As work on the Android “Cupcake” build (Firmware 1.5) continues, the developers continue to slip more little features in under the radar.

We were spending a few minutes with the just announced HTC Magic last night, and we noticed one bit in the live folders screen we hadn’t seen before: YouTube Favorites. Live folders are a new addition to Cupcake which allow you to add self-updating folder to the homescreen. Previously, we’d only seen the first three on the list in the screenshot above: All Contacts, Contacts with Phone numbers, and Starred Contacts. The YouTube Favorites live folder, as you probably could guess, pulls your favorites from your YouTube account and makes them accessible with just 2 clicks. It’s the first non-contact-related Live Folder we’ve seen so far – and the one that seems the most useful, as well.

It wasn’t quite final hardware (the face buttons are slightly different – a bit larger and round) and we weren’t allowed to touch the thing, but we just got back from spending a bit of time with the second-ever Android phone to make its way into a carrier’s line up. The HTC Magic, essentially a polished up and physical keyboard-less G1, totes a 3.2 megapixel camera, 3.2″ HVGA (480×320) capacitive touchscreen, on-screen keyboard, and all of the Google-powered services we’ve come to know and love with Android. Read on for our impressions.

Update: We just got to spend a bit of actual one-on-one time with the Magic, and walked away with a few more things to say.

What we like:

• Without a slide-out layer, it’s quite slim – at least compared to the G1. As for the weight, we have no idea; as mentioned previously, we didn’t get to hold it. Update: The weighting is fantastic – it feels great in the hand.
• Unlike many a candybar, accessing the microSD slot does not require removing the battery. You do have to remove the back panel, however.
• It’s Android – and the most recent version, of that. They demonstrated many of the features of Cupcake, though we didn’t spot anything we haven’t already seen besides landscape support for the onscreen keyboard and accelerometer based autorotate (which is possible in the G1, but has been disabled in the official firmware)
• Update: The onscreen keyboard is surprisingly easy to use. Even after years of practice with my iPhone, I’m still always pounding the wrong keys; the Magic’s keys are smaller, yet somehow my accuracy felt significantly improved.

What we don’t:

• No physical keyboard. Rumors indicated as much, but we had hoped for a last minute surprise. It’s a step in the wrong direction – you just can’t beat a real keyboard.
• The infamous chin (the odd angle of the bottom of the handset) from the G1 has found its way to the Magic – and it’s still not very attractive. Update: After spending a bit more time with it and comparing it to a G1, this chin isn’t anywhere as bad. As there’s no sliding layer and the body is just one piece, the transition between the main body area and the chin is far less drastic. It’s still not our favorite design ever, but the Magic’s chin is far less of an eyesore than the G1′s.
• No 3.5mm jack – as with the G1 (and a ton of other HTC devices), you’ll need an adapter if you’re bringing your own pair of buds. Bleh!

We’re hoping to get a bit of one-on-one time with this one before we leave Barcelona – we’ll update you if our impressions change once we’ve actually pawed at it.

[PSGallery=3hasc001op]

The primary goal of this new agreement is to cut down on the environmental impact created by trashing old chargers. According to the AP:

The GSMA calculates a reduction in greenhouse gases from manufacturing and transporting replacement chargers of 13.6 to 21.8 million tons a year. Cast-off chargers currently generate more than 51,000 tons of waste a year, it says.

Not only will the proposed Micro-USB chargers help reduce waste, but, according to the agreement they’ll also consume (up to 50 percent) less power and provide much greater convenience (and subsequently, less headaches) for consumers.  Imagine being able to leave your charger behind, knowing that most anywhere you travel you can find a compatible charger, be it a friend’s place or a random hotel on the other side of the world.

So far, 17 companies have agreed to the pact including 3 Group, AT&T, KTF, LG, mobilkom austria, Motorola, Nokia, Orange, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Telenor, Telstra, T-Mobile and Vodafone.

Oh Samsung OmniaHD, how lovely your 3.7″ AMOLED touchscreen is. Really – it’s friggin’ gorgeous. Be it the 8 megapixel camera, the 720p video recording, or the deafeningly loud stereo speakers, we love just about everything about it from a hardware standpoint – but we’re not too sure about the software.

We got to put our mitts all up on the Samsung OmniaHD for far longer than we expected Samsung to allow – read on for our impressions.

What we liked:

• The 360×640 (QHD) AMOLED screen is beautiful.
• The new TouchWiz allows you to gesture slide to the left or right to quickly jump to a preset screen (Applications, Photos, etc). If you want to replace either of the secondary screens, you simply go to the screen you want to swap and hold down the center key.
• You can have up to 3 sets of TouchWiz widgets at any given time.
• The dual speakers, one located on each side of the handset (top and bottom), are loud. We could hear it loud and clear without issue over the crowd murmur. We’ll still take a pair of headphones in nearly every situation, but it’ll be nice for dealing with roadnoise while using the speakerphone and the occasional sharing of tunes with bystanders.
• TouchWiz on S60 v5 is probably our favorite implementation of it yet. Widgets were easy to drag and drop, and we had no problem flipping between panels.
• 720p video is a nice touch
• After spending a good amount of time with the Omnia’s resistive touchscreen, the OmniaHD’s capacitive touchscreen felt great. We’re hearing of mixed experiences on this one, but we personally had no problems.

