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Update on HTC Touch Pro and Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1

HTC Touch Pro the wait is over! - We have been looking forward to the arrival of one device in particular this summer the HTC Touch Pro and today eXpansys received their first stock, more coming shortly.

Looking every part the iPhone-killer, the powerful HTC Touch Pro is packed with features and is available without a phone contract for £519.99. But what makes it so special? For a start, the slide-out keyboard is a full 5-row QWERTY version - and the screen is a 2.8-inch VGA touch screen. It is WiFi-enabled and HSDPA-enabled for high-speed wireless data connectivity, and also includes an in-built GPS receiver. Add 512MB of ROM and you have a powerful Pocket PC Phone Read more

Nokia enjoys 43% of UK market share

Research firm CSS has revealed that Nokia is currently enjoying a 43% market share in the UK, which is double what one of their closest competitors, Samsung is achieving at the moment.

This is clearly a step in the right direction for Nokia as they hope to dominate the UK market for many months to come. Elsewhere in the charts, LG are in fourth place after some positive sales, while Samsung’s growth rate slowed causing them to remain in second. Sony Ericsson however have showed the biggest decline in net profit.

Here is a statement from CSS Insight Analyst Ben Wood commenting on Nokia’s current dominance,

“Nokia is still head and shoulders above the rest. It is not just leading the market but controlling it. Sony Ericsson has really been put under pressure by Nokia’s new mid-range handsets and has struggled as a result. Samsung is the clear number two in the market, while LG has established itself in the big time. It has hit a sweet spot with a lot of its handsets recently.”

Read the full article over at Mobile Today

Mobile Gaming: Sony Ericsson W760i Zeemote JS1 Controller bundle

Sony Ericsson are going to be the first to bring near game-console gaming to a mobile phone, Sony Ericsson are going to be the first to market the Zeemote JS1 Controller.

Zeemote who is the makers of intelligent wireless controllers for mobile devices and Sony Ericsson have finally announced their partnership to bring us all a whole new level of mobile gaming, Sony Ericsson is to launch the Zeemote(TM) JS1 Controller featuring Bluetooth(TM) technology with an exclusive promotion throughout hundreds of retail outlets across the Netherlands.

This new gaming experience will come to the Sony Ericsson W760i first; this will be across the Netherlands from August 8th 2008 to October 31st 2008. The Bluetooth Zeemote JS1 Controller will be offered free of charge to those who purchase the Sony Ericsson 3G W760i Walkman mobile phone via a mail-in voucher promotion, the handset will come with two embedded Zeemote Ready games just for you to play straight away.

Read – Full Press Release

Sony Ericsson Walkman’s: W902 and W595

It’s hot outside, summer and music go together so well, and this is just what Sony wants with their new Sony Ericsson Walkman’s. The W902 and W595 want your music.

The Sony Ericsson W902 is the first photo on this page and it features retro style music navigation keys, a 240 x 320 and 2.2in scratch-resistant screen, supports MP3- and AAC-format audio tracks, includes a five-megapixel camera with 16x digital zoom and a free 8GB Memory Stick Micro (M2) memory card.

The other music phone from Sony Ericsson is the new W595 slider, it features a 2.2in display that does not include scratch protection (well it does not say it includes it), a 3.2-megapixel camera with 2.5x digital zoom, a free 2GB M2 card, support for MP3- and AAC-format audio tracks.

Both phones can be shaken to change the audio volume or music track, support 3G connections over HSDPA and quad-band GSM/GPRS/Edge.

Both phones will be coming later this year, we have no price information but we do know they can be chosen in a range of colours.

You can read the full specs on Phones Review, Sony Ericsson W595 or W902 and read more Sony Ericsson news here. Also see Reg Hardware’s take on these phones.

Sony Ericsson Experia X1 is a little Thick

When looking at an alternative phone to the iPhone or 3G versions, you may want to take a look at the Sony Ericsson Experia X1 because it does sport from advantages.

