Motorola Droid

Motorola's Droid phone will sport new software from Google Inc that threatens navigation devices by Garmin and TomTom and could help win back market share lost to the iPhone.

One of the newest features of the Droid is Google Maps Navigation, which offers real-time, turn-by-turn walking or driving directions.

The news helped push TomTom shares down 21 per cent as the navigation device maker also warned of more price declines. Garmin shares fell 16 per cent.




The Droid will go on sale on November 6 and cost $199 for people, who commit to a two-year service contract - a venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc - Verizon Wireless said.

Verizon has exclusive US rights to the phone, the first to use Google's Android 2.0 software.

The leading US mobile provider said it will promote the device with its biggest marketing campaign ever - giving Motorola a good chance to improve its sales, analysts said.

Verizon Wireless' Chief Marketing Officer John Stratton said the Droid would hold its own against iPhone even as he conceded that Apple had revolutionised the mobile industry.

"We have to demystify the notion that (iPhone's) untouchable," Stratton said at the launch event in New York. "This product can stand up and compete."

Stratton said the Droid is the first in a range of Motorola Android phones from Verizon Wireless, as it looks to regain ground lost to AT&T Inc, the US iPhone provider.



The Droid is a massive bet for Motorola, which after losing market share to rivals for more than two years has reorganised its entire mobile business around developing Android phones.

"In terms of the rejuvenation of mobile devices, this is an important next step," Motorola Chief Executive Sanjay Jha said. "We are ready to produce very large volumes."

Motorola said the Droid is the thinnest phone to feature a slide-out Qwerty keypad. It sports a five-megapixel camera, a high-resolution screen, fast chips from ARM Holdings and Texas Instruments, and a day's battery life.

Android 2.0 works with Microsoft's Outlook, making it more attractive for business users. Google said it expects other phone makers to support the new Android version soon.

Ad Campaign

Verizon's marketing weight will "make a huge, huge difference" in helping Droid sales, analyst for market research firm Interpret, Michael Gartenberg said.

Verizon spent $2.4 billion on advertising in 2008, according to TNS Media. The company recently started showing Droid video ads highlighting its advantages over iPhone.

"We are everywhere with this," Stratton said, declining to disclose the exact marketing spend for Droid. "You won't be able to avoid it."

Stratton said the phone's relatively large size might appeal more to men than women.

Gartenberg expects pent-up demand because it is the first time Motorola customers would be able to use an Android device on the Verizon network.

"As long as it is not buggy, it will do quite well," Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart said. "I don't think this will single-handedly save Motorola but it is a crucial step", Greengart added.

Greengart said that while the navigation feature will not stop consumers from buying dedicated GPS devices, it could put pressure on companies like TomTom and Garmin to cut prices.

The navigation service will respond to voice commands and displays Google's online street photo archive. Users can choose "layers" to add to maps, including traffic conditions, or data about local stores or points of interest.

TomTom shares finished down 21 per cent at 8.11 euros, while Garmin shares closed down 16 per cent at $31.59. Motorola shares rose 0.8 per cent to $7.96, Verizon shares rose 2.6 per cent to $29.95, while Google shares fell 1.5 per cent to $540.30.

Samsung's New 12MP camera phone

Just yesterday we were talking about Samsung’s latest 12MP camera phone the SCH-W880 that’s been fitted with a 3X optical zoom lens. More news today says that it’s going to be around the South Korean market for awhile in a CDMA state.



The handset features -

* 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen display (capacitive)
* 3G capabilities
* Wi-Fi
* GPS
* Bluetooth, USB (micro)
* 4GB internal memory with microSD card support

The camera is of course the central feature of this handset. It also allows for HD video recording (720p at 30fps). The camera will come with variable aperture settings a Xenon as well as an LED flash. Aside form this being the first ever 12MP camera phone with optical zoom functionality the fact that it records video at the resolution it does is also a first. It seems like it's even designed to look and feel like a digicam with a dial selector for various modes placed on one side.




