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HTC has launched three new devices from its Q4 2007 product portfolio - the HTC Shift, HTC S730 and HTC P6500.
Each new handset showcases a tailored range of capabilities to support different types of users including those focused on cutting edge mobile computing to users that want powerful, feature-rich mobile messaging.
The HTC Shift ushers in a new era in mobile computing as one of the first mobile computers globally to offer Microsoft Windows Vista and push email.
Combining the power of Windows Vista with always-connected 3G/HSDPA connectivity, the HTC Shift delivers unparalleled functionality in a sleek, compact design. The HTC Shift is the first device to feature HTC’s innovative new SnapVUE technology. SnapVUE provides instant access to emails, calendar, SMS messages and contacts, without the need to fully boot up the device which helps conserve power and extend battery life. Weighing just 800g snd equipped with a 7″ touch sensitive ‘slide-n-tilt’ screen, the HTC Shift is the new way to work effectively on the move.
HTC S730 - An enhanced version of the successful HTC S710 handset that launched earlier this year, the HTC S730 adds 3G/HSDPA and a 400MHz processor for those consumers and business professionals who want high speed connectivity. It’s is a stylish and compact phone which features an auto-sliding QWERTY keyboard making it an ideal choice for the mobile professional who needs easy access to email, messaging and the internet while out of the office.
The HTC S730 comes equipped with Windows Mobile 6 and 256MB Flash memory wrapped in a sleek gun-metal grey casing.
Designed for the enterprise market, the HTC P6500 is ideal for use in a range of vertical sectors, from logistics companies to hospitals and police forces. Incorporating a 3.5″ screen, 3 mega pixel camera with auto focus and barcode and fingerprint scanning capabilities, it offers the ideal features to
be overlaid with programmes tailored to meet the specific needs of each enterprise. The HTC P6500 is equipped with 256MB internal memory with the option to add up to 1GB in addition to two external SD card slots. This powerful specification set is supported by 3G/HSDPA connectivity as well as a GPS
ensuring that the P6500 is a fully future-proofed and versatile mobile platform. In addition to its new devices, HTC has developed a range of accessories that are compatible across all HTC devices for consumer’s ease of use. These include the BH M200 (Bluetooth headset), HS U110 (3.5 mm audio adapter and headset), and the HS S200 (HTC standard stereo wired headset) to enable effective communications on the move.
Florian Seiche, Vice President of HTC Europe, commented, “We are extremely proud of HTC’s reputation as a leading innovator in the mobility space, providing high-quality products to exceed the needs of our diverse end-users,” said Florian Seiche, vice president, HTC Europe. “This Q4 line up exemplifies the breadth of HTC’s portfolio - setting new standards with the ground-breaking HTC Shift and extending the choice of devices that we offer to our business user audience.
“We want customers to be able to do more with their phone. As a leading supplier of Windows Mobile phones, HTC delivers a wide choice of devices with familiar Microsoft applications and services,” said Scott Horn, general manager, Microsoft Mobile Communications Business. “We’re excited about these latest additions to HTC’s expanding portfolio because customers have the flexibility of finding the right Windows Mobile phone to suit their style at work, at home or on the go”.
The HTC Shift will be available across Europe from November this year, the HTC S730 from October and the HTC P6500 from November. All devices will be available through HTC’s channel and specific operator partners.
Source: smartphonereviewer.com
October 1st, 2007
HTC has announced the European launch of the HTC Touch Dual, a new and more powerful member of the Touch family that integrates 3.5G wireless connectivity with a sleek and innovative sliding keypad design.
The HTC Touch Dual follows HTC’s heritage of bringing a new level of simplicity to the powerful and feature rich device experience that today’s mobile users demand. Taking a design cue from the stylish HTC Touch, the HTC Touch Dual adds high speed 3G/HSDPA connectivity and a slide out keypad into a thin and narrow device designed for easy typing.
Korean company Posdata has unveiled what it describes as the world’s first mobile WiMax gaming device. The G100 has a 4 inch touchscreen with slide out controls.
It seems that the G100 will allow users to connect to the net and download games over lightning fast WiMAX networks. What these games will be, and more importantly whether they will be any good, is anyone’s guess.
In case your G100 arrives before a local WiMAX network it also has the capability to connect over a conventional WiFi network or even Bluetooth.