We are still waiting for the Experia X1 to have a price and carrier announced, this would likely be AT&T or T-Mobile later this year.

What we like about the Experia X1 is the option of both a high-resolution touch-screen and hardware QWERTY keyboard as navigation options.

The keyboard slides from under the display and will appeal to those that love real buttons to press, although the touch screen will give the phone the benefits of more keys if they update the software in the future or add 3rd party add-ons.

Some people might find this a better option than just having a touch screen like on the Apple iPhone but there are problems with this, you should be aware that the hardware keyboard makes the Experia X1 about a quarter-inch thicker than other touch-screen phones.

If you do not mind a cell phone that’s a little on the thick side, then this could be the choice if your looking for an iPhone alternative. Users looking for thin phones will not like the Experia X1 as it could mean a difference of 40 percent.

Another feature that could help you decide is the OS; this phone has Windows Mobile software while the iPhone sports a version of Mac OS. Are you worried about having a phone that is a little thicker than most?

Find out more details and view images on sonyericsson.com/x1/

Open Source Symbian OS vs Android by Open Handset Alliance

There is a battle coming and the major winner in this battle of the brands will be the consumer thanks to Open Source, cheaper prices and better support. The new Open Source Symbian OS is being formed and will see the Symbian operating systems from NTT DoCoMo, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and Nokia become one big powerhouse.

This is bad news for Google Android that was in a position to take over the world with the help of the Open Handset Alliance (a group of big companies). With the MOAP, UIQ and S60 operating systems becoming one, we could see Symbian gain a much bigger market share in the U.S.

The news that the above four are joining the Symbian Foundation is bad, but what makes things even worse for Google’s Android would be the fact that Vodafone, Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are also joining this new Foundation. Google and Open Handset Alliance do have T-Mobile USA and Sprint backing them but then these do not even come close to Vodafone and AT&T’s market share.

HTC has also teamed up with the OHA, but when we look at the overall picture of the powerhouses behind the new Symbian Foundation, it looks like this could become the most powerful mobile operating system ever. It will not be simple to make this happen, the Symbian Foundation will need to take the best of each OS to create one that creates endless possibilities.

We have talked a lot about Open Source of late and How Microsoft and Apple need to start waking up to this form of software, with the news of the Symbian Foundation being completely open source, it looks like other big brands will fall behind if they do not change. The Symbian Foundation will have many goals and one of the biggest is the same with all open source platforms, it will be to encourage developers to build compelling applications to benefit the community.

What can Google and the Open Handset Alliance partners do with Android to take most of the market share?

Source: Read

India Mobile Phones: iPhone, Samsung, Nokia and Sony

Growth in India is massive and this is shown in many industries, the recent news of over 1 billion computers being used around the world and this increasing to more than double by 2014 thanks to growth in developing markets proves this. The mobile phone business is also seeing massive growth and in India over 10,000 mobile phones are sold every hour.

According to IDC Research, over 85 million mobile handsets were sold in India in the year up to March 2008, but that is increasing still with a 24.4 percent increase in the last quarter. It’s not just the phones that are increasing; the technology of these devices is also moving at a fast rate with a high-level of connectivity, this includes WCDMA (3G) network and EDGE.

The latest ORG statistical reports show that Samsung has a seven percent mobile phone market share in India and that gives it third place, although they have planned on doubling its business by the end of 2008. They plan to do this by setting up an internal team to look for alternative distribution channels. Sony Ericsson holds second place with 8.1 per cent of the mobile business.

Samsung and Sony Ericsson are small fish in India compared to Nokia who is said to have a massive 59.5 per cent market share. It will take some doing to replace Nokia at the top spot. Nokia may be the world’s largest seller of handsets, but they are planning on expanding the entertainment services to increase revenue. Nokia need to do this because of profit margins being low on phones sold in places like China and India.

