“I’m sure there are many with a Dell Axim X51v or an iPAQ hx4700 who are wondering if the iPAQ 210 will be a worth successor their their device. At this point, it really looks that way.This upcoming model will have the main features people bought previous high-devices for: a VGA screen, fast processor, and dual-memory card slots. On top of that, it will include the latest version of Microsoft operating system for devices like this, Windows Mobile 6 Classic. This includes a number of improvements, including ones to Internet Explorer and the mobile version of the Office suite. For X51v users, the iPAQ 210 will offer a larger display, and a form factor that’s at least as appealing as their current device. hx4700 users can get rid of the irritating track pad without sacrificing features.In addition, this handheld’s 2200 mAh battery will have the high capacity I can remember in a device like this.Of course, you don’t put features like these in an ultra-small unit. There’s no doubt the iPAQ 210 is fairly large: 5.0 inch by 3.0 inch by 0.6 inch, and 8 ounces. But this will be a device that could be considered a laptop replacement, and that’s not the sort of thing you slip into a shirt pocket.” Read more here:
BenQ T80 powered by Windows Mobile
” OK, let’s see here. Sexy, stylish design? Check. Sliding numeric keypad ? Check. Windows Mobile Standard? Check. Yes, this is what we want. More Windows powered Smartphones! There’s just not enough around in our humble opinion, so the BenQ T80 looks like a winner to us.It’s got NFC too, which is probably something no-one has heard of. Put simply it’s a short-range wireless solution a bit like Bluetooth but is designed to be used with public transport systems and other payment solutions. Imagine waving your phone at the train ticket machine in the morning and you’re pretty much on the money. The BenQ T80 phone will be the first phone to hold NFC applications on a secure digital memory card – in this case the microSD card inside the phone.Set for release before the end of this year (although we don’t quite know where yet) the BenQ T80 runs Windows Mobile 6 Standard and has GSM Quadband network with integrated WiFi. The phone itself is a slider design and has a thin top / screen section with LG Chocolate-style buttons. Have a look at slashphone for more pictures (hit the tabs for up-close shots). Following the spin-off of BenQ we’ve got everything crossed that this will appear in Europe sometime.The handset appeared previously at Computex in June and it’s promising to see it getting a full press release now. There’s still not much else known about specs, however we’ll give you more as we get it.” via coolsmartphone.com
HTC Tests Qualcomm's SnapDragon Chips
“Qualcomm has already started sending out SnapDragon chip packages to developers so they can see what kinds of devices might be made around them. The ultra-low power consumption of the Scorpion processor they contain could enable a whole new breed of mobile device, said Paul Jacobs, CEO of Qualcomm, on the sidelines of a news conference in Taipei.The microprocessor currently being sampled is a 1GHz chip that uses between 250 milliwatts and 500 milliwatts of power, he said. Intel’s best processor for ultramobile PCs is A110, which runs at 800MHz and uses 3 watts of power.The SnapDragon chipset also contains a 600MHz digital signal processor, and offers connectivity to mobile broadband technologies including CDMA2000 (Code Division Multiple Access 2000), 1xEVDO (Evolution-Data Only), HSDPA/HSUPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access/High Speed Uplink Packet Access) as well as mobile TV, Bluetooth, GPS (Global Positioning System), and WLAN (wireless-LAN).The company is gunning for Intel’s business with the new chips, but it’s tough to compare processors made by the two companies. Scorpion is an Arm-based processor and has its own instruction set, which offers substantial energy savings but does not share the main advantage of x86 chips made by Intel: software. A lot more software has been developed around the x86 instruction set than any other processor, in fact, the entire library of software for PCs.Alongside Intel’s 800MHz A110, the company offers the 600MHz A100, which also consumes 3 watts.Rival Via Technologies Inc. recently announced an x86-based processor that runs at 500MHz and consumes up to a maximum of 1 watt, or 0.1 watts in idle mode. The 1GHz version of that chip, the Eden ULV, consumes a maximum of 3.5 watts.Still, device makers have a chance to try out SnapDragon now, and its low power consumption and wireless functions could aid in the development of new categories of mobile devices.”via news.yahoo.com
Apple Returning to the Traditional Handheld Market
iPod touch(view large image)”Apple has just announced the new iPod touch. As this will include touchscreen input, Wi-Fi, and a web browser, Apple has finally re-entered the traditional handheld market, which they have stayed out of since they stopped offering the Newton many years ago.This new model will be just like the iPhone, though minus the cellular radio. It will have the same multi-touch input system, giving users the same input capabilities as every other PDA in the market, without the stylus, of course. And though Apple may not advertise it as PDA, its new model has close to every function many PDAs have at this time. This includes calender, contacts, web browsing, and note taking.The Wi-Fi access on this iPod will give users the ability to not only browse the Web, but also download music through the new WI-FI iTunes store, and view the latest YouTube video of their liking.Avid coffee enabled consumers will be surprised to know that starting next month Starbucks will be offering free Wi-Fi access to those surfing on the new iPod touch. They will also be able to view the latest songs played inside the Starbucks, and have the option to purchase them directly through the Wi-Fi iTunes store.Consumers who own iPods already will be able to use the same charging connectors they probably have at both home, office, and inside their car.Starting at $300 for an 8 GB version of the iPod touch, and going up to $400 for a 16 GB version, it will be competitively priced against other market rivals such as the Palm TX.Apple says this device will be available later this month.” via brighthand.com