http://news.softpedia.com Softpedia News - Telecoms Softpedia News en-us 2001 - 2009 Softpedia. All rights reserved. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:17:45 GMT Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:17:45 GMT News http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 10 http://www.softpedia.com/base_img/softpedia_logo.gif http://news.softpedia.com/ http://news.softpedia.com/news/Leaked-Windows-Mobile-6-5-3-Build-28004-Available-127950.shtml The series of leaked builds for Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system seems to be adding newer items, with the latest leak being Build 28004, reportedly part of the Windows Mobile 6.5.3 variant. Those of you who kept an eye over the leaked series of builds for the platform should know already that the new one follows shortly the leaked Build 28002 for Windows Mobile 6.5.3 that surfaced only a few days ago.

Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Build 28004 is said to come with rather minor changes, nothing striking, yet there are still a series of graphic enhancements, as well as performance improvements that should be noted. One of the main features of the new build is said to be the finger-friendliness it adds to Microsoft's mobile operating system, though this is actually a characteristic of the entire Windows Mobile 6.5.3 flavor.

Previously leaked builds, as many of you might already know, came from the 6.5.1 branch of the platform, and there are no exact details on why the numbering scheme jumped straight to 6.5.3, leaving 6.5.2 aside. However, the Windows Mobile 6.5.3 flavor seems to come with touch enhancements, including gesture support, a Start menu placed at the lower left corner, with enlarged menus and rebuild sub-sections.

The new Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Build 28004 is dated November 19, s... (read more)]]> Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:20:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Leaked-Windows-Mobile-6-5-3-Build-28004-Available-127950.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Leaked-Windows-Mobile-6-5-3-Build-28004-Available-127950.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/SPB-Time-Goes-3-0-for-Windows-Mobile-127940.shtml Leading provider of mobile applications SPB Software announced on Tuesday the release of a new version of SPB Time, its best-selling Windows Mobile time toolset. According to the company, the new SPB Time 3.0 comes as a major update for the popular app and delivers a brand new, reconsidered user interface, as well as a series of improved alarm features.

There are three types of alarms that users can enjoy with the new SPB Time 3.0, depending on their needs. The Paranoid can easily wake up sleepers, the Bio alarm is meant to be a gentle way of waking, while the Classic alarm proves a great option for those who don't like being disturbed too much in the morning.

“A lot of features were reworked in the design aspect. For example, 'World Time' feature is presented as a realistic looking 3D model of the Earth with chosen cities designated as spots on the surface. Countdown screen is supplemented with a picture of sandglass where the sand pours out as time goes. The splendour of these interface solutions are accompanied by a vast choice of skins in an online catalog,” the company also states.

The features list of SPB Time 3.0 shows:
- Snappier, better looking user interface;
- Classic, Paranoid and Bio alarms;
- More than 20 alarm tunes;
- Online skins catalog;
- SPB Mobi... (read more)]]> Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:44:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/SPB-Time-Goes-3-0-for-Windows-Mobile-127940.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/SPB-Time-Goes-3-0-for-Windows-Mobile-127940.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-to-Launch-Snapdragon-Based-Android-Phone-in-Q1-2010-127921.shtml HTC Corporation, the mobile-phone maker that delivered to the market the first handset running under Google's Android operating system, the HTC Dream (aka T-Mobile G1), is rumored to be ramping up for the launch of an Android-powered mobile phone that will boast a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor inside. Moreover, the said device is expected to become available for purchase sometime in the first quarter of the next year, at least on the Taiwan market, the handset vendor's homeland.

This is not the first time most of you might hear about the Snapdragon-powered handset from HTC that should run under Android. The phone already emerged into the wild as the HTC Dragon or Passion, and was rumored to come to Verizon Wireless's airwaves in the United States. However, although there have passed about two months since the first appearance of the handset, nothing has been announced officially yet.

The news on the possible Q1 launch of the device emerged via news site DigiTimes, which cited “industry sources” pointing towards the upcoming availability of the phone on the Taiwanese market. Moreover, it seems that other handset makers around the world also plan on delivering Android devices to the country, and that, while at the end of 2009 Taiwan will have around eight Android phones available, th... (read more)]]> Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:01:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-to-Launch-Snapdragon-Based-Android-Phone-in-Q1-2010-127921.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-to-Launch-Snapdragon-Based-Android-Phone-in-Q1-2010-127921.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Cuts-220-Jobs-in-Japan-127910.shtml Espoo, Finland-based mobile-phone maker Nokia announced today that it would continue its efforts to align its research and development (R&D) operations to its already-announced portfolio of future products, and that these efforts would include the reduction of its R&D activities in Japan. According to the company, the move is expected to result in the layoff of a number of 220 employees in the country.

According to the company, the new wave of layoffs will affect around one percent of Nokia's global R&D workforce, it seems. “Nokia will continue its significant sourcing activities in Japan. Japanese manufacturers are important partners who play a critical role in Nokia's global supply-chain strategy and with whom Nokia continues to develop its world-class logistics operations,” the handset vendor stated.

