Home screen Expose Concept by iPhone

We get the strangest e-mails in the MobileCrunch tips line. Sometimes people will write in to tell us about their day, using us as an archaic, vacuum-esque livejournal. Other times (and quite often), internet newbies fail to realize this isn’t a store, and ask us when we’ll have such and such item in stock. Less often, we’ll get random little gems of self-created goodness that I’m never quite sure what to do with; they’re not news, per se, but they’re still rather interesting.
Such is the case with this concept video (after the jump) from Swedish design house Ocean Observations. It looks rather flashy and neat, but I’m left wondering: would anyone use it?

It’s like OS X’s Expose feature, tweaked for iPhone app screens. Tap the home button, and up to 9 pages of homescreen are shown in a grid. Tapping any of the displayed pages will jump you directly to that page, allowing you to skip from page 1 to page 8 without swiping 7 times. If Apple provided this as one of the home button behavior alternatives, would you use this? It seems to me like the primary use would be launching a specific app; if that’s the case, why not just use search – which can already be tied to the home button?

 ◘ Source ►TechCrunch

HTC-Leo or HTC HD 2 !

The buzz word in the portable space appears to be HD at the moment, with the latest bandwagon member being HTC and its HD 2 (formerly known as the HTC Leo, maybe).

The Leo—sorry, HD 2—if you'll remember, was that big and beautiful handset that was saw earlier this month. The 4.3-inch screen was impressive, but so too was HTC's ability to work around Windows Mobile's lack of support for multitouch capacitive screens.This latest reveal/leak allegedly shows that HTC had second thoughts about a mini-USB connector, as this version, if the real deal, now sports a micro-USB.

Battery life was rated at 1200Mha, and the name change for the phone, HD 2, was discovered while snooping around in the Bluetooth settings.

☼Source ►Gizmodo

Palm Centro Smartphone-Sold one million.

Palm announced that it has sold its one-millionth Palm Centro smartphone, demonstrating the $99 product's mass appeal to customers ready to get all the power of a smartphone at the price of a traditional mobile phone. Palm is now shipping Centro in 10 countries worldwide, including Hong Kong, Singapore, India, the UK, Germany, Spain, Ireland, France and Italy, and its already-rapid momentum is set to grow as Palm debuts the product in additional countries around the globe.
"The Palm Centro is flying off the shelves because users who want to step up to a smartphone see it as the perfect first choice," said Brodie Keast, senior vice president of marketing for Palm, Inc. "It has everything a person needs to stay organized and connected with everyone who is important to them. We're very excited about the Centro's near-instant popularity in the U.S. and think it's going to be a huge hit as it continues to make its way across the globe."
First introduced in the United States last September exclusively with Sprint, and more recently introduced on AT&T in February, the fully featured Centro smartphone is available from both carriers for $99.99.(1) Centro has reached more young adults and women, as well as a broader range of household income, than any prior Palm smartphone. It offers customers an affordable, simple and fun option for staying connected and doing more with their mobile phones.(2)
"Smartphones are certainly not new to business professionals; however, now more than ever we are seeing consumers migrate toward these types of devices as form factors have become more appealing and price points are now competing with traditional mobile phones," said Ryan Reith, senior research analyst with IDC. "Palm's Centro plays right into the hands of the consumer looking for a more robust experience on their mobile phone. We definitely expect to see this trend continue worldwide."
Increasingly, consumers are making the shift from traditional mobile phones to smartphones, motivated by the desire to do more with their phones and the arrival of lower-cost devices. Smartphones accounted for 11 percent of all mobile phone sales in 2007 in the United States, and this is expected to increase to 35 percent by 2011.(3) A recent Palm survey of Centro customers highlighted this trend, indicating that 70 percent are first-time smartphone users. When compared to other Palm smartphones, Centro also is reaching almost double the number of women, more than double the number of customers under age 35, and nearly three times as many customers with a household income of less than $75,000.
Centro's full QWERTY keyboard and color touch screen make it easy to quickly type text messages, respond to emails, start instant message conversations, browse the web and more. It offers all of the great organizer functionality for which Palm is renowned, such as a detailed and integrated contacts list and a simple and handy calendar for juggling business meetings and get-togethers with friends.

Palm Treo Pro

Palm introduced Treo Pro, an effortlessly usable smartphone for businesses that want to simplify their IT infrastructures and lower costs, and for users who want to stay on top of their professional and personal lives.

With its streamlined design and Palm® shortcuts layered on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, Treo Pro is a unique combination of sleek simplicity and robust productivity -- including email, Wi-Fi and GPS capabilities(1) -- that meets the needs of businesses and end users alike.

Treo Pro, which will be available from Vodafone and O2 in Europe(2) and from Telstra in Australia, also will be available in an unlocked version in the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific.

