The display has been increased in size from 3.1″ to 3.2″ (crazy, I know) and the phone works and feels just like an Instinct. They included Opera Mini 4.2 on the phone to give users another full HTML web browser option. They have made some changes to the inside of the phone, including new software to sync calendars from your desktop to the phone (something I can personally vouch for as a needed feature) and added support for higher-capacity microSD cards, above 8GB.

The biggest news from the Instinct is the core set of API’s that are now available to developers who want to access the core functionality of the phone to create more sophisticated applications. This is good news for anyone who is looking for a phone with applications from their favorite developers, but doesn’t want to dish out for a more expensive device.

The Instinct S30 will launch April 19th for $130 on contract.

Best Concept Phone- docomo Separable Phone

Even though we’ll never see it on U.S. soil, the docomo Seperable Phone was freaking sweet. The device was two pieces, a number pad/remote and a screen, held together by magnets and could be pulled apart. The screen could be placed on the wall to watch television, and the number pad acted as the remote. You could also take the screen and use that as a touchscreen phone separately from the keypad.  Even cooler were the add-ons, like the wrist band for running that displayed all sorts of information relayed to the large display by the keypad that would be in the runner’s pocket.

Best Real Phone-Palm Pre

You saw that one coming, didn’t you? Of course the Pre was going to win that one. Even though we were only allowed to hold it while a Palm rep kept their fingers touching it, and we weren’t really allowed to explore the functionality of the phone past the demos, the Pre was still impressive. The interface was smooth, the features were amazing, the display was stunning, and the applications promising. I can’t wait for this phone to be released, and I know I’m not alone. We had all of our real Palm Pre coverage over at MyPre.com, which you should check out if you haven’t already.

Best New Online Service-RocketVox

We saw RocketVox at ShowStoppers and I was immediately impressed by it. The service creates an aggregate inbox for all of your communication (chat, email, voicemail, IM, fax, etc.) and also provides a phone number for calls to be directed to multiple cell phones if you have them, much like Google Voice. Where RocketVox differs is the ability to control your contacts and create security layers called “orbits” that allow you to assign a specific amount of information that the contact can see or get from you.  It also does voicemail to texting if you miss a call, which is sweet. I’m really looking forward to getting in on the Beta for RocketVox, and this service looks like it’ll be fantastic to use.

Best Peripheral-Hantech’s Siso Tablo

Yes, you saw this one already, but we were so impressed by the abilities of the Tablo that we threw it up here again. The Tablo turns any laptop PC into a tablet PC through a small sensor that is placed on top of the display, and a pen that allows you to write on your screen.  The Tablo works with all MS Office applications, as well as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Corel Paint. There’s even an attachment to turn the pen into a normal ballpoint, and whatever you write on a piece of paper shows up on the screen. We’re getting a unit to review, so we’ll let you know how well the Tablo works in the coming days.

Best New Product Line-Kyocera

We got a chance to sit down with some people from Kyocera and be briefed on their upcoming product line, as well as their recent shift in business strategy since their takeover of Sanyo. Kyocera has some excellent phones that are debuting on Sprint very soon. The low-cost, high-volume full qwerty keyboard phone, is a promising device that targets the teenage texting generation. It was a durable phone, easy to use, and very sturdy with some nice features such as dedicated “Text” and Emoticon buttons. Their new slider phones feature full qwerty keyboards as well, and were a pleasure to use. Kyocera has some big plans for it’s future devices, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw jumps in their marketshare in the coming years.

Best Booth-LG

We were told that it was less extravagant than years prior, but we couldn’t tell. The LG booth was one of the largest and was the first booth you saw walking onto the main floor in the central conference hall. It featured light effects, a live DJ for pounding music, and ridiculously plush carpeting and couches for comfort.  We seriously felt like we were in a new dance club that only invited old dudes in business suits.  They even had a piece of the “All-Spark” from the Transformer’s movie (I found out later that Michael Bay was there and embarrassed himself in front of his LG handlers by pulling out a $39 Samsung phone).

Best Food-Sprint VIP Lounge

We camped out in the Sprint lounge to work, mainly because the Palm Pre was there, and because the people were awesome (and Vincent was hoping he’d get to meet Dan Hesse again). We have to say though, the food rocked. caprese sandwiches, sushi, fruit cocktails, desserts, yogurt parfaits, roast beef, and the list goes on.

Best Cell Phone Accessory-BlueAnt Q1

It was a tough decision between Sound ID’s 200 model and the BlueAnt Q1, but the BlueAnt won out by a hair, only because the integrated speech commands took it beyond the expected capabilities of any other bluetooth device out there.  The Sound ID had the comfort and the style, but the BlueAnt Q1 had the functionality that made us “wow” and realize that all other Bluetooth headsets should incorporate hands-free commands.

Best Use of Capacitive Touch Surfaces-LG GD900

The GD 900 features a transparent keypad that acts as a second capacitive touch surface for controlling the phone.  The main display and the keypad are both capable of multi-touch, so resizing and swiping through photos is easy on either surface.  The phone uses the S-Class user interface, and attempts to mimic the iPhone in photo resizing and simplified menus.  This phone basically dominates the fashion-accessory category too. It’s a gorgeous looking handset, but unfortunately, this GSM device isn’t going to be hitting our shores any time soon. North and South American launch dates are yet to be determined, and Europe is in the coming months.

Best Use of OLED Displays

Samsung had a nice booth, but the best feature was a giant exclamation mark made out of the displays from the Samsung Impression. Hundreds of AMOLED displays flashing different images in bright colors showed off the beauty of AMOLED screens. It looked beautiful, and the best part was that the images were visible from most angles, which really showed the capabilities of the AMOLED displays.

Well, that’s the best stuff that we thought of. Every company there had interesting products and services. If you happen to think we missed something, let us know and why you thought it was so great. We enjoyed bringing the CTIA coverage to you, and we hope you enjoyed reading it! Thanks for following our posts from CTIA!

Style

You don’t get any more sleek than this. The Sound ID 200 is a small, lightweight and streamlined headset, weighing in under half an ounce, and fitting well against the face. My love for this device started when I discovered no external blinking lights except when powering on and off, and with the slim profile, observers are hardly aware you’re wearing a Bluetooth device at all when looking at you from the front.

