The Japanese-Swedish handset maker today announced its partnership with mobile operator StarHub to offer its world's first UMTS i-mode handset, the K610im, in the Republic. Expected to be available in stores from October 14, the K610im can be used to access i-mode services such as Mail, Web browsing and iMMS.
Based on the popular K610i candy-bar phone, the K610im will be equipped with a 2-megapixel camera, Memory Stick Micro card expansion slot (64MB card included), 3G connectivity and an onboard media player. It will come in a Black Carbon casing and will retail for S$98 (US$64.47) with a two-year mobile plan.
Electronics giant Philips has announced it will be selling its mobile phones manufacturing operations to China Electronics Corp (CEC). According to various news reports, CEC will take over Philips' cellular handset business and gain a license to market and sell mobile phones under the Philips brand for the next five years. However, this will be subject to due diligence, government and regulatory approval which could take till the year end. No further details were released.
The Dutch company's mobile business reportedly generates an annual turnover of about 400 million euros (US$502.22 million). Its 240-plus employees are located mainly in Asia Pacific and Eastern Europe. Philips, however, has been observed to be winding down its mobile phones operations in the past few years. It will, instead, turn its focus towards its healthcare and lifestyle products, according to CEO Gerard Kleisterlee.
Observers see the latest move from Philips similar to what Siemens did a year ago when it sold its mobile phone business to BenQ. The Taiwanese maker has since last month terminated its handset operations in Germany, citing huge operating losses as the main reason.
Sony Ericsson will be launching silver versions of the K800i and K790i Cyber-shot phones in conjunction with the upcoming James Bond film, Casino Royale. According to the handset manufacturer, the new limited-edition Cyber-shot mobiles and the M600i smart phone will be featured in the movie, which is expected to be released worldwide on November 17.
The silver K800i and K790i will be available for a limited period of three months. They will sport similar features as their earlier black predecessors, but will come preinstalled with James Bond wallpapers, music ringtones and full video movie trailer. The new Cyber-shot phones will be launched in Q4 this year.
In addition, Sony Ericsson has announced the immediate availability of the 3G-enabled Z610i clamshell in Singapore. The 2-megapixel camera-phone, which is known for its distinct mirror-like front cover, will come with a 2-inch LCD display, Picture Blogging function and Memory Stick Micro card expansion slot. It will go for S$598 (US$393.42) or S$498 (US$327.63) if bundled with a two-year mobile plan.
Check out other 007-branded products from Sony here.
It's not the most elegant wristwatch for a cool gadget, but Sony Ericsson's Bluetooth MBW-100 timepiece held our attention for the week we had fiddling with its innovative features, from the caller ID display to the music and call controls, and an out-of-range security buzzer. Take note that this is a prototype sample. Other than that, here are our first impressions of this 007-like gizmo. For more exclusive shots of the MBW-100, click here.
Samsung has confirmed it will be adding three new models to its Ultra Edition series before the end of year. The candy-bar Ultra Edition 8.4 (SGH-Z720), a slightly thicker version of the Ultra Edition 6.9, features 3G and expandable memory card slot. The clamshell Ultra Edition 11.8 (SGH-Z620) upgrades on the Ultra Edition 9.9 with 3G and HSDPA. Meanwhile, the Ultra Edition 13.8 (SGH-Z720) slider adds HSDPA to its predecessor, the Ultra Edition 12.9. Get the full coverage of the new Ultra Edition phones here.