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[O2, Vodafone both working on 3G femtocell trials]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/22/o2-vodafone-both-working-on-3g-femtocell-trials/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/22/o2-vodafone-both-working-on-3g-femtocell-trials/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/22/o2-vodafone-both-working-on-3g-femtocell-trials/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Femtocells may be one of the closest things we have to a win / win in the wireless industry, lowering infrastructure costs for carriers and giving customers on-demand, self-installable coverage where they wouldn't have it otherwise, all without requiring WiFi-capable handsets that UMA services like T-Mobile's HotSpot @Home do. It makes sense that a number of carriers would be rushing to get femtocells into end users' hands, then, and both O2 and Vodafone are doing exactly that in separate European trials. O2's trial involves NEC equipment in the UK, while Vodafone is turning to Huawei and Alcatel-Lucent to supply hardware to Spanish testers. Both trials involve 3G cells (yay!) and at least O2 has gone on record saying that a successful test will lead to commercialization by early next year. Kinda strange that Sprint is so far ahead of the curve on this one, but hey, do you see us complaining?

Read - NEC and O2 trial femtocells in the UK
Read - Vodafone Group trials 3G femtocell technology
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alcatel lucentAlcatelLucentfemtocellhuaweineco2trialvodavodafoneFri, 22 Feb 2008 12:01:00 EST<![CDATA[We're out, see you next year Mobile World Congress]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/16/were-out-see-you-next-year-mobile-world-congress/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/16/were-out-see-you-next-year-mobile-world-congress/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/16/were-out-see-you-next-year-mobile-world-congress/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


It's been a pretty mad week at Mobile World Congress, with handset announcements coming faster than our sore legs, backs, and overused cameras could hope to keep up with. But in the end, it was all worth it as we peeped a few gems -- and a decent collection of crapgadget-worthy stuff as well. We were looking forward to Android news at this week's show and were rewarded with a goodly pile from various manufacturers. Standout handsets include Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1, modu -- we think this is really cool, here's hoping they can pull it off -- NVIDIA's APX 2500, and of course, Polymer Vision's Readius. Sadly we saw just about nothing from our friends at Motorola, and while the dirt hasn't filled the grave quite yet, it's looking like a close thing. We had a blast, hope to catch you again next year.

Gallery: We're out, see you next year Mobile World Congress


Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20083GSMbarcelonafeaturesMobile World CongressMobileWorldCongressMWCSat, 16 Feb 2008 19:38:00 EST<![CDATA[LiMo Foundation makes a splash; adds members, shows hardware]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/11/limo-foundation-makes-a-splash-adds-members-shows-hardware/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/11/limo-foundation-makes-a-splash-adds-members-shows-hardware/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/11/limo-foundation-makes-a-splash-adds-members-shows-hardware/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Not to be outdone by a powerful Android presence, the boys and girls at the LiMo Foundation have brought it strong with a series of announcements at Mobile World Congress. Yeah, the SDK is en route, but that's just the beginning; first up, and perhaps most notably in its effort to fight the Android juggernaut, LiMo has managed to sign up a slew of new partners. Most notable on the refreshed roster include ACCESS (which just hooked up with MontaVista, itself a LiMo member), Samsung, and carriers Orange and SoftBank.

The foundation is backing up its talk with some walk, too, in the form of several production-ready handsets: the U9, Z6w, Z6, E8, RAZR 2 V8, and RAZR 2 V8 Luxury Edition from Motorola (all devices that have previously been launched using MOTOMAGX, Moto's own special flavor of mobile Linux), the Samsung i800 which is destined for Orange's airwaves, and the N905i, N905iu, N705, N705iu, P905i, P905iTV, P705, and P705iu -- a mouthful of models from members NEC and Panasonic for Japan's NTT DoCoMo. Also rocking out at MWC are prototypes from LG and Aplix along with the Purple Magic low-cost flip from Purple Labs. Is it all enough momentum to give some balance to the mobile Linux landscape and serve as the yin to Google's yang? Seems like a strong possibility, but we'll have to hold our horses until developers are playing with the final tools and handsets are in wide circulation.