Comfort

This is the most comfortable Bluetooth units I have ever worn, period. The patented ear loops fit inside the bowls of your ears, and they can easily be rotated for wear on the left or right. It comes with three sizes for best fit, but the Medium worked best on me. After an hour of wearing the 200, I completely forgot I had it in until I was startled by the beeping from an incoming call. Going all day with the 200 in my ear is not out of the question, whereas other headsets would become tiring to wear. I was amazed that this thing is so comfortable, and best yet, it doesn’t fall out of my ear. I can shake my head around and the 200 won’t budge.  The ear pieces fit very well, and I would hope so since they were designed by a company that makes hearing aids.

Sound Quality

The Sound ID 200 sounds decent, and it is definitely using some quality audio components. There were several occasions where calls were muffled and I had a difficult time understanding the caller, though this is a common ailment of any Bluetooth headset, and definitely not unique to the 200. This could be due to a number of factors, but usually when I switched back to my handset from the 200 the sound issues went away.  Mind you, this wasn’t enough of a hindrance to prevent me from using the device. On the contrary, it did this far less often than every other headset I’ve ever really used.

The sound isolation and Noise Navigation features seem to work well enough. The people I called could hear me and I could hear them. When I ran Demo Mode by turning off the Noise Navigation, it was very clear how much noise the device was eliminating. It does this by using two microphones to constantly scan for noise in the environment and compensate.

Battery Life

I’m still using the Sound ID 200 after three days and no recharging. That should tell you enough.

Final Thoughts

The Sound ID 200, which will be released in a few weeks, is a good sounding and comfortable headset. Very comfortable, in fact: I would say that the fit of the ear pieces alone is reason enough to buy this headset. While the sound quality with any Bluetooth device is inherently imperfect, the Sound ID 200 was a pleasure to use, and will take its place as my main headset among my arsenal.  The Sound ID won’t be out for a few weeks, and pricing should hover around $100. The 200 will be available at select retailers including Apple, Amazon.com and Fry’s Electronics.

Final Score: 7.9/10

Sound ID Homepage

While the largest CompactFlash Extreme IV card is currently 16GB with a 45mb/s transfer rate, SanDisk’s Tanya Chuang, director of worldwide retail product marketing for high performance imaging, did tell us more was on the way.  While Tanya couldn’t give full details, a new design of CompactFlash card is on its way, with SanDisk addressing both capacity and speed.

As for SDC, SanDisk’s eventual plan is to fit a smart card web server onto each one, that would use the mobile device’s data connection to show up as an intelligent node on the network.  An embedded web server would offer themed HTML pages, content streaming and smart searches.  No word on when we’ll see those cards on shelves, but 32GB SDCs are expected sometime this year.

Palm Pre Classic emulator video demo after the cut

Apps have access to the data connection, and to the emulator it’s as if they’re loaded on an SD card.  There’s no HotSync tethering, but according to the emulator’s developers there’s a “compatibility mode” which should get around that; we’re still waiting to see exactly what format that will take.

The video demo also shows Epocrates, a digital prescription handbook that’s well-loved on classic Palm OS hardware by those in the medical profession.  It’s great to see Palm have actually looked at what gets the most use from their legacy devices, and planned accordingly for the Pre.  More Pre news from CTIA here.

They each have automatic volume control, too, and a microUSB charging port.  The Sound ID 300 is slightly more advanced, boasting PersonalSound - three presets supposedly tuned to common audio preferences.  Each weighs 8g and lasts for up to 6hrs talktime or 9 days standby.

The Sound ID 200 will launch in mid-April, priced at $99.99.  Meanwhile the Sound ID 300 will be available from April 15th exclusively from AT&T stores and from the carrier’s online store; it’ll be priced at $99.99, a $10 reduction from the MRSP. 

Press Release:

Sound ID Announces the Ultra-Comfortable Sound ID 200 Bluetooth Headset

Available at Amazon.com, Fry’s Electronics and other National Retailers

PALO ALTO, California, April 1, 2009 – Continuing its mission to build a new category of Bluetooth Headsets that improve speech intelligibility in noisy environments, Sound ID today introduced the Sound ID 200 Bluetooth Headset.

The Sound ID 200, ergonomically designed for all-day wearing comfort, follows in the footsteps of its predecessors and offers functionality unique to Sound ID products, such as NoiseNavigation™, which provides clear audio through the reduction of background noise thanks to dual adaptive beam-forming microphones and sound isolation algorithms. Additionally the headset, which is styled in a tactile soft-touch cobalt-blue material, offers Automatic Volume Control for seamless volume adjustment depending on a user’s environment.

“We’re excited to launch the Sound ID 200, as we believe it’s comfortable fit, compact size and easy-to-use features are qualities that today’s consumers are looking for,” said Michael Jones, President and CEO of Sound ID. “Most importantly, the 200 delivers the proprietary sound-enhancing features that make our headsets the best on the market for hands-free conversations in noisy mobile environments.”

Key Capabilities
• RealComfort™ EarLoops are scientifically designed to provide a secure and comfortable fit and
better channel sound into the ear for enhanced listening.
• Automatic Volume Control eliminates the need for constant volume adjustment in variable noise
situations such as driving.
• NoiseNavigation™ delivers Increased speech intelligibility as dual microphones automatically isolate
speech while minimizing background noise.
• A Micro-USB charging port enables users to charge the Sound ID 200 with standard micro USB
chargers. The headset comes with an AC charger (100-240V) and a USB charging cable.

Sound ID 200 Specifications
• Lightweight: Less than 8 grams (0.28 ounces)
• Dimensions: 53.5 x 15.5 x 7.5 millimeters (2.1 x 0.6 x 0.3 inches)
• Long Battery Life: Up to 6 hours talk time, 220 hours (9 days) standby
• Latest Bluetooth Technology: Bluetooth version 2.1+EDR with eSCO improves the transmission
sound quality and is backward compatible with earlier versions of Bluetooth.

Pricing and Availability
The Sound ID 200 will be available at www.amazon.com, www.soundid.com, select Apple Retail Stores and Fry’s Electronics for $99.99 in mid-April. It comes with a Universal AC charger (100-240 VAC), USB charging cable, three sizes of RealComfort EarLoops and an Ear Hook for an alternative over-the-ear option.

