The previous N810 unboxing video was awesome because of the soundtrack the guy used, this one is awesome because the producer uses an awesome camcorder to get insane amounts of detail. WOM World, the PR Firm Nseries hires that speaks exclusively to bloggers, recommended this video and I’m in full on agreement. There is also a 2 part video (1 and 2) done by the same guy where he compares the N810 to the N800. Personally I always thought the 770 was more handsome than the N800, but the N810 is clearly the new hottie on the block:
Thursday, November 29, 2007
LG sells 5 Million LG Shine handsets!
Sure, a million or so iPhone and HTC Touch handsets are an impressive feat - especially when you consider that they’ve only been on market for a handful of months. But, those numbers are no match for LG’s sales figures for their LG Shine lineup of mobile phone. While Apple is celebrating their single-digit million-unit sales goal, LG has announced that they’ve moved 5 million LG Shine handsets from the factory floor and into customer hands. Of course, that’s a worldwide sales figure, but it’s incredible nonetheless. The LG Shine lineup launched a little over a year ago in October of 2006, so that roughly calculates to LG selling a third-of-a-million handsets every single month since its launch! Props to LG.
Now, don’t let this get you down, LG. But, there’s that little matter of an exploding cellphone battery to deal with.
Oh, and we’re glad the LG Shine on-board the US market.
[Via: Akihabara News]
Next week is Nokia World
Next week Nokia is holding their yearly Nokia World event, which the equivalent of Disneyland for Nokia heads I hear; I’m going to be there covering it. The show is on the 4th and 5th of December in Amsterdam, a few of the keynotes will be streamed live (many will be archived for later viewing) and relevant press releases usually go up before the speaker even hits the stage.
Keep your eyes peeled on Nokia’s special Press Page here, but be sure to come back to IntoMobile for the highlights and critical feedback you know you love.
Video: Nokia N95's built in accelerometer used to control a remote car
The built in accelerometer in the Nokia N95 has been used to control light sabers, bouncing balls, and now it can even command a remote control car. Andreas Jackl from Forum Nokia has the details here and a pretty insane video:
Get 600 Euro for signing up your unlocked iPhone with Debitel Germany
So, with T-Mobile Germany forced to sell unlocked iPhones (at least for now), Debitel’s got a plan to help snatch-up some potential unlocked iPhone customers. Debitel provides its customer with leased network time from its German counterparts, and they’re offering a €600 bonus to all new iPhone customers. The sign-up bonus should help bring the unlocked iPhone’s €999 price tag down to a more manageable €399 - the same price that T-Mobile Germany charges for on-contract iPhones. Debitel’s deal should appeal to Germans interested in an unlocked iPhone but wary of the prohibitively high price point from T-Mobile (which is probably T-Mobile’s intention). But then again, Debitel will probably require iPhone customers to sign a contract to get that €600 sign-up bonus - so the only advantage to signing with Debitel would be that you have an unlocked iPhone once your contract expires. Which would you choose - a T-Mobile locked iPhone with Visual Voicemail and unlimited data for €399, or an unlocked iPhone that’s essentially locked to Debitel’s network sans Visual Voicemail for the same price?
Of course, that unlocked iPhone is likely to be obsolete by the time Debitel lets you off their contract.
[Via: Engadget Mobile]
RIM to bring the BlackBerry to Russia in 2008
Welcome to the age of the CrackBerry, Russia. We’re glad to hear that you’re finally getting with the times and letting RIM bring their heralded BlackBerry lineup within your borders, starting in 2008. Hey, you’ve caught up to Communist China! With the Russian security agency’s (FSB) approval to let Russian wireless operators MTS and Vimpelcom carry the BlackBerry phones from RIM, carrier-branded BlackBerry handsets should be making their way into email-addicted Russian hands in Q1 2008.
BlackBerries have been in use on MTS’s Ukraine network since October, but those handsets used foreign SIM cards as roaming handsets. This announcement marks the first legitimate entry of the BlackBerry into Russian wireless networks. Vimpelcom has been greenlighted to sell 1,050 BlackBerry 8700 smartphones as soon as the handsets pass certification tests.
MTS and Vimpelcom have a one-year sales window, so Russian could go back to the pre-BlackBerry dark ages in 2009 - although, we’re going to put our money on a long-lived Russian BlackBerry market.
[Via: Reuters]
Samsung Bang&Olufsen Symphony/Serenata F310 gets a case from Louis Vuitton
A device like the Samsung Bang&Olufsen Serenata F310 isn’t something you should carry unprotected, even if you have tons of money — and you probably do in case you bought one.
You need a case, not “yet another case” but something special. Something designed by no other company but the masters of fashion bags - Louis Vuitton.
Yap, the French company has prepared the special Samsung B&O Symphony F310 Louis Vuitton designer leather case, which is made from “natural calfskin with a perfect surface dyed with special vegetative essences.” Sounds safe enough to me.
And by the way, it’s for market of Russia where Samsung is selling the Serenata F310 as Symphony F310…
Video: Unboxing of Samsung BlackJack II
The Samsung SGH-i607 BlackJack II launched over the Turkey weekend and we’ve got an unboxing video for you guys to ogle - courtesy of WMExperts.
If you like what you see, head on over to your nearest AT&T store and grab your very own BlackJack II for about $150 (after contract, of course).
[Via: WMExperts]
If you like what you see, head on over to your nearest AT&T store and grab your very own BlackJack II for about $150 (after contract, of course).
[Via: WMExperts]
T-Mobile unlocks German iPhones through iTunes - official iPhone unlocking hack on the way?
We all know by now that T-Mobile Germany has been forced to offer carrier-unlocked iPhones to its customers. But, until now, we had no idea how Apple and T-Mobile would go about unlocking those 999 Euro (about $1,500 USD) iPhones. Well, thanks to well-heeled iPhone hopefuls with the bankroll and desire to own an iPhone that can work on any GSM network in the world, we now know just how Apple will go about unlocking said iPhones.
