Lenovo, the giant Chinese electronics manufacturer mainly known for producing desktop PCs and laptops, announced it will quit the mobile phone industry and sell its mobile division
for $100 million to Legend Holdings Ltd., one of its main shareholders.

2007 was a great financial year for Lenovo, with overall profits of $171 million, a huge increase when compared to 2006’s profits that raised to $57.7. Despite this, the company’s mobile business is far from being profitable, as it made losses of 134 million CNY (about $18.6 million) in the last year.

Lenovo entered the mobile business in 2001 and limited its handset distribution to China, but in the last years it started producing devices based on Windows Mobile with the intention of penetrating other markets, like Europe and North America. However, this did not happen, and the Lenovo handsets remained in China. Apparently, the Chinese market – where phones from Nokia and Motorola have a huge demand – is not suitable for Lenovo’s mobile plans, otherwise the company’s losses cannot be explained.

Lenovo is currently the world’s fourth largest personal computer manufacturer, after HP (Hewlett-Packard), Dell and its Taiwan-based neighbor Acer. It reached this position after acquiring IBM’s PC division, back in 2005. By selling its mobile branch, Lenovo will be able to concentrate on its main PC business, at the same time allowing the mobile business to overcome the loss-generating period and re-think its market strategies.

After completing the acquisition of Lenovo Mobile, Legend Holdings will continue to produce handsets under the Lenovo brand and will probably try to conquer a bigger portion of the Chinese market share. Also, we might see Lenovo phones expand to Europe and North America, as initially planned. This can only be a good thing, as a bigger competition generally means better products – better mobile phones, in our case.

via softpedia

Popularity: 67% [?]

Posted by phonePlus | No Comments »

Luxury cell phones are not a new thing anymore, but they keep on appearing to satisfy the fashion needs of those who have larger bank accounts. SoftBank, a leading Japanese mobile carrier,
partnered with Tiffany Japan to bring such a phone, that will be sold for 10 million Japanese Yens, meaning about $93,600. It cannot compete against the world’s most expensive phone, Goldvish Le Million, which costs more than 1 million USD, but it’s still a terribly expensive device.

The handset comes encrusted in no less than 400 diamonds, totaling a bit over 20 carats, and will be available starting this month, most probably before Valentine’s Day, to make an extravagant gift.

There aren’t many technical details about the Tiffany handset, except the fact that it’s a 3G device. However, judging by the specs the other SoftBank phones announced for 2008 have, this diamonded clamshell might pack a good photo camera and even Mobile TV features.

The real manufacturer of the phone is unknown for the moment, but it sure isn’t Tiffany, known mainly for being one of the most respectable US jewelry brands. It’s hard to believe they have a secret cell phone division, so it is more likely that they only worked on the handset’s luxurious cover. Most probably, as the phone seems to be a clamshell resembling the majority of the phones released in Japan (except the diamonds, of course), the non-jewelry part was created by a Japanese producer. So it could be a Sharp, Toshiba, NEC, Fujitsu, Panasonic, Sanyo or Hitachi. Hard to tell.

The new Tiffany phone is available only from SoftBank starting February, as a limited number edition, so the Japanese men who want to offer their lovers a flower and hundreds of diamonds on a phone should quickly pay a visit to their bank for a small withdrawal.

Popularity: 82% [?]

Posted by phonePlus | 3 Comments »

The Mobile Phone Congress in Barcelona is tight approaching and with it, the leaks that go whenever a rule nears. One such leakage is by a Chinese website, PCOnline.com.cn. The following pics is of a Sony Ericsson telephone whose example is yet unidentified has been leaked. Speculations abound on which telephone this is. It could really easily be an upgrade of the newly featured K850i although it could too be an upgrade of the K770i. This example seems to get a QVGA exhibit, LED flare, and 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus.

Via Mobilewhack

Popularity: 74% [?]

Posted by phonePlus | 1 Comment »

Palm has posted a new ROM update for users of the unlocked GSM Treo 680 smartphone. The version 1. 12 software update offers Microsoft Exchange Direct Push Technology, ability saving enhancements, back for larger SD & SDHC cards, enhanced ringtone backing and incorporates past updates and protection patches.

The complete description of updates from Palm includes:

• Corporate email as it arrives – Have your corporate email delivered to you with Microsoft Direct Push Technology. Accept or decline meeting invites and access your company directory on the go.
• Power saving enhancements – Helps conserve battery life with improved power management and updated default system power preferences.
• Supports larger expansion cards – Supports up to 4GB SD expansion cards (including the SDHC format), sold separately.
• Enhanced ringtone support – MP3 and other sound files purchased from the web or sent from friends can now be set as ringtones and alerts (formats: MP3, AAC, AAC+, MIDI, WAV, and AMR).
• Three updates in one – This update incorporates three previously released software updates: Treo 680 Camera Update (January 2007), Treo 680 Security Patch (May 2007), and Treo 680 Unlocked GSM smartphone SMS Update (July 2007).

