Posts in Mobile Phones
CES 2009 wrap-up: Cell phones and smart phones
Kent German | Jan 13, 2009
The Palm Pre takes Best of CES.
(Credit: Palm)
In the smart phone category, the obvious star was the Palm Pre, which scored a hat trick by winning not only the aforementioned Best of CES award, but also the Best of CES award in the cell phone category and the People's Voice Award. The Pre restored a bit of faith in Palm and more importantly, pushed the capabilities of a smart phone. The Pre promises to offer true multi-tasking on a phone and dazzles with its unique user interface, design, and features.
In addition, the Palm Web OS and App Store will only expand the Pre's (as well as future Palm Web OS devices) uses and capabilities. By raising the bar, Palm has certainly sent a message to its competitors and we suspect they'll step up and respond, which is always good for us since it will bring more innovation.
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Samsung launches i7110 and dual-SIM D980; Pixon gets new color
Damian Koh | Jan 12, 2009
A few announcements came in from Samsung today. First up is the availability of the i7110 S60 smart phone which we saw last December. This will be in stores in Singapore this month at S$728 (without contract).
Also slated for release in January is the dual-SIM D980. Unlike the previous two dual-SIM models, the D980 sports a full touchscreen display and recognition of handwritten Chinese characters. Battery life is estimated at 7 hours of talktime and slightly over 13 days on standby with the 1,200mAh cell.
Aside from the Omnia, which is getting dressed in red in time for the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations, the 8-megapixel Pixon camera-phone will also be available this month in pink. The availability of these phones may be staggered for the different countries, so do check with your local Samsung customer service centre to find out more.
New colors, prices and software for Samsung's WM devices
John Chan | Jan 12, 2009
In time for the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations, Samsung has announced a new color for its Omnia Windows Mobile (WM) PDA-phone. Aside from the black and white variants, it will also be available in red, a color many Chinese Asians traditionally associate with good luck for the New Year. This will start to go on sale at the end of January.
The Korean chaebol has reduced prices so the 8GB Omnia will now go for S$828 instead of S$928. The 16GB version's price has also been revised to S$928 from S$1,098. Those who are keen on the special red version should take note that it comes only in the 8GB variety.
Another bit of good news is that Samsung has finally released the WM6.1 update for its SGH-i780 handheld. This was originally slated for a Q3 2008 release, but hey, better late than never. Users can bring their i780s to a Samsung service center to perform an upgrade. Take note that this will wipe out all data and applications on your device, so do a backup before taking it in. Those who want to get a brand new i780 will be pleased to know that its retail price has been reduced to S$498, a real bargain for a fully featured HSDPA WM6.1 phone.
All these changes are confirmed for Singapore but may be rolled out at different times for other countries in Asia Pacific. Call your local Samsung customer service hotline to find out more before taking a trip down to the service center or showroom.
Click for another image of the red Omnia:
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The LG HBM-530 is one bling-tastic headset
Nicole Lee | Jan 12, 2009
LG HBM-530 is studded with Swarovski crystals.
(Credit: LG)
But sometimes all it takes is a little cheesy bling, like this Swarovski crystal-clad LG HBM-530, which LG debuted at the show. It features an e-Clip ergonomic earbud and a carrying cradle, but really, the only reason to get this is because it looks like a piece of costume jewelry. Both price and availability are to be determined, so you'll have to wait a while if you want it.
LG HBM-800 is a headset and speakerphone in one
Nicole Lee | Jan 12, 2009
LG HBM-800 Bluetooth Headset and Cradle
(Credit: LG)
On its own, the headset is like any other Bluetooth headset. It has dual microphones for echo cancellation and noise suppression, plus it has LG's e-Clip ergonomic earbud on the back. Once you dock the headset into the speakerphone however, the audio automatically transfers to the speakerphone, and you can now use it like you would a Bluetooth speaker. This also works in reverse; when you take the headset out, the audio will transfer to the headset. The speakerphone has a clip on the back so you can easily clip it to your car's visor. This is a great option if you want both a Bluetooth speakerphone and a Bluetooth headset in one compact package.
The headset's talk time is up to 4 hours while the speakerphone/cradle talk time is up to 7 hours. No word on price or availability.
Via CNET.com
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