Huawei debuts Android 2.2 IDEOS smartphone

Huawei has launched the IDEOS, or U8150, smartphone, which will cost between $100 and $200, depending on the market, the company said Thursday at the Internationale Funkaustellung (IFA) trade show in Berlin.

The price is what operators pay Huawei for the device, and it will be up to them to decide what they charge their subscribers, the company said.

Huawei is convinced that more affordable smartphones will help expand the market, and the IDEOS smartphone will also change what a product in this category should come with. It has a 2.8-inch touchscreen, a 3.2-megapixel camera and GPS.

Users will also be able to access the Internet using 802.11n, which is quickly becoming a more common network feature on high-end smartphones. The Qualcomm processor is clocked at 528 MHz, according to Huawei.

Android version 2.2 will allow users to turn the phone into a wireless hotspot. Users will connect to the smartphone with Wi-Fi and the device will then connect them to the Internet using the HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) 3G wireless at up to 7.2Mbit/sec.

The phone will start shipping in the next couple of weeks, and will become available in "a number of countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America and Latin America", according to Huawei.

The company is also getting ready to ship the U8800, which is a more advanced smartphone model. The phone was first announced at Mobile World Congress in February, and it too comes with Android version 2.2. However, its standout feature is HSDPA at 14.4M bps. The phone will start shipping in October, and will become available in both Western Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region.

Going forward, the IDEOS name will be used on several other smartphones, as well, and a tablet isn't out of the question, Huawei said.

Via : computerworld.com

Sony Ericsson wants to be largest Android handset maker

Sony Ericsson is aiming high, as the company said it wants to be the world’s biggest supplier of Android phones. It has its work cut out for it.

Sony Ericsson said it has about 17% of the Android market, although it didn’t cite the sources. We’re not huge fans of its Xperia lineup but these devices are popular in Europe.

It’s going to be a tough row to hoe for Sony Ericsson to climb to the top of the Android heap because there is some stiff competition but there are a few steps it can take to get there.

First, let’s talk about the competition. I’m fairly certain Motorola has the most market share with its Droid lineup. For a lot of America, the Android platform means very little, as many consider “Droid” the little, green robot. Motorola is chugging along as Verizon’s favorite handset maker and that shouldn’t change for at least a year.

If Motorola isn’t the king of Android, then it has to be HTC. The company has a great lineup of devices like the EVO 4G and Droid Incredible and it should also see a strong boost with the upcoming G2 for T-Mobile.

Samsung is also making a strong Android push, as it is in the middle of an admirable Galaxy S launch which will bring its devices to the top six U.S. carriers. With its tablets, it will also bring the heat with Android.

Sony Ericsson needs to deliver some killer handsets, as Xperia devices with old software won’t cut it in the modern market. We’ve heard rumbling that the company will use the Google mobile operating system to make its much-anticipated PlayStation Phone and that would be a great step in the right direction.

The company also needs to cozy up to American carriers, as that’s how a company moves units in this market.

What do you think of Sony Ericsson’s chances?

Via : intomobile.com

Sony Ericsson Wants to Be Largest Android Smartphone Maker

Smartphone maker Sony Ericsson, once fully committed to Symbian UIQ interface before going with Windows Mobile on its first XPERIA handset, is now eyeing the burgeoning Android market.

According to Sony Ericsson, the company intends on being the number one supplier of Android smartphones in terms of sheer market share, which is quite a lofty goal considering that Sony Ericsson only has a 17 percent worldwide market share for Android handsets, and its X10 Android smartphone, running on Android 1.6, was only recently launched in the U.S. with carrier AT&T.

Sony Ericsson will probably have an uphill battle with its goal. In the U.S., it will have to battle against Motorola and Verizon Wireless for the Droid brand supremacy, and worldwide the maker will need to fight a tough war against HTC with its growing Android portfolio and Samsung with its latest aggressive push behind the Galaxy brand.

Via : ubergizmo.com

Microsoft Launches Arc Mouse: Most Wildly Designed Mouse Ever

We're beginning to think that 2010 is the year of new mice. Or should we say, unconventional mice. First was Swiftpoint with their finger-based notebook mouse, and now there's Microsoft with their Arc Touch Mouse. The design on this one is totally new, and even old-school mouse users will probably need a few moments just to wrap their head around what's going on here

It's the first mouse designed to flatten for portability and pop up for comfort, featuring a capacitive touch scroll strip allowing you to swiftly navigate with the touch of a finger. This may be the beginning of the end for the scroll wheel, no? As you'd expect, Microsoft has also included a tiny Nano transceiver and Microsoft’s BlueTrack Technology allowing you to track on virtually any surface. It's probably the most alluring travel mouse we've seen yet, or at least the most interesting.

