Last year Coolpad launched the Quattro on MetroPCS, and the device sold just under 1 million handsets, which was a big surprise for the company. Now they’re back with another option in the Quattro II 4G for C-Spire, and have plans to continue their stateside push. The device might be a top-tier handset but when compared to other 4G devices on C-Spire, the price will win over many potential buyers.

Coolpad’s Quattro II 4G sports a 4.5-inch qHD 540 x 960 display, and comes with stock Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean under the hood. You’ll get a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor and 1GB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage. A 5 megapixel camera and VGA front are included, then an 1,800 mAh battery under the hood. It might not be as high-end as many would like but should certainly satisfy the newcomer to smartphones or someone looking for 4G LTE on a budget. Overall the phone felt quite nice, build quality was impressive given the phone will probably land for under $100 (off contract) and we were pretty impressed by our few minutes with the handset. Here’s a few photos for a better idea of what to expect from C-Spire and others.

Then the folks from Coolpad also had another smartphone on hand that was pretty impressive inside and out. Called the Coolpad 8920 for short, but known in China as the TDD-FDD, which explains the type of LTE bands it can handle. It’s a first of its kind hybrid device that handles both TDD-LTE and FDD-LTE bands. The interesting part here being that most hardware can only handle one, not both, but thanks to Coolpad this phone can switch between both with ease. It’s like the 3G/4G LTE hand-off, only more seamless and will take advantage of future LTE spectrum.

This device was certainly a more premium handset then the Quattro series above, but it will also cost users more too. Running with a 5-inch 720p HD display and Qualcomm’s 1.7 GHz Snapdragon S 4 Pro quad-core chip. It also has 1GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage, an 8 megapixel camera and a sizable 3,000 mAh battery. With a aluminum ring around the hard plastic unibody shell it felt nice in the hand, and also comes in black according to Coolpad. This is available in China now, but they’re hoping to bring similar technology to the US soon.

Coolpad might not be a household name yet, but with quality devices being offered at affordable prices that could change really quick. Enjoy a few more photos below while you’re at it.

The report comes from Chinese media outlet CWW, and they’re saying that the mobile operator is hoping to seek approval of its LTE-TD network by May 17, which would see the official launch of the network sometime in August of this year. In the meantime, China Mobile has been preparing by releasing several LTE devices, as well as setting up multiple LTE towers.

China Mobile has already deployed over 200,000 LTE base stations across 150 different locations in China, and they have said that they would be prepared for a full launch next month, including a full range of LTE smartphones going up for sale, as well as MiFi devices being available as well.

China Mobile’s total user base reaches 726 million, and it’s leaps and bounds ahead of what China Unicom and China Telecom have, which is 251 million and 168 million subscribers, respectively. No matter what, it seems China Mobile is dead serious about LTE, and by August when the LTE network is expected to launch, China Mobile will launch its LTE in full force.

[via The Next Web]

Hardware

Huawei has jumped right into the limelight recently by offering some good quality hardware, and specs that can compete with the big boys. The Ascend P1 is no different although isn’t quite as thin as its P1 S cousin that takes the crown for the “world’s thinnest smartphone.” To start on the hardware look over our hands-on here, then we’ll dive into the rest.

Huawei’s equipped this new phone with a large and vibrant 4.3-inch qHD 540×960 AMOLED display, a 1.5 GHz dual-core TI OMAP4460 processor, 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. The initial specs don’t match that of the Galaxy S III or the HTC One X, but it comes to market with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and an impressive hardware design to keep the others at bay.

The phone is extremely well designed, durable, and feels excellent (for the most part) while in use. As you can see the design is similar to what we’ve seen from Samsung in the past, right up to the camera around back like the Galaxy S II. They’ve opted for the same lightweight plastic material and the constructions feels quite familiar. As you see above the button layout is what we’ve come to expect from Huawei and others. Along the right we have the power/wake button and a micro-SD slot for expanded storage. The other side rounds it out with the volume up/down button in a nice aluminum design.

