Engadget Mobile http://www.engadgetmobile.com Engadget Mobile http://www.engadgetmobile.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget Mobile http://www.engadgetmobile.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[BenQ's C36 plays music, and that's about it]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/05/05/benqs-c36-plays-music-and-thats-about-it/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/05/05/benqs-c36-plays-music-and-thats-about-it/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/05/05/benqs-c36-plays-music-and-thats-about-it/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Six months is an eternity by mobile standards; BenQ apparently knows that, already showing its C30 the door in favor of the C36. The new model carries over most of the C30's design cues but upgrades the VGA cam to 1.3 megapixels and swaps out the 1.8-inch 160 x 128 display for a moderately more generous 2-inch 220 x 176 one. Music is the real name of the game here, though, with dedicated controls atop the device, stereo speakers, and microSD expansion -- all of which will come in handy, we think, as you're waiting eons for web pages to load on the archaic GPRS radio. Look for it to launch in Indonesia this month with other countries following on shortly.

[Via Slashphone]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqc36candybarindonesiamusicMon, 05 May 2008 23:12:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ T60: 8.9 millimeters, 3.2 megapixels]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/11/benq-t60-8-9-millimeters-3-2-megapixels/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/11/benq-t60-8-9-millimeters-3-2-megapixels/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/11/benq-t60-8-9-millimeters-3-2-megapixels/#commentsFiled under: , ,


LG may be about to deliver the thinnest device at 5 megapixels, but at 8.9mm, BenQ's new T60 is holding down the 3.2 megapixel camp with some serious hotness. The slick candybar features a 2.2 inch QVGA display, "high quality media player" (whatever that means), integrated radio, 24MB of onboard memory, and microSD expansion -- you know, for actually making the camera and music player useful. BenQ's touting the whole package as being "affordable," too, which makes sense considering that the data flow appears to top off at measly GPRS speeds. Look for it to launch in Taiwan, Turkey, and Bangladesh this month -- quite a hodgepodge of countries if you ask us -- this month.

[Via IntoMobile and Mobilewhack]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqcandybart60Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:56:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ Siemens' crazy SL98 reverse slider shows up on eBay]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/12/11/benq-siemens-crazy-sl98-reverse-slider-shows-up-on-ebay/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/12/11/benq-siemens-crazy-sl98-reverse-slider-shows-up-on-ebay/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/12/11/benq-siemens-crazy-sl98-reverse-slider-shows-up-on-ebay/#commentsFiled under: ,


Remember this little gem? We're pretty sure the SL98 "reverse slider" went the same way as BenQ Siemens itself -- south, that is -- but there's been at least one more chance here to get in on one of the world's most bizarre form factors. eBay's German outpost recently turned up a listing for an SL98 prototype with a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, microSD slot, and QVGA display -- and while we don't know if we trust the mechanism to work flawlessly on some funky early hand-built handset, how the heck else are you going to get one? Sadly, the auction has already ended -- but maybe, if you're really lucky, the buyer will relist with a premium tacked on.

[Via Unwired View and gizmos.es]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqbenq siemensBenqSiemensebayreverse sliderReverseSlidersiemenssl98Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:37:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ launches splash and dust resistant M7]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/16/benq-launches-spash-and-dust-resistant-m7/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/16/benq-launches-spash-and-dust-resistant-m7/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/16/benq-launches-spash-and-dust-resistant-m7/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


While BenQ's M7 may not be quite jump up and down thrilling, but its dustproof, splash-resistant body is strangely intriguing. Featuring a -- faux? -- carbon fiber front, tri-band GSM with 2100 MHz UMTS, GPS, 2 megapixel camera plus forward facing VGA cam for video calling, and Bluetooth round out the main features. No word on pricing -- and we ran it past our best translator -- but we're expecting entry level dollars will see this feature-packed handset in your pocket.

[Via Mobilewhack]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BenQGPSM7Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ T33 avoids brick status, offers music without a SIM]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/15/benq-t33-avoids-brick-status-offers-music-without-a-sim/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/15/benq-t33-avoids-brick-status-offers-music-without-a-sim/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/15/benq-t33-avoids-brick-status-offers-music-without-a-sim/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


GSM handsets have a nasty tendency to become paperweights (albeit paperweights that can place calls to 911) when they find themselves missing nothing more than a thumbnail-sized piece of plastic -- the almighty SIM card. Ten years ago, that was a fair proposition since phones didn't do much besides make calls, and you need a subscriber identity to do much of that anyway. Fast forward to 2007, though, and phones do a heck of a lot more than call, so why do we still get so much hate when we power on our 'sets without SIMs? BenQ feels your pain, showing its T33 slider -- an all-around midrange musicphone, but the money feature here is that you can pull the SIM and let it function as a music player alone. Other goodies include a 2 megapixel cam, stereo Bluetooth, 220 x 176 display, FM radio, and the obligatory microSD slot. The keypad looks like a nightmare to use, but considering that BenQ's North American handset presence amounts to a big, fat goose egg, we're not too fired up about it.

