Treo 650 Smartphone launches in China

By Sara Griffin

Palm has announced the launch of the Palm Treo 650 smartphone in China.

With its full-featured GSM/GPRS/EDGE(1) quad-band phone, a Palm OS(R) organizer, messaging, email and web access capabilities(2) in a compact design, the localized Chinese-language Treo 650 brings the Palm mobile-solutions experience to Chinese consumers and businesses. The Treo 650 is available at key retailers in China.

CECT is an excellent fit for Palm's sales and marketing strategy in China. The collaboration taps into the growing China market, which according to IDC is expected to be close to 7 million converged devices to be shipped by 2009, representing a compounded annual growth rate of 28 percent.(3)

1) EDGE service not available in all areas.

(2) Within wireless service coverage area only. Availability and coverage depends upon carrier and the geographic scope of international roaming agreements. Email, messaging and web access requires data services from a mobile service provider at an additional cost.

(3) IDC Asia Pacific Handhelds Forecast Tables 2Q2005. Converged devices refer to a combination of data and voice functionality.

"Palm is thrilled to collaborate with CECT to help reach the huge market potential in China and redefine the smartphone experience there," said John Hartnett, Palm senior vice president for worldwide sales. "We look forward to serving Chinese mobile professionals and businesses with a tool that helps them stay connected to important information, whether it's in the corporate data center, on the web or on the smartphone itself."

First Pocket PDA for TETRA launched by Motorola

By John Saria

Motorola has launched the first-ever personal digital assistant (PDA) to operate on TETRA (TErrestrial Trunked RAdio) networks.

The new, robust PDA delivers public safety users pocket-sized access to essential two-way data applications whilst on the move. The PDA offers the same value of Motorola's TETRA hand-portable radios: Always On, Trusted, Reliable and Secure.

The PDA has been developed to meet the rugged requirements of public safety organisations that need secure access to real-time information on the move. Users can access person and vehicle records, report crimes and accidents, and issue penalty tickets via the PDA's application suite. This functionality meets public safety users' targets to spend more time on visible, active patrol and increase daily productivity.

Options available include Bluetooth, WLAN, GPS and camera, allowing pictures to be circulated quickly from the PDA. The pocket-sized device measures 145mm (L) x 83mm (W) x 35-50mm (H) and weighs less than 500 grams. With its large 3.5" TFT screen, it provides the ideal form factor for users to work with the information.

Using the TETRA network to deliver data to the PDA gives emergency services access to a controllable data pipeline that remains continuously available, even during a major incident, and at a competitive cost.

With the same levels of security as Motorola's TETRA radios, the PDA supports authentication and encryption. Motorola plans to make the device commercially available by Q3 2006.

Nokia 9300i introduced

By Brad Newnham

Nokia has introduced the newest addition to its high-end smartphone range, the Nokia 9300i.

Nokia 9300i incorporates WLAN connectivity with a full keyboard, 65,536-color screen, support for a broad range of enterprise email solutions and an attachment viewer.

Planned availability for the Nokia 9300i smartphone is Q1 2006. Nokia will offer one tri-band version of the Nokia 9300i optimized for mobile networks in Europe and Asia (900/1800/1900 MHz) and capable of operating in compatible GSM networks in the Americas.

Sprint selects Handmark to create On Demand personalized data service

By John Saria

Handmark has announced that Sprint has selected Handmark to create a new personalized data service called On Demand.

The new service is pre-loaded and featured on the opening screen of all new Sprint Power Vision(SM) phones. On Demand is powered by the same client/server environment behind the award-winning Handmark Pocket Express(TM) bundle of wireless services.

Sprint On Demand makes it easy to set and receive customized, up-to-date news, sports, weather, movie and financial information anytime. These five info channels are included at no additional cost when consumers subscribe to the Sprint Power Vision(SM) service. Additional info channels, including the authoritative Oxford American dictionary, TV Guide(R) branded entertainment news and listings, unlimited directory search and detailed street-level maps and driving directions are available for the first 30-days at no charge and thereafter for as little as 99-cents as an additional subscription.

According to Handmark executive vice president and co-founder, Douglas Edwards, "The easily personalized Sprint On Demand experience is faster than web surfing with an intuitive interface that serves up content with a fraction of the clicks required by browsing."

The Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network is based on state-of-the-art EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized) CDMA technology, delivering wireless data at average download speeds of 400-700 kilobits per second and a peak rate of up to 2.0 Megabits per second.

3G push to talk tested in the Swedish market by Nokia and 3 Scandinavia

By Dave Lampert

Nokia and 3 Scandinavia announced that they are trialling Nokia Push to talk over Cellular (PoC) service in the Swedish market.