We get the feeling the software will work best on a Windows-based PC, as Microsoft has included this line in the release: "Windows-based PC users will love packing up their laptop bags without the added bump of a mouse, as the Arc Touch Mouse flattens with just the touch of a finger." The entire device is less than 15mm thick and it goes from curved to flat with one simple movement. You'll need two AAA batteries, but they'll supposedly last around six months on a charge. The new Arc Mouse won't ship until early December, but you can set aside the $69.95 now.

Via : hothardware.com

New Microsoft Arc Touch mouse is 'ultimate portable device'

Declaring that the new peripheral proves the humble mouse's days aren't numbered, as Steve Jobs and Apple might have the world believe, the software giant introduced the 'alive and well' gadget by pointing out it is designed to 'flatten for portability and pop up for comfort'.

More: New Apple TV box launched, not called iTV

'The new mouse features Microsoft’s first touch scroll strip for easy navigation - just move a finger slowly for controlled scrolling or flick for hyperfast scrolling,' the company explained in a statement.

'Windows-based PC users will love packing up their laptop bags without the added bump of a mouse, as the Arc Touch Mouse flattens with just the touch of a finger.'

Microsoft acknowledged a need for the mouse to evolve alongside the computing landscape as it continues to offer new ways of interacting, such as touch screens and touch pads, while still holding true to its core purpose of 'providing comfort and precision to users' when navigating their PC.

'It also goes from curved to flat with one simple movement, so working on the go is easier than ever - just collapse the Arc Touch Mouse to turn it off, and pop it up to turn on,' continued the statement.

Connecting to a user's PC via a minute Nano Transceiver that pops into the USB slot, the mouse uses Microsoft's BlueTrack Technology to run smoothly over any surface - ie it's wave-goodbye time to those frustrated searches for an office mousepad, theoretically at least.

The Microsoft Arc Touch mouse has been pencilled in for UK release in November, with an eye-popping price tag of £69.99.

Via ; metro.co.uk

Apple Unveils New iPod shuffle

Apple® today announced the new redesigned iPod shuffle® which features both clickable “ring” buttons and Apple’s innovative VoiceOver technology, enabling users to easily navigate their music and playlists without ever looking at their iPod shuffle. The new wearable iPod shuffle has an all-aluminum enclosure with a built-in clip and comes in five brilliant colors—silver, blue, green, orange and pink. With nearly 50 percent more battery life, the new iPod shuffle features over 15 hours of music playback on a single battery charge* and offers 2GB of storage for just $49.

“We’re making the iPod shuffle even better by combining clickable buttons and VoiceOver technology, so users can find and enjoy their music without ever looking at their iPod shuffle,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With its all-aluminum enclosure and built-in clip the new iPod shuffle is a great workout companion, and at just $49 it’s a great entry-level iPod that almost everyone can afford.”

iPod shuffle is based on Apple’s incredibly popular shuffle feature, which randomly selects songs from a user’s music library. The clickable buttons make the new iPod shuffle even easier to use. Press the center button to play and pause, press the outer buttons to skip forward and back or adjust the volume up and down.

Apple Introduces New iPod shuffle Music Player

2nd September 2010 · 0 Comments

AThe new VoiceOver button on top of iPod shuffle allows users to hear the name of the currently playing song and to switch between songs, playlists or Genius Mixes. VoiceOver speaks 25 different languages and even alerts users when their battery needs charging.

The new iPod shuffle now supports Genius Mixes, the popular iTunes® feature that automatically creates mixes from songs in a user’s music library that go great together. Genius Mixes provide the perfect way to rediscover music users already have, but may not have listened to recently.

iPod® is the world’s most popular family of digital music players with over a quarter billion sold. Apple’s new holiday lineup includes a brand new iPod shuffle for just $49; the remarkable new iPod nano® with Multi-Touch™ starting at $149; the incredible new iPod touch with Retina™ display, Apple’s A4 chip, FaceTime®, HD video recording and Game Center starting at just $229; and iPod classic® in a 160GB model for $249.

Pricing & Availability

The fourth generation iPod shuffle will be available next week for a suggested price of $49 (US) for a 2GB model in silver, blue, green, orange and pink through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPod shuffle comes with Apple Earphones and the iPod shuffle USB cable. iPod shuffle requires a Mac® with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS® X v10.5.8 or later and iTunes 10 or later; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 3) or later.

*Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.


Via : bradenton.com

Apple Introduces New iPod shuffle Music Player

Apple has introduced its new Touch iPod Music Player, which is portable and more sophisticated. This new iPod is said to be the world’s smallest iPod. This iPod shuffle is having the features of both clickable ring buttons and Apple’s innovative VoiceOver technology and through this technology you can easily navigate your favorite music and play lists.

It is also having other features as it supports Genius Mixes and the popular iTunes feature that automatically creates mixes from songs in your music library. To enjoy the music of this new generation iPod shuffle you have to wait until next week. It is priced for $49 for a 2GB model.

Via : connectstat.com

Phillips GoGear Connect Android iPod Competitor Official

Phillips new GoGear Connect Android-based PMP is now official and will be making an appearance at the IFA 2010 this week.

