Palm today announced it has forged a new relationship with Vodafone targeted at expanding the adoption of wireless push email in Europe. The Palm Treo smartphone that will result from this collaboration will represent an industry first by operating on Vodafone’s 3G/UMTS network. The new Treo smartphone will be available first to Vodafone customers in multiple European countries, including the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy and Netherlands, before the end of the calendar year.

Today, only an estimated 2 percent of business email inboxes worldwide are accessed via mobile, according to market research firm The Radicati Group. Palm, Vodafone and Microsoft will target this large, untapped market with real-time push email using Microsoft’s Messaging and Security Feature Pack available on Windows Mobile 5.0, which includes Direct Push Technology and enhanced security features.

Full Press Release

Tags: Palm, Treo, 3G Palm, 3G Treo, Vodafone, Microsoft

Research in Motion’s 3G-enabled BlackBerry finally made its debut this week, initially in Germany on the Vodafone network.

As expected, the BlackBerry 8707 is based on the 8700 RIM launched in November 2005. The older model supports EDGE-equipped GSM/GPRS networks. The new model will also work across 2100MHz UMTS connections.

The 8707 has a 230 x 240 display, 64MB of Flash memory and 16MB of SRAM. It has Bluetooth 2.0 on board, and can operate as a modem when it’s paired with a computer. It’s based on a 312MHz Intel PXA901 processor like its predecessor.

Via The Register

The new Pocket LOOX T Series is the first all integrated handheld from Fujitsu Siemens Computers. It combines an excellent GSM/UMTS mobile phone with an innovative and powerful handheld and a complete navigation system. Now you get all you need for your mobile business in one handheld – WLAN, Bluetooth, and more. Enjoy the brilliant TFT display, the excellent QWERTY keyboard and the outstanding Email push and messaging solution.

Use a wide range of standard office applications, courtesy of Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 5.0 Phone Edition. And that’s not all. The integrated SiRFstar III GPS module will bring you to every destination – stress free. Smart people on the move will appreciate the integrated VGA camera for video telephony and the 2 Megapixel camera with auto focus for impressive pictures.

E-mail push ensures an instant, effortless messaging experience. Combine this with a brilliant TFT display and the efficiency of a QWERTY keyboard — and you have a device that will support you wherever your business takes you. Furthermore, with its integrated GPS, it will get you there in no time.

Technical specification

ASUSTeK Computer Inc (ASUS) today previewed one of the most compact 3G smartphones in the world to date – the P305, at the 3GSM World Congress . As a Windows Mobile 5.0 powered 3G smartphone, the P305 offers powerful multimedia and productivity features that allow users to be more productive and truly experience a mobile lifestyle.

Video Telephony brings people closer

Essentially representing the ultimate 3G technology, video calls have become the signature requirement of any 3G mobile phone, but this is often met with poor processing power that limits streaming capabilities and handicaps the primary purpose. ASUS has overcome such hurtle, by possessing video telephony technology that is both ready and available now. The high-speed CPU in the P305 smartphone offers superior processing speed that outperforms any 3G mobile phones in the market with 384Kbps downlink/uplink transfer rate. This translates into fluid and smooth video call on the P305, letting users fully enjoy talking and seeing each other.

Higher productivity and better entertainment

Running on Windows Mobile 5.0 with Direct Push Technology, the P305 will provides instant updating of Microsoft Office Outlook Email, Calendar, Contacts and Tasks when synchronizing with Exchange Server 2003 to ensure users are always up to date while on the move. The P305 also provides an outstanding multimedia experience with Internet Explorer and an integrated multimedia suite (including Windows Media Player 10 Mobile) for users to enjoy music and video in a variety of audio formats, including MP3, AMR, AAC, WAV and WMA, as well as streaming MPEG-4 video.

Wireless support and expandability

With built-in compatibility for Bluetooth 1.2 and IrDA, the P305 to be used as a diminutive mobile storage device for any files types and multimedia content. The mini-SD expansion card slot also allows for additional memory for storing a wide range of content including music, games, photos and video.