It seems that Apple’s own iTunes activation-setup has been modified to unlock those premium iPhones upon approval from Cupertino. Anyone looking to purchase an uber-expensive, unlocked iPhone from T-Mobile Germany will be given a run-of-the-mill, locked iPhone. The IMEI number is sent to Apple for remote-unlocking approval. Within 24 hours, Apple will send the unlocked iPhone owner an email confirming their unlocked status. Then, a simple iTunes-sync will result in a SIM-unlocked iPhone with the v1.1.2 firmware.
Pretty simple, eh? We think so too. And, with an Apple-sanctioned unlock method for the iPhone (one that doesn’t risk bricking your iPhone with every firmware update), we figure the iPhone Dev Team is hard at work trying to reverse-engineer the Apple unlock process. If Apple was fool-hardy enough to hide some iPhone-unlocking code into iTunes, the iPhone community could have an official, non-bricking iPhone unlock solution in the near future. We’ll be keeping our ears to the ground on this one, folks.
[Via: MacRumors]
Unlock your Samsung BlackJack II's integrated GPS receiver to work outside of TeleNav
The good news is that the new Samsung BlackJack II rocks a full-fledged SiRF III GPS receiver - none of that cell-tower signal triangulation stuff here. The bad news, unfortunately, is that the GPS hardware in the BlackJack II is locked-down to only work with the bundled TeleNav software (AT&T’s way of getting more TeleNav revenue). You see, there’s this driver, called GPS Intermediary Driver (GPSID), that Microsoft uses to serve as the communications middle-man between the GPS hardware and applications that need to access the hardware. While the GPSID driver seems to be configured to work with the TeleNav software and Windows Live Search, there’s no provision for any other application to make use of the SiRF III GPS module.
Well, BlackJack 2 hopefuls will be glad to hear that the MoDaCo Smartphone GPS Activator will open up the GPS hardware on your Samsung BlackJack II (and probably the Motorola Q9h) to a host of GPS-enabled applications. The MoDaCo hack will open up the COM4 port for GPS access, allowing you to use associate your favorite apps like Virtual Mobile Earth or Google Maps with the GPS unit.
Turns out, the MoDaCo Smartphone GPS Activator also Application Unlocks your Windows Mobile 6.0 Standard handset. That means you can re-order the applications on your Start Menu - bonus!
Oh, and if any Motorola Q9h owners out there want to give this utility a go, please drop us a line and let us know how it works.
Over-The-Air install:
Point your mobile browser to: http://modaco.com/gpsactivatorbj2
On-device CAB install:
Run this CAB file from your handset: http://content.modaco.net/MoDaCo.SmartphoneGPSActivator.COM4.CAB
Computer installation:
Run this executable from your PC: http://content.modaco.net/Setup.MoDaCo.SmartphoneGPSActivator.COM4.EXE
Props to Paul for this awesome hack!
[Via: MoDaCo]
Review : LG KU990 Viewty
A digital camera inside a cell phone is not exceptional these days. It becomes a different case when a 5 Megapixel digital camera is integrated in a mobile phone. And although there are more handsets equipped with a 5 Megapixel digital camera, for example the Nokia N82, Samsung G800 and the Sony Ericsson K850i, there is a vast difference in the quality of the camera. The KU990 is the first 5 Megapixel cell phone of LG. It looks like LG is starting to take mobile photography seriously. The LG Viewty is up to date with its large touchscreen, 5 Megapixel digital camera and multimedia player. We were able to test the LG Viewty extensively.
• Read our full LG Viewty review!
• Read our full LG Viewty review!
LG Viewty camera phone - Digital camera
Pictures can be taken with the 5 Megapixel auto focus digital camera. The camera is equipped with a flash and an auto focus assist lamp. The flash has an effective range of 2.5 meters and enables shooting in bad light circumstances providing the flash is used within the effective range. In situations with insufficient light for the camera to focus, the auto focus assist lamp will help. A red beam will expose the object in order for the camera to focus correctly.
Pictures can be taken with the 5 Megapixel auto focus digital camera. The camera is equipped with a flash and an auto focus assist lamp. The flash has an effective range of 2.5 meters and enables shooting in bad light circumstances providing the flash is used within the effective range. In situations with insufficient light for the camera to focus, the auto focus assist lamp will help. A red beam will expose the object in order for the camera to focus correctly.
LG Viewty mobile phone - Multimedia player
Music and movies can be played through the multimedia player of the Viewty. Songs and movies can be stored in play lists which makes it easy to find them again quickly. The scroll wheel around the camera lens can be used to adjust the volume. The sound quality of the standard LG headset is fine; bass as well as high tones sound natural.
Music and movies can be played through the multimedia player of the Viewty. Songs and movies can be stored in play lists which makes it easy to find them again quickly. The scroll wheel around the camera lens can be used to adjust the volume. The sound quality of the standard LG headset is fine; bass as well as high tones sound natural.
LG KU990 Viewty review
The LG Viewty is a cell phone with a neat design and innovative functions. The LG Viewty has been equipped with a 5 Megapixel digital camera including flash. The LG Viewty appears to be the bigger brother of the LG Prada. We were able to test the LG KU990 for some period of time. Our findings can be read in the LetsGoMobile LG KU990 Viewty review.
The LG Viewty is a cell phone with a neat design and innovative functions. The LG Viewty has been equipped with a 5 Megapixel digital camera including flash. The LG Viewty appears to be the bigger brother of the LG Prada. We were able to test the LG KU990 for some period of time. Our findings can be read in the LetsGoMobile LG KU990 Viewty review.
Source: LetsGoMobile
Sony Ericsson W580i in Metro Pink is targeting ladies and folks like David Beckham
And the onslaught of pink electronics continues.