“Businesses want the control and savings that Windows Mobile affords, in an innovative and elegant package that keeps their users happy. That’s where Palm comes in,” said Ed Colligan, president and chief executive officer, Palm, Inc. “Everything about Treo Pro -- from the hardware design to the packaging and accessories – embodies the elegant and simplified end-to-end experience that our customers expect from Palm.”
The Treo Pro smartphone lets IT managers support an increasingly mobile work force with the ease of use and robust feature set business professionals demand. Besides the benefits of lower costs and increased productivity, Treo Pro can deliver the increased security, easier device management and access to information on the corporate network that Windows Mobile 6.1 provides.
Users can quickly respond to business and personal email, access the web, stay on top of appointments and contacts, and use Wi-Fi or GPS on the go.(1) Treo Pro’s thin design blends a flush, high-resolution color touch screen and a full QWERTY keyboard with a removable battery that packs up to five hours of talk time and enough strength for the business user’s needs, offering a powerful yet effortless mobile experience.
“I’m really happy with Treo Pro -- it’s a technology leap from a device design and capability standpoint, enhancing Palm’s presence in the Windows Mobile realm,” said Wasif Malik, senior systems consultant, Student Educational Services & Mobile Solutions, Ohio State University Medical Center. “It’s cleverly designed for Windows Mobile, with a large touch screen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and all the productivity applications for Windows Mobile 6 in a much thinner design.”
Palm Experience on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
The Treo Pro smartphone, based on the popular Windows Mobile platform, helps optimize business processes by effortlessly mobilizing users with enhancements to the Windows Mobile 6.1 platform, including:
* One-touch Wi-Fi button -- Easy, fast Wi-Fi connection experience (802.11b/g).(1)
* Today screen enhancements -- Web search directly from the Today screen.
* Ringer switch -- Silences the device immediately.
* Screen saver -- Lets users know at a glance – without turning on the device – what time it is and whether they’ve missed a call or have a new SMS/MMS message.
* New voicemail indicator -- The center button flashes to let users know that a voicemail is waiting.(3)
* Dedicated email and calendar buttons -- Fast one-button access.
“Windows Mobile is delivering mobile solutions that help businesses address the changing competitive landscape,” said Andrew Lees, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Mobile Communications Business. “The Treo Pro smartphone brings together a powerful combination of Palm’s feature innovations and Windows Mobile 6.1, providing access to the information people need when away from the office.”
Lower Costs, Increased Productivity
With Treo Pro, businesses can quickly and easily deploy a secure, low-cost and compatible infrastructure for their mobile workforce by taking advantage of a tightly integrated Palm and Windows Mobile 6.1 solution, including:
* Microsoft Direct Push Technology(4) -- Direct connection to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 SP2 or 2007 gives users up-to-date email, contacts and calendars.
* Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 -- With the deployment of Mobile Device Manager, the Treo Pro can deliver increased security, easier smartphone management, and access to information on the corporate network. IT professionals can confidently manage large Treo Pro deployments.
* Thousands of applications available for Windows Mobile -- Businesses can extend mobility beyond email to optimize business processes.
* World phone -- With high-speed UMTS/HSDPA network capabilities(5), Treo Pro is a sleek world phone that’s ideal for companies with an international work force.
* Integrated GPS -- Users can access maps, turn-by-turn directions and point-of-interest (POI) searches.(1)
* Support and training -- Palm shortcuts make Treo Pro so easy to use, businesses can spend less on training and support for their users. End-to-end enterprise support means companies can expand the scope of their mobile deployments without putting a strain on internal support personnel.
* Familiar Windows experience -- Users can browse the web with built-in Internet Explorer Mobile; open, view, and edit Word and Excel compatible files; review PowerPoint presentations and PDF files; and open ZIP files remotely.
Pricing and Availability
Treo Pro will be available in September in Europe(2) through Vodafone (from free to €399 with contract) and O2 (pricing is available from O2 direct sales and online business stores), and in Australia through Telstra (from free with contract). It will be available in the United States in the fall through the Palm online store (http://www.palm.com/store) as well as select Internet, retail and enterprise resellers for a suggested retail price of $549. The U.S. version is unlocked and unsubsidized, giving end users the flexibility to simply insert their existing active SIM card and immediately start using their Treo Pro without a new contract.
Detailed regional pricing is available from local resellers and distributors. Additional Treo Pro availability is scheduled to follow worldwide.
The Treo Pro smartphone comes with an international power charger, microUSB cable and a stereo headset (3.5mm). Other accessories designed exclusively for Treo Pro (sold separately) include a vehicle power charger, leather side case, travel microUSB cable, cradle, extra battery, TTY audio adapter, and replacement styli.
(1) Within wireless coverage area only. Wi-Fi within range of 802.11b/g Wi-Fi network. Some Wi-Fi hotspots require fee for usage. Email, web, and GPS require an account and data services at additional cost. GPS application not available from all carriers. Third-party software may be required. GPS coverage not available in all areas at all times.
(2) Treo Pro will be available from Vodafone in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, and from O2 in the UK and Ireland.
(3) Within wireless coverage area only. Not available by all mobile service providers.
(4) Microsoft Direct Push Technology requires Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 with SP2 or Exchange Server 2007. Additional fees and software may be needed to comply with corporate IT policy. VPN may be required.
(5) More than 860 GSM networks provide coverage in 220 regions worldwide. Within UMTS/HSDPA data coverage area only. Actual data speeds vary based on network capacity and application design. Requires data services at additional cost.

HTC Mobile-HTC Touch2

 HTC have announced the HTC Touch2, which is a one of the first smart phones to run on Windows Mobile 6.5. Windows Mobile 6.5 enables the HTC Touch2 to utilize new services such as Microsoft My Phone and Windows Marketplace on their mobile.

It goes without saying that the HTC Touch2 is a full 3G touch-screen mobile. The Touch2 sports a compact design, ensuring it’s easy to hold and fit in your pocket or handbag.

The HTC Touch2 includes new HTC functionality such as TouchFLO, which is a new user interface featuring integrated weather updates and quick access to popular applications.

Windows Mobile 6.5 gives the HTC Touch2 award winning e-mail functionality with can easily be synced with Microsoft Exchange on your PC, as well as enabling multiple email account support.

The newly improved Internet Explorer Mobile enables all “PC” websites to be accurately display on the HTC Touch2. The new zoom bar enables text to be displayed at its optimum size while the pan and zoom functions ensure all content is displayed in the most user-friendly manner. The mobile browser also supports Flash, enabling all those flash videos and Youtube to run flawlessly.

The HTC Touch2 also comes with Google Maps and Youtube pre-loaded for easy navigation and video playback.

The HTC Touch2 features Windows Marketplace support, which means that applications can easily be downloaded to your mobile. Microsoft MyPhone is also supported making backup for music, email, contact and messages free and easy!

The HTC Touch2 will be available from October 6th in Europe

HTC Touch2 Specification

Model	HTC Touch2 (T3333)
Processor	Qualcomm® MSM7225™, 528 MHz
Operating System	Windows Mobile® 6.5 Professional
Memory	ROM: 512 MB RAM: 256 MB
Dimensions (LxWxT)	104 X 55 X 12.9 mm (4.1 X 2.16 X 0.51 inches)
Weight	110 grams (4 ounces) with battery
Display	2.8-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with QVGA resolution
Network	HSPA/WCDMA: Europe/Asia: 900/2100 MHz Up to 384 kbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: Europe/Asia: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz (Band frequency and data speed are operator dependent.)
Device Control	Zoom bar
GPS	Internal GPS antenna
Connectivity	Bluetooth® 2.1 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for wireless stereo headsets Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g 3.5 mm audio jack HTC ExtUSB™ (11-pin mini-USB 2.0)
Camera	3.2 megapixel color camera with fixed focus
Audio supported formats	AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, QCP, MP3, WMA, WAV, MIDI, M4A
Video supported formats	WMV, ASF, MP4, 3GP, 3G2, M4V, AVI
Battery	Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery Capacity: 1100 mAh Talk time: Up to 370 minutes for WCDMA Up to 440 minutes for GSM Standby time: Up to 500 hours for WCDMA Up to 370 hours for GSM (The above are subject to network and phone usage.)
Expansion Slot	microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)
AC Adapter	Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240V AC, 50/60 Hz DC output: 5V and 1A

Samsung's latest mobile-Samsung Jet

Samsung Electronics unveiled the latest in mobile handset innovation, Samsung Jet, at a series of global launch events in London, Dubai and Singapore. Samsung Jet enjoys the benefits of both advanced features of a smartphone and easy-to-use user interface of a conventional mobile phone.

Samsung Jet is not a simply another full touch mobile phone; it brings a brand new concept of mobile phone to today’s consumers. ‘Smarter than a smartphone,’ Samsung Jet supports the latest smartphone features which include multi-task manager and Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, bringing user-friendly menu navigations in a sleek and compact design.

Samsung Jet boasts world firsts in both display technology and speed of performance. Its pioneering 16M WVGA AMOLED display (3.1”) offers the most vivid and colorful full touch mobile experience available; the WVGA AMOLED screen provides a resolution that is four times higher than a WQVGA screen. Its 800MHz application processor delivers breathtaking speed and stunning performance, making Jet the fastest full touch handset on the market today.

With its eye-catching brilliant screen, Samsung’s latest TouchWiz 2.0 user interface gives an unrivalled user experience and includes iconic new features such as motion UI, smart unlock, and customizable widget screen, which are all perfect for managing your life at work and at play.

