News

Neonode strike a deal in India

More good news for Neonode fans out there, Neonode have just announced a deal with TMM to supply the N2 in India. Hopefully this could lead to deals being done with mobile operators in other countries!

The Neonode N2

From the press release:

Neonode, the Swedish mobile communication company that develops touch screen technologies and designs mobile handsets in which the technology also can be used, today announced an agreement with Turnstone Mobile Media LLC (TMM), a portfolio company of Turnstone Capital Management LLC, to distribute its products in India.

Under terms of the exclusive sales agreement, TMM, through its New Delhi-based affiliate, will be sole distributor of the unique Neonode N2 touch-screen mobile phone and related products in India, where cell phone and wireless infrastructure growth is one of the fastest in the world. Neonode has already made a substantial first shipment of its Neonode N2 mobile phones to TMM.

Neonode N2 uses the most advanced touch screen technology, the zForce™ optical touch screen. It doesn’t need any hard pressure or stylus but works quickly and accurately by reacting to sweeping and tapping signals on the screen. The intuitively organized user interface, neno™, delivers quick and easy access to applications and content.

“We are excited to be introducing the new Neonode N2 to India, where demand for the latest innovations in technology, especially mobile communications and entertainment, is among the highest in the world. Based on initial reactions by the largest carriers, distributors, retailers, and consumers throughout India, we anticipate the Neonode N2 will be well-received and are looking forward to announcing its release the first quarter of 2008”, said Marc La Magna, Managing Partner of Turnstone Capital LLC.

Neonode N2 was commercially launched in August 2007 and showcased at the U.S. Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas January 9-12, 2008. Currently Neonode N2 is available throughout markets in Europe and is also sold via the company’s web shop; www.neonodewebshop.com. The company’s innovative products will be marketed in North America, Latin America and China through its recently formed affiliated company, Neonode USA. With signing of this distribution agreement with TMM in India, Neonode makes another strategic business deal, placing the Neonode N2 in yet another significant market. New distributors continue to be added worldwide.

“We are delighted to add such an outstanding organization such as TMM to our growing family of distributors and licensors. This agreement secures our entry into India, the fastest-growing and one of the most exciting mobile markets in the world”, said Mikael Hagman, CEO and President of Neonode Inc.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): Tracy & Matt, Smartphone News, Neonode, N2, TMM]

HTC announce an Enhanced HTC Advantage

More HTC news from MWC, this time it’s the new and improved “Enhanced HTC Advantage” (X7510).

Enhanced HTC Advantage

New applications, keyboard and storage capacity expand user experience

BARCELONA — Feb. 11, 2008 – Today at the 2008 GSMA Mobile World Congress, HTC Corp. (TAIEX: 2498; “HTC”), the world’s leading provider of Microsoft Windows Mobile® smart devices, announced an updated version of the HTC Advantage™ that introduces new software, increased storage and an improved keyboard. The HTC Advantage™ is an ideal companion for the business traveller who needs a powerful and portable device that includes constant connectivity.

Developed from the ground up to be extremely portable, yet powerful, the HTC Advantage™ integrates a broad set of features into a compact and innovative design. Based on a future version of Windows Mobile, the updated HTC Advantage™ includes a customized HTC Home today screen that provides one-touch access to emails, text messages, missed calls, calendar appointments and contacts, as well as current weather conditions and forecasts for hundreds of cities around the world.

The HTC Advantage™ features HTC’s TouchFLO™ software which enhances finger touch scrolling and browsing of Web pages, documents, messages and contact lists. The Advantage™ will also include Opera Mobile 9 and Google Maps for mobile.

In addition to the many software enhancements, the HTC Advantage™ also adds a variety of new and improved hardware features including 16GB of storage, a new improved keyboard with haptic feedback and an updated version of VueFLO™ using a G-sensor that recognises the screen orientation of the device for optimal customer usage.

“Having established broader boundaries for mobile computing with the first HTC Advantage a year ago, we are introducing a wealth of new enhancements focused on improving the overall touch screen and keyboard user experience,” said Peter Chou, president and CEO of HTC. “Our goal with the HTC Advantage is to provide a small connected mobile computing device that will replace notebook PCs on daily commutes or short trips.”

With its innovative built-in video output capability, the HTC Advantage™ empowers its users with freedom to make presentations anywhere. Users can run presentations directly via the projector and TV output. Its 5-inch VGA colour touch screen and innovative, magnetic QWERTY keyboard are ideal not just for editing Microsoft Office documents, but also for enjoying leisure time. Users can watch videos, browse the web, use instant Outlook push e-mail, synchronize their contacts, tasks and calendar, and navigate anywhere with inbuilt GPS and TomTom NAVIGATOR 6.

