Engadget Mobile

Sanyo's Pro-200 and Pro-700 Direct Connect handsets get official

Darren Murph — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:52:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, Sprint, EV-DO, CDMA

Fresh out of the FCC's lair comes a new pair of QChat-enabled mobiles ready to launch on Sprint: Sanyo's Pro-200 and Pro-700. Unsurprisingly getting official at CTIA, the pair of Nextel Direct Connect devices can handle all the hot PTT action you could ask for, and while the Pro-200 (shown above) checks in with Bluetooth, messaging capabilities and mobile e-mail, the beefier brother (pictured after the jump) touts a ruggedized shell "certified to military standards for dust, shock and vibration." Curiously, the duo is only expected to go on sale in "limited markets" this month, with availability popping up elsewhere in due time; those eager to get their chirp on can plan on dropping $49.99 / $69.99 on contract, respectively.

[Thanks, Colton]

Continue reading Sanyo's Pro-200 and Pro-700 Direct Connect handsets get official

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T-Mobile's Sidekick iD no longer available? Confirmed!

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:07:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM

After what feels like an all-too-brief run on the low end of the Hiptop range, the colorful Sidekick iD has unceremoniously disappeared from T-Mobile's retail site. We don't have any intel on whether it's gone for good just yet -- we're working to confirm -- but tell us: was anyone out there, like, totally going to buy an iD today, only to discover (much to your horror, of course) that it had been removed? Please, do share your horror stories with us in comments while we're getting the lowdown on the situation.

[Thanks, Mike]

Update: We've heard back from T-Mobile, and it's true -- the iD is no longer being manufactured, though if you're really lucky, we understand that you still might be able to score one from a store that has some remaining stock. Good luck, shoppers!

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Softbank Mobile's Spring 2008 collection

Chris Ziegler — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:28:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Features, HTC, Nokia, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, GSM, Softbank Mobile, Toshiba

Right on KDDI's heels comes Softbank, roaring in with fourteen new models (not including the oh-so-pricey Tiffany phone) for the spring season. Though the lineup includes the usual array of crazy clamshells, this particular group includes a curious model designed specifically for stock trading and the Japanese introduction of a couple phones we're already well acquainted with. Can ya spot 'em in the picture there? Read on!

Continue reading Softbank Mobile's Spring 2008 collection

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Disney Mobile rises from ashes to invade Japan

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, GSM, HSDPA, UMTS, MVNOs, Softbank Mobile

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again -- preferably on a different continent. That's the attitude Disney is taking with its Disney Mobile MVNO, shutting down its poorly-received US service and heading over to Japan where Softbank is serving up the necessary airwaves this time around. The target demo is decidedly different now, too -- whereas the US service was aimed at families with young kiddies, the Japanese rendition is targeting women in their 20s and 30s, seen as prime consumers of Disney content. The first handset to support Disney Mobile will be the DM001SH, a reworked version of Sharp's 821SH for Softbank that features 3G data, a 2 megapixel cam, 400 x 240 internal and 60 x 32 external displays, one-seg mobile TV, FeliCa, and no shortage of Mickey Mouse branding. All told, we'd say it's just a tad hotter than the carrier's now-deceased US offerings. Look for the service to launch March 1.

[Via Tech-On!]

Gallery: Disney Mobile rises from ashes to invade Japan

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iPhone, Sidekick make popular heist targets

Joshua Topolsky — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:54:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Motorola, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, Apple

In what might be irrationally described as a wave, rash, flood, or deluge, two separate cases of utter and complete phone theft have cropped up this week. The first concerns $8.2-million worth of T-Mobile handsets which apparently have disappeared from one of the company's warehouses. According to an internal email sent to dealers, someone made off with 36,000 phones (most of which were Sidekicks), and the telco is now in the process of tracking the devices via IMEIs in hopes of getting back the lost goods. In other thievery news, two potential ~~Darwin Award~~ World Stupidity Award recipients plotted to steal 300 iPhones destined for Hong Kong right off of the truck that they were delivering them on. Following the heist, the men quit their delivery jobs, purchased diamond-studded Yankee earrings and matching cars, and then were promptly apprehended when the hastily-wrapped reams of paper they sent instead of the phones were spotted in Cathay. Gold-plated hats off to you, gentlemen.