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, here is the Sony Ericsson W580i in Metro Pink. We already know that a handset like this will appeal to the ladies, but with the word "metro" in its name, you've got to wonder if Sony Ericsson is targeting folks like David Beckham too. Somehow I have a hard time imagining Becks carrying a pink phone.
In terms of the features, the Metro Pink Sony Ericsson W580i likely has the exact same list as its not-so-pink counterparts. This means that you get treated to the company's sigature Walkman 2.0 media player, granting you access to all sorts of tunes and vids. Other vitals include an attractive slider form factor and a 2.0 megapixel camera. You also get mood lighting and fitness features.
No word on pricing or availability, but without a service provider picking up the pink wonder on our side of the pond, I'm thinking the only way to get your hands on a Metro Pink Sony Ericsson W580i slider phone is through importers and other gray market means.
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, here is the Sony Ericsson W580i in Metro Pink. We already know that a handset like this will appeal to the ladies, but with the word "metro" in its name, you've got to wonder if Sony Ericsson is targeting folks like David Beckham too. Somehow I have a hard time imagining Becks carrying a pink phone.
In terms of the features, the Metro Pink Sony Ericsson W580i likely has the exact same list as its not-so-pink counterparts. This means that you get treated to the company's sigature Walkman 2.0 media player, granting you access to all sorts of tunes and vids. Other vitals include an attractive slider form factor and a 2.0 megapixel camera. You also get mood lighting and fitness features.
No word on pricing or availability, but without a service provider picking up the pink wonder on our side of the pond, I'm thinking the only way to get your hands on a Metro Pink Sony Ericsson W580i slider phone is through importers and other gray market means.
Source: HTL Lounge
Sony Ericsson's search for best cameraphone photographer
Sharp super snappers sought
by Amy-Mae Elliott
Sony Ericsson's The Search campaign, which involved running a nationwide competition to find the Cameraphone Photographer of the Year with Sony Ericsson is nearing an end. A judging panel comprising The Times Photo Editor Paul Saunders, The Times Creative Director, Tomaso Capuano, Heat magazine's Lucy Cave, Formula 1 commentator James Allen and extreme sports stars Charlotte Dutton and Joss Ash sifted through the entries to pull out the most creative shots for the final. The finalists will go head-to-head with two other finalists to answer one final photographic brief and compete for a worldwide trip for two people to five countries. The overall winner will also be entered into Sony Ericsson's global cameraphone contest, World View. More entries can be viewed on the site, link below.
Motorola teams up with Ferrari for MotoRAZR MAXX V6
Although it's passing the checkered flag quite a few laps later than the McLaren-branded handsets we've seen of late, Ferrari has utilized that long-standing partnership with Motorola to kick out a flashy limited edition MotoRAZR MAXX, dubbed the V6 Ferrari.
Although it's not like Ferrari to stop with just six cylinders, this handset sports a sleek, black finish, an unmistakable yellow Ferrari logo, two-megapixel camera, VGA webcam for video telephony, 50MB of internal memory, microSD expansion slot, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, USB 2.0 connectivity, and "OTA PC syncing" to boot.
Additionally, you'll find HSDPA, EDGE, and GPRS options, and for that extra luxurious touch, you'll hear an F1 "roar" each time you switch the device on, images of the Ferrari F430 engine on the mini external display, and a Ferrari automobile on the internal display.
So if you've been scouting the perfect mobile to accompany that newly-purchased piece of Italian engineering, you can snag the MotoRAZR MAXX V6 Ferrari in five undisclosed (but fairly easy to guess) continents starting tomorrow, and while the €490 ($633) pricetag might turn off the average joe, at least you get a swank red leather carrying case to keep this thing in tip-top shape. Click on through for a wide open shot.
A Nokia Camera Phone That’s More Like a Camera With a Phone Attached
It didn’t take long for camera phones to grow up. Only a few years ago, the best ones took pictures with 1 megapixel of resolution. Now Nokia is coming out with the N82, a phone that takes 5-megapixel photos, higher quality than some point-and-shoot cameras.
The diminutive N82, weighing about four ounces, is a successor to the N80 and includes a flash and Carl Zeiss optics. It has 2 gigabytes of storage space for photos and can display pictures and video on a television using an optional TV-out dock. It will be available early next year for about $630 at nseries.com.
Photos can be sent to the expandable internal memory or straight to almost any photo-sharing site over cellular or Wi-Fi networks. It also plays back MP3 music files and most video files and even has a built-in FM tuner.
Not enough? The N82 also has a position sensor — it will flip the screen when you want to show pictures in landscape mode — and supports e-mail and even voice-over-Internet calls. Try to get your old camera phone to do that.
JOHN BIGGS
Telenor Pakistan Selects Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email
NEW YORK, November 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nokia today announced that mobile operator Telenor Pakistan will offer Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email to its consumer customers, small-medium enterprises (SMEs), and large corporations. The service, branded as "SmartMail", is currently available.
Telenor Pakistan started mobile operations in March 2005 and today owns the fastest growing and the largest mobile data network (EDGE based), in the highly competitive mobile market of Pakistan. According to Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) the mobile penetration rate reached approximately 43 percent in August 2007. By comparison, Pakistan's fixed line market is moving slowly, reaching only a tenth of the mobile teledensity.
"Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email supports all kinds of mobile devices from entry level phones to high-end smartphones for professionals, this together with Telenor Pakistan's largest EDGE coverage in Pakistan will provide customer convenience to all service subscribers" said CMO Telenor Pakistan Sigvart Voss Eriksen. "A fast growing market such as ours demands a flexible solution that offers not only the possibility to host the solution for consumers and SMEs, but also to meet the special requirements of large corporations," Eriksen added.
"Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email supports more than 100 devices from various vendors - the broadest support in the industry -- allowing Telenor Pakistan to deploy email on a range of devices to meet the needs of various customers," says Scott Cooper, senior vice president, Mobility Solutions, Enterprise Solutions, Nokia. "Given the highly scalable platform, Telenor Pakistan is well prepared for further fast growth of their customer base, followed by increasing demand for mobile access to email."
Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email is part of Nokia Intellisync Mobile Suite that provides access to powerful collaboration tools such as email, contacts, calendar, device management and synchronization of files, data and enterprise applications. Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email works in any groupware environment - ISP, Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes or Groupwise and can run on any kind of device platform - Symbian, Windows, Palm J2ME, or Pocket PC. The highly scalable email solution supports for more than 100 different devices in addition to Nokia Eseries portfolio.
About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility through these devices. Nokia also provides equipment, solutions and services for communications networks.
http://www.nokia.com
Telenor Pakistan started mobile operations in March 2005 and today owns the fastest growing and the largest mobile data network (EDGE based), in the highly competitive mobile market of Pakistan. According to Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) the mobile penetration rate reached approximately 43 percent in August 2007. By comparison, Pakistan's fixed line market is moving slowly, reaching only a tenth of the mobile teledensity.
"Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email supports all kinds of mobile devices from entry level phones to high-end smartphones for professionals, this together with Telenor Pakistan's largest EDGE coverage in Pakistan will provide customer convenience to all service subscribers" said CMO Telenor Pakistan Sigvart Voss Eriksen. "A fast growing market such as ours demands a flexible solution that offers not only the possibility to host the solution for consumers and SMEs, but also to meet the special requirements of large corporations," Eriksen added.
"Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email supports more than 100 devices from various vendors - the broadest support in the industry -- allowing Telenor Pakistan to deploy email on a range of devices to meet the needs of various customers," says Scott Cooper, senior vice president, Mobility Solutions, Enterprise Solutions, Nokia. "Given the highly scalable platform, Telenor Pakistan is well prepared for further fast growth of their customer base, followed by increasing demand for mobile access to email."
Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email is part of Nokia Intellisync Mobile Suite that provides access to powerful collaboration tools such as email, contacts, calendar, device management and synchronization of files, data and enterprise applications. Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email works in any groupware environment - ISP, Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes or Groupwise and can run on any kind of device platform - Symbian, Windows, Palm J2ME, or Pocket PC. The highly scalable email solution supports for more than 100 different devices in addition to Nokia Eseries portfolio.
About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility through these devices. Nokia also provides equipment, solutions and services for communications networks.
http://www.nokia.com
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
FCC approves Motorola RIZR Z6c
The FCC has approved yet another phone this week, this time the new Motorola RIZR Z6c, which is headed directly to the next Verizon Wireless line-up. The Z6c is a World Edition slider phone, so it will work on both GSM and CDMA networks. Motorola has equipped the RIZR Z6c with a QVGA display, a 2 megapixel camera, microSD card slot and stereo Bluetooth with A2DP. Neither Motorola nor Verizon released any information about the launch yet, but there is a slight chance you'll see this thing out before Christmas.
Hot New N96 Phone From Nokia?
Apparently, a Netherlands-based GSM phone Web site got its hands on some photos or renderings of what looks to be the next Nokia N-series phone, the N96. With dual-sliders that reveal a QWERTY keyboard split in half by the screen, this prototype seems to promise a very user-friendly multimedia device. It also looks as if the N96 will sport a lens that projects out from the camera when in use. (Chances are this means a higher-than-five-megapixel (MP) camera, something like 3x optical zoom, and, judging by Nokia's previous N-series phones, the clarity of a Carl Zeiss lens.)
Nokia is continuing to offer state-of-the-art alternatives to the iPhone, which has been a runaway success for Apple. Nokia's phones are amazing, but they're not as easy to use as an iPhone, and the plethora of features on N-Series Nokia models have proven to be more overwhelming than alluring for most U.S. consumers. That said, Nokia is a leader in the international space and these latest phones seem like a move to keep that lead, particularly since Apple has started launching its iPhone across Europe. Where Nokia has really set itself apart from the iPhone, as well as some other competitors, has been its focus upon excellent cameras which are not merely added as an extra but are rather a major component of the device. Hopefully we'll see the N96 in the wild soon.
From MobileMentalism
O2 Announces O2 Wallet Mobile Payment Solution with Nokia 6131 NFC Handset
The mobile wallet dream is becoming closer. NFC, or Near Field Communications technology, on mobile phones is the way of the future that allows your mobile phone to be used as a payment method for making purchases, access events or even use public transportation by touching the phone to a reader. Provider O2 announced the UK's first large-scale pilot with NFC with over 500 O2 customers participating across selected sites in London.
The trial begins on 28 November 2007 and will run for six months till the end of May 2008. Participants will be given the Nokia 6131 NFC handset bundled with O2 Wallet, which will hold virtual cards (including Oyster and Barclaycard) with NFC functionality. They can then use it to make purchases in retail outlets or use London's public transportation. An incoming phone call or text message will not interfere with the NFC transaction.
During the initial phase, Barclaycard will also credit each phone with GBP 200 worth of funds for use by the participants. The Nokia 6131 NFC can not only be used for making purchases but also to check available funds. Stay tuned for more news on this one.
Via press release
The iPhone-killer from Nokia?
As the resource 3dnews.ru informs there was the first information about mobile phone Nokia N98 from the famous Finnish company in the network. Details on the model came from the French Nokia division, so that they can be trusted. According to the latest publications, the new representative of N series smartphones would become a worthy alternative to iPhone from Apple. Externally there are no serious differences. There is the same touch screen, the same absence of buttons. But from the technical point of view it is an absolutely other device.
Nokia N98 is equipped with the 7,2 Mega pixels camera with Carl Zeiss optics and 5-fold optical zoom, 3,5-inch display (VGA, 16 million colors), GPS module, a special graphic accelerator (the manufacturer is unknown meanwhile) due to which it will be possible to start the most beautiful games on the phone. Naturally, the model also supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HSDPA. The third edition of Symbian S70 has been chosen for OS. There is still an open question of the official price of such powerful device. It is possible to tell one thing absolutely precisely — more cheap than iPhone this devise will not cost.
