Smart and glossy

If you are hunting for a new smartphone, be on the look out for the Sony Ericsson P1i.

Not to be confused with Sony Ericsson's previous smartphone, the M600, the P1i has a classier feel to it.

The phone has 3G and WiFi connectivity options, and a 3.2-megapixel camera.

It comes with a rather unusual Qwerty keyboard – each key represents two letters so a slight rocking motion with the thumb is needed to select the letters.

If this proves to be a bit hectic for you then you can opt to use the stylus instead.

You can expect the P1i to arrive at our shores sometime in the third quarter of this year, which is really not too long to wait.

Pricing has yet to be announced

Sony Ericsson SO703i NTT DoCoMo

Sony Ericsson unveiled the new Sony Ericsson SO703i cell phone for NTT DoCoMo in Japan.

Measuring 105mm x 47mm x 18.7mm, the phone weighs in at 104 grams. The main display is 2.7" with a 240x432 pixel resolution and capable of displaying 262k colors, while a secondary OLED monochrome display (1.1") is available on the front.

The SO703i phone is equipped with a microSD memory card for expansion, as well as a 2 megapixel CMOS camera. A secondary camera (VGA resolution) is also available for video conferencing.

The phone supports changing panels, as you can see from the photos yourself. Pretty spiffy-looking, I'm sure.

No word on the pricing yet.

Motorola selling RAZR2 phone in S.Korea

Worldwide launch of new handset scheduled for next month

Motorola Inc. started selling the next generation model of its popular, ultra-slim Razr cell phone in South Korea Friday, ahead of a global launch scheduled for July.

“We’re releasing our new phone in the Korean market first in recognition of tech-savvy and fashion-aware Korean consumers,” Motorola Korea Inc. said in a statement.

The new phone, called “Razr2,” will be available via SK Telecom Co., Korea’s largest wireless carrier by revenue. It retails at about $630 before handset subsidies, Motorola said.

The world’s second-largest handset maker by sales, unveiled the new cell phone last month in a bid to resurrect its ailing handset business. The new phone has a slimmer frame, larger screen and improved call quality compared with its predecessor.

Schaumburg, Illinois-based Motorola has sold nearly 100 million Razr phones, but has struggled to find a successor to it.

Motorola accounted for 11.5 percent of the Korean handset market as of the end of April.

Samsung Electronics Co. held 55 percent and LG Electronics Inc. had 19 percent, according to Korea-based ATLAS Research Group.

Samsung Launches Quartet of Music Video Phones

A PLAYGROUND OF FUN WITH SAMSUNG’S QUARTET OF PHONES

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. today unveiled four mobile phones set to redefine the concept of fun and entertainment on the go. Featuring Bang & Olufsen ICEPower music support, panoramic 3-megapixel cameras and DivX video capabilities, Samsung’s line-up of phones offers a range of industry-leading multimedia capabilities built into cutting edge stylish designs.

“Today’s young and trendy consumers are always looking for compact yet power-packed products which allow them to carry their entertainment with them wherever they go. We believe our new line-up offers them a gamut of high-technology multimedia from music to video in sleek form factors,” said Mr. Ng Long Shyang, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Telecommunications and IT products.


Focusing on leisure and entertainment to enable fun seekers to experience more and express themselves better, the quartet consists of the dual-faced Ultra Video F500, a portable multiplayer phone with a large 2.4” TFT screen for comfortable viewing of videos and movies, the dual-faced Ultra Music F300 which offers a dedicated music user interface for quick and easy navigation, the candy bar Mini Camera E590 designed by Jasper Morrison and featuring a 3-Megapixel camera with panorama shot feature, and the Music Phone E740, an affordable music phone with one-touch music access.

Ultra Video F500
One of the most versatile and super slim personal multimedia devices, Samsung’s Ultra Video is the first phone to be DivX Certified. Combined with a built-in audio player, the Ultra Video boasts DVD-like quality picture and sound. Complementing the Ultra Video’s cuttingedge features is an innovative design incorporating a dual face LCD screen - a phone on one side and on the reverse a large 2.4” screen for multimedia viewing. The screen boasts a 240x320 pixel panel in 262,000 colours that can display video in landscape mode, while TV output gives you the option to view videos on a larger screen. The Ultra Video also comes with a back-up battery leather case which ensures longer battery life, and its unique swivel design allows for an adjustable viewing angle or serves as a stand to be placed on a flat surface. The Ultra Video F500 will be available from early August, pricing TBD.

Ultra Music F300
The Ultra Music F300 features an innovative dual-face LCD design which is unique for optimum viewing of the extensive multimedia features, yet stylish. On one side is a complete music player with superb sound quality and a large, clear touch-screen which makes scrolling through your music simple, intuitive, and fun. Flip over to the other side for a Samsung mobile phone that is rich in extra features such as a 2-megapixel camera with digital zoom, 128 MB onboard memory with microSD™ slot for expansion and BluetoothTM for wireless music streaming via a stereo headset. All this is packed into an extremely slim 9.4mm profile. The Ultra Music F300 is available at an RRP of $638 without contract.


Mini Camera E590
The Mini Camera E590, designed by leading industrial designer Jasper Morrison, features simple contours and clean lines which comprise this compact bar design. It is equipped with a powerful 3-megapixel camera with auto focus and half-shutter. In addition, the Panorama shot feature enables users to take landscape pictures, achieving wider coverage in one shot. The Mini Camera E590 also comes with the Bean bag, a unique tripod which serves as a portable accessory made from special rubber material for maximum flexibility and grip. Pricing and availability TBD.

Music Phone E740
A music model with FM radio, the Music Phone E740 features high quality music performance and a dedicated music user interface. The easy one-click music access, jog disc control and categorization by genre, album, artiste or recently played tracks means quick and easy navigation, while the multi-format music and video support lets users enjoy various file types on the phone. The locally-launched version comes with a 1GB card pre-loaded with 180 full track songs from various artistes which users can preview for free, and download and purchase the license at the click of a button if they like the song. The Music Phone E740 will be available from mid-July, pricing TBD.