The Economic Times in India has said that Apple’s 3G iPhone will be in India on July 11, when you look at Apple’s website it does not have India down for July 11, only saying coming soon. So it looks like the iPhone 2G and 3G phones will take a little longer to get there, but when they do it will really shake up the India mobile phone market.

Could the Apple’s iPhone knock Nokia from the top spot in India?

Will the Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot make compact cameras extinct?

Once upon a time a cell phone was used just for making calls, but that would not cut it in our ever demanding world of gadgets. When people choose a cell phone these days they want it with all the latest features, and the top gadgets has to be the built-in camera. Many phones on the market have at least a 2 or 3 megapixel camera; some might even stretch to a 5 megapixel. Well now the Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot, takes it one step further by introducing an 8 megapixel camera.

The camera on this phone is truly amazing, it even comes with face detection, geo-tagging, smart contrast as well as Xenon and photo flash. The specs on the Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot will put many compact cameras to shame, and you have to ask if these new phones with improved camera technology will make the digital compact camera extinct?

Ok so what else does the C905 have to offer? Well firstly the phone has a 2.4 inch QVGA TFT display, this has a scratch resistant mineral glass cover and viewfinder, perfect for the life that we live today. The guys over at Phones Review, also tell at the the handsets also comes with an accelerometer bringing full screen rotation, GPS, and guess what, it also has WiFi. Having all of these features does come at a price to the Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot, the cell phone is a little on the thick side at 18mm, but come on look at the camera you are getting.

I have never been a fan of the Sony Ericsson’s, but having an 8MP camera in one might be enough to change my mind along with thousands of others.

Phone gamers will love the Sony Ericsson F305

We all know how big the games industry is and how it took on the movie world but now we see many more cell phones targeting the youth audience and also the mobile games business. The Sony Ericsson F305 will be loved by gamers as it’s not only a phone but also has a touch of Nintendo Wii like controls thanks to “Motion Gaming”.

The graphics on games for cell phones is getting better every month and now Sony Ericsson aims to add a bit more fun to playing games on a cell phone, the F305 features dedicated gaming controls and horizontal gameplay so you can play games more interactively. You get three games preloaded, these are Jockey, Bass fishing and Bowling that can be controlled with a swipe or swing of the phone.

The Sony Ericsson F305 may be taking a few ideas from the Nintendo Wii when it comes to getting more involved in gaming, its proven that the movement of your arms in a game will burn more calories than just sitting there moving your thumbs. This is good news for the future generation as any extra exercise is something better.

The Nintendo Wii has straps to stop you throwing the controller by mistake; will the Sony Ericsson F305 have something similar?

You might not have to move your hand much on the F305 to control the game, but some players can go over the top with their actions and its just these type of people that may need the phone strapped to their hand. We do not know if this feature will ever be needed for motion mobile gaming but we will find out soon enough.

Gameloft will create additional motion games for the F305 and PlayNow will have over 50 more 3D and 2D games, this is a good start for gaming on this device. The Loud stereo speakers will help get you in the gaming mood and other features include an expandable memory slot, Bluetooth and a 2.0 megapixel camera. Would you want to play motion games on a cell phone?

Size Comparison: iPhone 3G vs HTC Touch Diamond & Pro, Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

Today we have a size and weight comparison of the Apple iPhone 3G vs not only the first generation iPhone (EDGE) but also the HTC Touch Diamond, HTC Touch Pro and Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. This gives you a good look at how the new iPhone 3G compares in size and weight terms to some of the other popular phones.

You can see an image above that gives you a visual guide to the comparison of sizes this is thanks to Engadget. If you like reading then lets get right to it.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 weighs in at 158 grams and measures 110 x 52.6 x 17mm, then we have the HTC Touch Pro at 165 grams and sized at 102 x 51 x 18.05mm, the HTC Touch Diamond comes in at the lightest of the bunch with a weight of just 110 grams and the smallest size at 102 x 51 x 11.35mm.