Press Release:

Now Available: Sound ID 300 Bluetooth Headset

New headset available exclusively through AT&T; offers consumers unique acoustic advances and the latest in Bluetooth convenience

PALO ALTO, California, April 1, 2009 – Providing mobile consumers with a new way to enjoy hands-free communications, Sound ID today announced that the Sound ID 300 Bluetooth headset will be available through AT&T, both in retail stores nationwide and online, as of April 15, 2009.

With a high gloss piano black finish, the lightweight Sound ID 300 displays a sophisticated design and differentiates itself from other Bluetooth headsets with innovative functionality, including NoiseNavigation™ and PersonalSound™. NoiseNavigation™ provides clear audio through the automatic reduction of background noise, while PersonalSound™ allows users to select from three listening modes that enhance speech clarity without raising the volume.

“Created by our experienced team of hearing specialists and acoustic scientists, the Sound ID 300 brings an in-depth knowledge of the human ear to the Bluetooth arena,” said Michael Jones, President and CEO of Sound ID. “We believe its unique feature set, pristine sound clarity and exceptional comfort make it the ideal complement to any Bluetooth-enabled phone.”

Among the Sound ID 300’s technology features, users will enjoy:
• NoiseNavigation™ – This proprietary development optimizes speech intelligibility at both ends of the
conversation, as dual microphones isolate speech and DSP algorithms automatically reduce wind
and background noise.
• PersonalSound™ – Users can choose from three listening modes – tuned to the most common
hearing preferences – to further enhancing speech clarity without raising the volume.
• Automatic Volume Control – This feature eliminates the need for constant volume adjustment in
variable noise situations such as driving.
• Universal Charge – Users no longer need to carry multiple chargers, as the Sound ID 300 can be
charged by standard micro USB chargers.
• Secure Pairing – The Sound ID 300 supports secure pairing with Bluetooth 2.1 handsets for simplified
mating of the phone with the headset.
• RealComfort™ EarLoops – Created for extended wear, the headset comes with scientifically
designed EarLoops to provide a secure and comfortable fit and better channel sound into the ear for
enhanced listening.

Sound ID 300 Specifications
• Lightweight: 8 grams (0.28 ounces)
• Dimensions: 53.5 x 15.5 x 7.5 millimeters (2.1 x 0.6 x 0.3 inches)
• Powerful Battery Life: Up to 6 hours talk time, 220 hours (9 days) standby
• Latest Bluetooth Technology: Bluetooth version 2.1+EDR with eSCO improves the transmission
sound quality and is compatible with earlier versions of Bluetooth.

Pricing and Availability
The Sound ID 300 will be available at AT&T retail stores and online at www.wireless.att.com on April 15, 2009. The headset has a MSRP of $119.99 and is currently being sold at AT&T for $99.99. It comes with a Universal AC charger (100-240 VAC), USB charging cable, three sizes of RealComfort EarLoops and an Ear Hook for an alternative over-the-ear wearing option.

Video demo after the cut

The MSI Wind U123 also has the newer N280 1.66GHz processor and optional TV tuner, together with more casing colors and 2GB of RAM supported.  Meanwhile the MSI X-Slim X320 has an Intel Atom Z530 1.6GHz processor and optional 3G/WiMAX, while the MSI X-Slim X340 steps up to an Intel CULV Core 2 Solo 1.3GHz SU3500 processor and 1080p-capable graphics with an HDMI output.

MSI also revealed that they were planning more size options for the X-Slim X340 range, including a bigger 15.6-inch model and a smaller 11.6-inch design.  No release timescale for those units was given, but MSI confirmed that they will see a US launch.

Video demo after the cut

Each of the units has full mapping of North America, now including Mexico, together with seven million POIs, MapShare technology to make distributing user-identified map changes straightforward, and the TomTom Help Me! menu, which gathers together local safety and emergency information.  They also use the TomTom Fold and Go EasyPort mount, which provides the usual screen-fix but in a design that can fold flat enough for a shirt-pocket. 

The TomTom ONE 140 is priced at $179.95 while the text-to-speech ONE 140S is $199.95.  As for the TomTom XL 340, that’s $229.95 while the text-to-speech XL 340S is $249.95.  All four units are available now.

Press Release:

Premium technologies including IQ Routes™ and Advanced Lane Guidance now available on new TomTom ONE and TomTom XL

Concord, MA – April 1, 2009 – TomTom, the world’s leading portable navigation solutions provider, today announces the newest additions to its world’s best-selling portable navigation devices. The new TomTom ONE 140 series and TomTom XL 340 series incorporate TomTom’s innovative IQ Routes™ Technology and Advanced Lane Guidance feature, which were previously available only on the high-end TomTom GO series. Additionally, the new models incorporate a new design that features a high-quality black finish, as well as increased North American map coverage that now includes Mexico. The new models have a recommended retail price starting at $179.95.

“The new TomTom ONE and TomTom XL devices strengthen our mid-range product offering considerably through the combination of first-class navigation and competitive price points,” said Jocelyn Vigreux, president of TomTom Inc. “IQ Routes allows drivers to take those routes that only well-informed locals know. It takes away the stress of not knowing where to go and when you will arrive, as well as gives you a faster route in up to 35% of all cases. In addition, our Advanced Lane Guidance feature gives drivers the information they need to drive more safely and more confidently when dealing with complex road junctions.”

Optimal Routing
The TomTom ONE 140 and XL 340 devices enable users to always drive the smartest and most efficient routes, whenever or wherever they go. The device comes pre-loaded with TomTom’s exclusive IQ Routes Technology, which now incorporates historical speed profile data for both day of week and time of day to calculate the fastest route available based on when the user is actually driving to their destination. IQ Routes Technology is based on anonymous speed profiles gathered over the years by millions of participating TomTom users, and takes into account the real-world factors that influence the speed that drivers can actually expect to travel en route to their destination, such as historical traffic patterns, traffic lights, rotaries, school bus routes, and steeply-sloped roads.

Advanced Lane Guidance
The TomTom ONE 140 and XL 340 devices also incorporate TomTom’s Advanced Lane Guidance feature when navigating in the US. Advanced Lane Guidance provides users with realistic representations of complex highway junctions and lane-specific visual directions that take the stress out of navigating these otherwise challenging areas.

