Here it is. The i-mate Ultimate 8150 Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional smartphone is alive and in the wild. ce4arab got a chance to play with a production unit of i-mate’s new flagship handset and came away with more pretty pictures than we knew what to do with.

These live shots of a production unit make that September launch window all that more likely.  The Ultimate 8150 should be accompanied by the Ultimate 6150 at the launch.

We’re diggin’ the black finish and the backlit keypad, but it doesn’t end there. The i-mate Ultimate 8150 rocks a blazing 520Mhz processor, 2.6 inch touchscreen display, 3.6Mbps HSDPA, 256MB ROM/128MB RAM, WiFi, TV-out, FM radio, microSD slot, 2 megapixel camera, and Bluetooth 2.0. Not there’s a healthy feature-set, if we ever saw one.

The review’s in Arabic, so you’re on your own on that one. But you can peep the live pics after the break. Keep reading.

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Engadget Mobile is reporting that 3 out of 5 i-mate Ultimate devices will not be coming out, but before Matt Miller could shed a tear about the sad news he picked up his phone and went straight to the source! Apperently the information is incorrect, all 5 devices in the Ultimate line will come out, 4 alone will be released at GITEX which starts on September 8th.

Keep your eyes peeled!

With i-mate on shaky financial ground, we were concerned that the company’s highly-heralded Ultimate lineup of Windows Mobile smartphones might not make it to market. We’re relieved to see that the FCC has green-lighted the first in the Ultimate lineup – the i-mate Ultimate 6150. We’re not lovin’ the color or the lack of a physical keypad, but the incredible feature-set should win over at least a few fans. The ultimate 6150 packs in a tri-bnd HSDPA radio, Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional, WiFi, Bluetooth, FM Radio, and that fantastic VGA display – all integrated by Arima.

We’re expecting a September release of the first Ultimate device – and this FCC approval definitely bodes well for that launch window. But, we’re still not sure how i-mate’s recent stumbles will affect the launch of the Ultimate smartphones. We’ll keep ya posted!

Source

We’ve been getting hyped-up and excited for the seemingly impending release of i-mate’s “Ultimate” lineup of Windows Mobile devices. Now, following the newly released Ultimate roadmap, we’re hearing that the company’s financial director, Gregor McNeil, has just resigned his post.

Shares dropped as “nervy investors discounted the possibility of further bad news.” It’s certainly bad news for the company. Their rocky stance is not something we like to see happen to Windows Mobile manufacturers, much less the manufacturer of the Ultimate lineup. But, more importantly, we’re worried about the future of the much-anticipated mobile devices releases. After reporting a financial loss, 50% loss of market value, and a 25% reduction in staff, things are not looking so good for i-mate.

Stay in there guys, we have faith in you. Or, at least get us those Ultimate handsets as your last official act (just kidding).

[Via: The Herald]

Today, at CommunicAsia 2007, I-mate announced that their first Windows Mobile-based Ultimate device will launch in September 2007. We were expecting an Ultimate-device launch to have happened already, but we’re glad to finally get some official word from I-mate on a solid launch window.

Jim Morrison, i-mate CEO, says, “We plan to offer so much more than just Windows Mobile based products of exceptional quality. Our ability to customize our devices to suit the needs of individual customers, combined with our innovative software solutions and extensive support delivers an unrivaled total proposition to our customers.”

Innovative software solutions in the Ultimate line include the new i-mate Suite – which allows for remote management of a device’s configuration. Users can remotely lock, wipe data, and update or change any setting on their Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6.0 devices.

The Ultimate series device launches will be spearheaded by the Ultimate 6150 (codenamed “Blackthorn“) and Ultimate 8150 (codenamed “Double“?) and will only cover Asia, with other regions to follow. But, we’re sure Ultimate-fans the globe-over will find a way to get their hands on the highly-anticipated devices from the get-go.

Check out the press release.

[Via: The Unwired View]

Recently, Windows Mobile smartphone maker i-mate announced JAMA Pocket PC Phone Edition. The device is nowhere close to the company’s Ultimate series — rather it aims to appeal to the broader non-smartphone market. As you can figure out for yourself, the “broader market” means lower price and the lack of features. In that sense, the JAMA doesn’t have neither a WiFi, nor a 3G radio. But wait, this device also lacks EDGE; Its dual-band GSM/GPRS radio is way too slow for any serious mobile Internet usage. Furthermore, the JAMA sports Bluetooth 1.2 (where’s 2.0?) and runs under the Windows Mobile 5.

JAMA’s good sides include 2.4″ touchscreen, 2 MP camera, and the 15.6mm thin slim body that makes the device look more stylish. It is powered by Samsung 300 MHz CPU, has 128 MB of ROM and 64 MB of RAM. All in all, an entry-level smartphone that, if priced correctly, could easily find its buyers especially among the first time smartphone users.

[Via: the::unwired]

Boy Genius got his hands on some disgruntled employees’ parting shot – i-mate’s 2007 product roadmap. It’s basically everything we’ve seen before, but it’s nice to finally put a timeline to the “Ultimate” series and the JAQ4. And, we get a peek at the round-edged “X series” lineup – rockin’ phones with names like “Fox” and “Scully” – the truth is out there indeed. I-mate is really coming into its own with their smartphones, but they also plan to release a digital photo frame. Talk about diversifying your lineup! We got the PDF dissected for you after the read link. Pictures are worth a thousand words – we’ll let them do all the talking.

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I love lists, they’re organized and straightforward. They help you make easy decisions and its easy on the eyes. And who doesn’t love a Top 5 list? Good, then let’s get started.

This list is limited to currently released/available GSM phones with quad-band capabilty. Because what good is a “Top 5″ phone if it doesn’t work in your country. Rankings are based on (in order of most to least important) feature set, ergonomics/size, battery life.
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i-mate, one of the leading Windows Mobile-based smartphones makers, recently launched the new website for its new Ultimate range of devices. Those not familiar should know that i-mate Ultimate devices are set to “re-define the category of Windows Mobile devices.”

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It’s no secret that i-mate is betting heavily on its range of Windows Mobile powered devices. Targeted to business users and savvy consumers, i-mate’s devices combine the intriguing design and smartphone features. Yet, I still prefer Symbian-based devices.