Acer smartphone available for preorder

The Acer DX900 is now available for preorder on Clove's Web site.(Credit: Clove Technology) Acer isn't yet an official entrant into the smartphone market and already it's having the same problems keeping secrets as established players Apple and Palm. On Wednesday, a smartphone called the Acer DX900 popped up for preorder on the Web site of Clove Technology, a retailer based in the U.K. It appears to be the same device as the E-Ten Glofiish DX900--same features, same look, just a different brand name--which makes sense since Acer bought E-Ten last year. It's being offered for the equivalent of $570 (unlocked, we presume). Acer plans a high-profile introduction of several handsets at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in less than two weeks. Specs-wise, the DX900 is a fairly run-of-the-mill smartphone, which leaves room for something far more impressive to be revealed on February 16. Earlier Wednesday, the Boy Genius Report blog posted what it claims to be a leaked photo of another Acer smartphone with a swivel keyboard.


[ Via: cnet.com ]

• Motorola Renew now available from T-Mobile

Palm Treo Pro Now Shipping [Palm]

Today is a good day for Palm fans because the 3G-equipped, touchscreen Treo Pro is hitting the street for $550. Again, rumor has it that it could come to AT&T at a subsidized price in December, but if you want to get the unlocked version, now is the time. [Palm]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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RIM Reveals Blackberry Pearl Flip Phone [BlackBerry]