Samsung’s Dolfin Internet browser is designed to let users surf the net and access popular websites, especially social networking sites, with ease and speed. The browser enhances the mobile Internet experience by allowing users to view up to five web pages simultaneously and bookmark their favorite websites as widgets on the phone’s homepage. A built in ad-blocker, multiple downloading and background downloading feature, and multi-purpose address field, further enhance the experience while Dolfin’s unique one finger zoom enables users to zoom in and out of web pages using only one hand.

JK Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of Mobile Communications division, Samsung Electronics, explained, “Samsung Jet provides a seamless and unrivalled mobile experience as a result of our accumulated technology leadership and pursuit of perfect craftsmanship. Our aim is to deliver ultimate satisfaction to our consumers and I believe that Samsung Jet answers the calls of today’s mobile users who want smart features and easy-to-use user interface. This product perfectly reflects our consumer-oriented strategy.”

Unlike many smartphones that sacrifice features for form factor, Samsung Jet packs all of these into a super sleek body and super cool frame. Samsung Jet also boasts a host of multimedia features including a 5 mega-pixel camera, built-in GPS, DNSe & SRS Sound Effect technology for superior sound quality, and DivX and XviD video support for hassle-free video downloading and viewing.

Samsung Jet launches today at ‘Samsung Mobile UNPACKED’ events in London, Dubai and Singapore. Featuring the latest in live technologies and entertainment, the events will provide an exciting hands-on experience with the new handset. The events will also mark the culmination of a global teaser campaign, where one lucky winner from each country will unpack a Samsung Jet ‘live’ for the first time. For more information, please visit http://press.samsungmobile.com.

Samsung Jet _ Specification
Network		EDGE/GPRS Class 12 (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) HSDPA 3.6Mbps (900, 2100 MHz)
Display		3.1” 16M WVGA AMOLED
Camera		5.0 Megapixel AF camera+ Dual Power LED Face Detection, Smile Shot, Panorama Shot, Blink Detection, Geo-tagging, Photo Editor
Video		D1 Video Playback/D1 30fps Video Recording MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV, DivX, XviD, Video Editor
Audio		Music Player with DNSe & SRS WOW Sound Effect Find Music, 3.5 Ear Jack, FM Radio/Recording MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, AMR, MIDI, SP-MIDI, i-melody, WAV, MMF, XMF, OMA DRM v2.1, WMDRM, DivX VOD
Value Added Features		In-house developed Dolfin Browser, WAP 2.0, One finger Zoom Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, Share Pix & Mobile Widget, A-GPS, On Board Navigation(3D Map), TouchWiz 2.0, Motion UI, Media Gate 3D, Multi-tasking Manager
Connectivity		Bluetooth® v2.1, microUSB (USB v2.0 Hi-Speed), Wi-Fi
Memory		2GB/8GB, External MicroSD slot (Up to 16GB)
Battery		1,100 mAh - Talk time : 2G/492 minutes, 3G/300 minutes - Standby : 2G/422 hours, 3G/406 hours
Size		108.8 x 53.5 x 11.9 mm

Background Information
SAMSUNG JET: ‘SMARTER THAN A SMARTPHONE’
Samsung Mobile is proud to launch the Samsung Jet - a high end innovation to mark a new chapter in full touch phones. Packed with features, Samsung Jet delivers the very best in power, speed and brilliance, all housed in a sleek and stylish design, to produce a unique touch experience.
Smart features with user-friendly interface
Samsung Jet’s innovative smartphone-like features take the handset to the realms of being ‘smarter than a smartphone.’ Opening up a whole new world of web experience, its high performance Dolfin web browser has been developed in-house and allows easy, super fast surfing. Samsung Jet also supports the option of multi-window browsing to surf several web pages simultaneously - up to five pages at any one time. Also, it allows for multi-window web browsing and for book marking widget to save your favorite websites.
Samsung Jet features a bespoke multi-tasking manager, making it little bit easier. In addition, the multiple background download, multi-purpose address field and ad-blocker ensure users only need to focus on what they really want to. Samsung Jet is the first feature phone to adopt the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync Email system, with a more convenient user interface as a result of more streamlined push-email for business users.
Breaking away from multi-touch zoom technology which requires the use of two fingers and two hands, Samsung Jet gives our consumers the ultimate in usability, portability and convenience through the brand-new concept -‘one finger zoom,’ which enables one hand operation to zoom in and out. One finger zoom can be used not only for the Internet browser, but also for Photo browser and file viewer to see TXT, PDF and PPT files in four times bigger size - all just with one finger tip while you’re on the move
An Ultra Brilliant Display with AMOLED
The Samsung Jet has a display which offers unrivalled quality and brilliance for its users. The 3.1” Samsung WVGA AMOLED display is four times sharper than a WQVGA screen. Samsung Jet’s screen provides stunning, super bright and vivid images in perfect natural colors, with the very best high resolution display for viewing multimedia on the go.
Samsung Jet’s ultra brilliant display has a 180° viewing angle, gives a super fast touch response and is also very efficient in its power consumption. Thanks to WVGA AMOLED technology, Samsung Jet consumes 40% less energy than a mobile phone equipped with TFT-LCD display.
The remarkable image quality transforms mobile content into amazing visuals. Thanks to the 480dpi brilliance in its WVGA AMOLED display, Samsung Jet provides a high quality multimedia experience, transforming mobile video into pure viewing pleasure.
Speedy Performance with an Accelerated Application Processor
Samsung Jet takes the meaning of performance in full touch mobile phones to another level with its revolutionary speed, which is all thanks to the 800MHz Accelerated Application Processor.
This sophisticated high performance processor is Jet’s secret to speed and versatility, integrating multiple applications into one marvelously seamless experience. Instant response from a 3D touch interface matches the speed of touch. The accelerated application processor can integrate various functions such as navigation and viewing, so users can access them all without usual lag time or blurred visuals that can disrupt the pleasure of the experience.
Intuitive Interaction with TouchWiz 2.0
To ensure the most hassle-free and pure experience for its user, Samsung Jet features TouchWiz 2.0 user interface (UI), an upgrade from previous TouchWiz user interfaces seen on the F480 (Tocco in UK) and other Samsung full touch mobiles. Building on the strong reputation of the interface of the F480, Samsung Jet houses an advanced TouchWiz 2.0, giving outstanding touch capability in online browsing and a powerful and responsive reaction.
Multiple applications run both seamlessly and simultaneously through the use of Jet’s powerful application processor, enabling users to dip in and out of the features as they wish. With its intuitive 3D media gate UI and motion-response UI, users can enjoy a dynamic, content-based experience.
The 3D media gate on Samsung Jet offers easy access to six key multimedia features, such as Photo album, Music player, Video player, FM Radio, Games and Internet, all simply accessed by rolling a six sided cube UI on the screen.
Samsung Jet features ‘motion gate,’ Samsung’s own motion recognition engine which brings you access to your multimedia favorites as well as speed dialing just by tapping, tilting or flipping the handset.
To enhance the usability in full touch screen, Samsung introduces ‘smart unlock,’ a feature which enables users to unlock the phone and execute the menu directly by drawing an alphabet letter on the screen. Users can set up the menu that they want to go to directly according to the alphabet letters from A to Z. The ‘smart unlock’ technology allows users to program their own, customized movements in order to operate the handset, bringing the ultimate in personalization.
Samsung Jet has an online widget function to access useful mobile applications and get live information such as weather, news and search engines by online widget downloading. There are more than 30 widgets already available on Samsung Jet and users can download more from the website. These include a personalization widget to adapt the screen layout and wallpaper.
A three-page main menu and three-page widget screen offer quick and easy application search and reuse.
Powerful, Fun and Easy to use Features
Samsung Jet also has an A-GPS application, to provide navigation services in life-like 3D, to convey real places, information and directions in real-time. This incorporates 3D Map Navigation, GPS on Google maps and location-Based Services. The GPS system features Geo-tagging, enabled through a Geomagnetic sensor to send location information and updates on traffic conditions by SMS, link location information to navigation, and a compass. Samsung Jet’s GPS application can run on ‘Drive to’ or ‘Walk to’ modes.
When it comes to music, Samsung Jet’s unique features give users the option to operate simultaneous playback audio and scroll through the phone’s music library with superb sound quality.
For video, the DVD-like video playback recording (with D1 Video Playback and D1 30fps Video Recording) enables seamless playback without residuals and the ability to instantly download and play DivX and Xvid formats without converting, resizing and lateration - all in HD-like quality on its brilliant AMOLED screen.