What we didn’t:

• Text input is super wonky, especially in landscape mode while in the browser. It feels like you’re completely detached from the app whenever you go to a url.
• In what seemed like a significant chunk of the menus, selecting an item required double clicking. This is presumably to prevent accidentally double clicks during attempted scrolls or something, but it feels very old school.
• 720p video is great, as we said – but even at the max setting of 24fps, the video we shot had some pretty significant blur. In all fairness, however, the lighting in the room was pretty poor – so we’ll let this one slide for now.

Check out our shots of it side-by-side with the iPhone below.

[PSGallery=3hhtlpbxve]

We were just starting to worry that Mobile World Congress 2009 would go without pass by without an Android press announcement, but Vodafone and HTC have swooped in to save they day. They just announced the HTC Magic, a full touchscreen Android device which bears quite the resemblance to the HTC G1 – except with a bit more polish, and without a keyboard. It’s also a perfect match with the shot that leaked out yesterday.

The HTC Magic will have a 3.2 megapixel camera, trackball, 3.2″ HVGA (480×320) capacitive touch screen, GPS, accelerometer, and WiFi. Look for it on the shelves this spring exclusively from Vodafone in UK, Spain, Germany and France, and non-exclusively in Italy. No plans have yet been announced for US availability, but it’s something they’re working on.

Update: Full specs after the jump.

Processor Qualcomm® MSM7201a™, 528 MHz
Operating System Android
Memory ROM: 512 MB
RAM: 192 MB
Dimensions 113 x 55 x 13.65 mm ( 4.45 x 2.17 x 0.54 inches)
Weight 118.5 grams ( 4.18 ounces) with battery
Display 3.2-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen with 320×480 HVGA resolution
Network HSDPA/WCDMA:

*
900/2100 MHz
*
Up to 2 Mbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

*
850/900/1800/1900 MHz

(Band frequency and data speed are operator dependent.)
Device Control Trackball with Enter button
GPS Internal GPS antenna
Connectivity Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate
Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g
HTC ExtUSB™ (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one)
Camera 3.2 megapixel color camera with auto focus
Audio supported formats AAC, AAC+, AMR-NB, MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC-LC, MIDI, OGG
Video supported formats MP4, 3GP
Battery Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
Capacity: 1340 mAh
Talk time:

*
Up to 400 minutes for WCDMA
*
Up to 450 minutes for GSM

Standby time:

*
Up to 660 hours for WCDMA
*
Up to 420 hours for GSM

(The above are subject to network and phone usage.)
Expansion Slot microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)
AC Adapter Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240V AC, 47/63 Hz
DC output: 5V and 1A
Special Features G-sensor
Digital Compass

We’re live at the relatively low key Vodafone press conference at Mobile World Congress, where they’re apparently announcing the Android-powered HTC G2 – otherwise known as the HTC Magic (Update: They specifically said that this is not being referred to as the G2. Looks like the G-numbering is a T-mo-only thing.)

All times are in CET.

12:00 PM: Show should start soon. Screen still reads as pictured above.

12:01 PM: Mics are on!

12:02 PM: WiFi is spotty. What we know so far: 3.2″ QVGA touchscreen, trackball, no availability or pricing being announced. 99% chance the G2 shots we saw recently were legit.

12:03 PM: Peter Chou is now onstage. Holding the Magic.

12:05 PM: Currently just discussing the HTC/Voda partnership, how to make the mobile internet usable and enjoyable. “As a software platform, Android is flexible, powerful, and also makes mobile internet easier and enjoyable”

12:06 PM: “The magic will come when the device fits into your hand and into your life”

12:08 PM: Watching a video. It’s the one we saw a few days ago. Looks gorgeous.

12:09 PM: “We’ve done it.” – saying they’ve developed a product that really shows Android

12:10 PM: Magic’s UI being shown; nothing new here from the G1. They’re currently showing how to change the wallpaper. More hardware stuff, please.

12:13 PM: Now they’re talking about the Market. They’re working to make sure folks who are unfamiliar with Android aren’t too lost.

12:14 PM: Will launch initially in UK, Spain, Germany, France, and non-exclusively in Italy. “More countries to follow”. Online registration will be available for early pricing details.

12:15 PM: Showing Street View. Will have compass mode, just like the G1.

12:16 PM: That’s going to be one tough aspect of launching Android phones; unless they tweak things a lot, most people already know the software.

12:19 PM: Q&A Time. Wait, almost – more availability stuff. Online pre-registration opens today.

12:20 PM: Pocketlint: Why is the G2 launching on Vodafone instead of T-Mobile? Chou: We don’t call it the G2. This is the HTC Magic. Kind of skirted the rest of the answer.

12:21 PM: Is it touchscreen only? Yes.

12:22 PM: What’s the price? They’re not specifically saying yet, but 99 to 199 (euros, presumably)

12:24 PM: Rich Brome of Phonescoop: Availability planned in North America? Chou: Not currently, but they’re working on it.

