Friday, May 02, 2008

HP iPAQ 614c Business Navigator

Prada phones, phones studded with diamonds and fashion phones are a regular sight in the moody, glass-fronted emporia of the average high street. Yet this kind of glamour rarely casts its golden glow on the world of smartphones.

The iPhone was a rare bright spark, and there has been the odd flicker of light from HTC, E-TEN, Samsung and Blackberry, but other than that, smartphones have largely conformed to the bland business template over the past year or two. HP's latest handset, alas, does nothing to change this.



The iPAQ 614c Business Navigator is a large and ugly phone that's all drab black and grey plastics with no brushed aluminium highlights or chrome trim to set it off. It's pretty chunky, too, with porky dimensions of 60 x 117 x 18mm. And it's hardly a design masterpiece in other respects - its integrated numeric keypad has a rather cheap-looking, shiny finish and is topped by a pair of 'soft', context-sensitive keys that look like a pair of malevolent eyes leering at you as you write a text or surf the web.

It does at least try to balance out its design shortcomings with a few clever tricks. The first of these is its touch ring (don't laugh) control. Embossed in glossy relief on top of the numeric pad keys, it enables you to sweep a thumb or finger in a clockwise or anti-clockwise motion to control the navigation through lists and the like. An innovative addition, to be sure.

The phone has support for the latest super fast HSDPA mobile data networks at up to 7.2Mbps. It also has a GPS receiver built in... but this is no ordinary satellite receiver. It uses the new Assisted GPS (A-GPS) technology, which is designed to combine location information gleaned from the phone's cell location with the data from the satellites themselves to speed up initial satellite lock. The phone is, alas, only supplied with Google Maps - no sat-nav software to speak of - but it did do a decent job of locking onto satellites in central London taking a reasonably quick one minute to lock on to five satellites and provide a position.

Inside, it boasts a very fast processor, using a 520MHz Marvell part to power things along. This is among the most responsive Windows Mobile smartphones I've used, with crashes, pauses and hourglass tedium kept to a merciful minimum, even with a handful of applications open simultaneously. And it complements this with a full array of top-end smartphone hardware: Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR and 802.11b/g wireless for data connections in Wi-Fi hotspots.

But as soon as I started to use the 614c in anger I discovered that these innovative, and you could say, luxurious touches cannot make up for a design that turns out to have more than just flawed looks. That touch ring control works well, for example, but only in isolation. As soon as you reach the option you're looking for, you'll quickly discover that selecting it isn't as straightforward. The most natural thing would be to hit the button in the centre to select, but that has no effect; instead you have to crab your thumb to the side of the keypad to hit the Enter key. It's hardly what you'd call great ergonomic design and I found myself, more often than not, operating the device two-handed - with left thumb permanently resting on the OK button on the left edge of the 614c.

Another problem with the touch ring is that because it's superimposed on the number pad you end up activating it unintentionally when trying to tap out texts and emails. It's infuriating to find when you look up at the screen after beavering away at the keypad for a moment or two, that the cursor has mysteriously moved from the body of the email to the address field - and that's where most of your text has ended up. There's also no way, it seems, of moving the cursor left and right within text other than tapping with a finger nail or the 614c's telescopic stylus - the touch ring simply moves the cursor up and down.

Elsewhere, it's less of a disaster, but still not enough to elevate the 614c from smartphone mediocrity. The phone has a pretty decent three megapixel camera on the rear with a light and portrait mirror. It's quad-band and can be used pretty much anywhere you can get a signal, though that's nothing special these days. The screen is pretty bog standard - a 2.8in transflective touchscreen effort at 240 x 340 pixels. Battery life is unremarkable too: despite the seemingly high capacity of 1,590mAh I managed to extract just a couple of days of fairly low level use - though this does seem to be the sort of standard that we're stuck with now - at least until phones with more efficient 3G and HSDPA chips are built.

Even HP's usual thoughtful range of software extras can't quite make up for its deficiencies. It's nice to see Remote Desktop preinstalled, a decent PDF viewer is welcome and HP's Photosmart Mobile application is a nicer application to use than Microsoft's standard issue Pictures and Video tool. This also has the added bonus of integration with HP's SnapFish online photo development service.

Verdict
The 614c is certainly a well-endowed handset. It's not the first to squeeze so much into a pocket-sized chassis, but there are a few notable features, such as A-GPS, 7.2Mbps HSDPA and a very fast processor. Only the non-VGA screen could possibly be said to be behind the times.