Should You Get the New iPhone 3GS?

The whole Internet, it seems, is currently fawning over the new iPhone 3GS. That's partially because the device seems to be a worthy upgrade to the iPhone 3G. (We're not sure we'd call it a successor, since it will be sold alongside the existing handset; it's more like choosing between the basic MacBook and the souped-up MacBook Pro.) We also lay responsibility for the hype, though, on the shoulders of one of our pet peeves -- the media's love affair with Apple.

At least one Web site refuses to swallow the story whole, though. The popular tech blog TechCrunch's M.G. Siegler recently wrote an opinion piece arguing that the iPhone 3GS might not be the best bet. But then again, he lays that blame squarely at the feet of AT&T, only backing up our argument that the media may love Apple a bit too much to give a fair assessment.


It's hard to argue with his logic, though. As Siegler points out, AT&T will not be subsidizing the price of the upgrade for existing iPhone 3G customers (as it did for the upgrade from the first-generation iPhone to the iPhone 3G). When the iPhone 3G launched, AT&T offered it for a single price, $199, to new subscribers and existing iPhone customers alike, regardless of whether or not their contracts were up for renewal. Not so with the iPhone 3G. If you jumped on the iPhone 3G last year, you'll have to either wait another year to get the discount, or pay face value for the 3GS ($399 for the 16-gigabyte version, or $499 for the 32-gigabyte). Of course, if you're new to the iPhone or AT&T, or if you bought the original iPhone back in 2007 and your contract is up for renewal, then you can get the new iPhone 3GS for the nice price of $199.

Even worse, AT&T has yet to lock up exclusivity of the Apple handset. Currently, the contract between the two companies is set to expire in 2010, though AT&T is trying to extend that through 2011. If it fails to do so, you can expect the iPhone to find its way onto other carriers pretty quickly. This means that Verizon fans just might want to wait a year before they sign up for a 2-year contract with AT&T just to get an iPhone (we're not promising anything, though).

Given these stumbling blocks, what's the point of upgrading to or buying the new iPhone 3GS? We've come up with a few pros and cons.

Why you should upgrade: The primary reason you might want to get the new iPhone 3GS is because it's the fastest iPhone so far. The current iPhone is sleek and fancy, but certainly not a speed demon. Many purely 2-D games stutter and freeze, and even basic tasks, such as opening a text message, can sometimes take up to 30 seconds. The iPhone 3GS packs a significantly faster processor, more RAM, and a new 3-D graphics processor capable of handling much more complex imagery (in other words, games will more realistic and run more smoothly). Game developers are loving this new processor, and you'll likely see a number of games hit the App Store that require the 3GS and won't run on older iPhones at all.

Then there are the other perks that come with the upgrade, like the upgraded camera with auto-white-balance, auto-focus, and video capabilities. Naturally, it won't replace your point-and-shoot, but it should finally bring the iPhone up to speed with most other feature phones. And don't forget the digital compass, which may not sound like a major feature, but will make finding your way using the included Google Maps app much easier.


Why you shouldn't upgrade: Besides the pricing issues described above, the iPhone 3GS isn't such a big leap forward in technology that current 3G owners will be driven to assaulting those eligible for the upgrade. The move to 7.2 Mbps HSDPA (double the download speed of the current iPhone 3G) is only useful in areas where AT&T will actually upgrade its network (no specific areas or time frame have been announced), and if you can keep a 3G signal for longer than two minutes. AT&T's service is almost universally panned, and is notoriously spotty in many major metropolitan areas.We can tell you that coverage in New York City (where the Switched offices are located) is infuriatingly inconsistent and often slow.

Also, if you already on an iPhone, then many of the benefits of the iPhone 3.0 software update -- cut-and-pasting ability, MMS, a landscape keyboard for all apps, and turn-by-turn directions using the GPS -- will come to you in the way of an automatic software download and installation.

Bottom line: For users of the first gen iPhone -- or some other aging handset, like (gasp) the RAZR -- the iPhone 3GS might be a worthwhile upgrade. Ditto those who don't own iPhones at all, as $199 is a competitive price for a pretty advanced smartphone, and it's simply the best for watching video and listening to music on the go (especially if you already use iTunes). Make sure to check with other AT&T customers in your area to find out about 3G coverage if you're planning on doing a lot of Web surfing or like to use apps that need a Web connection, though. Another option, if you're a first-gen iPhone owner, is an upgrade to the standard iPhone 3G, which AT&T will be selling for $99 with a two-year contract. The 3G is still a capable handset, and more advanced than most other phones at that price point, which often lack touch screens, and can't match the iPhone's Web browser or catalog of applications. We expect Google, BlackBerry, Palm, and Microsoft to slip into panic mode any day now.

Our advice if you're a current iPhone 3G customer? Wait. The smart phone market is changing so quickly you may regret dropping $399 on phone just because you're impatient. Besides, you have another year left on your contract to see where the burgeoning smartphone market is going. . Android, Google's fledgling smart phone OS, is just starting to come into its own, Palm is experiencing a resurgence, Windows Mobile will be getting a major update in the next year, and BlackBerry is not resting on its laurels either.

In other words we're just now entering the golden age of affordable and advanced smartphones, iPhone 3G owners, so sit back, check out the new releases, save your money, and revisit this decision again in a year.

