that another currently in development may even be cancelled.

Instead, Sony E will be focusing on releasing phones running on the Android OS such as the upcoming Xperia codnamed Rachel, and Symbian, as with the multimedia monster Satio, which will take on the Symbian S60 5th edition OS.

Thanks to: Mobile Choice via Mobile Today

Hot News: iPhone OS 3.1 Now Available

2009-09-09T17:06:00.000-07:00

Apple has just released the OS 3.1 for the iPhone which brings myriad bug fixes and a host of new items to the touchscreen device. The new OS brings with it a ringtone store for the handset that offers over 30,000 ringtones at a price of $1.29 for each one. A new application called "Genius" will recommend apps to iPhone users based on the software that they have already downloaded onto the phone.

Some of the fixes in 3.1 include improved syncing for music, movies, T.V. shows, podcasts and photos, warn you when you are browsing and you come upon a phishing site, fix issues that made icons display incorrectly, allow you to paste phone numbers into the keypad, improved Wi-Fi performance when using Bluetooth, redeem iTunes gift cards, codes and certificates in the App Store, and an option to "Save as a New Clip" when trimming a video on the 3GS. A complete list is available at the sourcelink. If you have downloaded the new 3.1 OS on to your iPhone, drop us a line and let us know what has changed with your handset.
Thanks to: Phone Arena

Hot News: Maemo Phone Will be Ours, Not the Operators'

2009-09-09T16:39:00.001-07:00

Nokia Oyj plans to skip tailoring software of its upcoming top-of-the-range model N900 to different operators, raising the risk some carriers, who focus on integrating their own software, could refuse to offer the model.

Nokia's plan for phones using its Linux Maemo operating system is the latest twist in a battle between handset vendors and operators for access to cell phone users.

The world's top cell phone maker last month unveiled its first phone running on Linux, aiming at improving its offering and assuring investors of its ability to compete with Apple Inc and Google Inc.

Nokia is looking to save costs on launching new products while also competing with likes of the iPhone, but relations with operators remain crucial in some key markets such as the United States and Britain.

The focus of cell phone business has shifted to services and software following Apple and Google's Android entrances to the market in the last two years.

"Very clearly Apple, Android ... are a whole lot less about providing customization to the operators and a whole lot more about providing a really cool, compelling value proposition to the end-consumer," David Rivas, Nokia's vice president for devices R&D, told Reuters.

Nokia and its Symbian operating system -- which it tailors very specifically, installing operators' software -- have lost market share in smartphones, but they still control almost half of the smartphone market.

"We have an opportunity, that we are going to take advantage of, with Maemo platform to play the game a little bit more along those lines than with Symbian lines," Rivas said.

Some analysts said Nokia cannot afford to skip tailoring software.

"I don't believe Nokia can afford to say no to customization," said IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo. "For N900 to succeed on the market Nokia has to approve any service operator wants to run on the phone."

Nokia plans to use Maemo at the top of its phone range, while most of its smartphones would continue to use Symbian operating system, which it is bringing to lower and lower price points.

"Smartphone is going very deep in terms of price point and high volume -- to the places never seen before," Rivas said.

Last month Nokia unveiled a new touch screen smartphone, the 5230, which runs Symbian and is expected to sell for just 149 euros, excluding operator subsidies and local taxes.

Thanks to: Reuters via PhoneScoop

Hot News: Specs of Motorola Android Leaked

2009-09-09T08:39:00.001-07:00

Only a day before the Motorola Android event, the specs of two unannounced handsets running the Google OS were spotted in the Wi-Fi Alliance files. Both phones feature full hardware QWERTY keyboards.

As the both handsets are leaked through the Wi-Fi Alliance, logically they will pack Wi-Fi, along with the 3G and Bluetooth connectivity. The MB200 is the cheaper one and will come with Qualcomm MSM 7200A 528 MHz CPU, touchscreen with 320x480 resolution and VGA camera.