Marketed as the first Wifi enabled MP4 player to offer a full Android experience it has a 3.2-inch screen and the ability to store up to 3,600 tracks, and 4,000 photos on its 16GB of internal memory.

It also has an FM radio, microSD card slot for increasing your storage if needed a has a built in camera. (no detail have been released as yet to the camera specifications)

The GoGear connect weighs just 128 grams and measures a pocket sized 113×12.6×59 mm and is capable of 25 hours of music playback and 5 hours of video playback from a single charge.

The Phillips GoGear Connect Android will be arriving in October for $315 for the 16GB version and will be available in Western Europe, China, and the US.

Via : geeky-gadgets.com

Will A New Zune HD Challenge The 4th Gen iPod Touch?

With the Apple onslaught all but sweeping away every last vestige of resistance, speculation over Microsoft’s own answer to the iPod Touch has begun circulating across the blogosphere.

If the experts are to be believed ,a brand spanking new Zune HD might be ready by the start of 2011. This courtesy of ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley whose in-the-know sources hinted at such a PMP coming soon. No specifics though, so in the meantime we can twiddle our thumbs and wonder.

Wonder is indeed what’s been going on at the blogs who’ve circulated this bit of news. Of course, since nothing’s official yet there’s been a speculation-fest on what kind of hardware to expect from a revamped Zune.

The Zune enjoys the privilege of being well-regarded both for its looks and performance by the tech press and fans alike. Some even consider it superior to the competition.

Word of an ARM CPU has been flying around together with probable Windows Phone 7 software. Unfortunately this is all we’ve got to tell.

Via : geeky-gadgets.com

Acer Stream review

The Acer Stream is the company's latest flagship handset, following on from the Liquid and Liquid E before it. Acer isn't a company with a great history in mobile devices and so far has enjoyed limited success. It's clear that Acer is committed to this agenda, but has it hit the right notes with the Stream?

On paper the Stream looks impressive. A 3.7-inch 800 x 480 capacitive AMOLED display puts it in HTC Desire territory. The 5-megapixel autofocus camera, offering 720p video capture squares up against the Samsung Galaxy S. The micro HDMI out puts it in the game with the HTC Evo. But does it compete with these hero handsets?

We've seen how the Android battleground is drawn up. With most phones offering similar, if not the same, hardware components and the same core operating system, the difference between a good phone and a bad phone often comes down to two things - the design and what the company does to it, which govern the user experience.

Okay, it isn't quite that simple. The screen makes a big difference when the touch response isn't right, but often that is not the fault of the hardware - especially when it comes to a capacitive touchscreen AMOLED display, but how the manufacturer presents the operating system beneath it.

Starting with the design, Acer doesn't do itself any favours. There is a hint of the beTouch range around the back, with a matte black cover shaped as though it has come off the same design line. It's a simple clip on affair and whilst this doesn't make it a bad phone, it doesn't have the impact in the hand that the glorious unibody design of the HTC Desire has, or the premium materials of the iPhone 4.

Around the front there is just a little too much bordering on that display. It feels like the prize asset is hidden away, with the design bringing in a screen frame, that again sits in the body of the phone. It feels a little chunky, lacking consumer refinement and wow factor in the hand. It doesn’t exhibit the clean and sophisticated lines you want from your daily handset.

Read More @ pocket-lint.com

Acer Unveils it’s Highly Anticipated Smartphone Line for the Australian Market

Acer, today unveiled their brand new range of smartphones for the Australian market. Acer has kicked off this spring a series of Android based smartphones, available in five eye-catching models, including the special edition Ferrari Liquid E.

Acer is proud to have designed a range of smartphones as unique and diversified as their customers needs. The new range offers funky-stylish models for the young-and-restless to competent chic-savvy models for the business market that look as good as they perform.

The expressive smartphone range includes the Liquid E, Liquid E Ferrari Special Edition, Stream and the beTouch E120 and E130 with all models available this month Australia wide.

Read More @ tweaktown.com

Motorola i897 Ferrari Special Edition announced for Mexico and Brazil with Argentina to follow in October

It was back in May when we first spotted at that point still unannounced Motorola i897 Amphora clamshell and now it’s here. Actually, it’s in parts of Latin America where NII Holdings launched the phone under the name Motorola i897 Ferrari Special Edition — Mexico and Brazil are the first markets to get this Ferrari-branded device with Argentina launch set for October of this year.

Specs wise, we’re talking about an iDEN-based device which obviously enables push-to-talk capability. Moreover, there are two screens (2.2-inch QVGA internal and 1.8-inch 128×160 external), 2-megapixel camera with digital zoom, media player with dedicated music/video playback keys, Bluetooth and a microSD memory card slot. Of course, tons of Ferrari branded content is pre-loaded with the i897, including skins and themes, wallpapers, video clips, ringtones as well as the Ferrari GT: Evolution game by Gameloft.

Via : intomobile.com