Phones

SanDisk introduces Multi SD kit

SanDisk today introduced the microSD Multi SD Kit, bringing together in one package a microSD flash card with a miniSD adapter and a standard SD adapter, at the 3GSM World Conference 2007, where SanDisk is demonstrating products in booths 7C62 and 8C74.

The microSD Multi SD Kit removes confusion for consumers and retailers in selecting the correct card for a mobile phone, because the kit supports all mobile phones with SD-based card slots. According to SanDisk research, 87 percent of the latest mobile phone models with card slots are designed for either microSD, miniSD or standard SD.

“Consumers, when shopping for memory cards, don’t always know what type of SD slot is in their mobile phone. The microSD Multi SD Kit makes the purchasing decision a snap, because the card is guaranteed to fit — either directly through a microSD slot, or by using the adapters for miniSD or standard SD slots,” said Jeff Kost, vice president and general manager of mobile consumer solutions for SanDisk. “Retailers also get a break, because sales associates can focus on the benefits of added capacity rather than worrying about compatibility.”

The kit makes it easy to enjoy music, photos, video clips and personal files on multiple devices. For example, a large video clip could be downloaded through a laptop computer and transferred to the microSD card using the kit’s standard SD adapter. The microSD card could then be placed in a phone with either a miniSD or microSD slot. The kit is also compatible with personal electronics other than mobile phones, including SD digital cameras, as well as SanDisk’s Sansa(R) e200 series, Sansa(R) Connect(TM), Sansa(R) Express(TM), and Sansa c200 series of MP3 players. This flexibility makes it more likely consumers will use their portable devices, especially mobile phones, to enjoy music, photos and video.

The microSD Multi SD Kit comes in three capacities: 512 MB, 1GB and 2GB.(1) The product is available now in Japan. It will be available in the United States and Europe in March, in Canada in Q2. Pricing in the U.S. and Europe has yet to be announced. The product may be sold under other names outside of Europe.

Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Windows Mobile blog, SanDisk, 3GSM, JAQ4, Tracy & Matt]

Vodafone to launch Samsung SGH-i600

At last we have more news about the eagerly awaited Samsung SGH-i600. Vodafone is launching the Samsung SGH-i600 (in the U.S. better known as Samsung BlackJack) in the coming month.

An official announcement is expected later today at 3GSM.

Matt

[Post tags: smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Samsung SGH-i600, Ultra Messaging, Samsung Windows Mobile blog]

Microsoft announce 3 Windows Live Products

Today at 3GSM, Microsoft announced three new Windows Live for mobile services that provide search and communications capabilities to help people access their world of relationships, information and interests from their mobile device. Now available in the United States and the United Kingdom, Live Search for Windows Mobile and Live Search for Java provide customers with advanced local search and mapping capabilities on their mobile device. In conjunction with the availability of Windows Mobile 6, Microsoft also introduced Windows Live for Windows Mobile — a rich set of Windows Live services including e-mail, instant messaging and search — uniquely designed to work with Windows Mobile powered devices.

Live Search is now available as a software client application on Windows Mobile and Java devices. These Live Search applications represent the latest innovation in mobile search from Microsoft, providing customers with fast, easy access to local listings and maps. New capabilities include a unique, category-based search, which virtually eliminates the need to type text into the phone; an option to “map all results” so several
listings appear on the same map; aerial imagery; and local traffic status in selected U.S. cities. Live Search for Windows Mobile provides additional new capabilities including satellite imagery, GPS integration and the ability to send search results to a friend.

Windows Live for Windows Mobile and Live Search for Java will provide customers with a rich set of Windows Live services, including Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Messenger, Live Search and Windows Live Spaces, uniquely designed to work with Windows Mobile software. Windows Mobile powered devices, with their advanced software, processing power and memory, make ideal platforms for the delivery of Windows Live services. Windows Live for Windows Mobile
offers one of the first industry examples of a single integrated and presence-enabled contact list on a mobile device. One consolidated list provides customers with easy access to all their Windows Live, Microsoft Office Outlook(R) and other contacts, as well as relevant presence information.

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone, Pocket PC, Tracy & Matt, Windows Mobile 6, Windows Live, 3GSM]

XV6800 Titan variant hits Verizon

The Verizon-branded XV6800 has appeared on the web. The XV6800 is loosely considered to be an upgraded version of the HTC Hermes or a replacement for the HTC Apache but is based upon the HTC Titan.

The XV6800 is expected to be available from Verizon from May this year.

Verizon XV6800 Specification:

Posted by: Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, HTC Titan, Verizon XV6800, Verizon, HTC]

Toshiba to release RG4-E01 smartphone

Toshiba have been working on a new Windows Mobile smartphone, the RG4-E01, which has appeared on the FCC site.