What really puts the mockers on its prospects, however, is the fact that it's not only a pretty ugly and bulky phone - especially for one without a sliding keyboard - but also one boasting awkward ergonomics. Its innovative touch ring control simply fails to live up to its initial promise and turns out to be more a hindrance than usable addition.

LG Secret includes DivX video technology

DivX announced that it has signed an agreement with LG to include DivX technology in the newly launched LG Secret (LG KF750) mobile phone. The LG Secret is part of the highly stylish LG Black Label Series, which has just been launched in Europe. DivX continues to enable a high-quality media experience for consumers by making it easy to transfer video content across the PC, the mobile environment and the living room. The LG Secret mobile phone lets users load all their high-quality DivX video onto the phone via a USB cable or memory card and then enjoy that content not just on-the-go but in the living room as well.


LG Secret delivers the ultimate in style and technology
The unique TV-Out feature of the LG Secret lets users play back their video contents from the phone directly on the television screen, turning this LG handset into a powerful portable media library. The LG Secret represents a significant advance from the first DivX Certified phone released by LG in November 2007, the popular LG Viewty. Compared with LG Viewty's focus on multimedia features, LG secret focuses on premium exterior design features to achieve the ultimate in style and technology in an attractive, ultra slim 11.8mm frame.

DivX video playback via the LG Secret
"LG recognizes that DivX video playback is a feature that consumers appreciate and rely on," said Chang Ma, Vice President of global marketing strategy team of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "As our newest phone to offer high-quality DivX technology, the LG Secret will allow consumers to do more with their media, watching it how and where they want to watch it."

DivX certifications LG products
A long-time DivX licensee, LG offers a number of DivX Certified products, from DVD players to digital televisions. Over 100 million DivX Certified devices have shipped worldwide by all major manufacturers, including DVD players, gaming consoles and more.LG Secret includes DivX video technology"Consumers are increasingly demanding the ability to access their digital media on any device or platform and mobile entertainment devices are an enormously important element of that experience," said Kevin Hell, CEO at DivX, Inc. "As a leader in the mobile industry, we're pleased that LG recognizes the value of DivX technology and we look forward to continuing to work together to meet the needs of global consumers."

LG Secret mobile phone features
The LG Secret was recently launched as a highly stylish handset with the slimmest 5 megapixel camera on the market. The sleek exterior has a timeless look that is built with carbon fiber and a scratch-proof tempered glass screen for long-lasting quality and for a superior viewing experience. The LG Secret boasts features that provide consumers with a quality multi-media experience, including photo editing features, auto-rotating control functionality, wireless PC sync, and FM radio. The LG Secret has undergone a rigorous testing program, as do all the products that bear the DivX Certified logo, to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience.

LG Viewty cell phone records DivX video

LG Electronics and DivX, a digital media company, announced that the LG Viewty camera phone, also called LG KU990, is the first mobile phone with DivX Certification to natively record video in the high quality DivX format. The LG Viewty enables consumers to capture high-resolution video, comparable in quality to what they would expect from a video camera, on their mobile phones, DivX videos recorded through the LG Viewty can easily be uploaded to online video sites or can be played back on any DivX Certified consumer electronics device, including DVD players, gaming consoles and portable media players.


LG Viewty DivX video recording capability
"Users of the LG Viewty have come to expect innovation and quality," said Dr. Skott Ahn, LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "The addition of DivX recording capability to the LG Viewty will open up the media experience and enable our users to do more with the videos they capture, from sharing that content online to playing it back beyond the phone on a wide variety of devices."

LG Viewty mobile videos
"Our goal is to make it easy for consumers to enjoy a high-quality video experience on any kind of device," said Kevin Hell, CEO at DivX, Inc. "The LG Viewty is a perfect example of this experience. It allows consumers to capture video on its 3-inch screen and then easily transfer that video to a computer or virtually any kind of consumer electronics device."

LG Viewty camera phone with 5 Megapixels
The LG Viewty is a professional-level camera phone with features that surpass most phones on the market and includes 5.0 mega-pixel still image capture, manual focus, image stabilizer, handwriting recognition for photo editing, a document viewer, voice recording and 120 fps 640 x 480-pixel DivX video encoding.

LG Viewty DivX Certified logo
The LG Viewty has undergone a rigorous testing program, as do all the products that bear the DivX Certified logo, to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience. LG Viewty, currently for sale in Europe, will begin shipping immediately with DivX encoding capabilities.