Read - LiMo Foundation unveils first LiMo handsets
Read - New LiMo Foundation members introduced
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lglimolimo foundationLimoFoundationlinuxmobile world congressMobileWorldCongressmotomotorolamwcnecntt docomoNttDocomoorangepanasonicMon, 11 Feb 2008 15:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Google attacks: Android at Mobile World Congress]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/11/google-attacks-android-at-mobile-world-congress/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/11/google-attacks-android-at-mobile-world-congress/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/02/11/google-attacks-android-at-mobile-world-congress/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Seeing as Mobile World Congress is all about the cellular experience, we weren't too surprised to bump into some Android goodness while here. Texas Instruments had the handset you see above -- from an unknown vendor -- to demo the OS running on an OMAP 3430 at 500 MHz. The interface is dead quick and rather glorious, and while we had no internet connectivity on it, we still were able to have a peek at various applications -- check the gallery for more photos. NEC / Wind River were also showing off an Android prototype platform running on a Medity2 testbed -- also at 500 MHz -- though it's a pretty early implementation and was pretty wonky. Interestingly, neither of them had functional input in the browser, so while the NEC version was online, we couldn't point it anywhere useful. Radio types in the devices were GSM but we expect they'll likely have HSDPA once they finally land in our hands. In a few words, we like what we see.

Gallery: Google attacks: Android at Mobile World Congress

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AndroidfeaturesGoogleMWCNECTexas InstrumentsTexasInstrumentsTIWindriverMon, 11 Feb 2008 09:06:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC Flask Phone sports fuel cell, not for human consumption]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/01/28/nec-flask-phone-sports-fuel-cell-not-for-human-consumption/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/01/28/nec-flask-phone-sports-fuel-cell-not-for-human-consumption/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/01/28/nec-flask-phone-sports-fuel-cell-not-for-human-consumption/#commentsFiled under: ,


NEC is set to begin pushing fuel cell-powered handsets if the pic we see here can be believed. The handset features a touchscreen display and what appears to be valve to potentially recharge the handset once the fuel has all been used. Color choices are a bit too pastel for our liking, but it appears the liquid provides the color, so perhaps we'll get some cooler tones when it's released sometime this year -- if it's released. No word on any specs, pricing, networks, or anything, so until we get that bit of detail sorted, enjoy the pretty pic.

[Via textually.org]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cellphonefuel cellFuelCellNECMon, 28 Jan 2008 11:13:00 EST<![CDATA[ACCESS gets nod to craft NTT DoCoMo's mobile Linux platform]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/12/11/access-gets-nod-to-craft-ntt-docomos-mobile-linux-platform/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/12/11/access-gets-nod-to-craft-ntt-docomos-mobile-linux-platform/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/12/11/access-gets-nod-to-craft-ntt-docomos-mobile-linux-platform/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Well, would you look at that! ACCESS has finally landed a whale of a customer for its overdue, underloved ACCESS Linux Platform, the mobile software stack (and sort-of successor to Palm OS Garnet) that has failed to garner enough hardware partners to make a splash in the marketplace thus far. The Japanese firm is partnering with NTT DoCoMo and ESTEEMO -- NEC's joint venture with Panasonic -- to build a standard Linux stack that incorporates ALP while still using the carrier's existing Linux-based MOAP(L) platform. That's not all, though: they're tasked with making the new platform compatible with the LiMo Foundation's specifications, too. A tall order? Maybe, but it's likely an order that has to happen -- NTT DoCoMo's involved in all sorts of Linux initiatives, and it makes good sense to bite the bullet and have some company tie it all together. The one piece of the puzzle missing here is DoCoMo's tie-up with the Open Handset Alliance, and as far as we can tell, this announcement steers entirely clear of Android's domain. Confusing, yes -- but for a company used to releasing 23 handsets in one fell swoop, it's business as usual.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessaccess linux platformAccessLinuxPlatformalpesteemojapanlinuxmoapnecntt docomoNttDocomopanasonicTue, 11 Dec 2007 03:10:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC develops real-time Japanese-to-English mobile translation software]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/30/nec-develops-real-time-english-to-japanese-mobile-translation-so/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/30/nec-develops-real-time-english-to-japanese-mobile-translation-so/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/30/nec-develops-real-time-english-to-japanese-mobile-translation-so/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We've already seen the idea of data-to-voice translation passed around, but NEC's latest software is far beyond the drawing board. Reportedly, the firm has developed a system that can understand around 50,000 Japanese words and translate them to English text on the mobile's display in just a second or two. The software was made compact enough to "operate on a small microchip mounted in a cellphone," and was designed especially to help users convert common travel phrases. Notably, it would be technically possible to make the English translation vocal, but according to NEC spokesman Mitsumasa Fukumoto, the firm isn't looking into that possibility at the moment. No word on when we'd see this technology hit the masses, nor if any other language combinations were in the works, but this would certainly make touring English-speaking locales a lot less strenuous for Japanese speakers.