The better MB300 will share the same specs except the upgraded 5 megapixels and some serious internal memory. It will also have better design and premium looks.

The Android duo will pack hardware full QWERTY keyboards.

It's believed that the MB200 would be the long rumored Motorola Morisson, while the MB300 might be the Motorola Calgary.

More information will come from the dedicated Motorola Android event tomorrow in San Francisco.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Palm Pixi

2009-09-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, Palm and their WebOS-driven Pre never really took off on our side of the Big Pond but that's simply because they went for a CDMA radio instead of GSM. That aside, Palm's WebOS is a wonderful achievement and we're quite sad that we've been missing all the fun of engaging with this new platform while waiting for a GSM variant to come to the Old Continent.

While Palm have still not kept that promise, they're releasing their second CDMA WebOS smartphone - the Palm Pixi, which was featured in several leaks upsofar. The new bar smartphone will positioned lower in the market segmentation and comes with 8GB of onboard storage, a 2 megapixel camera and a 2.63-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 320 x 400 pixels (the Pre has a 3.1-inch 320x480 pixel screen).

The Palm Pixi comes in quite a compact shell for a full QWERTY device (10.85 mm thickness) and is even more compact than Nokia E71 or E72. At 99.5 g it's also impressively light.

Unfortunately, the Palm Pixi doesn't have Wi-Fi connectivity but it has a GPS receiver. The Pixi also uses some totally different CPU platform than the original Palm Pre. This time we're reportedly talking about Qualcomm MSM7627 platform, which is being embedded for the first time, so we're not really aware of its real-life performance.

The CDMA Palm Pixi should hit the US streets in time for the holidays, but there's no word on any planned European availability (with GSM bands) or contract-free pricing.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: Samsung Omnia Family to Launch 'Imminently'

2009-09-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

Remember the new Samsung Omnia smartphones? We just saw some real models at last night's Carphone Warehouse Christmas show (yes, already) and according to a Samsung spokesperson, all three - the Omnia 2, Omnia Pro and Omnia Lite - will be out 'imminently'.

All three run on Windows Mobile 6.1 but for the first time in Samsung's relationship with ol' WinMo, the operating system is skinned with Samsung's TouchWiz widget-based interface, making for a much more intuitive and finger friendly interface. We had a go on the QWERTY touch-screen slider Omnia Pro and Omnia 2 (an iPhone competitor if we were to believe Samsung's oblique references to 'another tablet-style device I can't name'), and found it to be one of the best integrations with Windows Mobile we've tried.

Meanwhile, the Lite was out of commission at the event, but it's the lowest spec of the three (click here for full specs on all), with no AMOLED screen, but a simple TFT touch display and three-meg cam with no video recording. All three handsets will be upgradeable to Windows Mobile 6.5 when it finally launches.

Thanks to: Mobile Choice

Hot News: Palm Eos Unvelied Next Week?

2009-09-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

It seems that we have evidence to support the rumor that Palm is gearing up to launch their webOS touting Eos sometime next month. According to TechCruch, Palm will unveil the phone sometime next week in leiu of Fashion Week.

This would somewhat make sense since the Eos is said to feature a low price and sleek design. Either way, we won’t know if this phone even exists (although we do have some proof) until Palm makes an official announcement. We’ll keep you posted.

Thanks to: Mobile Whack

Hot News: Facebook Android App Now Available

2009-09-08T18:07:00.000-07:00

BlackBerry and iPhone owners have had their own native Facebook app for some time now but the same could not be said for Android users until now, that is.

It was announced today that the Facebook for Android app is now available via the Android Market for free, of course. And, while the app features thing like status updates, news feeds and the like, it currently does not support things like chat or messaging.