Samsung SGH-X830 review at LetsGoMobile

Samsung are definitely capable of placing some extraordinary goods on the market, as they have proven again lately with the Samsung K5 MP3 player, fully operational by touch screen, and the Samsung i7 digital camera with its swivel screen. telephone market. I have received a Samsung SGH-X830 sample for testing; a mobile phone aiming entirely at the MP3 player lovers!

Extremely small, 1GB internal memory and a jog dial are just a few features on the Samsung X830. An additional and special characteristic of the Samsung SGH-X830 is the arrangement of the buttons; however, I will come to tell you that later.

Samsung X830 - Design

The Samsung X830 mini music phone comes with an innovative MP3 player design. The unique swing-open form factor allows for a good combination of mobile phone and MP3 player function. When closed, the Samsung X830 functions like a MP3 player with a music player interface that horizontally displays the playlist, equalizer settings and song information. Swinging the phone open exposes the keypad and doubles its length for optimal mobile

communication experience.

Samsung X830 - Camera

The Samsung X830 is equipped with a 1.3 Megapixel digital camera. The camera's performance is reasonably okay. It is not the best camera in the world but certainly not the worst either. The colour reproduction is bright and lively. There is a small mirror on the back that lets you take self-portraits. It's a matter of trying to find the easiest way of holding the camera when taking pictures. Your fingers might cover the small lens all to easily, or just holding it with your finger tips makes the camera move and create blurred pictures for your grip is not too steady. You can also use the camera to record videos. A flash light however is lacking on the Samsung X830, which is a pity.

Samsung SGH-X830 review

Slim and narrow in size, the SGH-X830 mobile phone measures an compressed 84 x 30 x 19.9mm and weighs in at a mere 75 grams for light mobility. This mini MP3 phone's portability and compactness does not compromise the ease of use for its various multimedia functions. Read our Samsung X830 review now to find out more about these this cell phone and its multimedia functions.

Greanpeace Guide ranks Nokia No.1 Green Company, while Sony emerges a Loser

In the latest Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics, Apple seems to have moved up a notch from being the lowest-ranked electronics manufacturer as previously reported.


In fact, with the launch of the much-awaited iPhone which is touted to become the company’s first environmentally friendly product, Apple may begin to rival other ‘Greener’ companies.

In the fourth issue of Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics, Nokia stood out in the first place, with Dell and Lenovo tying for the second place. Sony Ericsson and Samsung followed.

And here is where Apple comes in, as the company jumped from the last place last year to 10th place this year. Surprisingly, Sony emerged as the biggest loser at the bottom of the list along with LG. Both Sony and LG have been penalized for ‘double standards’ on their waste policies.

According to Iza Kruszewska, Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner, “Clearly, companies are racing to produce greener products. Steve Job’s latest commitment to eliminate toxics materials, moved Apple up the chart and they now face a challenge, with the iPhone, to meet customer expectations to be the environmental leader Apple-lovers want.”

Nowadays, an increasing number of companies are releasing information on products that are free from the worst and most damaging chemicals. Many technology companies are trying their best to go the green way.

The Greenpeace guide demonstrates that companies are starting to act on their responsibility for taking back and recycling their own-branded waste, providing more and more extensive voluntary programmes and informing customers on what to do with discarded electronics.

How the iPhone will change computing

This is a computer, not a phone, says Fortune's David Kirkpatrick. Finally, we'll be able to surf the Web anywhere we want.


Two weeks ago, I asked Steve Jobs if he was surprised by the growing frenzy about his upcoming iPhone. (I happened to be talking to him in a social situation.) He told me he wasn't really surprised that the device has captured the world's imagination, because even two years ago, which was one year into the project, he and his colleagues realized this was what a phone had to eventually become. He did concede that he didn't necessarily expect the world to get it so fast, however.

The iPhone launch: Special report

As I wrote in January, I never before saw a technology announcement that immediately captured the imagination of everyone from my boss to my 14-year-old daughter -- both of whom immediately announced that they wanted an iPhone. And the much-noted frenzy has continued, culminating today in the phone's final release.


So are you worried about the extraordinary expectations for the phone, I asked Jobs? "Not really," he replied, "because it's actually even better than people expect!" That is an extravagant claim, but my reading of the early reviews from people like Walt Mossberg and David Pogue leads me to believe it isn't much overstated.

But in the innumerable articles comparing the iPhone to existing phones from other suppliers, several fundamental points are being missed. For example, in an article in The New York Times last week a Nokia (Charts) executive was quoted saying, ludicrously, that the iPhone "is an evolution of the status quo." According to the article, "he said Nokia already sold high-end phones with a wide range of functions." Such statements make the speaker appear desperate, and ignorant.

It is unconvincing to compare Apple's (Charts, Fortune 500) iPhone to the features of existing phones. Unlike pretty much everything else on the market, the iPhone is not a stand-alone device. It only makes sense to use in conjunction with a computer. You can't even activate it, for pete's sake, without going into iTunes on your PC or Mac.

Why the iPhone is so slow

The iPhone's connection to the computer initially will, for most people, just enable them to synch their address book and phone numbers and put their iTunes music on the phone's built-in iPod.
But longer-term there will be capabilities far beyond other phones. No other phone has such a tight connection to the user's computer. There may ultimately be few limits to what kinds of data and applications can be shared between the phone and the computer. Once that easy-to-synch connection exists, it can be exploited with great creativity.

And that occasional tethering to the computer for a painlessly-easy update -- think of it, perhaps, as a digital fueling station -- is not the only way the iPhone differs from everything Nokia, Motorola (Charts, Fortune 500) and other old-school cellphone competitors have on the market.

The iPhone is, as Mossberg pointed out "a true handheld computer." This is a radical statement.
While Palm (Charts), Nokia, Research in Motion (Charts), and others have aspired to such a device, they have failed to deliver it. Yet it is what people want.

The single biggest factor in this true-computerhood is the nature of the web browsing experience on the iPhone. When a web page appears, it is a true web page, easily manipulated by Apple's revolutionary user interface. You start by seeing the same web page you'd see on your computer, but in miniature form. Then you can easily blow up the portions you're interested in by tapping or doing the weird but cool finger-spreading motions which every other handheld device maker no doubt will immediately start trying to imitate.

iPhone mania at flagship store

It is impossible to explain why the iPhone has so completely captured the world's imagination. But I think one major reason is that many of us who routinely use the web today instinctively feel we ought to be able to do so everywhere. Until now that has been impossible.