12:24 PM: Vodafone is usually quite critical of the number of operating systems on the market; yet you’ve added another. Do you plan to slim down? “We’re still working on 20+ operating systems – what ever is the final number of contenders, it’s still a lot less than the number of proprietary OS a few years ago. We can debate on how many is too many, but the focus is [on the customer]. This is a great phone, a great design.”

12:26 PM: 3.5 mm jack? Doesn’t look like it. Dongle needed, again.

12:27 PM: What megapixel is the camera? Why no flash? 3.2 megapixel. No flash because it’s “not trying to replace your professional camera. For day to day life, it’s good enough”

12:30 PM: All wrapped up. Time for the hands on. Check back later for our impressions.

We first saw the MiFi 2352 Mobile Hotspot’s CDMA brother back at CES; we loved it then, and we love it just as much in its GSM form. Novatel announced yesterday that Telefónica would be the first carrier to launch the MiFi sometime during this quarter, so we figured we’d stop by their suite to give it a spin.

We liked the brushed metal look of the CDMA variant a bit more than the plastic case of the MiFi 2352 – but aesthetics aren’t what counts here. It’s slim, it’s light weight, and it works well. Once your SIM is in, the MiFi 2352 will act as a wireless router for up to 5 people (though carriers can drop this down to 3 if they choose). It goes from powered off to kickin’ out the WiFi juice in a matter of seconds, and has a swappable, USB charged battery, up to 16GB of storage via microSD, and internal GPS – live bloggers couldn’t ask for more.

Thee device can theoretically handle up to 7.2 megabit per second HSUPA but, as with all theoretical caps, don’t expect to actually reach that speed. We ran a few speed tests and were averaging about 4 megabits per second download and 1000 kilabits per second upload – not bad at all, considering that there are probably at least a few hundred thousand cell phones battling for tower time in the area around Mobile World Congress.

We got to take a quick sneak peak at the configuration screen, which we hadn’t seen previously; nothing too exciting here, but everything seemed about as simple as could be – see the screenshot below as an example.

In a fairly huge win for VoIP fans everywhere, Skype and Nokia have just announced a partnership to preload Skype onto handsets beginning later this year.

But they’re not just throwing the app onto the devices and calling it a day – the integration will run at least contact list deep. Once you’ve tied Skype contacts to their relative contacts in your address book, their Skype status will appear right within the contact list. Both text and voice chat will be supported over 3G or WiFi.

The first Nokia device to get the Skype-treatment will be the N97, beginning in Q3 of 2009.

Full release after the jump.

Skype and Nokia Partner to Integrate Skype into Nokia Devices
Mobile World Congress 2009

BARCELONA, Spain–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Skype and Nokia today announced a partnership that will bring the world’s leading Internet communications experience to the Nokia range of mobile computers. Under the terms of the cooperation, Skype™ will be integrated into Nokia devices, starting with the Nokia Nseries. The Nokia N97 flagship device will be the first to incorporate the Skype experience in the 3rd quarter of 2009.

The Skype experience will be part of the address book of the Nokia N97, enabling presence – seeing when Skype contacts are online – as well as instant messaging. Nokia N97 owners around the world will also be able to use 3G and WLAN to easily make and receive free Skype-to-Skype voice calls, in addition to low-cost Skype calls to landlines and mobile devices.

“Making Skype available everywhere through mobile devices is essential to fulfilling our vision of ‘enabling the world’s conversations’,” said Scott Durchslag, Skype’s Chief Operating Officer. “Collaborating closely with Nokia to preload and integrate our software onto their devices will benefit the many Nokia customers who already use Skype, as it makes Skype easily accessible and simple to use on the go. It will also bring Skype new users who love Nokia’s Symbian S60 experience.”

“With more than 400 million Skype users worldwide, the integration of Skype on Nokia Nseries mobile computers is a significant step in bringing converged Internet experiences from the desktop to the world’s most advanced mobile computer,” said Jose-Luis Martinez, Vice President, Nokia Nseries.

About Nokia

Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. We make a wide range of mobile devices with services and software that enable people to experience music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games, business mobility and more. Developing and growing our offering of consumer Internet services, as well as our enterprise solutions and software, is a key area of focus. We also provide equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks.

About Skype

Founded in 2003, Skype is revolutionizing the way people communicate around the world. Skype has more than 405 million registered users globally who use Skype software to communicate for free through voice and video calls as well as instant messages. Skype generates revenue through its premium offerings, such as calls made to and from landlines and mobiles, voicemail, call forwarding, and SMS. Skype is used in almost every country on Earth, and people have made more than 100 billion minutes worth of free Skype-to-Skype calls. Conversations over Skype can take place on computers, mobile devices and Skype Certified™ hardware. Skype certifies and sells hundreds of hardware products from more than 50 partners, and works with hundreds of third-party developers who have created plug-ins to extend Skype’s functionality.

Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY). Learn more and download Skype at www.skype.com.

DLP’s first Pico projector phone, Samsung Show aka W7900, is shipping this month in Korea, but DLP just revealed the second generation chipset today at MWC. The new chipset is 20 percent thinner and quieter. It’s also much brighter and has a contrast ratio greater than 1000:1 with a full RGB color gamut. And has a native resolution of 854×480, which is DVD resolution.