Thanks to: Mobile Whack

Hot News: Nokia X6 16GB Comes Without Nokia Comes With Music

2009-09-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

It turns out the hot Nokia X6 will not be offered as a Comes With Music device only. That is, of course, if the information provided by eXpansys is correct. The retailer lists the announced 32GB version of the music-centric phone with a November 12 release date and a price of about $870. This version of the phone will be available only with Comes With Music, as it was officially said. However, here comes the interesting part. eXpansys also has a 16GB version of the X6 listed, which is said to become available, starting February 23, 2010. With the lot more affordable price tag of about $565, the X6 16GB will be offered without Comes With Music.

Of course, it would be great if this all comes true, since Nokia’s Comes With Music service isn’t particularly popular, at least in Europe, and the cheaper price will always be welcomed.
Thanks to: Phone Arena

Hot News: Nokia N97 Gets Major Firmware Update

2009-09-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Nokia N97 is set to receive a major firmware update that will available in October, bringing the backbone to version 2.0 and making notable improvements, a Nokia spokesperson says.

The company has managed to pare down the firmware, freeing up internal storage space while still managing to pack in a handful of new features. Kinetic scrolling has been added for long list navigation, along with new maps, performance improvements, and general bug fixes. There's new widgets available and long-pressing the keyboard brings up alternative characters. The music player has also been updated with more album art and information.

The exact availability date of the firmware update has not yet been announced.

Thanks to: Mobile Burn

Hot News: Sony Ericsson Satio and Aino Hits UK 7th October

2009-09-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson has today come forth to reveal that their Aino and Satio handsets will be made available in the UK on October 7th, 2009.

The Aino slider handset features PS3 Remote Play compatibility, an 8.1 mp camera and included Facebook software. The Satio, on the other hand, featurs a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a 12.1 mp camera with xenon flash, HSPA, and a microSD slot.

Unfortunately, there was no word of a North American release but we’ll keep you posted.

Thanks to: Mobile Whack

Hot News: T-Mobile UK and Orange UK Strat Merging

2009-09-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom announced today they will be combining T-Mobile UK and Orange UK into a new joint-venture company. The resulting entity will become the UK's leading mobile carrier with 28.4 million large customer base, representing approximately 37% of UK mobile subscribers.

According to the merger statement, the joining of the two will only bring positives to UK consumers. It will result in expanded network coverage and enhanced indoor and outdoor network quality for 2G and 3G services, as well as better customer center proximity through a larger network of own shops with improved customer services.

Yet, the T-Mobile UK and Orange UK brands will be maintained separately for 18 months after completion of the merger. During that period management will review branding alternatives for the joint venture and will develop a new branding strategy.

To create the new joint venture, Deutsche Telekom would contribute T-Mobile UK on a cash-free, debt-free basis and gross tax losses carried forward of at least £1.5 billion. France Telecom would contribute the whole of Orange UK including £1.25 billion of intra-group net debt in order to equalize the value of the contributions to the joint venture.

Immediately after closing Deutsche Telekom would grant a £625 million shareholder loan to the joint venture, which would be used to simultaneously reimburse £625 million to France Telecom.

As a result, the joint venture would have indebtedness of £1.25 billion, represented by two shareholder loans of £625 million held by each of Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: HTC Tattoo

2009-09-08T07:50:00.000-07:00

After several leaks over the past couple of months it now came time for the HTC Click to make its first official appearance. Its final name is HTC Tattoo, which goes to emphasize its youthful targeting. Packing an attractive design and relatively low price tag, the Tattoo looks set to introduce the Android platform to a much wider (and younger) audience.

The compact HTC Tattoo is the first Android handset by a major manufacturer to sport a QVGA display, instead of higher-res HVGA units we are used to seeing on those devices. Running on a 528 MHz Qualcomm CPU and coming with 256MB of RAM it does promise some nice performance on par with its more expensive siblings.

The highlight features of the HTC Tattoo include 3G with HSPA, Wi-Fi, GPS and a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera. There is also an FM radio, an accelerometer sensor and a digital compass onboard. A microSD card slot, a 3.5mm audio jack and a miniUSB port complete the specs sheet of the new handset.

