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Okay, so maybe Palm hit its head on the corner of a goalpost in a charity hockey tournament recently (stupid ego -- no helmet) and hasn't been the same since. Maybe they've lost their ever-loving minds, gone back to 2006, and resurrected the original Centro ID with a build of webOS so janky that it looks like a knockoff of webOS. We prefer a couple more reasonable theories: someone's hard at work on a webOS skin for Palm OS (bless their heart) or Palm had used a Centro for early mockups / prototyping on webOS and the shots of that effort are just now starting to leak out. Either way, dude pressing on the screen in the middle picture: nice stylus. Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds Don't worry, this isn't the Centro 2 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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We had a brief peek at yest another pico projecting set at MWC, this time an NTT docomo Samsung affair without a name, price, or even a release date. Specs are as sketchy as these are usable in a brightly lit room, but the hopes are this device will be used for services like mobile TV, home theater (yeah, right), document editing, presentations, and video calling. We were enthused to see the mock ups (pictured above) of where the design of this device could go -- and we're hoping that by next year the bricks we've seen lately will be gone and sleek design will become the norm. We filmed a bit of it in action and honestly, we've seen TI's pico projector before and it doesn't seem to have changed significantly. Follow the link to see the media.
Continue reading NTT docomo and Sharp show projector phone at MWC Filed under: Cellphones, Displays, Handhelds, Home Entertainment, Portable Video NTT docomo and Sharp show projector phone at MWC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Never mind the Magic -- we've run across another Android device lurking in the midst at MWC, and if you squint, you might just see some HTC influence in this one, too. We'd heard General Mobile's dual-SIM DSTL1 would launch here, granted, but given its reasonably high-end look and the fact that we'd only seen renders ahead of the show, you have to appreciate our skepticism. Of course, we're delighted to be proven wrong in these sorts of situations, and we had a chance to play around with a DSTL1 today; WQVGA feels weak and there might be just a little too much Touch Diamond influence, but you have to respect the 5 megapixel AF cam, 4GB of internal storage plus microSD expansion, dual SIM slots, and on-board FM radio. Ultimately, the fact that this thing'll only be available in two tri-band EDGE flavors kills the dream, but goodness, these guys are getting close, aren't they? Follow the break for video!
Continue reading General Mobile's DSTL1 Android phone eyes-on Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds General Mobile's DSTL1 Android phone eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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We were really impressed with Texas Instruments' OMAP 3-based mobile development platform when we saw it running Android earlier today, and the hardware seems to hold up well to all sorts of video-accelerated magic for a multitude of Linux-based interfaces. Not so much with Windows Mobile 6.5. Granted, this is a very early build of the OS according to Microsoft, and is lacking all sorts optimization mojo that will go into the final product due end-of-year-ish, but at the same time this is basically an interface skin to Windows Mobile 6 that Microsoft has had nearly a year to work on since 6.1, and it's not exaggerating to say that performance is a complete joke at the moment. TI's OMAP 3 was clearly struggling to handle basic scrolling of the home screen and app menu, though "smoothness" was slightly improved in scrolling through a gallery of photos. TI has been working with 6.5 for "a few months," and claims to have added optimizations to interface performance -- and interestingly is running this on a capacitive touchscreen device, something that isn't officially supported as far as we're aware. They're also saying that they plan on achieving full smoothness by the time this launches, but there's really a long way to go, and it's difficult to understand why this seems to be a last priority for Microsoft at the moment. On the other hand, TI is doing great things with its own 3D-accelerated interface, something which Windows Mobile 6.5 brings support for, so perhaps these will all one day (soon) meet in the middle and give us the sort of interface smoothness and usability we'd expect on a phone built a decade into this century. Check out the painful videos after the break. Continue reading TI's OMAP 3 hardware doesn't manage to do Windows Mobile 6.5 any favors Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds TI's OMAP 3 hardware doesn't manage to do Windows Mobile 6.5 any favors originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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 Not content to let Apple be the only one having fun banning racy apps that might scar the fragile minds of its users, Google is apparently looking to get in on the action with its Android Market. The company has confirmed that no graphic sexual content will be allowed, nor anything that encourages violence or hate speech. That's bad news for those who like bad apps, but the good news is that if you find something you've downloaded to be just a little too mainstream for your edgy tastes you'll have 24 hours to return it. Keep your download and unlimited reinstalls will be at your disposal, but Google maintains the right to forcefully remove an app from your device whenever it feels like it -- pledging to do its best to get you a refund. Finally, there will be no upgrades provided through the Android Market, meaning you'll rather unfortunately need to get them through some other, less secure means. [Via IntoMobile] Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds Android Market allows returns, but not sexy stuff originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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We've been waiting on more details about a "forthcoming" Samsung MID