[Via Physorg]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>englishjapaneselanguagenecsoftwaretranslationtranslatorvoice-recognitionFri, 30 Nov 2007 11:32:00 EST<![CDATA[NTT DoCoMo's Winter 2007 lineup: the 905i series]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/12/ntt-docomos-winter-2007-lineup-the-905i-series/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/12/ntt-docomos-winter-2007-lineup-the-905i-series/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/12/ntt-docomos-winter-2007-lineup-the-905i-series/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,


We started with the weaklings in NTT DoCoMo's latest round (and we use that term very loosely), so now it's time for the powerhouses. The 905i range is loosely bound by a general rule thrown down by the carrier: 3 inch wide VGA display, minimum (with one exception, and even that model still puts up WVGA resolution). That's the kind of rule we can definitely live with. Follow the break for the full breakdown.

Continue reading NTT DoCoMo's Winter 2007 lineup: the 905i series

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ericssonfeaturesjapanlgmitsubishinecnokiantt docomoNttDocomopanasonicsharpsonysony ericssonSonyEricssonMon, 12 Nov 2007 15:44:00 EST<![CDATA[NTT DoCoMo's FOMA 905i handsets on the loose in Japan]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/01/ntt-docomos-foma-905i-handsets-on-the-loose-in-japan/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/01/ntt-docomos-foma-905i-handsets-on-the-loose-in-japan/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/01/ntt-docomos-foma-905i-handsets-on-the-loose-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


It's just not fair. While we're lucky to bear witness to a single hot handset release per month, our Japanese brethren just received a batch of 10 new handsets to swoon over courtesy of NTT DoCoMo. The very best of the best from the new FOMA 905i series includes the Panasonic Viera P905iTV and 5 megapixel Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot SO905iCS. As you'd expect from a handset sporting the Viera branding, the P905iTV is all about the mobile TV with a feature that smooths-out 1Seg's 15fps mobile broadcast rate to display it at 30fps on that 3.5-inch 480 x 854 pixel display. The 17.7-mm (0.7-inch) slab also packs HSDPA and a battery capable of a 1-month standby. Otherwise, it'll pump that TV-to-vein fix for 6-hours straight or up to 80 hours of SD-Audio or 65 hours of WMA if that's your preference. Meanwhile, the Cyber-shot SO905iCS brings a 5 megapixel CMOS camera with 3x optical zoom and 2.7-inch, 480 x 864 pixel display to the Japanese market. It features an LED flash, face recognition and anti-shake stabilization while busting a 24-mm (nearly 1-inch) girth. Plenty more of these two in the gallery below.

Gallery: NTT DoCoMo's FOMA 905i handsets on the loose in Japan


[Via The Unwired and Impress]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>905idocomofomanttp905itvpanasonicso905icssony ericssonSonyEricssonvieraThu, 01 Nov 2007 07:07:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC shows off five new concept phones]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/20/nec-shows-off-five-new-concept-phones/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/20/nec-shows-off-five-new-concept-phones/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/20/nec-shows-off-five-new-concept-phones/#commentsFiled under:


Although we've seen some interesting designs out of NEC in the past, for the most part the company is known for churning out an endless array of pretty standard phones -- so the five concepts being shown off at the Wireless Japan 2007 seem fairly wild in comparison. In addition to the stylish leather beltphone pictured, there's a multi-axis rotating flip phone with what looks to be a 16:9 display, a stylish zipline-ready model and an alien flipflop-looking kidphone. No word on pricing or availability since these are just concepts, but we've been predicting a belt / phone hybrid for years now. Hit the read link to check out the rest of the pics.

[Via GearFuse]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:07:00 EST<![CDATA[NTT DoCoMo rolls out 704i series]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/05/ntt-docomo-rolls-out-704i-series/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/05/ntt-docomo-rolls-out-704i-series/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/05/ntt-docomo-rolls-out-704i-series/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Here it is, a moment that is both dreaded and eagerly anticipated by phone journalists across the land: the release of a new handset series by NTT DoCoMo. This particular flock belongs to the FOMA 704i line, offering three sliders and five flips for a grand total of eight lovely devices. The massive release is nothing out of the ordinary for a Japanese carrier -- they tend to do this with shocking frequency, in fact -- but what is surprising is that this particular lineup offers an LG phone, cementing Korea's ever-increasing presence in the launches. Click on for all the gory details!