The iPhone appears to be the kind of solution we have been waiting for. And the early built-in features, like Google (Charts, Fortune 500) maps with real-time traffic information demonstrate just what kinds of potential there is in real Internet features on a portable device.

To hear Jobs talk, the iPhone is almost an extension of the Mac. I told him that as a Mac user I was concerned that the company's work on the iPhone would distract attention from the steady improvement of OS X, the Mac's operating system. To the contrary, he replied. Since the iPhone uses OS X as its fundamental software underpinning as well, its existence will in fact help OS X to evolve even faster, he said. I hope he proves right.

So am I rushing out to buy an iPhone? No. Another thing Jobs is masterful at is the iterative improvement of Apple's products. I would rather wait to have the initial inevitable bugs ironed out and certain basic flaws corrected -- like the absence of a good speakerphone, silent vibration capability, and video recording.

But, like half the audience at a tech panel I moderated last week who raised their hands when I polled them, I want an iPhone.

iPhone Could Hurt Palm, Nokia, Moto; Poised To Tie RIM

If sales of Apple's iPhone can match the device's pre-launch hype, it's liable to hurt Treo smart phone maker Palm the most and affect BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) the least, analysts say.


Apple's AAPL combination smart phone, video iPod and mobile Web browser will appeal mostly to well-heeled consumers at first. That's a market now served by high-end smart phone maker Palm PALM.

"Palm will be taking the hit going forward," said Paul Carton, an analyst at ChangeWave Research.

Palm already is reeling from bad news. Its sales hit a wall last year, and its user satisfaction ratings have dipped, Carton says. ChangeWave's surveys of tech-savvy consumers and corporate IT buyers also show a pronounced drop-off in planned purchases of Palm phones, he says.

The surveys also show RIM RIMM increasing its smart phone market share among corporate buyers and holding its lead among consumers.

ChangeWave's surveys of corporate tech buyers show RIM increasing its market share in smart phones sales to 65% in the next 90 days from 61% last quarter. At the same time, Palm's share looks to drop to 19% from 22% last quarter. And Apple is expected to grab 9% market share, taking sales from Palm, Motorola (NYSE:MEU) (NYSE:MOT) MOT and Nokia (NYSE:NOK) NOK.

Among tech-savvy consumers, Apple is poised to tie RIM in sales of smart phones in the next 90 days. Apple and RIM each got 26% share of planned smart phone purchases in the next 90 days in the most recent ChangeWave survey. Palm's share is forecast to fall to 10% from 14% last quarter.

Motorola and Nokia also are forecast to see market share declines in consumer smart phone sales, ChangeWave says. The share of smart phone buyers looking to get Motorola devices is expected to fall to 5% from 14% last quarter. Nokia's share is projected to drop to 3% from 8%.

RIM targets corporate and enterprise markets with its BlackBerry devices, which emphasize e-mail rather than voice communications. A successful iPhone launch would put a damper on RIM's recent efforts to expand into the consumer market with phones like the BlackBerry Pearl and Curve, says Avi Greengart, an analyst with research firm Current Analysis.

RIM's core business of providing secure e-mail devices to corporate and government customers is safe, Greengart says.

"It's hard to imagine corporate IT departments giving out $600 MP3 players for any reason other than a reward for a job well done," Greengart said. While the BlackBerry is seen as a business tool, the iPhone is seen as an entertainment device, he says.

The iPhone goes on sale nationwide Friday evening with models costing $500 and $600, depending on storage capacity.

The first wave of iPhone buyers will be made up of tech early adopters and Apple loyalists, analysts say. But it's the follow-on buyers who will determine whether the product is a hit.

That second wave of buyers will wait for word-of-mouth reviews and for a chance to touch and feel the iPhone themselves.

The product has been demonstrated in TV commercials and Web videos, but hasn't been available in stores for potential buyers to give it a test drive.

"There's only a handful of people without the word 'Apple' on their business cards who've actually used this," Greengart said. "It is one of those things where you've got to touch it to believe it."

The iPhone features a multi-touch user interface that Apple and early reviewers have described as revolutionary. It doesn't have a hard button keypad like most cell phones. Instead you use your fingers on a glass touch screen for dialing, tapping out messages and navigating. Users scroll and zoom in on Web pages with their fingers, and flick through album cover art to find music.

Potential follow-on buyers will be influenced by the reaction of early adopters to the touch-screen interface as well as the speed of AT&T's TT Edge data network.

Early reviews have criticized AT&T's Edge network as slow. But the device also can access the Internet from much faster Wi-Fi hot spots. AT&T is the exclusive wireless carrier in the U.S. for the iPhone launch.

"A lot of people will wait on the sidelines" until the price of the iPhone drops or until it's available from carriers other than AT&T, said Michael Greeson, an analyst with the Diffusion Group.

In the meantime, cell phone makers will have to respond to the iPhone with high-end products of their own, he added.

"It raises the bar on the Nokias of the world," he said.

Originally published in the June 28, 2007 version of Investor's Business Daily.

Copyright (c) 2007, Investor's Business Daily, Inc.

Nokia E90 Communicator Available

Nokia India has unveiled the first enterprise phone in the country, the Nokia E90 Communicator, which offers email access, Web browsing, and a Maps application, among others.

The E90 features two cameras: a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash and auto-focus, and a QCIF one for video conferencing.

The phone includes features such as an FM radio, a music player, a video player, 'active notes' for taking notes and tagging them to individual names, 'Quickoffice' for viewing, opening, and editing email attachments, Zip Manager, and Adobe Acrobat Reader.

The Communicator also has an integrated GPS and Nokia Maps application to help users find routes and locate services.

E90 offers fast connections over WLAN and HSDPA with enhanced 3G for mobile use of data and transmission of rich applications.

With the Nokia S60 browser with 16-million colors, the phone is capable of displaying the full width of a Web page at once.