Most of you might know already that the leading mobile-phone vendor announced last week the layoff of a number of 330 employees. 230 of the job cuts were operated at the company's Oulu site in Finland, while the rest of 100 were made at its Copenhagen site. According to the company, the last-week layoffs impacted around 2 % of Nokia's R&D personnel globally. The vendor also noted that it had 2,000 employees in Oulu and more than 1,000 employees in Copenhagen.

“Nokia aims to support the emp... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:11:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Cuts-220-Jobs-in-Japan-127910.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Cuts-220-Jobs-in-Japan-127910.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Siemens-Networks-and-LG-Announced-LTE-Interoperability-Tests-127888.shtml Leading telecommunication-equipment and -service provider Nokia Siemens Networks announced today together with LG that they had managed to successfully complete the first end-to-end LTE (Long Term Evolution) interoperability tests using the 2100 MHz frequency band. According to the duo, the tests were conducted in this band due to the fact that it was the spectrum in which the first commercial LTE networks in Japan would be deployed.

Nokia Siemens Networks and LG announced that they had managed to complete successfully the first data calls of a series of end-to-end tests. Moreover, the two companies also said they had succeeded in demonstrating the interoperability between the Nokia Siemens Networks LTE equipment and Evolved Packet Core network elements, and LG Electronics' LTE USB Datacard.

The duo plans to move forward with the testing, and informed that they would conduct field tests with LG's LTE terminal at Nokia Siemens Networks' test network in Espoo and Ulm. Moreover, they also plan on making trials on operator networks. Following this step, the tests will then be extended to a wider range of frequency bands, including 2600 MHz and AWS/700.

“We are committed to bring commercial LTE to operator networks and a new, faster-than-ever broadband experience for ... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:51:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Siemens-Networks-and-LG-Announced-LTE-Interoperability-Tests-127888.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Siemens-Networks-and-LG-Announced-LTE-Interoperability-Tests-127888.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Global-Mobile-Advertising-Market-to-Grow-Significantly-by-2014-127882.shtml The global mobile marketing and advertising market is expected to see impressive growth during the following years, a recent report from Berg Insight shows. According to the firm, the market is expected to grow from EUR1 billion in 2008 up to EUR8.7 billion in 2014, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43 percent.

Berg Insight also shows that the value of the global mobile marketing and advertising market is expected to account for 11.7 percent of the total digital advertising market by that year. It seems that the mobile media is expected to become a natural part of the marketing media mix, at least this is what the report suggests.

“Advertisers are increasingly aware of the opportunities and seek new ways to exploit them. Just the simple fact that people are able to make a phone call or send a text message anywhere at any time has changed the conditions for marketing in general,” Marcus Persson, telecom analyst, Berg Insight, commented. What the mobile advertising will be in the near future is the digital media that will be delivered to a mobile handset display, based on the fact that the digital convergence already eliminates the differences between devices,

According to Marcus Persson, there is a wide range of marketing campaigns that are aim... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:01:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Global-Mobile-Advertising-Market-to-Grow-Significantly-by-2014-127882.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Global-Mobile-Advertising-Market-to-Grow-Significantly-by-2014-127882.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-and-Android-Increase-Share-in-Mobile-Advert-Traffic-127831.shtml Mobile advertising agency AdMob has recently released its October Mobile Metrics report on the mobile advertising market, which was focused on how the requests were distributed on mobile phones based on each of the analyzed smartphone operating system. According to the agency, it didn't analyze the distribution of advertising on various OSes on the market, but chose this approach instead.

Overall, the Android Operating system accounted for 20 percent of the smartphone traffic in the US, the agency states, adding that it has seen an impressive increase in share, when compared to the seven-percent share it accounted for half a year ago. The HTC Magic (myTouch 3G) and HTC Dream were both present in the Top 10 devices in the US, while in the UK, they are accompanied by HTC Hero in the Top 10 devices.

“Looking at the distribution of traffic from RIM devices, the familiar 8300 Curve series and 8100 Pearl series still make up the majority of traffic. However newer devices such as the Tour and updated versions of the Curve (8900 and 8520) are generating an increasing percentage of RIM requests. The Flip (8220 and 8230), launched in Q4 of 2008, has not gained much traction and generated less than 2% of RIM traffic in October 2009. The first generation Storm generated 12% of requests and h... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:41:01 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-and-Android-Increase-Share-in-Mobile-Advert-Traffic-127831.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-and-Android-Increase-Share-in-Mobile-Advert-Traffic-127831.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Motorola-i410-Now-Available-from-Boost-Mobile-127821.shtml Boost Mobile, the Sprint subsidiary that offers wireless services with no required contract, has recently announced the launch of another handset for its customers, namely the Motorola i410. The new device is added to the growing mobile-phone offering from Boost Mobile as a classic clamshell that sports both durability and an affordable price tag.