Offering a complete package of connectivity, the HTC Advantage™ offers a wide variety of Wireless connectivity options such as Tri-band HSPDA, Wi-Fi® and stereo Bluetooth® 2.0 connectivity.

The updated HTC Advantage™ will be available in March in select countries across Europe.

HTC Advantage (X7510) Specification:

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, HTC, HTC X7510, HTC Advantage]

HTC announce the P3470 budget GPS Smartphone

Looking for a badget GPS-enabled Windows Mobile device? Then the new HTC device, just announced at MWC could be just what you need!

HTC P3470

HTC P3470 brings an affordable GPS, Feature-rich Touchscreen phone to the masses

Using TomTom Navigator 6, the HTC P3470 delivers detailed maps and direct to contact navigation

BARCELONA — February 11, 2008 — HTC Corp. (TAIEX: 2498; “HTC”), the world’s leading provider of Microsoft Windows Mobile® smart devices, today announced the European launch of the HTC P3470, the latest member of the HTC product portfolio. Combining a lightweight design, large screen, sat-nav software and strong battery life, the P3470 sets a new standard in affordable smartphone, GPS-based devices.

At just 108mm tall, the HTC P3470 offers unbeatable value as one of the most compact devices in HTC’s portfolio, featuring a broad range of functionality that today’s consumers desire. The HTC P3470™ enables an easy to use and simple interface for accessing web pages, documents, messages, contact lists and more.

Smart, simple and easy to use, TomTom Navigator 6 is the best sat-nav solution for your PDA or mobile phone. The intuitive interface, crystal clear instructions and easy call handling make it the ideal navigation partner for the P3470. The touch interface and large 2.8in screen ensure the AGPS-enabled sat-nav is easy to use, and the HTC P3470 is truly mobile thanks to the long battery life. The HTC P3470 also includes a 1GB Micro SD card for mapping and other data storage.

“The HTC P3470 integrates GPS-location into an innovative and high-powered phone that brings location-based experiences to customers looking for power and affordability,” said Florian Seiche, Vice President, HTC Europe. “We are very pleased to announce this addition to the product portfolio, continuing our commitment to provide an option for every user.”

Availability

The HTC P3470™ will be available to customers across Europe later this month.

The first pan-European operator partner to take the HTC version of the device will be Orange which will launch the P3470 in the UK, France, Spain and the Netherlands. Price: 449 euros

HTC P3470 specification:

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, HTC, HTC P3470, GPS]

Sony Ericsson join the Windows Mobile party

Mobile World Congress kicks off today and already news is flooding out all over the place!

Sony Ericsson have just announced that they are entering the Windows Mobile market with their new XPERIA mobile devices, starting out with the X1.

The X1 is a very cool looking and well spec’ed device, take a look at the press release from Sony Ericsson below.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1

Today marked the launch of XPERIA™ and a new era in mobile communications with the announcement of the XPERIA™ X1, a stand-out, arc slider phone from Sony Ericsson designed to address the growing need for a premium, converged mobile experience.

The XPERIATM X1 combines a 3-inch clear wide VGA display and a full QWERTY keyboard within a quality metal-finish body. With Windows Mobile® inside, the XPERIA™ X1 lets you choose from a dynamic range of activities at anytime and anywhere; from enjoying your favourite entertainment content to working efficiently on-the-move. Access a world of experiences simply by touching the XPERIA™ panel on the screen.

“XPERIA™ represents the first brand that is truly borne from within Sony Ericsson. It represents our vision for a premium, energised communication experience,” said Dee Dutta, Head of Marketing, Sony Ericsson. “This launch, and the announcement of the X1, further strengthens the overall Sony Ericsson brand and places us at the forefront of mobile convergence.”

“Our vision for the XPERIA™ X1 is to deliver a seamless blend of mobile Web communication and multimedia entertainment within a distinctive design,” said Rikko Sakaguchi, Head of Portfolio and Propositions, Sony Ericsson. “XPERIA™ is our promise to think foremost of user experience and to deliver the premium experience – anytime, anywhere, anything, with anyone.”

Sony Ericsson XPERIATM X1 – energised communication, the premium experience.

Multiple navigation – the choice is yours XPERIA™ X1 lets you interact with your phone in different ways. Touch, full QWERTY keyboard, 4-way key and optical joystick navigation. Switch seamlessly between operation modes.