HTC Hero

We're going to need some real time with the device to make a final opinion, but we're cautiously optimistic that HTC has a winner with its new Hero. Here's what we've got from our first looks at the phone in London and NY:

* The beveled edges along the back makes the handset sit comfortably in the hand, and while the teflon coat doesn't necessarily feel revolutionary, it's going to make a world of difference after a couple of months riding in our grubby pockets. It's certainly solid, but much more so than other "brick" phones.
* The Sense UI (or as HTC terms it, "user experience") riding a capacitive touchscreen offers a people-centric approach to managing your information that is absolutely dreamy at first blush -- though it shares a lot of TouchFLO heritage. In fact, HTC promises to have a very similar Sense-branded experience for Windows Mobile.
* The on-screen keyboard also seems quite useable with a nice simulated haptic forced-feedback bounce when you strike each key in either landscape or portrait mode (which can naturally be deactivated). HTC has built its own touch keyboard from the ground up, and in our brief couple of tests we'd say it's probably the best touchscreen typing experience we've ever felt. It never lags behind, and has great colorful visual cues for its auto-corrected words -- green means it's suggesting a correctly spelled word, red means we've gone off the beaten path, and the T9-style multiple suggestions are heavenly.
* This intuitive one-hander isn't shy with the specs either as we've already seen in the official press release. Our only concern is possible sluggishness from the Qualcomm processor that cause the graphic transitions to stutter a bit and results in screen rotations that feel dangerously uncomfortable.
* We were told that the device we saw was running pre-production firmware so there's still time to tweak -- though not much with a July European launch.
* The Hero is not a "Google Experience" device. As such, you won't find the Google logo anywhere (no big deal) but you also won't be downloading any firmware updates over the air -- sideloading only kids. Not a deal breaker but an annoying and seemingly arbitrary limitation nonetheless. There's still a small lack of clarity of how updates will work with HTC's "mods" living on top of basic Android -- even if they're able to port in new Android versions seamlessly, we imagine there will be some breakage.
* For a device without a physical keyboard, the Hero seems a little thick up against its HTC Magic, Nokia N97, and iPhone 3G counterparts, but not overly so.
* HTC has confirmed that whichever (unspecified) carrier gets the phone in the US will have a modified version, both in software (carrier-specific services) and in hardware chassis tweaks. Just don't take our teflon away, ok HTC?
* Battery is the same larger slab that's in the myTouch, and HTC also claims to have done some vague, unspecified things OS-side to improve battery life as well. "Heavy users will be able to get through a day."
* The camera is responsive and seems to do a fine job at autofocus, but wasn't astonishingly great at first glance.
* The phone will be available for free on T-Mobile UK -- if only we could be so subsidy lucky in the US.

There are four videos for you after the break. The first shows Flash running at full screen on the HTC Hero courtesy of YouTube. The second, however, shows it failing when running a trailer from Yahoo Movies, just like Adobe did -- in fact, it crashed all four times that we tried it on what we were told was a Hero running the final build of the OS. Third one is a quickie showing the on-screen keyboard rotating from portrait to landscape and back. Lastly, we demonstrate the hardware a little bit and show off our lightning speed at typing. For the real completists, there's also a new gallery of hands-on shots from the NY launch event right below.

Toshiba TG01

Style & Handling Summary

A good looking device with a minimalist design and an attractive WVGA touch-screen that dominates the front of the handset.


User Friendliness Summary

The TG01 is seriously lacking in terms of usability, with a clunky user interface, an unresponsive touch-screen and oversights in hardware finish.


Feature Set Summary

Toshiba’s device is lacking any kind of standout feature and setting up new applications is a long-winded process. It fails to compete with other hero handsets, most of which are far superior in terms of features.


Performance Summary

The TG01 is able to find and connect to Wi-Fi hotspots quickly, but the overall internet experience was glitch-ridden and the touch-screen’s lack of responsiveness was incredibly frustrating.


Battery Power Summary

On the plus side, battery life was above average.


The Verdict

A highly disappointing release from Toshiba, especially considering the hype surrounding its launch. It might look nice, but there’s not much else on offer.

12 Megapixel Camera Phone, the latest release from Samsung

Samsung was the first to release the 8 Megapixel camera phone. Continuing the trend, Samsung is again the first to announce and launch its 12 Megapixel handset at Mobile World Congress 2009. Samsung is planning for the mass production of this latest 12 Megapixel handset before the end of February with its release in Europe first.

The Samsung’s 12 Megapixel camera phone, dubbed as the Pixon 12 (M8910) is featured with an AMOLED touchscreen display of 3.1 inches and a resolution of 720 x 480. Other specifications being its internal memory of 150MB, a microSD slot, FM radio with RDS, GSM / GPRS / EDGE, HSPA and GPS. As the reviews, the most attractive art of the phone is its integrated 12 Megapixel camera with 4000 x 3000 pixels, 28mm wide lens, xenon flash, Power LED flash and autofocus technology.

You can easily capture, browse and share your images on the brilliantly featured full-touch screen display. The Samsung Pixon 12 has an integrated and dedicated Camera Power Key, which offers you with one-touch feature for faster accessing of the camera. Just like any other advance digital camera of today, the Samsung Pixon 12 helps in aiming, snapping and capturing of images equally faster. It also offers fast saving of the image so that you can move on to the next shot within 2 seconds. The phone is also equipped with an internal memory of 150MB along with microSD card slot.

Measuring 108 x 53 x 13.8 mm in dimension, the new Samsung Pixon M8910 weighs approximately 120 grams. The phone supports video formats such as DivX, XviD, H.263, H.264, WMV and MP4. The supported audio formats are MP3, eAAC+, WMA and AMR. Although the phone has been set for its launch in Europe in June and other parts of the world by August. However, there’s still no news of the pricing yet.

HTC Touch Diamond2

The good:::


The HTC Touch Diamond2 boasts a sleek design with a larger and sharper display than its predecessor. The enhanced TouchFlo interface makes navigation easier. The Windows Mobile smartphone also features Wi-Fi, GPS, a 5-megapixel camera, and good general performance.


































The bad:::

No U.S. 3G support yet. The onscreen keyboard is a bit cramped and the smartphone lacks a standard headphone jack. Call quality could be better.

The bottom line:::

The HTC Touch Diamond2 brings some notable improvements over its predecessor and promises to be a powerful touch-screen smartphone when it finally arrives in the U.S.

HTC touch magic

Full Review and Specification for the HTC Magic:::


With an influx of Google Android phones on the horizon, the hype that surrounds these portals to the open application market may die down quickly. Thankfully, we’re still caught up in this wave of excitement, and that’s because the second Android phone has landed.


































Look and feel:::



The HTC Magic will inevitably draw comparisons to the T-Mobile G1, as not only are they both Android devices, but they are both made by HTC and as such sport more than the occasional similarity. That said, the Magic is far more svelte than the G1 without a slide-out QWERTY keyboard adding to its weight.

There’s still the protruding cusp at the end of the device. On the G1 we assumed it was to help accommodate the hinge required for the slide-out keyboard but, due to the lack of aforementioned keyboard, we can only assume that it is now a kind of calling card for all of HTC’s Android devices. The ivory white hardware certainly affords it a striking look, but it is unlikely to be to everyone’s taste.