HTC Tattoo is the second handset that will come with the company's proprietary Sense UI, after the HTC Hero. In addition HTC will allow the customers to design and purchase their own unique back panels for the Tattoo, making it really easy to personalize the handset.

The HTC Tattoo will be available in Europe at the beginning of October, and will roll out in markets around the world in the months after. There is no official information about the pricing of the handset yet, but rumor has it that it will cost about 200 euro (300 US dollars).

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Spied: LG Etna

2009-09-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

So far LG are among the few of the majors that still haven't dipped their toes in the Android game. Well, it seems the LG Etna will be their first pool lap as it was caught frolicking at the Vodafone booth at IFA.

Surprisingly someone stumbled upon on the LG Etna running on the mobile Google OS. LG Etna has 3-inch touchscreen display, a 5 megapixel camera and five-row QWERTY keyboard - not bad at all. The connectivity options are mystery, but we guess it will come with 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth at least.

LG Etna was rumored for several months now as an Android upgrade of the popular LG KS360. In reality, it does resemble LG KS360, especially in blurry photos, but it now seems it will be a different device.

technically, the LG Etna is not the first Android-based LG, since the GW880 for China Mobile leaked a week ago. The GW880 is only touch controlled with WVGA 3.5-inch screen, without keyboard, sporting similar camera and a GPS. However both devices are still not officially announced so they should still be considered as pending at least.

LG Etna will be available in Germany sometime before Christmas. There is no word for other countries or the pricing.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Samsung S5500E Lydford Eco Slider Phone

2009-09-07T18:40:00.000-07:00

Samsung Electronics unveils another mobile handset in the Samsung S5500E Lydford, an eco-slider phone encased in a blue casing with special eco features. First off, the phone and packaging (made of recycled paper and soy ink) is made from recycled materials.

Add to that the fact that unlike most phones, the Samsung S5500E Lydford even comes with an alarm that alerts you when the battery is full during charging times. This feature is a great highlight considering that most people today we want to save on energy. Also, this helps in preserving battery life and keep it from being overcharged.

For the standard feature of the Samsung S5500E Lydford, it has a 2.2” QWVGA screen, a 3 megapixel camera and of course the eco-sliding keyboard. No word yet on the date of release and pricing for the Samsung S5500E Lydford eco-slider handset.
Thanks to: Mobile Whack

Hot News: Sony Ericsson Targets Spotify

2009-09-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson could strike a deal with Spotify, the handset manufacturer said last week.

Speaking at the launch of Sony Ericsson’s major marketing campaign last week, Lennard Hoornik, head of marketing, raised the possibility of a deal with music streaming service Spotify as a way of increasing its entertainment offering.

Hoornik said Sony Ericsson wanted to be ‘a truly open brand’, allowing its customers to access a broad range of services, such as ‘unlimited music service from Spotify and from us, for example.’

Spotify launched its first mobile application this week after receiving approval from Apple’s iTunes App store.

Hoornik said Sony Ericsson wanted to increase its entertainment offerings through closer ties with Sony. A first step will be the rebranding of all Sony and Sony Ericsson products with the tag ‘make.believe’ (make dot believe).

‘We want to become the Communication Entertainment brand,’ Hoornik commented. He said this would involve ‘working closely with the Sony Group of companies’ to develop new software applications.

Hoornik welcomed the closer relationship. ’When Sony comes with the promise to bring anything to market we at Sony Ericsson can relate to that. Putting our strategies together is a very obvious synergy.’

Hoornik said the make.believe tag would create ‘a community you want to belong to.’

However industry sources said this week the manufacturer’s closer ties with Sony could herald a Sony takeover or sale of Sony Ericsson.

Thanks to: Mobile Magazine

Hot News: Nokia Announces its First LTE Modem

2009-09-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

Nokia today introduced its first ever Long Term Evolution (LTE) capable internet modem, which is based on Nokia’s own LTE modem technology development. The Nokia Internet Modem RD-3 is available to be used in LTE technology development together with various network vendors, measurement equipment manufacturers and operators.