Arc slider design – makes it stand out. The arc design gives a distinct and unique feel. Slide the screen upwards to reveal the wide pitch QWERTY keyboard. Ample distance between keys makes writing fast and easy.

Ultimate mobile experience – performance on the move. With Windows Mobile®, the highest data transfer rate (HSDPA/HSUPA) and WiFi™ support, you can enjoy your favourite entertainment and work efficiently on the move. Mobile access to everything that is important to you. aGPS gives you the freedom to explore the world. XPERIA™ X1 is a premium mobile experience.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, XPERIA, Sony Ericsson]

Asus M930 pre-order

The folks at Clove just dropped me a line to tell me that another great Asus product is now available for pre-order. This time it’s the elegant looking Asus M930.

Asus M930

The M930 looks similar to the Nokia N90 but instead includes Windows Mobile 6 rather than Symbian OS.

The Asus M930 is your office on-the-go that’s high on class and style, and full of connectivity options and features. Boasting a full QWERTY keyboard and an ultra-wide screen, the M930 offers ease and efficiency of use.

The M930 has a stylish design, elegant screens with mirror reflective surface and sleek metal keys. A key design feature is the ergonomic free-stop flipping hinge that effortlessly fixes to any position and angle you prefer. When closed, the M930 offers great carrying ease with its compact body and slim side profile.

The Asus M930 benefits from a full QWERTY keyboard in a neat, narrow design, offering intuitive input that’s fast, easy and natural. Every character is in its rightful place, and speeds up everything from documents and presentations to emails and messaging. In addition, the M930 offers another input option with its numeric keypad for one-handed convenience.

The M930’s 2.6″ WQVGA landscape display makes the day-to-day content browsing, reading and writing of documents and messages that much easier on the eyes. With the ultra-wide screen and embedded webcam, you can enjoy enhanced Video Telephony with a wider, clearer and more detailed view.

Wireless connectivity is a strong feature of the ASUS M930 with GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSDPA, Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi, you can enjoy faster downloads of documents, videos and MP3s with 3.5G high speed data transfers.

With the M930, you are assured of instant Internet access even in areas without Wi-Fi coverage. With the Quick Modem Setting, your M930 becomes a 3.5G modem in one quick step!

Asus M930 specification:

More details, including datasheets and posters can be found on Asus M930 pre order page on the Clove Technology site.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Windows Mobile blog, Asus M930, Laptop, Tracy & Matt]

T-Mobile Launches the MDA Touch Plus

Obviously, we have been coving the popular HTC Touch Dual for a while now and I know that many of you out there have been eagerly awaiting the UK launch of the T-Mobile version, the MDA Touch Plus.

The good news is that the Touch Plus has finally arrived here in the UK and you can head over to the T-Mobile shop and place your order!

T-Mobile MDA Touch Plus

From the press release:

T-Mobile announces the hotly anticipated MDA Touch Plus in the UK. Featuring a new slender design with a large touch screen and sliding keyboard, the MDA Touch Plus is packed with the latest technologies to enable users to send emails, surf the Internet, listen to their favourite tunes and catch up with the latest TV programmes on the move.

Combining an innovative TouchFlo screen with a handy slide-out keyboard, the device is stylishly designed to provide one of the best user experiences on the market. Navigation through emails, web pages, music and images has never been easier.

Coupled with T-Mobile’s latest web’n’walk service and super-fast HSDPA mobile broadband technology, the MDA Touch Plus is set to provide a complete and personalised mobile surfing experience, as users will be able to explore any site on the Internet as they would on their PC. Not only this, but people will be able to watch a range of TV channels on the handset, from Sky Sports to MTV. Perfect for people who need to stay in touch with their colleagues, friends and family, the MDA Touch Plus also offers fast and simple access to emails on the move.

There is also no need to carry around an MP3 player or digital camera, as the handset has these built-in. The 2 mega-pixel camera is ideal for people who want to zoom in and take photos or shoot films wherever they are, as well as editing images, creating slideshows and viewing favourite images at the touch of a finger. The front facing VGA camera is perfect for making video calls and the handset also comes with stereo Bluetooth functionality to give users a greater choice of how they listen to their music on the move. The MDA Touch Plus is also fully compatible with the CoPilot Live satellite navigation system – an ideal extra for busy people on the road.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, HTC Touch Dual, T-Mobile, MDA Touch Plus]

Will Microsoft buy Yahoo?

Microsoft has offered to buy the search engine company Yahoo for $44.6bn (£22.4bn) in cash and shares.

The offer, contained in a letter to Yahoo’s board, is 62% above Yahoo’s closing share price on Thursday.