DLP’s Pico projector sure has come a long way since we first saw it crammed into a mock BlackBerry Curve.

• 3.8″ screen at 480×800 — nice
• Samsung S3C 6410 mobile processor (533 MHz)
• 128MB SDRAM for apps and stuff, and 256MB for built-in stuff
• MicroSD card slot, of course
• 3.2-megapixel camera w/ autofocus
• HSDPA Category 8/ HSUPA Category 5 (2100/1900/850 Mhz)
• Quad-band, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• GPRS/EGPRS: Class B, multi-slot class 11
• 802.11b/g
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• G-sensor and L-sensor (whatever that is)
• SiRFstar III GPS system wi/ Navigon shareware installed
• Pull-out antenna (awesome)

The M900 is the F900′s big brother. It’s got the same screen, processor, and storage, but has the added benefit of a slide-out physical keyboard. It has a different interface and doesn’t have the crucial “L-sensor,” which is not explained.

It also has a fancy 5-megapixel camera with “flashlight,” an upgrade if i ever heard of one. Lastly, the front of the phone has a fingerprint reader of all things where the buttons should be. Don’t ask me.

Other than that it’s got the same stats as above for the most part, so don’t make me type them again. Use initiative, scroll up and down again, you could use the exercise.

It has the same storage options and wireless connectivity as above, capabilities aside from the dual SIM.

• 2.8″ screen at 640×480
• Samsung S3C 6400 mobile processor (533 MHz)
• 3-megapixel camera
• The weird part:
  SIM 1
  HSDPA / UMTS (2100/1900/850 MHz)
  Quad-Band GSM：850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  EDGE class 10/GPRS class 10
  SIM 2
  GSM Tri-Band(900/1800/1900)

More info as we get it, and keep an eye out for a hands-on. Here’s a few more pics.

• 3.8″ screen at 480×800 — nice
• Samsung S3C 6410 mobile processor (533 MHz)
• 128MB SDRAM for apps and stuff, and 256MB for built-in stuff
• MicroSD card slot, of course
• 3.2-megapixel camera w/ autofocus
• HSDPA Category 8/ HSUPA Category 5 (2100/1900/850 Mhz)
• Quad-band, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• GPRS/EGPRS: Class B, multi-slot class 11
• 802.11b/g
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• G-sensor and L-sensor (whatever that is)
• SiRFstar III GPS system wi/ Navigon shareware installed
• Pull-out antenna (awesome)

The M900 is the F900′s big brother. It’s got the same screen, processor, and storage, but has the added benefit of a slide-out physical keyboard. It has a different interface and doesn’t have the crucial “L-sensor,” which is not explained.

It also has a fancy 5-megapixel camera with “flashlight,” an upgrade if i ever heard of one. Lastly, the front of the phone has a fingerprint reader of all things where the buttons should be. Don’t ask me.

Other than that it’s got the same stats as above for the most part, so don’t make me type them again. Use initiative, scroll up and down again, you could use the exercise.

It has the same storage options and wireless connectivity as above, capabilities aside from the dual SIM.

• 2.8″ screen at 640×480
• Samsung S3C 6400 mobile processor (533 MHz)
• 3-megapixel camera
• The weird part:
  SIM 1
  HSDPA / UMTS (2100/1900/850 MHz)
  Quad-Band GSM：850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  EDGE class 10/GPRS class 10
  SIM 2
  GSM Tri-Band(900/1800/1900)

More info as we get it, and keep an eye out for a hands-on. More pics at CG.

 

BARCELONA, Spain – Feb. 16, 2009 – Today at Mobile World Congress 2009, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer along with key mobile partners unveiled new Windows® phones featuring new user-friendly software and services. The next generation of Windows® phones will be based on Windows Mobile 6.5 and feature a new user interface and a richer browsing experience. In addition, Windows® phones will feature two new services: My Phone, to sync text messages, photos, video and contacts to the Web; and Windows® Marketplace for Mobile, a new marketplace that will provide direct-to-phone mobile applications that can be controlled from both the phone and the Web.
“Windows® phones bring together the best of the Web, the PC and the phone so you can connect instantly to the experiences you care about, no matter where you are,” Ballmer said. “We’re working with partners across the industry to deliver a new generation of Windows® phones that break down the barriers between people, information, and applications and provide great end-to-end experiences that span your entire life, at work and at home.”