The European version of the same handset with maybe a few adjustments here and there to suit the crowd will be called the M8920. No word on availability yet.

Samsung Corby Hits India

Samsung has just announced the launch of the Corby (S3653) in India. It’s set to be one of India’s cheapest touchscreen mobile handsets with a price tag of just Rs. 9,600. It comes with bold color options such as Jamaican Yellow, Cupid Pink, Minimal White, and Festival Orange so that users can choose their favorite color.

“As a Company that leads in innovation, Samsung Corby is another example of the Company’s commitment to developing new products and technologies
designed for specific audiences in keeping with their needs,” states B D Park, Director-Telecom , Samsung India Electronics Pvt. Ltd.




The handset will feature –

* 2.8-inch QVGA touchscreen with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI and Haptics, one finger zoom, gesture control
* EDGE/GPRS connectivity
* Bluetooth with A2DP and USB
* Live feeds for Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter
* MicroSD card support
* 2 megapixel camera
* FM radio with RDS

“Samsung leads the market globally for full-screen touch phones and recognizes the importance of SNS in the modern mobile industry. Samsung has its target audiences at the heart of its business strategy and the design and functionality of Samsung Corby meets the needs of a highly connected and style-conscious youth audience." stated Park

VIA - Tech2

An overview of the new Nokia N97

Nokia has launched its new N97 smart phone (Nokia calls it a mobile computer) with 3.5-inch tilting touch screen and QWERTY keyboard. Nokia N97 key features are:

* Tri-band HSDPA/quad-band GSM
* Sliding QWERTY keypad and touchscreen display
* 3.5-inch TFT (16:9 widescreen); 640 x 360 pixels
* 32GB onboard memory + microSD card slot
* Series60 5th Edition
* 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar optics
* MPEG-4 VGA video recording at 30fps
* Multiple music, video and image formats supported
* 802.11b/g; USB; Bluetooth with A2DP; GPS with A-GPS
* 3.5mm audio jack
* 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9mm
* 150gm weight




The Nokia N97 is powered by the Nokia BP-4L Battery with 6.6 hours talk-time and 430 hours standby.Along with all major features like 3G, GPRS, GPS, HSDPA, Java, Bluetooth, A2DP, USB and WiFi ,the Nokia N97 has a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics,32GB memory(up to 48GB) and the latest Series60 5th Edition OS.It has a slide-out QWERTY keypad and a large 3.5-inch touchscreen display.



The Nokia N97 is a high-end multimedia phone with 3.5-inch 640×360 pixel resolution display.The N97’s 32GB of internal memory with microSDHC support will hardly let any space shortage in it.The tilt-up display is a comfortable typing position than the flat sliding phones.The QWERTY keypad and the touchscreen will make sure that there is no restriction in writing text.The 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar optics is nothing new or big thing but anyway you are not buying just a camera phone.Overall the Nokia N97 is a sexy high-end multimedia phone.

Samsung launches solar-powered phone

Leading white goods and mobile handset manufacturer Samsung on Wednesday launched a low-cost solar-powered mobile phone, and said it was planning to introduce about 20 more models by year-end.

The new handset, launched under its low-cost line of products - Guru - at a price of Rs.2,799, has a solar panel on the back, which can be used to charge the battery anywhere the sun is shining.

"We have developed this phone keeping in minds the needs of the consumers, especially for people in areas where the electric supply is unstable," said J S Shin, president and chief executive of Samsung, Southwest Asia.

The phone, christened the "Guru E1107", can provide around 5-10 minutes of talk-time with one-hour of solar charging when the handset is turned off and sunlight has adequate intensity.

"Solar charging can give you enough time to make few important calls when there is no electricity or you are not close to a plug point," said Sunil Dutt, country head of Samsung India.

The battery will attain full power with about 40 hours of solar charging.

"But that is really not the intention behind the launch of this phone. It is to enable customers to make a call when there is no electricity," said Dutt.

The handset, the 11th model in the Guru series, will be in shops by month-end.

