Samsung's Soul goes clamshell at CeBIT

The Korean mobile phone maker has just announced a clamshell version of the Soul handset at the CeBIT tradeshow in Hannover, Germany. Named the G400, the handset's most unique feature lies in its dual 2.2-inch QVGA LCD displays. That's right, it comes with a 2.2-inch internal screen as well as a 2.2-inch external touchscreen panel. The G400 will also offer a customizable graphic user interface (GUI), much like the Soul.

As with most of Samsung's recent high-end imaging handsets, the HSDPA-enabled G400 comes with a host of strong camera features including a 5-megapixel sensor (with autofocus), face detection, image stabilizer and Wide Dynamic Range. Also noteworthy on this dual-screen clamshell are Bluetooth connectivity, microSD card slot, onboard multimedia player and FM radio, and haptic vibration feedback (for the touchscreen).

The G400 is expected to make its way to Asia by June or July this year. More information and pictures on the G400 here.

GPS-flavored BlackBerry Pearl

RIM launched its BlackBerry Curve 8300 with no Wi-Fi or GPS and then followed up with the 8310 (GPS-enabled) and 8320 (Wi-Fi) devices. The BlackBerry Pearl 8100 also had its 8120 Wi-Fi version. So it doesn't take a genius to figure out how the GPS version of the Pearl will be numbered.

Announced in Singapore exclusively with local operator SingTel, the 8110 has all the features of the Pearl email devices including the company's legendary user-friendly pushmail service, a 3.5mm audio jack for multimedia purposes and a microSD slot. The default application for use with its built-in GPS is BlackBerry Maps, but there are other third-party ones out there for its use as a navigator.

The BlackBerry Pearl 8110 is available now in Singapore at S$538 with a two-year operator contract. It has also been launched in India and Hong Kong. Check with your local operator to find out when it will come to your country. For those disappointed that about not getting BOTH Wi-Fi and GPS in a Curve or Pearl, well, it has to come eventually. For us, we'd rather have 3G first.

New Sony Ericsson T303 announced at CeBIT

The Japanese-Swedish phone-maker today unveiled the T303, a pocket-sized slider-phone targeted at the fashion-conscious crowd. There haven't been many new models under the T line, with the more recent ones such as the T280i, T650i and the T250i in candybar form factors. So the slider T303 is a tiny surprise.

I'm not sure if anyone is feeling this, but the various Sony Ericsson lines may be confusing for the average consumer on the street. Let's do a recap. There's W (Walkman), C (Cyber-shot), G (Web), R (Radio), X (XPERIA) and also T. According to a Sony Ericsson representative, future handsets made from premium materials and those that focus more on the design element will come under the T umbrella. Then there are also the K and P series which have yet to receive any updates.

While features such as a 1.3-megapixel camera, built-in radio and Bluetooth connectivity on the T303 are nothing to shout about, the quad-band handset may attract some people with its metal housing and chrome finish. The T303 is expected out in July and comes in Shadow Black and Simmering Silver colors. Pricing details were not available immediately.

Oops! We missed out the Z series!

N-Gage to make use of your phone's camera and GPS capabilities

Nokia may be announcing new gaming titles left and right, but I think one of the burning questions, besides the official launch date of the platform, is the roadmap and future of N-Gage.

It appears that NokNok had an exclusive with Will Shen, where the head of Production for N-Gage in North America revealed that the Finnish company intends to develop games which will make use of the imaging and GPS capabilities on a handset. According to the blog site, Shen also said that Nokia is seriously looking at location-based gaming and stressed that the concept is not a gimmick, but one which focuses on innovation.

I'm not sure about you, but I'm a big fan of Team 17's Worms World Party. If Nokia delivers what this guy just said, I can imagine my Super Sheep and Homing Missile achieve pinpoint deadly strikes anywhere in the world. Sweet.

Via NokNok

bPhone gives BlackBerry the iPhone feel

Want an iPhone, but have a BlackBerry? You ought to look at bPhone for BlackBerry, a theme whipped up by 25-year-old computer programmer Matthew Rogers one afternoon last September.

You'll most appreciate the iPhone-like essence of one of Rogers' three theme layouts in the start screen, though the theme does also extend into the style of the context menu. "Icon" is the most typical theme, and the one that Rogers most prefers. "Zen" drops icons into a side bar, and "Today" makes a day planner of the home screen. You can install any or all of the themes, and activate them from BlackBerry's Advanced Options menu.

bPhone's default aquatic background (you can change the wallpaper) is overlain with rounded-corner box icons reminiscent of the iPhone. Rogers confided he built all the icons from scratch, though he borrowed from iPhone's looks, and had to compromise some style (a partially transparent BlackBerry menu) with functionality (it crashed Google Maps) while implementing the Plazmic Content Developer's Kit.

Third-party apps don't have icons, so if you're not into a dual-themed display, bPhone may not be for you.

bPhone is free, as are Rogers' other themes, though he'll gladly accept US$1, US$2, US$5, and US$10 donations.

Via Crave CNET

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