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tri-band posts

Altek crams a dozen megapixels of wishful thinking into T8680 cameraphone

by Tim Stevens posted Aug 4th 2009 @ 9:27AM

There once was a time when a 12 megapixel cameraphone would have been laughed at, and, though many are still smirking (guilty), they're now a reality -- a reality that Altek wants desperately to be a part of with its T8680 handset. Its face looks rather like a PMP with a 3-inch WQVGA LCD, but on the back is the standard sort of 3x pop-out zoom that you'd expect on a compact shooter, sitting next to a tiny xenon flash. It'll capture unnecessarily high resolution images while being crippled to VGA video, play back MP3 and AAC files, and tune into the Weekly Top 40 over FM. Yes, it'll even make calls, but with only tri-band GSM/EDGE support don't expect to e-mail those gigantic pictures directly from the phone. The T8680 is expected to hit Chinese retailers in about a month for 3000 yuan (about $440), and probably won't be making much of an appearance elsewhere.

[Via GSM Arena]

Samsung intros colorful Tobi S3030, unashamedly markets it to tweens

by Darren Murph posted Nov 18th 2008 @ 4:43AM

No one can get on Samsung's case for being bashful with its marketing, as the Tobi S3030 is being aimed squarely at "pre-teens, young adults, and anyone who desires to experience fun and safety features from their mobile phones." In other words, the Tobi won't do anything spectacular, but it is offered up in a variety (six, to be exact) of lovable hues and includes a gaggle of safety features including SOS Call, SOS Message and Fake Call (saywha?). Furthermore, you'll be thrilled to know that it's built with recyclable and biodegradable plastic so the environment won't suffer when you chunk this thing in a few weeks. Oh, and if you're looking for specs, try this: 1.9-inch display, 1.3-megapixel camera, tri-band GSM connectivity, Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0, 15MB of internal memory and a microSD card slot. Look for this one in the UK / Italy this month with other European nations / China to follow suit shortly.

[Via Engadget Poland]

Philips Xenium 9@9k offers up two months of standby time

by Darren Murph posted Nov 20th 2007 @ 8:17AM

We're still not entirely clear if Philips' Xenium 9@9k, you know, actually exists, but according to iDNES, this handset can last a whopping two months without needing a recharge. Granted, the Xenium line has traditionally boasted impressive battery life, but this particular iteration will purportedly last up to 1,440-hours in standby and 17-hours while yapping. Additionally, the tri-band GSM mobile sports an FM tuner, Bluetooth, a VGA camera and a microSD expansion slot. Beyond that, everything else gets lost in translation, but here's to hoping a few more manufacturers step up their game in the longevity department.

[Via UnwiredView]

Samsung's SGH-P520 gets photographed

by Darren Murph posted Aug 7th 2007 @ 7:29PM

Shortly after learning that Samsung's touchscreen-based SGH-P520 was slightly more than a figment of our imagination, a foreign site has seemingly sat down with oodles of time and snapped more images than you're likely to look at. Still, this oh-so-thin mobile has the sex appeal nailed down solid, so be sure and take a closer look at all the curves awaiting you after the break.

[Via Slashphone]

Continue reading Samsung's SGH-P520 gets photographed

Sony Ericsson's M610i Lizy snapped in the wild

by Darren Murph posted Jul 4th 2007 @ 1:23PM

While we much prefer the looks of a recent Sony Ericsson concept over this here handset, we're sure the M610i Lizy will excite its fair share of owners, regardless. The stubby candybar-styled handset looks to sport a prominent touchscreen and a keypad that reeks of 1999, but we did hear that this device would indeed be a tri-band GSM member, and would include Bluetooth, WiFi, FM radio, an integrated camera and a Memory Stick Micro card slot. 'Course, we're all still waiting on something official, but hopefully it'll get somewhat of a facial rework before vying for our attention at the mobile store.

