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Rejoice! BlackBerry support arrives on Celio REDFLY

We heard it'd be here in mid-Q4, and sure enough, it's here. And by "it," we mean "BlackBerry support for Celio's largely unwanted REDFLY Mobile Companion." Starting today, those looking for the Foleo's long lost cousin can snap up a REDFLY and download a free driver that adds compatibility for RIM's BlackBerry Bold 9000, Curve 8900 and Tour 9630. Granted, it's not like the BlackBerry web browser will be any less painful to use on an enlarged screen, but hey, whatever suits your fancy.

[Via TestFreaks, thanks Nirckolas]

Nokia's N97 mini gets its shipping papers

Right on cue, the smaller-but-just-barely N97 mini is now ready for public consumption over in Europe. Granted, we're certainly at the tail end of October, but we can't say that we caught Nokia in a lie or anything based on what was said last month in Stuttgart. You've already committed the specifications to memory and read all about firmware 2.0, so now all that's left to do is run along, fork out €450 ($667) and wonder forever if this decision will positively or negatively change the course of your life.

Anxious Sprint users ordering HTC Hero now through telesales

Too impatient to wait for October 11th to arrive? Yeah, we feel you. If you're up with killing a few minutes and dealing with what may end up being four or five CSRs, word on the street has it that the Android-powered Hero can be ordered this very moment via Sprint telesales. A number of members over at Sprint Users have had success in getting the phone headed their way, and one even mentioned that his SERO plan was set to remain firmly in place even with this new phone on the bill. Let us know if you stumble across similar luck in comments below, won't you?

[Thanks, JayTV]

Nokia's N86 8MP now shipping worldwide


Just under two months. That's how long it took Nokia's N86 8MP to go from FCC to store shelves here in America, as the cats in Espoo have just announced to the world that the aforementioned cellphone is now shipping globally. In case you've forgotten, this 8 megapixel slider touts variable aperture, a mechanical shutter and automatic motion blur reduction, not to mention 8GB of internal memory and a microSD card slot. There's no official mention of price, and as of right now, the phone's not even listed on Nokia's American e-store; still, based on early estimates, we'd say you best break out the bank just in case.

Garmin "getting very close" to a US Nuvifone launch... or so it says


If you've a proven track record of delivering solid products to consumers (much like Garmin has), we'll cut you some slack for awhile if you happen to hit a snag or two along the way while bringing a completely new device to market. But after more delays than we care to count and a 1.5 year gap between announcement and right now, the benefit of the doubt vanishes. To that end, we couldn't be happier to report that Garmin's president and COO Cliff Pemble feels that it's "getting very close" to a carrier launch (AT&T, perhaps?) in the US. Said statement was given at a shareholders meeting today, and he also mentioned that the Asian market would see the Nuvifone "this month or in early July." We appreciate the update, but at this point, the burden of proof is squarely on you, Garmin.

[Via Electronista]

Samsung's MBP200 pico PJ, i7410 projector phone get ship dates


Two of Samsung's smallest beamers just got prices and release dates, but sadly, neither are in US dollars. The MBP200 pico projector will reportedly ship this May across the pond for €499 ($637), while the i7410 (more commonly referred to as the Show) will hit during the summertime for a price still to be determined. We know, it's not the bucketful of information you wanted, but it's something to whet your appetite until the suits at Sammy give us the dirty details we're really after.

Samsung Show projector phone landing this month in Korea, soon in Europe

We knew that Samsung's Show (or "the projector phone") would be headed to South Korea first, but now we've got official confirmation on exactly when from both Sammy and partner Texas Instruments. The W7900 is expected to go on sale later this month in South Korea, while Europeans will get the I7410 in the very near future. There's no mention of any other corners of the globe getting a taste after that, but maybe Samsung's just testing the waters before it really cranks up that supply chain. As for a price? Take a wild guess -- you might be close.

Nokia E63 NAM now available across the US for $279


Can't hop a flight to Chicago or New York? No worries, as Nokia just announced that its QWERTY-packin' E63 can be found in independent retailers across the US along with e-tailers and the aforementioned flagship stores. Just think -- all that Symbian S60 fun, a full keyboard, 3G connectivity, WiFi, a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack and a free 12-month subscription to Nokia's Files on Ovi service, all for $279 with no contracts or related strings attached. Catch one now in red or blue at your favorite Nokia outlet.