[Thanks, Paul B]

Read - T-Mobile gets jacked, around $8.2M in phones vanished like a David Copperfield act
Read - Two Baldwin men arrested in stolen iPhone caper

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Android hacked to run on real hardware

Nilay Patel — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:22:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, Android

Google told us that we wouldn't see any Android devices until the end of the year, but a funny thing happens when you put up the entire SDK and an emulator for a platform -- all them crazy hackers start hacking. Apparently Android was natively booted on a Freescale-based dev board called the Armadillo 500 back in November, but the floodgates were really opened when a Hungarian group called Eu.Edge discovered that basically any device with an ARMv5TE chip could run Google's baby. Armed (heh!) with that information, tinkerers around the world have gotten a variety of Sharp devices running Android: the SL-C760, C3000M, SL-C3000 series, and the SL-6000 have all been confirmed running the OS. Hopefully that means we'll be seeing a lot more unofficial Android devices soon -- check a couple videos after the break.

Read - Overview of Android hacks
Read - Instructions on booting the Sharp Zaurus SL-C760
Read - Instructions on booting the Sharp SL-C3000 series

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Is this Sprint's crystal ball for January and February?

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 05:50:00 EST

Filed under: LG, Motorola, Palm, RIM, Samsung, Sharp, Sprint, Palm OS, Windows Mobile, EV-DO, CDMA

If there's one thing we'd like more than a Rumor with fixed firmware, it's a Rumor in green. Alright, that's a little bit of a stretch, but it looks like we're going to get one nonetheless; Sprint's latest Playbook is circulating among the ranks, revealing a supposed green Rumor dropping on February 17. The pink Centro we've heard so much about should be available on January 13 alongside a red version of the BlackBerry Pearl 8130, the first in-store appearance of the Sanyo S1 candybar, and a new iDEN piece in the form of the Motorola i570. Keeping the green Rumor company on the 17th of next month will be the Samsung m520 slider (yay?) and -- maybe most notably of the whole lot -- the Samsung Ace, Sprint's answer to the whole BlackJack craze.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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The Sharp W61SH: KDDI au gets another AQUOS-branded phone

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:18:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, KDDI, EV-DO, CDMA

Shield your eyes if it pains you to see the incredible kit customers of Japanese carrier KDDI au are entitled to, because we've got another doozy in the mix here. The rather wildly colored W61SH is yet another phone bearing Sharp's AQUOS branding to call out the emphasis on display goodness, featuring a 2.8 inch display with a 2000:1 contrast ratio -- perfect for all that one-seg mobile TV you'll be enjoying. Grab it in black, white, or our favorite, hot pink.

[Via Mobilewhack]

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

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:44:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Features, LG, Nokia, Others, Panasonic, NEC, Sharp, Sony Ericsson, NTT DoCoMo, HSDPA

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

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NTT DoCoMo's Winter 2007 lineup: the 705i series

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Features, LG, Nokia, Others, Panasonic, Sharp, Sony Ericsson, NTT DoCoMo, HSDPA

With KDDI au and Softbank under our belts, we turn our attention to the granddaddy of 'em all, NTT DoCoMo. As usual, Japan's largest carrier has pulled out all the stops for its latest release, the 705i and 905i series rocking entries from Sharp, Fujitsu, LG, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, and NEC. Flips are the name of the game here (surprise, surprise) with an occasional slider thrown in for good measure, all with feature lists designed to please -- and in some cases, stun. We're going to kick things off here with a look at the 705i goodies -- so without further ado, read on.

Continue reading NTT DoCoMo's Winter 2007 lineup: the 705i series

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Softbank's Winter 2007 lineup

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Features, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, GSM, HSDPA, UMTS, Softbank Mobile, Toshiba

Alongside KDDI, Softbank and NTT DoCoMo have both announced their autumn / winter '07 handset lineups as well. More on the NTT DoCoMo goodies shortly, but for now, let's take a closer look at just what Softbank has to offer our friends on the other side of the Pacific, shall we?

[Thanks, Chris N.]

Continue reading Softbank's Winter 2007 lineup

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

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 07:07:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Others, Panasonic, NEC, Sharp, Sony Ericsson, NTT DoCoMo

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]

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KDDI au's Autumn and Winter 2007 collection

Chris Ziegler — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:22:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Features, Others, Sharp, Sony Ericsson, KDDI, EV-DO, Kyocera, CDMA, Toshiba

It's that time of year again -- that magical time when Japanese carriers pull out all the stops and deliver a mind-numbing swath of new models at once. KDDI au's rocking seven all-new models for its fall / winter '07 collection, perhaps most notably the Infobar 2 candybar that bubbled out of its ongoing concept design program. All told, we have entries from six manufacturers here spanning the candybar, slider, and clamshell (naturally) form factors, so it pretty much goes without saying that KDDI customers should have no trouble finding the phone of their dreams in this motherlode. Forge on for a closer look at each of the new models.

