gsm

We're still patiently waiting to get our hands on the I-mate Jaq 3 (next week, they say), which was announced at CES 2007, but do we even care anymore? Today, I-mate introduced its successor, the I-mate Jaq4, which runs the latest Windows Mobile 6 Professional Edition and looks like sleeker device overall. There's nothing that really knocks our socks off, and the lack of 3G support is disappointing, but the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; GPRS/EDGE) smart phone still offers a solid helping of features. It comes equipped with Wi-Fi (802.11b/g); Bluetooth 1.2; … Read more

Microsoft swam deeper into the murky DRM waters today when it announced a new DRM system at the 3GSM show in Barcelona that will allow users to share protected content between multiple devices. Users of PlayReady would be able to register multiple devices to a "domain" that would act as a forum for that user's content. When a wireless carrier or Internet service provider signs up with PlayReady, its customers could then use PlayReady to purchase content and share it with other domain-registered devices multiple times. Apparently there are no restrictions on what kind of devices you … Read more

Ready or not, TV on your cell phone is here. Verizon Wireless unveiled its V Cast Mobile TV at CES 2007, and just today, Cingular/AT&T announced that it will use Qualcomm's MediaFlo technology to bring live TV to its phones. However, as fellow Craver Nicole Lee pointed out, European and Asian carriers are gravitating toward DVB-H, a competing mobile TV standard, as evidenced by the new Nokia N77. Announced at 3GSM, the N77 is the newest device to join Nokia's N series of multimedia computers and supports the DVB-H technology so you can enjoy live … Read more

We still haven't bought into Steve Jobs' "buttons are bad on cell phone" theory, but other manufacturers seem to agree, as Apple's iPhone is far from the only handset with a screen-only interface. In fact, Neonode claims in a press release that Apple is following its lead in creating a button-lacking phone. The Swedish company is showing one of its newest models, the Neonode N2, at 3GSM in Barcelona. The petite (and admittedly cute) handset features onscreen navigation controls and an onscreen keypad. Sweeping your finger across the 65,000-color display opens menus, activates applications, and … Read more

So, I kind of have a secret to tell you guys. I, um, don't actually own a smart phone. I know, I know. I make a living reviewing these devices, and I don't even own one? But I have my reasons. First, because of my job, I'm lucky enough to have hands-on time with a lot of these devices, and with the recent explosion of smart phones, I can't remember the last time I haven't had one to toodle around with for a while. Also, I'm a big stickler about design. I'm a … Read more

Samsung joined Motorola in making a big splash at the 3GSM in Barcelona. The company introduced a selection of high-end phones that feature new designs and improved interfaces.

The F520 has a unique dual-slider design that performs much like the dual-hinged Samsung SCH-u740. The F520 slides vertically to reveal the number keypad and horizontally to show the QWERTY keyboard. The new Flash-based menu interface utilizes a touch screen along with the normal navigation controls. There's a 3-megapixel camera and all the usual high-end refinements, but with support for the 900/800/1900 GSM bands and the 2100 UMTS band … Read more

We had a feeling we'd see these smart phones debut today (though not quite with such an awkward naming scheme, but whatever), but now it's official. Along with a slew of other new phones, Motorola announced the GSM version of the Motorola Q and a more multimedia-rich Moto Q q9 (see what we mean?).

The quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; GPRS/EDGE) Moto Q will run the latest Windows Mobile 6 Standard Edition and features the same soft-touch finish and black casing found on Verizon's version of the sleek QWERTY device. The rest of the features … Read more

After a relatively low-key CES, Motorola pulled no punches in Barcelona and announced a new series of phones at the annual 3GSM show. Besides the GSM Q, which is big news by itself, Moto also unveiled more updated models to its powerhouse thin-phone lineup.

The Rizr Z8 incorporates the original Rizr's sexy design but adds its own unique "kick slide" form factor that cradles the head much like a flip phone does. Inside is quad-band world phone support, HSDPA compatibility, Bluetooth, a 2-megapixel camera, an impressive 90MB of integrated memory, and a memory card slot.

The Slvr … Read more

In addition to the E series goodness, Nokia also announced the Nokia 6110 Navigator today, a quad-band smart phone with robust navigation capabilities. The handset is equipped with built-in GPS as well as AGPS (Assisted Global Positioning System), and comes with local maps pre-installed on a memory card so you can start navigating right out of the box. The Nokia 6110 offers all the navigation tools you'd expect in today's GPS devices, including text- and voice-guided turn-by-turn directions, real-time tracking, points of interest, and various options for route creation. An optional car mount will be available for purchase, … Read more