Speaking at the launch, Chakrapani GK, country general manager of Nokia Enterprise Solutions, said, "The launch of Nokia E90 Communicator is the tipping point for business mobility in India. With the launch of Nokia E90, we are bringing an altogether new and expanded view of business mobility to the market place, as well as a culmination of power, performance, and productivity."

The Nokia E90 Communicator is available across the country for Rs 40,499 (inclusive of taxes).

Nokia Offers Mobile Photo Printing Services in Europe

Nokia launches a fully integrated mobile printing service in Europe.

The new Nokia service enables people to order high-quality prints easily and directly from the device, over cellular or wireless LAN (WLAN) networks, and have them delivered to your home or to a friend.

"Remember when you had to drag yourself to the store to have your film developed?" asks Mikko Pilkama, director, Multimedia, Nokia."

Now you can order prints directly from your Nokia Nseries device, and have them delivered to your doorstep - hassle-free!

"Users of compatible Nokia Nseries multimedia computers now only need one device to capture images, edit them and order prints.

You can also have your favorite images printed on stickers or gift items like mugs, jigsaw puzzles and T-shirts, and have them delivered to a friend.

The mobile printing service is accessible from the device's Gallery application.

Simply select the images to be printed, insert address and other requested information, and press "Order now".

The order is then processed by CeWe Color and prints are delivered to the entered address.

Payment methods commonly include credit card as well as other possible local payment solutions depending on the country.

iPhone: Apple answers all the big questions

Yes, it’ll cost you, and yes, Apple wants your SSN in iTunes. But you’ll want one anyway

Whatever plans I might have had for this week were put on hold by Apple’s full opening of iPhone’s kimono prior to the June 29 launch. I knew that Apple would hold back as much detail as it could until the last possible minute, but now that crates and crates of iPhones are sitting in the back rooms of AT&T Stores in strip malls across North America, and store staffs have been issued their riot gear and marching orders, it’d be silly to try to keep anything about iPhone under wraps.

Apple has answered most of the non-feature-related iPhone questions that I’d have asked on my readers’ behalf, but several remain open. I’ll give you a taste of the answered and unanswered questions here. The details that deadlines force me to leave out of this column will be in my Enterprise Mac blog. The grand detail will be in my InfoWorld Test Center review of iPhone, which will get underway as soon as Apple supplies an evaluation unit.

That brings me to my first still-unresolved question: When will iPhone review units be sent out? I think that Apple’s decision on review unit timing comes down to its preference for first-line reviewers. Do Apple and AT&T want word of mouth from customers who have laid down their money for iPhone to hit first, or do they want reviews from plausibly objective journalists? This decision (probably made by the time you read this; check my blog) will be telling and potentially trendsetting in itself. Bloggers will buy iPhone for a shot at scooping us big guys on reviews, and of course, once they’ve spent their money and signed their 2-year contract commitment to AT&T, anything less than a glowing review is out of the question.

Now for an answered question: What’s the absolute minimum cost of iPhone? Add it all up and it comes out to $2,034.75, not including taxes, fees and surcharges which, as anyone with a telephone can tell you, account for a healthy portion of one’s monthly bill. That’s the cost of a $499 iPhone, a two-year AT&T contract at $59.99 per month and a $36 activation fee.

Activation requires a Mac or PC iTunes client, and part of the process involves handing over your telco billing information, including your Social Security Number, to the iTunes Store. That’s a little squirmy, but hey, everybody from Radio Shack to the mall gondola guy tag you for your SSN when you buy a mobile phone.

AT&T’s iPhone rate plans are no longer a question either. Plans range from $59.99 to $99.99 and are clearly consumer-targeted plans. Daytime minutes are the most expensive part of the deal. iPhone is covered by Cingular’s roll-over policy on unused minutes, so even though the $59.99 plan has a skimpy 450 daytime minutes per month, you can bank them to some extent.

All plans include unlimited data service, which AT&T qualifies as “e-mail plus browser.”

Historically, that’s code for excluding the use of a handset for wireless Internet connection sharing. Until you hear otherwise from me, don’t bank on being able to tap your Xserve using Remote Desktop on your MacBook Pro with iPhone as your gateway. Still, iTunes can move files in and out of iPhone’s ample 4-8 GB non-volatile memory, and file uploads and downloads are much of the value of a cellular data gateway.

We now know that iPhone’s data service is EDGE rather than 3G. During periods of network calm, my T-Mobile EDGE service, using a BlackBerry 8800 as a gateway, hits ISDN download speed—128 kilobits/second—precisely. EDGE upload speed is slower than dial-up. iPhoners won’t be ripping around the Web at 3G’s typical 700 kilobits/second. Still, don’t be too disappointed. Most GSM/GPRS consumer phones surf at 9,600 bits per second, and EDGE’s coverage is wider than 3G’s.

One last question is answered, yet unanswered: Can you use iPhone without AT&T service, as a sort of Internet tablet-cum-PDA? Apple states that iPhone services “including iPod” require an active AT&T wireless subscription. I’d call that a no, but I can’t say for certain that iPhone powers up saying “don’t touch me until I’m activated.” Wireless hackers are more tenacious than all other varieties. If there is a way to use iPhone without activating it, or to flip it to another wireless operator’s service, it’ll be universal knowledge within two months of iPhone’s release.

It’s my job to find faults and shortcomings, and any $2,034.75 investment deserves scrutiny before it finds a place in your pocket, purse or holster. But I see no show-stoppers in the final details. So, sorry, naysayers, but Apple Stores and AT&T Stores will be mob scenes on June 29 at 6:00. If you actually touch an iPhone and you can afford one, you’re likely to buy it.

How to land your iPhone for $300

The largest factor deterring customers from considering a switch to the iPhone is the hefty pricetag; unfortunately, if you are currently an AT&T customer, the following strategy for securing your iPhone for $300 will not work. However, if you are dedicated to switching to AT&T to secure an iPhone, the following plan will guarantee you an iPhone for less than $300..and that's no joke.
What many of you are undoubtedly planning is to visit your local AT&T or Apple retailer and wait in line to sign a new contract to become a 2 year customer and proud owner of an iPhone. Though many people thought the iPhone could catch some sort of rebate, there is absolutely zero chance of that…but there is a way to get your iPhone for that low price tag if you are switching to AT&T and not currently an existing customer.