We don’t know a huge amount about the device yet but according to other sources it’s expected to Windows Mobile 6 Standard smartphone however the screen shots in the manual are definitely Windows Mobile 5 although this could well change by the time the device launches.

Toshiba RD4-E01 Specification:

More information is available on the FCC site.

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Toshiba RG4-E01, Toshiba]

Orange SPV M700 subject to more delays?

Well the Orange SPV M700 didn’t materialize this week. We were told by a contact at Orange that the device would begin shipping and would be available to business customers to order.

So yesterday afternoon I began speaking to the people that I know at Orange as well as going through the regular customer service channels etc. I spoke to a nice chap called Ryan who said that he had been in touch with the device team and that the Orange SPV M700 has been hit by futher delays. He went on to say that it is now unlikely that the M700 will ship before the end of February.

Personally I wonder if Orange might be holding off until 3GSM next week?

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Orange, M700, HTC Trinity, HTC P3600, SPV, Orange SPV M700]

Samsung SGH-i600 available March

Finally some good news about the Samsung SGH-i600. In a press release Samsung sad that the “Samsung Ultra Messaging i600” would be available in Singapore from March with a European release date also around that time.

“With the UItra Messaging i600, we will continue to drive the trend in the Smartphone market with ultra-slim products that display technological prowess and enhanced capabilities. This sleek looker empowers busy executives with a combination of a truly mobile business solution, as well as a portable, on-demand multimedia experience,” said Mr. Ng Long Shyang, Director, Sales & Marketing, Telecoms and IT Products, Samsung Asia Pte Ltd.

There have been a lot of mixed messages about the UK availability of the i600, initially the thinking was that it would not be available here at all. However you can now pre-order the the device from eXpansys so the outlook looks good!

Samsung SGH-i600 Specification

Matt

[Post tags: smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Samsung SGH-i600, Ultra Messaging, Samsung Windows Mobile blog]

Acer C530 available now

The Acer C530 is available now from Clove Technology.

The Acer C530 is a Pocket PC device with built in GPS.

The Acer C530 portable navigator series is ideal for professionals seeking a full-featured, easy-to-use PDA to meet their handheld and GPS needs. Weighing only 122 grams, the slim, contoured styling and intuitive graphic interface grace the C530 with class, while a clear UV coating adds protection and durability. The compact design and integrated antenna and easy-grip back ensure secure handling. The car kit is made from shock-absorbing materials and able to house two sizes of battery, quickly transforming the Acer C530 into a versatile navigator. The unit’s sunshade easily docks/releases from the car-mount case, and the slot design keeps cables neatly tucked away. For a clear view of on-screen data and maximum ease of use, the C530 is equipped with a bright and well-contrasted 2.8″ screen that can be fingertip-operated in navigation mode.

The Acer C530 provides the perfect balance between GPS navigation and PDA functionality in one distinctive device. Featuring detailed NavTeq maps that provide 100% coverage of the UK, Ireland and Western Europe down to street level the Acer C530 is ideal for GPS navigation. The integrated SiRFStar III GPS receiver benefits the C530 by ensuring high sensitivity of GPS data, while having low power consumption.

Features

You can see the more about the Acer C530 on the Clove website.

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Acer, Acer C530]

Orange release HTC Excalibur as SPV E600

Well I don’t know how he does it but Gears over at CoolSmartphone has found out about the new Orange SPV E600 already!

The SPV E600 will be the Orange version of the popular HTC Excalibur. The Excalibur, also know as the HTC S620, has been available from HTC Commercial and from T-Mobile in the USA as the T-Mobile Dash for quite some time and was also recently announced by T-Mobile UK as the MDA Mail. Most people thought that Orange would not bother to release this device, and this has come as a bit of a surprise.

You’ll note that Orange have also retained the SPV brand name on this device, so perhaps it’s staying after all!

Orange SPV E600 Specification:

Source: CoolSmartphone.

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Orange SPV E600, HTC, HTC Excalibur]

Orange SPV M700 will have GPS

Edit: Our Orange SPV M700 review is now online!

It may not be mentioned in the Orange catalogue or on the Orange site but we have been told that the SPV M700 will in fact include built in GPS and will also ship with a trial version of the Orange Maps software.

We are currently seeking confirmation from Orange about this and will let you know what we find out. It was initially thought that the M700 would begin shipping to business customers this week but as yet we have been unable to either confirm this or to get hold of one ourselves. Again we’ll let you know when we know!

Orange SPV M700 Specification

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Orange, M700, HTC Trinity, HTC P3600, SPV, Orange SPV M700]