LG offers bargain Chocolate: the KG280

by Darren Murph posted Jul 4th 2007 @ 12:02PM

It'd surely be nice if we could all find ourselves with the disposable income necessary to snag the KE800, but even LG realizes that not everyone can afford that 80-percent cocoa. Thankfully, the firm looks to be readying a ~~cheaper~~ less expensive version of its Platinum offering, and it shall be dubbed the KG280. Reportedly, the styling will be dumbed down a bit, the external screen will be smaller, and it'll only boast about three hours of talk time, but you can still chat it up with the tri-band connectivity and sync with your devices via USB / Bluetooth. Nothing official with regard to price just yet, but coming in about half as pricey as its flagship sibling wouldn't be too tough to swallow.

[Via Slashphone]

LG's dual-screen KP202 clamshell ready for UK

by Darren Murph posted May 21st 2007 @ 12:02PM

LG's looking to add a dash of style to the lower-end UK market with its KP202, which boasts a clean, sleek exterior and twin LCDs to keep your eyes occupied. Specs wise, you'll find a built-in VGA camera with white balance and contrast adjustments, a 160 x 128 resolution internal screen and a 96 x 94 pixel external display, tri-band (900 / 1800 / 1900) GSM support, an internal antenna, and the always handy flight mode so you can still play those integrated Java games 'til your heart's content whilst on the plane. Additionally, it supports polyphonic ringtones, comes in at just 87- x 45- x 19.8-millimeters, weighs 78-grams, and can last up to 200 hours in standby mode. No word on price just yet, but it will reportedly be showing up in UK stores quite soon.

[Via TechDigest]

Alcatel's OT-C825 GSM slider doubles as PC webcam

by Darren Murph posted May 20th 2007 @ 4:34PM

Alcatel's latest slider is adding a hint of style and utility to what would be a relatively ho hum mobile otherwise, as the chrome and faux leather motif aren't half bad additions to catch a few eyes. The "smokey brown" handset sports a 220 x 176 resolution screen, weighs just under 100-grams, supports MP3 and AAC ringtones, and packs a microSD slot to complement the paltry 10MB of internal storage space. Additionally, you'll find an integrated music player, 1.3-megapixel camera, video recording capability, Bluetooth, and moreover, it should last you right around six hours if you're on the horn incessantly. Interestingly, the device can also be attached to a PC and turned into a webcam for video chats, and while there's no word yet of a US release, it will reportedly hit the European market sometime this summer.

[Via Electronista]

Sony Ericsson K550, the baby Cyber-shot reviewed

by Sean Cooper posted Feb 16th 2007 @ 12:41PM

The friends at GSM Arena has slapped up a very nice review of the baby Cyber-shot – the K550. This relatively small, 14 mm thick quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE device (850, 900, 1800, 1900), packs most of the goodies that we have come to expect from the Sony Ericsson team. Included is a 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth for handsfree goodness, M2 slot to augment the system memory -- a 512 MB card is included, and even an RDS-enabled FM radio. ~~What this handset does lack, however, is 850 MHz support, and sadly this is a bit of a bust for the NA market.~~ Considering this is a low to mid range device, it has to have some shortcomings; including a lower-than-we-would-like-it resolution screen, the keys appear as if a heavy text messaging session might make your fingertips bleed, and the word is the camera quality is sub-par for a Cyber-shot branded phone. On the plus side, if the price is right, the great feature set will likely outweigh the negatives mentioned above. It does seem Sony Ericsson is starting to suffer from 'Nokia-itis': new handsets galore – but we are beginning to see a fair bit of rehash.

Edit: As astude reader johnnie points out - this device supports 850 MHz which of course makes it a quad band device.

Neo intros diminutive 808i handset for Middle East / Europe

by Darren Murph posted Dec 14th 2006 @ 11:00AM

There's no shortage of wee sized mobiles out there to test the longevity of our poor eyes, but the "UK- and Dubai-based" startup, dubbed Neo, is adding yet another option to the mix. While we admire the shiny Photoshop job seen above, the company has reportedly assured us all that the miniscule 808i will see the light of day in "March 2007." Admittedly, the specs aren't too far-fetched (unlike some yet-to-be-produced handsets out there), as it touts tri-band compatibility, a color LCD, Bluetooth, 1.3-megapixel camera, MP3 / MP4 playback, 128MB of flash memory, and a microSD slot. At a glance, the nifty bar atop the mobile bears resemblance to some of Sony Ericsson's offerings, but the 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.3-centimeter enclosure and 90-gram weight sure stands out. If all goes "as planned," the 808i should hit the Middle East just a few months into 2007, with Europe getting it soon after.

