MWC -- Engadget Mobile

MWC posts

Nokia to focus on infrastructure biz at Mobile World Congress

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 7th 2009 @ 3:11PM

For mobile enthusiasts, the GSMA's Mobile World Congress is basically the focal point of the entire year -- a CES- or CeBIT-caliber event where manufacturers, carriers, software firms, and everyone in between gather to show off their latest goods in a setting where mobile is all that matters. In general, tradeshows have been showing signs of weakness; at many events, exhibitors and attendees have both withdrawn slightly in recent years as companies look to make announcements on their own schedule and their own terms (and a soft economy certainly doesn't help, either). This isn't any old company pulling out of MWC, though -- we've been able to independently confirm that Nokia, the world's largest phone manufacturer, is dramatically shifting its focus at the show next year by moving from a consumer-centric exhibition to an infrastructure-focused one led by its Nokia Siemens joint venture, using the existence of Nokia World as one of the justifications for the move. As far as we can tell, the industry's commitment to MWC remains very strong, but this isn't exactly a fly-by-night shop pulling its two-man stand out of the show -- it's definitely something to keep an eye on.

Alcatel follows the pack, shows cheap touch and QWERTY sets

by Chris Ziegler posted Mar 5th 2009 @ 7:02AM

Alcatel's not known for its high-end fare, and we wouldn't get our hopes up here, either -- in fact, the full touchscreen set is so low-end that there's nothing "full touchscreen" about it. As you can see here, the QVGA display on the OT-707 actually only takes up about three-quarters of the front, the remainder treated to a listless matte black plastic. Good news is it'll only run about 100 euros ($127), but you'll have to put up with GPRS -- yes, GPRS, not EDGE -- to use it. Moving one tiny rung down the luxury ladder at 95 euros, the OT-800 is a portrait QWERTY phone that'll be available in a variety of fun colors at launch; it seems that the keyboard's surprisingly usable, and the quadband EDGE radio means you could theoretically take it stateside if you were so inclined. No word on release dates or carriers, but these would make great prepaid offerings, wouldn't they?

Continue reading Alcatel follows the pack, shows cheap touch and QWERTY sets

ZTE's fancy concepts at MWC 2009

by Chris Ziegler posted Feb 24th 2009 @ 10:43AM

None of these look particularly easy to use, but ZTE showed off some wild concept devices at Mobile World Congress this year. There were a couple of wristwatches in the mix that unbuckled to become USB modems, but our favorite has to be the "Xer," a handheld "inspired by family theater." It's not clear how you'd hold it effectively if you wanted to type on the QWERTY keyboard, but we suppose that's what makes it a concept instead of a production device. Also shown was the "Pure," featuring a "globoid keypad design" that looks only marginally more usable than the Xer -- or, as ZTE puts it, a "novel key-pressing experience." Click on for the full gallery.

Gallery: ZTE's fancy concepts at MWC 2009

Samsung's touchscreen GT-S5600 sneaks by at Mobile World Congress

by Sean Cooper posted Feb 23rd 2009 @ 2:52PM

Samsung's GT-S5600 snuck past us at MWC last week -- which was bound to happen with so many things making an appearance -- but we're catching up now. This small and potentially lower-cost touchscreen features Samsung's TouchWiz UI, some type of cam, touchscreen display, and we're sure plenty of other goodies that we still have to figure out. While Mobile-review caught sight of it at the show, Samsung seems perfectly happy to remain tight-lipped about it, so hopefully we'll catch wind of more info in the near term. Until then, feel free to follow the read link for a few more pics.

