Sky -- Engadget Mobile

SKY Dupont is the most expensive Pantech ever made

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 9th 2009 @ 12:31AM

What exactly does the equivalent of roughly $830 buy you in Pantech's home market these days? Well, it'll apparently get you signed up for the priciest device South Korea's third-largest handset manufacturer has ever made, the Dupont from subsidiary SKY. As far as we can tell, this thing is more show than go, thanks largely to a weakling 3-inch WQVGA display and 3 megapixel camera -- but then again, it's hard to argue with designer tie-ins and questionably tasteful gold accents, isn't it? Look for this one on local carrier SKT, and for once, we're totally fine with the fact that Pantech is concentrating on low-end messaging devices over on AT&T.

[Via Unwired View]

Pantech Crystal's dazzling cover distracts us from its lame specs

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 30th 2009 @ 8:09AM

Pantech's Korea-only SKY brand has launched a new flip that it's very overtly targeting at a female audience, the IM-S500K Crystal -- and as the name implies, it's a visual feast. The major differentiating "feature" here is a diamond patterned shiny plate up front with concealed lights and icons that seemingly illuminate at random (though are probably configurable enough to make sense to the user, just not those of us looking at a couple pictures from halfway around the globe). It's available in no fewer than four colors and features a 2.4-inch QVGA display, FM radio reception, a 2 megapixel camera, and a document viewer -- not the most Earth-shattering spec sheet we'd ever seen, but then again, can you really put a price on a shiny diamond pattern with LEDs underneath?

Pantech Love Actually actually loves dot matrix graphics

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 5th 2009 @ 6:39PM

This phone vaguely reminds us of the Samsung Memoir for some reason, but rest assured, it's Pantech through and through and it's being sold thousands of miles away. The SKY IM-U460K "Love Actually" will see action on South Korean carrier KTF, rife with global roaming capability, HSDPA, an integrated DMB tuner (par for the course with domestic Korean handsets), a 3 megapixel primary cam, and microSD expansion. The big feature here, though, has to be the 3-inch QVGA display that shocks and delights onlookers with a biggie-sized dot matrix display that's just low-res enough to be more retro chic than annoying. As with all of Pantech's SKY-branded goodies, we'd expect to see this one outside Korea... oh, right around the same day that Apple licenses iPhone OS to third party manufacturers.

Pantech's SKY IM-R470S succumbs to the 3D UI trend

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 25th 2009 @ 4:11PM

Somewhere in the past year, Samsung and LG spontaneously decided that mobile UIs should rotate in three-space as though each screen is a face on a cube. Other than sheer visual bedazzlement, there's not a lot of practical value to that -- but that's not stopping Pantech from getting into the game. It's coining its 3D interface "TruEmotion," and the first handset to take advantage of it will be the IM-R470S launched by Pantech's SKY division in Korea. The phone features a 3.2-inch VGA touchscreen and -- if we had to guess, anyway -- it probably supports T-DMB reception, but you'll need to be local to pick it up when it launches in July.

SKY celebrates tenth anniversary with IM-U440 Hommage

by Chris Ziegler posted May 14th 2009 @ 3:22PM

Pantech's domestic market sub-brand, SKY, has been kicking around for a solid ten years now -- and to celebrate, they've cooked up a unique model. Actually, the IM-U440 Hommage isn't really any more unique than your typical Korean slider, but it's pretty cool nonetheless; the headlining feature seems to be an array of 112 multicolor LEDs directly below the display that undulate in a seizure-inducing way according to the phone's current mode. You've also got the typical TV tuner, dynamic noise reduction (a la Motorola's CrystalTalk), and microSD expansion. Look for it to launch on SKT and KTF.

[Via Mobile-Review]

Pantech gets official with wind-recognizing Sky IM-S410K mobile

by Darren Murph posted Feb 12th 2009 @ 7:44AM

We had no reason to believe that this thing wasn't actually coming, but now Pantech has gone and erased any lingering doubt. The Sky IM-S410 / IM-S410K is being hailed as the first cellphone in the "wind-recognizing" category, which may actually be useful in places unlike Chicago. It checks in at 11 millimeters thin and sports a microphone that can detect when you're deliberately pushing air through it; once you blow, the phone can then change images on the screen, as if to move through a gallery of photos or play games. Outside of that, Pantech also threw in a DMB TV tuner and an e-dictionary, and you'll even get to pick between white, black and red hues. Good luck not getting the stink-eye from fellow subway mates when huffing and puffing on your handset while within close proximity to other Earthlings, though.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Pantech's blow-controlled Sky Wind not for the faint of breath

by Ross Miller posted Feb 2nd 2009 @ 7:09PM

Using our powers of huffing and puffing is nothing new when it comes to device interaction -- even our Wii remote has doubled as an ocarina at some point -- but Pantech's looking to take it a step further with the Korea-bound IM-S410K Sky Wind. Powered by Fantalog Interactive's Emotion Engine software, the device recognizes short and long blows via the microphone and uses it for switching wallpapers, adjusting screen brightness, and -- in a less gimmicky use -- snapping photos with a blast of air while stabilizing the phone with both hands. It also sports movement detection with the camera and relative motion control via accelerometer. Pantech's got a three-year exclusivity agreement on the engine, so expect to see wind recognition touted in more than a few upcoming phones.