[Via Fareastgizmos]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqslidert33Mon, 15 Oct 2007 19:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia and others launching "iPhone-like" gear by Q2 2008?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/12/nokia-and-others-launching-iphone-like-gear-by-q2-2008/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/12/nokia-and-others-launching-iphone-like-gear-by-q2-2008/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/12/nokia-and-others-launching-iphone-like-gear-by-q2-2008/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Taiwan's OEM reporting pulse -- DigiTimes -- claims that handset makers Asustek, BenQ, Compal and Arima Communications are all "aggressively developing iPhone-like products" for 2008. According to their sources, the devices will run on Microsoft's Windows Mobile platform and target business markets with features such as 3G and GPS. DigiTimes' sources also claim that Nokia will release its Symbian-based "iPhone-like handset" in the first half of 2008. True or not, that's a lot of Apple hate-bait to swallow this early in the morning.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arimaasusasustekbenqcompaliphonelgnokiasamsungFri, 12 Oct 2007 02:09:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ rolls out multimedia-centric C30 handset]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/05/benq-rolls-out-multimedia-centric-c30-handset/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/05/benq-rolls-out-multimedia-centric-c30-handset/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/05/benq-rolls-out-multimedia-centric-c30-handset/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Looking to give candybar (the style, not the food) lovers something new to chew on, BenQ has unveiled the C30 multimedia phone. The GSM handset boasts up to four hours of talk time (250 hours on standby), an integrated camera, a 1.8-inch 160 x 128 resolution display, movie clip recording functionality, support for MP3 / AAC / WAV formats, an FM radio, and a microSD slot for loading up your tunes. No word yet on pricing or availability, but it shouldn't demand too terribly much. Click on for a couple of closeups.

Continue reading BenQ rolls out multimedia-centric C30 handset

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqc30cameraphonefm radioFmRadiomp3 playerMp3PlayerFri, 05 Oct 2007 14:11:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ's NFC-enabled T80 to debut this fall]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/09/04/benqs-nfc-enabled-t80-to-debut-this-fall/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/09/04/benqs-nfc-enabled-t80-to-debut-this-fall/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/09/04/benqs-nfc-enabled-t80-to-debut-this-fall/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


BenQ is set to launch its first Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled set this fall, the T80. Powered by NXP Semiconductor's highly secure SmartMX chip and NFC solutions, the handset will feature Windows Mobile 6 Standard edition, quad-band GSM, WiFi, with the NFC apps stored on the included microSD card. The bundled smart apps will be used for Mobile Wallet features, transport ticketing -- for the Taipei public transport system -- and access to private security systems. The microSD will be portable to other NFC devices, so we're hoping that we will see more from BenQ in the near future -- and with its quad-band GSM legs, we really could see this come stateside.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Bankrupt BenQ Mobile hits parent BenQ with third lawsuit]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/08/10/bankrupt-benq-mobile-hits-parent-benq-with-third-lawsuit/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/08/10/bankrupt-benq-mobile-hits-parent-benq-with-third-lawsuit/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/08/10/bankrupt-benq-mobile-hits-parent-benq-with-third-lawsuit/#commentsFiled under:

As if there wasn't enough scandal surrounding the bankruptcy of BenQ Mobile, the dead handset company has just filed its third lawsuit since July against former parent company BenQ. This time BenQ Mobile's insolvency administrator Martin Prager wants €26 million Euro ($36 million US) to pay executive bonuses that BenQ the parent approved, but BenQ Mobile had to pay after BenQ pulled the investment plug. In July Prager filed two lawsuits that amounted to €80 million ($110 million US) for account payables made by BenQ Mobile to BenQ in 2006. BenQ's considering counterclaims against those July suits.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bankruptcybenqbenq mobilebenq siemensBenqMobileBenqSiemenslawsuitFri, 10 Aug 2007 11:14:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens SL98 reverse slider]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/24/benq-siemens-sl98-reverse-slider/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/24/benq-siemens-sl98-reverse-slider/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/24/benq-siemens-sl98-reverse-slider/#commentsFiled under: ,


Just when we thought that the slider form factor had reached its zenith, BenQ-Siemens has apparently knocked that all to bits with this, the SL98. Rather than always having the screen exposed to the elements -- and über abrasive pocket lint -- this novel approach has a small display to get a quick peek at incoming call info, with the main screen squirreled away inside. With the touch of a button -- or flick of the wrist, we really don't know -- the main screen is unleashed for your viewing pleasure. As proof that these guys are on to something, both Asus and LG have submit patent applications with similar ideas. Pretty slick stuff, we're looking forward to getting more details as soon as we can.