According to the carrier, its handset offering, which started with only three devices at the beginning of the ongoing year, has seen the addition of five new phones including the high-end Motorola Stature i9, or the Motorola Clutch i465. The new Motorola i410 handset is now available for purchase at all Boost Mobile Exclusive Retail Stores, as well as via independent wireless dealer locations all around the country, the carrier adds.

The features list of the new Motorola i410 includes the nationwide Walkie-Talkie capability (where the coverage is available, of course), the Bluetooth connectivity, a built-in GPS receiver, SMS and MMS capabilities, a speakerphone with Voice-Activated Dialing, access to downloadable Games, Wallpapers and Real Music Ringtones, and the Wireless Web Enabled.

The specs of Motorola i410 also include a 1.79-inch internal display that boasts a 128 x 160-pixel resolution and support for 65k colors, a 0.97-inch external displ... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:51:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Motorola-i410-Now-Available-from-Boost-Mobile-127821.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Motorola-i410-Now-Available-from-Boost-Mobile-127821.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/AT-T-Announces-Pre-Paid-Data-Plans-127812.shtml Mobile-phone carrier AT&T announced today the introduction of new plans for the users of its mobile broadband network. The new DataConnect Pass from AT&T comes to the market as a pay-as-you-need it data service that offers customers access to the carrier's fast 3G network, and is available by the day, by the week or by the month for all those who have a laptop or netbook compatible with AT&T’s airwaves.

“This is about choice and flexibility — giving our customers more ways to match their own data needs, on their own time and with their own budget,” Mark Collins, senior vice president, Voice and Data Products, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, said. “We want our network to be open, accessible and useful in a way that accommodates unique customer needs. DataConnect Pass is another way consumers can customize the AT&T experience.”

The new DataConnect Pass offering from AT&T provides a series of mobile data packages to users, enabling them to access the Internet from anywhere no matter where they are, whether in vacation or on the road. The available options with the new AT&T offer include:
DataConnect Day Pass (75 MB) – $15;
DataConnect Week Pass (250 MB) – $30;
DataConnect Month Pass (500 MB) – $50.

“Available with compatibl... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:11:01 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/AT-T-Announces-Pre-Paid-Data-Plans-127812.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/AT-T-Announces-Pre-Paid-Data-Plans-127812.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Huawei-to-Increase-Its-Presence-in-North-America-127802.shtml Chinese telecommunication-equipment provider Huawei Technologies Co. is reportedly getting ready to increase its presence on the North American Market. It seems that the company is considering the addition of a number of 600 more jobs to its operations on the continent, in an attempt to expand its market share in the world's largest telecoms market.

According to a recent article on Dow Jones Newswires, Robert Fox, chief branding officer of Huawei's wireless division, stated the following in a recent interview: “U.S. is a very important market to Huawei. We are increasing staff there to support a rise in customer business.” The company plans on making serious moves in a market where it faces strong competition from other leading telecom-infrastructure providers.

Currently, Huawei has a number of around 900 employees in North America. However, the company's global operations include a number of over 87,500 workers. The equipment vendor has a strong position on the Chinese market, and has also started consolidating its operations in a series of emerging markets around the world.

At the same time, the company has also worked on expanding its presence in some of the developed markets on the globe, including Australia, Europe and North America, and has managed to enter these mark... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:31:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Huawei-to-Increase-Its-Presence-in-North-America-127802.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Huawei-to-Increase-Its-Presence-in-North-America-127802.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-Bold-2-Already-Available-from-AT-T-127858.shtml Canadian mobile-phone maker Research In Motion announced not too long ago the release of a new handset to the market, namely the BlackBerry Bold 9700, which is also known as the Bold 2, and now the handset is already available for purchase via various carriers around the world, including T-Mobile and now AT&T in the United States.

Wireless operator AT&T has just put the new BlackBerry device on sale for its users, and has it available for a price tag of $199.99 upon the signing of a two-year contract agreement and after a $100.00 mail-in rebate, which will be received in the form of an AT&T Promotion Card. Those who would like to acquire the new device without committing to a service agreement with the carrier would also be able to enjoy the Bold 2, only that they would have to pay $449.99 for the device.

The only color available with the new BlackBerry Bold 2 at AT&T is black, yet users will certainly have a wide range of features to enjoy with it. The sequel comes to the market with a 3.2-megapixel photo snapper with a 2x zoom, auto focus and image stabilization, with a full 26-key keyboard for fast typing, and a 2.44-inch display that boasts a 480 x 360-pixel resolution and support for 65K colors.

In addition, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 also includes support for GSM/GPRS 1900/850/900/1800... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:21:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-Bold-2-Already-Available-from-AT-T-127858.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-Bold-2-Already-Available-from-AT-T-127858.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-Tattoo-Now-Available-for-Purchase-in-India-127914.shtml Taiwanese mobile phone maker HTC Corporation has recently announced that its Android-based HTC Tattoo handset is now available for purchase in India. According to the company, the new device is aimed at enabling all mobile phone users out there enjoy a customized device both on the inside and on the outside. All aspects of the phone can be customized in the manner a user considers it fit, including the hardware and the applications and content.