Continue reading NTT DoCoMo rolls out 704i series

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clamshelld704if704ifeaturesflipjapanl704ilgmitsubishinecntt docomoNttDocomop704ipanasonicsh704isharpsliderso704isonysony ericssonSonyEricssonThu, 05 Jul 2007 08:39:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC develops M2 LSI chip to conserve energy in cellphones]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/04/nec-develops-m2-lsi-chip-to-conserve-energy-in-cellphones/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/04/nec-develops-m2-lsi-chip-to-conserve-energy-in-cellphones/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/07/04/nec-develops-m2-lsi-chip-to-conserve-energy-in-cellphones/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Hot on the heels of a snazzy new CMOS sensor and newfangled plastics, NEC's engineers are cranking out yet another innovation to make our next phone a lot more useful (for a whole lot longer). The M2 system LSI chip can purportedly "drastically cut the energy used by a cellular phone" by halving the energy needed by each element on the chip. Notably, the firm has suggested that a cellphone battery currently lasting seven hours would be able to maintain that life even if "twice the power is required for high-speed telecommunications." A host of sophisticated technologies and software regulations are behind all the energy conserving magic, but the news you care about is that NEC plans to start shipping samples of the ¥5,000 ($41) device in the very near future, and it should hit a variety of 3G handsets by the year's end. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>energyenergy consumptionEnergyConsumptionlsim2powerWed, 04 Jul 2007 04:51:00 EST<![CDATA[NTT DoCoMo announces new FOMA 904i handsets]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/04/23/ntt-docomo-announces-new-foma-904i-handsets/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/04/23/ntt-docomo-announces-new-foma-904i-handsets/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/04/23/ntt-docomo-announces-new-foma-904i-handsets/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


We've all accepted the reality that Japan has the straight up coolest handsets on the planet, and this lineup of NTT DoCoMo's new flagship 9 series does nothing but up the ante. From the pic's top left to bottom right, we have the NEC N904i, Sharp SH904i, Panasonic P904i, Fujitsu F904i, and Mitsubishi D904i. As an upgrade to the FOMA 903i series, the new 904i stable brings a pile of new goodies to the table with features like "2in1" support (more on that in a moment), Uta-hodai (full track download), and Chokkan Game (game downloads with motion control), with One-Seg mobile TV reception and HSDPA on select models The 2in1 support is one of our faves, with two separate phone numbers, email addresses, and address books, all accessed via a mode-switching function which allows a, b, or dual-mode -- no word if dual-mode enables both numbers at once. We're also loving the Chokkan Game support, but the press release shared no detail about the touted "intuitive motion" beyond mention of finger tracing, tilting and waving as means of control. Pocket Wii, anyone?
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>903i904ichokkand904idocomof904ifoman904inttntt docomoNttDocomop904ish904iuto-hodaiMon, 23 Apr 2007 13:48:00 EST<![CDATA[LiMo Foundation launched to turn up heat on mobile Linux]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/02/01/limo-foundation-launched-to-turn-up-heat-on-mobile-linux/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/02/01/limo-foundation-launched-to-turn-up-heat-on-mobile-linux/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/02/01/limo-foundation-launched-to-turn-up-heat-on-mobile-linux/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Last time we checked in with these guys, papers had been signed, hands had been shaked, and promises had been thrown around, but that's about it. No product, no slick website -- just a handful of companies looking to come to some consensus on just how to get open source to the phone-toting masses. We still don't have any pretty phones or screen shots to look at here, but at least the committment is still going strong with the so-called "LiMo Foundation" officially launching this month. Star players include Motorola, Samsung, NTT DoCoMo, NEC, Panasonic, and Vodafone, so there's definitely some weight getting thrown around; outsiders can join the good times for anywhere from $40,000 to $800,000 depending on the amount of pampering and privilege demanded. LiMo will apparently be looking to recruit a few good companies to join its merry band of Linux promponents this month at 3GSM (and at those membership rates, why wouldn't they?) so we're cautiously bullish on some sort of open platform eventually getting birthed here. Whether the late '07 production goal will hold true, though, is another question entirely.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>limolimo foundationLimoFoundationlinuxmotomotorolanecntt docomoNttDocomopanasonicsamsungvodafoneThu, 01 Feb 2007 13:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Softbank's spring '07 collection]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/01/26/softbanks-spring-07-collection/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/01/26/softbanks-spring-07-collection/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/01/26/softbanks-spring-07-collection/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Alright, this is just getting ridiculous. Between NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, and now Softbank, we've already seen enough new phones for the Japanese market in this young year to last us years of in-depth analysis. That'd be just great if we actually had years to track 'em all down and play with them, but oh, no -- we've no doubt that there'll be a fresh round of handsets dropping just in time for the temperatures to rise. Let's see if we can blurt all these new Softbanks out before they've been obsoleted by their successors: from Samsung, the 708SC; from Sharp, the 812SH and 813SH; Toshiba brings the 911T, 812T, and 813T; Nokia (yeah, Nokia... crazy!) packs the X01NK; Panasonic does the 706P, and NEC rounds out the bunch with the 706N. Some of this is old news (at least one phone, the kid-friendly 812T, has been kicking around for a while, and the X01NK is basically a rebranded E62) but the real story here seems to be the 812SH clamshell which'll be offered in no fewer than 20 (yes, twenty) frickin' colors. But wait, it gets better: the phone is co-branded with Pantone, which we're guessing must mean that the color of the phone is extraordinarily... uh, accurate. The 911T slider is another winner, rocking that same 800 x 480 display we saw in Hitachi's W51H, a 3.2 megapixel cam, A2DP, a 1seg TV tuner, 1GB of onboard storage with microSD expansion, and enough juju to humiliate pretty much any phone with the stones to step to it. Actually, we're pretty sure the same could be said of about any phone in the bunch.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>706n706p708sc812sh812t813sh813t911tnecnokiapanasonicsamsungsharpsoftbanksoftbank mobileSoftbankMobiletoshibax01nkFri, 26 Jan 2007 01:41:00 EST<![CDATA[NTT DoCoMo rolls out ten phones; in other news, sky is blue]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/01/16/ntt-docomo-rolls-out-ten-phones-in-other-news-sky-is-blue/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/01/16/ntt-docomo-rolls-out-ten-phones-in-other-news-sky-is-blue/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/01/16/ntt-docomo-rolls-out-ten-phones-in-other-news-sky-is-blue/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

