HTC TouchPro 2 Will Be Available Worlwide

HTC has announced via its Twitter that the upcoming HTC TouchPro2 will be available worldwide. This time the TouchPro2 looks much more ergonomic, with rounded edges, and also with the HTC-pioneered horizontal sliding keypad.

There are no news of its features yet, but we'd better expect standard smartphone features such as office document editors, HSDPA, Win-mo 6.5, Wifi, Bluetooth, fast processor and big ram. Also interesting to think about the megapixel camera. Following HTC's comment on the megapixel race, we can expect the camera will be around 5-6 mp and no more.

Well, let's wait for this baby rolling!

Source : Mobilewhack Read More......

LG Versa Pictures Unboxed

Apparently, someone has sent a picture to PhoneArena, of an LG Versa, unboxed before March 1st, the official launch day. The phone looks nice and elegant, and the display seems very promising and looks to be one of the best in the market.

From the pics, we can see that thera are not much included in the box. Charger, and perhaps a CD or two for apps, but nothing more. Seems LG also tries cutting cost in this tough economy.

Check more pics at Phone Arena.

Source: Engadget Read More......

Applied Nano Detectors Develop Chip That Can Detect Diseases from Our Breath

It sounds like a science fiction. But a report from TechRadar gives us hope that perhaps within one or two years, we will have a cellphone that can detect whether you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other diseases, through your breath.

Applied Nano Detectors has finally devised a chip that can be installed into a cellphone. The chip can detect your breath and conclude what kind of diseases you have. There will be an air hole in the phone which you can blow into, and you're done.

Moreover, the chip can send automatic notification to your doctor about the disease you have. Though, there will be privacy issues here, but it is surely helpful for elderly or kids to notify their doctors about this.

Nokia is already on a talk with Applied Nano Detectors. Let's hope this device will materialize and marketed soon!

Source : TechRadar Read More......

HTC is likely to beef up its cameraphone department

While known for its superb business and sleek fashion phones, the innovative Taiwanese HTC stated , from BGR, that it would try to improve its cameraphone department.

Eric Lin of HTC said it would not compete in the megapixel race, as hyped by the flamboyant-yet-unproven Idou.

As quoted from BGR :

"We've seen plenty of research that says 5-6MP is the sweet spot for a camera phone, so would it make more sense to put a bad-ass 5MP sensor in one of our phones?

Clever. Intelligent. Why not create a killer imaging smartphone, with working 4x optical zoom, great macro support, and all the standard features and quality of digi-cam that will drop our jaws? Certainly bigger megapixel does not equal better images. And who needs that 12 MP loaded into our printers, or our commonly used Microsoft Picture Viewer.

I personally think megapixel race is worthless. People are not stupid, and they can buy great 10 or 12 megapixel digicam with much much higher image quality and peace of mind, than speculating in an exotic device like Idou. However, there are always early adopters, and these people will surely flock to idou.

HTCs are truly smarter. It may be small, but I belive it will continue to release carefully thoughts smartphones, not only bigger and stronger ones.

Source : BGR Read More......

Elektrobit, The Perfect Phone for Seamen, Satellite Phone and GSM Phone In One Windows Mobile Device

Elektrobit, or trilobit, or trilobyte. Whatever. But a new smartphone called Elektrobit features a unique ability : transfer network from GSM to Satellite network, to GSM again, seamlessly. Best of it, it also sports HSDPA, WiFi, and encapsulated in Windows Mobile 6.1 Smartphone.

Love it? If you are a seaman, then most likely you will. But Engadget said this phone is said to have uncomfortable keypad. Still, satellite phone with no huge external antenna, and the ability to switch networks on the fly, is really a neat technology applied.

Design speaking, it is quite ugly. But seaman doesn't need beautiful, glossy, diamond-etched phones. They need phones that work and can withstand bad weather for communication.

No news yet where it can be bought. Perhaps here, at the official website. Read More......

Pre Will Be Exclusive For Sprint Until The End of 2009

Are you excited about the upcoming Palm Pre? Well, you'd better add a new phone number with Sprint, if you are really a gadget-freak, and can't wait until 2010 to use it. Because right now, Pre will be tied exclusively for Sprint until 2009.

Pre has been gathering a lot of praises of good reviews around the net, among others by Gizmodo which highlights the wonderful messaging menu window :

I think this phone's biggest appeal will be the central role the internet plays in the OS. The way it pulls data from various web services, and melds it into its own framework is top notch. I think being able to text, and gChat and send IMs over AIM all from the same window is such a benefit to the user to not have to switch windows for 3 different apps for messaging. And obviously, you won't be talking to someone on a bunch of different messengers at once, but over a period of a week, you might have convos over these different services, and it's good to keep track of all these interactions in one place.