Continue reading KDDI au's Autumn and Winter 2007 collection

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T-Mobile's Sidekick LX now available to new subscribers, too

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 23:43:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM, EDGE

Sorry, T-Mobile veterans, the window of opportunity to flaunt your recently-acquired Sidekick LXs just expired. That's right -- everyone's now entitled to lay paws on Sharp's latest lovechild with Danger now that existing subscribers have gotten their fill from a limited launch on October 17. To celebrate the glorious occasion, the Sidekick Wiki's giving away handsets to two lucky souls; entering the contest isn't a bad idea, but for anyone looking for a more direct, surefire way to get hold of a unit, T-Mobile stores should be rocking these things in full force now for $299 on contract. So what's it gonna be: blue, brown, or wait for the Slide?

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Sharp develops "world's thinnest" 2.2-inch QVGA mobile LCD

Darren Murph — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:43:00 EST

Filed under: Peripherals, Sharp

We've already seen Hitachi launch the "world's slimmest" LCD TV today, so it's rather fitting that Sharp comes through and delivers what it calls the "industry's thinnest" mobile display. Granted, we've known this ultrathin 2.2-inch wonder was coming since April, but it's always reassuring to see plans actually emerge from the drawing board. Nevertheless, this wee unit measures in just 0.01-millimeters thinner than a 1.9-inch version that AU Optronics was touting earlier this week (that's 0.68-millimeters for those keeping score), and it features a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, 320 x 240 (QVGA) resolution, 176-degree viewing angle and an eight-millisecond response time that should be suitable for mobile TV viewing. Regrettably, there's no sign of an actual release date, but those browsing the aisles at FPD International 2007 can reportedly catch it up close and in person.

[Via Akihabara News]

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Hands-on with the T-Mobile Sidekick LX

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:38:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Features, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM, EDGE

The full-scale launch doesn't come until the 24th, but current subscribers can get their grubby paws on Danger's latest and greatest starting today. Needless to say, the Sidekick LX is the best Hiptop to date; we were pleasantly surprised with the handset's build quality, the blue shell with chrome trim looks pretty slick, and the bright, crisp widescreen display is simply glorious. Can't get to the store just yet? No worries, we've got you covered with a bunch of shots that should make the day fly by just a little quicker!

Gallery: Hands-on with the T-Mobile Sidekick LX

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T-Mobile's Sidekick LX gets pictured, loved

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 18:56:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM, EDGE

Most of us have to wait until late October to get our hands on Danger's latest Hiptop sensation, but Boy Genius Report? Yeah, not so much on the waiting. Mr. Genius has scored a retail example of the LX, playing with the device and shooting a handful of glamor shots in the process. Despite its size -- it's quite a bit larger than its Slide stablemate -- it's said to be thin, comfortable, and "right" in the hand, the operating system is predictably Danger perfect, and the display is supposed to be a total stunner. Makes the wait that much harder, doesn't it? Hit the read link for the full gallery!

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Emblaze Mobile inks deal with Sharp and ACCESS

Joshua Topolsky — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp

Emblaze Mobile, Israeli-based phone designers / makers, have inked a deal with Japanese powerhouse Sharp, and software developer ACCESS (of Palm OS fame, amongst others) to create a new mobile device which will "revolutionize mobile communication." You know... just a small goal. The companies plan to reveal this magical device sometime in 2008, which will be based around Sharp-developed hardware, and ACCESS-grown software (go figure). Guy Bernstein, CEO of Emblaze, says, "The device represents one of the most ambitious projects in the high-tech mobile industry." Of course, given that said device is still a total mystery, statements like that should be very easy to make. Your poker face is good, Guy, but let's see your cards.

