Mobiles2day – Mobile Industry News

The smartphone market is really getting into its stride in 2011, with many more manufacturers pumping out high-power dual core mobiles to up the ante as the year progresses and previous models look increasingly archaic. Here are some of the latest releases along with new mobiles which are visible on the horizon.

HTC Sensation

Many were expecting HTC’s first dual core smartphone to be sensational, so it is no surprise that the Sensation does its best to live up to its name.

Powered by a 1.2GHz processor, it does more than many other dual core mobiles to actually leverage more of its power. This is indicated by the new 3D effects visible when you scroll through the homescreens, along with the implementation of app launching from the lock screen and improved multitasking. Its unibody metal design is stylish without being as overwhelmingly impressive as the super-sleek Samsung Galaxy SII.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini

The original Xperia Mini and its Pro variant were surprise hits for Sony Ericsson, so a hardware and software update was inevitable.

The latest Mini and Mini Pro get larger 3 inch displays, 1GHz processors and the latest version of Android onboard, complete with more comprehensive integration for Facebook services. In addition they both boast 720p HD video capture, an unprecedented capability in devices of this size.

Motorola Droid 3

Recent leaks have given away vast swathes of information about the Droid 3, Motorola`s second dual core mobile after the formidable multifunctional Atrix. Full HD 1080p video capture is allegedly onboard, while the high res touchscreen from previous models is thought to be a sustained feature, alongside its slide-out QWERTY keypad for precision of typing. While the form factor is not changing drastically, the Droid 3`s popularity is perhaps best sustained by sticking to the winning formula of its predecessors.

BlackBerry Torch 2

The original BlackBerry Torch proved that Research in Motion (RIM) could get touchscreen handsets right and the Torch 2 has appeared in a number of snaps online showing that the manufacturer is committed to expanding this range. A 1.2 GHz processor is promised, giving it much more poke than the precursor, while version 7 of the BlackBerry operating system is likely to bring plenty of new features to the table.

Sony Ericsson Urshi

While the rest of the mobiles mentioned above have been high-end powerhouses, the details about the Sony Ericsson Urshi suggest that it will be a much more modest affair. A high res 3.2 inch display will be your window onto Android 2.3 and a single core 1GHz processor will allow it to remain competitive.

It should be clear that Android mobile phones are quickly dominating the market at all areas, with previous top dogs like the iPhone range faltering under Google`s constant assault. Of course with Nokia planning its first batch of Windows Phone 7 devices and with Apple getting ready to launch the fifth generation of the iPhone this could all change, but for now Android is the king of the smartphone world.

New HTC device is being launched tomorrow in UK. HTC ChaCha running on Android and having full keyboard is available tomorrow from Phones4U shops nationwide. Phones has 2.6 inch touch screen display and dedicated Facebook button. Phone press release claims to allow sharing  on Facebook your favourite tunes from the built-in music player, embarrassing photos of your mates, your location and status updates just the touch of a button.

Phones seems to be targeting teenagers, who spend half of their time on Facebook and other half texting or chatting with their mates.

Here are main specifications that might be interesting:

Processor: 800 Mhz

OS: Android Gingerbread

RAM: 512MB

ROM: 512MB

Screen: touchscreen, 2.6 inch

Camera: 5 megapixel color camera with auto focus and LED flash. VGA front camera

Battery: 1250 mAh, talktime up to 450 minutes, standby up to 660 hours

Connectivity: Wi Fi, Bluetooth, internal GPS antenna

Network:

HSPA/WCDMA: Europe/Asia: 900/2100 MHz

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

Other: 3.5mm headset jack, G-Sensor, Digital Compass, microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)

Phone is available on Vodafone and Orange networks, on 18 and 24 months contracts. Phone cost is free on all tariffs.

Biggest phone producer Nokia has announced that it will be using Microsoft’s new operating system for mobile phones in it’s future smartphones. According to Eric Schidt, Google’s outgoing chief executive, Nokia has made a wrong choice. Android is already most popular smartphone operating system and has big support from Open Handset Alliance, which includes mobile operators, phone manufacturers, software and other companies.

So has Nokia really made a mistake? Only time will tell, but if you look at it, biggest phone manufacturer and biggest software company could be a good partnership. They have access to large resources, technical, human, financial you name it, so potentially they can come up with pretty good products.

