Thread: Mobile News

Compact DVD-players with LCD screen are very popular. Some makers built in TV-tuners to them, however Samsung Electronics made a step forward and introduced its new compact DVD-player – the SV-L77DMB equipped with DMB-tuner.

The new device combines a unique set of opportunities: DVD playback, DMB-broadcasting, working with DiVX, VCD and CD-DA formats on CD-R, CD-RW, and also MP3, WMA and JPEG. There is a 7” TFT wide screen featuring 16:9 side ratio. The battery ensures about 4 hours of DMB-broadcasting or DVD-playback. Besides the sales package includes a car antenna and a car power adapter.

Samsung Electronics has announced its ultra-slim notebook Sense X1 in Korea. The company positions it as the slimmest notebook in the world, it is 19.2-23 mm thick. In addition it weighs not much – 1.7 kg. Despite all of it, the functionality wasn’t affected: the notebook has a 14” screen, built-in optical drive and 60 GB HDD.

The Sense X1 is based on Intel Pentium M 733 1.1 GHz, 512 MB of DDR2 RAM. There is the support of Wi-Fi 9802.11 b/g) wireless standard. Its standard battery ensures 4.5 hours of work on a single charge, extra battery – 9 hours. The price tag of the Sense X1 in Korea makes up 2600 thousand Won, i.e. $2540.

Motorola is preparing the release of its low-end phone – the C139. Like another low-end model c350, the C139 will be equipped with a 4096 color screen. The new phone is meant for GSM (900/1800 MHz)/GPRS networks. There is also the support of Java, EMS and SMS.

The release is set for December. The approximate price makes up some $50. Though there wasn’t any official pres release, the info is getting spread gradually. However the info might be different. For example, some sources say that the phone has a 65K color screen and Bluetooth, which doesn’t seem real for a $50 handset. So, if you like low-end phones with good functionality, you have to wait for an official announcement by Motorola.

Complying with the plan to release new 3G handsets LG Electronics has introduced another multimedia W-CDMA/GSM/GPRS phone supporting DMB-broadcasting. According to the company, the new model is the world first WCDMA DMB phone, and it will be promoted mainly in Europe.

The phone is equipped with a 2.2” rotating screen and Mobile-XD Engine graphical chip for high-quality DMB-broadcasting. Brand new technology applied in this phone is an original DMB-antenna integrated in the headphones and able to receive programs in VHF range (30 – 300 MHz). Under the tentative data, the new handset will be able to provide 3 hours of DMB play on a single charge. LG Electronics is expected to show its CDMA/GSM/GPRS/DMB product at IFA 2005 exhibition, which starts on September 2 in Germany, and during the World Football Cup 2006.

Sony Electronics has announced its new line of notebooks VAIO BX. The series represents a single platform solution with variable options and different screen size. The VAIO BX series includes notebooks with 14”, 15.4” and 17” screens. The models are based on Intel Pentium M (740 - 780) or Intel Celeron M 370 processors. HDD size varies from 40 GB to 120 GB, DDR2 RAM – from 256 MB to 2 GB.

The series is equipped with TPM (Trusted Platform Module), which ensures extra security in combination with the fingerprints sensor. There is the support of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and EDGE wireless standards. There might be a Web-camera as an option. You can also find a special slot for optical drives or extra HDD capacious of 80 GB. The series will come out in mid October. The price starts from $1300.

Motorola has worked out 3 new phones supporting iDEN standard. Recently they have been approved by the US Federal Communications Commission, so the release should take place in upcoming months.

The i870 is a clamshell with two color screens and an external antenna. It is equipped with a 1.3-megapixel camera with the flash and video capture opportunity. Besides there is an MP3-player, special buttons to operate it are placed at the outer side. The memory can be extended with microSD (TransFlash) cards. The i450 is also a clamshell, but it’s simpler. Main specs are like in the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], including Push-To-Talk support, a speaker phone and an external screen.The i415 represents a candy bar with an external antenna. Its specs resemble that of the i285, however the model has a large color screen.

The analytical company Yankee Group has published the results of its recent survey of the mobile communication market in Europe. The survey revealed that the price for services makes the key criterion for users to choose the operator. On the other side, advanced non-voice data-oriented services become ever popular and according to the analysts they will eventually take leading positions.

Matt Hatton notes that currently the price for services and network coverage define user’s preferences in Europe, but things change and in future operators need to improve heir services in all and offer more attractive services oriented for data. Young people represent the group, which assimilates such services much faster. More than one third of users aged 18-24 spend €5 or more on it every month. Users like picture exchange services most of all, and more attractive services are music downloading and mobile TV.

The US operator T-Mobile USA has released Samsung e635 mobile phone, which was [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] already last month. It’s a light slider equipped with a VGA camera. The phone is designed for GSM networks and supports GPRS.

The specs of the e635:

• Standards - GSM 850/1800/1900 MHz and GPRS
• Screen: 128x160 pixels, 65K colors
• VGA-camera with 4x digital zoom
• 20 MB of internal memory
• Speaker phone
• Li-Ion battery
• Talk time up to 4 hours
• Standby time up to 5 days
• Dimensions 83.8x43.2x22.9 mm
• Weight – 78.8 g

The recommended price for the e635 is $199.99, if you sign a 1-year contract.

In the Internet appeared the specs of the reference platform i-Mate JASJAR representing a PDA-enabled phone powered by Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition and supporting GSM/WCDMA networking.

The new device has the following specs:

• Dimensions: 81x127.7x25 mm
• Weight without the battery: 285 g
• Processor: Intel Bulverde, 520 MHz
• Memory: Flash ROM - 128 MB, RAM - 64 MB SDRAM
• Screen: sensor 3.6” 640x480 transflective TFT with LED backlight, 65K colors; portrait/landscape screen orientation for sensor input and landscape mode for input from QWERTY keyboard
• Phone: built-in antenna, UMTS/GSM
• Band: GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 MHz, WCDMA (UMTS) 2100 MHz
• Audio codecs: AMR, EFR, FR, HR
• [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (MO, MT), cascade SMS (640 symbols)
• GPRS: GPRS class B Multi-slot Class 10
• Keyboard: QWERTY, 62 buttons, two programmable buttons, one start button
• 5D-pad working with portrait and landscape screen orientation
• Audio: two speakers, mic, full duplex: sampling - 16-bit/8 kHz, 11 kHz, 22 kHz or 44.1 kHz
• Cameras: 1.3-megapixel CMOS sensor and CIF CMOS sensor, effective from 5 lux
• Flash/video backlight
• Interfaces: 3V USIM card, mini-USB, SDIO/MMC slot, headphones/mic, 2 connectors for external antennas (WCDMA and GSM/GPRS)
• Battery: removable Li-Pol, 1620 mAh; up to 220 - 260 hours in GSM mode or 190 - 250 hours in WCDMA mode (standby); active use with the screen off: GSM - 5 - 8 hours, WCDMA - 2 - 4 hours
• Wireless interfaces: Infrared IrDA FIR; Bluetooth v1.1 Class 2; Wi-Fi 802.11b (optionally)
• SAR: 0.172 mW/g @10 g

Sony Ericsson has announced the release of a Bluetooth-headset HBH-608. It can be used to make VoIP calls. The company positions it as the headset for Sony VAIO BX notebooks, the series has been [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] announced.

The headset is made in the style as the new series, at the same time it has light weight and tiny size. It works for 10 hours in talk mode on a single charge. Effective distance makes up 10 meters. Naturally the headset can be used with also Bluetoth-phones, and not only with VAIO BX notebooks. The price tag is $89 at the site of the company.