[Thanks, Staska]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqbenq-siemensinternalscreensiemenssliderTue, 24 Jul 2007 09:42:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ to launch E72, M7, and T51 in August?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/06/26/benq-to-launch-e72-m7-and-t51-in-august/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/06/26/benq-to-launch-e72-m7-and-t51-in-august/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/06/26/benq-to-launch-e72-m7-and-t51-in-august/#commentsFiled under: ,

Although BenQ has been through more reshuffling and renaming in the past few years than we care to ponder on, the remnants of a mobile division could be cranking out a trio of new handsets this August. DigiTimes has it that the E72, M7, and T51 could hit store shelves in the second half of August after the firm's SF71 (pictured), but not much was known outside of that. Interestingly, Hank Hung, general manager of BenQ Taiwan, was quoted as saying that the company had hopes to move "250,000 handsets in Taiwan" before the year's end, and if it plans to keep on producing mobiles in the years to come, it better be right.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gE72M7sf71T51taiwanTue, 26 Jun 2007 10:06:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ's body fat-measuring phone patent]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/05/07/benqs-body-fat-measuring-phone-patent/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/05/07/benqs-body-fat-measuring-phone-patent/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/05/07/benqs-body-fat-measuring-phone-patent/#commentsFiled under: ,


So there's nothing really cool or integrated about this -- and the concept of estimating body fat by measuring impedance is nothing new -- but the marriage of a cellphone with a function to remind us of what fat slobs we are is just too good of a patent app to pass up. The design really couldn't be any simpler; BenQ's basically just thinking about slapping a couple electrodes on the side of a phone that you'll touch to get a measurement. If only they had a device on there to measure BenQ's own weak pulse, they'd be all set.

[Via Unwired View]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqbody fatBodyFatfatpatentMon, 07 May 2007 23:50:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens' SF71 set to launch?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/04/16/benq-siemens-sf71-set-to-launch/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/04/16/benq-siemens-sf71-set-to-launch/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/04/16/benq-siemens-sf71-set-to-launch/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Although rumors of the BenQ-Siemens SF71 have floated around the web for quite a while now, will the handset be released any time soon? The SF71's shiny metal "armor plating" and flat keypad stay hip to the brushed-metal housings we're seeing in fashionphones these days -- and with UMTS, a microSD slot and Bluetooth 2.0 along with a QVGA display and 2 megapixel cam, specs are right in the mix, too. Alas, with BenQ-Siemens falling on really hard times these days, even this armor-plated phone may not be able to save the company from shooting itself in the foot.

[Via Unwired View]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BenQBenQ armor phoneBenQ phoneBenQ SF71BenQ-SiemensBenqArmorPhoneBenqPhoneBenqSf71SiemensMon, 16 Apr 2007 21:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Ronaldo to BenQ Mobile: I wanna get paid]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/03/29/ronaldo-to-benq-mobile-i-wanna-get-paid/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/03/29/ronaldo-to-benq-mobile-i-wanna-get-paid/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/03/29/ronaldo-to-benq-mobile-i-wanna-get-paid/#commentsFiled under: ,

Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo has a beef to pick with BenQ Mobile, a sponsor of the Real Madrid soccer team. The problem? BenQ Mobile has filed bankruptcy and Ronaldo wants his, umm, cash. While we're quite sure celebrity endorsements are fine and dandy, perhaps Ronaldo's contract should have stipulated payment up front. Regardless, the European soccer sensation is looking for at least 20 percent of what he agreed to in the BenQ Mobile endorsement contract. With former employees of BenQ Mobile sitting on the bench with owed monies as well, Ronaldo may be waiting a while for his cut.

[Via I4U News, thanks to Ali and Number_42 for the corrections]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BenqBenQ MobileBenQ SiemensBenqMobileBenqSiemensSiemens MobileSiemensMobileThu, 29 Mar 2007 23:19:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ lets the P51 piggie fly]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/03/20/benq-lets-the-p51-piggie-fly/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/03/20/benq-lets-the-p51-piggie-fly/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/03/20/benq-lets-the-p51-piggie-fly/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Can it really be true? One year after announcing the P51 (we had a hands-on at CeBIT 2006 for crissake), BenQ has finally released the damn thing beyond the confines of China... and Singapore and Turkey too, apparently. Don't even get us started on the P50 this handset was meant to follow. It doesn't look like there's anything new on this FCC approved handset, but hey, we'll run down the specs again anyway: quad-band GSM / GPRS (that's right, not even EDGE), 802.11b/g WiFi, GPS, A2DP Bluetooth, SDIO slot, and 1.3 megapixel cam with a 2.83-inch QVGA touchscreen LCD for Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC to dance upon. We agree, a bit rusty for a 2007 release.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqgpsp51pocket pcPocketPcwindows mobileWindowsMobilewinmo 5.0Winmo5.0Tue, 20 Mar 2007 10:06:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ Mobile to divide, be sold in pieces]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/02/25/benq-mobile-to-divide-be-sold-in-pieces/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/02/25/benq-mobile-to-divide-be-sold-in-pieces/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/02/25/benq-mobile-to-divide-be-sold-in-pieces/#commentsFiled under: ,