[Via UnwiredView.com]

SIM Technology's U1 runs Android at VGA resolution, sort of

by Chris Ziegler posted Feb 22nd 2009 @ 3:59PM

Complementing TechFaith's and General Mobile's offerings, SIM Technology came to MWC with a very, very rough remix of its Windows Mobile-based U1 running Android. Before you blow it off, check it: you're getting quadband EDGE plus tri-band HSDPA, 3 megapixel primary and VGA secondary cams, AGPS, WiFi, TV-out, microSD expansion, and a 2.8-inch VGA display. Almost perfect on paper, isn't it? It's not the prettiest handset in the world, but if these guys are the first in town to come to market with a fully functional VGA Android device that works unlocked on North American bands, we know a few hundred dollars that are just waiting to find a good home. Right now, the device is strictly a proof of concept -- the touchscreen doesn't exactly "work" yet -- but we're sure they'll have something ready to ship shortly.

Gallery: SMS Technology's U1 runs Android at VGA, sort of

General Mobile: "Mini And Sweat In My Hands"

by Chris Ziegler posted Feb 22nd 2009 @ 12:23PM

The big news out of General Mobile at MWC was that Touch Diamond-alike DSTL1 running Android and a pair of SIM slots, but to think that's all they brought to the table would be... well, downright foolhardy. For one, they brought along the pictured DST 250, a "Slider" and "Double SIM" mobile phone of the world, which may or may not cause your palms to sweat depending on how you hold it. They also brought along a couple Nokia Supernova knockoffs, an 8800 rip, and a few anonymous bars and sliders (or rather, "Sliders") that look ready to do battle in the tricky low-end market. Fortunately, they were located several halls away from Espoo's outpost, so the odds of a tussle were kept to a minimum.

Gallery: General Mobile: "Mini And Sweat In My Hands"

LG shows off solar phone, battery cover at MWC

by Chris Ziegler posted Feb 21st 2009 @ 11:31AM

Proving (as usual) that it's not too big for a little tit-for-tat with its crosstown rival, LG showed its own concept solar phone at MWC this week to match up with Samsung's Blue Earth. The prototype LG handset doesn't have a name -- takes a whole team of high-priced consultants to christen a product like that, we'd wager -- but we do know that the slider can eke 3 minutes' worth of life out of a 10-minute charge in natural light. The thing looks like it was thrown together in a week, but hey, as long as it works, we know LG can take care of the design side of things by the time production rolls around.

Gallery: LG shows off solar phone, battery cover at MWC

Bye bye Barcelona and Mobile World Congress 2009

by Sean Cooper posted Feb 20th 2009 @ 10:09PM

Another MWC is done and we're on one hand happy we were there to cover it for y'all, sad to see it gone, but relieved we can start eating normally and sleeping again. So what did we see? Well, so many things that made us laugh, smile, and scratch our heads that we can barely remember them all. Notable things from Barcelona this year include Sony Ericssons' first 12 megapixel camera phone, Windows Mobile 6.5's launch, Palm Pre for the GSM market, A smile pile of Android unveilings -- including Vodafone's HTC Magic launch -- INQ's INQ1, Sonar, and a really creepy mannequin that never failed to freak every single one of us out as we walked by her. If you're finding the list of links overwhelming, check our daily podcasts from the show and hear all about it instead of reading all about it. Check the links below for a quick rundown of some highlights.

Read - Sonar hopes to power social featurephones, we get a demo
Read - Texas Instruments and Wind River do up Android right
Read - HTC Magic is official, bringing Android to Vodafone sans keyboard
Read - HTC Magic first eyes-on!
Read - Nokia N86 hands-on with video!
Read - Samsung OmniaHD hands-on
Read - First hands-on with the HTC Touch Diamond2 (with video!)
Read - First hands-on with the HTC Touch Pro2 (with video!)
Read - Nokia E55 hands-on
Read - Windows Mobile 6.5 walkthrough with Engadget (now with video!)
Read - INQ¹ wins "Best Mobile Handset or Device" at MWC, golf claps
Read - Stantum's mind-blowing multitouch interface on video!
Read - Amosu hands-on: pink, pricey, and plenty of diamonds
Read - Toshiba TG01 hands-on and video walkthrough
Read - modu hands-on with the set, jackets, and some far out visions