The two key factors that will play a part in you landing your coveted iPhone for under $300 are as follows:
1. The iPhone comes with no rebate…but that doesn't mean other phones don't come with rebates.

2. Amazon has long been know to PAY customers to switch service providers.

Here's the plan (which will go off without a hitch, as long as you can fill out a rebate form):
Instead of beginning a contract with AT&T when you purchase your iPhone, begin your contract tomorrow by visiting Amazon.com and purchasing the Sony Ericsson W810i for 1 cent here.

When you purchase your Walkman phone, you will be eligible for a $175 dollar rebate…on your 1 cent purchase, meaning you are being paid $174.99 by Amazon to switch to AT&T via Amazon and using the Sony Ericsson W810i.

As you are now officially a customer of AT&T, you will not be beginning your contract with your purchase of your iPhone (at zero discounted rate); you will simply be extending your contract by the amount of time that passes between when you visit Amazon and purchase your Walkman phone and when you visit your Apple or AT&T store and purchase your iPhone…ideally a 1 day extension of your 2 year contract.

Because the iPhone comes at no discounted rate, you will suffer no adverse contractual or discount-loss effects by buying it at the full price it weighs in at; now you have a Sony Walkman phone coming in the mail to you, a $175 rebate coming your way, and your iPhone still being purchased at the normal going rate.

At this point you have two options…you can sell your brand new Sony Ericsson W810i for at least $25 dollars on Ebay or some other venue to put more towards your iPhone, or you can hang on to it as a very well-regarded backup. The W810i has received excellent reviews, and a backup phone never hurts.

How does this plan get you the iPhone for under $300? I am assuming you choose the lower of the two versions (4Gb model), but here's the math:

Amazon purchase of Sony Ericsson W810i with AT&T contract: -$175.00Store purchase of iPhone, 4 Gb model: $500.00Resale of Sony Ericsson W810i via Ebay: -$25.00

Putting the grand total of your iPhone and new contract agreement at: $300.00 (plus tax). I can affirmatively tell you I have changed services via Amazon and they are by far the best way to go about switching…in fact, a friend of mine has already executed this plan and is a VERY happy customer of AT&T one day before the iPhone release.

If you go this route, please come back and let us know how happy this solution made you, and share your own iPhone discount success story!

Sony Ericsson "Unique" Mobile Phone

This Sony Ericsson phone concept by Karsten Willmann has all the basics of “phone concepts 101″ down. You’ve got the high contrast OLED display. You’ve got the really thin form factor.

And then there’s the number key pad and soft keys sitting nearly flush with the surface.

But what’s really interesting is the bulge protruding from its center-back, hiding a camera and flashlight. Lay it on a table and the screen stays angled just enough so legibility isn’t an issue. source:yankodesign http://www.creative-brain.com/

Apple's iPhone faces tougher rivals than iPod

Apple Inc. aims to build on the success of its iPod music player with the new iPhone wireless device, but it faces a crowded and competitive market in taking on established cell phone makers.

Global phone makers such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson and LG Electronics Inc. already sell music phones that the iPhone will challenge, while Research In Motion Ltd.'s Blackberry e-mail device is loved by professionals.

Rivals of AT&T Inc., the top U.S. wireless service that will exclusively sell iPhone for at least two years, will also turn up the heat by promoting their top music-phones.
"The iPhone has Harry Potter consumer interest, but it's not going to have Harry Potter sales because it's a premium device," said Strategy Analytics analyst David Kerr, referring to author J.K. Rowling's blockbuster series about a boy wizard.

The iPhone goes on sale in the United States on Friday for $500 and $600, depending on storage space and not including a required two-year service contract. The price alone will minimize the early competitive threat, as 85 percent of U.S. consumers tend to spend $100 or less on cell phones.

"If Apple was to come out with a $150 device, that's what would scare the heck out of Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung (Electronics Co. Ltd.) and LG," said Kerr. He expects the iPhone to sell 2 million units in 2007 out of a forecast of 20 million total advanced phone sales and 168 million total phone sales this year.

Gadget reviewers have already lauded the iPhone's smooth touch-screen that replaces regular phone keys, as well as its relatively large screen, Web browser and media player.

Advanced phones on the market don't have enough similar features for a direct comparison, but rival carriers to AT&T, such as Sprint Nextel Corp. and Verizon Communications Inc.'s Verizon Wireless venture with Vodafone Group Plc will aggressively push their existing music phones, analysts said.

They could also reap an indirect benefit should the iPhone get consumers excited about the general market for smart phones.

Motorola Announces MOTO W218 for Hong Kong

Motorola today announced the availability of the new MOTO W218 for the Hong Kong market.
Stylish and packed with features, MOTO W218 makes everyday communication easy.



MOTO W218 features a stylish and compact exterior that fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Equipped with a built-in FM radio allows you to instantly access music, news, favorite radio stations and weather forecasts, keeping you up-to-date wherever you are. The handset’s VGA camera with 4x zoom provides still photography on the go. MOTO W218 also sports a high-resolution 65k color display designed to make screen viewing easier on the eyes. With a storage capacity of up to 500 contacts, and equipped with a built-in calendar and event reminders, MOTO W218 makes it simple for you to manage your daily schedule. MOTO W218 is the winning handset for those who aspire to live with style and simplicity.

The Motorola W218 is available at Motorola authorized retailers today.

USA Gets HSDPA Love from Samsung

Oh, Samsung. We're already fully aware of your ongoing quest to create remarkably thin phones, but you've got some nifty features up those sleeves too, don't you? Targeting the American 3G phone market, Samsung has just announced the launch of the A717 clamshell and the A727 candybar, both of which are about as slim as can be.

The A717, for example, measures just 12.9mm thick, providing a profile that will make any RAZR feel jealous. The A727 candybar is even more anorexic at just 8.9mm of thickness. Both phones feature video sharing functions, enhanced video transmission, speaker phone, Bluetooth, and music downloads.

And no, the pretty girl does not come with the phone. Oh you...

Samsung F210 (SGH-F210)

The Samsung F210 is an upgraded version of the Samsung X830 "Blush" phone announced last year, and it shares the X830's unusual format. It is also closely related to the somewhat more basic Samsung F200.