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T-Mobile announces Sidekick LX and Sidekick Slide

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Motorola, Sharp, Danger, GSM, EDGE

Capping off months of rumor and speculation, T-Mobile and Danger have announced two new Sidekicks today targeting decidedly different segments of the market. The Sidekick LX takes over as the new king of the Hiptop hill, boasting a Sidekick-first wide QVGA display -- touted as incorporating technology borrowed from Sharp's AQUOS televisions, no less -- along with configurable mood lighting, 1.3 megapixel camera with flash, and 128MB worth of bundled microSD memory. Meanwhile, the 4.6 x 2.4 x 0.68-inch Sidekick Slide becomes the first Hiptop device to come from Motorola, the first to ditch the trademark swivel display, and the first to go on a serious diet (anyone who's used a Sidekick of old knows that it ain't exactly small) while still packing the same functionality and 1.3 megapixel cam as its big sib. Look for the LX to hit store shelves come October 24 in your choice of "midnight blue" and "espresso brown" for a cool $299 on contract; the Slide slides in (sorry, couldn't help it) two weeks later on November 7 in a black / deep purple combo for a Franklin less at $199.

Gallery: T-Mobile announces Sidekick LX and Sidekick Slide

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T-Mobile rolls deep with designer Sidekicks for charity

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:16:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Handsets, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM, EDGE

T-Mobile teamed up a while back with a bunch of fashionistas to design elaborately redone Sidekick 3s to benefit Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, an organization raising money to benefit breast cancer causes worldwide to the tune of some $40 million since its inception in 1994. The results are in -- and while we can't comment on the usability or aesthetic goodness of what we're seeing, we've got to stay focused on the fact that it's all going to a very worthy group. Some of the names on the list of participating designers are big enough to drive prices way up on the auctions, we'd imagine, which all end today. So go place that massively generous bid of yours, and if anyone can figure out what the heck is going on with the Duckie Brown one, do let us know!

[Thanks, Jade C.]

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T-Mobile's Sidekick LX gets an early date with eBay

Michael Caputo — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:50:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM, EDGE

Even though it looks like T-Mobile will be launching the Sidekick LX on October 24, some lucky individual has the chance to own one before launch thanks to an eBay auction. With bids starting at $600 and just over nine days to go, the highest bidder can be the envy of all the tweeners on the block. There's no way for the Engadget staff to validate the authenticity of this auction, but if you feel inclined to bid (and win) -- drop us a line and let us know what you think of it!

[Via Hiptop3]

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Sidekick LX launching on T-Mobile October 24?

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM, EDGE

Sure, Photoshop is always a concern with this sort of business, but let's face it -- October 24 is a totally reasonable date for Sharp's latest Sidekick to launch considering how long we've been talking about it. This here is apparently a Sidekick-shaped card that'll be available in T-Mobile retail locations, promising its owner an actual LX come launch date. The reverse features a picture of the phone itself, which by all appearances seems to match up nicely with what we've seen so far. So, we ask again: Slide or LX?

[Thanks, Ed]

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Vodafone gets the drop on Santa, announces Christmas lineup early

Sean Cooper — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:50:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Nokia, RIM, Sagem, Samsung, Sharp, Sony Ericsson, Vodafone, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA

This may well be our first unofficial Christmas article, as Vodafone gets the jump on the holiday season with a sizeable list of new handsets for your enjoyment. The early launch features the new 8GB Nokia N95, Samsung SGH-F700V (by the by, that V at the end there stands for "vroom vroom"), Sony Ericsson W910i, BlackBerry 8310 Curve, and the BlackBerry 8100 Pearl. On the "B" list we can expect two new Windows Mobile devices, six devices based on Series 60, six 3G devices from leading manufacturers, and three new Vodafone branded sets (Vodafone 920, 720, 810). The final items on the menu are 13 new HSDPA handsets, not bad huh? While the devices are lumped into all those categories above, the devices specific to each are not, but in no particular order we can expect the Sharp GX33 and 880SH, Sagem my850v Crystal and my411 Cv. More Samsung goodness will arrive in the form of the SGH-i640v and SGH-ZV60, Sony Ericsson's W660i and V640i, with the Nokia 6120c rounding out the show. Don't take our word for it, but it seems like Christmas may be a good time to hop on Vodafone. Check the gallery for the pics we were able to cobble together of this grand event.

Gallery: Vodafone gets the drop on Santa, announces Christmas lineup early

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Sharp's WS011SH Windows Mobile superphone in the wild

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 03:01:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, Windows Mobile, Willcom

Sometimes -- all too often, in fact -- devices simply don't live up to their carefully selected and prepared press shots, but yeah, we're pretty sure that's not the case here. LetsGoMobile recently had a peep at Sharp's lovely WS011SH Advanced/W-ZERO3 [es] on the floor of IFA, and seriously, it seems to look every bit as good in the wild (if not better) than it did in Sharp's own materials. With a 3-inch WVGA (yes, wide VGA) touchscreen serving up Windows Mobile 6, you can sorta think of it as an HTC Vox on performance-enhancing drugs -- the only difference being that we stand zero chance of ever seeing this 'round here on account of the PHS radio designed for Willcom service in Japan. Tragedy, ain't it?