With 3G capabilities along with the power and functionality of Windows Mobile 5.0 in a small and sleek form factor, the P305 offers endless hours of fun while serving as mobile business companion.

Full Press Release

Tags: Asus, Asus P305

NTT DoCoMo and its eight regional companies announced today the development of the new 702i Series of 3G FOMA handsets.

The stylish 702i Series consists of five models - SH702iD, N702iD, F702iD, D702i and P702i - three of which were conceived by noted outside designers.

The 702i handsets are equipped for i-channel, which automatically delivers updated news, weather, entertainment, sports and horoscopes via teletype to the standby screen.

All 702i models are preinstalled with G-GUIDE EPG Remote Control, an i-appli application that downloads program listings for both terrestrial digital and analog TV broadcasts. Using the phone like a remote control, the information can be used to program DVD recorders and other A/V equipment.

This is the first 70x series to offer automatic Security Scan, which uses automatic downloads in the background to update phones with the latest security software from DoCoMo.

Tags: DoCoMo, 702i, FOMA, i-channel

Palm and Verizon Wireless have officially announced the availability of the Palm Treo 700W smartphone. The Treo 700W is targeted at “businesses and individuals who want the latest all-in-one mobile communications and business-productivity solution.” The 700W is the first smartphone to take advantage of Verizon Wireless’ BroadbandAccess service on its EV-DO network, and is also the first Treo smartphone to run the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system.

The Treo 700W runs Windows Mobile 5.0, which includes Microsoft Office applications for Windows Mobile, Internet Explorer Mobile and Windows Media Player Mobile. In addition, it features direct access to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 for mobile access to information.

Features:

• EV-DO access
• Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system (5.0.2.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition)
• Intel(R) XScale(R) 312Mhz processor
• Ability to send and receive email from multiple corporate and personal email accounts, with built-in support for Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile, Hotmail, Yahoo!, AOL, and other POP3 and IMAP accounts
• On-device access to Microsoft Office Word Mobile, Office Excel Mobile and Office PowerPoint Mobile for viewing, editing and creating Word and Excel Mobile documents, as well as viewing PowerPoint Mobile presentations. In addition, with Picsel PDF viewer (included on installation CD), customers can view PDF documents
• Unified messaging application, including email, SMS and MMS
• Support for Wireless Sync to provide the convenience of push email and easy access to personal information-management tools, such as contacts and calendar, as well as enterprise tools, such as device management and file synchronization
• 128MB of memory, 60MB available to the user
• 1.3-megapixel camera to shoot crisp, clear digital images and videos
• Integrated Bluetooth(R) 1.2 wireless technology for communicating with compatible headsets, car kits, computers and printers equipped with Bluetooth technology
• Removable battery and non-volatile memory
• Expansion card slot (SD, SDIO, and MultiMediaCard compatible)
• 240×240 transflective (TFT) screen

Palm has also added a unique suite of software enhancements on top of Windows Mobile including:

• Today Screen enhancements which feature the ability to “dial by name” with a few keystrokes on the keyboard, perform a web search directly from the Today Screen and perform one-touch dialing with personalized photo speed dials
• Ability to manage a call directly from the Today Screen and stay on top of voicemail with on-screen, VCR-like icons, such as rewind, delete and fast-forward controls for easy navigation
• Ability to ignore a call and quickly compose a text message such as “In a meeting” or “Can’t talk right now” by selecting the “Ignore with text” option from the incoming-call screen

The Treo 700W smartphone will be available starting tomorrow at the 1,900 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores or on the web at VerizonWireless.com and Palm.com.

Via Geek.com

Tags: Treo, Treo 700W, Palm, Windows Mobile, EV-DO

Smart-phone specialist HTC will ship devices that support the High Speed Data Packet Access (HSDPA) 3G data-speed booster in H2 2006, the company confirmed today.

HSDPA is currently being tested by Europe’s major carriers, and is expected to take download speeds to 1.4Mbps and beyond. O2, for example, has already said its UK-wide commercial HSDPA service will go live Q3 2006. HTC is believed to be working on at least two HSDPA-equipped devices, Breeze and Muse.

Via The Register

Tags: HTC, HSDPA