Asus to offer WM6 for current handhelds

Not to be left behind, Asus has announced that it, too, will be upgrading some current models running Windows Mobile 5.0 (WM5) to Windows Mobile 6 (WM6) in July. The models included are the A626 and A696 PDAs as well as the GPS-enabled P535 PDA-phone.

The A626 and A696 were announced together with the P735 PDA-phone in April 2007, and both currently run WM5 Pocket PC Edition. It was earlier reported that Asus had no intentions to upgrade the OS on these two devices, but it seems there has been a change of plans--for the better. The P735 PDA-phone will be available from next week, and the initial shipment will already come with WM6, so no upgrade is necessary for that model.

This OS upgrade will take place in July. Users will then be able to download a file from the Asus Web site to update their handhelds.

WM6 is Microsoft's latest OS for mobile devices. Among its improvements is the ability to read and compose emails in HTML format. Click here to find out which other handhelds will receive upgrades to WM6.

SMS to know when your bus will arrive

SingTel and SBS Transit have recently launched the iris NextBus service that empowers users to get real-time bus arrival information via their mobile devices.

This service is currently exclusive to SingTel subscribers, though SBS Transit is in discussions to extend the iris NextBus SMS service to other telco network users in the future.

Previously accessible on the Internet and via GPRS, users now simply have to key in the busstop number space and bus service number to 74744 and a return SMS will include information on how long it will take for the next two buses to arrive.

Nothing revolutionary here that would change your world, but if you need to make a dash to the nearby ATM, knowing what time your bus will arrive helps.

Sony Ericsson's K810i joins the Cyber-shot camp

Successor to the widely popular Cyber-shot K800i, the K810i is finally available at retail stores in Singapore.

The Sony Ericsson K810i has big shoes to fill considering the popularity of the K800i, and it attempts to do so with a slimmer and lighter body. Other new features to set it apart from its predecessor include the PhotoFix application which is said to enhance image quality and the illuminated camera icons to the side of the main keypad when the shooter is activated. But is it worth the upgrade? Read our review to find out.

The Cyber-shot phone is currently available at S$698 (US$467.11) with a two-year plan and S$798 (US$534.03) without plan.

Samsung refreshes its Ultra Edition 12.9

The Korean electronics giant recently gave its popular Ultra Edition 12.9 (a.k.a. SGH-D900) a mini makeover, encasing it in a silver metallic body, instead of the traditional black exterior. The upgraded quadband cellular, now called SGH-D900i, also comes with a new FM radio and larger onboard storage (65MB versus the earlier 60MB), on top of the other features found in the original 12.9 slider.

While the design and dimensions of the new slider have pretty much remained the same, the online specifications show an 8g increase in weight, most possibly due to the metallic cover. It is also interesting to note that the updated Ultra Edition handset has a longer rated talktime and standby time than its predecessor. The SGH-D900i is now available in stores at a retail price of S$429 (US$287.09) (without contract).

First unveiled in Asia during CommunicAsia 2006 as part of a series of super-slim phones, the original Ultra Edition 12.9 features a slim 12.9mm profile and comes with a 3-megapixel camera, memory card slot and Bluetooth.

Asus gets first WM6 smart phone in July

This totally slipped under our radar, but Asus has recently announced its first Windows Mobile 6 smart phone--the M530w.

Expected to be available in Asia come July, the Asus M530w is the company's first WM6 smart phone after its recent announcement that the P735 handheld will get an upgrade to the new operating system in the same month. The rest of the Asus lineup to receive WM6 treatment in July are the A639, A626, A686, A696 and P535.

The 3G-enabled Asus M530w comes with Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) and Bluetooth connectivity. Other features include a 2-megapixel camera that supports auto-macro, a 2.4-inch QVGA screen and a full QWERTY keyboard.

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