Pantech's SKY IM-S390 "Cupid" doesn't inspire a lot of love

by Chris Ziegler posted Jan 7th 2009 @ 9:20AM

We're not sure why Pantech would bother attaching such a lofty, lovely name to such a positively pedestrian handset, but let's be straight: any manufacturer with a phone named "Duke" probably works in ways we don't fully understand. Like just about every domestic Korean handset you can find, this one features a T-DMB tuner -- which is cool, we guess -- and it's just 12.5mm thick on the slim battery. Thing is, the QVGA display and lousy 1.3-megapixel cam aren't going to turn any heads, so we s'pose they'll be leaning on the cute name and the three-pack of cute colors to do that, eh?

[Via Unwired View]

Pantech's Sky IM-S400L slider with "Glide Sensor" keypad debuted in Korea

by Laura June posted Dec 29th 2008 @ 3:32PM

Pantech's SKY division has just released the quite handsome, Korea-only IM-S400L. The CDMA slider boasts a 2.6-inch LCD, and a keypad using the company's new "Glide Sensor" technology which it says operates like a laptop trackpad. We don't have much else in the way of specs for this puppy, but we do know that it's available in white, pink, blue and green for ?500,000 -- about $395. Crème brulée is, sadly, not included.

[Via Akihabara News]

Pantech unleashes SKY IM-S380K in South Korea

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 26th 2008 @ 3:20PM

They say only three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and that SKY-branded Pantechs are destined for the Korean domestic market. No exception here with the IM-S380K, an HSDPA slider with an expansive 7:3 widescreen display, FM radio, microSD expansion, Bluetooth, and navigation. It'll be available by the end of the year -- in Korea, anyhow -- in pink, white, and black for about 400,000 won ($347).

[Via Unwired View]

SKY's IM-S350: where using the d-pad is an adventure unto itself

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 7th 2008 @ 2:59PM

Like the IM-S300 before it, SKY's IM-S350 for the Korean market trades logic and any semblance of familiarity for a +1 on the fashion scorecard by sporting a crazy set of nav buttons that -- at a glance, anyway -- we can't figure out how you'd use. No bother, though; we're sure it's dead simple once you actually have your hands on it for a minute or two, and we guess you could look at it as an unusual form of theft deterrent. The 9.9mm, mostly aluminum beast features a QVGA display (if you can really call that a feature), DMB mobile TV, and a 2-megapixel camera, slotting it toward the lower end of what we'd expect out of Seoul. No word on pricing or availability here, but we imagine it won't drain the wallet.

[Via Unwired View]

Pantech's SKY IM-S730 "Blue Wink" winks its way into South Korea

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 28th 2008 @ 2:40PM

That name -- yeah, don't ask us. We have to believe it has something more to do with the phone than the fact that the model's posing with one eye closed, but beyond that, your guess is as good as ours. Specs on SKY's latest Korea-only slider include a 2.6-inch wide QVGA display, HSDPA, GPS, FM radio, microSD slot, and a meager 1.3-megapixel cam; if we had to guess, it's being positioned as a fashion device, so we can give 'em a pass on the sensor if the price is right.

Pantech agrees touch phones are all the rage with SKY IM-R300

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 27th 2008 @ 2:24PM

Nice phone, but we have to admit, we're not blown away here. Pantech's diving headlong into the fashionable touch phone market with the SKY IM-R300 for its domestic market, featuring a DMB tuner, microSD slot, 260MB of internal storage, HSDPA, a 2.6-inch WQVGA display, and a relatively puny 2 megapixel camera. Oh, and what's with that gargantuan stylus there? Actually, how does that monster even fit inside the phone? We're guessing finger control doesn't play a particularly big role on this one, though the need for character recognition might make switching between the stylus and a fingertip too much trouble to bother anyway.

SKY's Duke is only slightly more attractive than The Duke

by Chris Ziegler posted Apr 18th 2008 @ 3:31AM

"Luxurious yet simple design" is the name of the game for SKY's latest bit of mobile splendor, curiously named "Duke" of all things. For many of us, "Duke" conjures up images of rough-and-tumble sheriffs in the Wild West or gargantuan Xbox controllers, but one thing it doesn't necessarily bring to mind is "luxurious yet simple." No bother, we suppose it's the hardware that matters, so let's get to it: 2.4 inch QVGA display, 1.3 megapixel camera, document viewer, media player, Bluetooth, and built-in subway maps (Korean subways, that is) all grace the rather plainly styled slider. Look for it on your favorite Seoul retailer's shelf for something in the range of 400,000 won (about $404).

[Via Unwired View]

Pantech's curvy SKY IM-S300

by Chris Ziegler posted Dec 26th 2007 @ 7:37PM

In its domestic Korean market, the IM-S300 slider from Pantech's SKY division is apparently being touted as the "Romantic Wave," and we guess we're hard pressed to disagree. The wavy buttons front and center look really cool -- usability aside, of course -- though the 1.3 megapixel cam leads us to believe that physical design is where the high-endedness ends on this one. If you happen to be around Seoul, grab it for something in the range of 400,000 won (about $430) in black or white (with pink accents, no less).

[Via Just Another Mobile Phone Blog]