Following up on its Kickstart clamshell, RIM's now dropped a flip phone version of its popular BlackBerry Pearl. The Pearl Flip packs a 2mp camera, GPS, email, WiFi, a web browser and two displays—an external one for previewing incoming texts, emails and phone calls, and an internal 240 x 320 LCD. Watch for it at T-Mobile soon. The press release is after the jump. RIM Introduces the First BlackBerry Flip Phone New BlackBerry Pearl Flip Brings The Industry’s Leading Mobile Messaging Solution To Consumers Who Prefer Flip Phones Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM, TSX: RIM) today unveiled the BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip 8220 smartphone, the first BlackBerry® phone to come in the popular flip form factor. The new BlackBerry Pearl Flip provides flip phone fans with all the power of a BlackBerry smartphone in a fun and familiar design. One quick flip of the handset opens up a world of possibilities with the industry’s leading mobile messaging solution and a wide range of impressive Internet and multimedia capabilities, all in one powerful yet approachable smartphone. You can send a message to your friends or family, make a call, browse the web, snap a picture, watch a video or listen to your favorite song. It’s all in your control with a simple flip. The quad-band EDGE based BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone presents a sophisticated look with a sleek design and a chrome-finished frame surrounding its smooth, luminescent face. Packed with an abundance of powerful features, it weighs only 3.6 ounces and measures approximately 3.9” x 1.9” x 0.7”. Featuring two high-resolution, light-sensing color displays, the external LCD makes it easy to preview incoming emails, text messages and phone calls without opening the handset, while the large, 240 x 320 internal LCD displays messages, videos and web pages with impressive detail and contrast. “The popularity of BlackBerry smartphones has grown tremendously around the world and the introduction of this exciting new flip phone will help extend the reach of the BlackBerry platform even further,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO, Research In Motion. “The BlackBerry Pearl Flip is a full-featured smartphone with a unique and friendly design and it is a natural choice for flip phone users who want to start doing more with their phone than just talk.” FIRST CLASS PHONE The BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone is a top of the line mobile phone that flips open and cradles the face naturally and comfortably during phone calls. It delivers exceptional voice quality and includes many premium phone features, including Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), support for mp3 ring tones, smart dialing, conference calling, speed dialing, call forwarding, voicemail attachment playback and enhanced background noise cancellation. It also features a speakerphone and Bluetooth® 2.0 for use with hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits and other Bluetooth peripherals such as a GPS receiver. The removable/rechargeable 900 mAhr battery provides four hours of talk time and over 14 days of standby time. MESSAGING POWERHOUSE Featuring a large SureType® QWERTY* keyboard that makes typing messages and dialing numbers fast and easy, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip, like all BlackBerry smartphones, provides integrated access to the industry leading BlackBerry wireless services. Users are able to easily access up to 10 supported personal and work email accounts, send and receive text and instant messages, and connect on popular social networking sites with friends, family and co-workers. The DataViz® Documents to Go® software suite is also preloaded, allowing users to edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the handset. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip is supported on BlackBerry® Internet Service, BlackBerry® Unite!, BlackBerry® Professional Software and BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, which provides tight integration with corporate email systems and the security and IT policy controls that enterprise customers require to confidently allow smartphones in their organization. MULTIMEDIA TO GO With an advanced media player for displaying pictures, listening to music and watching videos, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip is the perfect on-the-go entertainment center. Videos play smoothly on the large internal display, playlists can be managed directly on the handset and there’s an equalizer with 11 preset filters – including "Lounge", "Jazz" and "Hip Hop" – for customizing audio ranges when using headphones or external speakers. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip works with the new BlackBerry® Media Sync application that makes it easy to sync iTunes digital music collections with the smartphone*** and it also features a conveniently accessible microSD/SDHC memory card slot that supports up to 16GB** for plenty of storage. High Speed USB 2.0 support allows files to be quickly transferred between a desktop computer and the smartphone and the BlackBerry® Desktop Manager software includes Roxio® Media Manager for BlackBerry® to help users easily manage their music and video files. Roxio Photosuite® 9 LE is also included for creating photo albums and editing pictures. FULL FEATURED FLIP The BlackBerry Pearl Flip packs an impressive range of features into its compact design, including phone, email, messaging, organizer, browser and multimedia applications, and it can also support thousands of other mobile lifestyle and business applications. It features a 2 megapixel camera with flash, zoom and video recording**** to capture memories while on the move, and includes BlackBerry Maps to deliver maps and step-by-step driving directions quickly and easily. An enhanced HTML browser displays web pages beautifully in either “Column View” or “Page View” and different emulation settings allow users to choose between desktop-style HTML content and the mobile version of web pages. The browser also supports RTSP for watching online streaming video from sites like m.youtube.com. In addition, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone features built-in Wi-Fi® (802.11 b/g) with support for UMA (unlicensed mobile access), extending wireless email and data coverage and supporting carrier enabled voice calls over home Wi-Fi networks, enterprise wireless deployments and Wi-Fi hotspots. ACCESSORIES The BlackBerry Pearl Flip comes with a variety of accessories including a stereo headset, travel charger and USB cable. Additional accessories for BlackBerry smartphones, including holsters and totes, charging pods, premium earphones, Bluetooth headsets and the BlackBerry® Remote Stereo Gateway are available through retail outlets or online at www.shopblackberry.com. AVAILABILITY The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone will be available from wireless carriers around the world beginning this fall. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip will be available in the United States exclusively from T-Mobile beginning this fall. Specific availability and pricing details will be announced at a later date. For more information please visit www.BlackBerryPearl.com T-Mobile USA customers can check out more details about this new flip phone and register to be notified when the BlackBerry Pearl Flip is available at www.BlackBerry.com/T-MobileBlackBerryPearlFlip Media can access images and video of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone at http://rim.mediaseed.tv/ About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM’s portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com. * Keyboard also available in AZERTY and QWERTZ configurations to support different language groups. ** MicroSD/SDHC memory cards are available today in configurations of up to 8GB and the BlackBerry Pearl 8220 smartphone will support upcoming 16GB microSD/SDHC cards. *** Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies. **** Video recording requires microSD card, which may be sold separately.

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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Motorola's Q Going Windows Mobile 6.1 Through AT&T [Windows Mobile]

The Motorola Q is finally getting the Windows Mobile 6.1 treatment through AT&T, who's stores are said to be taking in shipments of a new silver version of the handset. This is good news for enterprise customers who are tied into the WinMo world. No word yet on when these will hit the shelves, or if there will be an upgrade available for current AT&T Q9h owners, but it's likely we'll hear something soon.
[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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Skyfire Mobile Browser Now Supports Microsoft Silverlight (Plus 100 More Beta Codes) [Skyfire]

While it's long supported Flash, the Skyfire mobile browser now plays nice with Microsoft Silverlight—basically, Microsoft's version of Flash, which is what you'll need to watch streaming video at the NBC Olympics site. Meaning yes, you can watch Olympics video on your S60 or Windows Mobile phone if you're stuck in traffic or something. If you've got Skyfire, anyway, and it so happens we've got 100 more beta codes. Click here and drop in the code GizmodoAUG. Let us know how it goes, 'specially the NBC Olympics stuff since Skyfire is pimping it pretty hard.