LG affirms that 12 megapixel cameraphone is in the works

by Darren Murph posted Feb 20th 2009 @ 9:04AM

Here at MWC, the only cellphone maker to actually come forward with proof of a 12 megapixel phone was Sony Ericsson. Still, you know that everyone else is apt to follow suit as quickly as possible, and it seems that LG will be one of the first. In fact, said company "absolutely" has a 12 megapixeler in the works. That's according to Jeremy Newing, LG Mobile's head of marketing in the UK, who also proclaimed that the KS360 would be LG's first Android phone. In his words: "We'll very much be releasing a 12MP cameraphone. However, it's important that people realize when taking 12MP images, they'll be using huge amounts of data, and it will be more difficult to do things like send such files." Honestly, we're a bit tired of the megapixel race -- get an optical zoom onto a slim cellphone, and then we'll talk.

[Thanks, Jimb]

Vodafone pulls a mini KDDI, launches 5 sets

by Sean Cooper posted Feb 19th 2009 @ 3:07PM

Aside form the Android powered Magic, Vodafone also launched a pretty big handful of feature phones this week: the Vodafone 835 (from top left), 736, 735, 235, and the 135. The 835 is Voda's first set for consumers with GPS added specifically for its Find and Go nav, 3G, and a 2.4-inch display. The 736 shines by being affordable, also features a decent 2-inch display, 2 megapixel camera, Google Maps, and will ship in rose, white and silver with its twin the 735 getting black and only on pre paid. Rounding out the offering are the 235, a 2G set with things like FM radio,a 1.5 -inch color screen, and the really low specced, but rather nice looking 135, with a 2-line black and white display meant for emerging markets. Huge gallery of them all posin' like they really mean it after the break.

Gallery: Vodafone pulls a mini KDDI, launches 5 sets

Sonar hopes to power social featurephones, we get a demo

by Chris Ziegler posted Feb 19th 2009 @ 1:59PM

As with any trade show, flashy, high-end products have a tendency to steal the lion's share of the spotlight at MWC -- but the fact is, featurephones still outsell traditional smartphones by an order of magnitude. Companies like INQ are betting the farm on the belief that today's ultra-connected generation of Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook users are ultimately going to pick fashionable, cheap, easy-to-use handsets over the complexity of an iPhone, G1, or Omnia. There's something to be said for that -- most people don't know the model of their own phone, after all, and have no interest in learning how to download and install an app, let alone learn an entire mobile operating system. Plus, for the youngest members of this profitable group, there's a lot of price sensitivity -- smartphones are typically out of reach.

If startup Sonar has its way, that's where its new platform comes in. The idea was to fundamentally rethink the way average consumers -- you know, the ones who are plugged into three, four, or fourteen social networks and don't know a G1 from a P1i -- use a phone to communicate, and they're ready to show off their efforts for the first time here at MWC. We had an opportunity to sit down with Sonar's founders this week for a tour of the system, and we're pretty stoked about what we saw. Read on.

Gallery: Sonar hopes to power social featurephones, we get a demo

Continue reading Sonar hopes to power social featurephones, we get a demo

INQ¹ wins "Best Mobile Handset or Device" at MWC, golf claps

by Sean Cooper posted Feb 19th 2009 @ 12:09PM

INQ's social networking monster took away top honors at MWC with a win for best mobile device or handset at the show. Taking a gander at the competition, it is the who's who of high end stuff including the T-Mobile G1, BlackBerry Storm, LG KS360, and Nokia's E-71. So why, you ask, could the admittedly middle tier set win out against what seems like some pretty serious -- well, Storm aside -- competition? INQ won because of how they've enabled Facebook deep integration, focus on your contacts as living, breathing, and ever-changing entities, great pricing, and a compelling user interface. We'd set a meeting to catch up with INQ at MWC hoping to see how things are moving along post-launch and talk about the future. Down the road was the bit we were most interested in, and lucky for us, INQ was willing to share some secrets. Let's just say with ~~QWERTY~~ confidence, the future looks absolutely stunning, both in form and potential. Congrats INQ, way to win an award. Gallery of the newly-crowned INQ¹ after the break.