The 3.2-inch screen (the same size as the G1) dominates the fascia, while below are six solitary keys that sit either side of a trackball, which is reminiscent of that found on a BlackBerry. From left to right, these buttons are the home key, which will take you back to your home screen at any time, the menu key, which will bring up a list of options depending on the feature or functionality you’re currently in, the back key and the Google Search key (symbolised by a magnifying glass), with the call and call end keys lying below them. Although the buttons are not particularly raised they felt good under the thumbs, as did the trackball, which provides a genuine alternative to navigating via the touch-screen.


Android 1.5 OS:::



Google has upgraded its operating system to 1.5, also known as the ‘cupcake’, and this makes for an improved touch-screen experience. It’s a capacitive screen that, without getting too technical, senses electrons from your fingers and allows you to lightly swipe across the screen, whereas a resistive screen requires you to actually press down. It feels and looks slick and contributes to a hugely enjoyable user experience.

The HTC Magic has three home screens that can be switched simply by swiping your finger horizontally across the screen. The beauty of having three home screens is that you can choose to keep various applications or contacts separate from each other. For example, use one screen for all of your business apps, another for your music and video files and the third for all your downloaded applications. To customise each home screen, simply pull up the main menu via a tab found at the bottom of the screen, press and hold the icon you want until you feel a short vibration and then drag and drop it onto your chosen screen. To remove an icon or shortcut from the home screen, repeat the same process but drop it on the menu tab, which automatically transforms into a virtual dustbin.

As there is no actual keyboard, any text or numbers must be input via the virtual keyboard. Any time you touch a text field this keyboard will automatically appear. The process works flawlessly, but we did feel the keyboard was a little cramped when in portrait mode, so the thicker thumbed may find themselves hitting the wrong key on occasions. Thankfully, the Magic is equipped with an excellent accelerometer that transforms the screen into landscape mode when held horizontally. Due to the width of the screen, the keyboard is far roomier in this mode and thus easier to type. You can also switch on haptic feedback that will give a quick pulse each time you press a key.


YouTube application:::



Another bonus of the HTC Magic running on the Android 1.5 operating system (OS) is that you can record and upload videos to the likes of YouTube, something you couldn’t do with the G1. A YouTube shortcut can be found in the main menu, and what a treat it is. The video quality is exceptional and the service provides the full YouTube experience via a platform built for mobiles. For the best results, we recommend using a Wi-Fi hotspot (another string to the Magic’s bow) as at times the video froze while it rebuffed when using a data connection.


Camera credentials:::



So far so good. Now for the downside to the HTC Magic, and it lies with the camera. As we mentioned, the Magic can upload videos directly to YouTube. Simply click the menu key when in YouTube and, assuming you have an account, you will be given the option to do so. Great as that is, whether you want to be showboating the disappointing video that the Magic captures is another thing entirely.

Both the video camera and the camera itself suffer from the omission of a few crucial ingredients. There is no flash or zoom, for one thing. As a result, pictures taken in low or poor lighting really suffer, while the video camera takes a second or two for the lighting to adjust should you move the focus from a well-lit area to one in shade, for example. The camera is of the 3.2-megapixel variety, which, while it may pale in significance with the arrival of eight-megapixel snappers, should not automatically equate to a negative photograph experience. However, omitting a flash and a zoom is barely forgivable.

Being a Google device, it is no surprise to find the Magic caters for all of its services. We’ve touched upon the search bar, but in addition, you can sync a Google Mail account to be alerted to any incoming mail as soon as it arrives in your inbox. Press and drag at the top of the home screen, where the battery life, time and data connection sit, and it will reveal all your notifications, such as emails and text messages. Other accounts can be set up in conjunction with the phone, but it’s only Google Mail that will be received in this push like fashion.


Street View:::



Google Maps is of course on board, and it provides as pleasurable an experience as ever. The Magic’s GPS provided a fast fix and it kept up with us as we wandered the streets of London, immediately adjusting each time we took a corner. However, the killer aspect of Google Maps on the HTC Magic is the inclusion of Street View. This service has been making headlines since its introduction to the UK in March, with many claiming it is an infringement of people’s privacy rights. All we can say, from a technology perspective, is that it’s a cracking addition from Google.

For those of you who have recently awoken from a coma or returned from an epic trip to the South Pole, Street View provides actual still footage of certain areas. The idea is that it aids you in your journey by displaying what you can see around you. In truth, most people probably use it to spy on their next door neighbours’ garden or to see if their car has been picked up in the footage. While it doesn’t cover the whole of the UK, users can view accessible roads (highlighted blue) when you select the Street View mode. What’s more, switch on the built-in compass and depending how you tilt the handset, the street view will adjust in accordance with it.


Android Market:::



The HTC Magic comes with a 2GB memory card to compensate for the miserly on-board 192MB RAM. The handset can support cards of up to 8GB – plenty of room for housing all the Android apps you’ll inevitably download. The Android Market continues to grow at an impressive rate, with 1,000’s of available applications ranging from ShopSavvy, which uses the Magic’s camera to scan barcodes before feeding back on the cheapest place to buy that product, to a George W. Bush Soundboard, which has a selection of ‘Dubya’s’ best sound bites.

It’s disappointing to find HTC has not included a 3.5mm headset port or, for that matter, an adapter, instead opting for its own headphones that connect via a miniUSB port. We found this set of cans uncomfortable, particularly as the ear buds were too big to fit securely in our lugholes.


The verdict:::



However, these grievances aren’t enough to deter us from what is the best Google phone to date. Granted, there are only two so far, but it bodes well for the future. If it wasn’t for the poor camera and video recording facility, we’d be awarding our second five star review in as many issues. Vodafone has shown a great deal of nouse by bagging the HTC Magic as an exclusive, and is sure to reap the rewards. If things continue in this manner, the haze of excitement surrounding Google Android devices may in fact be here for some time yet.

Nokia N97 Unvieled

Nokia has just unveiled it’s newest high-end N-series smartphone, the N97. It does have some great features, like the 640×360 3.5-inch touchscreen with tactile feedback, QWERTY keyboard and a slider form-factor.



The N97 features an internal memory of 32GB, expandable to 48GB via it’s microSD memory card slot, it’s connectible via HSDPA and WiFi. The 5 megapixel Carl Zeiss glass camera can capture DVD quality videos at 30fps and take good pictures.

It’s battery can play music for 36 hours continuously, which is good for a smartphone. Unfortunately, like most Nokia cellphones, it does look bulky and it’s really pricy, at almost $700 without taxes and subsidies. Expect the N97 in stores in H1 2009.