Windows Mobile 6.5 Delivers New User Experience
Windows Mobile 6.5 includes a new home screen with customizable widgets that display glanceable updates from users’ favorite Web services and let users tap into them quickly, along with faster, more efficient access to personal e-mail, work e-mail, phone messages and instant messaging. It also includes an improved touch-screen interface, making it easy to take action with a finger, and an updated version of the latest Internet Explorer Mobile browser, which in a third party research study by sponsored by Microsoft, supported execution of up to 48 percent more assigned tasks than the other browsers and phones studied.
My Phone Service Connects the Phone to the Web
The free My Phone service will enable people to access, manage and back up their personal information on their device to a password-protected Web-based service, making it easier to upgrade phones without the worry of losing important information. With automatic syncing and backup, users can count on their contacts, appointments, text messages and other information being kept up to date and easily restored should they lose or upgrade their phone. Consumers also will be able to wirelessly update photos and video from their Windows® phone directly to the My Phone service, making it simple to share content that, in the past, would have lived and died on the phone. The My Phone service is currently available in a limited invitation-only beta.
Rich and Integrated Marketplace Service Will Offer Easy Access to Mobile Applications
The new operating system features Windows® Marketplace for Mobile, a rich and integrated marketplace for searching, browsing and purchasing mobile applications from Windows® phones or from a PC by simply using a Windows Live ID. The new marketplace will ship inside all Windows phones based on Windows Mobile 6.5, which will allow consumers to easily find, install and experience those applications that fit their needs and make the phone truly personal. Developers, who have already built more than 20,000 applications for Windows® phones, will be able to offer applications to customers through the marketplace via a simple security and compatibility check from Microsoft.
The new Windows® phones are expected to be available at the beginning of the second half of 2009. Additional information about Microsoft at Mobile World Congress 2009 is available on the Microsoft MWC Web page at http://www.windowsmobile.com/mobileworldcongress.

 

We hear about loose-lipped employees leaking stuff all the time around these parts. Less frequently, but still pretty often, companies that have partnered together on a project will unintentionally leak the related products prior to announcement. Least common of all, however, is the treasured occasion in which a company leaks their own product.

Such is the case with the 8-megapixel Nokia N86, which makes an appearance in a stray info document (Look out! It’s a PDF.) within the press kit handed out at Mobile World Congress today. “But wait,” you say, “isn’t the entire point of a press kit to provide details on the just-announced products at events like MWC?” Yes – usually, that’s the case. But the N86 has made no other appearance at MWC – neither on stage nor in the rest of the press materials.

Besides the form factor, all we can glean from this leak is the N86 model number, the 8MP sensor, and that it’s sporting a Carl Zeiss lens (as that was the topic of the document it was hiding in). As Symbian-Guru points out, the UI sure doesn’t look like it’s built for a touchscreen, so we’re probably looking at a slider here.

Palm hasn’t announced a GSM version of the Pre yet, but it look like Europe has nothing to worry about ’cause we would bet the farm Vodafone will be supporting the upcoming handset. There is, of course, no confirmation from Palm yet but it makes all of us here in the States hopeful that maybe, just maybe, the Pre will be available on other carriers besides Sprint sometime soon. *fingers crossed*

BARCELONA, Spain – Feb. 16, 2009 – Today at Mobile World Congress 2009, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer along with key mobile partners unveiled new Windows® phones featuring new user-friendly software and services. The next generation of Windows® phones will be based on Windows Mobile 6.5 and feature a new user interface and a richer browsing experience. In addition, Windows® phones will feature two new services: My Phone, to sync text messages, photos, video and contacts to the Web; and Windows® Marketplace for Mobile, a new marketplace that will provide direct-to-phone mobile applications that can be controlled from both the phone and the Web.
“Windows® phones bring together the best of the Web, the PC and the phone so you can connect instantly to the experiences you care about, no matter where you are,” Ballmer said. “We’re working with partners across the industry to deliver a new generation of Windows® phones that break down the barriers between people, information, and applications and provide great end-to-end experiences that span your entire life, at work and at home.”

Windows Mobile 6.5 Delivers New User Experience
Windows Mobile 6.5 includes a new home screen with customizable widgets that display glanceable updates from users’ favorite Web services and let users tap into them quickly, along with faster, more efficient access to personal e-mail, work e-mail, phone messages and instant messaging. It also includes an improved touch-screen interface, making it easy to take action with a finger, and an updated version of the latest Internet Explorer Mobile browser, which in a third party research study by sponsored by Microsoft, supported execution of up to 48 percent more assigned tasks than the other browsers and phones studied.
My Phone Service Connects the Phone to the Web
The free My Phone service will enable people to access, manage and back up their personal information on their device to a password-protected Web-based service, making it easier to upgrade phones without the worry of losing important information. With automatic syncing and backup, users can count on their contacts, appointments, text messages and other information being kept up to date and easily restored should they lose or upgrade their phone. Consumers also will be able to wirelessly update photos and video from their Windows® phone directly to the My Phone service, making it simple to share content that, in the past, would have lived and died on the phone. The My Phone service is currently available in a limited invitation-only beta.
Rich and Integrated Marketplace Service Will Offer Easy Access to Mobile Applications
The new operating system features Windows® Marketplace for Mobile, a rich and integrated marketplace for searching, browsing and purchasing mobile applications from Windows® phones or from a PC by simply using a Windows Live ID. The new marketplace will ship inside all Windows phones based on Windows Mobile 6.5, which will allow consumers to easily find, install and experience those applications that fit their needs and make the phone truly personal. Developers, who have already built more than 20,000 applications for Windows® phones, will be able to offer applications to customers through the marketplace via a simple security and compatibility check from Microsoft.
The new Windows® phones are expected to be available at the beginning of the second half of 2009. Additional information about Microsoft at Mobile World Congress 2009 is available on the Microsoft MWC Web page at http://www.windowsmobile.com/mobileworldcongress.