The HTC Tattoo comes to the market as the second HTC mobile phone that includes the company's proprietary HTC Sense solution, which delivers a user experience focused at putting people in the center. “Designed by listening and observing how people live and communicate, HTC Sense revolves around three fundamental principles- Make it Mine, Stay Close and Discover the Unexpected,” the handset vendor noted.

The new device comes to India accompanied by a special offer from Vodafone Essar, which aims at encouraging Internet access through mobile phones. Those Vodafone customers who will acquire a new HTC Tattoo will be able to enjoy the possibility to access the Internet and download 20MB of data per month for free for a period of three months. Users will enjoy Vodafone’s high speed 2.75G EDGE networks, yet they should note that the offer is available o... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:30:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-Tattoo-Now-Available-for-Purchase-in-India-127914.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-Tattoo-Now-Available-for-Purchase-in-India-127914.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-X6-Expected-in-the-UK-on-Friday-127902.shtml Nokia X6, the first mobile phone from the Finnish handset vendor Nokia that comes to the market with a capacitive touchscreen display, is expected to make an appearance on the UK market as soon as this Friday. It seems that Nokia UK has finally decided to unveil the launch date and the price tag the new Comes With Music flagship handset will come to the market with.

Those of you who already came across this device should know by now that it features a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen display and that it also packs a 5-megapixel photo snapper with Carl Zeiss optics, as well as 32Gb of internal storage space. According to the guys over at slashgear, which also provided the hands-on video embedded at the bottom of this article, the new handset is supposed to become available via the UK retailer Phones4U for free with contract agreement that starts at a £35 ($58) per month.

“If you have an old Nseries Nokia you fancy trading in, you can knock £10 off that contract price and still take the X6 away without spending a penny on the handset itself. It’s also available to pre-order SIM-free online, at Nokia’s UK store, for a somewhat extravagant £449 ($746), though at time of writing we couldn’t find any sign of it,” the news site also notes. We also tried to find the pre-orde... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:46:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-X6-Expected-in-the-UK-on-Friday-127902.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-X6-Expected-in-the-UK-on-Friday-127902.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-HD2-Now-Available-for-Free-from-T-Mobile-UK-127896.shtml T-Mobile UK is yet another wireless carrier that added the new HTC HD2 to its offering. Following the launch of the device on the airwaves of Vodafone and O2 in the country, the operator also put the new Windows Mobile 6.5 handset on sale for its users, which can already grab this beauty from the company's online store.

The new HTC HD2 comes to T-Mobile users in the UK for free upon the signing of a 24-month contract agreement with a monthly plan that starts at £35 per month. Along with the new high-end mobile phone that runs under Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, the Combi 35 plan from T-Mobile will also bring users 1000 minutes and unlimited texting.

However, users can also choose to purchase the handset with other plans available, only that they would have to pay somewhere between £68.51 to up to £195.73 for it. We should also mention that the HTC HD2 is available for free from T-Mobile with the carrier's Flext plans too, which offer customers a monthly credit that can be used however they like: on voice calls, texts, Internet, and more.

As for what the new Windows phone is able to offer users, we can count a large 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen display, a 5-megapixel photo snapper with video recording capabilities, 3G connectivity options, Bluetooth, PC ... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:20:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-HD2-Now-Available-for-Free-from-T-Mobile-UK-127896.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-HD2-Now-Available-for-Free-from-T-Mobile-UK-127896.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Unveiles-the-Nokia-6700-slide-and-Nokia-7230-127876.shtml Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia announced today the launch of two new slider phones that come with 3G connectivity, the Nokia 6700 slide and Nokia 7230. According to the company, the two handsets can offer users enhanced access to social networking sites, as well as the possibility to easily share content with their friends, while also being design-conscious.

The new Nokia 6700 slide and Nokia 7230 come in various color options, making a real style statement, while also delivering great imaging features. The company also stated that the new handsets were expected to become available for purchase in the first quarter of the next year and that their price tags before taxes and subsidies have been set at EUR 160 for the Nokia 6700 slide, and EUR 100 for the Nokia 7230.

The Nokia 6700 slide comes with a 5-megapixel photo snapper, with Carl Zeiss optics. “With a choice of six fresh and vivid colors - pink, red, petrol blue, aluminum, lime and purple - this slimline slider is sure to turn heads. Its compact size, modern design and aluminum finish feels great in the hand, and fits perfectly even in the smallest pocket or bag,” the company says about the phone.

The photos taken with the phone's camera can be easily shared with others via the social networking features of the device, ... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:08:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Unveiles-the-Nokia-6700-slide-and-Nokia-7230-127876.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Unveiles-the-Nokia-6700-slide-and-Nokia-7230-127876.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-Bold-9700-on-Telstra-Starting-Today-127869.shtml Wireless carrier Telstra announced today that Australian mobile phone users have now yet another high-end handset to enjoy on its airwaves, namely the BlackBerry Bold 9700 (Bold 2). The new device comes with support for Telstra's Next G network, the company announced, adding that its customers are expected to find the device very appealing in an attractive package.