Verizon Begins Selling XV6800 Smartphone
The business-oriented phone operates on the third-generation EVDO network, capable of delivering download data rates of up to 2.4 Mbps.
Although it's not a groundbreaking device, the XV6800, which was first introduced last month, does come with some powerful capabilities that businesses require.
Second, the XV6800 operates on Verizon Wireless' third-generation cellular network, known as EVDO, which is capable of delivering download data rates of up to 2.4 Mbps. It can also act as a modem when connected to laptops through BroadbandAccess Connect, a Verizon Wireless service for sending and receiving data. As another option, users can access the Web via the smartphone's built-in Wi-Fi technology.
Third, the phone is equipped for work on the road. It has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a touch-sensitive LCD screen that can switch from portrait to landscape view. The full keyboard makes typing up documents and e-mails, as well as browsing the Internet, easier on such a small device. The phone's memory can be expanded through the microSD memory card slot, which supports up to 8 Gbytes. This allows various files to be stored separately from the phone's internal memory.
Other key features include a 2.0-megapixel camera with flash and video capture, stereo Bluetooth, video messaging, and Windows Media Player 10 Mobile for playing music and video on the XV6800.
The XV6800 can be purchased immediately online for $450 after a $50 mail-in rebate and requires a two-year subscription to Verizon Wireless. The smartphone will become available in stores on December 5.
Instead of buying generic smartphones with limited software and applications, soon Verizon Wireless customers will have another option. The carrier announced earlier this week that starting next year it will open up its nationwide network to outside mobile devices, software, and applications. Once the change goes into effect, Verizon Wireless will have two categories of customers: full-service customers -- those who purchase devices and services from Verizon Wireless and receive technical support, and bring-your-own customers -- those who will bring their own devices to the carrier's network without full service.
Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless on Wednesday began offering the XV6800 smartphone, designed for business professionals that require high-speed data, e-mail, Internet, and Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) Office access when traveling or working remotely.
Although it's not a groundbreaking device, the XV6800, which was first introduced last month, does come with some powerful capabilities that businesses require.
First, the smartphone runs Microsoft's latest Windows Mobile 6 Professional operating system, meaning users can get their business e-mail pushed automatically to the smartphone from Exchange servers. Users also get the full Microsoft Office suite and the ability to create, view, and edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF documents.
Second, the XV6800 operates on Verizon Wireless' third-generation cellular network, known as EVDO, which is capable of delivering download data rates of up to 2.4 Mbps. It can also act as a modem when connected to laptops through BroadbandAccess Connect, a Verizon Wireless service for sending and receiving data. As another option, users can access the Web via the smartphone's built-in Wi-Fi technology.
Third, the phone is equipped for work on the road. It has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a touch-sensitive LCD screen that can switch from portrait to landscape view. The full keyboard makes typing up documents and e-mails, as well as browsing the Internet, easier on such a small device. The phone's memory can be expanded through the microSD memory card slot, which supports up to 8 Gbytes. This allows various files to be stored separately from the phone's internal memory.
Other key features include a 2.0-megapixel camera with flash and video capture, stereo Bluetooth, video messaging, and Windows Media Player 10 Mobile for playing music and video on the XV6800.
The XV6800 can be purchased immediately online for $450 after a $50 mail-in rebate and requires a two-year subscription to Verizon Wireless. The smartphone will become available in stores on December 5.
Instead of buying generic smartphones with limited software and applications, soon Verizon Wireless customers will have another option. The carrier announced earlier this week that starting next year it will open up its nationwide network to outside mobile devices, software, and applications. Once the change goes into effect, Verizon Wireless will have two categories of customers: full-service customers -- those who purchase devices and services from Verizon Wireless and receive technical support, and bring-your-own customers -- those who will bring their own devices to the carrier's network without full service.
Friday, November 16, 2007
World's first 8 megapixel CMOS camera sensor for mobile phone - from Samsung
Samsung’s all about being the “World’s First” at as many things as possible. The newest “world’s first” from Samsung is their 8-megapixel CMOS camera phone sensor - they call it a “world wide first development” (translated, of course). At roughly the same volume and footprint (10.5 x 11.5 x 9.4-mm) as current 3 megapixel CMOS modules on the market today, the new Samsung-made 8 megapixel CMOS sensor aims to make the 8 megapixel camera phone as wide-spread as its lesser, 3MP cousin.
With the megapixel war hitting hard on the mobile scene, we’ve got to wonder just how many of those 8 million pixels will actually matter? Having a hugely dense image sensor is one thing, having the optics to bring in clear, undistorted light is quite another. All the high-end camera phones on the market feature high-end optics to match their megapixel-count. But, the sad truth of the matter is, most people have no idea just how much optical quality matters when you’re talking about anything over 2 or 3 megapixels. Just having an “8-MEGAPIXELS!” label on a phone with a cheap, plastic lens is probably enough to sell boatloads of phones to the masses. We hope that kind of sacrilege never happens. We hope.
Nevertheless, bring on the 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss cameraphones!
Video: Nokia N82 unboxing, soundtrack of the year
Catching up on my RSS feeds, been reading since 5 AM and I’m still at 1000+
I noticed that Engadget found this N82 unboxing video by a Greek man who I must attempt to locate and party with. I’m not even going to do an unboxing video now, seriously, I can’t top this. What I will do however, later today, is take some pictures of the box with my Nokia N82 so you can get a better look at it. Until then, bust a move:
Update: He watches 300 and drinks Metaxa as found on his Flickr page, I think I just found a new best friend.