[Thanks, David]

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Sharp transforms 816SH into 880SH for Europe

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 21:58:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, Vodafone, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

It isn't terribly often that true, unfiltered Japanese mobile tech finds its way into foreign markets, so we're delighted to see that Sharp has seen fit to offer one of its domestic handsets in the European market. The 880SH is the Euro-spec version of its 816SH, an HSDPA equipped model offered through Softbank. The slider features a QVGA display, 2 megapixel camera, integrated FM radio, and NetFront for web browsing with minimum agony. Look for it to launch on Vodafone in Germany, though we're not sure exactly when.

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Sidekick LX "Shuriken" in the wild?

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM, GPRS, EDGE

Is it just us, or does this thing look... well, not that great? This here is allegedly a shot of the upcoming Shuriken / Sidekick LX / Sidekick 4 -- Sharp's next-gen Hiptop alongside Motorola's Sidekick Slide -- doing its thing in the wild. Sadly, the case looks like cheap black plastic, the keyboard looks bizzare, and the chrome speaker looks out of place, though we suppose those bits could all be little pieces of preproduction indiscretion. Fortunately, the rumored 3-inch widescreen display should go a long way toward making up for any lingering ugliness when it launches in the not-too-distant future, but the Slide's looking a little better now, ain't it?

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Sharp's Sidekick "Shuriken" hooks up with FCC

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 17:16:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM, GPRS, EDGE

We're still not sure whether this is the legit Sidekick 4 -- you know, the true successor to the Sidekick 3, as opposed to some tangential compromise like the Sidekick iD -- but we're definitely encouraged by Sharp's internal designation for this sucker. It's been assigned the model number "PV250" to be exact, which would put it above the Sidekick 3's PV200 (and well above the iD's PV150), suggesting that the Shuriken is likely the next-gen Sidekick we should all be getting excited about, not the Slide from Motorola. Then again, it seems like there isn't much new here; it should get a healthy 3-inch widescreen display, which is nice and all, but 3G data is still nowhere to be found. Guess you need a functioning 3G network to offer 3G devices, eh, T-Mobile?

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"Shuriken" is Sharp's Sidekick 4?

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 15:22:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, Danger

Remember those renderings of two upcoming Sidekicks, one labeled the "Sidekick Slide" and the other called out simply as the "Sidekick"? We now know a heck of a lot more about the Slide, and it seems the mysterious "Sidekick" might be getting outed now, too. Hiptop3.com is reporting that the handset is codenamed "Shuriken," a device that will ultimately become the Sidekick 4 sporting a full 3 inch widescreen display, microSD slot, and 1.3 megapixel camera. Unlike the Motorola-made Slide, the Sidekick 4 will be made by Danger's old pal Sharp. None of this is verified, of course, but the leaked screen cap is calling out a Q4 release -- in Germany, at least -- so we'll know soon enough.

[Thanks, EC and Boy Genius]

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NTT DoCoMo rolls out 704i series

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 08:39:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Features, LG, Others, Panasonic, NEC, Sharp, Sony Ericsson, NTT DoCoMo, GSM, GPRS, HSDPA, UMTS

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

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Sharp's WS011SH: nothing like Microsoft's leak, but still cool

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, Windows Mobile

So the Sharp device we thought Microsoft had accidentally leaked a day early yesterday actually looks nothing -- and we mean nothing -- like the actual handset, though what they ended up unveiling is still crazy cool. The Sharp WS011SH Advanced/W-ZERO3 [es], which we believe may be the most complicated name for a phone ever conceived, is the latest in a line of Windows Mobile-sportin' phones for Japan's Willcom; like its predecessors, the WS011SH doesn't disappoint, packing in Windows Mobile 6 Classic, numeric and slide-out QWERTY keypads, a 3-inch wide VGA display, WiFi, and 256MB of onboard storage with microSD expansion. And, oh yeah, it's only 50mm wide and 17.9mm thick. Willcom customers: we hate you (not really, it's just our extreme jealousy talking).

[Via the::unwired]

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Microsoft blows cover on Sharp's new device for Willcom

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:04:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp

Remember the "X" Japan's Willcom teased us with a few weeks back? Other than offering that it'd be an ultra-thin Windows Mobile 6 device, the carrier offered virtually no info -- and with all due respect, the teaser site was a little heavy on tease and light on details. Thanks to a Microsoft press conference on the other side of the Pacific, though, the cover's now been blown a full day before the official announcement. If the picture is legit, we're fully prepared to take the existing W-ZERO3 off our lust list, and the visual is just the beginning -- the Sharp-sourced device's guts offer up Windows Mobile 6 Classic (as opposed to Professional; kinda strange, but whatevs), three inches of wide VGA glory, 256MB of onboard Flash, 128MB of RAM, and a 520MHz core in a 17.8mm shell. Seeing how Willcom uses PHS for its airwaves, this one doesn't stand a chance of working anywhere else in the world, so pick you jaw up off the floor and keep staring from afar.

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Softbank Mobile unveils summer '07 lineup

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 28 May 2007 09:39:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, HTC, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, GSM, HSDPA, UMTS, Softbank Mobile, Toshiba

Let's be honest: 'round these parts, we're lucky to get a summer phone, let alone fricking thirteen of them. Following KDDI's announcement of ten brilliant handsets for the summer months, Japan's Softbank Mobile is unleashing a full thirteen of its own from Toshiba, Sharp, and Panasonic, along with darkhorses Samsung and HTC. As can be expected for a Japanese carrier aiming to impress with a new lineup, Softbank's colorful stable includes something for pretty much everyone. Let's have a closer look after the break.

Continue reading Softbank Mobile unveils summer '07 lineup

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Sidekick iD now on sale

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 05:50:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM, GPRS

Seems a bit of a formality at this point, but yeah, T-Mobile is now officially happy to accept your hard-earned $99.99 -- after contract, rebates, and discounts, of course -- for a Sidekick iD. Compared to its older sibling, the venerable Sidekick 3, the iD eschews some arguably unnecessary features like Bluetooth and EDGE data in exchange for a price point friendly to the younger crowd to which the device is squarely targeted. In the end, the choice of goodies to remove ended up being a bit controversial (Bluetooth in particular), but the colorful bits are kinda cool, we guess -- and gussying up an iD with a different color panel is a heck of a lot cheaper than rocking a D-Wade 3.

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NTT DoCoMo announces new FOMA 904i handsets

Sean Cooper — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:48:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Others, Panasonic, NEC, Sharp, NTT DoCoMo

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?

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Some of NTT DoCoMo's 904i series phones in the wild

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Others, Sharp, NTT DoCoMo

NTT DoCoMo is poised to unleash yet another torrent of new models on an unsuspecting (or are they "suspecting" by now?) Japanese public, this time around with the 904i series. As the name suggests, these models follow up the 903i series launched just a few months back, reinforcing our hatred for the rate of product development exhibited by pretty much every other carrier and manufacturer in the world. Shown here are the D904i, SH904i, and F904i in clockwise order from the upper left, from Mitsubishi, Sharp, and Fujitsu, respectively. Specs aren't yet official, but as usual, we can expect these phones to rock unreal displays, clean our bathrooms, and create world peace.

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Sidekick ID, myFaves support to shore up Danger on T-Mobile

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 12:56:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Sharp, T-Mobile, Danger, GSM, GPRS

We've noticed that Hiptop users tend to be some of the most rabid, intensely loyal fans of their devices around; the reasons vary a bit from user to user, but the gist seems to be that Danger knows how to make products that simply work with minimal fuss. So yeah, to that end, good news: Danger and T-Mobile hear you guys, and the love is going to get a little stronger this year. First up, myFaves support is going to get pushed to Sidekick 3 owners over-the-air -- as all Sidekick updates tend to come -- adding a critical feature out of T-Mobile's playbook to its most popular exclusive device. Oh, and the Danger options in T-Mobile's lineup are going to get a little more extensive, too (read: two devices instead of one). We knew there was a low-end Hiptop of some sort gettin' baked by California's funkiest mobile platform folks, but the smart money always said it'd be called something a little more interesting than "PV150," Sharp's model number for the new piece. We now have that name, at least in T-Mobile nomenclature: "Sidekick ID." Besides being myFaves compatible, the new model will lack EDGE and a cam to keep pricing low -- like "$99.99 after $50 rebate" low. Not bad, Danger; not bad at all. Just add a high-end Sidekick with support for T-Mobile's odd brand of 3G and you'll have a little something for everyone.

[Thanks, The Fish]

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