The Samsung M7600 BeatDJ wants to be taken as a serious music phone contender, mkay? Samsung developed a new OS for the handset which apparently works like a turntable while Bang & Olufsen helped with the music processing and loaded the phone with SRS 5.1 surround sound. The phone is still loaded with the standard fare such as 3MP camera, 2.8-inch AMOLED WQVGA screen, 50MB on board memory, microSD slot, FM radio, GPS, and DivX support.

The BeatDisc, which was a no show at Samsung’s event, takes most of the BeatDJ’s mojo including the B&O magic and adds a slid-down keyboard and a bit more onboard storage of 80MB.

Pricing and availability hasn’t been announced just yet but we’re sure it will eventually make its way out of Barcelona and onto the ol’ Interwebs.

OmniaHD Press Release

Samsung OMNIAHD Dazzles at Mobile World Congress with Its HD Brilliance

Barcelona, Spain, February 16, 2009 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today unveiled its ultimate multimedia powerhouse with HD brilliance. OMNIAHD is Samsung’s first Symbian full-touch handset, and features the world’s first 720P HD video recording and decoding on mobile, as well as the world’s largest AMOLED screen on mobile. Samsung launches OMNIAHD at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, as part of its portfolio of innovative mobile devices that incorporate the latest multimedia features and fastest data communication, to offer a complete media solution for consumers.

Samsung OMNIAHD is the newest, high performance full-touch screen phone that brings together style, multimedia and business performance in one device. The mobile follows on from the phenomenal success and heritage of the OMNIA last year and extends Samsung’s market leadership of all-in-one full-touch phones. Samsung OMNIAHD has a stunning design with a sleek finish and delivers the ultimate in digital entertainment thanks to its HD capability and 3.7” AMOLED screen. The Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) touch screen offers unrivalled sharpness of tone, vivid colours and greater clarity in direct sunlight as well as less power consumption.

“Samsung OMNIAHD is an incredibly exciting product for us as it is a mobile perfectly suited to the needs of today’s consumers who want exciting multimedia experiences on the move,” said JK Shin, Executive Vice President and head of Mobile Communication division in Samsung Electronics. “OMNIAHD demonstrates our vision for the Samsung mobile business, which is to provide premium phones for users who desire functionality, style, usability and entertainment in one innovative device. With Samsung Mobile, I believe that our users can enjoy being at the forefront of work and play, staying connected anytime, anywhere.”

Brilliant HD
The HD video recording feature enables you to capture precious moments in HD (720p) quality, enjoy HD content on HD TV via DLNA technology and share real-time live video as users shoot it via qik.com. The 16: 9 screen of QHD display with 16M colour and dual stereo speaker reveal a whole new world of mobile multimedia experiences on the move, enabling users to enjoy SD (Standard Definition) /HD (High Definition) videos in cinema-scale quality with caption.

Brilliant Convergence
Allied to the industry-leading 8MP camera which allows you take digital camera-quality photographs on your phone, the Samsung OMNIAHD ensures you capture the best possible photographs of your friends and family.
Users can enjoy super-fast internet access of HSUPA 5.76Mbps and HSDPA 7.2Mbps that enables you to download or upload a 4MB MP3 song in less than 10 seconds and a 40MB movie in 1 minute(※). 3.7” Auto-Rotating Display on the large screen means that you can enjoy PC-like web-surfing on your phone. [※ Based on theoretical values]
GPS with integrated compass makes OMNIAHD suitable for both pedestrians and drivers, and the navigation touch control and voice guidance via dual stereo speaker provide drivers with easy and safe navigation.
The generous internal memory (available in 8GB and 16GB capacity options), with the addition of a 32GB microSD card, allows you to store up to 48GB, which translates to 35 DVD-quality movies or 18,000 8MP photographs.

Brilliant Interaction
With its easy to use and intuitive 3D interface, OMNIAHD offers effortless and convenient viewing, allowing users to move around and multi-task seamlessly. Motion-enabled features including 3D games make it intuitive and exciting to enjoy the best ever mobile multimedia experiences. Moreover, Samsung Mobile Widget delivers up-to-date information of your choice with just one touch, creating a personalized interface with which to access the infinite wealth of web content.

BeatDJ and BeatDisc Press Release

Samsung Moves to the Beat

Samsung Launches Iconic “BEAT Edition” Music Phones

Barcelona, Spain, February 16, 2009 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today announced the launch of two BEAT Edition mobile phones, the Samsung BEATDJ and Samsung BEATDISC. The BEAT Edition mobile phones are a perfect combination of touch-screen technology, incredible sound and beautiful design. The Samsung BEATDJ and Samsung BEATDISC truly set a new standard in Samsung’s music phone line up.

Both BEAT Edition handsets are designed to satisfy all music lovers, offering the latest mobile audio technology wrapped up in beautiful designs inspired by iconic jukebox imagery. Add to that an intuitive UI with a touch screen and users will have more fun than ever with their music.

Running Samsung’s intuitive DISC User Interface, both phones come fully loaded with Bang & Olufsen audio technology as well as advanced music application for finding, purchasing and recommending music.

“The Samsung BEAT Edition handsets will take music on mobile phones to a whole new level of quality and exciting user experience,” said JK Shin, Executive Vice President and head of Mobile Communication division in Samsung Electronics. “With amazing sound quality and advanced music application, the BEAT Edition handsets will appeal to a growing base of consumers that want to consolidate their music playing devices without compromising on style, function and experience.”