Oddly up top is not only the SIM slot (as the back is not removable) but they’ve also tossed the micro-USB for charging on top as well, something I’m not a fan of. Then you have the 3.5mm headphone jack as expected. The rest of the hardware is completed with an 8 megapixel rear camera and dual LED flash, and a 1.3 front camera for those self portraits although I feel their front camera is better than most.

The only downfall hardware wise for me would be the hump on the bottom (again similar to most Samsung phones) and while the phone has a nice curved design around the square edges, the bottom is quite sharp and wasn’t extremely comfortable for my style of grip with my pinkie finger resting on bottom. The hardware and design is otherwise excellent — as long as you don’t mind having a non-accessible battery. The back is not removable.

Software

Now for software we have a little toss up. The phone looks and runs great on Android 4.0 ICS. Is smooth for daily use, games and multitasks with ease — but is the Chinese market version. What this means is we have no Google Apps. No Play Store (Android Market,) no Gmail, Google Talk, Google Voice, Google Maps… they are all missing. This is expected with the Chinese market so we can’t dock it, and Huawei has confirmed the European and other markets will all have the usual array of Google applications.

We have Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with a pretty lightly modified skin over the top. Nothing has changed too much aside from the lockscreen, and some power widgets in the notification drop down. However, once you hit menu there’s an option for a 3D homescreen instead of the usual, that will completely change the look and feel of the Ascend P1. I actually found myself enjoying the 3D home over the original. With neat animations, a fancy weather widget, and cool effects. The photos below give you a better idea of what you can expect. I like the simple and quick toggle they’ve provided, and it keeps all your icons in place once enabled.

In general the software performed just as you’d expect on a powerful dual-core processor. Everything was smooth and swift, and the 3D animations worked great even though we don’t have a 3D display. All the Ice Cream Sandwich effects and cyan blue colors pop with the AMOLED display too. Since being installed for the Chinese markets, the phone did have Mobile QQ, as well as HiSpace mobile app store. They have a pretty limited selection and nothing looked familiar for someone like myself, and I wasn’t even able to find Angry Birds – Sadness. Many of the menus were difficult to navigate considering I don’t speak or read Chinese, but again that won’t be a problem for the European models.

Benchmarks

What would a review be without a few benchmarks right? Although we have an older 1.5 GHz TI dual-core on board performance was strikingly decent. While no where near the HTC One S and it’s Qualcomm 1.5 GHz dual-core the Ascend P1 still managed some above average dual-core results similar to the Galaxy S II. Reaching around 3500 in Quadrant Advanced with impressive I/O speeds passing 6000. Benchmarks are only a small part of performance but these affirm our daily usage results that this phone is fast and stable.

Camera and Battery Life

One aspect that I was quite surprised with by Huawei is the cameras on the Ascend P1. Both the rear and front cameras were extremely capable. The rear facing 8 megapixel camera has two LED’s for those dark moments and handles a low lit room with ease. The front 1.3 camera also seemed better than most in my opinion. My little Android models from the gallery below was snapped with the front shooter for a sample, the rest were with the rear 8 megapixel camera. The phone also records in full 1080p and was a little jagged at times of extreme motion but should handle most situations quite well.

Here comes one big downside for the Ascend P1 for most Android users. That is the size of the battery, and the fact that it isn’t user accessible or replaceable. The 1670 mAh battery is smaller than most we’ve seen the past 6 months, and can’t be accessed if needed. While this phone was clearly for Chinese markets I did toss in and use an AT&T SIM for a few days for battery tests. That wasn’t ideal but I averaged about 8-10 hours of uptime. This will vary by carrier, HSPA+ speeds and data usage, and location so we’ll leave that be for now.

Wrap-Up

Our final conclusion for the Huawei Ascend P1 was quite favorable. Other than a few design decisions we’d probably change ourselves the phone is promising. Huawei has continued to improve from an OEM brand into a mainstream competitor and the Ascend P1, the thinner P1 S, and the upcoming Ascend D Quad are a fine example of that. It appears they’ve taken some strong hints from Samsung with their smartphone design and direction — and with good reason. Samsung is the number one smartphone manufacturer in the world and their numbers have continued to climb.