'Tis a sad day for those at BenQ Mobile, as the Munich-based company will reportedly be split up and sold after failing to turn around the struggling unit it acquired from Siemens AG. Honestly though, this shouldn't come as any major surprise, as the endeavor has already had its plug pulled and suffered through an investigation into its bankruptcy filing, so it's simply following the unfortunately necessary series of events as its dwindles into oblivion. The outfit's insolvency administrator announced that there would be "no realistic chance" of it being sold off as a whole, but didn't elaborate on exactly which portions would be segmented for bidding. Furthermore, it's suggested that "nearly all of the 3,000 jobs" at the division would vanish, but at least 550 have purportedly already found employment in other areas. I guess we should now cue the sappy background music as we sneak a peek at BenQ mobiles that could have been, but sadly never were never will be.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bankruptbreak upBreakUpbusinessindustryliquidatedsoldsplitSun, 25 Feb 2007 19:19:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens' E72 part of Windows Mobile 6 fray]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/02/19/benq-siemens-e72-part-of-windows-mobile-6-fray/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/02/19/benq-siemens-e72-part-of-windows-mobile-6-fray/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/02/19/benq-siemens-e72-part-of-windows-mobile-6-fray/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Despite being down on its luck as of late, BenQ-Siemens somehow still found the time and money to come to Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6 party with the new E72 candybar last week. With data topping out at measly EDGE speeds and an emphasis on VoIP via its WiFi connectivity, the E72 smacks of the also-announced iPAQ 510 Voice Messenger from HP -- and like the 510, it'll also be running the Standard version of the platform atop 64MB of RAM and 128MB of ROM. Where the E72 wins, though, is with its QVGA display (versus 220 x 176 on the 510) and a slightly snappier 260MHz TI OMAP core. Don't hold your breath for an American release though (we weren't anyway) on account of a tri-band radio.

[Via CoolSmartphone]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqbenq-siemenscandybare72smartphonestandardwindows mobilewindows mobile 6WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6Mon, 19 Feb 2007 11:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Corruption investigation postpones Nokia-Siemens merger]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/12/20/corruption-investigation-postpones-nokia-siemens-merger/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/12/20/corruption-investigation-postpones-nokia-siemens-merger/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/12/20/corruption-investigation-postpones-nokia-siemens-merger/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A review into Siemens's compliance with an investigation into corruption has postponed the company's equipment merger with Nokia. A merger of network infrastructure at the two companies may now be put back several months as investigators determine the validity of bribery charges levied at Siemens, and the effects of the arrest of the former head of Siemens's equipment group come to light. As recently as November, the two companies had stated that they expected to become Nokia Siemens Networks -- which was estimated would produce $20 billion a year in revenue -- by January 2007. The companies now expect the merger to be complete by sometime in the first financial quarter of next year, although that depends on how well, or badly, the investigation progresses. As long as the two companies keep on cranking out the phones, then we'll remain obliviously happy, but if the investigation turns up s'more dirt, we'll be sure to shovel it through the nearest web browser window.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BusinessCompliance ReviewComplianceReviewCorruptionEuropeInvestigationNokiaSiemensWed, 20 Dec 2006 12:50:00 EST<![CDATA[German prosecutors probing BenQ Mobile's bankruptcy]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/19/german-prosecutors-probing-benq-mobiles-bankruptcy/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/19/german-prosecutors-probing-benq-mobiles-bankruptcy/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/19/german-prosecutors-probing-benq-mobiles-bankruptcy/#commentsFiled under:

Another day, another company slamming the doors shut, and another governmental group prying them back open to sniff things out. Shortly after BenQ pulled the plug on its German mobile division (and somehow got its P51 to China), chief senior public prosecutor Christian Schmidt-Sommerfeld has initiated an investigation to find out just what went down behind the scenes of the now-closed company. It's possible that "a number of bankruptcy-related offenses were committed," such as delaying their filing for bankruptcy and overstating how many units were sold in the most recent quarter by a couple million. Rumors had already surfaced regarding management's knowledge of the cashflow quandaries and their adamant indifference towards finding a solution, eliciting statements of "being lied to" to mar the already unfortunate closing. Nevertheless, we're sure someone will get to the bottom of all this, but unfortunately there's nothing they can do to bring all those unreleased (and sexy) mobiles to market.

[Via The Register]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bankruptbankruptcycashflowclosinggermanyinvestigationmanagementSun, 19 Nov 2006 16:48:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens P51 now available (in China, that is)]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/18/benq-siemens-p51-now-available-in-china-that-is/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/18/benq-siemens-p51-now-available-in-china-that-is/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/18/benq-siemens-p51-now-available-in-china-that-is/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Save for a recent cameo in the FCC's files, BenQ's latest P51 Pocket PC phone has been a longstanding resident of vaporware land -- and thanks to the relentless, ever-onward march of time, a phone that had some folks drooling when it was first announced is now relegated to the midrange. Yeah, we're a little jaded about the whole thing, but anyone still interested in picking up the GPS-enabled QWERTY Pocket PC can apparently now do so over in China for around 6500 yuan ($825, give or take). Now if you'll excuse us, we need to walk to the Cingular store to pick up an HP hw6925 for, like, half the dinero.