[via LetsGoMobile]

Verizon officially launching LG VX9100 enV2 tomorrow


Sure, there are scattered reports of Verizon already offering the update to LG's popular
LG VX9900 enV, but the handset hasn't yet gone officially official. For those of you eagerly awaiting Verizon's launch of the updated enV handset - the LG VX9100 enV2 - you're wait is almost over. The sleek and diminutive text-messaging powerhouse is slated to hit the No. 2 US carrier's CDMA airwaves tomorrow.

The new LG enV2 will come to market with a 2 megapixel camera, stereo speakers, and of course a QWERTY keyboard in tow. And, with Bluetooth 2.0 and a microSD card slot, the LG enV2 should prove to be a competent successor to the original LG enV.

For those too lazy to actually read their own text messages, the LG enV2 features a text-to-speech capability that will read your SMS text messages to you. As expected, the LG VX9100 enV2 will be offered in your choice of Maroon or Black. You'll have to pony up $129.99 and sign a 2-year contract, but if you've been waiting for this handset to finally drop, you probably already have the cash in hand.



The LG VX9100 enV2's smaller size and redesigned external keypad and internal QWERTY keyboard owe to the device's incredible in-hand feel. Check out our in-hand pictures from CTIA Las Vegas 2008 while you wait for Verizon to launch the LG enV2.

[Source]

Nokia 6205 - entry level clamshell for Verizon


Remember the lower-end-but-still-stylish Nokia 3606 and 1606 clamshells/fliphones that I showed you at CTIA Las Vegas 2008? Right, well it looks like Nokia's keeping up with its entry-level push with another eye-pleasing handset that's easy on the wallet. Enter the Nokia 6205 flip for Verizon's CDMA network.

Granted, the spec-sheet on the Nokia 6205 doesn't exactly measure up as some of Espoo's finest work, but with a sleek design, the Nokia 6205 is sure to find following from cellphone users looking for a phone and little more. The Nokia 6205 isn't as svelte and clean as the Nokia 1606 and 3606, but with more features to boast of, the Nokia 6205 strikes a good balance.

There's an external display that seems to be on par with the Nokia 3606. The external music controls hint at the Nokia 6205's ability to serve as a media-oriented handset. There's a camera that's most likely VGA resolution, and the internal display is just a bit larger than the external screen.

We're looking for Verizon to pick up the Nokia 6205 in mid-June, just in time to get overshadowed by the 3G iPhone.

[Via: HoFo]

Colorware's Stealth iPhone looks mean, yet fails to deliver 3G speeds


Damn Colorware and their awesome painting jobs. For a second I thought this is the long-awaited bad-ass 3G iPhone. It's all black, looks so mean and comes with a matching earphones and iPhone dock. But no, they just made it look like that, without changing anything in terms of specs. Not that we expected Colorware to do so — it's not their business after all — however we haven't expected them to release a product that could clearly resemble the 2nd-gen iPhone. That's so mean from them.

The Stealth iPhone rocks and is priced accordingly. In order to have the meanest looking iPhone in the block, prepare to pour out $675 for 8GB, or $775 for 16GB model. That's a lot…

[Via: Gizmodo]

BlackBerry flip revealed, say hello to the Kickstart

Looks like the folks up in Waterloo have been busy finding new designs lately. This is what they have come up with. It is a BlackBerry flip. I never thought I would see the day. This new device, called the Kickstart, is the first BlackBerry flip phone, ever. For a first attempt, this is not looking to shabby either. The device could be released as early as the end of the year.


Well, lets see what we can learn from this image. First, it is very clearly a BlackBerry, as in not too much departure from BlackBerry designs we know today. We see the familiar and distinct RIM SureType keyboard. A good choice for a flip, where space is limited. Also, we see a trackball. A trackball makes even more sense on a flip, as it will be protected from pockets and such. From the screen, we can tell it is not running any special user interface. Definitely not the one we saw on the BlackBerry 9000 at least.

Interestingly, no model number was outed with it. It is not clear what series this BlackBerry belongs to. While the interface clues that it could be part of the 8000 series, there is no reason to believe that just because the interface is familiar it is not part of the 9000 series. While there is no evidence this is the BlackBerry 9100, there a few reasons it could be. The BlackBerry 7100 and 8100 series, were compact, SureType sporting BlackBerries. Clearly, this is a compact, SureType sporting BlackBerry. There have been no SureType BlackBerries that were not part of a *100 series. While RIM could introduce it as a new member to the 8100 series, it seems unlikely they would put this device in a candy bar family of phones.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Nokia releases three new ‘beautiful to use’ handsets

Nokia has unveiled three new phones today that are ‘beautiful to use’. They are Series 40 devices, which is a lesser version of the S60 interface that Nokia’s smartphone line up uses. Two of the new devices are sliders, and one is a flip. They will be affordable, priced at 175-275 Euros ($273 - $429). They are all slated to ship in the third quarter of this year.