The feature has been enhanced on the new ONE 140 and XL 340 models to include even clearer lane information for complex highway junctions that indicate which lane to take when multiple exits are close together.

Additional Features In addition to the above mentioned features, the new TomTom ONE and TomTom XL devices come with:

Full maps of North America, now including Mexico.
Seven million points of interest, so users have access to information and location details of more restaurants, hotels, gas stations, etc. than ever before.
TomTom Map Share™ technology, so users can instantly make specified map improvements on their device and share those with others, completely free of charge.
TomTom Help Me! menu and extensive safety features, so users have direct access to safety and emergency services information.
TomTom’s newest user menu with an elegant interface that features optimized icons for even easier navigation
Award-winning Fold and Go EasyPort® mount, that easily folds to fit in any bag or shirt pocket.
TomTom HOME, the free desktop application to keep users’ devices up-to-date at all times. New maps or software versions can be downloaded and users can personalize their device.

TomTom ONE 140/140S features a 3.5 inch screen, new look with a high-quality black finish and latest TomTom navigation software. The ONE 140S announces spoken street and place names aloud. TomTom XL 340/340S offers all key functionalities of the TomTom ONE on an extra large 4.3 inch touch screen for improved visibility of a driver’s surroundings. The XL 340S announces spoken street and place names aloud.

Availability and pricing
The new TomTom ONE and TomTom XL devices will be in retailers across the United States and Canada in April 2009.
TomTom ONE 140: $179.95
TomTom ONE 140S: $199.95

TomTom XL 340: $229.95
TomTom XL 340S: $249.95

Video demo after the cut

The Evoke has a single button at the bottom which will return you to the home screen from wherever you are. For an inexpensive entry into the touchscreen market, the UI was slick, but perceptibly lagged at times. The capacitive screen felt good, and the device would be a good entry level touchscreen for those that want the touch screen capability, without sacrificing the keyboard.

The MOTOROKR S320 is a nice, lightweight Bluetooth headset with some nice touch controls, and a built in microphone. The 30mm speakers give a nice bass response and some clear highs. Overall, a nice headset with some great sound and a comfortable, lightweight feel. Pairing is capable with basically any stereo bluetooth device.

The BlueAnt Q1 also allows multipoint for connecting two phones to the headset, and being able to answer either one when they ring. It can be paired with up to 8 devices. The battery life will give you 4 hours of talk time and 100 hours of standby.

The slick, aluminum headset fits comfortably in the ear, and has a very slim profile. For the time being, the Q1 is available only in the brushed aluminum. Thanks to Taisen Maddern, the Executive Chairmen of BlueAnt, we got a great video of the unboxing, and we’ll have a hands on review of the Q1 for you tomorrow.

More details, plus news of a PalmOS emulator, after the cut

This isn’t a developer free-for-all: Palm are acting as gatekeeper for the Mojo SDK, with applications required here.  Those successfully included in the program will be required to sign an SDK confidentiality agreement, which Palm are hoping will keep all those pesky Pre details quiet until the full launch.  According to the FAQ, Palm don’t envisage rejecting anybody – even if you don’t have a specific app in mind – but at the same time they’re not promising to let everyone in at the same time.

There’s also news of a third-party – but Palm sanctioned – emulator app, which will allow legacy PalmOS software to run on webOS, the Pre’s platform.  Developed by MotionApps, “Classic” will hopefully be available when the Pre itself launches, but no specific details have been given.

If, like me, you’re more interested in the handset itself than developing for it, check out the Palm Pre CTIA 2009 coverage over at My Pre.

Full details after the cut, plus photos and video

There are details and a demo of the contacts app, making a call and a general overview, as well as some of the third-party content including Sprint TV, Fandango and Pandora.  There’s also new details on the Pre’s Amazon music store.

For the full Palm Pre CTIA 2009 coverage, head over to My Pre.  There’s video of the contacts and Fandango apps, among others, and we’ve embedded the FlightView demo – an app which we’re told will already be on the Pre, and which costs $9.99 from the Apple App Store – below.

This phone is actually pretty similar to the Instinct and the Delve in that it uses the TouchWiz interface. However, this is not a smartphone–it just looks like one! It features a 3-inch 240 x 400 touchscreen display, 3G, web browser and mobile IM. It also has a GPS application, a media player and an email app.

It seems this phone is available now without a contract. However, since it’s not subsidized, the Samsung Finesse will cost you $349. A tad pricey for the feature set, but may be worth it if you’re not looking to get roped into a two-year contract.

[via PhoneMag]

GlowCap extends beyond simple reminders too. It can communicate with CVS or Walgreens Pharmacies when the prescription is getting low so that the pharmacy will have a new prescription ready for the patient. Yet the biggest draw of GlowCap is the social networking aspect. GlowCap can connect to Facebook (at the user’s discretion, obviously) and let friends and family know if they’re taking the medication. You might be thinking “why would I want to do that?” Chemotherapy drugs are particularly difficult to take, and have a tremendous impact on the patient, who may after a while, become discouraged and stop taking the treatment. The social networking feature of GlowCap will allow friends and family to build a support base for the patient to offer encouragement and create a guilt complex in the user if they let their friends and loved ones down (ok, the guilt isn’t intentional, but it’s a good motivating factor).

GlowCap is produced in a Chinese toy factory to keep costs low, and the caps use 900 Mhz wireless radio to communicate with USB sticks that will access and upload the information. That version is available now from Amazon.com, and Vitality is working on a version that can be used free of the USB sticks for those patients that aren’t terribly versed on computers or the internet.

At Show Stoppers, we got to see the new in-home set up for the signal boosters. Wilson will use the pre-existing cable wiring inside your home for the device to accomplish its goals. They’ve partnered with the #1 distributor of DirectTV in the US to distribute the boosters and wire up homes if needed.

The Mobile Pro (which is a device we’ve used and it works) travels in your car with you and uses an externally mounted antenna to boost your cell phone signal. Anyone who struggles with getting a cell signal during their commute, or in their office should check out Wilson Electronics and their cell signal boosters.