[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqbenq-siemenschinagpsp51phone editionPhoneEditionpocket pcPocketPcsiemenswindows mobileWindowsMobileSat, 18 Nov 2006 16:32:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ P51 lands on the FCC's doorstep]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/11/benq-p51-lands-on-the-fccs-doorstep/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/11/benq-p51-lands-on-the-fccs-doorstep/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/11/benq-p51-lands-on-the-fccs-doorstep/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Some of us might of had a quick glance at the BenQ P51 this year at CeBIT and hoped it would of made its way stateside for release sooner than later. Unfortunately for us, it is turning out to be the latter of the two as the device was just given the FCC's approval. This quad-band 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 Mhz GSM/GPRS device is packing Windows Mobile 5.0 PocketPC, adds WiFi (thankfully), integrated GPS, and a 1.3 megapixel camera all viewable on a 2.8 inch touch screen display. Standard SD slot, mini USB, and storage space for an extra SIM are also on this device. Now our only question for you BenQ, why no EDGE?
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresSat, 11 Nov 2006 14:39:00 EST<![CDATA[The BenQ-Siemens Black Box concept phone that never was]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/01/the-benq-siemens-black-box-concept-phone-that-never-was/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/01/the-benq-siemens-black-box-concept-phone-that-never-was/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/01/the-benq-siemens-black-box-concept-phone-that-never-was/#commentsFiled under:

You know, it's too bad that BenQ-Siemens' European operations had to go under before it managed to get this slick handset out the door. From what we can make out based on these photos spotted on a Czech website, BenQ-Siemens had developed a "Black Box concept phone," which took home some Chinese design award earlier this year. The idea apparently is to turn the phone into one large screen, and change function depending on whatever application you need at the time: a calculator, an FM radio, the phone itself (duh), and something that looks like a game involving a goldfish and possibly a bathtub drain (we're not really sure). You know, this reminds us a lot of that possible iPhone patent we spotted earlier this month -- hopefully Apple can pick up where BenQ-Siemens left off?

[Via Slashphone]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applebenq-siemensblack boxBlackBoxcalculatorconcept phoneConceptPhoneczech republicCzechRepublicSun, 01 Oct 2006 14:54:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ pulls the plug on its German mobile division]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/09/28/benq-pulls-the-plug-on-its-german-mobile-division/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/09/28/benq-pulls-the-plug-on-its-german-mobile-division/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/09/28/benq-pulls-the-plug-on-its-german-mobile-division/#commentsFiled under:

Auf wiedersehen, BenQ-Siemens, we hardly knew ye. Yes, the struggling German mobile division of BenQ has just filed for bankruptcy protection as per orders from BenQ headquarters in Taiwan. The International Herald Tribune reports that BenQ estimated the company has lost $762 million on the mobile division (which employs 3,000 workers) since it took over the Siemens business in October 2005. Further, The Associated Press adds that the German division will be completely excised from BenQ "financially and operationally once the bankruptcy protection is approved." It's too bad that we won't have the maker of "feminine luxury" or of the "Treo 600-killing" P50 to kick around anymore, because really, who doesn't love a good underdog?

Read - IHT
Read - AP
[Thanks, Antti]
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bankruptcybenqbenq-siemensgermanysiemensThu, 28 Sep 2006 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens' SL80 offers "feminine luxury"]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/08/25/benq-siemens-sl80-offers-feminine-luxury/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/08/25/benq-siemens-sl80-offers-feminine-luxury/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/08/25/benq-siemens-sl80-offers-feminine-luxury/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Siemens' SL75 slider is all growed up now, and besides adding 5 to the model number, the SL80 (now by BenQ-Siemens, of course) seems to have developed an affinity for the fairer sex. Unlike its older sibling, the SL80 is only available in the decidedly feminine "Mauve Sensation," and BenQ is pulling no punches in saying the phone is aimed squarely at women. Skimming through the specs, it seems to be a modest upgrade from the SL75, offering an identical shell and button layout, the same tri-band GSM and EDGE support, 1.3-megapixel camera, 52MB of internal memory, Bluetooth, and music player. In fact, the more we look, the more it seems the SL80 is just a pink SL75. The boys among us are feeling far less excluded now than they were a few minutes ago; as for the ladies, you can pick up your own Mauve Sensation starting in October.

[Via Slashphone]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqbenq mobilebenq-siemensBenqMobilesiemenssl75sl80sliderFri, 25 Aug 2006 12:49:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens' Hello Kitty-themed AL61]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/08/15/benq-siemens-hello-kitty-themed-al61/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/08/15/benq-siemens-hello-kitty-themed-al61/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/08/15/benq-siemens-hello-kitty-themed-al61/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We've certainly seen our fair share of Hello Kitty products -- heck, we've even gone through a few Hello Kitty cellphones -- but what BenQ-Siemens' Hello Kitty AL61 lacks in originality, it makes up in brand recognition (bear in mind the last Hello Kitty-themed handset we saw came from Taiwan's OKWAP). The AL61 is a fairly pedestrian slider, offering a marginal 130 x 130 display with not a camera to be found, but of course the draw here is what you get on the side: themed wallpapers, ringtones, games, and so on, not to mention the soft pink / translucent white case that only a die-hard Hello Kitty fan could love. Look for the handset to land in markets worldwide as soon as this month. Or, as in our case, don't look for it.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al61benqbenq-siemenshello kittyHelloKittysiemenssliderTue, 15 Aug 2006 21:19:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ's IMS-100 Bluetooth speaker]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/30/benqs-ims-100-bluetooth-speaker/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/30/benqs-ims-100-bluetooth-speaker/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/30/benqs-ims-100-bluetooth-speaker/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're not sure there's going to be a whole lot of amplification going on with a 1.6-inch thick speaker that weighs 9.5 ounces, but we're BenQ's IMS-100 will give your tunes its best shot. The good news is that it'll look good pumping out those three watts, and the Bluetooth ability means no wires will have to get in the way. You can also do the boring thing and hook this up with a regular ol' mini-jack. The device operates on 4 AA batteries or an external adapter, works for speakerphone action and should be out in August.