Telstra Product Management Executive Director, Ross Fielding, commented: “Lighter and more powerful, the new Blackberry 9700 has a full keyboard and push email service which will help customers stay connected to their email, office calendar and the mobile internet. Teamed with Telstra's Next G network it provides outstanding smartphone performance in more places.”

Fielding also said that the company expected for the new Bold 9700 to prove a very successful handset, based on the great performance the first BlackBerry Bold has showed on the carrier's airwaves. “A premium finish and a high build quality are carried across to the new model. Battery life continues to be outstanding giving customers the range they need to stay connected on longer trips,” he said.

What the new BlackBerry Bold is able to deliver to users includes a 3.2-megapixel photo snapper that sports auto focus and flash, a new touch-sensitive tra... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:01:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-Bold-9700-on-Telstra-Starting-Today-127869.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/BlackBerry-Bold-9700-on-Telstra-Starting-Today-127869.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Mobile-6-5-Is-Better-on-HTC-Phones-127863.shtml Redmond-based software giant Microsoft released the latest flavor of its mobile operating system, namely Windows Mobile 6.5, at the beginning of October. The platform in itself has seen a fair amount of bad reviews, yet it seems that the iteration should be seen only as a minor update to the platform, with a major update expected to arrive sometime in late 2010 in the form of Windows Mobile 7.

While Windows Mobile 6.5 might not impress users as much as Microsoft would have wanted it to, it seems that mobile phone makers that deliver to the market smartphones based on the platform are able to offer an enhanced experience to their users. HTC Corporation, the largest provider of Windows Mobile-based devices, is one of them and its recently launched HTC HD2 handset seems to come with less issues than Windows Mobile 6.5 was said to come in the first place.

According to a recent article on Zdnet, the HD2 addresses some of the so-called “problems” of the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, thus being able to leverage the experience one has with the platform. The one thing that should be mentioned here is that HTC already announced that its HTC Sense navigation solution, which was originally launched on the Android-based HTC Hero, is also present with the phone and this might be the main reason for which... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:44:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Mobile-6-5-Is-Better-on-HTC-Phones-127863.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Mobile-6-5-Is-Better-on-HTC-Phones-127863.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/LG-X120-Netbook-Comes-to-AT-T-in-the-US-127853.shtml LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A. has announced the launch of its newest product, the LG X120 netbook, on the United States market via mobile-phone carrier AT&T. According to the company, the new netbook is one of the hot products announced by LG at the Mobile World Congress, 2009, held in Barcelona.

A unique feature offered by this netbook is the ‘Smart-On’ interface, which allows users to access programs that are frequently used, even before the device boots up completely. Another interesting feature, the ‘Smart-Link,’ allows connecting to other computers using a USB cable to share and transfer information. The device also has a security function, which protects it while sharing data with other computers.

The X120 will be available for purchase with a two-year contract from AT&T on a $60 monthly 5 GB plan. The price tag for the device has been set at $179.99, and it is available at all Radio Shack stores across the US, as well as online. Subscribers to the AT&T DataConnect will also receive access to the AT&T Wi-Fi service, which covers more than 20,000 Hot Spots in the US.

The X120 netbook has a white case with either green or pink edge lines. The matte finish ensures that no fingerprints or scratches will damage it. The fact that it weighs only 2.8lbs makes the X120 a goo... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:02:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/LG-X120-Netbook-Comes-to-AT-T-in-the-US-127853.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/LG-X120-Netbook-Comes-to-AT-T-in-the-US-127853.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Alexandru Floriceanu) http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-HD2-s-Camera-Issues-are-Software-Related-127849.shtml The high-end HTC HD2, one of the nicest mobile phones that reached the market during the ongoing year, is reportedly suffering from some camera-related issues. The main problem is that the pictures taken with the phone's camera show a Pink/Purple hue. It seems that there are already a series of users who experienced these issues, yet HTC might soon offer a remedy for the situation.

But first things first. According to a recent article on mobiletechworld, when contacted about the problem, HTC responded that this would be a hardware issue and the devices that had it needed to be returned for repair. Here's what the response email from the Taiwanese mobile phone maker reportedly stated:

“Dear valued HTC customer, Thank you for your enquiry about your handset. This is a hardware issue and you can contact your re-seller to exchange the device for another one or contact us and we will send this device to be repair. If these steps have not helped, please let me know by responding using the link provided and I will be happy to check again for you.”