Yahoo cut its revenue forecasts earlier this week and said it would have to spend an additional $300m this year trying to revive the company.

It has been struggling in recent years to compete with Google, which has also been a competitor to Microsoft.

According to its letter to Yahoo, Microsoft attempted to enter talks about a deal a year ago, but was rebuffed because Yahoo was confident about the “potential upside” presented by the reorganisation and operational activities that were being put in place at the time.

So what are your thoughts on this? Will a Microsoft/Yahoo partnership be a good or bad thing for the average internet user or do you think that such a move will only make Microsoft into a bigger monster?

Posted by: Simon

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Microsoft, Yahoo]

JCB Toughphone

Ok, perhaps this isn’t something that I would normally post about but I thought that the new JCB Toughphone was worth a mention and here’s why.

If you look after the mobile phone account for a business, as I do, I’m sure there will be a few people in the organisation that for some reason just cant look after their phones and seem to break them every other week. Or have you been asked by someone to “get Bob a phone that’s robust cos he’s working on a building site so it needs to last”.

If the above rings any bells with you then perhaps the new JCB Toughphone is the answer.

JCB Toughphone

The specification may seem a little basic, especially when compared to some of the phones we review on t&m but the JCB Toughphone is an incredibly rugged mobile phone which has been designed to work in the most challenging of environments. The Toughphone has been awarded the IP53 rating that makes it one to reckon with – being shock, dust, water and drop resistant as well as operational from -20 degrees C to +60 degrees C. In addition , the no quibble 3-year warranty, scratch resistant screen and high powered speakers combine to make this the most durable phone ever created.

The JCB TOUGHPHONE is built for anyone who requires equipment they can depend on, ideal for construction workers, lorry drivers, farmers and foremen. Equally, the JCB TOUGHPHONE is perfect for anyone with an active lifestyle who requires a mobile phone that can take a few knocks.

So next time I’m asked to provide someone with a ‘builders phone’ we may well be taking a look at the JCB Toughphone!

The JCB Toughphone is available now from eXpansys.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Windows Mobile blog, expansys, JCB, ToughPhone, Tracy & Matt]

VITO Technology updates FunContact

VITO Technology releases a new version of FunContact.

VITO FunContact

From the press release:

The new version of the contact manager loads in the twinkling of an eye. Managing contacts has become faster and still much fun! Minor bugs have been fixed.

Along with finger friendly touch oriented interface like on iPhone FunContact has other awesome features up its sleeve that turn Windows Mobile contact management into real FUN: quick access to list of favorite contacts quick access to call history instant finger scroll with alphabetic ruler keypad for dialing and T9 contacts look up built-in contacts editing sparkling graphics, smooth navigation, animated menus and big onscreen buttons
There’s been a definite call from FunContact users to speed up initial start of FunContact.

The new version of FunContact starts about 8 times quicker! Memory usage has also been optimized. Now you can have FunContact running safely in background without having to worry how much memory is left for other applications.

Another new feature allows you to add a new contact or update an existing contact with a new number right from the call log.

Lefthanders will be surprised to see the alphabetic ruler appearing on the left side of the screen. It used to appear only on the right side of the screen and lefthanders could not see the big letter in the center of the screen while sliding the ruler for quick contact look-up.

In addition, minor bugs have been fixed. Contact sorting is saved alright even if you exit FunContact. The pretty Korean girl that appeared as default photo for all contacts is gone.

FunContact is available for $19.95 at http://iWindowsMobile.com. Current users upgrade for free.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, VITO Technology, VITO FunContact, Tracy & Matt]

Samsung i780 appears on Orange

It’s been a while since Orange released a truly new and interesting Smartphone so I was pleased to discover the Samsung i780 on the Orange website.

Samsung i780

The Samsung i780 builds upon the success of the Blackjack and Blackjack 2 and certainly has a similar look to it, but where the i780 differs is in the screen department. The i780 has a 320×320 pixel touchscreen as well as smartphone style navigation buttons and also has built in GPS. Naturally the i780 has is Windows Mobile 6 professional powered.

With Windows Mobile® 6 and a range of other features to help you stay organised and in touch on the move, the Samsung i780 is the perfect mobile business companion.

Add in a touchscreen for quick and easy scrolling, a QWERTY keyboard, an optical mouse and a bright 320 by 320 pixel, 65,000 colour display and you have a handset that’s been designed for business from the word go.

Samsung i780 specification:

Take a look at the Samsung i780 page on the Orange website.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Samsung, i780]