Also check out seven features that make Pre wins in a boingboing blog, though I think multitouch is not really useful.. And also checks out rather political yet gripping opinion by Chris Seibold at applematters.com, on how Palm Pre makes Apple tremble.

Well, interesting point by Chris Seibold is this :

Why the sudden interest in suing Palm? Perhaps Apple is seeing the Pre as something to be scared of. That seems to be the most rational reason and the most troubling. The next iteration of the iPhone should leave the Pre looking like it was copying yesterdays news but if the Pre is ahead of the next iPhone then Apple has a serious problem. Palm has done some great stuff but most of the great stuff was back in the 90's. There's no way Palm should be able to out engineer and out market Apple (someone will have to do both to make a legit iPhone killer). The Pre already has strikes against it, all the threats do is make the Pre more desirable. It is the phone Apple doesn't want you to have.

Let's see how Palm Pre changed the smartphone industry. But, I think we forget one simple thing here. Smartphones with Qwerty vertical keypad are, practically speaking, for geeks. And how many geeks are there in the world, in term of percentage. I always see the cellphone rivalries and debacles through marketing lenses, and Palm is a languishing brand, while Apple, Nokia, and other big players are not easily indestructible, and can fight back. It will all depend on how well the Palm Pre delivers its product performance.

Main source : Engadget, and other Palm Pre articles scattered in the www. Read More......

Pantech Matrix Pro with Dual Keypad from AT&T

Fancy keyboards-in-smartphones trend began after HTC Tytn II. Nokia N97 follows suit. But behold, if you think horizontal body-sliding keypad is cool, then watch the upcoming Pantech Matrix Pro from AT&T. It has dual keypad, yes your eyes do not fool you.

More detailed speaking, Pantech Matrix Pro from AT&T hosts dual keypad, the alphanumeric keypad, and the full blown QWERTY keypad. The alphanumeric slides down from the phone just like common sliders. No big news here. But combined into this device is the body side-sliding full blown QWERTY keypad. Two keypads format in one gadget. This is a truly innovation.

Check out the pics.

The ordinary alphanumeric.
The elegant side sliding QWERTY keypad.

Apparently it will have Windows Mobile 6.5 under the hood. Also AT&T Navigator promises turn-by-turn GPS guide. Hm...but wait, the camera, only 2MP CMOS? Oh God, that's not we want to hear. At least todays smartphones must use 3 MP camera to respect its own brand. Even teenagers' INQ1 sports 3MP camera on board.

Let's see how this guy rocks when it finally arrives for AT&T. Let's hope it delivers reliable speed and performance.

Source and images from : Mobiledia.
by Beta Ismawan (http://cellfreakz.blogspot.com)

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INQ1 wins the Best Global Mobile Awards 2009

May be you've never heard of this cellphone before, the INQ1. Sounds cryptic? You bet. But this device wins The Best Mobile Handset title of the Best Global Mobile Awards 2009. Surprisingly INQ1 could beat the charismatic Nokia E71 and high-tech TMobile G1.


INQ1 is a social networking oriented cellphone. It is marketed in UK only, and with contract exclusively on 3 network. The handset specs as follow :

• Connectivity Bluetooth, USB
  
• Dimensions 97 x 47.6 x 14.4
  
• Features Intergrated Facebook, Skype, Windows Live Messenger and Email applications, Last FM
  
• Weight (g) 110
  
• 3G Yes
  
• Camera Resolution 3.2
  
• Display Size 2.2
  
• Display Type TFT LCD
  
• E-mail Client Yes
  
• GPRS Yes
  
• HSDPA Yes
  
• Internet Browser Yes
  
• Memory 50
  
• No of Colours (Main Display) 262144
  
• Quoted Standby Time 329
  
• Quoted Talk Time 324
  
• WiFi No
  

Clearly the spec list does show INQ1 as a good all rounder device, although it does not have special super feature, like 5 MP Camera, Qwerty, huge memory, etc. Compared to Nokia N71 who has full email synchronization ability, fast processor, and full Qwerty keyboard, feature wise INQ1 is inferior. Moreover, when we compared INQ1 to TMobile G1, then INQ1 is way below.

But INQ1 is a success story because of its usability, that enable users to interact with Facebook and IM, and put this interaction into some usable and friendly interface.