Out of the multiple Huawei handsets we’ve had the pleasure of working with as of late, the Ascend P1 is one of the most polished and best devices to date. They are headed in the right direction and I’d love to have this phone be available for a good mid-range price on AT&T or T-Mobile. Overall the Ascend P1 has a vibrant screen, impressive specs, the latest version of Android, a top quality camera, and everything fits in a simple and sleek 7.6mm thin chassis. We look forward to what else Huawei sends to market this year and you can expect the Ascend P1 to be available in Hong Kong and Taiwan this month, followed by Latin America in June, and with Europe getting the handset this summer.

Speaking at an annual general meeting, Xi went on to say: “China Mobile and Apple both have the will to strengthen cooperation. When there is more specific news, we will disclose it.” Apple, meanwhile, declined to comment. Offering the iPhone on its network is sure to attract even more customers and boost revenue, and allow the carrier to compete against China Unicom and China Telecom who both offer the iPhone.

The company is also hoping to battle declining sales with the introduction of an LTE network across China. Currently it relies on a TD-SCDMA 3G service, preventing China Mobile from offering more popular handsets to compete with its rivals. The company will expand its LTE trial to nine cities and add around 20,000 base stations (up from 900 last year).

This version of the smartphone appears to be running on China Mobile and is currently running the newest version of Android Ice Cream Sandwich, that being 4.0.3 just like the Transformer TF300. This device will be coming with a dual-core 1.2GHz OMAP 4430 processor from Texas Instruments and will have an unknown amount of onboard storage when it’s released – likely 16GB. Past versions of the RAZR with Android have had 32 and 16GB iterations with a microSD card slot to expand by 32GB on the fly.

The Motorola RAZR HD will more than likely be coming with the same 3000mAh battery as the RAZR MAXX so as to keep with the theme of this phone getting bigger each time it’s released, and will also have the newest version of Motorola’s UI “Blur.” Though we’ve not seen much of the word “Blur” or Motoblur as its sometimes referred to, Motorola has continued to use their now-unnamed user interface in phones globally. See you soon, HD!

[via Android Community]

Sound like a great deal for you, all you retro flip-out lovers? How about those of you that loved your RAZR but are so very saddened by the fact that the newest edition doesn’t have any flips to speak of? Everyone should be able to appreciate this: the screen on this W999 unit not only flips up and out, it flips back so you can set it up like a tent! How strange is that? Set it up like an action figure seat, fold it closed for a fat-fat handheld with on-screen buttons, or have it folded all the way out for the tallest smartphone in the world!

Have a peek at this promo video to see how fabulous the experience is going to be if Samsung delivers the magic how they say they will. If you’re actually in China and want to pick this device up before it comes over to the states, you’ll be working with GSM and CDMA2000 network for China Telecom. Also if we do end up seeing this device hit the states, I’ll eat my hat. With a display that size and that processor under the hood (we must assume its the same Exynos as the Galaxy S II) we’re expecting some earth-shattering benchmarks across the board – maybe.

[via MICGadget]

Nonetheless, it’s not the first time that China Mobile has made promising noises about an LTE iPhone. Back in January, the carrier again suggested that Apple had agreed to make a version of its smartphone using TD-LTE. That may well have been premature, however; the commercial roll-out of the network isn’t expected to take place until 2012.

Despite the absence of support for either China Mobile’s 3G TD-SCDMA or the upcoming TD-LTE, Wang says adoption of the iPhone among the carrier’s subscribers has still been positive. 8.5m already have an iPhone of some sort, he claims, despite being limited to 2G data speeds.

Even if an LTE iPhone 5 arrives sooner rather than later, it would still be of little use to North American Apple fans, at least initially. Neither AT&T nor Verizon are using the TD-LTE standard, rendering the smartphone’s high-speed connectivity incompatible.