“Nokia is committed to supporting industry activities aimed at maturing LTE technology to enable the first commercial networks to launch in 2010,” says Jani Mäenpää, Project Manager, LTE/SAE Interoperability and Trials, Nokia. “Nokia is a founding member in the LTE/SAE Trial Initiative (LSTI) and carries out interoperability testing with a number of network vendors, collaborates with measurement equipment manufacturers and is ready to support operators with their LTE deployment activities. The Nokia Internet Modem RD-3 is used in all these activities.”

The Nokia Internet Modem RD-3 supports interoperability with GSM/EDGE and WCDMA/HSPA to make the most out of the global GSM and WCDMA reach right from the start. The Nokia Internet Modem RD-3 also supports multiple LTE frequency bands so is able to meet operators’ deployment plans across many different countries and regions.

LTE, Long Term Evolution of UTRA/UTRAN (Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network), is the name for 3GPP-defined radio access for future wide area broadband wireless access networks. It defines the evolution of WCDMA/HSPA radio networks. LTE will be a major step towards providing rich wireless IP-based real-time multimedia services for the consumer. LTE sets the benchmark for high data rates and low response times, improving the user experience significantly compared to today’s mobile broadband technologies. Also, it can offer a true internet experience when the availability of fixed line access is limited.

Thanks to: Nokia via PhoneScoop

Hot News: Mozilla Releases New Fennec for Windows Mobile

2009-09-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

Mozilla has released Fennec Alpha 3 for Windows Mobile, the latest iteration of the company's mobile version of Firefox. According to a blog post written by company developer Brad Lassey, the new browser alpha features a much shorter startup sequence, faster panning, and support for a wider range of screen resolutions.

Lassey explains that the browser now utilizes a tile cache rendering system, much like Google Maps, which improves interaction with panning and scrolling. For users who are not using the HTC Touch Pro, the developers have added support for more screen resolutions. Using XUL and CSS media query technologies, the company is able to design an interface for more mobile devices that have different screen sizes and pixel densities.

Thanks to: Mobile Burn

Hot News: Nokia Pulls Out of World Mobile Congress 2010

2009-09-06T09:24:00.001-07:00

Nokia will not be taking a stand at World Mobile Congress 2010 in Barcelona. The move could trigger a further hemorrhaging of exhibitor numbers at the event.

Nokia’s decision marks a shift in its marketing focus. Nokia will inject funds saved by not booking a WMC stand into user-focused marketing campaigns, including direct marketing.

Losing such a major mobile industry player will send shivers through the WMC sales team. WMC visitor numbers fell 8000 between the 2007 and 2008 shows - from 55,000 to 47,000. The trend appears to be continuing with delegates from this year’s event reporting thinner crowds and noticeably fewer exhibitors.

Nokia confirmed it would not be taking a stand next year but insisted it is still committed to the show, despite not taking a stand.

A Nokia spokeswoman said: ‘We absolutely will be at Mobile World Congress in 2010 however we will not have a Nokia stand at the event.

'Instead, we'll be focusing on the congress programme of seminars and speaking opportunities, customer and media activities.

'In the last few years at MWC, we get the biggest benefit for the infrastructure part of our business and therefore in 2010 Nokia Siemens Networks will continue to have a stand in the exhibition area.’

Thanks to: Mobile Magazine

Hot News: Nokia to Reserve Maemo for High-End Devices

2009-09-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

Nokia will focus on the development of Maemo platform-based mobile Internet devices (MIDs) for the high-end mobile computing segment in addition to Symbian-based devices for the mass market, according to Jonas Geust, vice president, Nokia N-series players.

Since Nokia has also developed netbooks utilizing Microsoft's Windows 7 platform, Nokia has enough platform diversity in its products and there is no need for Nokia to adopt any more operating systems, Geust stressed.