The first few batches of Guru E1107 will be imported from South Korea.

Saumsung has already launched about 20 models this year and plans to take this number to about 40 across categories.

Asked whether the company would consider introducing solar charging features in high-end phones, Dutt said: "We would definitely consider doing so."

Samsung, which has invested about $44 million in developing its mobile manufacturing facility in Noida, also has ambitious plans for the huge Indian mobile market.

"Our market share is in the early double digits currently. We plan to increase it by about 5-6 percent this year," said a company official.

The company is also planning to introduce in India its solar-powered touchscreen mobile handset, Blue Earth - unveiled at a technology conference in Barcelona, Spain early this year.

O2 launches XDA Flint

O2 has unveiled the O2 Xda Flint, describing it as an innovative handheld device specifically targeted at the education sector.

O2 says with the Flint, "ideal for students and teachers alike", users can load eBooks onto the device to make electronic notes, read or review documents, log onto or download digital learning applications, content and courses from the school/college or local authorities' virtual learning environments.

With 16GB of internal flash memory, the Xda Flint, that runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, offers a 5-inch VGA angled touchscreen with a detachable keyboard.

Other specs include GPS, Bluetooth V2.0, internet browsing, and quad-band network access via Wi-Fi and HSDPA. There's also a 3-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash light, a video calling camera, MP3 and video playback.

No pricing or availability for anyone outside the education market has yet been revealed.

VIA Pocket-lint

Nokia Unveils The 5800 XpressMusic

The 5800 XpressMusic introduces the 'Media Bar', a drop down menu that provides direct access to music and entertainment, including favourite tracks, videos and photos. The Media Bar also offers a direct link to the web and to online sharing. The phone supports Flash content and offers all the music essentials, including a graphic equalizer, 8GB memory for up to 6000 tracks and support for all main digital music formats, a 3.5mm jack and built-in surround sound stereo speakers.

"With the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, we set out to connect people through the one thing we all feel a universal connection to - music," said Jo Harlow, Vice President, Nokia. "The way in which people enjoy music is different around the world. With that in mind, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic gives people the freedom to experience music they love in the way they prefer."


Ensuring a seamless music experience, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic also provides easy access to browse and purchase tracks from the Nokia Music Store, where applicable, while the newly updated Nokia Music PC software allows for easy drag-and-drop transfer of songs and management of any music collection.



The 'Contacts Bar' lets consumers highlight four favorite contacts on their home-screen and, through a single touch, track a digital history of recent text messages, emails, phone logs, photos and blog updates.

"As Nokia's first mass-market device with a touch screen, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic turns a 'user interface' into a 'human interface' by truly putting people first. For example, we've introduced the Nokia Contacts Bar, which is like a digital RSS feed on your life," said Harlow. "By adding the benefits of touch screen technology to S60, the world's leading smartphone interface, Nokia is taking the familiar and giving it a human touch. We have used touch technology where it really adds value such as the Contacts Bar, Media Bar and clever shortcuts from the homescreen to menu items such as calendar, profiles and clock."

The phone features a 3.2-inch widescreen display, a 16 by 9 aspect ratio and 30 frames-per-second playback and recording.

Equipped with a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, the phone allows images or videos to be shared via online communities, such as Share on Ovi, Flickr, or Facebook. Music playlist song titles can also be shared through Bluetooth, MMS or online sharing.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic supports 60 languages worldwide and offers a variety of input methods including a virtual alphanumeric keypad, a virtual computer-style QWERTY keyboard, a pen stylus - and for music enthusiasts, a plectrum.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will be available worldwide beginning in the fourth quarter of 2008 for an estimated retail price of 279 EUR before taxes and subsidies.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic featuring Comes With Music will be available early next year. Pricing is unavailable at the moment.