We think we've finally ceased to be amazed when Japan's NTT DoCoMo drops some endless array of new phones on its domestic market. Sure, the latest gaggle -- which includes the multi-manufacturer 703i series, the SO903iTV from Sony Ericsson, and the D800iS from Mitsubishi -- holds a number of claims to fame, but we're trying our darndest to stand firm in our commitment to remain unmoved by the torrent of Far East-style technology. The 703i variants from NEC and Panasonic, denoted with a "μ" on the ends of their model numbers, are said to be the thinnest WCDMA handsets in the world at 11.4 millimeters, the D800iS includes a second display in place of the keypad for handwriting recognition and various "ooh, aah" kinds of functionality, and the Bravia-branded SO903iTV rocks 1seg for mobile TV reception. We have to admit, our resolve is wearing a bit thin here; anyone care to fly us out to Japan?
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>703iclamshelld800isdocomoericssonflipfomamitsubishinecnttntt docomoNttDocomopanasonicsharpso903itvsonysony ericssonSonyEricssonTue, 16 Jan 2007 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NTT DoCoMo taps NEC for Super 3G equipment]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/27/ntt-docomo-taps-nec-for-super-3g-equipment/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/27/ntt-docomo-taps-nec-for-super-3g-equipment/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/11/27/ntt-docomo-taps-nec-for-super-3g-equipment/#commentsFiled under: , ,

3.6Mbps downstream data is all well and good, but we've gotta keep looking forward to the next big thing, right? Don't worry, the good folks at NTT DoCoMo have you covered (surprise, surprise). The Japanese powerhouse carrier has teamed up with NEC to deliver so-called "Super 3G" handsets, operating as high as 100Mbps down and 30-50Mbps up, in 2010. It's not quite the 2.5Gbps NTT DoCoMo mustered earlier this year, but hey, we're all about stop-gap solutions if it means downloading YouTube vids just a smidge faster.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>necntt docomoNttDocomosuper 3gSuper3gMon, 27 Nov 2006 18:36:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC and Panasonic team up to form ESTEEMO]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/25/nec-and-panasonic-team-up-to-form-esteemo/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/25/nec-and-panasonic-team-up-to-form-esteemo/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/25/nec-and-panasonic-team-up-to-form-esteemo/#commentsFiled under: ,


In a deal that was surely signed over SMS and must have involved the words "bff" and "lmad" (let's make a deal), two Japanese giants will combine their respective powers to create a new company called ESTEEMO. As TechOn! explains: "This is a coined term consisting of Esteem and Mobile and contains the concept of mutual esteem between NEC and Panasonic Mobile." We couldn't have said it better ourselves. The new startup will begin with a capitalization of ¥100 million ($837,000) and will be headquartered at Panasonic Mobile HQ in Yokohama. 130 people will report for duty on November 6 -- assigned to the task of creating a more efficient common hardware and software platform. We hope that our holding you in high esteem isn't misplaced, ESTEEMO. Don't let us down.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>esteemojapanmergernecpanasonicpartnershipyokohamaWed, 25 Oct 2006 23:18:00 EST<![CDATA[NTT DoCoMo shows slew of new phones]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/12/ntt-docomo-shows-slew-of-new-phones/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/12/ntt-docomo-shows-slew-of-new-phones/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/12/ntt-docomo-shows-slew-of-new-phones/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

At this point, we're beginning to wonder whether NTT DoCoMo can keep track of its own lineup, let alone its customers -- because we sure as heck can't. They've gone ahead and announced a mind-boggling eleven new handsets this week, all members of the new FOMA 903i series. The members of the series include entries from NEC, Sharp, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, and Sony Ericsson, with three (the D903iTV, P903iTV, and SH903iTV) supporting digital television, and another two rocking HSDPA. Interestingly, Panasonic's P903i supports a new security mechanism that's capable of locking the phone when it's taken a certain distance from an RFID card stored in the owner's wallet, handbag, or clothing -- while it won't prevent your phone from being stolen, it's not a bad idea for stopping the baddies from placing international calls on it.