I noticed that Engadget found this N82 unboxing video by a Greek man who I must attempt to locate and party with. I’m not even going to do an unboxing video now, seriously, I can’t top this. What I will do however, later today, is take some pictures of the box with my Nokia N82 so you can get a better look at it. Until then, bust a move:
Update: He watches 300 and drinks Metaxa as found on his Flickr page, I think I just found a new best friend.
WeatherBug goes iPhone/iPod Touch
One of the most popular weather information services, WeatherBug, has decided to jump into iPhone bandwagon. Their newly launched iPhone/iPod Touch optimized website provides users with international weather information, detailed views of the 7 day forecast, radar, and camera images from WeatherBug’s proprietary network of tracking stations. In addition, the WeatherBug Web app allows users to set a variety of locations for multiple cities and scroll through current conditions, forecasts, radar and live camera images for each one.
iPhone/iPod Touch users point your Safari to iphone.weatherbug.com. Don’t have an iPhone/iPod Touch, visit www.weatherbug.com/mobile to see some of WeatherBug’s other mobile offerings.
BenQ M7 brushes off dust and water
Water and dust. Two things you just don’t want to have getting inside your mobile phone. Weekend warriors will be happy to hear that the new BenQ M7 will put up with their water-borne and dust-filled hijinx in stride. The BenQ M7 features a 2 megapixel camera, forward-facing video-call camera, GPS, tri-band GSM radio with 2100Mhz UMTS, Bluetooth, and a GPS module - all packed into a package that BenQ says is resistant to dust and water.
Now, we’re sure this thing won’t make it through a sand-blaster or a dunk in a swimming pool, but the occasional splash or roll in the dirt shouldn’t be a problem. With a built-in GPS module and resistance to dust and water, it seems that this mid-range (it has GPS, afterall) BenQ M7 is going for the “sporty” crowd. We guess that carbon fiber-esque (read: fake) front-face is supposed to appeal to this demographic.
Sony Ericsson HBH-PV703 Bluetooth headset quitely released
We’re used to manufacturers flooding the interwebs with press releases and pictures of their newest product launch, but it seems Sony Ericsson has decided to take the more modest approach. Hidden within a press release for their Sony Ericsson K660i is a mid-range Bluetooth headset - the Sony Ericsson HBH-PV703 Bluetooth headset. The Sony Ericsson HBH-PV703 Bluetooth headset isn’t that much of a looker - it’s a mid-level model, after all - but it boasts some fairly impressive battery life. A full-charge is good for 10 hours of talk-time or 350 hours of standby-time, so you’ll likely never miss a call for want of power. The Sony Ericsson HBH-PV703 also features automatic pairing, voice dialing, and Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR.
We’re expecting the Sony Ericsson HBH-PV703 Bluetooth headset to drop in Q1 2008, price is not yet known.
Press release
Review: Sony Ericsson W910i
Sony Ericsson W910i
$999
Rating: 4/5
It's official: the award for the most gimmicky mobile phone feature unveiled this year goes to ... Sony Ericsson!
The latest instalment in its successful Walkman series has plenty of neat features, but the first to get a plug on the W910i product web page is the so-called "shake control" function.
Sony Ericsson's publicity reps were so rapt with the feature, its W910i information packs were sent to media encased in a cocktail shaker ("Now you can shake it with ...").
So how will this whizbang mobile innovation revolutionise the way you use your phone? Get this: holding down the W910i's Walkman button while tilting the handset left or right lets you cycle through songs when in music player mode.
It's cool for the first five nanoseconds, before you realise it's easier to - wait for it - press one of the navigation buttons on the handset instead.
Clearly, shake control is right up there on the 2007 mobile gimmicks ladder with the LG Shine, whose claim to fame is its ability to morph into a mirror when the screen is switched off.
Thankfully, the built-in motion sensor on the W910i has another, more useful application. Like the iPhone, the handset automatically switches between horizontal and vertical screen orientations depending on how you hold it.
Horizontal mode is particularly useful for watching movies and playing the bundled games, both of which you'll want to get stuck into after experiencing the large, crisp 2.36-inch screen.
But as its name suggests, the W910i is made for music. In Walkman mode, an elegant
Playstation 3-style menu interface lets you browse through media and create playlists, just as you would using a dedicated MP3 player.
The built-in 35MB of memory doesn't allow for too many tracks, but included in the box is an expansive 1GB Memory Stick Micro card that can be upgraded down the track. Furthermore, the built-in FM radio tuner stands by to provide fresh tunes should you tire of your own collection.
Included in the box is a Memory Stick Micro adapter for plugging the storage card straight into a regular computer USB port, bypassing the need for a special card reader. Tracks are then loaded on using Sony Ericsson's intuitive new Media Manager software.
Uniquely, a feature called SensMe automatically sorts music based on the mood it evokes (happy or sad) and the tempo (fast or slow), plotting tracks on a dual axis graph. It's more of a novelty that anything else but aids in building playlists - for instance, when making a playlist for exercising you'd pick songs that are both "fast" and "happy".
The general design of the phone is pleasing, save for two glaring oversights. Keys are well-spaced horizontally but too close together vertically, so it's easy to hit the wrong key when bashing out an SMS.
And the headphone port, typically found on the top or bottom of most music players, is inconveniently located on the left side. With the headset plugged in, this makes the phone significantly wider in your pocket.
Some slider phones feel cheap and fragile but the sliding mechanism on the W910i is smooth and controlled. At 50mm, it's wider than most newer models but the handset makes up for its waistline blowout by being fairly thin (12.5mm) and lightweight (86 grams).
The W910i is a 3G phone but, of course, 2G networks are supported as well. For those on 3G, a camera on the front of the handset lets you make the most of the extra bandwidth via video calls.
Photos taken with the 2-megapixel camera on the back of the device are underwhelming - the lack of a flash and auto-focus feature mean images often turn out dark and blurry. More serious photographers would do well to check out Sony Ericsson's Cyber-shot phones, which rival basic stand-alone digital cameras.