for what feels like centuries now, but if a recent find is what it says it is, we'd say a Samsung-branded, WiMAX-enabled Mobile Internet Device is pretty close to production. The so-called SWD-M100D was spotted chillin' out, relaxin' all cool at Sammy's MWC WiMAX kiosk, which makes perfect sense given its ability to connect to WiMAX networks. Unfortunately, it was caught running WinMo 6.1, though the slide out QWERTY keyboard, 3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR module, 4.3-inch touchscreen, microSD slot and TV output were all welcome inclusions. Samsung's PR folks have been somewhat dodgy so far, but a recent press release about its innovation in the WiMAX space specifically makes mention of an elusive MID. We're on to you, Samsung, and we're not looking away for even a second. [Via Pocketables] Read - In the wild shots Read - Samsung release Filed under: Handhelds WiMAX-equipped Samsung SWD-M100D MID spotted at MWC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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This thing's been on quite a journey from concept to production, but here we are -- finally, a true successor to Pantech's quirky Duo on AT&T. The Matrix PRO features HSDPA (up from UMTS), integrated GPS with AT&T Navigator, Bluetooth, a 2 megapixel cam, Video Share support, and Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard, but the real draw lies in the device's pair of sliders -- one for QWERTY, one for digits. At nearly 23mm thick, it's not the thinnest smartphone in the world -- that honor supposedly belongs to the Nokia E55 -- but where else are you going to get this many buttons on a single device? Pricing and availability are forthcoming. Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds Pantech's Matrix PRO slides two ways onto AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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It's no mind reader, but MIT researchers Brandon Taylor and Michael Bove's "bar of soap" device should be able to tell you what gadget you're pretending to use based on how you hold it. Loaded with 72 capacitive sensors and a three-axis accelerometer, the prototype has a small screen that says what it believes you're pantomiming -- camera, phone, PDA, gamepad, and remote control are demonstrated in the accompanying video. In a slightly more realistic / entertaining example, a baseball is stuffed with sensors and used to determine what kind of pitch you've. Bove speculates the idea could potentially be used for high-tech golf clubs that tell you how incorrectly you're holding it or power tools that don't work unless you're gripping it the right way, and while we're sure there's other, more beneficial uses, we're really looking forward to figuring out why we always seem to slice right. Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Handhelds MIT's 'bar of soap' knows just what you want when you hold it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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We just got a great look at the potential of Android on Texas Instruments' new Zoom OMAP34x-II Mobile Development Platform, a sort of sexy cousin to Compulab's exeda. The OMAP3430-powered unit is being built by Logic and is meant for software developers to work on the OMAP3 chipset, but it's actually a pretty neat "device" in its own right, with a 4.1-inch WVGA capacitive touchscreen LCD, HDMI out, all sorts of connectivity, 16GB of storage, an SD card slot, large QWERTY keypad and an 8 megapixel camera. There's also a debug board with Ethernet, USB plugs and some other technical stuff. For $1150 developers can pick up a WiFi-only unit, and $1399 buys you a 3G unit -- consumers can buy 'em too, and we can imagine certain enthusiasts wouldn't mind the cost for what basically amounts to the ultimate Android device. The unit runs other flavors of Linux, but we're really in it for the Android, especially thanks to that screen. Wind River has been doing development on Android for a while, contributing to the original source code as part of the OHA, and one of its developers even ported Android to OpenMoko. They've got a refined Android interface running on the Zoom, which includes a tabbed application browser, fancier widgets and a spruced up unlock screen. They wouldn't consider what they're doing a skin or a port, but it's exactly the type of stuff that device manufacturers will be looking for to differentiate their Android-powered handset. Video of all the magic is after the break. Continue reading Texas Instruments and Wind River do up Android right Filed under: Handhelds Texas Instruments and Wind River do up Android right originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Technically, i-mate's only official announcement at MWC this year is the mega-rugged 810-F that'll withstand 140 degrees of heat, 14 degrees of cold, water resistance, and shock resistance courtesy of a nasty rubber casing, but it's certainly not going to appeal to the average consumer -- especially consumers who aren't wearing clown pants with one-liter pockets. So to that end, the company is also showing off a Windows Mobile Standard device codenamed "Centurion" -- and we're pretty sure this is the most compelling device i-mate has ever made. The version we saw was literally the first working prototype they've assembled, which meant it was creaky, wobbly, and felt like it could break at a moment's notice, but we're not taking too much stock in that; the more important thing to note is that it's freakin' tiny. The keyboard was too mushy from its overwhelming prototype-ness to take stock of whether it'll actually be usable in production, but our quick impression gives us hope that it might be wide enough to get the job done. The battery is absolutely tiny, so i-mate will be throwing in a battery wallet (remember the Upstage?) to help mitigate the problem -- they didn't have a wallet ready to show, but even with such an accessory tacked on, you're still looking at a smartphone leaps and bounds smaller than pretty much anything else you've used. There's no date on the Centurion's launch, but they're targeting mid-year -- and yes, both the 810-F and Centurion will get free Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrades. Cheers to that.