When we compare the two iPhones, the first and second generation we can see that the iPhone 3G is clearly bigger but only slightly at 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3mm compared to the iPhone (EDGE) at 115 x 61 x 11.6mm, although the iPhone 3G is a little lighter at 133 grams compared to the first generation at 135 grams.

Some users will be annoyed that the iPhone has had it’s price cut so much that it can be labeled as “Cheap”, some users liked the appeal of the iPhone being expensive. Personally I think it does not matter but then if you really wanted to look close then you would see that it’s not cheap when you take into account the AT&T price plans and 2-year contract. When you compare the iPhone 3G’s price and contract to the other phones, then you can class it as a good deal.

Source: Engadget

Side by Side: HTC Touch Diamond, 3G iPhone and Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

All the brands are producing cell phones with the latest technology and gadgets, with each new major release of the brands latest design it comes with fancy features that we all want and 2008 is shaping up to be the best year yet for cool phones.

This year will be a major battle between the big names in the phone business and three of the biggest phones would be the HTC Touch Diamond, Apple 3G iPhone and Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. For the first time ever, you can see these phones side by side. Check out the photo above and the ones below to get a comparison of design between these phones and feel free to share your comment on your favorite.

What phone will you choose to be in your pocket in 2008?

The photos give a design comparison side by side, on top of each other (nothing like getting close), and on their own. Personally I still prefer the Apple iPhone for style and design, the HTC Touch just seems too square for my liking and the Xperia X1 has a Nokia N95 look to it, which I dislike.

When comes to flush lines, you cannot beat the iPhone in my opinion, but I am sure some users are dedicated to another brand. If you do find it a tough choice when upgrading your cell phone this year, then why not dig deep and buy all three…well at least it’s a dream.

When buying a new phone, what’s more important to you, the style and design or features of that phone?

See the full features and photos of them on their own, visit Phones Review

Devotec Solar Charger: Nokia, Blackberry, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, PSP/Digital Cameras and Ipod

Devotec Industries are proud to announce their smallest and lightest charger yet! Weighing in at a slim 80g and measuring about the same as a 1st gen Ipod Nano, the new solar charger still packs enough energy in its 1800mAh Lith-ion battery to charge a phone/blackberry/mp3 player 2 times or more before needing to be re-charged. And when the Solar Charger does need to be toped up, you can charge the device via its solar panel, or use either the supplied AC adapter or USB cable.

Retailing at a fantastic £19.99, ($40) this fully featured pack has a higher spec and more connectivity than solar chargers costing twice as much. And for added convenience, the Devotec USB Travel Plug can be added to the pack, giving access to charge the unit in over 180 countries!

Connectivity comes courtesy of the included adapters, with tips for Nokia (old and new), Motorola/Blackberry/mini USB, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, PSP/Digital Cameras and Ipod all being part of the package.

Lasting up to 3 months on a single charge, the Devotec Solar Charger has been extensively tested and re-engineered to include all the necessary accessories straight out of the box, including a stylish pouch to keep the solar panel scratch free when not in use.

The Devotec Solar Charger is a great way to keep safe and not have to worry about your phone or Blackberry losing battery when you are away from home.

Alex Devoto, founder and MD, said: “We are really excited about this release. After working to perfect this concept for three years, we feel we have a finely tuned product ready to meet the needs of the mobile consumer, with the widest selection of compatibility at an unrivalled price-point.”

Telstra to launch 3G Apple iPhone in Australia this June

It does seem funny that just last year Greg Winn who is one of the top guys at Telstra the Australian telecommunications company said that Apple could stick their iPhone. Well now it seems that the company has had a change of heart as the Australian release of the iPhone will could be this June and looks as though it could be the 3G version of the handset.

Although Telstra is the largest phone provider in OZ, it seems as if they will not be the only ones to get the Apple iPhone. It was way back in February last year that Winn said “Apple is not a mobile phone manufacturer, that’s not their knitting.”