INQ1 is geared for Facebook and IM, and seamlessly integrate Facebook features into its interface. With 80 GBP price and aimed at Facebookers in UK, INQ1 has a great value of money. Although feature wise it is slightly lagging behind its competitors Nokia E71 or TMobile G1, INQ1 wins the title because of its user-friendliness.

There are no news though whether INQ1 will come to other markets as well, with or without plan contract with network carriers.

More you can find on 3's INQ1 site, and Techradar.

by Beta Ismawan (http://cellfreakz.blogspot.com)
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Samsung Announces Three Android Phones and One Linux Limo Phone

It seems that Samsung is advancing more innovation to your door, as it announces today three Android OS phones and one Linux OS phone codenamed Limo.

Surprisingly has became the second biggest cell maker in the world (Reuters-ed), the Korean manufacturer, represented by the company's head of product strategy Won-Pyo Hong stated to Reuter that it would release more than three Android phones, and one linux OS phone before 2010.

This move is making the cellphones market much more exciting. Other than battle of brands and features, we are looking at battle of OS. As you know, smartphones are defined by the existence of OS installed in it. With OS, you can install, uninstall, and even modify (called modding) the visual appearance and menu structure of your phone.

Until recently, Symbian S60 3rd edition dominates the 'common' smartphones, as it is used by Nokia, the number one cell maker. But Windows Mobile 6.1 continues to improve and evolve to Windows Mobile 6.5, and also adopted by various cellphone manufacturers.

The latest hit is the Android OS, which is an operating sytem supported by Google, that promises integration of your cellphone with Google features. This means, accessing Google facilites such as Google Mail, Google Docs, and Google Calendar will be a lot easier through it, supposedly. However, market will test the battle between the three major operating system : Symbian, Windows Mobile, and Android.

by Beta Ismawan (http://cellfreakz.blogspot.com)
source : Engadget, Reuters
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Gigabyte GSmart S1200 with Windows Mobile 6.1 and VGA Display

Gigabyte, the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer, has officially announced earlier it will launch GSmart S1200, A Windows mobile smartphone with wide and full touch screen interface.

The latest report from MWC by Unwiredview confirmed that Gigabyte has fully disclosed the spec of GSmart S1200. Physically, the handset is classy, with chrome trimming, that makes it a classic retro-looking piece. However, don't be fooled by its exterior, as it carries full Windows Mobile 6.1.

As you know, Windows Mobile 6.1 is one of the most advanced mobile operating systems currently in the market. Although some users find Windows Mobile 6.1 a little bit buggy, but in general still several manufacturers adopt this operating system into their smartphones.

Gigabyte GSmart S1200 has 105.5 x 52 x 11.4 millimeters dimension. It should be easily fit into your pocket, as 1,1 cm is considered very thin. And it also big and nice WVGA display, which means more space for your applications, images, and videos. The full specification as follows :

* 3.1 inch TFT touchscreen display with 480 x 800 pixels
* Gigabyte’s Smart Zone user interface
* GSM and HSDPA/HSUPA connectivity
* Built-in GPS
* Wi-Fi
* Bluetooth 2.0
* Mini USB 2.0
* 3MP camera with autofocus
* MicroSD card slot
* 528 MHz Qualcomm processor
* 256MB ROM, 128MB RAM
* 1010 mAh battery

Let's go through the spec items one by one. 3.1 inch TFT, is nice, and the TFT screen should be readable in the sun, though no confirmation yet on any reviews in the web. But the pixel of 480 x 800 can be a little bit of problem, as it is not a common pixel resolution for images and third party applications.

Built-in GPS is a welcome addition. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mini USB, 3MP, MicroSD all are standard features of today's smartphones. While the 528 MHz Qualcomm processor is okay, it can use faster processor still. But perhaps Gigabyte tries to reduce production cost by using lower speed processor. The 1010 mAh battery however, is a bit too small. Modern smartphones that have a lot of power-gobbing features should have 1300 or 1500mAh battery. So expect the battery life of your GSmart S1200 will last in about 1-2 days.

Gigabyte's Smart Zone user interface is a skin similar to the finger-friendly interface skin found in LG Cookie and HTC Touch, though it seems far less superior than HTC TouchFlo skin. Just like in other Windows Mobile smartphones, Gigabyte's Smart Zone skin is created to enable users control the handset in easier and much more intuitive ways, as Windows Mobile is often perceived to be rather complicated to use for average users.

The Gigabyte GSmart S1200 is expected to be marketed in Q2 2009.
by : Beta Ismawan (http://cellfreakz.blogspot.com)
source : Endgadget, UnwiredView

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Nokia N86 8 mp camera phone from Nokia

Within the megapixel camera race, Nokia is surely lagging behind. Sony Ericsson C905 8 mp has been launched several months ago. While Sony Ericsson Idou is already teasing with 12 mp. Nevertheless, here we go, the late upgrade of N85, the 8 megapixel cam multimedia slider phone from Nokia.