Read - NTT DoCoMo 903i product page (translated)
Read - New Scientist
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>903id903id903itvf903if903ixhsdpamitsubishin903inecntt docomoNttDocomop903ip903itvp903ixpanasonicsh903ish903itvsharpso903isonysony ericssonSonyEricssonThu, 12 Oct 2006 17:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Softbank pulls a DoCoMo, launches 12 phones]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/09/29/softbank-pulls-a-docomo-launches-12-phones/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/09/29/softbank-pulls-a-docomo-launches-12-phones/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/09/29/softbank-pulls-a-docomo-launches-12-phones/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Adding a confusing, seemingly endless array of new handsets in one fell swoop is a tactic we normally reserve for NTT DoCoMo (and more recently, KDDI), but far be it from Vodafone Japan-turned-Softbank Mobile to get left out of the fray, launching 12 phones -- plus a data card -- for October delivery. Notable in the bunch are the X01HT (essentially a Hermes tweaked for the Japanese market, a la the Z) and the 705NK, a rebranded Nokia N73. If we get even one third the love spread out over an entire quarter on a US carrier, we're elated -- we obviously live in the wrong country.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>705n705nk705p705sc706sc810sh810t811sh811t910sh910tc01sihtcjapannokiasoftbanksoftbank mobileSoftbankMobilevodafonevodafone japanVodafoneJapanx01htFri, 29 Sep 2006 11:28:00 EST<![CDATA[NTT DoCoMo's liquid-inspired charge indicator]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/08/24/ntt-docomos-liquid-inspired-charge-indicator/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/08/24/ntt-docomos-liquid-inspired-charge-indicator/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/08/24/ntt-docomos-liquid-inspired-charge-indicator/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

We have a hard enough time holding it between bathroom breaks as it is without being taunted by sloshing water on our phones, but we have to admit, it's pretty darn nifty nonetheless. It seems NEC's N702iS for NTT DoCoMo has a motion sensor that detects tilt, affecting the "liquid" inside the display appropriately. As battery level drops, so does the level of the liquid. Whimsical, yes, but when you're technologically dominating every other carrier in the world, we think you're afforded that luxury.

[Via SlashPhone]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batteryclamshellflipindicatorn702isnecntt docomoNttDocomowaterwater levelWaterLevelThu, 24 Aug 2006 13:41:00 EST<![CDATA[NTT DoCoMo adds six to endless array of FOMA choices]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/04/ntt-docomo-adds-six-to-endless-array-of-foma-choices/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/04/ntt-docomo-adds-six-to-endless-array-of-foma-choices/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/04/ntt-docomo-adds-six-to-endless-array-of-foma-choices/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

NTT DoCoMo -- in an apparent bid to not just out-do, but humiliate the rest of the world's carriers -- has dropped yet another six 3G flips on its home crowd.  The new handsets are part of NTT's "7 Series" of fashion-oriented phones, and include entries from Mitsubishi, Panasonic, NEC, Motorola, and Sharp. Moto has actually contributed two models here, one in the V3x vein and the other apparently a let's-see-how-long-we-can-milk-this port of the original V3. All six of the phones support the typical i-mode goodness, FOMA, video calling, and an array of functions that sound like science fiction to the non-Japanese among us.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>d702iffomam702igm702ismitsubishimotomotorolan702isnecnttntt docomoNttDocomop702idpanasonicsh702issharpTue, 04 Jul 2006 14:51:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC shows N908 and E1108?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/28/nec-shows-e908-and-e1108/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/28/nec-shows-e908-and-e1108/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/28/nec-shows-e908-and-e1108/#commentsFiled under: ,

NEC handsets are a bit exotic here in the States -- as are sub-13mm thick phones with touch screens -- which makes this alleged N908 a winner in our books. We can't find much on these new models, but the N908 is apparently a 12.8mm candybar (if you can really call it that; looks kind of squarish to us) with a QVGA touch display, 1.3 megapixel camera, and MicroSD slot. The E1108, on the other hand, looks to be a far less notable device; we have no deets, but given the appearance, we're not sure we want them.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e1108n908necWed, 28 Jun 2006 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Carriers and manufacturers form pact to push mobile Linux]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/15/carriers-and-manufacturers-form-pact-to-push-mobile-linux/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/15/carriers-and-manufacturers-form-pact-to-push-mobile-linux/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/15/carriers-and-manufacturers-form-pact-to-push-mobile-linux/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Yeah, we've heard it before, but they mean it this time. Carriers Vodafone and NTT DoCoMo have teamed up with Motorola, Samsung, NEC, and Panasonic to succeed where others have failed, busting out a common Linux-based smartphone platform and sharing costs and R&D resources along the way. Besides unifying the fragmented mobile Linux community behind a single open platform, the group's goal is to see the light of day in a production phone before the end of 2007, but let's be honest  -- the project won't be considered a success unless the joint venture can produce a popular, well-known platform that can scrap with the Symbians and the Windows Mobiles of the world. Hey, Access PalmSource, you guys paying attention?

