Microsoft has been touting its Fone+ project for a little while now, but it looks like the company is starting to step up its efforts a bit further, with the new head of Microsoft's Unlimited Potential Group, Craig Mundie, reportedly leading the charge to increase the focus on the project aimed at bringing cellphones to the poor. This isn't a case of simply handing out as many barebones handsets as possible, however. Instead, Microsoft wants to use the cellphones (which are described as a "low-to-mid-end smartphone") as an alternative to computers like the OLPC, an idea the company has been tossing around since before the Fone+ project even had a name. To make things a bit more practical, the cellphones would be paired with a dock that hooks up to TV, resulting in a system that Mundie says is "a lot cheaper than having to buy a whole separate computer." Unfortunately, while it is upping its efforts, Microsoft apparently still isn't ready to provide any sort of timeline about when we can expect to see an actual product, and Mundie adds that the company continues to "explore and look at both phone-up models and PC-down models" to make computing more accessible to the poor.

[Via Phone Scoop

The hot word on the street is that Palm has all but confirmed the existence of two new phone models by ramping up a "launch developer" program for new applications. The devices, dubbed Zeppelin (a name we've heard quite a bit of) and Skywriter (which is new to us) could be slated for a Q3 release, as Palm is asking devs to turn in their applications by May 30th. Rumor has it that at least one of the units is a "Centro-like" Windows Mobile phone -- if that date is close to correct, it could very well be the "Wanda" that we saw back in January. The Zeppelin, on the other hand, is likely the WiFi equipped Treo 800w we've been hearing about for what seems like a million years. A mockup of a device (above) was included in the email, though we're pretty sure not even Palm could create a phone that ugly.

We had a little thumb-print orgy with the new HTC Touch Diamond immediately following its launch. Light and small, the Touch Diamond comes off as a unit with promise. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a while to get our hands on this via a US carrier, but Orange users in the UK will no doubt be pretty happy with this new handset, the first of its kind to use Windows Mobile 6.1.

Check out the gallery below, complete with comments and interface walk-through. A couple vids after the break, too!

We've got some hands-on shots and impressions with the newly announced HTC Touch Diamond that we'll be sharing with you shortly, but here are some official press shots to whet your appetite. Tell it to us one more time, HTC. VGA? You really do love us.

We like to rag on the SMT5700 every so often -- not because it's low-end, not because it lacks 3G, not because it's not the prettiest smartphone we've ever seen. No, we give the SMT5700 a well-earned dose of crap because it earned FCC approval over a year ago. That's pretty insane even by US carrier standards, and new intel over at Boy Genius Reports indicates that AT&T may finally be ramping up to sell this thing. As we mentioned, it'll be pretty low-end on account of its EDGE data and 2 megapixel cam, but hey -- in the year 2008, there's no good reason folks shouldn't be able to get a capable smartphone for next to nothing on any major carrier, in our humblest of opinions. The site doesn't seem to know when exactly it'll launch, but they've posted a few puzzle piece-like press shots of the phone to whet our appetite (or get us to gag, depending on your disposition toward these kinds of phones).

We've learned that Pantech and AT&T are apparently hard at work on the successor to the Duo C810 smartphone, a Windows Mobile 6 Standard device whose claim to fame is its dual slide mechanism in the same vein as the Pantech-sourced Helio Ocean. The Duo 2 -- model number C820, naturally -- is said to feature a rounded black case that recalls the look of Motorola's old MPx200 and clocks in with dimensions very close to those of the HTC Vox. We're also told that the dual slide feel is "excellent" with well-illuminated buttons on both the numeric and QWERTY pads; the QWERTY side is apparently the easier to use of the two, with the numeric side being just a bit difficult to navigate by feel alone. Up front, the 2.4-inch screen is QVGA (who'd have thought?). Along the four edges you'll find a Pantech proprietary charge / sync connector and a microSD slot protected by a hard plastic cover.

It doesn't sound a heck of a lot different than the phone it replaces so far, but here's where it gets a little interesting: the C820 moves up from a 1.3 to a 2 megapixel camera and packs Windows Mobile 6.1, which apparently is already pretty well customized for the carrier thanks to the inclusion of apps like MobiTV and AT&T Music. Follow the break for software, memory, and processor details; since we might be waiting a while for a release, you may as well get all the info you can in the meanwhile, eh?

If you absolutely, positively haven't seen enough of HTC's newest iteration of its Advantage, the X7510, then boy do we have a treat for you. After the break, you'll find a charming video of one of these odd devices being unboxed. Sure, it looks pretty cool, but we're still trying to figure out just exactly what someone would be using this thing for. We're open to hearing your thoughts on the matter -- maybe you can convince us to make a purchase.