BlackBerry Strom

Fetures availavle:

Wireless email
Organizer
Browser
Phone
Camera (3.2 MP)
Video Recording
BlackBerry® Maps
Media Player
Built-in GPS
Corporate data access
SMS
MMS

Size and weight:

Size and Weight 4.43"/112.5mm (Length)
2.45"/62.2mm (Width)
0.55"/13.95mm (Depth)
5.5 oz/155g (Weight)

Data Input/Navigation:

SurePress™ touch screen
On screen keyboard: portrait SureType® and Multi-tap, QWERTY landscape

Voice Input/Output:

3.5mm stereo headset capable
Integrated earpiece/ microphone
Built-in speakerphone
Bluetooth® v2.0; mono/stereo headset, handsfree, phone book access profile, and serial port profile supported
M3 (Rating for hearing aids (PDF))

Media Player:

Video format support: MPEG4 H.263, MPEG4 Part 2 Simple Profile, H.264, WMV
Audio format support: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, WMA ProPlus

Display:

High resolution 480 x 360 pixel color display
Transmissive TFT LCD
Font size (user selectable)
Light sensing screen

Notification:

Polyphonic/MIDI ringtones
MP3 ringtones
Vibrate mode
LED indicator

Approximate Battery Life:

Up to 15 days (Standby time)
GSM: 5.5 hours, CDMA: 6 hours

Memory:

Expandable memory – support for microSD™ card
1GB onboard memory
128 MB Flash (flash memory)

Modem:

RIM® wireless modem
Tethered modem capability

Email Integrations:

Works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for Microsoft® Exchange
Works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for IBM® Lotus® Domino®
Works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for Novell® GroupWise®
Integrates with an existing enterprise email account
Integrates with existing personal email account
Integrates with optional new device account

Device Security:

Password protection and screen lock
Sleep mode
Support for AES or Triple DES encryption when integrated with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server
FIPS 140-2 Compliant (FIPS Validation in Progress)
Optional support for S/MIME

Wireless Network:

UMTS/HSPA: 2100 MHz
North America: 850 MHz GSM®/GPRS networks
North America: 1900MHz GSM/GPRS networks
Europe/Asia Pacific: 1800MHz GSM/GPRS networks
Europe/Asia Pacific: 900MHz GSM/GPRS networks
Dual-Band: 800/1900 MHz CDMA/Ev-DO networks

Smartphone From Dell? Just Maybe

By WAHID POLIN
Published: February2, 2009

The compact keyboard of Research in Motion’s BlackBerry turned mobile e-mail messaging into an addictive pastime. The slick touchscreen on Apple’s iPhone turned consumers on to phones as pocket-size Web portals.

Richard Drew/Associated Press

The Axim by Dell suffered from lackluster demand.

Now Dell and other personal computer makers face a major test as they contemplate entering the mobile phone market: can they come up with that next great feature that will turn their products into the latest object of desire rather than the latest flop from a clumsy PC maker grasping at a new market?

For months, rumors have swirled that Dell — like its rivals Acer, Lenovo, and AsusTek — will jump into the booming market for sophisticated smartphones. While brutally competitive and fashion-conscious, the mobile phone market holds an obvious attraction for PC makers: high growth at a time when computer sales are expected to decline for just the second time in the last 20 years. In addition, the devices could open opportunities for PC companies, weighted down by low margins, to team up with telecommunications companies on profitable business and media services.

Computer firms, however, have suffered a string of defeats when it comes to consumer devices. And even savvy phone makers like Nokia, Motorola and Palm have struggled in the smartphone arena, which is dominated by R.I.M. and Apple.

Phones “are very different and much tougher than PCs,” said Ed Snyder, a telecommunications industry analyst with Charter Equity Research. The small devices place a premium on engineering and require attention to unfamiliar details like the inclusion of sensitive, always-on cellular radios. “It’s a much more difficult engineering problem, especially on a mass scale,” Mr. Snyder said.

Dell has been working on phone prototypes for months and evaluated both Google’s Android software and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system to run it. Recently, some reports have suggested that company, which is based in Round Rock, Tex., will unveil a smartphone next month at a prominent mobile technology conference in Europe.

But people knowledgeable about the company’s plans say the company does not plan to announce a product anytime soon. Dell continues to debate whether its current design, said to be based on an ARM processor like the one in the iPhone, will prove unusual enough to impress consumers and worthy of putting into the market.

Meanwhile, the company is also exploring how to create a more powerful product that could ship in 2010 and introduce new features capable of challenging rivals. For example, Dell could put its Zing music software, originally intended for use in a line of portable music players, onto a smartphone.

Dell’s consumer device efforts are led by Ronald G. Garriques, who used to run the mobile device division at Motorola, and Dell has a team in Chicago, made up in part of former Motorola executives, dedicated to making smaller devices like netbooks, a popular type of bare-bones laptop.

Dell declined to comment Friday on “rumors and speculation.”

It is unclear if Dell could make a ground-breaking move in the mobile phone market, although the company has shown off several sleek new computers, including one of the thinnest laptops ever made. Dell’s new attention to design has helped it gain ground in the consumer market.

Dell’s previous struggles with consumer devices have become the stuff of legend. It shipped a hand-held digital assistant called the Axim, but dropped the device because of lackluster demand. The company entered and exited the television market in short order.

Dell has also ventured into the market for MP3 music players. Its first device, the Dell DJ, was a bigger dud than the Zune from Microsoft. A second player, based on Zing, was sent to product testers last year but was never commercially released. “Dell has been nursing along a digital music effort for a long time that did not bear fruit,” said Roger Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies, which analyzes the technology industry.

Phones present a fresh challenge.Dell may have an edge over its PC rivals, however, given that a vast majority of its existing computer sales go to large corporations and government customers, said Roger Entner, an industry analyst with Nielsen Research. The phone could be tied to Dell’s computers and other services like e-mail management.

“If any PC manufacturer can come into the phone market, it’s Dell,” Mr. Entner said. But it will not be easy. “Dell has to show on the business side the same level of integration that Apple has shown on the consumer side.”

Nokia N97 - Nseries with touch and QWERTY Published by wahid polin at18 December 2008