The Kyocera G2GO M2000 has Bluetooth and supports various messaging formats, including SMS, MMS, IM and IMAP/POP3.  There’s also a 1.3-megapixel camera with an onboard editing app, an accelerometer to flip the 2.4-inch QVGA display orientation, and a microSD slot good for up to 8GB cards.  It measures 113 x 52 x 17mm and weighs 120g.

As for the Kyocera Laylo M1400, it has a 2.2-inch QVGA display, slide-out self-portrait mirror on the rear and VGA camera.  It also has Bluetooth 2.0, a WAP 2.0 browser and JAVA, together with a speakerphone, SMS/MMS messaging and instant messaging.  It measures 94.7 x 46.7 x 17mm and weighs 90g.

Kyocera are yet to announce which US carrier has picked up the two handsets.

Press Release:

Kyocera Communications Inc. Unveils Third-Generation QWERTY Texting Phone and Stylish New Slider at CTIA Wireless 2009

- G2GO M2000 and Laylo M1400 Combine Best-in-Class Features with Affordability and Big ‘Bang for the Buck’ -

CTIA Wireless 2009
LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kyocera Communications Inc. (KCI), the newly formed sales, marketing and service organization for Kyocera- and Sanyo-branded wireless devices in the Americas, today announced two new Kyocera CDMA handsets at the CTIA Wireless 2009 trade show in Las Vegas. The G2GO M2000 (pronounced “Good-to-Go”) and Laylo M1400 address a need for affordability and value in today’s challenging economy, yet they also come from product categories in which Kyocera has rich history and expertise.

The G2GO M2000 is Kyocera’s third-generation handset to offer a full QWERTY keypad in a low-cost, text-centric device. It’s a category Kyocera helped to create with the introduction of the Strobe in early 2006. Kyocera’s Laylo M1400 is an ultra-stylish slider design, a form factor Kyocera brought to the North American CDMA handset market in 2003 with the SE47 Slider.

“The G2GO and Laylo support our current strengths as an innovative leader in handset manufacturing providing consumers with a blend of style, functionality and affordability,” said Eric Anderson, vice president of sales at KCI. “The integration of Kyocera Wireless and the former Sanyo mobile handset group is expanding those strengths to include higher-tiered handsets going forward while still providing functional, affordable and feature-rich devices like these.”

Kyocera G2GO M2000

A follow-up to the very successful Lingo M1000 QWERTY handset, the Kyocera G2GO M2000 sports a stylish design with slide-out QWERTY keypad and Bluetooth® wireless technology to make messaging a snap via SMS, EMS, MMS, Instant Messaging, and IMAP/POP3 email*. For the photo obsessed, the G2GO can’t be beat. It includes a full-featured 1.3 megapixel camera with dedicated key, digital zoom and photo editing. The phone uses an accelerometer to switch the huge 2.4-inch QVGA display from portrait to landscape orientation as the phone is turned. The G2GO also features a music player with dedicated keys and playlist management and a microSD™ card slot for up to 8GB of additional music and picture storage.

Additional features include built-in MP3 and polyphonic ringtones, screensavers, wallpapers and caller alerts, predictive text-input software for rapid text entry, Java™ support, a WAP 2.0 browser and BREW® 3.1.5 technology to download games, ringers, wallpapers, and more. Voice recognition features include voice tags, voice digit-dialing and voice response. Handy tools include scheduler, calculator, alarm clock, stopwatch, tip calculator, countdown timer, voice memos and airplane mode along with a directory that can store up to 500 contacts.

The handset measures 113 x 52 x 17 mm, weighs just 120 grams and boasts a talk time up to 250 minutes and standby time of up to 200 hours.

Kyocera Laylo M1400

The Kyocera Laylo slides into style with a compact design that opens to a large, bright 2.2-inch contoured QVGA display for edge-to-edge screen viewing. Perfect for the on-the-go user, the Laylo features a slide-out self portrait vanity mirror on the back. A large keypad with tactile and visual separation makes for faster, easier typing. The very affordable handset also features a VGA camera with digital zoom for quick snaps. The Laylo features Bluetooth® 2.0 wireless technology, a WAP 2.0 browser, and is both BREW® 3.1.5 and JAVA™ enabled.

Other great Laylo features include a speakerphone with dedicated key, speaker-independent voice recognition, MMS, SMS and instant messaging, a contact directory of 500 names with up to five numbers each and convenience tools such as alarm, calculator, scheduler, stopwatch, timer, tip calculator and world clock.

The handset measures 94.7 x 46.7 x 17.0 mm and weighs in at just 90 g. It boasts a talk time of up to 200 minutes and a standby time of 200 hours.

Zer01 Mobile is also contract-free, meaning no penalty clauses for giving up the service.  The $69.95 tariff gets you unlimited national voice calls and unlimited mobile data use, while a further $10 per month adds unlimited international calling to 40 destinations.

Setting up a phone for Zer01 service requires loading a special app that handles creating VPN connections with the company’s servers.  Presently it’s only available on Windows Mobile smartphones, but BlackBerry, Android and iPhone versions are promised “within months”. 

Press Release:

New “True” Unlimited Voice & Data National Mobile Service From Zer01 Mobile Premiers TODAY At CTIA Wireless 2009 Convention In Las Vegas On Pharos Smartphones

- With A Scheduled July 1, 2009 Commercial Launch, Zer01 Mobile’s New Service Utilizes Proprietary VoIP Technology & Priced At $69.95 Per Month Without Any Contracts -
For immediate release: April 1, 2009
For more information: Ron Dresner
860.523.7500 ron@dennispr.com

(Las Vegas, Nevada) – Zer01 Communications, a Las Vegas, NV based mobile communications company, announced TODAY the premier its new Zer01 Mobile true unlimited voice and data mobile service at the CTIA Wireless 2009 convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center, April 1 – 3, 2009. Priced at $69.95 per month for true unlimited national voice and data mobile service without any contracts or commitments, Zer01 Mobile’s also announced the commercial launch of its new service starting on July 1, 2009.

“We are the first mobile service to offer consumers a true national unlimited voice, data and Internet plan without any contracts or commitments that is priced affordably at only $69.95 per month with taxes and fees included. We have licensed patent pending proprietary Veritable Mobile Convergence (VMC) Technology from the Unified Technologies Group that allows each smart phone user to make voice calls or transmit data efficiently by bypassing carrier circuit-switched channels by sending voice communications through a VoIP system and onto a virtual private network that accesses the Internet,” explained Ben Piilani, CEO, Zer01 Mobile. “Zer01 Mobile is not a new mobile virtual network operator (MNVO). We are a new communications carrier.”