Sony Ericsson's spec sheet says the W910i's battery will last through nine hours of talking and 350 hours when on standby, but talktime drops to 3.5 hours on 3G networks. With moderate use of the camera and music playback functions, we had to charge the phone about once every two days.
Bottom line: Gimmicks aside, the latest update to Sony Ericsson's Walkman range is a powerful, if expensive, multimedia phone that could replace your regular MP3 player in a heartbeat. But don't throw out your digital camera just yet.
Run the Palm OS on your Nokia Internet Tablet
We all know that Palm OS 5 (aka Garnet) is getting a bit ancient in terms of mobile technology given that it was released back in 2002. However, there are still some applications from the thousands available for the Palm OS that many of us like to run, yet we want to also have the latest and greatest hardware. There are a couple of ways you can have the latest in mobile tech hardware and still run Palm OS applications. There is StyleTap for Windows Mobile devices (and soon for Symbian devices too) and now the Garnet Virtual Machine for Nokia Nseries Internet Tablets (including the 770, N800, and N810).
The Garnet VM Beta for Nokia Nseries was created by ACCESS, who is the company that bought PalmSource. You can now run virtually all your favorite Palm OS applications on the Nokia Internet Tablets and I can’t wait to try out a few of my favorite apps. They would appreciate it if you could fill out their compatibility survey when you try applications so they can continue to improve the product. Sound is not support for the Nokia 770 device due to a missing set of libraries on that device.
Nokia Announces Availability of N81 8 GB Multimedia Device in India
Nokia has introduced the new Nokia N81 8 GB multimedia computer in India. Positioned as cutting edge technology mobile entertainment powerhouse, the company said the N81 8 GB bring an impressive capability to acquire, manage and share a wide range of music, gaming and audio visual content.
As a part of the new mobile content offering, the Nokia N81 8 GB incorporates a full length movie: consumers can now watch Sholay, on their devices on-the-go.
The device also comes pre-loaded with Top 10 English music videos, 10 best-selling Bollywood and Hollywood songs, and 10 all time hit comedy scenes from Bollywood movies across genres.
Nokia said the N81 8 GB has been designed for the best in music, video and gaming capability.
The device comes with a large screen, wireless LAN, high capability camera, dedicated music/game keys with customizable user interface and is loaded with 8 GB of flash memory so users can store more on the go.
With dedicated music and gaming keys, a 3.5 mm headphone connector and 3G and WLAN connectivity, Nokia said the N81 8 GB multimedia computer is a true mobile entertainment powerhouse. With a sleek, polished surface and keys that light up when activated, accessing content on the 3D multimedia menu is fast and intuitive.
The Nokia N81 8 GB is configured to find, buy, manage and play music and games purchased from the Nokia Music Store and N-Gage games service.
A preview of the N-Gage games service is also available in the device, including playable demos of EA SPORTS FIFA 07, Asphalt 3: Street Rules and Space Impact Light. After the launch of N-Gage in 2007 end, the full N-Gage application will be available for download. Players can then try all N-Gage games for free and buy only the ones they want.
As a part of the new mobile content offering, the Nokia N81 8 GB incorporates a full length movie: consumers can now watch Sholay, on their devices on-the-go.
The device also comes pre-loaded with Top 10 English music videos, 10 best-selling Bollywood and Hollywood songs, and 10 all time hit comedy scenes from Bollywood movies across genres.
Nokia said the N81 8 GB has been designed for the best in music, video and gaming capability.
The device comes with a large screen, wireless LAN, high capability camera, dedicated music/game keys with customizable user interface and is loaded with 8 GB of flash memory so users can store more on the go.
With dedicated music and gaming keys, a 3.5 mm headphone connector and 3G and WLAN connectivity, Nokia said the N81 8 GB multimedia computer is a true mobile entertainment powerhouse. With a sleek, polished surface and keys that light up when activated, accessing content on the 3D multimedia menu is fast and intuitive.
The Nokia N81 8 GB is configured to find, buy, manage and play music and games purchased from the Nokia Music Store and N-Gage games service.
A preview of the N-Gage games service is also available in the device, including playable demos of EA SPORTS FIFA 07, Asphalt 3: Street Rules and Space Impact Light. After the launch of N-Gage in 2007 end, the full N-Gage application will be available for download. Players can then try all N-Gage games for free and buy only the ones they want.
Nokia N82 Camera Phone for Photographers launched
Nokia has launched its new multimedia handset called the Nokia N82 that has been optimized for photography, navigation and internet connectivity. With the help of the phone, you can capture your favorite moments with the phone’s high quality imaging capabilities and even share it with other on web with just one click. A-GPS with pre-loaded Nokia Maps, 5 mega-pixel camera, Xenon flash, Carl Zeiss optics, internet connectivity, 2GB microSD card are incorporated in this mobile device. Users can store 900 high-resolution photos or up to 84 minutes of high quality video.
The GPS functionality that comes with 15 million point-of-interests enables the user to locate and navigate the most interesting sights, bars or restaurants. You can save map screen shots to the gallery and also sent these routes to friends by MMS. A free voice guided navigation trial is also available.
“The evolution of camera capabilities in mobile devices has been extremely fast over the past years. With the Nokia N82 we have reached such a superior level in image quality, speed and ease of use that not only does it outperform any other cameraphone on the market, but it’s also a very credible alternative for single purpose digital still cameras. In addition to the high-end camera, the Nokia N82 also enables you to navigate and discover new places, enjoy your music, browse the web, play games, chat online and be part of the global web 2.0 community wherever you go. Thanks to the wireless broadband connectivity, convergence and yet again increased performance, the Nokia N82 is all you need in your pocket,” said Satu Ehrnrooth, head of Nokia Nseries Cameras Category, Multimedia, Nokia.
With the high-resolution camera, the device has the ability to deliver vivid photographs in low-light conditions. You can also access fast camera activation, auto-focus with a dedicated auto-focus assist lamp, fast reloading between shots and DVD-like quality video capture.
