Author Archive: Gareth

Acer DX650 and X960 revealed

Acer are set to announce a few new devices next week at MWC and the new DX650 and X960 have now been revealed.  The DX650 is a Windows Mobile-based dual-sided device with a 2.8-inch QVGA touchscreen on one side with a 1.2-inch OLED display, plus numerical keypad, on the other.  The pictures above are the same phone just the different sides, not sure about the look of this one.
Other specs for the dual display device include HSDPA, GPS, microSD, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
The X960 offers a 2.8-inch 640 x 480 pixel display with HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, microSD, and a 3.2-megapixel camera with flash.
via Pocket-Lint

Qualcomm announce NFC technology

Wireless chipset maker Qualcomm has announced the addition of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to a selection of its chipsets. NFC is short-range wireless data transfer technology operating at 13.56MHz and transferring data at up to 424Kbit/s. It is used in many contactless systems to provide a range of information, payment and travel options simply by bringing the device close to a reader. By adding NFC to its chipsets, Qualcomm is hoping to help accelerate the commercial availability of mobile handsets using this technology.

Pointui Home 2 beta Now Available

The beta of the highly anticipated Windows Mobile beta of Pointui Home 2 is now available for you to try. The free version of Home 2 contains a huge amount of functionality and customization possibilities without a time limit on its use. A Pro version of Home 2 will be made available (for purchase) that will extend the customization and functionality of Home 2 Free. More details, screenshots and download links after the break.

O2 launches into growing laptop market

Press Release : O2 today unveiled its plans to enter the laptop market with a promise to couple market-leading home and mobile broadband with impressive devices and excellent customer service. With laptop sales expected to reach 9-10 million devices in 20091, O2 is ranging Samsung laptops to create exclusive packages that will give customers everything they need to be more connected, with minimum fuss and hassle.  O2 will introduce three new Pay Monthly deals, available online and at its 490 stores nationwide, on 27 February 2009. With broadband bundles set to take a large proportion of the overall laptop market within three years, O2 is entering this market in a strong position with an all-round package that will meet the consumer needs of style, substance, staying power, service and security head-on.

Android Market to get paid apps this week?

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, this week Google will start allowing developers to charge for software sold through the Android Market, their source apparently is “people familiar with the matter.” So there you go, this has been expected for some time as we also reported a few months back that they were coming in the first quarter of 2009.

With this development we can now expect to see the Android platform take a leap forward and gain some big applications, making it a much more exciting proposition, Developers, over to you.

i-mate introduces 810-F Windows Mobile rugged phone

                                      Press Release: 11th February 2009 – i-mate™, the global specialist in Microsoft Windows Mobile® devices and software, today launched the i-mate 810-F, the world’s first complete lifestyle mobile with a lifetime warranty¹.  Designed to meet military specifications, the 810-F combines high-end mobile technology and incredible durability in a single sleek package.
Whether you work in the great outdoors or in an office, on the road or on a building site, or you just simply want a tough take-anywhere mobile, the 810-F offers everything you need for work and play.  The phone comprises waterproof rubber casing and exposed metal screws to lock in the factory seal, making it impervious to almost anything.  A full QWERTY keyboard, and impact resistant touch screen, means you don’t miss a thing while you are out and about.

Fennec milestone release for the HTC Touch Pro

                   Mozilla have released what they call a Milestone version of the Fennec browser which is being touted as a serious contender to the Safari Mobile browser. Just as the leaked release that we saw a few weeks back, this is only for the HTC Touch Pro and again we are hearing reports of it being fairly unstable / unusable. More info and a download link after the break

ZTE to show Windows Mobile and Linux phones at MWC

Press Release: ZTE Corporation ("ZTE"), a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, is to unveil a full portfolio of smartphones at the Mobile World Congress 2009. Ten different designs will be on display, including customised handsets for Vodafone and China Mobile.

The VF 1231 model will be the highlight of ZTE’s showcase which has been developed especially for Vodafone. The smartphone is based on Windows Mobile platform and has a single chip for GSM and EDGE.

ZTE’s smartphones range from low to high-end handsets. Latest models include the ‘XIANG’ series of 3.5G super slim HSDPA/HSUPA handsets, the e760 (a GSM-based handset custom-made for China Mobile) and the D820/D810 (a CDMA-based handset custom-made for China Telecom). Also, ZTE will be displaying the U981, a top-end smartphone that was deployed by China Mobile during the Beijing Olympic Games.

Amazon Kindle 2 coming to the UK and beyond

According to Electric Pig, Amazon has just confirmed the Kindle 2 will be getting an international release.  Electric Pig asked an Amazon spokesperson if they would be seeing a global roll out, and he had this to say: “Yes, we plan to offer the Kindle internationally. We know that Kindle is something our international customers want and we look forwarding to serving them but we haven’t announced a timeline yet and we are not doing so today.”

The delay is no doubt in part due to the 3G connectivity – unlike the Sony Reader deals will have to be struck locally with network providers to allow speedy downloads of books and newspapers. Still, that’s a positive that it’s heading our way.  Full details of the Kindle 2 after the break.