Phone shipments plunge 12.6 percent year over year in Q4 '08


IDC's now assembled a comprehensive look at the phone biz in 2008, and as you might expect, it's not exactly the most amazing year on record. Actually, when you take the year as a whole, shipments totaled a whopping 1.18 billion handsets -- a 3.5 percent boost over 2007 -- but the fourth quarter was downright brutal, seeing a 12.6 percent contraction over the same period a year prior. As analysts have been saying, though, the smartphone market will continue to be the silver lining in a tough market -- shipments of "converged mobile devices" grew 22.5 percent year over year, with North American growth a staggering 70.1 percent. Carriers seem to be recognizing the world's love affair with all-knowing, all-doing phones and plan to blow 'em out big in 2009, but the question remains: with credit tight and businesses losing cash hand-over-fist for the foreseeable future, will the subsidies be compelling enough to let customers in the door?

Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1a now available at SonyStyle


It's been tough getting out of the starting gate for Sony Ericsson's X1a (that's the Americanized version of the X1), particularly when you realize that it was supposed to ship en masse way back on Black Friday of last year. Oh sure, a select few have managed to procure one of the QWERTY-packin' WinMo powerhouses, but we've heard far more complaints about "no stock" than tips on excess inventory. Now, however, SonyStyle.com has the handset listed as in stock, with an estimated ship date of tomorrow. Furthermore, UnwiredView is reporteding that many of Sony's retail locations are also well stocked with the unlocked smartphone. Of note, SonyStyle is offering up the X1a in silver, but there's always spray paint if you're lusting after a black model like the one we tried out.

[Via UnwiredView]

Nokia's North American N85 now shipping


Just days after Nokia's highly desirable North American N85 emerged for pre-order at Amazon (and Nokia, for that matter), we're now seeing reports that some of the earliest orders are beginning to ship out. The N85 NAM, of course, includes that lovely tri-band GSM support with NA 3G compatibility baked right in, and the US warranty doesn't hurt either. So, has your pre-order shipped out yet? No? Then get on the horn and find out why!

mophie's iPhone 3G Juice Pack ships today, not a moment too soon


C'mon, what iPhone 3G user who actually takes full advantage of that 3G radio hasn't been disappointed with battery life at one point or another? And be honest, you're also disappointed with the downright naff battery extenders floating around out there. Granted, mophie's iPhone 3G Juice Pack isn't the most elegant thing in the entire world, but the "sled" design sure beats adding an unwanted appendage onto your handset. The device -- which is shipping today to those who pre-ordered early -- will reportedly provide up to 350 additional hours of standby, up to 6 hours of 3G talk time (or 12 hours on 2G), another 6 hours of web surfing and a 458% boost in overall happiness. Hell, you'd pay $99.95 just for the latter, now wouldn't you?

Sony Ericsson's W760a 3G Walkman now available on AT&T


It's been a long time coming (isn't it always with Sony Ericsson and AT&T?), but the January-announced W760 Walkman slider is finally hitting the US on contract. Announced today, the shakeable W760a will be available in AT&T locations, bringing with it 3G support, a 3.2-megapixel camera, AT&T Navigator and "full HTML web browsing." In case you haven't seen already, it'll be available in red, black and silver motifs, with the latter hue being exclusive to RadioShack for a limited time. Check it as early as today for $129.99 (with a 2-year agreement) after mail-in rebate.

HTC not bringing Touch HD to the States


This shouldn't be surprising at all to anyone even remotely familiar with HTC's tendencies, but the Touch HD is officially not ever shipping to America (unless you import, obviously). The news was dropped via a Tweet (of all things), but evidently, the outcry over what we figured was common knowledge has caused some windows to be rattled in the penthouse offices. Another official Tweet followed to thank everyone for "expressing their desire for the HD," with the author noting that "US management now knows there's a grassroots demand for high-end HTCs here." Really, HTC? You needed a flood of angry Twitter comments to understand that Americans would give their second born for a phone like the Touch HD?

[Via WMExperts, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update:
We've received official word from HTC that they've been really overwhelmed by the "strong" demand for the HD in the States and other markets where no launch has been planned (with that insane display, it seemed like a no-brainer to us!). Sadly, due to the engineering time required to get a North American 3G version in the pipeline, they say they're better off just waiting until the next round of products launches -- hopefully with some extra bands in the radio this time, eh?

Read - Touch HD not coming to the US
Read - Thanks for the concern

HTC's US Touch Diamond now shipping from Best Buy


It's no shock to see a US 3G-enabled Touch Diamond showing up at Best Buy (unlike the hamstrung sibling over at CompUSA) -- though we can't say we were expecting the big box retailer to start shipping this soon. If its website is to be believed (read: don't book it just yet), the unlocked Touch Diamond 3G you're about to order for $699.99 will leave Best Buy's warehouse within one business day. If that's not cool with you, you can also pick it up "at most stores." Shame there's no white option listed...

[Via MobileTechReview]




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