As you can probably tell, Samsung also make MP3 players - and the SGH-F210 draws on this experience. When closed you would be hard pushed to tell that it's a phone at all. The F210's slim form factor (just 88 x 31 x 20mm) and the unusual 128 x 220 pixel display make the handset look very much like a compact media player.

Although this is closely based on the X830, and shares a similar rotator mechanism, the F210 comes with a much more conventional (although very slim) number pad, plus a microSD slot in addition to the 1GB of internal memory in the phone. Most people won't need to upgrade the F210's memory, but if necessary it can support a 2GB microSD card which should be plenty.

The SGH-F210 supports various media formats including MP3, AAC, eAAC+ and WMA formats plus various types of DRM. The Samsung F210 doesn't have an FM radio, but on the other hand it has a 2 megapixel digital camera. Bluetooth is also supported, presumably with stereo audio connections.

Underneath all the multimedia stuff, this is a tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz handset with GPRS data, Java and a WAP browser. Samsung haven't specified how much the F210 weighs, but it is probably less than 80 grams. No pricing or availability information was available at the time of going to press.

Samsung F210 (SFH-F210 at a glance)

Available: Q3 2007
Network:GSM 900/1800/1900
Data:GPRS
Screen:128x220 pixels, 262k colours
Camera:2 megapixels
Size:Compact rotator88 x 31 x 20mm
Bluetooth:Yes
Memory card:microSD
Infra-red:No
Polyphonic:Yes
Java:Yes
Battery life:Not specified

Nokia's 'Computer Done Beautifully'

Can art meet intelligence? Nokia dares to say 'yes' with its new Nokia N76 that was launched in the capital today. Sporting a sleek fold design, the N76 has 'Quick Cover Keys', and promises a premium mobile music experience among others.

The phone offers pre-burnt music videos from across-the-globe, including 'Hips Don't Lie' and 'Illegal' by Shakira; 'Crazy in Love' by Destiny's Child; and 'Get Right' by Jennifer Lopez; as well as our very own, 'It's the time to Disco' and 'Zinda Hoon Main', to name a few.

Speaking at the launch, Vineet Taneja, director multimedia, Nokia India, said, "The N76 is a perfect embodiment of leading-edge technology in a stunningly new sleek form factor. This latest addition to the Nokia Nseries portfolio brings a wide range of multimedia experiences to consumers, enabling them to create, consume, and connect, using music, videos, images, and the Internet."

The N76 features a 2 megapixel camera, 2.4-inch QVGA display with up to 16 million colors, dedicated 'Quick Cover Keys' for capturing those special moments without having to open the phone, 2GB memory card for holding up to 1,500 tracks, and MicroSD card slot.

N76 supports music formats including MP3, WAV, MIDI, WMA, M4A, AAC, AAC+, and eAAC+, and works with standard 3.5mm headphones.

The Nseries phone packs Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition, and allows users edit pictures and transfer to compatible PCs.

Other features of the phone include: Nokia Web Browser with MiniMap, and the ability to access popular Internet services such as Flickr and Amazon for searching/shopping/sharing.

Based on S60 3rd Edition software on Symbian OS, the N76 supports Quadband GSM networks, and comes with data connectivity features like EDGE, GPRS, and 3G. It is also enabled with Bluetooth v2.0 for data transfer.

Available in two colors, Metallic Red and Black, the Nokia N76 is available for Rs 21,500 approximately.

Nokia E61i, E65 get official in the US

Americans looking for a little piece of the Nokia Eseries pie just had their task made a little easier today, with Nokia announcing that the QWERTY equipped E61i and E65 slider have been officially released this side of the pond. Besides showing up in the Chicago and New York flagship stores, the devices will be provided through a handful of B2B distributors, Dell's site, Gateway, Mobile Planet, and others. We're still crossing fingers, toes, and a variety of other limbs in the hopes of an eventual E90 release here, but these two are certainly decent fodder in the meanwhile. Look for both to run about $400.

iPhone May Not Rock Music Industry

Carlos Gomez could be the recording industry's ideal mobile music customer. His phone is his music player of choice and he spends about $100 a month buying songs for it _ often on impulse after hearing a tune on his car radio. That's why he's not buying an iPhone.

It's not that he doesn't want one. The 24-year-old office clerk is mesmerized by the look and feel of Apple Inc.'s uber-sleek new phone that's a combination cell phone, iPod media player and Web-browsing gadget. He particularly likes its touch-screen navigation.

But Gomez says he won't buy the handset because users can't use it to buy and download music over a wireless network.

Instead, iPhone owners will have to buy music via their computers and then download it to their phones, a process called side-loading.

"I'm not the type of person that likes to wait until I get home," Gomez said. "If I hear it, I want it there and then."

The arrival of the iPhone on Friday has stoked optimism among some music company executives that it will usher in a new wave of easier-to-use mobile music devices or even entice more people into embracing the phone as music player _ and into buying more music.

"The introduction of the iPhone is an enormously positive event," said Warner Music Group Corp. CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. at a conference earlier this month in New York. "It creates more and more consumers who are looking to buy music, but it also galvanizes the mobile industry to compete."

Some analysts, however, say mobile music sales will be dampened as long as users are limited to loading music on their phones via their PCs and Macintosh computers, and blocked from buying music wirelessly.

"The whole idea of on-the-go instant gratification isn't there," said Ted Cohen, managing partner of media consulting firm Tag Strategic.

Currently, Sprint and Verizon Wireless are the only wireless network operators in the U.S. that directly sell full-track downloads for mobile phones, a process referred to as over-the-air downloads. Even so, they trail Apple's iTunes Music Store in digital music sales.

In all, about 386 million digital tracks so far this year have been purchased online or downloaded over-the-air in the U.S., according to Nielsen Mobile. The firm does not break out figures for over-the-air purchases.

About 4 percent of all mobile phone users in the U.S. and 27 percent of those with MP3-capable handsets side-loaded music onto their phones in the first quarter of this year, according to a survey by research firm The NPD Group.

