Phones

Microsoft MWC 2009 Press Release

BARCELONA, Spain — Feb. 16, 2009 — Today at Mobile World Congress 2009, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer along with key mobile partners, HTC, LG and Orange, unveiled new Windows® phones featuring new user-friendly software and services. The next generation of Windows® phones will be based on Windows Mobile 6.5 and feature a new user interface and a richer browsing experience. In addition, Windows® phones will feature two new services: My Phone, to sync text messages, photos, video, contacts and more to the Web; and Windows® Marketplace for Mobile, a new marketplace that will provide direct-to-phone mobile applications and can be accessed from both the phone and the Web.

Microsoft announce Windows Mobile 6.5, Marketplace and My Phone

On Monday, as expected, Microsoft officially unveiled the latest version of its mobile operating system at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer previewed Windows Mobile 6.5 during his keynote address and as expected, the updated OS brings a handful of enhancements, including an application store, a backup and restore service, and improved mobile Web browser. Here’s a full rundown of the new features:

HTC Touch Pro2

Designed for business professionals, the HTC Touch Pro2 is architected with distinct style and strength while delivering the most powerful productivity experience available on a mobile phone.  Leveraging HTC’s TouchFLO 3D, people-centric communication and Push Internet technology, the Touch Pro2 features a high-resolution 3.6-inch widescreen VGA display for an expanded viewing area and large finger-friendly QWERTY keyboard. With improved battery life, expandable memory, a touch-sensitive zoom bar as well as gravity, proximity and ambient light sensors, the Touch Pro2 is optimized for touch as well as heavy email use.

HTC Touch Diamond2

The HTC Touch Diamond2 is the next step in the evolution of the successful HTC Touch Diamond. Crafted to fit perfectly into the hand, the Touch Diamond2 evolves the compact design and iconic style of the original HTC Touch Diamond. It incorporates a larger 3.2-inch high-resolution wide-screen VGA display for a greater viewing area in a design just 13.7mm thick. The phone also includes a new touch sensitive zoom bar for even faster zooming of Web pages, emails, text messages, photos or documents.

Leveraging HTC’s TouchFLO 3D experience combined with a people-centric communication approach and HTC’s new Push Internet technology The Touch Diamond2 offers an advanced touch experience that is optimized for one-hand use.

HTC touch Diamond2

The Unwired have spotted the successor to the HTC Touch Diamond and it will be called the HTC Touch Diamond II, Not too much information at the moment but it looks like the camera will be a sweet 5MP, screen will have the WVGA 800 x 480 resolution and is powered by a 528 MHz Qualcomm CPU and features 288 MB RAM/512 MB ROM.

There is an HTC press conference later this morning where more details will be revealed

via The Unwired

Palm Pre video showing calender application

Palm have released a new video demonstrating the Pre’s calendar application in action. The clip, which you can see after the break, shows the integration between appointments and contacts, together with the smartphone’s browser and its sharing functionality. Now the big question is what are Palm going to give us at MWC 09, please tell us when we can get our hands on the Pre at the very least, we need to know. Video after the break.

Microsoft stand at MWC 09

Msmobiles have managed to get some pictures of the Microsoft Windows Mobile phone stand at Mobile World Congress, and as we mentioned last week it looks like the Mobile will be dropped in place of Windows Phone. Microsoft will be showing  "start socializing", "start revealing", "start exploring", "start tagging", etc. It looks like the green branding for Windows Mobile is gone and it also looks like "Windows phone" is the new buzzword and the colour for the branding will be orange with light blue.

via msmobiles

Microsoft Recite, another new addition for Windows Mobile

Microsoft Recite is a search technology for your voice that runs on Windows Mobile devices. With Microsoft Recite, you can use your voice to easily store, search and retrieve the things you want to remember, where and when you need them. Microsoft Recite is available as a free technology preview beginning February 16, 2009.  Full details after the break complete with a video showing what it’s all about.

What if Android doesn’t show up at Mobile World Congress?

Next week is one of the biggest events of the year for enthusiasts of mobile technology. Mobile World Congress (sometimes called MWC) is the largest trade mobile technology trade  show, and is held in Barcelona every February. Most handset manufacturers make their big announcements at or Just before Mobile World Congress. The mobile enthusiast community is abuzz this year with speculation about all the new Android announcements that are thought to be coming at MWC, but what if Android doesn’t Show up?

Samsung has already announced that they won’t be showing any Android based devices next week in Barcelona (or anywhere else), instead saying the announcement will now be made sometime around the second half of 2009. Besides the T-Mobile G1, there hasn’t been another Android device released, despite the fact that the G1 has been out for over 4 months. Lenovo has announced an Android phone, the Ophone, but so far it is just vaporware, and there were a few android devices announced at CES last month, but they were mostly from no name Asian OEMs, and will most likely never see the light of day.  

Microsoft stores aim to encourage Windows shopping

The thrust of Microsoft’s efforts to reclaim control over its public image and counter the perceptions planted so successfully by Apple involves trying to connect with consumers on a more personal, less monolithic, level. The many faces of the “I’m a PC” ad campaign was one step. The next involves showcasing Microsoft products where the masses gather (or at least where they used to) — the malls.