Skyfire Mobile Browser Satisfying Hunger for the Olympics with Live Access to Olympic Footage from NBC's PC Website NBC-Universal is offering an unprecedented amount of video footage of the summer Olympics from Beijing on its website NBColympics.com. While Google, Yahoo and even NBC have limited mobile offerings, the Skyfire mobile browser, currently in private beta, has full access to all of NBC's full-PC site including access to full video. Skyfire users can not only see highlights of Michael Phelps' first medal-garnering performances, they can watch live as he swims toward his next gold. In addition to being the only mobile browser that allows full access to the NBColympics.com site, Skyfire has also added a widget on its launching page, linking to video and picture slideshows of the latest from Beijing. This custom blend of images and video is updated through RSS several times a day, making Skyfire the best way to follow the Olympics from a mobile device. Skyfire is the only mobile browser which supports full Flash, which is the most popular online video codec. Fans of the Olympics who watch the games at home on their desktop PCs, probably had to download the Silverlight plug-in in order to view the video. Skyfire added Silverlight support seamlessly, without its users having to install a new plug-in or even update the browser version. The Skyfire browser is currently in private beta on the WindowsMobile and Symbian platforms.

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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Palm Treo Pro Revealed (Lookin' Good) [Palm Treo Pro]

Wow, check out the Treo Pro, previously thought to be the Treo 850. It's safe to say Palm is plunging ahead with the Centro's industrial design, but the stark (glossy?) black and white color scheme with the phone/end orbs make it slick, rather than kiddie cool. Unfortunately, the Palm OS (new or othewise) for is nowhere in sight, just Windows Mobile. Here's a shot of the back, too:

Hard to tell how big it is—if it's Centro-sized or more like the Treo 800w, though it looks slightly more like the former in terms of design. [WM Experts]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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Palm's Ordering Up Millions Of Smartphones For 2009 [Palm]

Two Chinese-language news services, the Commercial Times and the China Economic News Service, are both reporting that Palm has placed orders for several million units of smartphones aimed at a 2009 release. Unfortunately for Palm OS fans, all these phones are going to be running Windows Mobile, which leads Treo Central to guess that it could be the next-gen Windows Mobile Treo (850w?). Or maybe, just maybe, a Windows Mobile phone with the form factor of the smaller Treos. The 800w is nice, but consumers really like the small phones. [Digitimes via Treo Central]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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Leaked Advert Image Could be First Showing of Palm Centro2 [Smartphones]

At Palm Addicts they've somehow got hold of a leaked advert that looks like it's for Palm's update to the Centro, the Centro2 smartphone. Take a peek—it's pretty convincing. There's of course no way to know whether this is real or a piece of Photoshopped fakery and it's difficult to glean much info on the device from the photos, though the advert is pushing the phone's PDA organizer aspects. The big difference is the missing keyboard, but whether that implies a touchscreen or some sort of slide-out pad is unclear. It also seems to have media controls at the top, and Palm Addicts thinks it's running Windows Mobile. Update: Sadly this is a fake, created for a marketing class. Sorry, Palm fans.
[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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Leaked Marketing Photos for BlackBerry Javelin Show 512mhz Processor, Lens Inside LCD? [BlackBerry]

The folks at Crackberry has obtained marketing photos of RIM's new non-3G smartphone, the Blackberry Javelin, which gives us the down low on the details of the phone. Javelin will contain a 512 MHz processor, 256 MB of onboard flash memory plus a hot-swappable microSD slot, a hi-res 460 x 360 HVGA+ display, Wi-Fi with UMA and GPS, and a 3.2 megapixel camera. What briefly piques my interest though is the promise of "integrated lens/LCD technology." Does that mean a second camera hidden behind the display or is it just more ad speak for "the display is pretty"? The release date still seems to be slated for 2009. [Crackberry]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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OpenMoko Smartphone Doing the Full Open Monty, Releasing Chip Schematics For Building Your Own [OpenMoko]

They've already released the CAD files for modding the case into a lobster phone (please, someone?), and now the OpenMoko folks are going all the way with their Neo Freerunner Linux smartphone, opening up the schematics for all to see and use under a Creative Commons license. This includes not only the full schematics for the phone's PCBs, but also for the individual chips inside, for seeing exactly how the GPS ties into the system, for instance. The Freerunner phone itself is still mostly a developer's tool, so this move makes a lot of sense for that crowd. Full details follow.