Samsung BEATDJ
The Samsung BEATDJ allows everyone to be a DJ. With its BEAT DJ application & DISC UI, users will be able to add their own voice and sound effects to their favourite songs. With the phones’ full-touch technology and BEAT DJ application, users can also ‘scratch’ the records on the super clear 2.8” AMOLED display to create their personal music. With 50MB of on-board memory – expandable to 16GB with the micro SD card slot – there’s plenty of room to let the musical imagination run wild.

Making music is only part the story. The Samsung BEATDJ is also equipped with built-in real stereo speakers – powered by B&O’s ICEpower amplifier– which sound as good as they look, producing a deep rich bass and crystal clear treble.

Samsung BEATDISC
The Samsung BEATDISC combines the functionality of a slide-out keypad with the engaging user experience of a touch-screen device.

The Samsung BEATDISC boasts the same B&O ICEpower amplifier as the Samsung BEATDISC as well as the class-leading music recognition, tagging and recommendation application, making it the perfect choice for mobile music lovers.

The promise of more Android phones isn’t that far from reality as the companies first model (uphone?!?) seem production ready with a Q3 target launch. You have to imagine that Hauwei has more phones in the pipeline ready to be branded and sold under a providers name. Hopefully more details will seep out of Barcelona’s MWC09.

This can’t end well. We stopped by Huawei’s MWC09 booth to ask about their previously discussed Android phone and were presented with what you see here. Now, we’re not ones to yell “iPHONE CLONE!!!!” at every phone with a touchscreen – but come on, seriously?

It wasn’t powered up, they weren’t letting people touch it, and details were as sparse as can be. The only real detail the Huawei rep could share was the Q3 release date they already announced in December.

When we asked about the name, the rep jokingly responded “uPhone”. At least, we hope he was joking.

One more shot after the jump.

As much as we wanted HTC to announce the G2 at MWC, we knew it would be too much to ask. But if you’re into Windows Mobile (6.1) or, more importantly, TouchFlo 3D then you’re in luck. It looks like HTC took a page from Palm’s playbook on these updated Touch devices, but more on that later.

The Diamond2 (4.25 X 2.09 X 0.54 inches) features a 3.2-inch WVGA touchscreen with a touch sensitive zoom bar located across the bottom. A 528MHz Qualcomm MSM7200A proc, 512MB ROM, and 288 MB RAM handle things under the hood. The D2 comes with a 5-megapixel AF camera, 1100mAh battery and a microSD slot. It weighs 4.15 ounces.

The Pro2 (4.57 X 2.33 X 0.68 inches) has the same components under the hood, but dons a 3.6-inch TFT-LCD WVGA touchscreen and 3.2-megapixel camera. It also sports a bigger 1500mAh battery and weighs 6.17 ounces.

Communication is key for both devices and HTC is making them both people-centric communicators. Conversations you have with friends are integrated into one view whether it be voice, text or e-mail. You can access said info from each person’s contact card or the in-call screen.

I’m not entirely sure what Push Internet technology is, but it seems like it’s just caching of Web pages. Or it’s quicker access to bookmarks. We’ll have to wait and see what Greg can dig up.

The Pro2 has something else up its sleeve called Straight Talk technology. Apparently you can transition from e-mail to single or conference calls.

In addition to the new simplified calling experience, Straight Talk includes an innovative mechanical and acoustic design that features a sophisticated speakerphone experience similar to those found in corporate boardrooms. Straight Talk delivers a high-fidelity voice and sound experience enhanced by asymmetric speakers and advanced noise suppression with full duplex acoustics. When the Touch Pro2 is flipped over it automatically turns into a conference room speakerphone system.

The Diamond2 will hit the European and Asian markets in early Q2. The Pro2 will hit various markets in early summer.

BARCELONA — Feb 16, 2009 — HTC Corporation, a global designer of mobile phones, today unveiled two new flagship devices, the HTC Touch Diamond2ä and HTC Touch Pro2ä. Integrating innovative simplicity with unique style and an intuitive interface, the devices balance function, form and cutting-edge technology to personalize the communication and mobile Internet experience.

“The HTC Touch Pro2 and HTC Touch Diamond2 introduce a mobile communication experience that simplifies how we communicate with people in our lives whether through voice, text or email,” said Peter Chou, president and CEO, HTC Corp. “HTC is delivering the latest, cutting-edge sophistication in a broad portfolio of mobile phones that improve how people live, work and communicate.”

HTC TouchFLO 3D Integrated with Windows Mobile

The HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2 utilize HTC’s latest TouchFLO 3D interface. TouchFLO 3D has been more deeply integrated into a customized version of Windows Mobile 6.1 to deliver more consistency throughout Windows Mobile applications and menus. Focused on making navigation easier and more intuitive, TouchFLO 3D brings important information to the top-level user interface, including quick access to people, messaging, email, photos, music and weather. As part of this improved Windows Mobile integration the touch focus areas have been enlarged to be more finger-touch friendly.

BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER

With the HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2, HTC is introducing a new people-centric communication approach, providing a single contact view that displays the individual conversation history of contacts regardless of whether voice, text or email were used. This can be viewed from the contact card or the in-call screen during a phone conversation, ensuring the latest communication contact-by-contact is always at hand.

SIMPLIFYING HOW PEOPLE ACCESS THEIR INFORMATION

Continuing its commitment to making the mobile Internet easier and more enjoyable, the HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2 introduce HTC’s Push Internet technology. HTC Push Internet alleviates slow downloading and rendering of Web pages on a mobile phone. Users can preselect their favorite Websites to get immediate access to them when needed.

HTC Touch Diamond2

The HTC Touch Diamond2 is the next step in the evolution of the successful HTC Touch Diamond. Crafted to fit perfectly into the hand, the Touch Diamond2 evolves the compact design and iconic style of the original HTC Touch Diamond. It incorporates a larger 3.2-inch high-resolution wide-screen VGA display for a greater viewing area in a design just 13.7mm thick. The phone also includes a new touch sensitive zoom bar for even faster zooming of Web pages, emails, text messages, photos or documents.

Leveraging HTC’s TouchFLO 3D experience combined with a people-centric communication approach and HTC’s new Push Internet technology The Touch Diamond2 offers an advanced touch experience that is optimized for one-hand use.

With fifty-percent better battery life, a five mega-pixel auto focus camera, expandable memory, gravity sensor and an ambient light sensor, the Touch Diamond2 brings the most sophisticated capabilities to a broad consumer audience looking for the professional benefits of a smartphone without sacrificing size, looks or functionality.

HTC TOUCH PRO2

Designed for business professionals, the HTC Touch Pro2 is architected with distinct style and strength while delivering the most powerful productivity experience available on a mobile phone. Leveraging HTC’s TouchFLO 3D, people-centric communication and Push Internet technology, the Touch Pro2 features a high-resolution 3.6-inch widescreen VGA display for an expanded viewing area and large finger-friendly QWERTY keyboard. With improved battery life, expandable memory, a touch-sensitive zoom bar as well as gravity, proximity and ambient light sensors, the Touch Pro2 is optimized for touch as well as heavy email use.

Introducing HTC Straight Talkä for HTC Touch Pro2

The new HTC Touch Pro2 leverages voice in a new way to create one of the most sophisticated communication experiences found on a mobile phone. HTC’s new Straight Talk technology delivers an integrated email, voice and speakerphone experience. Users can transition seamlessly from email to single or multi-party conference calls and turn any location into a conference room.

In addition to the new simplified calling experience, Straight Talk includes an innovative mechanical and acoustic design that features a sophisticated speakerphone experience similar to those found in corporate boardrooms. Straight Talk delivers a high-fidelity voice and sound experience enhanced by asymmetric speakers and advanced noise suppression with full duplex acoustics. When the Touch Pro2 is flipped over it automatically turns into a conference room speakerphone system.

Availability

The HTC Touch Diamond2 will be available to customers across major European and Asian markets in early Q2 2009 with broader global availability coming later in the year. The Touch Pro2 will be available across major global markets beginning in early summer.

It was just about undeniable at this point, but Nokia has officially announced the E75. It will be available in March at the unsubsidized price of 375 euros (roughly $483 USD), with pre-orders beginning today.

Nokia has yet to release the full specs, but the previously leaked (and most likely accurate) specs are as followed:

• Battery:
– Capacity: 1000 mAh
• Display:
– 320 x 240 pixels
• Network:
– GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 (Quad-Band)
– WCDMA: 900/2100 (Dual-Band)
– HSDPA (3.6Mbps)
• Camera:
– 3.2 mega-pixels (auto-focus)
– Digital Zoom
– LED Flash
• Video:
– Hi-Resolution VGA Video Recording
– 30fps Video Recording (QVGA)
– Supported formats: MP4, 3GP, H.264, Flash, H.263 & Real Player
– Video Streaming
• Music:
– Supported formats: MP3, AAC, eAAC+ & WMA
– FM Stereo Radio
– Nokia Music Store
– Nokia Podcast Support
– Nokia Music Manager Support
– Windows Media Player Sync
• Ringtones:
– Monophonic
– Polyphonic (64)
– MP3
– AAC
– Talking Ringtones
– Video Ringtones
• Messaging:
– SMS

– MMS (with video) – E-mail (POP3, SMTP, IMAP4, MS Exchange)
– Instant Messaging (MSN)
– Text-To-Speech Reader
• Memory:
– Phone Book (unlimited)
– Dialled Calls (30)
– Missed Calls (30)
– Received Calls (30)
– microSDHC (external)
• Call Features:
– Hands Free
– Caller ID
– Voice Dialling
– VoIP Support
• Connectivity:
– microUSB
– Nokia 3.5mm AV connector
– Bluetooth (2.0)
– Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11g)
– GPRS Class 32
• Navigation:
– AGPS
– Nokia Maps
• Security:
– Device Lock
– Remote Lock
– Device and memory card encryption
– Mobile VPN support
• Features:
– Dual Home Screens (Work/Personal)
– Office Document Viewer (Word, Excel & PowerPoint)
– PDF Document Viewer
– ZIP File Manager
– Nokia Web Browser
– Dual Keypad Design