Mobility Watch

While phones that depend on touchscreens for user inputs (with no keypads) are not for everyone, they do very well in places like China, where smartphones depend on handwriting recognition.

So Samsung’s new SGH-i718 introduced at the ITU World Expo in Hong Kong this week is, not surprisingly, being introduced first in China.  And it’s fitted out for serious business, with features like a business card reader and running Windows Mobile software, with Office view and edit capabilities. 

It’s also a well-equipped multimedia phone, set up for MPEG and Windows Media audio and video files, with microSD memory to store everything.  And they’ve thrown in a 2.0 megapixel camera with autofocus.

Leaving off the keypad does allow the designers to keep it very small, very sleek for such a capable smartphone.

And did I mention, it’s orange?

While there are no announced plans to market this quadband EDGE-equipped GSM phone in North America, it is already FCC-approved. 

So don’t be surprised if it pops up on some North American carrier’s handset lineup sometime soon.

Samsung, SGH-i718, smartphone, Windows Mobile

[via Electronista]

Users of the T-Mobile MDA and its near-twin Cingular 8125 have had one complaint.  As large as the device is, somehow the manufacturer (HTC) couldn’t find room to fit an ordinary number keypad on the outside of the phone.  You have to use the touchscreen to enter phone numbers you want to call.  Not very handy.

The problem looks to be solved with HTC’s newest smartphone, nicknamed Vox.  They’ve shrunk the overall size of the device and its screen, put a decent keypad on the front, and kept the slideout QWERTY keyboard underneath.

It could also be one of the first Windows Mobile devices to use Microsoft’s latest version of the software, nicknamed “Crossbow”.  (No more nicknames in this post, I promise.)

Otherwise the new Vox tracks the feature set of its aforementioned predecessors:  GSM quadband, EDGE, Bluetooth, WiFi, microSD card slot.  Nothing about 3G data support - and no word which U.S. GSM carriers, if any, will pick this one up.  We understand HTC plans to roll it out in Q1 2007. 

HTC, Vox, MDA, T-Mobile, Cingular 8125

[via SlashPhone]

As Motorola announces it’s about to start shipping its new MOTOROKR E6, what is most notable is a longtime MOTOROKR feature that’s missing from the specifications page.  No more iTunes.

Another sure sign that Apple’s own iPhone is coming soon?  We report, you decide.

Instead, the MOTOROKR E6 will offer RealPlayer music library synchronization on your PC and a built-in FM radio to keep you entertained plus full-size SD card support.  Moto is also touting the phone’s PDA-like capabilities including business card reader, POP3 email capability, doc viewer for Word and Excel files and a nice big juicy 2.4 inch touch screen display, stylus included.  (No WiFi or 3G capabilities apparently.)

It’s a GSM system phone, a likely candidate for Cingular or perhaps T-Mobile, but actual availability, carrier and pricing are unspecified at this point. 

Motorola, MOTOROKR E6, Apple, iPhone, iTunes, RealPlayer, Cingular, T-Mobile, cell phone

[via Motorola, RegHardware]

The new wave of smartphones from Motorola, BlackBerry, Nokia and Palm lately has all but swamped smaller, business-focused players like HP.

HP’s new iPAQ hw6920 series puts them back in the running.   Running Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, it has just about all the alphabet-soup technologies you might be looking for:  GSM/GPRS/EDGE/GPS/WiFi plus Bluetooth.  (GPS service required.) 

But it hasn’t got that slenderiffic form factor of the new-wave phones like the Motorola Q (the HP is 18mm thick versus 11.5 for the Q) but there are users who’d rather have something big enough to provide a more comfortable keyboard and more to hold on to.  It’s certainly heavier to hold - 179 grams versus 115 grams for the Q.

HP is clearly less worried about form factor, and all about designing PDA phones for business.  Which is why there will be two versions of this phone - one with a camera, and one without - for security-conscious businesses.  The phone will be available “soon” - directly from HP, or you can get it straight from Cingular’s business unit, at a price (we’re told) of about $360 with a two year deal.

[via Electronista]

The SlingBox is one of those gee-whiz ‘what’ll they think of next’ ideas - putting TV signals from your home cable or satellite receiver, DVR or TiVo box onto the Internet, so you can access your TV shows from, well, wherever you have a computer hooked up to the Internet.

SlingPlayer Mobile came along, and brought that same watch-it-anywhere-there’s-Internet functionality to Windows Mobile and Pocket PC handsets (with suitable data connections). 