Aug 06, 2008 08:01 Openmoko Declares Another Freedom: Publishes Schematics for Neo Phones Openmoko Shows Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep
SAN FRANCISCO —(Business Wire)— Aug. 6, 2008 Openmoko, maker of open source mobile products, today announced that it has taken another step in opening its mobile platform to the development community by announcing it will publish the schematics for the Neo 1973 and Neo FreeRunner mobile phones. Openmoko broke with traditional mobile phone manufacturers by shipping its Neo 1973 and Neo FreeRunner mobile phones with a free and open source (FOSS) operating system and open applications, enabling developers to take the functionality of the phone well beyond the limited applications that commercial mobile phones can handle. The Neo FreeRunner went on sale July 4, 2008. In less than a week the initial Neo FreeRunner allocation had sold out. Openmoko has previously published the CAD files for the product under a Creative Commons license so product designers can alter the look and feel of the phone case and craft it to suit such vertical markets as fashion, science, medical, industrial, or enterprise. Developers can also choose other materials for manufacturing the case, making more appealing to fashion tastes or enabling the phone to withstand rugged environments and harsh use. Now, Openmoko announced it will publish the schematics of the phone, giving engineers free reign to modify Neo phones. Just as Free and Open Source Software provides source code information, open schematics provide vital information to engineers who may want to add functionality, external instruments or sensors, or assist the company in debugging problems, ultimately creating a better product for the entire mobile community. GPS Schematics Available Most recently, u-blox AG, Switzerland, maker of the GPS chip in the Openmoko phones, endorsed Openmoko's publishing the complete schematics for the GPS chip in the Neo FreeRunner phones. The schematics now document how the GPS chip is wired into the system, providing vital information for developers who want to leverage the GPS functionality for new designs involving the Openmoko phones. "We fully support Openmoko's decision to publish the schematics of the u-blox GPS receivers," said u-blox CEO, Thomas Seiler. "It is vitally important that developers have access to this data and it improves product quality. Going forward we think that more manufactures and more consumers will demand open architecture products with optimum performance." "Why should industry be afraid of opening up its design?" asked Openmoko CEO, Sean Moss-Pultz. "Schematics are simply another form of documentation and vital to future success, service and satisfaction in the market. We believe our products would be incomplete without them." "One of the freedoms we value the most is the freedom to explore. To fully understand the details of complex systems, to adapt and enhance them," said Openmoko Architect, Werner Almesberger. "We now take our commitment to openness to the next level by releasing our schematics to the public, allowing anyone to find out how the system works and how to improve it." The release of the schematics will covered under a Creative Commons license and files will be posted in due course on openmoko.com and openmoko.org Openmoko will show the Neo FreeRunner at LinuxWorld Expo, Moscone Center, San Francisco August 5-7 at booth 1625 and at the LinuxWorld Garage 1234. The Openmoko Neo FreeRunner has been selected as a finalist the LinuxWorld Product Excellence Awards, to be presented at LinuxWorld Conference & Expo(R) this week in San Francisco. Judged by a group of respected industry experts managed by LinuxWorld.com, the LinuxWorld Product Excellence Awards recognize product and service innovations by LinuxWorld(R) and NGDC exhibitors in 12 different categories. Open Mobile Free Openmoko frees developers from constraints of closed mobile architectures so they can apply the power of mobility and a flexible development platform to create mobile applications for specialized markets. Using the Openmoko mobile platform, the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) community and developers can create unique versions of the FreeRunner phone, modifying the way the phone operates and even the way it looks. CAD files publicly available under a Creative Commons license make it easy for industrial designers to change the appearance of the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner and select alternate materials and finishes to tailor the phone's look and feel. Distributors in the EU have already received shipments of the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner. Pricing and availability The Openmoko Neo FreeRunner has a suggested retail price of $399. Openmoko will restock and sell the phone directly from it its webshop http://www.Openmoko.com and via distributors in the EU, India and North America. About Openmoko Openmoko is the commercial and community driven effort with a mission to create open mobile products that empower developers and consumers to personalize their devices, much like a computer, in any way they see fit. Openmoko is dedicated to helping innovators bring freedom and flexibility to consumer electronics and vertical market devices. For the latest information about Openmoko, visit http://www.Openmoko.com.