While sporting no major upgrades other than 8 mp cam and dual LED, the Nokia N86 sticks its design to standard N-series. Roundish. Black. With rather minimalists buttons. Being a slider, the keypads are no-nonsense oval shaped.

Featured in a Nokia's Far East showcase in Singapore, Nokia N86 gathers not so good response in blogosphere. Most Nokia enthusiasts are not very interested with the proposition. Being positioned as a member of N-series family, Nokia N86 only uses regular LED. Although there are two LEDs, but everybody who has been using camera phones know that Xenon flashlight is way way stronger and brighter than ordinary LEDs.

One positive feature is that it includes standard 3.5 mm earphone jack, so yes you can plug in your favourite Sennheiser earphones directly. It is also pre-installed with Ovi, an application store service by Nokia.

Compared to other offerings in the market, this Nokia N86 does not offer much. Samsung Innov8 with strong imaging features, or the latest Samsung OmniaHD surely packs more. Samsung OmniaHD even gets High definition video recording and playback ability. A far far better valued phone compared to N86.

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Gigabyte will introduce new Win-mo S1200 smartphone soon

The Taiwanese manufacturer, Gigabyte, will announce a new Win-mo smartphone, the S1200 . No further details except it will run Win-Mo 6.1 and powered by 528MHz Qualcomm 7200A CPU.



We can expect it must have HSDPA and full office editor and 8 MP camera, not to mention support to modern lifestyle features such as Facebook Mobile, Flickr, YouTube all installed inside. Otherwise it canoot become a device that Unwiredview says it will be, an "Iphone killer"

Let us hang on and see what Gigabyte has to offer us. In the meantime, Iphone and Nokia 5800 still rocks!

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A former Palm employee is uncertain about Pre's marketability

Following the news from Palm itself that there will be no more PalmOS used in Palm devices and that they will use the new WebOS in its Pre handsets, it is interesting to see what a former Palm employee thinks about Pre.

His name is Michael Mace, and he is one of the leading experts in the industry. As quoted from Precentral.net :

"Mobile devices that sell well usually have a well-defined market of people who look at them and say, "that one's perfect for me."... [The Pre is] apparently perfect for people who want a compromise between a Blackberry and an iPhone, but don't need the best of either. Who are those people? And are there enough of them to make a business for Palm? I honestly don't know."

WebOS is said to be a 'hybrid concept' of Blackberry OS and Iphone. But has Palm done their homework before launching it? It seemed that Pre did not have the pull factor required, or any other definitive killer features to make users switch.

The latest news quoted from Engadget shows that Pre can do bluetooth tethering, but the lack of MicroSD is almost unforgiven. How can Palm release microSD slot-less device while other established manufacturers, such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson and BlackBerry always provide one?

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HTC Dream : The first Android system aboard an HTC for Asia and Australia

HTC announced the HTC Dream, the Android OS powered PDA for Asia and Australia market. HTC as a brand has been famous for introducing breakthrough PDA models. From its phenomenal HTC Tytn and Tytn II up to its stylish and sleek HTC Touch family. HTC is also the manufacturer of the sexy T-Mobile G1 with Android OS, which was launched last September 2008. T-Mobile G1 has been reviewed by the reputable Engadget, and generally received so-so review, praising its innovativeness and software, but also commented on the lacks of several basic features found on other OS such as Windows Mobile or Iphone. 

Now with HTC Dream annoucned, it is interesting to see how it will do in Asian and Australian market. Though Asian mobile brands (Samsung and LG) are renowned for their stylish design, HTC Dream's design is a little bit bland and plain. No silver linings. No glossy finish. Just a device that tries to entice you to its smartness.

Here are the key features of the HTC Dream, according to Optus Australia :

• 3.2-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen with HVGA (320 X 480 pixel) resolution.
• Customisable Home screen with instant Email, text message and IM notifications.
  
• Full 5-row QWERTY keyboard.
  
• One-touch access to Google Search, mobile Internet services - Gmail, YouTube, 
  
• Google Maps & Calendar.
  
• 3G/2100MHz
  
• Wi-Fi technology with seamless transition to open networks.
  
• Android Market™ with access to a variety of applications and media downloads.
  
• 3.2 megapixel color camera with auto focus.
  
• microSD™ (SD 2.0 compatible) expansion slot up to 8GB.
  

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