The G100 will be available by the end of the year.
At the same time Posdata announced a USB WiMAX receiver - the U100.
Source: WiMAX Century
September 30th, 2007
Palm has had a hard time of it recently. There was a much publicised open letter from respected tech blogger Engadget which was highly critical of the path the company was taking. Then there was the embarassing U-turn on the Palm Foleo smartphone ‘companion’ which was canned only days before its planned release.Finally Palm has something to celebrate with the launch of their new Centro smartphone. Company shares rose 6% on the announcement.
With voice, text, IM, email, web, contact and calendar capabilities, a full-color touch screen and full keyboard, Centro brings Palm is targetting customers who want to stay connected with co-workers, friends and family. Centro will be exclusive through Sprint in the United States for 90 days and is available in onyx black or ruby red.
With Centro, Sprint customers can quickly and easily text co-workers and friends, manage email, keep track of their schedules, check stock quotes, watch videos on YouTube(TM), keep current on the latest news, capture and share pictures, browse restaurant reviews on Yelp(TM), and get directions on Google(TM) Maps–all in one small, compact phone. Centro operates on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network — the fastest and largest national mobile broadband network - giving customers a fast and flexible experience with entertainment and resources on the go.
Centro is the smallest and lightest Palm phone to date. Centro has a modern, stylish look that feels comfortable in the hand, pocket or evening purse.
Centro was designed as a great phone, messaging, and organizational device, and is incredibly easy to use. It allows users to easily connect with friends, family and co-workers by voice, email or text. And with its full keyboard, Centro makes it easy to quickly and efficiently type text messages and respond to emails, communicating complete thoughts and ideas. Since Centro comes with the Palm OS, it offers all of the great organizer functionality that Palm is renowned for, such as a detailed and integrated Contacts list. Also, the simple and handy calendar makes it easier to manage increasingly busy lives, whether it’s juggling business meetings or keeping track of school activities.
As the newest member of the Palm family, Centro is expected to attract new users to the smartphone category. According to IDC, the smartphone market is shifting to the mass market; U.S. smartphone shipments will grow from 13.8 million in 2007 to 74.4 million in 2011.
“Palm Centro has the power of a broadband smartphone at the price of a standard 12-key phone,” said Ed Colligan, president and chief executive officer of Palm, Inc. “People looking to have all their contacts and calendar at the touch of a button, plus YouTube streaming videos and the Internet can now get it in a small, cool design with the trademark Palm ease of use. If you’re thinking about stepping up to a smartphone, the Palm Centro should be your choice.”
With Centro, customers can leverage the speed of Sprint’s Mobile Broadband Network - reaching more than 224 million people, 12,988 cities and 1,166 airports - to access helpful and exciting multimedia content, including the following:
* Sprint TV(SM) - Watch live TV or video-on-demand with full-motion video and vivid sound or catch the latest news, sports, weather, entertainment and movie trailers on the go. Choose from more than 50 live television channels and watch programs such as CNN mobile, FOX sports and E! Entertainment; access NFL Network and special programming via Sprint Exclusive Entertainment.
* On Demand - Set up personal preferences and get customized news, sports, movies, and weather updates all based on your zip code. Stay informed and connected regardless of where you are on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network.
* Sprint Picture Mail(SM) - Share on-the-go experiences immediately. Take full-color digital pictures and store or send directly from your Centro. Customers also can order prints of their favorite digital photos and pick them up at leading photo centers.
* Sprint Mobile eMail - Get easy, mobile access to up to three email accounts from well-known providers, such as AOL, Windows Live (includes MSN and Hotmail), Gmail, Yahoo! and more. Sprint Mobile eMail is a free download for any Sprint data subscriber.
* Sprint IM - Extend instant communication from your PC to Centro with access to Yahoo! Messenger, AOL’s AIM service and MSN Messenger.
“Sprint customers can seize the day with Centro to stay on top of emails, use text or Sprint Instant Messaging for quick answers, manage appointments, view documents or to make use of a multitude of other productivity boosting and entertaining features all at SprintSpeed(TM),” said Danny Bowman, vice president of customer equipment for Sprint. “As the first provider of this unique phone, Sprint is demonstrating its commitment to giving customers the best products and service available on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, the fastest and largest national mobile broadband network.”(4)
Additional Palm Centro Features and Benefits
* Superior Phone - Centro’s touch screen and keyboard, combined with the simplicity of Palm OS, make it easy to use key features such as one-touch speakerphone, conference calling, ignore a call with text messaging and Bluetooth connectivity.