Nokia has rolled out its Maemo-based N900 mobile computing device supporting 3G technology and will aim to launch more Maemo-based devices in the future, Geust added.

There will be four to five operating systems competing in the global handset OS market in the future, said Geust, adding that Symbian S60 is certain to take a slice of the market, and Maemo-based products will continue to expand in share. There is also room for Windows Mobile and Android products, Geust said.
Thanks to: Digi Times via PhoneScoop

Hot News: Toshiba TG01 with Windows Mobile 6.5

2009-09-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

Toshiba have just spread the good news to TG01 owners - they will get a free upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.5 when the OS launches (October 6th). Toshiba will also release the Toshiba TG01 Windows phone - a "new" version of Toshiba TG01 as you know it. The only difference between the two is the version of the OS - the Toshiba TG01 Windows phone will come with Windows Mobile 6.5 out of the box.

The Toshiba TG01 Windows phone will go on sale across Europe on the 6th of October when the new version of the mobile OS launches. In the same time Toshiba promises a free WinMo 6.5. upgrade to all current TG01 users.

We've played around with ver. 6.5 and it's miles ahead of the previous incarnation - though not the full overhaul the outdated WinMo 6.1 needs.

The Toshiba TG01 still maintains its "king of the hill" position, despite the Samsung I8000 Omnia II and the likes trying to dethrone it. The huge 4.1" WVGA screen is among the biggest ever put on a "pocket device" ("pocket" being used liberally here). The thickness of just 9.9mm somehow makes it the thinnest Windows Mobile phone ever and that still amazes us.

The 1GHz Snapdragon CPU is currently the fastest ever used in a mobile phone. And what is the best way to combine the two? Well, the preinstalled Core player holds one answer - video watching (well, the support for up 32GB microSD cards doesn't hurt either). The built-in GPS receiver gives another answer - the Toshiba TG01 Windows phone is the size of a typical dedicated satnav unit.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Sony Ericsson XPERIA Pureness

2009-09-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

The attention-grabbing Sony Ericsson XPERIA Pureness posed for an extensive photo shoot, showing off its one of a kind screen. Transparent screens that have so far been the stuff of concept renderings are now coming to a store near you.

We've seen the concepts (take the Nokia Morph for example), but at best we see them in some new techno-thriller. With the LG GD900 Crystal, LG also used transparency as a design element but it simply used existing technology in a creative way. The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Pureness on the other hand borrows technology from the future.

The XPERIA Pureness promises to bring some fresh blood and luxury into the XPERIA brand. With its transparent screen and sleek, minimalistic design, it's set to tackle luxury phones, while its XPERIA X2 and X3 cousins take aim at high-end have-it-all phones.

This is the first attempt and the screen of the XPERIA Pureness has some limitations - the screen is small and is only monochrome. It's not all bad however, from the photos it seems that it has pretty good contrast and viewing angles. We don't know what the screen resolution is and how it fares under direct sunlight is also a mystery.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

Hot News: LG BL40 New Chocolate to be Available in October

2009-09-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

Europe will be the first to get a taste of New Chocolate - LG BL40 - the forth in the proud line of Black Label phones, will be released across Europe this month, while the rest of the world will have to wait till October. In the UK, the LG BL40 will be available through the Carphone Warehouse and Orange.

We guess you already know the key LG BL40 New Chocolate feature from all these publicity shots - it's got an extra wide screen. 21:9-wide to be exact, with a generous 4" diagonal and 800 x 345 pixels resolution and capacitive technology, which makes it multi-touch capable. At first, you might think that this is for the sake of excellent movie playback.

And you'd be partially correct, "partially" because it's not the only reason. The resolution may be lower than WVGA but the size and aspect ratio of the screen ensure that the BL40 will fit most pages on the screen in landscape mode with text remaining readable.

Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phones: Nokia X3 & X6

2009-09-04T18:29:00.000-07:00

The first two members of a new Nokia X-series also got revealed. The Nokia X6 is a spiritual successor of the popular 5800 XpressMusic packing 3.2-inch (640x360) capacitive touchscreen, 32 GB internal storage, a 5 megapixel camera (Carl Zeiss optics) with VGA@30fps video recording and dual LED flash and FM radio. Yes, that's right - there is no card slot, but the 13.8 mm thickness and the 32 gigs memory should compensate that.

The connectivity options are as full as the N97 mini and there is nothing missed. Even more, the Nokia X6 comes with the Nokia WH-500 - a headband-style stereo headset with all kind of control options and integrated handsfree. The X6 will launch in the end of this year on 459 euro price before taxes and subsidies and will be a Comes-With-Music device only, allowing you to download as many music track you want for free.

Both Nokia N97 mini and X6 are powered by the latest Symbian S60 5th edition with all kind of social networks integration.

Finally, the Nokia X3 is an S40 6th edition slider with smallish 2.2-inch QVGA screen and dedicated music keys.

X3 has a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera, quad-band GSM support with GPRS and EDGE, Bluetooth, FM radio, 3.5mm audio jack, microSD slot and integrated stereo speakers.
Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Nokia N97 Mini

2009-09-04T18:27:00.001-07:00

The Nokia N97 mini leaked a long time ago and it was about time it got officially announced. The official announcement brought no surprises - the N97 mini sports a smaller 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen with 640x360 resolution, 3-row full QWERTY tilting keyboard (this time without the D-pad), a 5 megapixel camera (Carl Zeiss optics) with VGA@30fps recording and dual LED flash, 8 GB internal storage, FM radio and microSD card slot. The connectivity package is as full as usual - 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio jack and TV-out.

The Nokia N97 mini is only 14.2 mm thin and weighs 12 g less than its big brother. It will ship in October on 450 euro price.
Thanks to: GSM Arena

New Phone: Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2

2009-09-04T18:21:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 received its official announcement today. Boasting Windows Mobile 6.5 and relying heavily on the X Panels UI, the XPERIA X2 flaunts an 8 megapixel camera and a 3.2-inch touchscreen.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 was eagerly expected and finally has its moment. The new XPERIA will come directly with Windows Mobile 6.5 on board with the XPERIA panels integrated into the user interface. The long rumored 3.5-inch OLED screen turns to be false, as the X2 has a 3.2-inch WVGA TFT one.

The rest of the specs include full sliding QWERTY keyboard, 8.1 megapixel camera with VGA@30fps recording and LED flash, all sorts of connectivity options (HSDPA, Wi-Fi with DLNA, GPS, Bluetooth) including a 3.5mm audio jack and TV-out (cable bundled in the box), stereo speakers and a microSD card slot (4GB card in the package).

The CPU still remains unknown, while the memory is crystal clear - 256 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM and 110 megabytes of user storage. The XPERIA X2 also comes with XviD video support.

Hot News: Nokia Mural for AT&T Coming on 6th September

2009-09-04T18:17:00.000-07:00

Another Nokia announcement was made today - the AT&T exclusive Nokia Mural. It's a music oriented clamshell with dedicated media keys, 3G connectivity, illuminated colorful front cover and an imminent release.

Nokia Mural will be AT&T exclusive clamshell and features a 2.2-inch QVGA internal screen, an 1.36-inch external one, a 2 megapixel camera, 3G support, Bluetooth, 70 MB storage, standard 2.5mm audio jack and a microSD card slot. The dedicated music keys are just below the small external screen.

Nokia Mural is powered by the latest S40 6th edition and comes with A-GPS option, which uses cell-ID triangulation instead of real satellite positioning.

The Mural will come in gunmetal color with customizable cover illumination - blue, red, green, orange, pink and purple. It will be available on 6 September for 50 US dollars with a 2-year contract with AT&T.

Thanks to: GSM Arena