However, Clearwire – which currently operates a WiMAX network in the US – has announced a new deal with China Mobile to promote the use of 2.5GHz TD-LTE from 2012 onwards, as well as pushing for international roaming on FDD-LTE and 2G/3G networks. If Apple decided to follow their advice and make an iPhone LTE which could roam between TD-LTE and FDD-LTE, that might result in a single high-speed handset of use to subscribers both in China and in the US.

[via GigaOm]

The Marvell chips are inside the Asus T10 and T20 smartphones and the smartphones run the China Mobile OPhone OMS system in its latest iteration. Both of the smartphones claim to deliver high quality mobile gaming, mobile TV, and WiFi connectivity.

The Asus smartphones use the Marvell 88W8787 chip to combine WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and FM connectivity into the devices. Pricing and availability of the devices in China is unknown at this time.

Unicom runs on the 3G global standard and is not the largest carrier in the country. The largest carrier is China Mobile, which uses a different standard called TD-SCDMA and will use TD-LTE for its next gen standard. According to China Mobile chairman Wang Jianzhou Apple has committed to supporting TD-LTE.

China Mobile has been working with Apple for years trying to get Cupertino to build an iPhone supporting TD-SCDMA. The pledge for support of the next generation TD-LTE format brings new expectations of Apple perhaps offering an iPhone for the Chinese carrier that will support the current 3G network.

Via Reuters

This newly leaked version has a smaller screen, but otherwise the specifications look very similar.  However there’s no indication of whether the 8.2-inch Delta ereader – which will carry the Vivitek brand – will allow for pen-input annotation, like the larger model could.

China Mobile are said to be subsidizing the sticker price of the device, though neither the original or discounted cost are currently known.  Delta has previously said that its Bridgestone-sourced e-paper is faster than that of rival E Ink.

[via E-Reader-Info]

HTC has announced that it is now selling handsets in China under its own HTC brand. Along with the HTC branded handsets the company has also announced that it will be partnering with China Mobile to bring future HTC smartphones and devices to the Chinese market.

HTC will also be working with large distributor GOME Electrical Appliances Holding LTD; GOME is the largest electronics distributor in China. HTC will be bringing Sense equipped smartphones to the Chinese market with devices like the HTC Tianxi, HTC Tianyi, HTC Desire and HTC Wildfire.

Rather than use QR codes, 2D barcodes or other staples of current AR systems, QderoPateo are aiming for nothing less than full image recognition.  The Ouidoo will have two dual-core parallel processors paired with 2GB of RAM and an 8GB chipset, used for rendering and manipulating interactive 3D images, while accelerometers, gyrometers and GPS are combined to apparently pinpoint user-location with ten-times more accuracy than GPS alone.

While the Ouidoo is expected to make its debut at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo this spring, QderoPateo will also be launching an iPhone app – WorldLenns – which gives a partial insight into their software plans.  As for the business model, they reckon they can finally make proximity-based marketing pay its way.

[via GigaOM]

LG have also given the GW880 a CMMB (China Multi Media Broadcasting) TV tuner for mobile entertainment, and there’s a special China Mobile App Store, presumably filled with “approved” Android apps for download.  The company seems particularly pleased with how many icons you can fit on its homescreen, boasting room for up to 24 without having to pan across to other desktop panes.

There’s also Bluetooth but no mention of WiFi, which could be a side-effect of the Chinese government’s temporary ban on the wireless technology.  Pricing is also unclear, and LG haven’t yet confirmed whether they’ll be launching a version of the GW880 outside of China.

It also has a 3-megapixel autofocus camera with digital zoom, which can record both stills and video.  Unfortunately the lack of 3G and WiFi is also confirmed; the latter will be remedied, Dell have said, in later iterations of the handset, but the first batch was manufactured during the Chinese government’s ban of the wireless technology.