[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]

Remember when we caught wind that Verizon was prepping a worldband version Samsung's i760 Windows Mobile piece? That rumor's suddenly gained a lot more credence now that we've seen a so-called SCH-i770 pass through the FCC's hallowed halls, especially considering the device outline's uncanny resemblance to that of the aforementioned i760. We'd previously heard that there might be some HSDPA on board, and while we're not seeing any evidence of that from the FCC's test reports, we can confirm that it'll feature EV-DO, WiFi, and Bluetooth in addition to all the GSM you'll need to get by while roaming through mysterious foreign lands. No word on when we might actually see an announcement about this one, but we imagine Verizon doesn't want to wait that much longer -- the i760 design isn't getting any younger, y'know.

[Via Phone Scoop]

We know HTC's got a big announcement coming this Tuesday, and while we can't say for sure it's going to the Touch Diamond, if today's leaked images and specs are at all accurate we think they might have something big on their hands. Check it out:

• 2.8-inch VGA display
• WinMo 6.1 Pro
• WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0
• eGPS, FM tuner
• Quad-band HSDPA 7.2
• 4GB internal flash, microSD slot
• 528MHz CPU
• 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus
• 10.7mm (0.47-inches) thick
• Supposedly also features an orientation sensor / accelerometer
  

Whether it's got a QWERTY keyboard could still be up for grabs, especially since that configuration might belong to the CDMA-based Raphael. Still, the it makes sense HTC wouldn't want the XPERIA X1 they made for Sony Ericsson to be their best engineered device on the market for long. We'll be watching this one closely.

[Thanks, Kevin]

Remember that three-pack of phones Verizon promised for April delivery a while back? Two of them have materialized as promised, but the third -- the Motorola Q9c -- is missing in action. The popular rumor seems to be that they've pushed the launch date out just a smidge to May 15, though with the Q9m already in the lineup, we suspect this one won't be causing as much panic than if either the enV(2) or XV6900 had slipped. Or will it?

[Via Everything Q]

Update: We've gotten some documentation suggesting that the Q9c will actually launch in Verizon's B2B, web, and telesales channels on May 9 right alongside the Curve and Glyde, making for a quite a blockbuster day. Availability in stores will apparently depend on how long it takes to deplete Q9m stock.

As we hurl headlong toward HTC's May 6 date with destiny, the Diamond is looking more and more like the headlining act for the unveiling -- but what's it gonna look like when they turn it on? Screen shots of a purported Diamond have turned up on Chinese site PDAFans, and if they turn out to be legit, the answer is "pretty much like any other Windows Mobile 6.1 device." One of the Diamond's alleged claims to fame is a revamped TouchFLO interface, though we're not really seeing a heck of a lot of that here; just a whole lotta plain-vanilla WinMo that has us thinking that this is either fake or an early prototype with an particularly barren build loaded. Doesn't really matter how hot the hardware ends up being -- unless HTC manages to impress with the software visuals, we suspect there are going to be a lot of disappointed people when this one starts shipping.

[Via PDAPhoneHome, thanks Joseph G.]

British carrier O2 has added the previously Vodafone-exclusive Treo 500 to its roster of business class smartphones. O2 is offering Palm's latest Windows Mobile handset for free with certain data and voice plans, which is probably the only way the company could get anyone to take these underwhelming hunks of plastic off their hands.

[Via the::unwired]

Remember those refreshed Sling apps we mentioned not long ago? They've finished baking and they're ready for prime time (sorry, BlackBerry users, we don't mean you -- not yet, anyway). The players for Windows Mobile, both Professional and Standard editions, now rest at version 1.6 while the S60 player gets upped to 1.1; changes are relatively minor, but notable, the Nokia N95 8GB is now officially supported (even though the old player worked pretty well) along with a slew of new WinMo pieces and set-top boxes, video quality is improved on some devices, new channel logos are included, and some "under the hood tweaks." The update is available now and free for existing SlingPlayer Mobile users; newbs, meanwhile, pay a $30 one-time pop.

We already knew it was coming, now HTC has seemingly confirmed that its Diamond handset will be announced next month presumably at the May 6th event. The wording of the Taipei Times article (which we assume was translated from Chinese) leaves HTC's comments open to interpretation. Speaking to a group of investors, HTC's financial executive Cheng Hui-ming, said that revenues will grow by 20% this year thanks to the launch of a new Touch phone next month. Referring to the HTC Diamond by name, he then calls the device "the most important product for HTC this year." Interesting considering that HTC is widely expected to launch the first Android handset -- dubbed Dream -- before the end of the year. Regardless, the 3G Diamond with Windows Mobile 6.1 running beneath a large, glossy, VGA touchscreen display with WiFi and 3 megapixel camera is certainly going to attract a lot interest from us and our wallets.