T-Mobile launches HotSpot @Home service nationwide

Are you looking for a way to get rid of that pesky land-line phone? You might want to give thought to T-Mobile HotSpot @Home service.

The HotSpot @Home service is awesome because it allows you to use your T-Mobile phone anywhere there is a T-Mobile HotSpot without using up your wireless minutes. It seamlessly switches between the WiFi and GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks, so you never even know it happens. There are currently over 8,500 such HotSpots active in the US, so you’re bound to run into one near you.

Today T-Mobile is introducing two new phones that are fully compatible with the new HotSpot @Home service, the Samsung t409 and the Nokia 6086. Each phone can be purchased for $49.99 with a two-year contract.

You will be able to pick up a HotSpot @Home router from either D-Link or Linksys so you can take advantage of the free airtime at home. They will function just the same as other home routers, so they will be a breeze to set up. You will simply choose which brand you want when purchasing the HotSpot @Home service. The routers are free after a mail-in rebate.

The introductory price for the service will be $9.99 for an individual line, or $19.99 will cover up to 5 phones on a family plan. Since a large portion of wireless minutes are used within the home, the service will pay for itself in no time. The service goes on sale today and can be purchased online or at a T-Mobile retail store. For more information check out T-Mobile’s HotSpot @Home website.

We’re going to be giving away a T-Mobile HotSpot @Home router, phone, and a years worth of service soon. In addition to our giveaway, T-Mobile is going to be having promotional events in several major US cities where they will be handing out free service/phones/routers to lucky people. Stick around for more details on both giveaways.

Middle Eastern Mobile Markets More Rewarding Than European Counterparts, Says Analysys

The Middle Eastern mobile market presents greater revenue opportunities than markets in Europe when taking into account its size and spending power, according to a new report, The Middle Eastern mobile market: trends and forecasts 2007-12, published by Analysys, the global advisers on telecoms, IT and media (http://research.analysys.com). In 2006, total mobile revenue per capita in the Middle East demonstrated a trend above that of European markets when comparing markets in the two regions with similar levels of average disposable income.
For example, in a Middle Eastern market where disposable income is USD10 000, total mobile revenues would be expected to be 20% higher than an equivalent European market.

“While there is increasing liberalisation of the mobile market across the region, mobile operators in the Middle East have benefited from the relative lack of competition in both fixed and mobile markets and have been able to bring in impressive revenues,” says the report’s author, Daniel Jones. “However, as competition intensifies across the region, operators will have an increasingly tough time trying to maintain this premium.”

Key findings from the new report include:

• Total mobile service revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 10%, from USD22 billion in 2006 to USD39.7 billion by the end of 2012. In many countries, service revenue will be boosted by strong growth in subscribers, outweighing the effect of falling average revenue per user (ARPU), which will accompany subscriber growth in many maturing markets.

• Penetration across the region is set to grow rapidly, with liberalising markets where penetration is furthest from saturation leading this growth. New mobile operators in Egypt and Saudi Arabia will be among the major catalysts for subscriber growth in the region.

• Low fixed-line penetration in the Middle East will allow mobile operators to capture a greater share of total telecoms spend than would otherwise have been possible and will present opportunities for mobile operators to increase their non-voice ARPU through the provision of mobile broadband.


This report analyses current trends in the Middle Eastern mobile market, including the role of market liberalisation, new wireless technologies and the strategies of incumbents and new entrants as competition intensifies. It presents comprehensive analysis and forecasts for the region as a whole, as well as for Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Forecasts are broken down by subscriber numbers, ARPU, revenue, retail spend and average spend per user (ASPU) for four market segments (large corporations, residential prepaid, residential contract and SMEs), three service categories (voice, person-to-person messaging and other data services) and four technology generations (2G, 2.5G, 3G and 3.5G).

The report is available to purchase online at http://research.analysys.com/store, priced at GBP1700 (approximately EUR2530) plus VAT. For more information, telephone Analysys on +44 (0)1223 460600 or email research@analysys.com.

About Analysys (www.analysys.com)

Analysys provides strategy and management consultancy, information services and start-up support throughout the telecommunications, IT and media sector. Its grasp of market dynamics, coupled with creativity, rigour and renowned objectivity, enables Analysys to consistently exceed the high levels of quality and innovation that its clients expect. The company has over 160 staff worldwide, and, as part of the Analysys Mason Group, has offices in Cambridge, Dublin, Edinburgh, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Paris, Singapore and Washington DC.

Popularity: 4%

HTC Touch Phone Review (Part 3/3 - 62%)

In Part Two we looked inside the Touch and at connectivity and multimedia functions.

TouchFLO
HTC have redesigned the Windows Today screen, with a moody dark finish displaying the time in big LCD-style numbers, and three thumb sized buttons giving quick access to basic weather updates, a program launcher and a link back to the home screen.A handy strip displays the number of unread emails, SMS messages and missed calls with upcoming appointments listed below.

Of course, the big news about this product is the new TouchFLO technology offering what HTC describes as an “innovative new concept in intuitive touch screen navigation.”

The technology impressed us at first, with main screens being flipped through with the swipe of a finger across the screen and long pages being scrolled up and down by a flick of the finger. Tapping the screen stopped the scrolling.Although we initially warmed to the novelty of this approach, we couldn’t help thinking that the job could sometimes be done much quicker and more intuitively with an old fashioned bash on a button.

Inputting text
Once you’ve finished swishing and swiping your way around the groovy 3D interface, you’re likely to be in for a big disappointment when you want to do something useful like input text or send a SMS.

At this point, the swish grey interface vanishes and you’re dumped straight back down to the less than glamorous graphics world of Windows Mobile 6 Professional Edition.

Anyone looking for an innovative approach to inputting text is going to be very, very disappointed as all you’re left with is a tiny onscreen keyboard and no option but to get out the itty-bitty stylus (or start growing your nails).

This, we feel, is something of a disaster. What’s the point of strutting about with a swanky style phone if you’ve got to start pecking about with a little stylus like a chump every time you want to answer an email or write a short note?

Conclusion
When we first clapped eyes on this little fella and got a peek of the TouchFLO system, we thought that HTC had created something rather special, but the more we played with it, the less we liked it.