VIA TECH2

Google G1 mobile phone versus Apple iPhone

Price:

G1 = free on contract with T-Mobile, contracts likely to start from about £ 30 per month
iPhone = free on some contracts with O2, monthly tariffs start from £ 30 per month

Weight:
G1 = 158g
iPhone = 133g

Battery life:
G1 = 5 hours talk time, 130 hours standby
iPhone = 5 hours talk time, 300 hours standby

Screen size:
G1 = 3.2in
iPhone = 3.5in

Camera:
G1 = 3-megapixel
iPhone = 2-megapixel

Capacity:
G1 = 2GB, expandable to 8GB
iPhone = 8GB or 16GB

Key features:
G1 = touchscreen, Qwerty keyboard, internet access via 3G and Wi-Fi, additional downloadable content, one-click access to Google search services, built-in GPS and compass for easy navigation, push Google email, instant messaging.
iPhone = touchscreen, virtual keyboard, multi-touch gesture support, web access via 3G and Wi-Fi, additonal downloadable applications, GPS and Google Maps, push-email, full web browsing.

Extra applications:
G1 = extra software downloadable from Android Market. Includes games, such as Pac-Man, and useful software, such as Shop Savvy, which allows users to take photographs of a product barcode, send it to Google, and then retrieve price comparison results.
iPhone = extra programs and software downloadable from Apple App Store, including games such as Super Monkey Ball, and other applications, such as language dictionaries, travel guides, restaurant recommendations.

Entertainment:
G1 = one-touch music downloads from Amazon MP3 store, 2GB integrated storage, expandable to 8GB.
iPhone = one-touch music downloads from iTunes music store, choose from 8GB or 16GB storage.

Via Telegraph

Have a look of G1 http://www.t-mobileg1.com/

iPhone costliest in India

India as we all know being a developing country, some calling it 'third' world should have services and goods at a cheaper price. You could not be more wrong. A live example in front of you being the new 3G iPhone.

The 3G iPhone will be priced at 31,000 rupees, a whopping $750 for the 8GB version. The 16 GB one will sell for Rs. 36,100 that is about $850. These prices are simply too high we believe for the iPhone to be a success in India. The phone will definitely make good sales in the first couple of weeks to the cream of the crowd, but this is simply fizzle out sooner than you can think.

To add more misery, 3G services are not even offered in India at the moment and will not be so till late 2009. The user will just be paying for the design and looks of the iPhone and nothing more!

TechFaith World's first WCDMA/GSM dual mode phone

China's TechFaith Wireless Communication Company has developed what they are calling the "World's first WCDMA/GSM dual mode phone." The "Twins" phone, as it has been dubbed, allows users the option of loading one WCDMA card and one GSM or loading dual GSM SIM cards. That means it would no longer be necessary to switch out SIM cards or carry around two phones for calls on both business and personal lines. Other features include: a 2.0 megapixel camera, 2.8" touch sensitive TFT-LCD display, 256MB/64MB ROM memory, MP3 and MPEG4 player, WCDMA modem, Bluetooth, and video call capabilities. Two models will be available the "Dragonfly" and "OMAP' with the latter having a faster CPU and tri-band network support instead of quad-band. Naturally, no pricing information has been released, which is just as well seeing as how this product is unlikely to make its way to the states anytime soon.

Product Info

Nokia Aeon - Concept Phone

Nokia's research and development team have kicked it up a gear with an attractive "aeon" concept phone showing up in the R&D section of the company's website. The most prominent design feature of aeon is a touchscreen that stretches over the full surface area of the phone, similar to BenQ-Siemens's Black box concept phone we saw recently. Currently mobile technology isn't quite up to realizing this fantasy, but we'll sleep better tonight knowing that at least one of the cellphone industry's biggest names shares the same dream as we do -- BenQ's dream didn't count, unfortunately.