[Via Mobiledia]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alplinuxmotorolanecntt docomoNttDocomopanasonicsamsungvodafoneThu, 15 Jun 2006 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC e373 passes FCC muster]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/09/nec-e373-passes-fcc-muster/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/09/nec-e373-passes-fcc-muster/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/09/nec-e373-passes-fcc-muster/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As we all know, FCC approval means virtually nothing for a phone's chances of seeing a US release, but we can dare to dream. The 900/1800/1900 tri-band NEC e373, just released on Italian carrier TIM, treads some moderately uncharted territory as a truly low-end UMTS clamshell, lacking an external display and expansion slot. To boot, the useless-for-anything-but-video-calling VGA camera and 32MB of internal memory make the phone all but useless as a multimedia device, but yeah, we have a soft spot in our hearts for hot-looking 3G clamshells, so we're going to give the e373 a mulligan this time.

[Via Mobile Magazine]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clamshellitalylow endLowEndnectimumtsFri, 09 Jun 2006 14:14:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC and Matsushita feel the love, cooperate on phone development]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/30/nec-and-matsushita-feel-the-love-cooperate-on-phone-development/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/30/nec-and-matsushita-feel-the-love-cooperate-on-phone-development/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/30/nec-and-matsushita-feel-the-love-cooperate-on-phone-development/#commentsFiled under: ,

In the cutthroat mobile industry, sometimes it's better to make love, not war. NEC and Matsushita (better known by its biggest brand, Panasonic), sustaining heavy losses in their bids to make an honest buck against larger rivals, have drawn that conclusion and announced a broad-scale collaboration on phone development. Details of the collaboration are ambiguous at best, but NEC president Kaoru Yano insists the brands will not merge, a la Sony Ericsson. Insiders are suggesting, however, that a three-way deal involving Matsushita, NEC, and Texas Instruments is nearing completion and will produce a new joint venture to manufacture 3G chipsets and software. Hey guys, we have an idea to help you on your road to profitability -- how about a North American phone or two?
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cooperationmatsushitaTue, 30 May 2006 12:06:00 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[NEC companion chip claims 50-hour music playback]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/21/nec-companion-chip-claims-50-hour-music-playback/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/21/nec-companion-chip-claims-50-hour-music-playback/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/21/nec-companion-chip-claims-50-hour-music-playback/#commentsFiled under: ,

NEC Electronics America has just announced a new audio processor that will be music to the ears of those who enjoy pumping tunes on their cellphones- the uPD99910 integrates a CPU and a DSP to relieve most of the strain on a phone's main processor during playback, which is said to provide up to a whopping 50 hours of continuous battery life. The companion chip requires only a small amount of onboard storage for music playback code, as it can access applications from the primary processor's flash memory. Also part of the package are SD card support including SD-Binding (for transferring content between devices), along with the Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM) flavor of DRM that should make it popular with carriers and device manufacturers and frustrating to the rest of us.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Tue, 21 Mar 2006 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[DoCoMo launches SIMPURE 3G handsets]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/07/docomo-launches-simpure-3g-handsets/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/07/docomo-launches-simpure-3g-handsets/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/07/docomo-launches-simpure-3g-handsets/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's kind of not funny that even "basic" DoCoMo handsets like their new SIMPURE 3G FOMA devices are still way ahead of most devices you'd find in the States. But what's certainly worth a glance is the SIMPURE L (that being a neologism for SIMPLE and PURE), an LG phone on the most holy of Japanese wireless networks (though it's otherwise barely noteworthy with a 1.3 megapixel camera). NEC's SIMPURE N isn't a huge surprise itself or anything, but it's damn tiny at 92 x 44 x 19.2mm (3.6 x 1.7 x 0.7-inches), and is hot as all get out, as expected.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Tue, 07 Mar 2006 10:32:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC e636 3G (UMTS) cellphone]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/20/nec-e636-3g-umts-cellphone/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/20/nec-e636-3g-umts-cellphone/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/20/nec-e636-3g-umts-cellphone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

NEC managed to pack in 3G (UMTS) into their 13.9mm not-yet-announced e636 which makes it pretty slim for a 3G phone, although not-that-slim. Still, at 102mm (times two when open) it's one of the longer handsets you'll find. So it's no surprise to find this tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 handset toting a 262K color LCD, Bluetooth, MP3 player with dedicated music key, 32MB on-board memory with (unspecified) memory card slot expansion, and 2 megapixel camera under that big ol' hood. More pics after the break.