[Via RegHardware]

Samsung's SGH-E890 candybar ready for touching

by Darren Murph posted Dec 10th 2006 @ 8:58PM

We sniffed out Samsung's SGH-E890 through an FCC filing awhile back, but now it's ready to rock (and be touched) in the Singapore market. While Samsung has blessed us with touchscreen offerings before, this candybar-inspired rendition touts tri-band operation, GRPS / EDGE, a 2.3-inch QVGA color screen, 1.3-megapixel camera, video recording / messaging, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, USB, voice recording, speakerphone, and even TV output. It also doubles as a music player, supporting MP3, AAC, and WMA, and includes 54MB of internet memory, a microSD slot, and even PictBridge compatibility. The Li-ion cell will reportedly last through 230 minutes of talk time and "up to 350 hours" in standby mode, and can be snagged now in Singapore for 568SGD ($368) sans contract, or 468SGD ($304) with a two-year plan.

Samsung's slim t509 gets priced at $50 on T-Mobile

by Evan Blass posted May 9th 2006 @ 4:31PM

If you're looking for a slim candybar-style handset with decent data capabilities, you should definitely take a gander at T-Mobile's Samsung t509, which just got priced at merely fifty bucks after rebates, discounts, and such. You'll probably recall that the ~0.4-inch thick t509 is a tri-band model that also features Bluetooth and a camera with 4x zoom (whose resolution is still unspecified, which almost certainly means VGA). This model gets its Internet on through T-Mobile's EDGE network, and also sports such amenities as a speakerphone, pre-loaded IM clients, and some kind of ringtones that must be good because their names are trademarked.

[Thanks, Chris C.]

Mio A701 GPS-enabled Windows Mobile smartphone reviewed

by Evan Blass posted Apr 28th 2006 @ 2:27PM

On paper, the Mio A701 smartphone sounds like almost the perfect convergence device, sporting a Windows Mobile 5.0-powered 520MHz Xscale processor, SiRF III GPS receiver, tri-band GSM radio, Bluetooth, and a 1.3 megapixel camera. Sadly, at least according to Reg Hardware, the A701 has so many little faults that the device is often barely usable, and sounds like a skip except for those folks who absolutely must have GPS and aren't into the square-screened iPaq hw6xxx series from HP. Some of the Reg's gripes with this model include its crappy camera (one of the worst they've ever seen, apparently), GPRS-only data connection, flimsy telescoping stylus, lack of dedicated buttons for WM5 softkey control, and buggy navigation software (luckily it's optional). Besides the full suite of accessories that come included in the box, there doesn't seem to be much good to say about the $660 to $790 A701, which is no doubt a big disappointment to those who may have been looking to import what appeared to be such a hot phone.

Vertu intros first 2 of 6 Racetrack Legends handsets

by Evan Blass posted Apr 3rd 2006 @ 10:00PM

Ever since their Ascent Motorsport Edition withstood five rollovers by a Porsche Boxster, we've taken Nokia's Vertu luxury handset division much more seriously, and you'll never again hear us questioning the logic of spending $X on one of their products (where X = some obscenely large number). The company's newest designs, called the Racetrack Legends series, each pay tribute to one of six of the greatest circuits on Earth and are limited to 1000 units apiece, with outlines of Italy's Monza and Britain's Silverstone etched onto the back of the first two releases. When you're in the market for a Vertu phone, features are surely not your top priority, and the Legends series meets those expectations with nary a notable spec other than the inclusion of Bluetooth and tri-band GSM connectivity. Likewise, if you have to ask about pricing on these, you're probably not part of the target demographic.

[Via Luxist]