The 6600 Fold is a Series 40 flip. It has a 2.13 inch internal OLED display. It is capable of displaying 16 million colors. I wonder if it ever occurred to Nokia that the human eye can only see about 10 million colors? When closed, to activate the external screen, the outside of the phone is tapped twice to “wake up” the hidden outer display. This device has a 2 megapixel camera, and also features 3G. It is priced at 275 Euros($429).

The 6600 Slide is a Series 40 device as well. It is in the slider form factor, and ramps up the features. The 6600 Slide features a 3.2 megapixel camera, with a 2.2 inch QVGA screen. It features GPS abilities and has a preloaded Nokia Maps. It is compatible with Nokia’s Bluetooth GPS module, the LD-4W. The 6600 Slide will sell for 250 Euro ($390).

Finally, a slightly more basic slider rounds out the three. The 3600 Slide features a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera. It is MicroSD expandable up to 4GB. It can also play nice with LD-4W GPS module, and has Nokia Maps preloaded. It will sell for 175 Euro ($273).

Samsung’s Soul now available on T-Mobile UK


Samsung’s flagship U900 Soul is now available to people on T-Mobile over in the UK. The Soul is the finest of the high end Ultra series by Samsung. The soul is different from the other devices in the Ultra series, it has a few more features as the king of the Ultra, not to mention that wonderfully attractive touch sensitive navigation pad.

T-Mobile UK is kicking this handset off some gifts. When you get your Soul on a new contract from T-Mobile UK, they also hook you up with a free gift, to make the deal even sweeter. The gifts include game systems like the Nintendo Wii, and the Playstation 3. If video games are not your thing, then you can get a free iPod Touch.

The Samsung Soul does not have all this hype around it for no reason, it packs a serious spec sheet to back itself up. Features of the U900 Soul include a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, autofocus, and face detection. It has a 2.2 inch QVGA resolution screen to check out your photos. FM radio, MP3 player, HSDPA and A2DP to round out the feature set.

LG Viewty photography competition promises $10k National Geographic prize

Fancy yourself as something of a photographer? LG are offering a $10,000 prize, together with a number of Viewty handsets, to highlight the 5-megapixel cameraphone’s imaging pretensions.

Called Viewtyful World, entrants can submit their images in three categories - Night View, Retouch and Moments - which are judged first by online voting and then by a pro photographer from National Geographic. The eventual winner will have their image featured in an LG advert in National Geographic itself, as well as scooping that cash prize.


The competition opened for entries last Thursday, and will run until June 11th. Every week, three Viewty handsets will be given away to the three people with the most votes; those three will be passed on to the pro-photographer who will choose one to go on to the final round. After eight weeks, the eight final contestants will be judged by the magazine.

LG have already sold one million of the Viewty in the four months it has been available in Europe. The company recently developed a cheaper version of the handset, the KE990, which is dualband GSM rather than 3G HSDPA, for the American market.

For more details of the competition, plus how to enter, visit http://www.viewtyfulworld.com/

Sprint's Sierra Wireless Compass 597 is tiny and sleek - USB EVDO Rev. A modem with style


If there's one thing that gets attention in the tech-world, it's Apple products. So, it makes sense that Sierra Wireless wanted to leverage the MacBook Air's "hotness" to publicize their newly announced Sierra Wireless Compass 597 EVDO Rev. A USB modem.


The MacBook Air initially got my attention. Then I noticed the yellow-lit USB dongle sticking out of the Air's notoriously slim and widely incompatible USB port. The Air's design necessitates that everything be as slim and small as possible, and as such, the ultra-portable notebook from Apple suffers from a too-small USB port - many USB dongles and flash drives just don't fit in the port.
So, imagine my surprise when I saw this super slim USB modem stuck into the side of the MacBook Air!

Sierra Wireless has kept the formula simple with EVDO Rev. A allowing 3.1Mbps download speeds and upload speeds of up to 1.8Mbps, and built-in GPS allowing, well, GPS-related stuff. The included microSD card slot makes the Sierra Wireless Compass 597 a microSD card reader, too.

The bright-yellow indicator light on the tip of the Compass 597 lets you know when you're locked on to Sprint's network, and adds some pop to the otherwise nondescript USB modem.

Expect a Q2 2008 ship-date for the Sierra Wireless Compass 597. I'm waiting on my review unit to come in, so stay tuned to see how this slim little USB modem performs in the real world!

[Source]