The sophisticated and glossy designed phone also provides high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity and one-click uploads to online communities. Through a simple press of a button to can upload pictures and video to view while you are accessing other menus.
Moreover, N82 also has the capability to showcase slideshows with music and other effects on the high resolution display or on a compatible TV. The phone supports the Ovi family of Nokia internet services such as Nokia Music Store, N-Gage games and Nokia Maps.
The Nokia N82 is available now in key markets with an estimated, pre-tax, unsubsidized sales price of approximately 450 euros (approx. Rs. 26,022).
[via TechGadgets]
Samsung G800 - first look
Mobile Choice played with the new Samsung G800 with 3x optical zoom at the handset's official launch party last night. Here's the lowdown.We're especially excited by the new Samsung G800, because it's the world's first phone to feature a camera with 3x optical zoom. It boasts five megapixels of resolution as well, of course - and a Xenon flash - but it's the 3x optical zoom that sets it apart.
We got to grips with one at Samsung's glitzy G800 launch event held at the British Museum in London last night, and we have to say it's impressive.
It's a little larger than the Samsung G600, and a fair bit thicker, but that's because it has to accommodate the optical zoom, which, when activated, protrudes telescopically from the rear of the handset. As you're operating the zoom, a digital symbol in the corner of the viewfinder displays when you have reached 2x zoom and 3x zoom. Once past 3x zoom, the handset's camera automatically switches to digital zoom. When the camera is not in use, the lens is protected by a sliding cover.
The camera also features face recognition technology for framing portraits. The camera recognises when you have one or more people in shot and a series of little red boxes appear on screen to help frame each face. We're not sure how it works, but it's very clever.
We took a few photos in the British Museum, which was relatively dimly lit and we found that the Xenon flash does provide depth of field when it worked. However, the flash was a little temperamental on the device we tested. But that could be as much down to the handler as the handset.
The Samsung G800 offers loads more besides the camera, including HSDPA speed web browsing and downloads and a music player. But it's the camera with 3x optivcal zoom which will attract people to this phone.
Source
Vodafone offers unlimited music downloads
Vodafone's new MusicStation service takes iTunes head on by offering unlimited music downloads for the duration of a contract.For a fixed weekly fee of £1.99 per week, Vodafone customers will have access to over 1.2 million tracks, from the major and independent record labels, which they will be able to download and share with other Vodafone users.
The service will be available on 13 Vodafone handsets at launch, including the LG KU990 Viewty, a touchscreen phone which happens to look a lot like the Apple iPhone. MusicStation ready Vodafone handsets are now available from 428 Phones4u outlets and 345 Vodafone outlets.
Current Vodafone customers can download MusicStation free of charge to a wide range of compatible GPRS/3G/HSDPA handsets and enjoy a free week's trial of the service.
Phones 4 U will be launching a range of Music Meal Deals from £43.62 a month, where MusicStation is bundled within Vodafone tariffs.
Girls Aloud were there to launch the MusicStation service with a live early morning performance. No big news for Mobile Choice, of course, as we also saw the same band launch the Samsung F210 Purple with an evening sho a month ago. Now that's showbiz.
Source
Sony Ericsson unveils new Walkman range
Sony Ericsson announces new W890 and W380 Walkman music phones.The slimline new candy bar style Sony Ericsson W890 Walkman phone (pictured) comes with a 2GB Memory Stick Micro, enabling storage of up to 1800 tracks,and a 3.2 megapixel camera. The phone enables rapid music downloads and internet access via HSDPA and incorporates the Walkman Player 3.0 and music features such as SensMe, which matches the phone's music to your mood.
The Sony Ericsson W890's feature set includes: HSDPA; 3.2 megapicel camera; downloadable album art; stereo speakers; free Bluetooth stereo headphones; FM Radio with RDS; PlayNow; TrackID; SensMe; and Media Manager software (see below).
The Sony Ericsson W380 Walkman phone is a clamshell style handset which boasts newfeatures, including Gesture control, which enables users to mute calls by simply waving their hands.
Meanwhile, an external display comes to life when a track is playing or when someone is calling you. The handset comes with Media Manager PC software, which lets transfer music, photos and videos between your PC and phone. The handset comes with a 512MB Memory Stick Micro card and features Walkman staple features like Track ID music recognition and access to downloads via PlayNow.
Source
Hands-Free Speakerphone and FM Transmitter from Motorola
The latest from Motorola is the MOTOROKR T505 that is a Digital FM transmitter and a Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone all rolled into one. When calls are received the music is muted and the Caller-ID is announced so the driver can safely keep their eyes on the road. There is echo and noise reduction technology built in to this and “StationFinder” to get the best FM connection. You can also use the T505 in another car, there is no installation required and it can be clipped onto the visor of the car.
The T505 has around 18 hours of talk time and up to 14 days of standby time and is expected to be available in early 2008.
Source
TwinMOS Mobile Disk P1 Flash Drive is Awfully Flashy
USB flash drives are a dime a dozen these days. Most units that you'll find at the local Best Buy feature a plain plastic casing and very little in terms of additional features. To attract that sparkle in your eye, TwinMOS equipped their Mobile Disk P1 USB flash drive with a mirror finish and a huge smattering of twinkling lights.
All in all, there are six colorful LED indicators blinking up and down the the side of the already shiny body. I'm not really sure how useful all these lights will be, but they'll certainly grab your attention. Instead of having a cap that is easily lost, the Mobile Disk P1 features a sliding mechanism similar to that found on the Sandisk Cruzer Micro.
Naturally, the Mobile Disk P1 flash drive from TwinMOS is USB 2.0 compliant. It'll work with just about every operating system from Windows 2000/XP/Vista to Mac 10.1+ and Linux 2.4+. The drive rocks 4GB of memory.
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