The new mobile national carrier has created its own interconnect agreements throughout North America and the globe. Zer01 Mobile customers will be able to use their own smartphones or buy a new phone from the online store. “We are saving consumers hours of time and hundreds of dollars. Since we are setup as a pre-paid service, no longer will consumers spend hours and hours reviewing contracts and being subject to high-pressure sales tactics. A consumer will only need to wait an estimated five minutes to allow us to update their phone’s SIM card to connect to our network,” said Piilani.

“As an information technology leader, I have pioneered advanced systems and innovative software solutions for over 30 years. I have a hard time containing my excitement for this unique service where the GSM cell networks and Internet seamlessly converge into a single communications device.” said Mark Richard, CIO, Pervasip Corporation, White Plains, NY.

Zer01 Communications is premiering its new nationwide, no contract, unlimited voice and data mobile communications service on Pharos smartphones starting TODAY at the CTIA Wireless 2009 Convention, Las Vegas Convention Center, Central Hall, Booth #6363, from April 1-3, 2009. Visit www.ctia.org for details about this leading industry event. Zer01 Mobile will initially be available on Windows Mobile smartphones, however support for other devices such as Blackberry, Android and iPhone will be available within months.

Based in Las Vegas, NV, Zer01 Communications is owned and operated by the Unified Technologies Group, Inc., a global technology services and consulting company that is headquartered in Wilmington, DE. For more information about Zer01 Communications, visit www.Zer01mobile.com.

Other specs include a 2-megapixel camera supporting video recording, GPS/AGPS, WiFi b/g and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR.  The  display is 2.4-inch 320 x 240 resolution, and underneath there’s a trackball controller plus one-touch hotkeys for messaging, email, and Inner Circle, HTC’s new TouchFLO 3D functionality.  Onboard ROM is 256MB and RAM is 192MB while the CPU is the 528MHz Qualcomm MSM 7225; there’s also a microSDHC card slot.

The HTC Snap measures 4.59 x 2.42 x 0.47 inches and weighs 4.23oz.  The standard battery is a 1,500mAh pack rated for up to 8.5hrs GSM talktime (5hrs WCDMA) or up to 15.8 days GSM standby (20 days WCDMA).  It will go on sale in the UK over the Summer, together with an unlocked version – called the HTC S522 – in the US.  No pricing has been confirmed.

Press Release:

HTC Snap™ makes staying in touch with more people less complicated

HTC’s newest QWERTY smartphone features “Inner Circle”
to automatically prioritize email from life’s most important people

LAS VEGAS – April 1, 2009 – HTC Corporation today debuted its newest QWERTY smartphone, the HTC Snap™. Designed with a set of features selected to deliver everything customers need without overwhelming them with things they don’t, the HTC Snap makes it easier than ever to stay in contact with life’s most important people.

Many people find they are overwhelmed by the amount of email they receive. In response to these issues, HTC’s innovative Inner Circle feature allows HTC Snap users to press a dedicated Inner Circle key to bring emails from a preselected group of people to the top of their inbox, enabling important messages to be acted upon immediately.

“Recognizing that people are being overwhelmed by an avalanche of email, the HTC Snap introduces Inner Circle, an HTC innovation that makes it easy for people to prioritize messages from the most important people in their lives at the press of a button,” said John Wang, Chief Marketing Officer, HTC Corporation. “The HTC Snap represents the latest step in HTC’s mission to create a range of innovative smartphones, each with specific benefits designed to both surprise and delight our customers.”

With a slim, sleek profile designed to fit perfectly in the hand, the HTC Snap measures less than a half-inch thick (12 mm), yet it can deliver up to eight and a half hours of talk time with the standard 1500mAh battery. The full QWERTY keyboard is ergonomically designed with extra-large domed keys and responsive tactile feedback to make typing emails and text messages fast, accurate and comfortable. High-speed 3G HSPA connectivity makes it quick and easy to send pictures to friends, access favourite social networking sites, or download large files while on the go.

The HTC Snap is powerful enough for experienced business users looking for an affordable, straightforward choice for remotely synchronizing email, calendar and contacts with their Microsoft Exchange server. However, the flexible Microsoft Windows Mobile® 6.1 Standard platform allows the HTC Snap to also be simple enough for first-time smartphone users wanting to keep their family life organized.

The HTC Snap is expected to be available in select channels during the second quarter of 2009, rolling out in markets around the world throughout the second half of the year. Additionally, an unlocked version supporting HSDPA at 850/1900MHz for the US market will be made available under the name HTC S721 during the summer.

The company has also added a new Core 2 Duo processor – the U7500 1.06GHz ULV – and given the F5 a new black exterior so that scuffs and dirt are less noticeable.  There’s also a new external battery charger, making all-day use more straightforward.

The new C5 is priced from $2,199 while the F5 is priced from $2,799; no word on pricing for the SSD, but the C5 with Verizon WWAN is $2,806 (which also gets you 2GB of RAM and the View Anywhere display) and the F5 is $3,107 (with 2GB RAM).  More details on the Motion C5 here, and on the Motion F5 here.

Press Release:

Motion’s F5 Rugged Tablet PC and C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant Now Available with Integrated Access to Verizon Wireless’ Mobile Broadband Network

The highly mobile devices also feature improved performance, expanded WiFi capabilities and a new solid state drive upgrade

AUSTIN, Texas and LAS VEGAS – April 1, 2009 – From CTIA Wireless 2009® – Motion Computing®, a leader in mobile computing and wireless communications, today announced that the F5 rugged tablet PC and the C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant (MCA) are available for use on the Verizon Wireless mobile broadband network. Additionally, Motion is announcing upgrades to the devices including enhanced performance, the latest WiFi technology and a new 64GB solid state drive (SSD) option.

Verizon Access Enables Broad Coverage
Motion’s C5 and F5 tablets are compliant under the Verizon Wireless open development program, which is designed to offer businesses and consumers the ability to use wireless devices, software and applications not offered by the company on its nationwide wireless network. With access to mobile broadband from Verizon Wireless integrated into the Motion C5 and F5, users can access email, download files and browse the Internet at broadband speed.