* Easy Text Messaging - Centro’s full keyboard makes typing out complete messages fast and easy when sending text, pictures, audio and video clips. Plus, Centro keeps all your conversations in a chat-style view, just like IM, so you can see the entire conversation unfold.
* Personal and Corporate Email - New users to the smartphone category now have an easy mobile email solution using Microsoft Direct Push Technology(5) for delivery of Outlook email as well as personal email, such as Gmail, AOL and Yahoo.
* IM with AIM, MSN, or Yahoo! - Compose messages quickly and easily with a full QWERTY keyboard. Instant message your buddy list with direct access to Yahoo, Windows Live Messenger or AOL’s AIM service.
* Web Browsing - Fast and easy web access on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network at fast EvDO speeds. The full keyboard and touch screen provide quick access to online information. The built-in Google Maps application offers fast access to directions, traffic updates and local search.
* Multimedia - “Sideload” songs and manage music easily with Sprint Music Manager. Centro is the first Palm phone to include PocketTunes Deluxe, a $39.99 value. Shoot pictures or video with the built-in digital camera.
More information on Centro is available at www.palm.com/centro. Centro multimedia materials are available from Business Wire (http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5502393), Palm’s Multimedia Library (www.palm.com/MultimediaLibrary) or Sprint’s media relations website (www.sprint.com/mr).
Pricing and Availability
Expected mid-October, the Palm Centro smart device will be available in onyx black or ruby red from all Sprint sales channels, Palm stores and online at www.sprint.com and www.palm.com/centro for $99.99 with a two-year service agreement, available discounts and promotions and required service plan. Centro customers may subscribe to any of the voice calling plans available on the Sprint Nationwide PCS Network. To take advantage of data capabilities, customers can add any of the available Sprint Power Vision packs, which range from $15 to $30 per month. Customer subscribing to any Power Vision pack plan of $25 or more per month will be eligible for the $100 mail-in-rebate offer. For delivering Centro users the ultimate value, Sprint recommends the Power Vision Pro Pack for $30 month, which includes unlimited text messaging, data access, web browsing, email, Sprint Picture Mail/Video Mail, On Demand, NFL Mobile, Sprint TV and Active Sync (data and content access without a Power Vision pack is subject to casual data charges).
Source: SmartPhoneReviewer.com
September 29th, 2007
Amazon has announced that it is going up against iTunes and Real by launching Amazon MP3, a music download service that doesn’t use digital rights management.
Unlike iTunes and most other MP3 sites, Amazon MP3 allows you to move your tracks from PC to MP3 player and onto another PC. As often as you want.
There are 180,000 artists on the site, which Amazon claims means that over 2 million tracks are available to download for less than a dollar.
“This new digital music service has already been through an extensive private beta (test), and today we’re excited to offer it to our customers as a fully functional public beta,” said Bill Carr, Amazon.com vice president for digital music.
September 25th, 2007
Intel has announced that it will be one of the main developers of the USB 3.0 standard when it is released in 2008.
USB 3.0 will increase data transfer speeds by a factor of 10 up to 4.8 Gigibits by placing fibre-optic wires alongside the traditional copper variety, leapfrogging FireWire in the speed charts.
Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Texas Instruments, NEC and NXP Semiconductors are also pioneering the new standard, which is expected to arrive for consumer use in 2009 or 2010.
USB 3.0 also offers significant power savings.
It will be entirely backward compatible with USB 2.0.
September 19th, 2007
There are reports that the new Linux-based Palm OS will not see the light of day until the end of 2008 at the earliest.
Palm this week told the Guardian “it will be 12 to 18 months” before the new OS arrives. This may well see it slip into the psychologically-damaging territory of 2009.
Half of Palm’s product lines use the ageing Garnet OS while 50% are currently running on Windows Mobile. With little chance of Garnet keeping up with progressions in smartphone technology, Palm will be relying on Windows Mobile to plug the gap for some time.
September 18th, 2007
SanDisk has entered the PMP market with a new cut price ‘video mp3 player’.The Sansa View has a vast array of features and generous capacity marrying MP3 player attributes with full-motion video support (typically found in larger portable media players), a larger screen, long battery life and generous capacity - all in a thin, easy-to-carry package.
Expected to be available in October, the Sansa View will carry a manufacturer�s suggested retail price of $199.99 MSRP for a 16GB flash-based player and $149.99 for the 8GB. It’s hard to argue with a price like that.
A significant step-up from the company�s award-winning Sansa e200 music player series, the slim Sansa View features music, photos, FM radio and audio books, plus easy video transferring capabilities and hefty memory capabilities of up to 24GB (by using an optional 8GB microSD/microSDHC card).
“The Sansa View is a new video MP3 player that combines all of the great characteristics of a MP3 player with the video capabilities of a PMP, and packs it into a pocketable device,” said Eric Bone, vice president of marketing for SanDisk’s Sansa audio/video product line. “What’s more, we’re once again showing that category-leading technology can still be very affordable.”
SanDisk’s Sansa View video player innovates beyond the typical video loading procedure, making it easy for consumers to transfer videos natively using widely available software. Most popular formats are supported via embedded player functionality (H.264, WMV and MPEG4), or via a one-time software download of the Sansa Media Converter which quickly transcodes numerous video files, including DivX.
Consumers can purchase and insert one of SanDisk�s microSD/microSDHC cards to play up to 24GB of music, video and photos on their Sansa View. (Today, SanDisk has announced microSD/microSDHC card capacities of up to 8GB.) In addition, the microSD card allows users to easily move their content to a cell phone or other mobile device.
A MP3 player at its core, the Sansa View device comes equipped with all the soup-to-nuts features typically found in the Sansa audio line. The smooth, backlit scroll wheel and vibrant 2.4� widescreen display make it easy to navigate to: a music library; video collection; digital photos; digital FM radio with 20 pre-sets; an integrated microphone and voice recording, and Audible audiobooks.
The device supports many music download and subscription services, including Rhapsody To Go�, Napster, eMusic and others.
The Sansa View player will come in two capacities, 8GB and 16GB, and is expected to be available from retailers in the U.S. in early fall with other regions to follow shortly thereafter.
Source: Media Center PC World
September 11th, 2007
The iPhone continues to set records. This time it has reached the one million sales marker and within the time scale predicted by Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO.
Apple’s baby was released on June 29, just 75 days ago, and in that time it has sold more units than Apple sold iPods in the first two years of their being on sale.
“We can’t wait to get this revolutionary product into the hands of even more customers this holiday season,” said Steve Jobs.
Just a few days ago Apple slashed a couple of hundred dollars off the price of the iPhone in a move that was seen by some as weakness, but by others as brilliant marketing. It certainly was not seen in a favourable light by the almost one million early adopters, that was until Jobs announced that they would all receive a credit for the difference.
Apple declined to speculate on whether the price cut had fuelled a late rush for iPhones and whether or not that price cut had been designed to help Apple reach its targets.
Source: SmartPhoneReviewer.com
September 11th, 2007
The brief, but spectacular, Palm Foleo story took its final remarkable twist overnight when Palm CEO Ed Colligan announced on the company blog that the ’smartphone companion’ was to be scrapped before it had even reached the shelves.
Announced earlier this year, the Foleo received a lukewarm reception at best from the technical press. “What exactly is it for?” is the question that was most often raised about the laptop that wasn’t quite a laptop.
Palm stuck to their guns and a launch date was announced for this month. Then the rumours started of a delay caused by a bug preventing the Foleo from synchronising with some of Palm’s most popular products. This was denied wholeheartedly and the launch date was confirmed for later in September.
Now, in a shocking U turn, Palm have cancelled the whole project to allow what Colligan describes as ‘focus[ing] all of our energies on delivering our next generation platform and the first smartphones that will bring this platform to market.’
The comments on the blog are mixed.
Some are disappointed that the Foleo will not see the light of day. Others are delighted that Palm is going back to its roots.
Whatever the response, Palm has taken a brave gamble and is taking a £10 million hit as a result.
Source: SmartphoneReviewer.com
September 5th, 2007
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