[Via MobileMag]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluetoothspeakerphoneSun, 30 Jul 2006 07:19:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ P50 gets a (belated) review]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/28/benq-p50-gets-a-belated-review/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/28/benq-p50-gets-a-belated-review/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/28/benq-p50-gets-a-belated-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Suffering from one of the most excruciatingly long, drawn-out releases in smartphone history, BenQ's, uh, Treo 600-killing P50 had already fallen behind the pack by the time it made it to the masses. That being said, it's still a unique Windows Mobile device -- albeit 2003 Second Edition -- and worthy of an in-depth review, especially considering its quadband GSM capability. MobileTechReview's done the honors for us here, noting that the P50 is bundled with an array of high-quality accessories, including a screen protector (hallelujah). Build quality was found to be impressive, as was size, though anyone migrating from a Treo will find little difference there. The P50's 416MHz XScale satisfies the speed demon in us in ways most other Pocket PC phones have not, but the 128MB combined ROM and RAM is a disappointment -- a complaint the P51 happily addresses. In the end, MobileTechReview finds the P50's flaws too great to justify the cost of admission. With nothing but GPRS for data, we agree, especially with a successor waiting in the wings.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqbenq mobilebenq-siemensBenqMobilep50phone editionPhoneEditionpocket pcPocketPcwindows mobilewindows mobile 5WindowsMobileWindowsMobile5wm5Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens adds trio of handsets]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/27/benq-siemens-adds-trio-of-handsets/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/27/benq-siemens-adds-trio-of-handsets/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/27/benq-siemens-adds-trio-of-handsets/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

In the event Europeans are still unhappy with their selection of 3G-capable devices, BenQ's trying to come to the rescue this week, showing their UMTS SL91 slider and E81 candybar -- along with the more pedestrian EDGE-only E71. All three handsets share some visual cues, sporting glossy black finishes and rounded lines, though the similarities mostly end there; potentially most interesting of the three is the SL91, a Chocolate-esque, "mysteriously opaque" device featuring the LG phone's now-trademark disappearing navigation keys. Besides UMTS, the SL91 goes big with a 3.2-megapixel camera, QVGA display, and FM radio with RDS. One notch down the food chain is the E81, giving up some screen real estate with its 220 x 176 display and trading 3.2 megapixels for the more standard 1.3, but mercifully hanging on to the microSD slot. Finally, the EDGE-only E71 steps back up to QVGA, but the real draw here should be its "innovative non-stick coating" that promises to hide fingerprints on its shiny exterior. All three phones look to drop before the year's out, though odds are slim Americans are invited to the party. That's alright, BenQ; we prefer our phones good and smudged with fingerprints, anyway.

[Via Reg Hardware]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gbenqbenq mobilebenq-siemensBenqMobilecandybare71e81sl91sliderumtsThu, 27 Jul 2006 14:43:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens goes girly with EF61 Mia Special Edition]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/19/benq-siemens-goes-girly-with-ef61-mia-special-edition/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/19/benq-siemens-goes-girly-with-ef61-mia-special-edition/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/19/benq-siemens-goes-girly-with-ef61-mia-special-edition/#commentsFiled under: ,

If the lack of a built-in compact mirror was turning you off from Philips' 588, BenQ-Siemens has you covered with the just-launched EF61 "Mia Special Edition." Besides the mirror and the phone's artsy shell, you'll get a 1.3 megapixel shooter, microSD slot, and "5 Minutes to Fabulous," an app that apparently guides you through the process of applying makeup in (you guessed it) five minutes. Running £99.99 (about $180) when it drops in September, we can see this gussied-up EF61 appealing to a few members of the fairer sex -- but if you really have to rely on your phone to put your face on, we suspect you might come away sorely disappointed.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>5 minutes to fabulous5MinutesToFabulousef61girlgirlyladiesmiamia special editionMiaSpecialEditionmirrorWed, 19 Jul 2006 15:48:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens E61 music phone ready to rock 'n roll]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/17/benq-siemens-e61-music-phone-ready-to-rock-n-roll/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/17/benq-siemens-e61-music-phone-ready-to-rock-n-roll/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/17/benq-siemens-e61-music-phone-ready-to-rock-n-roll/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Before we go any further, let's lay out two very important points about BenQ's E61. First, it sports 1MB (yes, that's "megabyte") of internal shared memory. Second, it bears a strong resemblance to a doorstop. That being said, if you're still reading, the the tri-band GSM E61 could end up being a good bargain for you if you're in Europe -- Virgin Mobile is launching it for free with contract. The MiniSD slot will necessarily be where all your tuneage resides, and BenQ gets you started with a 512MB card in the box. Once you load it up, music playback is good for about 10 hours. Not much else to write home about -- you get a VGA camera, passable 160 x 128 display, and with that wedgelike design, you'll be able to chock aircraft and pry off manhole covers.

