Sony Ericsson Releases First Windows Mobile Phone

"It's a truly converged device for entertainment and productivity. We're trying to avoid the use of the term 'smart phone,'" said Suzanne Cross, head product marketing manager for Sony Ericsson North America.

The Xperia line signals a new focus on innovations in 'user experience' for Sony Ericsson, said Rikko Sakaguchi, the company's head of portfolio and propositions.

"What is tomorrow, what's the vision?" he asked. "A very simplified view is mobile communication with a rich, enriched environment with the Web ... it's not about a great-looking phone or nice design, it's more about appealing to the senses."

Whatever it is, the X1 is smart. The 0.68-inch thick, 5.2-ounce device slides open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard and a 3-inch, incredibly high-res 800 X 480 touch screen. Yes, that's a higher pixel density than the iPhone.

The X1's specs include, basically, everything. Quad-band EDGE plus quad-band HSDPA 7.2 with HSUPA? Check. Wi-Fi and GPS? Check. A 3.2-megapixel camera with DVD quality video playback and capture? Check. FM radio, Bluetooth stereo, and GPS? You bet. It's all powered by a 520-MHz ARM11 processor running Windows Mobile 6. In short, this thing screams.

To navigate around the X1, you can use the touch screen, cursor keys, or an optical trackpad that works a little like a laptop trackpad.
Sony Ericsson has been making their own effort at fixing the Windows Mobile interface, too, with a new desktop design they call "Experia panels." Panels are essentially large, finger-friendly blocks that sit on your home screen and let you quickly access various applications. Because of the Xperia's ridiculously high-res screen, they look like zoomed-out entire screens of information. Like other maverick Windows Mobile devices such as the HTC Touch and T-Mobile Shadow, though, once you get below the home screen you're back to the old Windows Mobile interface.

The X1 may appear on either AT&T or T-Mobile. Interestingly, Sony Ericsson is producing different variants with AT&T's 850/1900 MHz high-speed frequencies and with T-Mobile's new 1700-MHz high-speed frequency, which they haven't even launched yet.

The X1 will be available during the second half of the year, and don't expect it to be cheap, Cross said.

"It's going to be high-end," she said.

This won't be the only Sony Ericsson Windows Mobile phone, said Pieter Knook, Microsoft's senior vice president of mobile communications."While this is the first, initial product, clearly the anticipation is that there will be a family of products over time," he said.

Sony Ericsson's choice benefits Microsoft, helping Windows Mobile in the consumer space, Knook said.

"Core to our strategy is to expand out from just being business or personal productivity focused," he said.

But the X1 announcement wasn't the only news in a very busy Sony Ericsson press conference. Sony Ericsson also released two new camera phones, a musicphone, two ExpressCards and two Symbian UIQ-based smart phones.

The Cybershot C702 and C902 camera phones are both coming to the U.S. in mid 2008, and they each have something not seen in this market before. In the C702, it's a combination of a 3.2-megapixel camera with basic ruggedization, what Sony Ericsson calls splash and dust resistance. In other words, you can drop it in a mud puddle without fear, but not dunk it in a swimming pool. It's also covered with a grippy, rubbery surface.

"This phone is really designed to allow you to take more pictures in more places," said Sven Totte, head of imaging marketing for Sony Ericsson.

The C702 also comes with built-in GPS and Google Maps for Mobile software, and tags your photos with the locations they were taken. A full Web browser, email client, FM radio and Bluetooth round out the feature set.

The C902 is a slim 5-megapixel camera phone with a true Xenon flash, but similar other features to the C702. It's more metallic and skinnier, though, at only 10.5 mm thick. You activate the camera by snapping the top part of thephone up, and then manipulate it with eight dedicated camera settings touch keys studded around the screen.

Both Cybershots are quad-band EDGE phones, which means they could turn up on either T-Mobile or AT&T. Sony Ericsson says they will arrive in mid 2008.

Sony Ericsson hasn't played much in the ExpressCard space here in the U.S. in years – though they do have one ancient card selling on T-Mobile – but the EC400 and EC400g might change that. Both cards are HSDPA 7.2 with HSUPA on the 850/1900/2100 bands and quad-band EDGE – in English, that's AT&T's latest and fastest technology. Both have drivers on board for Windows XP, Vista and Mac OS X so you don't need to download separate drivers. The EC400g adds a GPS unit to your PC, as well. Expect both mid-year.

Sony Ericsson's three other releases will not make it to North America any time soon, company reps said. They include two candy-bar-style Symbian UIQ smart phones, the G700 and G900, which have a neat feature that lets you essentially write sticky notes and tack them to thephone's touch screen to remember things. The Z770i is a midrange clamshell phone with a Web browser and European high-speed networks. Finally, the W980 Walkman music phone is a clamshell phone with 8 GB of built-in storage and an FM transmitter; Sony Ericsson trumpeted this phone as the first of its kind, but the LG Fusic did it in mid-2006.

Sony Ericsson's new phones impressed a packed crowd at their press conference.

"Motorola needs every single one of these products," said Avi Greengart, principal analyst for mobile devices at Current Analysis.

LG to make a watch phone?