This update is intended for unlocked devices only. AT&T/Cingular Treo 680 users can download the AT&T Treo 680 Feature Update released in earlier December.

Treo 680 Specs
The Treo 680 is powered by Palm OS Garnet v5. 4. 9. It runs a 312 MHz Intel mainframe and has 64MB of user accessible warehousing memory and 64MB of SDRAM. The cover is a 320 x 320 pixel tone touch-screen exhibit. The 680 features a complete size SD slot for memory enlargement. It has a slimmer 1200 mAh rechargeable battery for up to 4 hours speak moment. Bluetooth v1. 2 wireless and IR are included as easily as a VGA digital camera.

Popularity: 69% [?]

Posted by phonePlus | No Comments »

Intel, the Californian chip maker, revealed backwards in September 2007 an original mobile conception, related to Apple’s iPhone but with a duration that surpasses any new modern handset’s duration (and that, of class, isn’t a better matter at all. But Intel said the original device, which isn’t really a mobile telephone but an UMPC with telephone capabilities, brings the Moorestown platform with Silverthorne processor and is able to offer a 10x reduction in power usage.
Along with the iPhone-like pattern and touchscreen interface, that should have a pretty better device, right? Well, until now it is simply a nonfunctional conception and it’s not clear-cut whether it will be commercially available or not.

At this year’s CES, Intel came not simply with the past mentioned handset, but with an entire scope of iPhone-ish prototype devices based on Silverthorne processors. Unlike the UMPC unveiled last year, some of the original devicesare fully functional and are also prepared to be launched during 2008.

The devices are powered by the Intel Menlow mobile program and are presented as being capable to outstrip any new device of this sort by using really less battery ability. This performance is achieved thanks to a chemical element known as Hafnium, used on transistors to prevent energy leaks.

One of the functional Intel mobile devices, unnamed yet, comes as an UMPC with a User Interface similar to iPhone’s and a full sliding QWERTY keyboard. Apparently, the device will hit the market in the second quarter of 2008, packed with either 3G or WiMAX, not both – in order to reduce the device’s cost and the battery life. Other details about the future Intel mobile device are not available.

Currently, Intel powers Apple’s Mac computers and it’s said that the next iPhone, the 2.0 edition, will also pack Intel processors, more exactly the Silverthorne ones. We’re now waiting to see how Intel’s own iPhone-ish devices will be and how they can influence the mobile industry.

via softpedia

Popularity: 71% [?]

Posted by phonePlus | 1 Comment »

Motorola Z10 is now official. Like its predecessor, Z8, Z10 Moto key selling point is the video. In fact, they consider it a “complete, pocket size, the film studio mobile.” Something like Nokia’s high-end smartphone which could also handle 30 fps.As for the rest of the specifications, there is a 2.2 “QVGA screen, HSDPA, 3.2 MP camera, UIQ 3.2, microSD slot, the ability to download photos and videos directly from the device using ShoZu. Available in Q1 2008, no carrier partners mentioned so far.

via intomobile

Popularity: 77% [?]

Posted by phonePlus | 1 Comment »

Sony Ericsson has announced the launch of its new Walkman Phone W760. This is the first Walkman Phone with tri-band HSDPA, speed broadband, which allows for downloads of music and content in the world where it is used. Not only does it offer music on your mobile, it also offers integrated into the GPS to help you find the party or in concert, anywhere in the world. But that is not all! It also supports the latest hit games, including games such as Need for Speed ProStreet.

With additional protection of its MAS-100 Active Speakers, the phone allows you to have a great looking protective case, but also allow you to play your music even stronger and an FM radio antenna and the W760 also packs a GPS Wayfinder Navigator too.

For gamers, W760 attracts players to play games in landscape mode, with the sound of stereo speakers and the use of buttons dedicated gaming as a games console. It is preloaded with the latest games, including Need for Speed ProStreet - where high speed and pure adrenaline collision. The W760 is built for rapid action with a large 2.2 “for the big screen and gameplay Motion Sensor Gaming, which allows you to play up to your phone games in 3D quality, using the movements of the phone control the match.

Additional features include the standard quality 3.2 megapixel camera built in to the phone. The W760 is a UMTS/HSDPA 850/19002100 and GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 phone that will be available in selected markets from Q2 2008

via mobilewhack

Popularity: 75% [?]

Posted by phonePlus | 1 Comment »