With push to talk, people can use their mobile phones like walkie-talkies, communicating with a selected group or with individuals at the push of a button. The trial is initially targeted to business users, but private and business users alike can benefit from this simple, direct communication. To ensure the success of the trial in 3 Scandinavia's WCDMA 3G network, Nokia leverages its leading position in GSM-based PoC, unique experience from terminals, knowledge of consumer behavior, and systems integration. Nokia will provide selected push to talk handsets, including Nokia 6280, for potential use in the trial.

"We strive to offer innovative services to appeal to all our customers. Push to talk is a fascinating new service for business users in particular," says Jörgen Askeroth, Chief Technology Officer, 3 Scandinavia. "We chose to trial push to talk with Nokia because their end-to-end solution will be compliant with the OMA (Open Mobile Alliance) standard, and because of Nokia's service commitment and capability to support the PoC platform."

MOTORAZR Magenta available for the holidays from Motorola and T-Mobile

By John Saria

Motorola and T-Mobile USA announced that they are delivering vibrant color to the famed mobile with the arrival of the MOTORAZR Magenta -- available beginning Friday, November 25, only through T-Mobile.

Flaunting an eye-catching look, the stunning RAZR Magenta is sure to top wish lists this holiday season. Like its predecessors, this new mobile features the famous RAZR slim shape, premium metallic finish and advanced technology such as photo messaging* and Bluetooth(R) wireless technology.

The Motorola RAZR Magenta is available beginning Friday, November 25 at T-Mobile retail stores, select authorized dealers and online at http://www.t-mobile.com/ . For more information, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com/RAZRmagenta beginning Friday, November 25.

"The new, bold-yet-chic color adds a sense of flair to the RAZR family," said Jim Wicks, vice president, Consumer Design Experience, Motorola, Inc. "Building on the global success of the RAZR, this handset works hand in hand with T-Mobile's service for a full communication and multimedia experience."

Omni delivers GroupWise for Palm Treo 650, 600, LifeDrive, Pocket PC and Sony Ericsson wireless devices

By Dave Lampert

Omni Technology Solutions has announced the immediate availability of its Omni Mobility Suite for GroupWise through its global reseller channel.

The Omni Mobility Suite has three components: Omni Mobile, a full GroupWise client for "Smart" devices; Omni Syncaphone, a GroupWise "light" client for Java mobile phones; and Omni Messenger, a GroupWise Messenger client for Palm and Pocket PC PDAs and PDA Smartphones.

"The Omni Mobility Suite is the first, cross-platform wireless suite that provides 'native,' real-time GroupWise client connectivity for GroupWise and GroupWise Messenger," explains Aldo Zanoni, CEO for Omni. "Our customers are excited about having a direct wireless link to their GroupWise systems. A major contributor to our success has been AppForge Crossfire(TM), the development platform used for Omni Mobile. Omni Mobile will leverage AppForge's recent announcements and deliver future support for new and exciting mobile platforms (Nokia(R) 9300/9500, BlackBerry(R) devices, Palm 670 and others)."

Motorola RAZRV3 and Apple iPod Nano top holiday hot list

By Sara Griffin

Smarter.com has announced the debut of their first annual Smarter.com Holiday Hot List identifying what shoppers are clamoring for this holiday shopping season.

The Smarter.com 2005 Holiday "HOT" List includes:

Microsoft Xbox 360(TM)
With movie-quality, high-definition graphics and spine-tingling surround
sound, you've never experienced anything like this. Xbox 360 redefines
interactive entertainment as we know it.

Apple iPod nano in Black - 4GB
With this 4GB (1,000 songs) model starting at $199, the pencil-thin iPod
nano packs the entire iPod experience into an impossibly small design. So
small, it will take your music places you never dreamed of.

Chloe Paddington Bag
This is the HARDEST bag to get this year. If you flip through the latest
magazines, only the hippest "it" girls have it. The leather is super
slouchy and soft but ultra durable and scratch resistant. The medium size
is functional for everyday.

Sony CyberShot DSC-T7 Digital Camera
The thinnest Cyber-shot(R) digital camera yet, the DSC-T7 from Sony
features 5.1 Mega-Pixel image capture, a Carl Zeiss(R) Vario-Tessar(R)
lens with 3X optical zoom and 5 area multi-point auto focus, all in a
camera body only 5/8 of an inch thick. It includes a full-sized 2.5"
hybrid LCD monitor with a Clear Photo technology for improved viewing in
bright sunlight.

Motorola RAZRV3 Cellular Phone
Motorola has had tremendous success with the release of the Motorola RAZR.
The RAZR contains clean lines, productive functionality, and an intuitive
design, with in-demand features such as Bluetooth, MP3 ringtones, and a
built-in camera. However, the RAZR goes further to provide revolutionary
features that go beyond what manufacturers have released to date.