Engadget got a chance to take few photos of what seems as LG-made watch phone. And while we still don’t dig the idea of wearing a phone around a wrist, I guess the Korean giant did some research and figured there’s a room on the market for such devices. Apparently, the phone/watch has some cool interface and relies on exclusively on the three buttons located at the bottom of the device. The bad news — at least for the watch phone lovers — is that it appears to be a mere prototype at the moment, but who knows - we may see it hitting the store shelves within few months.
Source:www.intomobile.com

HTC Touch Plus for T-Mobile UK

Poor T-Mobile UK for sitting on the sideline, for many months watching rival Orange UK sell the HTC Touch Dual – the company will finally get its very own to sell. T-Mobile UK’s version of the Touch Dual will be known as HTC Touch Plus

The call-button layout is very much like the original MDA Touch design; T-Mobile UK opted for the 12 keys keypad-type version over the 20 keys SureType version. Rests assure that all other features and specifications remain unchanged, including Windows Mobile Professional, triband GSM/GPRS/EDGE, singleband UMTS/HSDPA and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR.

The price and exact release date has not been announced yet.
Source:http://www.phonemag.com/

BlackBerry 9000 series photo surfaces

The BlackBerry 9000 series rumours are not going away, after recently getting some Wall Street analyst backing, there is now a spy shot that's emerged on the BlackBerry forums site.

Posted by someone suposedly based in Waterloo, where RIM's Canadian headquarters are, with only the word "Enjoy" as a comment, this could be the new form factor of handsets due in the first half of 2008.

The 9000 series were strongly rumoured to be toting full touchscreen capabilities, as you will see in the pic, this keeps RIM's now iconic device design but with more curved edges and a splash of aluminium.

There's no way of knowing whether this is a mock-up, early prototype, or even complete fake, but we'll keep you info
Source:http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk

Mobile phone cashback 'rip-off'

Mobile phone cashback schemes are still letting down too many consumers, says the telecoms regulator.
Ofcom continues to get hundreds of complaints every month about the controversial deals, despite a new industry code of practice.

The consumer organisation Which? wants cashback schemes banned, after research found a number of deals were in breach of the rules.

Mobile phone companies insist they take the code very seriously.

Cashback deals are offered to customers who take out new contracts, and promise to refund some or all of their upfront costs at a later date.


Thousands of people have already lost money through these dodgy deals, so don't touch them with a bargepole
Malcolm Coles, Which?

Often funded by commissions from the phone network, cashback can help persuade customers to sign up to expensive price plans.

But the deals have proved controversial because the terms and conditions can be difficult to understand, and even harder to meet, meaning thousands of people fail to claim.

In many cases retailers have gone bust before consumers have received their cash.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk

T-Mobile, 3 U.K. Agree to Share British Networks, People Say

Deutsche Telekom AG and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. agreed to share their high-speed wireless networks in the U.K., extending their reach and reducing investment costs, according to three people with knowledge of the accord.

T-Mobile, the wireless unit of Germany's biggest phone company, and Hutchison unit 3 U.K. will save money and time because the two would otherwise have to expand the networks on their own, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the deal isn't yet public. An announcement may come as early as today, they said.

The agreement provides both companies with more coverage for so-called third-generation services, also known as 3G, which allow Internet browsing, video conferences and music downloads. T-Mobile is the U.K.'s second-largest mobile-phone company by subscribers after Telefonica SA's O2.

``When you collaborate you can reduce the costs,'' said Hannes Wittig, an analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in London. ``Both T-Mobile and 3 have coverage issues in the U.K. and it would be sensible for them to share the costs of regional expansion. It's something you have to do to stay in the game in the U.K.''

T-Mobile had 17 million customers in the U.K. at the end of September, making it Deutsche Telekom's third-largest wireless market by subscribers after Germany and the U.S. T-Mobile International had almost 114 million users across 11 European countries and the U.S.

Ericsson selected by T- Mobile UK as managed services partner for field operations

Ericsson and T-Mobile UK, part of Deutsche Telekom, have signed a five-year managed services contract to modernize the T-Mobile UK network and provide managed services with a comprehensive range of professional services.

The strategically important contract includes modernization of T-Mobile's infrastructure, field operations and multi-vendor spare parts management. The contract came into effect on the 1st December 2007.

The five-year contract will enable T-Mobile UK to lower operational expenses whilst maintaining high quality levels, strengthen the company's platform for growth and improve the customer experience.

Ericsson will build on its existing UK managed service capability. Around 190 staff from T-Mobile will be transferred to Ericsson, further enhancing its service organization.

Emin Gürdenli, Networks Director, T-Mobile UK, said: "Ericsson are a long-term and trusted partner and we are very pleased to extend this relationship. This is an important step in the evolution of our network strategy which underpins T-Mobile's commitment to provide a superior service experience for our 17 million customers in the UK."

Jacqueline Hey, Managing Director, Ericsson UK, said: "We are very proud to be entrusted with the responsibility for the evolution and continuing field operations of the T-Mobile UK network. This further strengthens our partnership and creates a platform for extended collaboration and future benefits."

Prior to this new contract, Ericsson was already T-Mobile UK's 3G core transformation partner. T-Mobile is a global Ericsson customer, where Ericsson supports network operations in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic and the US.

The contract is the second managed services contract Ericsson has concluded with a Deutsche Telekom company this year. It follows a contract for operation and maintenance of Deutsche Telekom's microwave network in Germany announced in August.

Ericsson is the largest telecom services company in the world with 28,000 services professionals in more than 140 countries. The company supports networks with more than 1 billion subscribers worldwide.

Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication companies in the world.

Source:http://money.cnn.com