However, following these reports, and the discussions that were taking place around the web on the matter, HTC came up with yet another response, this time saying that it is actually a software issue and that there might be a simpler resolution. Ac... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:53:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-HD2-s-Camera-Issues-are-Software-Related-127849.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-HD2-s-Camera-Issues-are-Software-Related-127849.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/RIM-and-Motorola-Sued-Over-Visual-Voicemail-Patent-Infringement-127841.shtml Klausner Technologies, Inc. announced on Monday that it filed suits against Canadian Mobile phone maker Research In Motion and against Motorola, Inc. for patent infringements regarding the Visual Voicemail. Klausner Technologies is a company that owns a number of 25 patents all around the world, on the basic Visual Voicemail feature that allows users to selectively view and listen on their mobile phones or computers to the voicemail messages they receive. It was founded by Judah Klausner, the inventor of the PDA and electronic organizer.

According to Klausner Technologies, the lawsuits are based on the introduction on the market of the RIM's “certain new 3G 'BlackBerry Bold 9700' mobile phones and Motorola’s new 'CLIQ' mobile phone, as all of these devices use Klausner Technologies' Visual Voicemail patented technology.

Moreover, the company also states that “various Blackberry models with the Visual Voicemail feature are already covered under Klausner Technologies Visual Voicemail patent licenses granted to mobile operators,” and that “various other Motorola models with the Visual Voicemail feature are already covered under Klausner Technologies Visual Voicemail patent licenses granted to mobile operators.”

Klausner Technologies also mentio... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:26:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/RIM-and-Motorola-Sued-Over-Visual-Voicemail-Patent-Infringement-127841.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/RIM-and-Motorola-Sued-Over-Visual-Voicemail-Patent-Infringement-127841.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Smartphones-Become-Cheaper-in-Q3-2009-127826.shtml According to a recent report from The NPD Group, the average purchase price for mobile phones on the US market has been dropping lately. The latest buy-one-get-one (BOGO) offers, as well as other price cuts, have led to a drop of 3 percent in the average selling price for mobile phones in the third quarter of the ongoing year, compared to the same time frame a year ago.

The NPD Group shows that the average purchase price during Q3 2009 was of US$85 in the US, while a year ago the price was of US$88. However, the smartphones accounted for a larger part of the mobile phone market. The report shows that 28 percent of handset sales during the third quarter of the year were smartphones.

“Carriers have been heavily promoting the latest advanced handsets, which has spurred recent growth in the smartphone market and an increase in the number of smartphone brands available to consumers,” said Ross Rubin, director of Industry Analysis at The NPD Group. “For example, while there was only one Android device available in the fourth quarter of last year, now there are eight available from three major carriers.”

NPD's Mobile Phone Track also shows that smartphone price cuts made by carriers drove the handsets like the Blackberry Curve, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 3G to the top of sellin... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:42:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Smartphones-Become-Cheaper-in-Q3-2009-127826.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Smartphones-Become-Cheaper-in-Q3-2009-127826.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Sony-Ericsson-XPERIA-X1-Won-t-Taste-WM-6-5-127809.shtml One of the most popular mobile phones running under Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, that will not have a taste of the recently launched Windows Mobile 6.5 flavor, seems to be the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1. There are a wide range of WinMo-powered handsets that saw an upgrade from the 6.1 version to the newly launched 6.5 one, yet it seems that Sony Ericsson's first XPERIA device won't join them.

According to a recent article on Cnet, although the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 was rumored at a certain point to have a Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade being prepared for it, that will not happen in the end. The news site says that, according to a spokesperson with the mobile phone maker, no upgrade for the handset is being developed.

“There has been speculation regarding the availability of WM6.5 for the X1. This stemmed from an Xda-developers discussion in September started by a user who had gotten hold of a 6.5 ROM for the device, prompting rumors that Sony Ericsson was working on an update,” the news site also notes, adding that users can now stop thinking about the update.

The joint-venture, as many of you might know, already delivered to the market a second XPERIA handset that runs under the new Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, namely the XPERIA X2. Basically, this means that Sony E... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:46:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Sony-Ericsson-XPERIA-X1-Won-t-Taste-WM-6-5-127809.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Sony-Ericsson-XPERIA-X1-Won-t-Taste-WM-6-5-127809.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-s-100-Holiday-Gift-for-New-Smartphone-Purchases-127793.shtml Taiwanese mobile-phone maker HTC seems determined to sell as many smartphones as possible during this year's holiday season. To make sure it does so, the company has initiated a new campaign aimed at those who want to buy a new HTC smartphone, and will give $100 to any user who makes a purchase from Verizon, T-Mobile or AT&T, while bringing in an old smartphone.

Some of you might remember the recently reported trade-in program that involved T-Mobile's HTC Touch Pro2. It seems that the offer was extended to include a wider range of smartphones from HTC, and to a larger number of wireless carriers in the US. All that one needs to do to benefit from the $100 HTC is willing to give is to bring in an old smartphone and acquire a new device from one of the aforementioned mobile-phone operators.

The HTC smartphones that are eligible for the campaign are the HTC Tilt2, the HTC Touch Pro2, the HTC Imagio and the HTC Ozone. The mobile-phone maker will require the old smartphone to be “a BlackBerry, an Apple iPhone, a Palm device by Palm, a Nokia smartphone or any device running on the Windows Mobile or Android operating system.” Users will need to enter a promo code, depending on the carrier from which they have purchased the new smartphone.