Elsewhere there’s Bluetooth, GPS and a microSD card slot content with up to 32GB media.  Wired connectivity is via micro-USB; unfortunately there’s no 3.5mm headphones socket, though as we’ve seen from an early unboxing Dell do at least include a micro-USB to 3.5mm adapter.

Pricing is still not confirmed, but Dell have said that the Mini 3i – or at least a 3G variant of it, perhaps the Dell Mini 3iX already spotted navigating the FCC – will reach foreign climes at some point in the future.

Press Release:

China Mobile Becomes First to Sell Dell Mini 3i Smart Phones

The Mini 3i, in Red Passion and Oiled Bronze colors, will begin arriving across China later this month

China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator, serves more than 500 million subscribers
China Mobile will soon become the first mobile operator to sell the Mini 3i, a sleek and slim new multi-touch smart phone from Dell designed to leverage the power, flexibility and applications of China Mobile’s new OPhone and Mobile Market platforms. Available in Red Passion and Oiled Bronze colors, the Mini 3i will begin arriving through China Mobile’s nation-wide channels (its authorized stores) by the end of this month and Dell direct to follow.

The Mini 3i runs China Mobile’s flexible OPhone open source platform, and includes the latest in popular entertainment including pre-loaded 139Mail e-mail, Fetion chat and digital maps for navigation. A large 3.5-inch widescreen creates a big-screen experience, making photos and videos bigger and more intense. The Mini 3i is also compatible with a range of consumer applications, e-mail platforms, and office productivity software.

“People today want to carry their lives with them – they want to discover, capture and share new content as they roam around the world,” said Michael Yang, vice president and general manager for Greater China Consumer of Dell. “We believe Dell’s year-long development collaboration with China Mobile will amplify those experiences better than anyone else in the industry.”

“This signals an important milestone in the long term partnership between China Mobile and Dell,” said a China Mobile spokesperson. “We are excited for Dell to be among the first manufacturers to introduce new technology based on the OPhone platform. We look forward to working with Dell as it brings innovative new products and services to add value to our customers’ lives.”

The Mini 3i is the result of a year-long collaboration with China Mobile and further illustrates Dell’s ongoing investment in smarter and more mobile products. China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile service provider with more than 500 million subscribers, teamed with Dell earlier this year to develop a new product for the rapidly growing base of mobile broadband users in China, embedding 3G technology in the Dell Mini 10 netbook.

With the recent launch of the OPhone platform, industry analysts are estimating that the current base of 180 million mobile broadband users in China will continue to grow at a rapid pace. The Mini 3i is specifically engineered to give those customers a smart phone that delivers fast, easy and fun access to the internet, e-mail, chat, music and video.

Popular Mini 3i Features:

Entertainment: Access to China Mobile’s Mobile Market suite of services, games, productivity tools, wallpapers, ringtones and applications. Discover China’s popular Internet sites including 51.com, Kaixin and Renren.
Customization: Personalize MP3 ring tones, icons and shortcuts. Run widgets on the home screen: sports, stocks, news and weather tickers.
Navigation: GPS navigation.
Search: Search contacts, appointments and e-mail from the home screen.
Camera: 3 megapixel camera with zoom, auto-focus, flash, video capture and photo-editing capabilities. A 3.5 inch, widescreen (16:9), 640 x 360 display that’s ideal for viewing photos and videos.
Popular Messaging: Support for the wide range of messaging platforms and services, including e-mail, IM, MMS and SMS.
Dell Mini 3i OPhone Specifications:

Form Factor: Tablet/PDA
Dimensions: 58.35 x 122 x 11.7
Display: 3.5” nHD, 640×360
Bands/Modes: Quadband GSM/EDGE
Weight: <105g (grams)
Bluetooth
GPS
Micro SD (up to 32GB)
Connector: Mini USB
About Dell

People worldwide can buy Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) online, by phone and through more than 43,000 stores.