Gallery: INQ wins "Best Mobile Handset or Device" at MWC, golf claps

Stantum's mind-blowing multitouch interface on video!

by Paul Miller posted Feb 19th 2009 @ 10:32AM

We just got a look at some amazing touchscreen interaction, running on a humble resistive touchscreen with some OMAP hardware backing it up. Stantum's technology is a software-based refinement to resistive touchscreens that allows for accuracy beyond the pixel density of the display, a complete lack of touchscreen "jitters" and some fairly incredible input methods. Termed "TouchPark," the multitouch framework provides gesture recognition, cursor management and physics processing for phone builders to stick on top of the phone OS (Symbian, Windows Mobile and Android are currently supported), and works with hardware such as Texas Instruments Zoom, Freescale i.MX and ST Nomadic. The PMatrix multitouch firmware allows for unlimited inputs, detection of any contacting object (a finger, a stylus or even a paintbrush) and pressure sensitivity. We played with the demo unit for a bit and were frankly blown away, it's far and away the best touch experience we've ever seen or felt, and the multitouch functionality is just gravy on top. Stantum is targeting resistive touchscreens because they're still considerably cheaper to build than capacitive ones, and from our perspective there seems to be zero tradeoff -- for sensitivity and accuracy this destroys everything else we've seen on the market, capacitive or not. Sadly, there's no word on when this will make it into real, shipping handsets, but we'll certainly be tracking its progress obsessively. Video is after the break.

Gallery: Stantum's mind-blowing multitouch interface on video!

Continue reading Stantum's mind-blowing multitouch interface on video!

LG Renoir KC910i gets refreshed, and we get it on camera

by Sean Cooper posted Feb 19th 2009 @ 10:21AM

So out of the blue we hear that the LG Renoir KC910 has become the KC910i. A quick inspection of LG's booth shows this as true, so we just had to find one off the tether to compare with the original -- and a kindly employee's own KC910 was donated for the cause. So what's new? Well, so far as we can see, the housing's changed the tiniest bit in the mechanical iris that protects the lens is no longer there, the handsets is now very black, and if anything, the newer is a hair thinner. Those aside, see if you can't spot some differences in the pics and vid that follow the break, think of it as a game.

Gallery: LG Renoir KC910i gets refreshed, and we get it on camera

Continue reading LG Renoir KC910i gets refreshed, and we get it on camera

Elektrobit's satellite-GSM hybrid smartphone reference design in the flesh

by Chris Ziegler posted Feb 19th 2009 @ 9:44AM

99.99 percent of the population has no "need" for a phone capable of switching between GSM and satellite reception on the fly, but let's be clear: that has absolutely nothing to do with us wanting one. We checked out the reference design for Elektrobit's satellite-GSM hybrid smartphone powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 today, and here's the thing: it's not the best-looking device in the world -- nor the thinnest -- but when you consider the raw radio firepower it's packing, your mind should be fully blown. Unlike Iridium-based handsets that require huge, unsightly external antennas to connect you to outer space, Elektrobit's device connects to TerreStar's entirely IP-based network, meaning voice is sent over the interwebs and you can get relatively high-speed data even if you're in some lean-to in Wyoming just seconds away from being consumed whole by a grizzly. When you're closer to civilization, you've got HSDPA and WiFI, so this is basically the total package as connectivity goes. On the downside, the keyboard's mushy and uncomfortable with little dimples in the middle of each key -- and, you know, satellite service isn't the cheapest stuff in the world -- but hey, Elektrobit says there'll be a Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade available later in the year. Sold.