Motorola RAZR2 V8

Phone Model: Motorola RAZR2 V8
Brand: Motorola
Camera: 2 MP
Network: GSM 850 / GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900
Released Date:
Size: 103 x 53 x 11.9 mm
Weight: 117g
Diplay: TFT, 256K colors, 240 x 320 pixels, 2.2 inches
Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 950 mAh
Internal Memory: 420 MB or 2 GB
Function: GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth v2.0, USB v2.0, MP3/AAC/AAC+ player



Motorola RAZR2 features almost the same performance as Motorola RAZR2 V9. They are all rich with great clear colour screen and cool lookin for the on-screen touch controls. Anyway, there is some differences between them too (or esle they wouldn’t have the different name). V8 features a slick new interface thanks to a Linux/Java platform whereas V9 still contain the same boring Moto interface. Some messaging functions only available on the V8’s external display. For the memory storage, although V8 does not have expandable memory, it comes with 420 MB or 2 GB internal user memory while V9 only has 45MB of internal storage. Even though you don’t like its performance, the device’s slim 11.9mm body may catch your attention. And the last thing, don’t forget, V8 does not have 3G function as V9. It would have dissapointed some people. However, if you think in positve way, you might save a great amount of money since you won’t pay for any 3G connection fees.

Nokia Launches 5 New Phones

Nokia is launching 5 new phones at their GoPlay event in London. They aren’t all new models to be precise, but a few are simply re-hashed and upgraded versions of older designs. We don’t have the information yet as to when they’ll be hitting our stores, but I can only hope soon, considering India is Nokia’s second largest market for their devices.

Nokia N95 8GB Edition




First off is the new version of their ‘Super-Phone’ the N95. This new model is totally black to begin with and now comes with a whopping 8GB of internal memory. It’s also going to have a 1200 mAh battery (950 mAh - original). Another major redesign feature is that the screen size has been upped to 2.8 inches (2.6 inches – original).


Nokia N81




The next Symbian smartphone from Nokia is the N81 which will have a 2.4 inch TFT display with QVGA resolution. It will also be equipped with Wi-Fi capabilities, is EDGE/HSDPA-enabled and will also support Bluetooth with A2DP compatibility as well. The N81 will also have dedicated gaming keys and 8GB of internal memory. The main camera is 2 megapixels and there’s also a secondary CIF camera for video calls.


Nokia XpressMusic Series
5700



Nokia is also adding 2 more phones to their XpressMusic series and has given their new 5700 model a makeover. The latest 5700 will have a Black coat with a Blue or Red trim. But there’s no confirmation on if there will be any other significant differences.

5310



This smartphone is going to run off the series 40 platform. It has a QVGA TFT display and has a 2 megapixel camera. Like it’s predecessor the 5300, this model will also support Bluetooth with A2DP compatibility and also support external memory with microSD cards.

5610





The second XpressMusic phone to be released is the 5610 which has a slider design and will also run on the series 40 platform.

VIA GSM ARENA

Samsung intros internet-enabled SMT-i8080 phone

LCD-packin' phones with internet connectivity have certainly been around the block, and while we can't imagine the demand being extraordinarily high 'round these parts, Samsung is probably hoping that a few folks in Hong Kong take interest in the SMT-i8080. The IP phone reportedly enables users to view TV on the screen, video-conference with others, tune into music, shop online (for realz?), and even reserve movie tickets. Granted, the more technically adept may prefer a more fleshed out interface to handle the aforementioned duties, but we certainly wouldn't quetch if The Man replaced our current cubical phone with this gem.

EO i7210 Ultra Mobile PC

Designed for ultra-portability and convenience, the eo i7210 features wireless connectivity, an LCD touch-screen, handwriting recognition, a 1.3 Mpixel camera with video capture capability and a built-in 4-in-1 media card reader - all powered by a 1.0 GHz Intel® Pentium® M ULV processor. Utilizing the eo UMPC i7210, mobile business professionals can accomplish everyday tasks with unparalleled efficiency - Like taking handwritten notes, planning meetings, reading e-mail, conducting a video conference with co-workers, and even taking and sharing photos and videos. The eo UMPC i7210 is the powerful, mobile computing solution that enables you to connect, communicate and accomplish any task anywhere, so you can stay informed and in control.