Continue reading NEC e636 3G (UMTS) cellphone

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 20 Feb 2006 08:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Global Video Sharing trials over IMS begin]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/16/global-video-sharing-trials-over-ims-begin/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/16/global-video-sharing-trials-over-ims-begin/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/16/global-video-sharing-trials-over-ims-begin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Video Sharing interoperability trials over IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), which is a UMTS implementation of SIP, launched this week bent at least initially on allowing users to send live video during a voice call. The Swedish-led GSMA-sponsored effort spans the US, Europe, and Asia and is meant to ensure future Video Sharing services function smoothly between as many devices and carriers as possible. The support cast includes the usual suspects like the GSM majors (yes, including Cingular) and manufactures such as Nokia, Sony-Ericsson, LG, Motorola, Samsung, etc. Test are expected to be completed by Q2 '06 but it's anybody's guess when these services might go live.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Thu, 16 Feb 2006 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sweet pics of Vodafone's Toshiba 904T and NEC 804N]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/10/sweet-pics-of-vodafones-toshiba-904t-and-nec-804n/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/10/sweet-pics-of-vodafones-toshiba-904t-and-nec-804n/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/10/sweet-pics-of-vodafones-toshiba-904t-and-nec-804n/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There's not a lot we can say about Vodafone's Toshiba 904T and NEC 804N that you probably don't already know if you're following these handsets (2.4-inch and 2.2-inch QVGA displays, 3.2 and 2 megapixel external cameras and VGA and QVGA internal cameras, MiniSD and MicroSD slots, and USB, Bluetooth, and QR scanning support, respectively -- NEC's handset also has 450MB internal flash memory for tunes), but do some good shots of these things ever turn our jaded, weary heads.

[Thanks, Adam]

Read - Toshiba 904T
Read - NEC 804N

Continue reading Sweet pics of Vodafone's Toshiba 904T and NEC 804N

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fri, 10 Feb 2006 13:33:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC rolling out raft of models at 3GSM]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/09/nec-rolling-out-raft-of-models-at-3gsm/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/09/nec-rolling-out-raft-of-models-at-3gsm/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/09/nec-rolling-out-raft-of-models-at-3gsm/#commentsFiled under: , ,


While the ultra-thin N500iS we peeped earlier is likely to grab all the glory, it's not the only new phone NEC is rolling out at 3GSM. The company is planning to introduce a range of new models, including a prototype HSDPA 3G phone (pictured, above), a combination 3G/WiFi phone, and a phone that can pick up terrestrial TV broadcasts. While some of the phones are likely to be fairly impressive from a technical perspective, we can't help but feel sorry for whoever's stuck showing them off at the company's booth, because nobody's going to be looking at anything but the N500iS.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Thu, 09 Feb 2006 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC 500is/N412i: thin GSM with EDGE]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/09/nec-500is-n412i-thin-gsm-with-edge/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/09/nec-500is-n412i-thin-gsm-with-edge/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/09/nec-500is-n412i-thin-gsm-with-edge/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Here's the latest RAZR-killer -- at least for Japan and some European markets. It's NEC's 11.9 mm N500is, the company's follow up to its earlier skinny boy, the L1. It has EDGE, i-mode support, a 1.3 megapixel camera, 176x220 LCD, and a monochrome OLED secondary display.

[Thanks, Corey]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Thu, 09 Feb 2006 11:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Fujitsu, Motorola, and NEC's 3.6Mbps HSDPA prototypes for DoCoMo]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/01/fujitsu-motorola-and-necs-3-6mbps-hsdpa-prototypes-for-docomo/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/01/fujitsu-motorola-and-necs-3-6mbps-hsdpa-prototypes-for-docomo/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/02/01/fujitsu-motorola-and-necs-3-6mbps-hsdpa-prototypes-for-docomo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

First Samsung did it, now Fujitsu, Motorola, and NEC (respectively in that pic) have rolled out three new HSDPA prototype handsets capable of hitting 3.6Mbps -- currently the maximum achieved of the theoretical 14Mbps limit of HSDPA. The devices were co-developed with NTT DoCoMo who plan to begin rollout of their HSDPA services in Japan starting sometime between July and September. DoCoMo will be turnin' out their new line-up at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona starting 13 Feb so you can expect some more detail in a few.

[Via I4U News]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Wed, 01 Feb 2006 09:19:00 EST