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds i-mate's 810F and Centurion handled with wild abandon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Samsung sure has made some high claims about its OmniaHD supermegaphone, and now we've got some HD footage and stills to put those claims to the test. The camera does seem pretty stellar for a phone, and the video is undoubtedly HD, but we saw pretty sluggish performance in the HD recording mode, both in the on-screen preview and in the finished product. We'll chalk that up to the super-early build of the device software, but hopefully this will be resolved before the phone ships. The phone also does ultra-slowmotion video, which is awesome, but seems similarly inconsistent and stuttery in frame rate. We'll shut up and let you see it all for yourself, both in the gallery below and the videos after the break. Again, this is all from a pre-production phone, and we're really expecting (or at least hoping for) the frame rate to smooth out by launch. The video was shot in 720p, but it was downsampled for web playback -- it looks pretty sharp in native form, and the first image in the gallery is a screencap from the video in full resolution for your perusal. Continue reading Samsung OmniaHD's camera put to the test Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras, Handhelds, HDTV Samsung OmniaHD's camera put to the test originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Microsoft's mansion at Mobile World Congress contains -- among other things -- a playground of recent Windows Mobile-powered models designed to show off its licensees' collective design and manufacturing prowess. By and large, the models were nothing we haven't known about for days, months, or years, but one stood out for us: this here Samsung Valencia. We've heard of this sucker through Expansys as the C6625 with a $365 sticker price -- but Samsung doesn't seem to know anything about it and it's only being shown by Microsoft, so we suppose they've opted against an unveiling here at the show. Microsoft's spec sheet indicates that it's got 3G (which jibes with Expansys' details), GPS, 128MB each of RAM and ROM, a totally pedestrian QVGA display, and a 393MHz processor -- slow for a Professional device, yes, but this sucker's Standard with some minor UI mods. One thing that's got us a little confused is the line item indicating 20GB of storage -- something tells us that a phone with these kinds of specs wouldn't be packing 20GB on board, so it might refer to a theoretical max of 20GB with the microSD maxed out. We're not losing sleep over the missing announcement with this one, guys, so don't sweat it or anything.
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds Samsung Valencia outed by Microsoft, not Samsung originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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 Right around this time last year, Texas Instruments was busy showing off its OMAP 3 platform, which enabled 720p playback from a mobile phone. At this year's MWC, we've got a real live handset recording 720p, and TI upping the ante once more with a chip that handles 1080p. For those still with us after being blasted with resolutions, the predictably titled OMAP 4 aims to bring 1080p support, 20 megapixel imaging and "approximately a week of audio play time" to mobiles and MIDs that house it. Granted, TI also calls this stuff "future-proof," so don't believe it's totally incapable of uttering some pretty outlandish stuff. At the heart of the platform is a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 chip, a programmable multimedia engine based on TI's C64x DSP and a POWERVR SGX540 graphics engine. We're told that it'll play nice with Linux variants such as Android and LiMo, Symbian and Windows Mobile, though it'll have to be mighty impressive to outgun NVIDIA's Tegra. Battle on, we say. [Via Linux Devices] Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds TI's OMAP 4 bringing 1080p support to smartphones and MIDs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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