Product Info

Sony VN-CX1 Skype Mouse

VN-CX1 is Sony's extraordinary Skype mouse phone.

The Sony Skype Mouse Phone features a multi-function mouse that can be opened up like a cell phone. It acts like a normal PC mouse when it's closed. Smooth motion and comfortable. Bright LED light that corresponds with the sensor for better and fluently movement. When Sony VN-CX1 opens up, it can be used like a telephone with a loud speaker. Adopts echo cancellation function to reduce the echo at a peculiar telephone call. The LED light flashes plus a ringtone when someone is calling. The volume can be adjusted by rolling the mouse wheel.

Product Info

Smartphones/PDA HTC Advantage

HTC has made a splash with innovative Windows Mobile Smartphones. Now, they have released a device that attempts to bring the advantages of the Windows Mobile operating system to a much larger form factor.

The HTC Advantage has some PC-like features, while still running Windows Mobile. The Advantage of this? Eight hours of battery life in a 0.76 lb (359g) package! (Seriously impressive even at six hours of real-world use.) Another nice feature: instant-on.

The Advantage gives you the ability to edit Microsoft Office documents anytime. It also includes Pocket Outlook with Microsoft Direct Push technology.

It has features not found in other phones. There is an 8gb HDD, a 5" VGA touchscreen, and a fully detachable keyboard. And, its powerful Intel PXA270 624mhz CPU runs Skype Mobile with ease.

In addition to quad-band GSM and global 3G, the HTC Advantage features HSDPA, wifi, Bluetooth, GPS, two integrated cameras. (A special benefit to AT&T Wireless/ex-Cingular users in the United States: it even supports the rarefied USA-3G bands for ultra-high speed data in supported cities.)


Product Info

Hacker ‘DVD Jon’ claims to crack iPhone activation

Hacker Jon Lech Johansen, known widely as "DVD Jon," has cracked Apple’s iPhone activation, or so he claims, meaning that iPhone buyers will be able to activate and use the new handset without having to commit to an AT&T wireless contract. Johansen announced his feat in a blog post entitled "iPhone Independence Day."

The Norwegian cracker initially made a name for himself eight years ago when he cracked the encryption code on DVDs. And last year, he cracked the digital rights management code that prevents iPod users from playing songs purchased from competing online music stores.

In his latest effort, DVD Jon has detailed a Windows workaround that he claimed will allow the iPhone to be used as a widescreen iPod and Internet communicator. The cracked iPhone cannot be used to make calls. "I’ve found a way to activate a brand new unactivated iPhone without giving any of your money or personal information to AT&T," Johansen wrote on his "So sue me" blog. "The iPhone does not have phone capability, but the iPod and Wi-Fi work."

Toshiba Adds 4GB microSDHC Card to Memory Card Line-Up

Toshiba Corp has announced, with Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc (TAEC), that it has expanded its line of small-format, high-speed, high-capacity memory cards with the launch of a 4-Gbyte (GB) microSDHC card. The addition of the card extends Toshiba's comprehensive range of microSDHC cards -- memory cards for mobile phone applications -- from 256-Mbyte (MB) up to 4GB.

Toshiba's 4GB microSDHC card meets SD memory card standard Ver 2, the SDHC card standard for SD products with a capacity of over 2GB. The card is designed for use in dedicated microSDHC slots, but can also be used in standard SDHC card slots in an adapter.

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iPhone doesn't work with most 3rd party headphones

As several tipsters have pointed out, the recessed iPhone headphone port means that a lot of third party headphones don't work properly: we've tested a few models already (you can see the current list after the break), but maybe you can help us out and let us know which models work / don't work in the comments -- and yes, if you have to press down on the jack to get both channels to play sound, we count that as not working. You'll need to buy a $19 "TTY Adapter" if you want most third party headphones to function correctly, which sounds like a great business plan to us: just break an important device function, and sell the solution for fun and profit. For now, one of the few third party 'phones that do work are the Zune headphones.

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