Greg who is the second in charge over at Telstra said that other top phone makers like Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson would be launching their own handsets that will rival the of the Apple iPhone. However, it now seems as if Winn has had to eat his words and back track on what he said, maybe it has something to do with what the consumers want.

So how has the information leaked that Telstra will be distributing the 3G Apple iPhone, well that is simple it seems as if a staff member at a Telstra customer service call center told some caller that they would be stocking this handset.

Source - Blorge

Def Jam blinged up Sony Ericsson W910i handset at Carphone Warehouse

Def Jam Records have teamed up with phone maker Sony Ericsson and store Carphone Warehouse to bring us a limited edition W910i. If you like bling then you will love this blinged up handset; the phone also comes complete with matching MPS 75 speakers.

The Sony Ericsson W910i Def Jam mobile phone comes in black and gold, and is the first phone in the UK to be in a partnership with a major record label. And what cooler label than Def Jam. The phone will come pre-loaded with many Def Jam produced songs and videos.

The installed videos are as follows:

• Chingy - Gimmie Dat f/ Ludacris and Bobby V
• Fabolous f/ Ne-Yo - Make Me Better
• Mariah - “Touch My Body” podcast
• Ne-Yo - Do You
• Rick Ross - The Boss
• Rocko - Umma Do Me

The installed songs are as follows:

• Fabolous - Diamonds
• Janet - Rock With U
• Ludacris - Money Maker
• Nas - Hip Hop Is Dead
• Ne-Yo - Because Of You
• Playaz Circle - Duffle Bag Boys
• Rihanna and Ne-Yo - Hate That I Love You

The Def Jam Sony Ericsson W910i handset will be available from The Carphone Warehouse from the 8th April

Source – Pocket Lint

Video demonstration and review of Sony Ericsson W760 & W980 phones

Phones Review have two great videos we believe you will enjoy watching, the videos are a demonstration and a review about Sony Ericsson W760 & W980 phones.

First of all the Sony Ericsson W980 Walkman phone is a handset that will give you the best in the way of listening to music on the go because it features unique audio enhancing technology and with the branded logo say Walkman you know you will get quality.

The same goes for the Sony Ericsson W760 which is also a Walkman phone which yet again will play quality music, this handset features the multipurpose Active Speaker MAS-100 and FM radio antenna plus a very nice built in speaker that actually gives you a good sound.

All we can say is get over to Phones Review and watch the two videos they have to offer here.

Lime Green Sony Ericsson Exclusive to 3

Lime green is the in color this season so Sony Ericsson have brought out a lime green and white version of the K6601 and it is available exclusively on 3. The phone has a two megapixel camera and focuses on bringing the web to your pocket. It is available on contract from free.

Source

Last 30 News & Products: 03-12-2008

CeBit Update: XPERIA X1 with AT&T graphic: why?

When the XPERIA X1 was shown at CeBit it seemed to have a strange graphic that we could not answer. The graphic in question was and AT&T graphic, and many people like me have been wondering why it was on there.

One suggestion that the AT&T logo was on the screen was done in fun and that it might get some interest from carriers. Let us keep our fingers crossed that the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 does get the interest of all the top carriers.

Source - Phone Mag

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1: Cell Phone delayed until 2009

For those of you oh thought that you would be getting your hands on the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 Cell Phone, I have to give you some bad news as the handset will not be released until February 2009. However many are still holding our hope for a late 2008 release.

The thing is at MWC it was mentioned that the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 would be with us some time this year, so most of us are hoping that it was a typo from Sony and that we do not have to wait all the way to early 2009 to get our hands on this much anticipated handset.

Source - Engadget via Sony Ericsson

“We’re Not Scared” N-Gage Boss on PSP Phone

The question has been asked if Nokia are scared by the up and coming PSP phone and Jaakko Kaidesoja has responded as follows: Read more

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