Author Archive: John McKenzie

Samsung Star WiFi Spotted

Many of our US readers will already know this news and the handset itself but for me it was a first on both counts.

Samsung have quietly released the second version of their 5 million unit selling Star handset.

A Terribly Designed Flyer

The latest version of this phone features the inclusion of WiFi (hence the name change) and that’s about it. No other changes have been noted even down to dimensions and features.

In what seems to be a teen based handset the Samsung Star WiFi will be available in black, silver, pink and white colours with retail price being around $250.00.

Posted by: John

Samsung i8305 Riedel Spotted?

I’m not sure what to make of this news yet simply because I think it’s still got me in a state of shock.

According to leaked pictures of what could be the recently WiFi certified I8305 Riedel, it looks like Samsung are about to release a Linux powered mobile phone in the UK.

Linux Based Samsung Mobile Phone

LiMo (Linux Mobile) seemed to be a forgotten dream until these pictures were revealed over at Boy Genius Report.

A Look At The O/S Menu

It could well be the success of the other open source project (namely Android) that has spurred on the LiMo foundation to work with Samsung in releasing this handset or it just could be the fact that it took that long to get it ready. Either way as a Linux user I’m well happy.

Here is what we know about the handset so far:

• Touchscreen with Haptic Feedback
• OLED Technology
• 8mp camera
• Access to the Vodafone People service

What is Vodafone People? I asked the same question (not being a Vodafone customer myself). Well Vodafone people will feature things like active contacts, location-based services and access to social networks which sounds very much like the MotoBlur service offered on the Android driven Motorola Cliq to me.

It looks like the device is to be announced on the 24th September at a press conference in London.

Posted by: John

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LG Etna is the LG GW620

It turns out that I got it slightly wrong (there’s a surprise). Despite the Sign on the table saying Etna it turns out that LG’s first ever Android driven handset is actually named the LG GW620.

Although I got the name wrong I was 100% correct in saying that the phone will have a 3 inch touch screen, a slide out QWERTY keyboard and a 5mp camera.

“The LG-GW620 will appeal to first-time smartphone customers by offering a new and different kind of user experience,” said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Our objective is to provide a wide selection of smartphones to satisfy the diverse preferences of today’s consumers. This Android phone is just one of many smartphone models we plan to introduce worldwide in the years ahead.”

Not much else is known as yet but as you can see we now have some better images and we know that the phone is expected to be released in Europe in the fourth quarter of the year.

Posted by: John

T-Mobile Leading The Way With Motorola CLIQ?

Well I guess that’s down to personal views but it certainly is now official that globally they carry more Android phones than any other network.

The release of the new Motorola CLIQ now gives T-Mobile 3 handsets on Google’s highly praised Operating System (G1, G2 and CLIQ).

Motorola CLIQ

The Motorola CLIQ which is due to be launched in the US (not sure when) will be the first Motorola handset to feature MotoBlur which pulls information like email messages, text messages, Facebook updates, Twitter feeds, and pictures together in one place on the main screen.

Motorola Cliq Specifications

• Carrier – T-Mobile
• Price – To Be Announced
• Released – To Be Announced
• Keyboard – Slide-out
• Operating System – Android featuring MOTOBLUR
• Processor – 528MHz MSM7201A
• Screen – 3.1-inch (est.), 320 x 480
• Headphone – 3.5mm
• Touchscreen – Capacitive
• Camera – 5MP with AF
• Bluetooth – 2.0
• Exchange – ActiveSync
• Storage – 256MB, microSD
• Battery – 1400mAh
• Weight – 163g

With the Android Market now having a very basic Facebook application it will be interesting to see how the MotoBlur version compares.

Posted by: John

Samsung SCH-W760 Release in Korea

I’m pretty sure that we don’t have any (if many) visitors from Korea however if you happen to live there or are simply interested in mobile phones then have a look at this.

Samsung SCH-W760

OK so we are all agreed that this isn’t the nicest of handsets or even the cheapest given its form factor  but one thing that does stand out is the unique infrared night vision camera.

I’ve seen on a few sites that this is the world’s first on a mobile phone however I beg to differ given that Sharp also released a mobile phone in the east with an infra red filter. OK it never done so well as the government banned it due to the fact that it would penetrate light clothing causing an x-ray affect but never the less it was released.

Anyway enough of my ranting, the phone itself comes with a 3 MP camera, 2.8″ WQVGA AMOLED screen (we likes), 8GB of internal memory and a DMB (TV) tuner. With a price tag of $457 I can’t see many of these selling and even if they do the government may well go banning again.

Good luck with that Samsung.

Posted by: John

LG App Store Launching in Asia

It seems that there are now 2 things in life that make you as a mobile phone manufacturer, the first is having one of your handsets on the Google Android Operating System and the second is now having your very own app store.

LG Electronics Inc, the world’s No. 3 handset maker, is launching an online store for mobile phone applications Tuesday with an initial focus on Asia and aspirations for a more global reach by year-end.

Phone makers and mobile firms worldwide are in a race to match the success of Apple’s App Store, creating their own virtual stores where users can download software and content.

Improving software is key for South Korean mobile phone makers Samsung and LG, which have grown on well-priced handsets but are lagging in the fast-growing smartphowne category.

LG, which trails Nokia and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in mobile phones, said in a statement on Monday that the "LG Application Store" would provide 1,400 applications including 100 free programs, available in 15 languages.
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The service will first be offered in Asia-Pacific countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Australia and will reach Europe and the South America by the end of this year, with the number of applications to be offered to increase to more than 2,000 by then, LG said.

LG has not set any firm plan to launch the marketplace in the United States, the stronghold of Apple’s iPhone and Research In Motion’s Blackberry.

What I find really funny though is that this is not a “new concept” and infact “app stores” have been around for a vey long time indeed and you only have to look at the symbian operating system to see that. Whilst not effectively an “app store”, applications have been getting released and sold through my sybian for a number of years.

This however does come as a welcomed move and the limelight should’t be taken away from LG, they are growing faster than ever and striving to put the customers wants first.

Posted by: John

Microsoft Pink Smartphone To Stay Microsoft Branded

Microsoft is rumoured to be releasing the new Pink smartphone under its own in-house branding.

Until now Microsoft has maintained that it is “committed to the licensing model”, but according to comments on CNET.com the device will actually be branded as a Microsoft handset.

We would expect the handset to be running the newest version of Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system, which depending on release will probably be Windows 7.

If the rumours are to be believed then the handset will be reserving a custom UI to sit atop the OS, one which will presumably remain unique to Microsoft’s own-branded handsets, rather than those running the re-sold Windows 7 OS.

Last we heard of the Pink project, the handset was being designed by Microsoft, with manufacture going to a third-party; this latest rumour flies in the face of official comments regarding an own-branded Microsoft handset and no doubt places Microsoft as a direct competitor of other handsets that will be running the Windows 7 system.

There’s no specs to report just yet, but we’d expect some serious touchscreen real-estate on board as well as the other usual suspects amongst the high-end feature set.

Posted by: John