[Via Stuff]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqbenq-siemense61hermes bHermesBmusicSat, 17 Jun 2006 08:17:00 EST<![CDATA[The M81: BenQ-Siemens gets in touch with its sporty side]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/13/the-m81-benq-siemens-gets-in-touch-with-its-sporty-side/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/13/the-m81-benq-siemens-gets-in-touch-with-its-sporty-side/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/13/the-m81-benq-siemens-gets-in-touch-with-its-sporty-side/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Apparently, the folks at BenQ are looking to make a run on Nokia's "active lifestyle" category of phones, unleashing the shock / splash / dust-resistant M81 today in Munich. Besides the navigation (GPS module sold seperately) and weather clients, built-in flashlight, and relatively tough exterior clad in "high-quality synthetics and rubber," not much differentiates the device from your typical midrange candybar: 900 / 1800 / 1900 GSM with EDGE data, 176 x 132 display, 1.3 megapixel camera, music player, and MicroSD slot in your choice of Graphite Black or Steel Blue. The M81 starts shipping to joggers and snowboarders in August.

[Via Slashphone]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activebenqbenq-siemenscandybarm81resistantsiemenssportTue, 13 Jun 2006 17:33:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens christens Q-fi line with EF51]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/08/benq-siemens-christens-q-fi-line-with-ef51/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/08/benq-siemens-christens-q-fi-line-with-ef51/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/08/benq-siemens-christens-q-fi-line-with-ef51/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

BenQ-Siemens has been looking to jump on the "Is it a phone? Is it a music player?" bandwagon with its Q-fi series of music-oriented devices, and although the EF51 isn't the first device announced in the series, it appears it'll be the first to ship. The EF51 is supposedly so music-oriented, in fact, that BenQ Mobile is calling it "a music device with an integrated mobile phone." It packs A2DP, which is all well and good, but what's the one thing you absolutely cannot live without in a music player, folks? That's right, memory, and BenQ has ominously left that aspect of the phone's specification off the press release. We've seen reports that the phone might be shipping with a scant 20MB, and if that's the case, the EF51 is dead in our eyes as a music device. As a phone, the EF51 holds its own on the low end with tri-band 900/1800/1900 GPRS, 1.3 megapixel camera, and a 128 x 128 display. A MiniSD slot is mercifully included, but in our opinion, a music player that can scarcely fit five MP3s without the aid of a memory card is not a music player at all. The EF51 drops this month in tri-band friendly parts of the globe.

[Via Slashphone]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqef51mp3music phoneMusicPhonesiemensThu, 08 Jun 2006 06:13:00 EST<![CDATA[The "economy class" BenQ-Siemens A38]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/29/the-economy-class-benq-siemens-a38/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/29/the-economy-class-benq-siemens-a38/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/29/the-economy-class-benq-siemens-a38/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A 96 x 96 pixel display? 300 address book entries? With a new contract, we would expect to be paid cold, hard cash to pick up BenQ-Siemens' new ultra-low-end candybar, the A38. The claimed standby time of 286 hours, if accurate, is pretty impressive, but there's not much else to talk about here. The tri-band A38 drops in Europe come July, Asia in August, and Latin America in September. No mention of a North American release, but we're just fine with that.

[Via Slashphone]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a38Mon, 29 May 2006 21:13:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens A58: which is the genuine article?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/29/benq-siemens-a58-which-is-the-genuine-article/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/29/benq-siemens-a58-which-is-the-genuine-article/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/29/benq-siemens-a58-which-is-the-genuine-article/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Alright, Engadget Mobile readers. Time to put your thinking caps on. BenQ-Siemens appears to be trying to announce their new business-oriented tri-band phone, the A58. They're having some trouble doing that, though. The folks over at Slashphone have pictures of a no-frills candybar, clearly labeled "A58." BenQ-Siemens' site itself also has an A58 which looks nothing like Slashphone's. Could it be that BenQ-Siemens posted the wrong pictures? To us, the official pics look an awful lot like the CL71 we first told you about a few months back. At any rate, their specs appear to jive with one another; expect a basic "voice-oriented" phone with Bluetooth on the 900, 1800, and 1900 bands. Even if we squint, we can't buy that these are the same phone. Are we missing something?