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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Palm Treo 800w Gets Bluetooth Voice Dialing Via Software Update [Treo 800W]

Treo 800w users can finally do voice dialing over their Bluetooth headsets with this software update pack. One caveat is that you'll need to have the TREO800w-1.03-SPNT as your current "Software Version" under your About screen, so if you don't, you'll have to update to that first. What's the point of using your Bluetooth headset in the car for safety reasons when you have to look down at your phone to dial anyway? [Palm]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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Plica Concept Phone Answers Question Of 'What Is Better Than One Touchscreen' [Plica]

Although quite wide and thick, the Plica concept out-iPhones the iPhone by having two screens where there was only one. What's better about two screens? You can use one of the screens as a keyboard, leaving the other free for viewing things. Or, you can just look at something at twice the resolution as before. Do we really have to explain why having more screens is awesome? Too bad this is only a concept, because we might actually pick one of these up. [James Piatt via Tuvie]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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NEONECO offers up active iPod swing speaker

Attachable iPod speakers are nearly as old as the DAP itself, but NEONECO may actually be onto something with its swing speaker. Rather than simply tapping into the iPod's headphone jack and hoping that listeners have canine-like hearing abilities, this unit includes its own source of power -- a rechargeable battery. This enables the stereo speakers to be louder than passive alternatives, though we can't speak for the sound quality. It's available now in South Korea for в‚©29,000 ($29; iPod nano), в‚©32,000 ($32; iPod classic) or в‚©35,000 ($35; iPod touch).

[ Via: Wired ]
[ Tag: accessory, audio, ipod, ipod accessory, ipod speaker, ipod touch, IpodAccessory, IpodSpeaker, IpodTouch, NEONECO, speaker, swing speaker, SwingSpeaker ]

Arn Kim Ran MacRumors While a Full-time Doctor [Apple]

On top of running a bitchin' keynote liveblog, MacRumors owner Arn Kim was up until recently a full-time medical doctor. He's a friend who I've come to rely on as a sounding board for Apple rumors at 3am or any other obscene time of day, so I'm glad to see him being recognized with a profile in the NYT. [Photo by Jay Paul]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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BlackJack III Coming this October? [Blackjack III]

It's all still rumor for the time being, but word has it that the Samsung BlackJack III (formerly the Samsung i788) will be arriving this October. While slightly thicker than the BlackJack II, it will also run Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro and feature a 320x320 touchscreen, 528MHz processor, 3MP camera, A-GPS, Wi-Fi and HSDPA (AT&T's 3G tech). Sounds good, though we're not so sure about this new trend of ever so slightly thicker smartphones. [WMExperts via BGR and PhoneArena]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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Lightning Review: Palm Treo 800w Smartphone [Treo 800w Review]

The Gadget: Palm's Treo 800w is the updated, Windows Mobile successor to the Palm 750w. In addition to adding WinMo 6.1, the 800w brings a higher resolution screen, EVDO rev.A, GPS and Wi-Fi.
Price: $250 (after 2 year contract) The Verdict: As far as Windows Mobile phones go, the 800w is a pretty good one. It's no frills as far as smartphones go, but this is almost exclusively for the enterprise crowd. It's not the prettiest, nor is it the smallest, but is powerful enough to run Windows Mobile 6.1 like it should. It moves from menu to menu reasonably quick, and ran most of the apps lag free. In terms of size, it's less wide than previous Treos, but thickness is more or less the same and the keyboard feels the same as old Treos. The bright and crisp 320x320 touchscreen is also a nice upgrade for the 800w. But the 800w also good because Palm put some of their TLC into the product. The main "Today" screen you see when you first use the phone has a GPS search that lets you find points of interest without first having to launch a separate app. The SMS interface is pulled straight from the Palm OS, meaning text-based conversations can be easily managed. There's also a Wi-Fi button at the top of the phone that allows you to turn on your Wi-Fi and connect to a pre-configured network in a matter of seconds with a touch of a button. It seems minor, but it eliminates a fair amount of tedious menu surfing. Reception is always at full strength where I'm at, meaning call quality is clear and the EVDO rev.A is speedy. The bottom line is that if you need an enterprise phone and want a physical keyboard, the Treo 800w isn't a bad choice.

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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NXP Cell Modem Will Pull Down 150Mbits, Connect to Just About Anything

NXP's new softmodem will be the fastest in the world and work with a range of data protocols, including LTE, WiMax, HSPA, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS and GSM. While the modem's over-the-top theoretical speeds will be sharply limited by available cellular networks, its network-promiscuity will allow for actual global phones that would be able to connect to fast data services almost anywhere in the world. Expect the hardware to start turning up in phone starting Q2 2009. [SlashPhones]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
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