“Motion Computing is recognized for solutions that improve productivity for highly mobile users by creating devices that are designed to work the way the users do,” said Anthony A. Lewis, vice president of open development at Verizon Wireless. “Now with anytime access to the Verizon Wireless network, Motion tablet users, from hospitals to construction sites, can be more productive when away from the office.”

Tablet Upgrades Provide Improved Performance, Flexibility
Upgrades to the C5 and F5 include expanded communications capabilities with the Intel® WiFi Link 5300 series 802.11 a/g/draft-n, Intel Centrino® technology with the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor for improved performance and battery life, and a new 64GB SSD upgrade. An external battery charger is also now available for the C5 and F5, which enables users to quickly charge additional batteries for use throughout the workday.

The C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant Delivers Quality Care
The C5, the industry’s first MCA developed in collaboration with Intel®, is a hospital-grade device that is proven in healthcare environments. Now deployed in more than 4,000 healthcare organizations worldwide, the C5 has proven to enhance clinician satisfaction, improve point of care documentation, increase clinician productivity and improve clinical documentation accuracy. For more information visit the Motion C5 product page.

The F5 Mobile Field Tool Ideal for Rugged Working Environments
The F5, now with a black exterior to better withstand dirty and dusty mobile work environments, is a rugged tablet PC that provides electronic clipboard functionality and is an ideal solution for field workers who compute and enter data while standing or walking. Mobile professionals across construction, field sales and service and government are using the F5 because it provides the durability and functionality of a rugged PC without the extra weight and price associated with traditional, fully rugged devices. For more information visit the Motion F5 product page.

“Motion’s tablet PCs, used in combination with the Vela Systems construction field software, are significantly improving documentation processes by enabling access to important information on the jobsite,” said Josh Kanner, founder and vice president of Vela Systems. “Motion is continually improving and adapting their technology specifically to the needs of their users, and we’re excited about these recent enhancements that will help our clients further improve field productivity.”

Available Now
The F5 and the C5 with enhanced features and the external battery charger are available today through Motion’s network of resellers and distributors worldwide. For more information or to find a Motion reseller near you, visit Motion’s products and services page.

About Motion Computing
Motion Computing is a mobile computing and wireless communications leader, combining world-class innovation and industry experience so professionals in vertical industries such as healthcare, field sales and service and government can use computing technology in new ways and places. The company’s enhanced line of tablet PCs, mobile clinical assistants and accessories are designed to increase productivity for on-the-go users while providing portability, security, power and versatility. Motion combines those products with services and unique vertical market knowledge to deliver robust solutions – platforms, peripherals, services and wireless – customized for the needs of a particular industry. For more information, visit www.motioncomputing.com

Opera 9.5 comes pre-loaded as a web browser, and even though the Mondi is equipped with a microphone, voice is not supported, so no VoIP calls. It has access to push email, MMS, SMS, and IM.

The Mondi will be available later this year. We’ll try to get some hands-on with the device tomorrow and bring you our impressions. Since there’s no WiMAX here in Vegas, we can’t really test the one feature that makes this device special.

Update: We played with the Mondi at MWC back in February:

[Via PhoneScoop]

The demo we filmed gives a great overview of the features and abilities of this handy little attachment. Personally, I see it benefiting students and business types, with the ability to write on screen, take hand written notes on paper and have it written on screen, as well as used as a tablet for artists. Even more interesting is the ability to detect proximity of the pen to the sensor for use in 3D applications.

The Tablo is compatible with all of the Microsoft Office programs, as well as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Corel Paint. The real draw to this awesome product is the price: $99 MSRP. Yes, you can turn your laptop into a presentation-worthy tablet PC for $99.

First up is the MiFi. This handy little device broadcasts a wifi hotspot to connect up to 5 users to the EVDO Rev. A cellular connection.  The battery lasts 4 hours for active use, and 40 hours of standby. The MiFi was a lot smaller than I thought it was going to be. You can literally stick it in your pocket and lose it if you’re not careful.  The version in the video below is the CDMA version, and there will be a GSM version released soon.

We saw the MiFi in action, and it was sweet. It worked like they said it did, and the internet connection was fast enough to satisfy the mobile users of Slash Gear. There haven’t been any official announcements for which US carriers the MiFi will be available on (CDMA, think about it) but we were told we would be seeing the MiFi in stores “very soon.”

Novatel’s next product was as equally exciting as the MiFi. The MC996D Wireless card is a HSPA+ capable wireless modem that can handle, in theory, up to 21.6 megabits per second. No word on release date or pricing, but you can assume it will be on a GSM carrier sometime in the near future.

Our first pick of the evening is Rocketvox. Rocketvox is an online service that allows users to compile their cellphones, fax, texts, email accounts, calendars, chat accounts, voice mail, Twitter accounts, etc. into a single aggregate service which can be accessed anywhere on the internet.  For the voice services, it offers much of the same service as Google Voice, forwarding phone calls and texts to multiple devices. Rocketvox also incorporates a security service much like Facebook where users can determine who has access to contact them through particular services, or the way it was explained to me, you have your social “orbits”; some with close friends that can get a hold of you at all times, and then the other people that you only make yourself available to when you want to, and you share only what information you want to.

Possibly the best feature is the universal inbox that combines all of your accounts into one, simplified and easy to use space.  Rocketvox also incorporates a voice to text feature for missed voicemails, in which the voicemail will be translated into a text and forwarded to your mobile device. The privacy features alone also offer added piece of mind, preventing anyone you don’t want contacting you from being able to. The aggregate “Inbox” complies all of your social media and chat accounts as well, allowing you a single view of all of your accounts, accessible from the internet, your Blackberry or iPhone.  For anyone with more than one cell phone and too many social media accounts to count, Rocketvox would be worth looking into.

Check out their site here.

What’s really impressive here is that these speeds actually double what is currently in preparation to launch in Germany, Italy and in North America. Ericsson actually demonstrated a similar tech last month at the Mobile World Congress, however the peak performance at that time was 42Mbps.