As a simple style statement phone, it’s rather a lovely number with great looks and reasonable phone quality, but as soon as you want to start using its smartphone features the frustrations begin.

There was a noticeable lag when switching between some applications and all that swishing about the screen soon gets the thing covered in finger marks. We also had concerns about the screen’s longevity.

But our biggest complaint was the lack of a proper keyboard. With only a tiny little set of onscreen characters available for writing emails and SMS messages, we soon grew tired of even trying and swiftly went back to our beefier, infinitely less sexy Treo 650 to get the job done.

We have to say that some elements of the HTC Touch impressed, but it feels like something of a rushed release to us, with the company looking to steal a bit of pre-release glory from the iPhone.

We like the idea of gesture based navigation, but unless it’s carried through consistently throughout the phone with some sort of genuinely useful keyboard provided, the HTC will continue to fall considerably short of its promise.

Contract price depends on the carrier, but an unlocked Touch can currently be picked up for around £300.

Our verdict
Ease of use: 55%
Build: 60%
Features: 65%
Phone quality: 65%
Value for money: 62%
Overall: 62%

Motorola introduces Good Mobile Messaging 5

Following its recent acquisition of Good Technology, Inc., Motorola announced the next version of the Good Mobile Messaging solution to "make mobile email more personalized and productive, all while enhancing IT control." Among the new features, version 5 brings: improved email management (grouping, better search of messages), an option to edit and send documents, more customization, complete calendaring, mobile RSS reader and subscription manager, improved remote device management with more security options (application/device lockdown, advanced password management), access to contacts for third-party applications, and more.

There you have it. Sounds pretty improved if you ask me. Not that I'll be using it, but I'm sure that enterprise users will likely give it a try somewhere in September when Motorola will release the Good Mobile Messaging 5 through carriers, certified VARs, and directly through Motorola Good Technology Group. Check out the full release after the jump.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., - Motorola, Inc. today extended its leadership in the mobile office with the announcement of Good Mobile Messaging 5. This announcement follows Motorola's recent acquisition of Good Technology, Inc., and advances the award-winning Good Mobile Messaging software and service to help solve the information clutter problem for mobile users. Good Mobile Messaging 5 helps make mobile email more personalized and productive, all while enhancing IT control.

Good Mobile Messaging 5 (Good 5) incorporates multiple new features that vastly improve the mobile experience both for business users and IT professionals by: helping enable mobile users to get things done more easily; providing greater personalization; and strengthening security and manageability. The new release will incorporate all of the handheld security capabilities previously available separately though the company's Good Mobile Defense product.

"When it comes to the user interface, Motorola gets it," said Rob Mancini, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, Government of the District of Columbia. "They understand the need to extend the capabilities of the desktop to the handheld device, and they've added a number of innovative features such as scheduling enhancements and mobile RSS that we know our users will love. In addition, the enhanced security and management capabilities will really help us provide top-notch operational support of our user community."

Get Things Done More Easily. Mobile professionals receive so much email that it's often difficult to find the information they're looking for on their smartphone and complete tasks from start to finish. Good 5 introduces innovative email and PIM capabilities that help enable mobile users to easily find what they need when they need it and get work done. New features include:

• Group and find by conversation and sender: sorts and groups emails by conversation thread and/or sender, helping users to easily pinpoint important messages and save time by filing and/or deleting an entire thread or group


• Complete calendaring: helps invite participants to a meeting, provide real-time visibility into their free/busy status; and automatically suggests and reserves conference rooms based on past preferences and availability


• Edit and send documents: securely accesses corporate intranets using Good Mobile Intranet (GMI); enables downloads of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe PDF documents directly to the smartphone; allows users to edit files and attach them to outbound emails


• Dial without password: dials a contact from a password-protected phone without requiring users to enter the password–all while keeping email and contacts data secure


• Third-party access to contacts: option to provide third-party applications, such as voice dialing and SMS, with access to Good contacts, helping to enhance device usability

Have a More Personal Experience. Being productive on a smartphone has been challenging in part because the phone doesn't adapt to users' specific preferences, needs or workflow the way they are accustomed with a desktop or laptop. Good 5 introduces a number of new customizable features that personalize the mobile experience:

• Mobile RSS reader and subscription manager: helps keep users current with information from preferred sources-including business news and alerts. Subscribe to, manage, and preview feeds-all without having to leave the email inbox, launch a third-party application, or navigate a mobile Web browser


• Priority mail: helps quickly identify messages that are important to individuals based on their unique preferences; defines and distinctly marks priority mail by sender, distribution list, who's in the to: or cc: fields, and other user-selected criteria.


• Personalized notifications: assigns unique sounds and alerts to priority emails, so that users are less likely to miss the emails that matter most

More IT Control. Even with greater usability and personalization, IT doesn't have to sacrifice control or security. In fact, Good 5 helps provide more control by giving IT professionals all of the advanced device and data protection capabilities previously available only through the Good Mobile Defense product, through a single-management console and complete over-the-air controls. Features include:

• Mandatory applications: helps set and enforce the installation of mandatory applications like anti-virus checkers to ensure that users have what they need-both to do their jobs and to comply with corporate security policies


• Application lockdown: blacklists and prevents the launch of unapproved applications
  Device lockdown: locks down the camera, infra-red (IR), WiFi and/or Bluetooth wireless technology ports; enforces SD card encryption


• Advanced password management: enables administrators to set granular criteria for password characteristics, restrictions, and expirations


• Advanced encryption management: provides rules-based enforcement of SD card and database encryption policies


• Simplified load balancing: enables IT to move users across servers to facilitate load balancing-without the need to re-provision

"The holy grail of mobile email lies somewhere between complete IT control and unencumbered usability; products that try to close that gap often compromise the mobile experience," said Rick Osterloh, Senior Director Product Management and Marketing, Motorola Good Technology Group.

"With Good 5, we've successfully bridged the divide by giving end users the usability and personalization they want, while arming IT with even more manageability and security."

Availability

Good 5 is expected to be available in September through cellular operators worldwide, certified value-added resellers, and directly through Motorola Good Technology Group. The software and service will support a broad choice of the industry's most popular smartphones, running on both IBM Lotus Domino and Microsoft Exchange.