Nokia  announced the launch of the Nokia N97. It is the first touch-enabled Nseries device and has a horizontal tilt-slide form factor. It transforms from a touch slate to a landscape QWERTY device. The device, which has an Internet and entertainment focus, runs on S60 5th Edition, has a customisable, widget-based, home screen and full support for Ovi services.It features a 3.5 inch (360 x 640 resolution) touchscreen with haptic feedback, 5 megapixel camera (with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash), A-GPS and compass sensors, comprehensive connectivity options (WiFi, tri-band HSDPA, Bluetooth and USB), and 32GB of internal flash memory. Read on for more.The N97 is the most feature packed Nseries device to date and, by adding touch, it moves Nokia's high end Nseries into direct competition with touch devices such as the Samsung Omnia, LG Renoir, Apple iPhone and G1 Android Phone.Here are first few hand-ons impressions: In the hand the N97 feels pleasingly solid, with an extremely impressive slide mechanism - it is obvious a lot of testing has gone into the hinge mechanism. In slide closed mode it is equally solid, with no give. The keyboard, while limited by design constraints, feels good, though as ever it's difficult to come to any final conclusions with prototypes. Subjectively, the 'feel' and the design of the handset screams high end with materials that can not be fully appreciated in pictures (it has that caress-ability x-factor).It is a relatively large device, especially length-wise, but that's inevitable given the size of the screen and the inclusion of a QWERTY keyboard. There's the usual plethora of hardware features, including sensors (accelerometer, compass sensors and proximity sensors), integrated A-GPS, and connectivity options (tri-band 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and USB). The large screen is a definite highlight - its widescreen 16:9 resolution is ideal for watching videos, but also works well for browsing the Internet. The touch screen is very sensitive, and there have been further refinements to the home screen to enable easier finger touch usage (the larger physical screen also helps with this). The UI can also be driven from the keypad using the D-pad on the left hand side of the keyboard, together with the on-screen softkeys and home key.S60 5th Edition has been updated to Nseries specifications for the N97. Extras include UPnP, Internet Radio and Nokia Photos applications and we can expect to see a lot more in this area before the phone is released.We'll report in greater detail in due course. Key features of the phone:Software:Runs S60 5th Edition. You can read more about S60 5th Edition in our Nokia 5800 preview. However, the N97 will have the Nseries version of S60, which means there will be a number of extra applications including Internet Radio, FM transmitter, Home media (UPnP) and Photos.  The home screen can be personalised with Internet-aware widgets (based on WRT technology). Examples included in the press photos include weather forecasts, social networking (Facebook, Friendster, My Space) status summaries, and media collections. There are also indicators for time, profiles, email, application shortcuts and so on.  Text input is via on screen keyboard (full screen QWERTY, pop-up QWERTY and alphanumeric), as is standard on S60 5th Edition, or handwriting recognition or via the QWERTY keyboard.  Fully compatible with Ovi services including Maps, Music, Share and Games. Nokia Music store can be accessed from the device (touch optimised version) or from Nokia Music for the PC (an iTunes -Windows application). Nokia Maps now supports high resolution satellite imagery, 3D buildings (selected buildings) and richer map meta data. Pedestrian route finding and turn by turn, voice guided car navigation, are available as premium services.Internet focus with WebKit based browser, comprehensive RSS feed support and runtime technologies including Flash, WRT (widget).Introduces the social location (So-Lo) concept; the N97 has software that allows you to automatically update and share your location with friends and popular social networks.  'N-Gage compatible' device, which indicates that the N-Gage platform will be touch enabled by the release date of the N97.The devices being demoed at Nokia World are running an early version of the software. In the six months leading up to the release date it is likely to evolve considerably.Hardware:Physical dimensions: 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9 mm (18.25 mm at camera area), and weighs approximately 150g.  Tilt form factor with horizontal slide to reveal full QWERTY keyboard. The upper half of the device slides away from the bottom half and moves upwards in a diagonal direction. The slide is impressively smooth and when closed feels very solid in the hand (so much so its not immediately apparent it is a horizontal slide device).    There are three keys on the front of the device: send and end keys and a home/menu key. On the left side of the device there is a slider lock and a microUSB port, on the top of the device is the power and 3.5mm audio jack and on the right hand side are the volume keys and the camera capture key.  3.5 inch, 360 x 640 (nHD) resolution resistive touch TFT screen with 16 million colours. The device can be driven using finger touch or stylus, or from the QWERTY keyboard.  Haptic feedback for screen touches. This is provided via general vibra feedback, as on the Nokia 5800.  5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. The camera is covered by a sliding lens cover similar to that found on the N85 and N79.The camera is also used to record videos at VGA at 30 frames per seconds, but I've seen a demo of it recording and playing video back in a 16:9 resolution mode (also as on the 5800). The usual Share online application is present for uploading images and video to online services such as Flickr and Share on Ovi (available services likely to be expanded before launch).  Integrated A-GPS and compass sensor (magnetometer) means that the N97 'intuitively knows where it is' and this is used by Nokia Maps, and for social location; also embeds location information into images and video.  3.5 mm audio jack (also used for TV-Out) and built in stereo speakers. Music playback time of one and half days (36 hours). There's also an FM radio and FM transmitter.  microUSB jack (USB 2.0 HiSpeed) and supports charging over USB  32GB of internal flash memory  microSD card slot with support for SDHC cards upto 16GB in size (giving total potential memory of 48 GB)  WiFi, 3.5G (tri-band HSDPA - 900, 1900 and 2100 Mhz), quad-band GSM and Bluetooth connectivity (various profiles including HID, SAP, A2DP and AVRCP).  1500 mAh battery (BP-4L - the same monster as that used in the E71, E90, 6650 and N800).  There is no stylus built into the phone, but one will be included in the box.  The Nokia N97 is expected to ship in the first half of 2009 (presumably in June) with an estimated price of 550 Euro before taxes and subsidies.The N97 (117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9 mm) is larger than the 5800 (111 x 51.7 x 15.5 mm). Compared to the iPhone (112 x 56.9 x 12.5 mm) is a little taller, but slightly mm narrower. Quite impressive given the incluion of a QWERTY keyboard. N78 also shown.Press release extract:Nokia today unveiled the Nokia N97, the world’s most advanced mobile computer, which will transform the way people connect to the Internet and to each other. Designed for the needs of Internet-savvy consumers, the Nokia N97 combines a large 3.5” touch display with a full QWERTY keyboard, providing an ‘always open’ window to favorite social networking sites and Internet destinations. Nokia’s flagship Nseries device introduces leading technology – including multiple sensors, memory, processing power and connection speeds – for people to create a personal Internet and share their ‘social location.’“From the desktop to the laptop and now to your pocket, the Nokia N97 is the most powerful, multi-sensory mobile computer in existence,” said Jonas Geust, Vice President, heading Nokia Nseries. “Together with the Ovi services announced today, the Nokia N97 mobile computer adjusts to the world around us, helping stay connected to the people and things that matter most. With the Nokia N97, Nseries leads the charge in helping to transform the Internet into your Internet”.

Nokia Aeon: a Concept that Proves that the Nokia Design Team Really Exists

Just when we thought we will still get the same boring clamshell and candy-bar designs  
with no extraordinary stuff along with them, the Finnish research and development  
team from Nokia came up with this: the spectacular Nokia Aeon concept mobile phone that gave all the people that saw it on the R&D section of the Nokia website thrills of anticipation.

And for a good reason. Do you remember the BenQ Black Box, or the Synaptics Onyx Concept? Do you remember the things that crossed your mind the next second you saw them? I do and I had the exact same thought when I saw the Aeon. When will I be able just to hold it in my hand and play with it? 

The device, exactly like the BenQ concept phone, has a full touchscreen surface with, I hope, a dynamic application menu that changes according with the current feature displayed on the screen. Other details aren't possible to guess from the three pictures released by the Finnish mobile phone manufacturer on its website, but, the images taken at the testing site suggest that we might have the occasion, in our lifetime, to have this kind of Sci-Fi gadgets in our hands.

I just hope somebody up there, at the Nokia headquarters, still cares about the poor people that drool all over these pictures of touchscreen interface mobile phones and give a word to the production department to make us all happy! Go Nokia, go!

iPhone 3G going RED for the holiday season?

According to sources unknown and reported on website iphonesavior, Apple has lined up a (Product) RED 3G model that sports a bright red plastic back cover.
For anyone not in the charity know, the (Product) RED campaign sees participating companies, including Apple, Dell and Microsoft, create red versions of their products. A percentage of the product’s sale value then goes towards fighting Aids in Africa.
Although this latest iPhone 3G development is just a rumour at present, it’s not completely unlikely. Apple already has a (Product) RED deal going on variations of its iPod player range.
We will bring you more news as we have it.