So what makes for the speed boost? Apparently, it has something to do with HSPA+ technology. By using a combination of multi-carrier HSPA and MIMO tech, data transfer speeds get a serious boost. We should see the first commercial usages of HSPA+ starting in 2010, though a 42Mbp HSPA+ infrastructure will be launched before the end of the year in preparation.

[via Mobile Burn]

The Instinct S30 was first spotted in the wild back at the beginning of March, but it took until later that month for confirmation that the handset was a replacement, not a compact version, of the original Instinct.  As well as the touchscreen we’re expecting the same GPS, EVDO Rev.A and Bluetooth capabilities of its predecessor.

The news came as part of Samsung Korea’s pre-CTIA Wireless 2009 coverage, but the company is presumably leaving the main announcement to Samsung USA and Sprint themselves.  SlashGear will be at CTIA covering all the major announcements, so we’ll have more Instinct S30 news when they release it.

That means access to profiles, messaging and photos, together with blogs and comments.  Users will be able to browse their friends-list, see online statuses and upload photos directly from their smartphone.  Developers will also be able to develop Silverlight-based apps using the MySpace Open Platform.

MySpace for Windows Mobile will be available on Windows Mobile 6.1 handsets over the summer, before making an appearance in the Windows Marketplace for Mobile in the fall of 2009.  LG have announced that they will be pre-installing the app on their Windows Mobile handsets. 

Press Release:

MYSPACE ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR MICROSOFT PLATFORMS

LG to Preload the MySpace Mobile App on the Next-Generation of Windows Phones

World’s Premier Social Portal Works With Microsoft to Launch Open Source Kit for Silverlight Developers

LOS ANGELES—March 30, 2009—MySpace, the world’s premier social portal, today announced support for Microsoft Windows Mobile and Microsoft Silverlight. The new MySpace mobile application, available this summer, will run on Windows phones and utilize Silverlight, Microsoft Corp’s free browser plug-in that powers rich Internet application (RIA) experiences, into the MySpace Open Platform.

“We are pleased to bring MySpace users the benefits and flexibility of Microsoft’s platforms,” said Aber Whitcomb, chief technology officer of MySpace. “Our relationship enables app developers to use Silverlight to create engaging MySpace apps and allows Windows Mobile users to have a more personal MySpace experience on their phone.”

Today’s news is in conjunction with the CTIA Wireless 2009 in Las Vegas from April 1-3 and the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco March 31—April 3. MySpace and Microsoft will present a session at the Web 2.0 Expo on Silverlight on the MySpace Open Platform. The 50 minute session will take place on Thursday, April 2nd at 1:30pm PT and will focus on how developers can build Silverlight applications on MySpace using the jointly released Open Source kit for Silverlight.

Windows phones + MySpace
The companies are in close collaboration to offer a MySpace for Windows Mobile application which will be available for download later this summer. The application is fully optimized with a user-friendly interface and will deliver rich content and data to MySpace users on the go. It integrates MySpace’s main social features and functionality with the Windows operating system to provide access to the community in a way that’s familiar to the Windows Mobile user.

“Talking to family, sending pictures and connecting with long-lost friends is important to our customers, and we are giving them the option to do that on the go by teaming up with MySpace,” said Stephanie Ferguson, general manager Business Experiences Team, in the Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft Corp. “MySpace is a pioneer in the social networking space, and the MySpace application will be a tremendous asset to the collection of applications you can access on your Windows phone.”

The MySpace application will be available on Windows Mobile 6.1 phones later this summer and then in the fall of 2009 through the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, directly through phones, and the Web. LG will preload the MySpace application on their Windows phones, making it even easier than ever for users to gain real-time access to their global MySpace network. The new Windows phones are expected to be available in the second half of 2009.

Through this relationship, MySpace is further committed to mobile as a central element of the MySpace global business strategy. Today’s news also further solidifies MySpace’s leadership role in the market establishing a unique position for the company in providing applications for all major smart phone device platforms including iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Sidekick, Palm, Nokia, and now Windows Mobile. MySpace has more than 20 million worldwide mobile users.

Silverlight + MySpace
The introduction of Silverlight into the MySpace Open Platform empowers MySpace developers with more freedom and flexibility to design OpenSocial applications using the tools and technology they want. Silverlight and the MySpace Open Platform will enable developers to rapidly create and deliver sophisticated MySpace applications with a custom look and feel through the flexible skinning of controls and data.

Microsoft and MySpace have released an Open Source kit that makes it easy to develop OpenSocial applications using Silverlight that run on the MySpace Open Platform. To learn about this kit and how designers and developers can use it to create interactive, engaging apps on MySpace, please visit http://www.myspace.com/silverlightonmyspace, and read the blog post about MySpace’s support of Silverlight at developer.myspace.com.

“Microsoft is pleased to work with MySpace to enable developers to create compelling and custom OpenSocial applications using Silverlight,” said Brian Goldfarb, director of the developer platform group at Microsoft. “By utilizing the Open Source kit released by Microsoft and MySpace, developers can now harness the power of the rich media features in Silverlight to take the user experience to a new level for the MySpace community.”

There’s also Bluetooth (with wireless stereo support), 256MB of internal storage and a microSD slot.  The Evoke QA4 has a full HTML browser that works in both landscape and portrait orientations; Motorola have fitted an accelerometer to switch between the two, and there’s an on-screen QWERTY keyboard which can be called up in landscape orientation.

Despite not having a hardware QWERTY keyboard, there’s still plenty of messaging ability: Motorola preload threaded SMS and email apps, and there’s also a YouTube viewer, MySpace app, and widget-based homescreen.  Finally they throw in GPS for navigation.

No word on pricing, but you’ll be able to pick up the Motorola Evoke QA4 on Cricket Wireless in Q2 2009.

[via SlashPhone]

The LG GD900 has 7.2Mbps HSDPA, handwriting recognition and haptic feedback.  Gesture support seems to use handwritten triggers, such as tracing a large “M” to launch the MP3 player.  Alternatively, tracing a circle controls volume, pinch & spread is supported for zooming and the slide keypad is believed to act as a trackpad in the GD900′s browser.

LG expect to launch the GD900 in Europe come May, with an Asian launch following.  No word on pricing, nor whether it will reach US shores.  We’ll definitely be catching up with it at CTIA for some hands-on video.

[via Akihabara]