Read - Slashphone
Read - BenQ-Siemens
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a58Mon, 29 May 2006 17:41:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ Siemens launches EF71 Q-Fi music phone]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/22/benq-siemens-launches-ef71-q-fi-music-phone/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/22/benq-siemens-launches-ef71-q-fi-music-phone/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/22/benq-siemens-launches-ef71-q-fi-music-phone/#commentsFiled under: ,

BenQ Siemens has just launched their tri-band GSM/GPRS EF71 cellphone, the latest to be tricked out with the company's Q-Fi music system. The music system consists of a pair of built-in 3D surround speakers sure to rock your cubicle, tied to a ten-band equalizer, along with dedicated controls to the phone's music app. The phone itself measures 9x4.7x 1.9cm, weighs 100g, and has a 2.2-inch main display as well as a 128x64 OLED screen that's used with the phone is closed. It also comes standard with Bluetooth, a 2 megapixel camera that can double as a webcam, and 24MB of built-in memory with a MicroSD slot for additional storage (BenQ will apparently bundle a 256MB card with the phone). Look for it to ship in Asia in July and Europe in September.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 22 May 2006 15:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Benq's HSDPA EF91 on the fast track for release?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/02/benqs-hsdpa-ef91-on-the-fast-track-for-release/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/02/benqs-hsdpa-ef91-on-the-fast-track-for-release/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/02/benqs-hsdpa-ef91-on-the-fast-track-for-release/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Along with today's announcement of the HTC Muse getting a third quarter release to get a jump on the European HSDPA market, Benq has a little surprise of their own with a reported July European release of their first HSDPA unit, the EF91. T-Mobile is to be the lucky carrier, but there's no word as to a price for the clamshell. We do know that beyond those fun fun HSDPA speeds, the phone features a 2-inch QVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera, microSD slot, and stereo over Bluetooth. Not at all a bad start for those blessed with HSDPA access.

[Via Reg Hardware]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benqef91hsdpaqvgat-mobileTue, 02 May 2006 20:03:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC Fridays]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/04/21/fcc-fridays/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/04/21/fcc-fridays/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/04/21/fcc-fridays/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We here at Engadget Mobile tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there, we've gathered up all the raw info you may want (but probably don't need). Enjoy!

Phones
BenQ-Siemens EF51 - Read
Pantech's PG-3700 - Read
NEC KMP7N2K1-1A(?) - Read
Nokia 6233 - Read
NEC N344i - Read
VK Mobile VK4500 - Read

Peripherals
Samsung SBH170 - Read
   
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6233benqbenq-siemensef51fcc fridayFccFridayn344inecnokiapantechpg-3700samsungsbh170vkvk mobilevk4500VkMobileFri, 21 Apr 2006 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ confirms iPhone?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/22/benq-confirms-iphone/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/22/benq-confirms-iphone/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/22/benq-confirms-iphone/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The good folks at Morgan Stanley have already done all they could to convince anyone who wants to believe that Apple's working on an iPhone. Now another source has apparently come forward to buttress the claims. According to the Australian site Smarthouse, an executive at BenQ has confirmed plans for the phone, saying that "BenQ will not be making it ... however several of our suppliers have been approached to manufacture parts. Among manufacturers in Taiwan it is common knowledge." While we have no way to confirm the alleged exec's account, it does jibe with Morgan Stanley's claims that various Taiwanese manufacturers have been contacted to work on the project. If it's true that this is "common knowledge" in Taiwan, though, we expect that Stevie J. will be sending his minions to the island any day now. Apple's been pretty good about avoiding leaks from manufacturing partners, and if tongues are wagging in Taiwan, some of these contracts may just end up getting shifted across the Strait. (And, yes, the pic is one of the many iPhone fakes out there; we sort of like this one, since it's based on the original iBook, a design Apple abandoned years ago.)

[Thanks, Mike]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Live pics of four phones from BenQ-Siemens]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/17/live-pics-of-four-phones-from-benq-siemens/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/17/live-pics-of-four-phones-from-benq-siemens/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/17/live-pics-of-four-phones-from-benq-siemens/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you haven't gotten enough pr0n of the newest BenQ-Siemens phones by now, MobileBurn has a nice collection of pics to satiate that handset appetite of yours. We've seen all of these before -- the EF51 musicphone, EL71 slider, C81 candybar, and CF61 karaoke clamshell -- but we thought we'd run 'em by you again. They're all shaping up fairly nicely, here's hoping we'll be seeing these stateside before long.

Read: EF51
Read: EL71
Read: C81
Read: CF61
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fri, 17 Mar 2006 15:35:00 EST<![CDATA[BenQ-Siemens' A31a low-end cellphone receives FCC approval]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/16/benq-siemens-a31a-low-end-cellphone-receives-fcc-approval/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/16/benq-siemens-a31a-low-end-cellphone-receives-fcc-approval/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/16/benq-siemens-a31a-low-end-cellphone-receives-fcc-approval/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ok, low-end phone junkies, here's another one for ya -- the BenQ-Siemens A31a. In an age of quad-band, it's kind of refreshing to find a dual-band phone, offering up a mere 65k color display with GPRS, right? Ok maybe not, still the FCC has approved it, so you'll find this GSM 850/1900 handset cluttering-up the phone aisles soon enough. Ohhh, a calculator and stopwatch... are we dreaming?
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Thu, 16 Mar 2006 11:18:00 EST