Stephen Elop, Nokia’s chief executive, said last week that its use of Windows Phone would ensure there was a mass-market alternative to the operating systems by Apple and Google.

Nokia is only likely to make large volumes of smartphones based on Windows Phone in 2012, while Android, released in late 2008, is enjoying hyper growth.

Mr Schmidt said 300,000 Android-based handsets were getting connected to mobile phone networks every day.

He added there were 170 Android handsets by 27 manufacturers in the market, spread across 69 countries.

So here you go, we now have 3 major operating systems battling on smartphone front:

• iOS by Apple
• Android by Google
• Blackberry OS by RIM

T-Mobile adds another Android powered handset to it’s portfolio of smartphones. You can now get HTC Desire for free if you are willing to be locked up in 2 year long contract for £35 a month. For that you will get brand new and shiny HTC Desire, 1200 minutes, 600 texts and also a flexible booster.

Cheapest 18 months contract is £15 a month, you have to contribute £164 and you will also get 100 minutes and 100 texts.

All plans with this phone include unlimited internet.

Here is a list of specifications for this phone:

Network Type: GSM Quad-band phone capable of global roaming (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
UMTS dual-band European/Asian 3G (2100/900 MHz)
Data: EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA 7.2 Mbit/s/HSUPA 2.0 Mbit/s

Dimensions: 4.69 x 2.36 x 0.47 inches (119 x 60 x 11.9 mm)
Weight: 4.76 oz (135 g)
Battery Type: Li – Ion, 1400 mAh
Talk Time: 6.66 hours (400 mins)
Standby: 340 hours (14 days)
Display Resolution: 480 x 800 pixels, 16 777 216 colors, AMOLED
Display Size: 3.70 inches
Touch Screen: Capacitive, Multi-touch
Camera: 5 megapixels Resolution
Camera Features: Flash LED; Auto focus, Face detection, Geo tagging
Multimedia Video Playback: MPEG4, WMV, 3GP, 3G2
Music Player: MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV, M4A (Apple lossless), AMR, OGG, MIDI
FM Radio
Memory Slot: microSD/microSDHC
Software: Android 2.1
Processor: Snapdragon, 1000 MHz
Memory: 576 MB RAM / 512 MB ROM
Input: Predictive Text Input
microUSB
WiFi: 802.11b/802.11g
Bluetooth: 2.1, Stereo Bluetooth
Headphones connector: 3.5mm
Other Features:
PhoneBook, Capacity depends on system memory; Ring ID, Picture ID, Search by both first and last name, Multiple numbers per contact, Caller groups
PIM, Alarm, Calendar, To-Do / Tasks, Calculator, World Clock
Voice Recording, Speaker Phone, Email
GPS: A-GPS, GPS

If you place an order now, you will probably wait for a week for it to arrive.

Samsung has announced it will upgrade its Android-based Galaxy Portal smartphone – aka the Galaxy Spica – to version 2.1 of the Google operating system.

Following is from Samsung press release:

Enhanced User Experienced
The Galaxy Spica becomes a highly intuitive communications device offering users the option to personalise no less than nine side-scrolling screens. Users can really let their imaginations run wild, creating different home screens according to different personal interests or requirements.

The handset now features augmented reality technology that displays real-time digital information of your surroundings over the view-finder of the Galaxy Spica’s 3 megapixel camera. The Galaxy Spica also features Samsung widgets, Visual bookmark and PC Sync support to enable users to synchronise their devices quickly.

Enhanced Multimedia and Messaging Functionality
The handset now comes with a number of enhanced multimedia features which transform the Galaxy Spica into a personal entertainment device. Media browser allows you to browse through your media collection with ease. The camera has been upgraded to offer enhanced picture options and viewing functionality.

Improved messaging functionality means that it is much easier to attach files to MMS and email that users can easily add contacts to messages direct from the phonebook. Improved contact management enables users to find a necessary contact very easily through the alphabetical index.

The upgrade will be available from March 2010 in Germany and gradually rolled out to other European markets, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Asia, Africa and rest of the world.

The upgrade will be available through PC Studio 7, Samsung’s sync software