About China Mobile

Officially established on April 20, 2000, China Mobile Communications Corporation (“China Mobile” for short) has a registered capital of RMB 51.8 billion and assets of over RMB 700 billion. China Mobile has been playing a leading role in the development of the mobile communications industry in China and holds an important position in the international arena as well. Listed among the Top Fortune 500 companies for 8 consecutive years, China Mobile’s latest ranking is No.148; China Mobile was also a partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Update: Dell’s official blog has confirmed the news, together with dropping strong hints that the company will be leveraging existing carrier relationships for embedded mobile broadband netbooks for future Mini 3i releases.  Vodafone in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and AT&T and Verizon in North America, are both name-checked.  More photos of the Dell Mini 3i after the cut.

Update 2: And now the official press release is out; still no hard specifications.

Early adopters in China will also miss out on WiFi, as the first batch of Mini 3i handsets there was produced during the Chinese government’s ban on the wireless connectivity.  However Michael Tatelman, vice president of sales and marketing for Dell Global, has confirmed that future devices would gain China’s own wireless alternative.

Other than that, the company is keeping quiet on definitive specifications.  All Tatelman would confirm is that the Mini 3i will have a 3.5-inch touchscreen, though previous leaks have indicated a three megapixel camera and Bluetooth support.  As for a US launch, all the exec would say is that “you have to assume that this is a global strategy”; a US-spec wireless version of the handset, the Dell Mini 3iX has already been spotted.

[via Engadget]

The handset supports the China Mobile TD-SCDMA 3G network. The device is optimized for the Chinese user on the world’s largest mobile provider. Features of the handset include a 5MP camera with dual LED flash, 2.8-inch QVGA screen, and the device runs the Symbian S60 platform.

Nokia reports that the handset is inspired by traditional Chinese furniture and architecture. The handset incorporates Chinese design elements including Chinese patterns on the back of the slide and the battery cover. Nokia expects the device to debut on the mobile carrier at the end of December 2009.

The absence of decent, clear photos of the handset is seemingly because it was not properly announced at the China Mobile event.  In fact, according to Dell’s Anne Camden, “it wasn’t officially, formally introduced so much as it was waved around.”

Specifications of the prototype are believed to include a 3.5-inch 360 x 640 capacitive touchscreen, 2G GSM connectivity, Bluetooth and a 3-megapixel camera, along with a microSD card slot but no WiFi or 3G.  While we’re quite willing to accept that Dell aren’t ready to announce the 3i quite yet, don’t expect us to be too surprised should their production handset for China Mobile turn out to be strikingly similar in design.

Here’s the run-down of the specs, so far:

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE class 12
• Size: 68.6cc
• 103grams in weight
• Dimensions: 58 x 122 x 11.7mm
• Display: 3.5″ nHD  640×360 LCD, 18-bit, 262K colors
• OTA capable
• Microsoft Exchange support
• Google, AIM, Yahoo, and MSN IM support
• 3-megapixel auto-focus camera, with flash, 8x digital zoom, 30fps video shooting mode, and built-in photo editor
• USB 2.0, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR
• A-GPS
• On-screen QWERTY keyboard, handwriting recognition, multi-touch UI
• MicroSD slot

It’s stacking up to be a pretty nice device, and we’re starting to wish that the Chinese market wasn’t the only lucky area getting this phone. Of course, one thing to look at is the fact the phone does have hand-writing recognition, which is usually only seen on resistive-screen technologies.  But, so far, every Android phone is a capacitive screen, so we’ll have to wait for a little bit more details to find out the nitty-gritty on the Benzine.

[via Boy Genius Report]

The Inspiron Mini 10 is a small device with a nearly full-sized keyboard, an LED backlit display, a multi-touch trackpad, a rez of 1,024 x 576, HDMI outputs, a webcam, WiFi and more. Users can also access 100GB of online Dell storage for an extra fee.

These are pretty much the only differences from the standard Mini 10, which includes a 160GB HDD, 1GB RAM and a 1.33GHz Intel Atom processor. You can get the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 in China now with 3G access in three color options (Obsidian Black, Cherry Red and Alpine White) for the equivalent of $575.