Robosapien V2 Robot
The Robosapien Robot is a full function fast moving robot designed by NASA
scientists. The Robosapien is simple enough for kids and advanced enough
for adults. Features include real, multi-speed fast dynamic walking,
running and turning; fast, full-functioning arms with two types of
grippers; 67 pre-programmed functions including pick-up, throw, kick,
sweep, dance, fart, belch, rap, and half a dozen kung-fu moves, among a
number of other features.

Panasonic TH-42PD50U 42" Plasma Television
The Panasonic TH-42PD50U Plasma TV is the latest addition to Panasonic's
Viera consumer plasma television lineup. This plasma is a direct
replacement of the 5th generation TH-42PD25U EDTV plasma - the best
selling plasma TV in America last year. There are several notable
differences in the new model such as the bottom-mounted speakers, the
integrated ATSC tuner, and the absence of a cable card slot. The new PD50U
does contain Panasonic's fine 7-series plasma panel, which has much longer
life, better brightness and almost negligible phosphor burn in. Panasonic
has smartly omitted a couple of expensive add-ons in favor of making this
plasma a great value piece for the picture quality.

Amazing Amanda Interactive Baby Doll
Amazing Amanda has voice recognition, sensory technology and articulated
animatronics to offer the most complete and revolutionary nurturing play.
She comes with a variety of accessories to which she reacts in an
intelligent manner - recognizing what each item is. By responding to
voices, recognizing objects and showing emotions with realistic facial
expressions, Amazing Amanda establishes an interactive mother-daughter
bond that is unparalleled among children's toys

Sony DCR-DVD403 DVD Handycam(R) Camcorder
Capture powerful sound and sharp images direct to DVD with the DCR-DVD403
Handycam(R) camcorder. Built for serious recording, the DCR-DVD403 comes
with a Carl Zeiss(R) Vario-Sonnar(R) T* lens for creating superior quality
images. Featuring high-resolution imaging with a 3.3 Megapixel Advanced
HAD(TM) CCD imager, you can take not only sharp digital video, but also
detailed digital still photographs. You can record Dolby Digital 5.1
Channel surround sound with the built-in microphone to make watching your
movies like a visit to the theater. Other features include built-in flash
and Super NightShot(R) Infrared System to help record in low light
situations. See the bigger picture with the 2.7" wide SwivelScreen(TM) LCD
display with touch panel capabilities. Bets of all, you capture digital
videos directly to DVD for the ultimate in recording.

Nikon COOLPIX 8800
The flagship of Nikon's Coolpix series, the Coolpix 8800 offers the
longest zoom range available in the 8-megapixel category, and is the first
8-megapixel 10X zoom digital camera with Vibration Reduction (VR). VR
automatically detects and compensates for the small camera movements that
cause image blur.. It features an 8.0 mega pixel effective CCD (3,264 x
2,448-pixels) and a 10x Optical (35-350mm) Nikon lens, with Nikon's Extra-
low Dispersion (ED) glass elements. It has a high resolution (235,000
pixel) electronic viewfinder (EVF) for through-the-lens viewing and a 1.8"
vari-angle color LCD monitor. Additionally, combining a number of high-
end Nikon technologies, a feature called Auto Color Enhancement accurately
records, assesses and fine-tunes the colors within images to achieve more
vivid results.

November 22, 2005 | Permalink

Television programming coming to the Apple iPod and PSP devices

By Brad Newnham

TiVo has announced an enhancement to its current TiVoToGo feature that will allow TiVo subscribers to easily transfer recorded television programming to their Apple iPod or PSP devices.

The enhancement will include exclusive capabilities such as TiVo auto-sync that will allow subscribers to choose if they want new recordings of their favorite programs easily transferred to their portable devices via their PC. Every morning the devices can be loaded with new programs recorded the night before.

"The increasing popularity of mobile devices for viewing video such as Apple's iPod and the PSP device demonstrate the enormous consumer demand for entertainment on the go," said Tom Rogers, CEO of TiVo. "By enhancing our TiVoToGo(TM) feature, we're making it easy for consumers to enjoy the TV shows they want to watch right from their iPod or PSP -- whenever and wherever they want."

November 21, 2005 | Permalink

Nokia N90 starts shipping in the U.S.

By Sara Griffin

Nokia has announced sales start of the Nokia N90 in the U.S.

The first mobile device to feature Carl Zeiss optics and a range of advanced camera functions in addition to superb quality video, the Nokia N90 is set to transform the mobile photography market.

The industry-acclaimed Nokia N90 will be available in November at select Ritz Camera stores and online at ritzcamera.com for an estimated retail price of $399 with activation. The Nokia N90 will also be available in December at CompUSA retail locations, and through the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog.

"Response to the N90 has been overwhelming," said David Watkins, Director, Imaging Business for Nokia North America. "Photographers, filmmakers and people around the globe have created remarkable results with the device, while enjoying all the benefits of staying connected to work and to life."

November 20, 2005 | Permalink