There are other details that users need ... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:02:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-s-100-Holiday-Gift-for-New-Smartphone-Purchases-127793.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-s-100-Holiday-Gift-for-New-Smartphone-Purchases-127793.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Google-Maps-Navigation-Now-on-Android-1-6-Phones-127788.shtml The latest flavor of Google's Android operating system, Eclair or Android 2.0, brought to the table a brand new feature for mobile phone users, namely Google Maps Navigation (Beta). The feature was announced as being free, yet the problem was that Verizon's Motorola DROID was the only Android 2.0-based mobile phone on the market, thus the only one to support the feature.

However, good news are heading towards Android fans out there, as Google has just announced the launch of Google Maps Navigation for mobile phones running under Android 1.6 (Donut) and higher. Basically, this means that the owners of a T-Mobile myTouch 3G and G1, or other handsets based on Donut are now able to benefit from the same feature as those early adopters of DROID.

“Google Maps Navigation is an internet-connected GPS system with voice guidance and automatic rerouting, all running on your mobile phone. Using Google services over your phone's data connection brings important benefits to GPS navigation users, like using Google search (typed or spoken) to enter your destination; fresh map, business, and traffic data; and satellite and Street View imagery along your route,” Google says.

There are some additional features that users might want to learn about, including a new Layers feature, enabling them to ov... (read more)]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:36:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Google-Maps-Navigation-Now-on-Android-1-6-Phones-127788.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Google-Maps-Navigation-Now-on-Android-1-6-Phones-127788.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mobile-Multimedia-Services-to-Take-the-Lead-in-Non-Voice-Service-Area-127735.shtml Mobile multimedia services are expected to account for around 11 percent of the total mobile services revenue in Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), by end of 2009, which will enable them to outpace the revenue from SMS services for the first time, according to a recently published report from IDC. During last year, SMS service accounted for 10.3 percent of the revenue in the non-voice area, while mobile multimedia services climbed to 10.1. According to IDC, SMS services will remain in the 10 percent area for the following few years, while mobile multimedia services will continue to grow.

Up until now, the growth in the mobile multimedia content has been mainly driven by ringtones and wallpaper downloads, mainly due to their popularity among young users. “Today, the emergence of handsets featuring larger screens and even touch-screen interfaces has pushed the uptake of mobile multimedia services to a new level,” said Alex Chau, senior research manager for IDC's Asia/Pacific Mobile & Wireless Technologies/Services Research. “This has spurred content and application developers to develop tens of thousands of applications to satisfy this new demand amongst mobile users.”

The growth in mobile multimedia services is also expected to be influenced by the fact that... (read more)]]> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:11:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mobile-Multimedia-Services-to-Take-the-Lead-in-Non-Voice-Service-Area-127735.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mobile-Multimedia-Services-to-Take-the-Lead-in-Non-Voice-Service-Area-127735.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-Touch-Pro2-Now-Available-from-US-Cellular-127725.shtml Wireless carrier US Cellular was reported quite a while ago to plan launching on the market the high-end HTC Touch Pro2 mobile phone, powered by Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, and now the operator already has the device available for purchase. The company made users wait a little for this handset to be put on sale, yet it seems that the wait paid out, as Touch Pro2 sports the latest flavor of Windows Mobile right from the start, unlike the models launched via other carriers in the US, which came with the 6.1 flavor in the beginning.

Another very appealing feature of this phone is the HTC Sense navigation solution from the Taiwanese mobile phone maker, something that, until not too long ago, was only available with the company's Android-based handsets. The price tag for HTC Touch Pro2 on US cellular has been set at $199.95 upon the signing of a two-year contract agreement with the carrier and after a $70.00 mail-in rebate. Compared to the price tag the phone features at other operators, US Cellular's offer looks like a bargain.

However, it should be noted that the carrier asks users to opt for a calling plan at $39.99 or higher and Windows Mobile E-mail & Web Service at $24.95 per month upon the purchase of the phone. The HTC Touch Pro2 comes with CDMA 1X/EVDO REV A connectivity options, b... (read more)]]> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:01:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-Touch-Pro2-Now-Available-from-US-Cellular-127725.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-Touch-Pro2-Now-Available-from-US-Cellular-127725.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/LG-Posts-Full-GW525-Specs-on-Its-Website-127692.shtml South Korean mobile phone maker LG Electronics has unveiled the specifications list of its GW525 handset. The entire list is now available on the LG Mobile Developer Network and shows some rather appealing features for this device, which is reportedly aimed at the markets in South America and North America.

“The GW525 is a quad-band 3GSM slide phone that offers push social networking updates allowing consumers to receive alerts from multiple social network sites as they are posted. It features HSDPA connectivity up to 7.2 Mbps, 2.8 inch touchscreen display, full slide out QWERTY keyboard, 3.2 megapixel digital camera, stereo FM radio, music player and video player,” the company says about the device.