Today, Sling Media announces it’s coming out with a version of SlingPlayer Mobile for Symbian OS phones - which, we’re told, includes about 82 million handsets worldwide, from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, and more.  (This would include devices like Nokia’s E62 Smartphone from Cingular.)

But you’ll have to stay tuned - Europe and Asia will get first crack at the Symbian SlingPlayer, with the U.S. probably getting it early next year.  Palm & BlackBerry owners - you’ll have to be patient, the geeks in the back room are still working on it.

[via PDA Street]

No more speculation; Palm unveiled its new Treo 680 at the DigitalLife conference in New York today. 

This announcement is seen as Palm’s answer to the new generation of smartphones like Motorola’s Q and BlackBerry’s Pearl - smartphones that are aimed at a broad consumer market.  Smartphones as they say, “for the rest of us”.

Aside from being the first new Palm OS (version 5.4) Treo in two years, and the fact that it doesn’t have a stubby antenna, what else is new?

A slimmer form factor.  Funky colors - copper, arctic, and crimson, which will be available for sale unlocked from Palm’s website, for use on any GSM carrier.  (The carriers themselves will have one color choice, “graphite”.)  A mini-SD card slot (instead of a plain SD card) and a VGA camera are included.  Fortunately, it will have Bluetooth (never mind earlier reports to the contrary).  Also, Datawiz Documents to Go will reside in ROM, offering users attachment-viewing and editing capabilities without eating up memory.

But the 680 will NOT have support for Palm’s WiFi card and no UMTS or HSPDA capabilities - just the run of the mill GSM/GPRS/EDGE.

This is all about “competitive pricing” and marketing to the masses.  By leaving out a few features Palm hopes to price this Treo down under $200 (we’re guessing at that), and sell a gazillion of them to consumers who didn’t know they needed a smartphone in the first place.  Watch for big time marketing campaigns from Palm in the future to get that message across.

Palm did not include specific pricing info or carriers in today’s announcement - but it did say the 680 would be available within “weeks”. 

[via Brighthand]

Not long after the ultra-sleek BlackBerry Pearl came out, rumors began flying about a similar style makeover for a BlackBerry with a full QWERTY keyboard.  (As opposed to the abbreviated SureType keyboard on the Pearl.)

Now it’s more than a rumor, there are pictures.

Codenamed Indigo, this new baby is slender like the Pearl, with the same Pearl-like trackball device replacing the familiar scroll wheel and Back key.  No sign of a camera on this one, however - and it’s not clear whether it offers any kind of music/video player or removable memory capability like the Pearl.

Anyone thinking about buying a Pearl, Motorola Q or anything else in this league may want to stand by for Indigo, especially if you believe every letter of the alphabet deserves its very own key.

[via BlackBerry Cool]

Palm is reaching out to the Smartphone crowd that does not have to have the fanciest phone on the block.  Or, presumably, the most expensive - which includes customers who’ve been snapping up $200 Motorola Qs and BlackBerry Pearls like crazy.

We’re told that Palm’s new Treo 680 (nicknamed “Nitro”) will get a worldwide rollout soon.  It’ll be a GSM phone with a VGA camera, and EDGE, but no 3G or WiFi. 

We’re told it may not even have Bluetooth.  Now what’s up with that?  In an age when toasters and can openers are getting Bluetooth capability?  Let’s hope that’s not the case.

The Treo 680 may have fewer features, but it won’t be any smaller or much lighter than the current Treo 750 phone.  It’s expected to replace the Treo 650 for Cingular, among other carriers.  Pricing and availability dates yet to be announced.

(Take note:  the old Treo 650, including Bluetooth, is selling for $199.99 for new customers on Cingular right now.  And refurb 650s can be had from Cingular for $149.99.)

[via Uberphones]

Is it a cell phone, a PC, or a folding keyboard?  Seamless’ S-XGen’s latest prototype is, it seems, 3 mints in one.  Watch the video and see it all unfold.

This curvy folding package includes the innards of Sony’s UX micro-PC running Windows Mobile, complete with 20 gig hard drive and WiFi b capability, a 4.25″ display, GSM tri-band cellular phone, and stereo speakers.  It all unfolds and sits on a clever built-in kickstand.  And the keyboard is removable, making it more of an on-the-go walk-and-play device. 

With specs like these and a size a bit bigger than a PlayStation Portable it’s a device that could attract a fan base from the notebook side as well as the PDA/Smartphone side, if and when we ever see it in production.

[via Slashgear]

BlackBerry’s 8703e, the CDMA version of BlackBerry’s flagship 8700 line, has just been announced by Sprint for launch; Verizon made a similar announcement a few days ago.

It has all the features of the GSM version - familiar BlackBerry form factor, QWERTY keyboard, QVGA display, and tried-and-true push email technology, plus EV-DO data capabilities (that means speedy 3G downloads) for Sprint and Verizon customers, plus modem tethering and GPS abilities.  Sprint customers can get it starting in October for $349.99 with a two-year contract - right in line with Verizon’s pricing.

Meanwhile, rumors abound about BlackBerry coming up with a new model, adapting its new Pearl form factor to accomodate a full QWERTY keyboard, but keeping the new trackball user interface (which helps keep the phone slim and trim).  The same rumor mill (thanks, Boy Genius) offers screen shots of a new operating system for BlackBerry’s 8700 series, that includes features like push-to-talk capabilities.  When will all this be available?  Yet to be determined, from what we hear.

[via Phone Arena]

..maybe it is.  Zenum is promising its new Opus Operis Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phone before the year is out.  The fact that we’ve never heard of Zenum doesn’t mean it’s not for real. 

But this device is SO handsome maybe we’re just dreaming here.  It’s a GSM triband phone with Bluetooth, WiFi, 2 megapixel camera and miniSD memory card slot.  The QWERTY keyboard is stylish-looking, but we wonder whether they’ve sacrificed ergonomics for style here.  If there’s a plan to include EDGE and quad-band capability it might have a future in the U.S.

[via Engadget]

Many users and would-be users of HTC’s MDA (including this blogger) have a love-hate relationship with it.  The love comes from its relatively large and useful pullout QWERTY keyboard, WiFi capability and slick design.  On the downside, there’s having to dial numbers on the phone without a dedicated keypad - just the touchscreen.  And in terms of size, it’s not exactly pocket-friendly.

The R&D department at HTC has now come up with a refined Windows Mobile device, code named Libra.  The device has been sneak-peeked at the UTStarcom booth at CTIA this week.

The overall size of this Windows Mobile Smartphone is smaller, and there’s now a user-friendly numeric keypad on the outside for easy dialing.  The compromise is with the QWERTY keyboard inside; instead of four rows of keys, there are only 3.   

We hear availability for the CDMA version (possibly Verizon or Sprint) with EVDO capability could be as early as first quarter of next year.  We understand from Phone Scoop that a GSM version (for T-Mobile or Cingular perhaps) is also being planned.  Nothing yet about pricing. 

If you prefer your Smartphone without a QWERTY keyboard, Cingular is hoping its new 3125 will be just your style.  It’s made by HTC, which initially branded the phone “Star Trek”.  (Insert your own lame Trekkie reference here.)  

Though it doesn’t have a keyboard, it does have the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system, 1.3 megapixel cam, stereo Bluetooth and mp3 music player, microSD memory, Direct Push mail and Outlook functions, quad-band GSM capability with GPRS/EDGE, 128MB ROM / 64MB RAM and a 2.2-inch TFT display. 

Cingular is hoping its RAZR-thin style and $149.99 price tag (with contract) will make you say, I don’t need no stinkin’ keyboard.

[via PDA Street]

How much capability can be packed into a clamshell?  Samsung’s SGH i610 gives you a hybrid QWERTY keyboard similar to the SureType technology BlackBerry developed, putting 2 letters on each key. 

(This one does NOT include BlackBerry’s push email system however - for that, you’d have to get Samsung’s coming-soon T719.)

This will instead be a Windows Mobile Smartphone with a 2 megapixel auto focus camera, microSD card slot, stereo Bluetooth, FM radio, and 2 line external display.  It’ll handle RSS, read attachments and do podcasts.  It’s a GSM EDGE capable phone (900/1800/1900) so it is a potential candidate for T-Mobile.  UMTS 2100 is also on the spec sheet.

This phone is at the FCC listing stage - ultimate availability and pricing are to be determined.

[via Phone Scoop]

Here comes another Microsoft Mobile QWERTY-keyboard Smartphone, built to carve out a piece of the territory held by Motorola’s Q, Treos, and those ubiquitous BlackBerrys.

Photos of HTC’s new Excalibur were leaked to PDAGeek.  It’s actually a bit smaller than your typical BlackBerry or the Motorola Q.  We’re told it’s a quad-band GSM device (T-Mobile probably, Cingular possibly) with WiFi, but no touchscreen.

Don’t see a camera however, and memory capability isn’t mentioned.  We’ll pass along further scuttlebutt as soon as we hear it.

[via PDAGeek, Mobile Gadget News]