What the list shows includes an ARM9 processor, along with GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz frequency bands support, and data transmission through EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA. The GW525 comes with a 2.8-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display, which boasts a 240 x 400 pixel resolution and support for 262K colors, and with a 3-megapixel photo snapper with video recording capabilities.

The handset also sports a sliding form factor, measuring 106.5 x 53 x 15.9 mm and weighing in at 125.5g. It comes around with 256 MB of internal memory and 128 MB of RAM, but also a Micro SD memory card slot with sup... (read more)]]> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:01:01 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/LG-Posts-Full-GW525-Specs-on-Its-Website-127692.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/LG-Posts-Full-GW525-Specs-on-Its-Website-127692.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Kyocera-Announces-the-Torino-S2300-and-Domino-S1310-Phones-127674.shtml Kyocera Communications Inc., the company that delivers the Kyocera- and SANYO-branded wireless devices to the market, announced recently the launch of two new mobile phones, the Torino S2300 and Domino S1310. The new handsets come with some of the most popular features available in today's cellphones, while also sporting lower price tags, the company announced.

The new Torino device has been included in the company's QWERTY messaging device category, as it sports a full keyboard, coupled with a large high-resolution display. The Domino comes as a value-centric handset, aimed mainly at those focused on making phone calls and sending text messages, the company announced.

“In these challenging times, you can’t overstate the importance of a good value and these phones certainly deliver that,” said Eric Anderson, vice president of sales at KCI. “We’ve worked very hard to incorporate higher-end features in more basic product tiers and these phones strike an ideal balance between quality, functionality and affordability.”

The new Kyocera Torino S2300 comes with a 2.2-inch QVGA TFT display, a 1.3-megapixel photo snapper, Bluetooth 2.1 technology, SMS Chat View, support for MMS, IM and email clients, speakerphone, voice dialing, 2.5 mm headset jack, full-... (read more)]]> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:01:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Kyocera-Announces-the-Torino-S2300-and-Domino-S1310-Phones-127674.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Kyocera-Announces-the-Torino-S2300-and-Domino-S1310-Phones-127674.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/AT-T-to-Get-the-Sony-Ericsson-XPERIA-X10-127660.shtml Japanese-Swedish mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson announced not too long ago its first handset powered by Google's Android operating system, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10, and while no specific availability was disclosed, some new specs for the device seem to unveil what hasn't been said before. To be more precise, the XPERIA X10 is expected to become available in the US on AT&T's airwaves, based on the network frequencies the device supports.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 page on the handset vendor's website shows that this nice looking Android phone will come to the market with support for GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS/HSPA 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 network. Moreover, the specs page also notes that “UMTS HSPA 800/850/1900 only available for phones sold in Americas (except Brazil) and Australia. UMTS HSPA 900/1700 not available for phones sold in Americas. UMTS HSPA 1900/2100 available worldwide.”

While the UMTS/HSPA 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 bands support suggests that either AT&T or T-Mobile might have the handset on their airwaves, the “UMTS HSPA 900/1700 not available for phones sold in Americas” line removes T-Mobile from the equation. No official details on a possible deal between AT&T and Sony Ericsson emerged until now, but one should know that Sony Style is already se... (read more)]]> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:01:02 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/AT-T-to-Get-the-Sony-Ericsson-XPERIA-X10-127660.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/AT-T-to-Get-the-Sony-Ericsson-XPERIA-X10-127660.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Carriers-Upgrading-3G-Networks-Ahead-of-LTE-Arrival-127777.shtml According to a recently published report from ABI Research, mobile-phone carriers around the world are looking into 3G network enhancements ahead of LTE's arrival. Since Long Term Evolution deployments aren't yet something to expect in the near future, carriers are improving existing infrastructure to the HSPA (HSDPA and HSUPA) standard, the research firm notes.

“In order to keep up with the exponential growth of mobile data that has been spurred by fixed-rate data plans, operators must upgrade their existing 3G infrastructure,” ABI Research analyst Bhavya Khanna commented. The 3G upgrades will offer carriers the possibility to deliver download speeds of up to 21Mbps. “While progress towards the deployment of LTE is clearly racing ahead,” Khanna concludes, “operators cannot afford to neglect their existing networks.”

As many of you might already know, a wide range of operators all around the world already announced plans to adopt LTE as the standard for their 4G networks, and it seems that more and more LTE trials are being performed. By the end of September 2009, LTE trials or commitments to trial were reported on a number of 100 mobile networks, the research firm notes.

More than 40 trials were conducted in the Asia-Pacific region, with carriers i... (read more)]]> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:02:00 GMT Softpedia News - Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Carriers-Upgrading-3G-Networks-Ahead-of-LTE-Arrival-127777.shtml Telecoms http://news.softpedia.com/news/Carriers-Upgrading-3G-Networks-Ahead-of-LTE-Arrival-127777.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire)