IntoMobile » New Hardware

Sprint launches the Motorola Clutch i465 as first QWERTY iDEN messaging phone

Will Park — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:46:39 +0000

The QWERTY keyboard is no longer a stranger to iDEN circles. With the introduction of the Motorola Clutch i465, push-to-talk fans now have an affordable QWERTY messaging phone to use with the leading PTT carrier in the US. Following on Boost Mobile’s announcement, Boost’s parent company Sprint (NYSE: S) has today announced the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Clutch i465 as a tough and affordable QWERTY messaging phone for use with Nextel Direct Connect Custom plans.

The Motorola Clutch i465 combines a rugged, yet slim(ish), exterior with a full QWERTY keyboard - the first QWERTY device in the iDEN portfolio. It features a new kind of text messaging service that uses Nextel’s class-leading push-to-talk network. “Group Messaging,” as it’s called, takes advantage of the Nextel Direct network’s strengths - allowing for instant text-communications with a large group.

Sprint says the Motorola Clutch i465 will be available later this Summer for 39.99 with a new two-year service agreement, $20 instant rebate and $50 mail-in rebate. Expect to see the Motorola Clutch hitting all Sprint retail channels.

Full press release after the break.

SPRINT INTRODUCES MOTOROLA CLUTCH i465, A TOUGH,
AFFORDABLE NEXTEL DIRECT CONNECT DEVICE
WITH A FULL QWERTY KEYBOARD FOR MOBILE MESSAGING

Starting at just $29.99 a month, Nextel Direct Connect Custom Plans pair with an easy-to-use, $39.99 full QWERTY keyboard phone for an unbeatable wireless value

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – June 29, 2009 – Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced Motorola® ClutchTM i465 will be available this summer, in all Sprint sales channels, including Sprint stores, www.sprint.com/nexteldirectconnect and 1-800-Nextel-9 for $39.99 with a new two-year service agreement, $20 instant rebate and $50 mail-in rebate (excluding taxes).

Customers can register for more information about availability for Motorola Clutch i465 at www.sprint.com/clutch.

Motorola Clutch i465, fueled by the Nextel National Network, is a rugged device in a slender candy bar form factor, and the first Nextel Direct Connect® messaging-centric device that brings the strength of a full QWERTY keyboard to the iDEN line. Motorola Clutch i465 also offers Group Messaging, which lets customers create groups of up to 20 people to send messages to at the same time.

“Sprint Nextel Direct Connect customers are used to the immediate communications offered by push-to-talk devices, but Motorola Clutch i465 with a QWERTY keyboard gives those customers a better way to instantly communicate with friends, family and colleagues,” said Danny Bowman, president of Sprint’s iDEN Business Unit. “By combining Nextel Direct Connect with text messaging, Sprint customers have two of the most efficient ways to get business done wirelessly.”

According to a study commissioned by Sprint, the number of texters in the 50-64 year-old range has grown by more than 50 percent since 2006, mostly driven by parents who have adopted texting to stay connected to their children. In that demographic, 75 percent of text messages are sent to the user’s children. People under 30 are four times more likely to respond within a few minutes to a text than to voicemail.1

“Motorola Clutch was designed to give serious texters and talkers multiple ways to get the word out,” said Rick Gadd, vice president, Motorola Mobile Devices. “With a full QWERTY keyboard featuring shortcut keys, IM-style texting and push-to-talk technology which works like a verbal IM, Sprint customers are able to keep in constant contact, no matter how they prefer to communicate.”

Motorola Clutch i465 is an attractive utility device that meets Military Specification 810F for low pressure, high and low temperatures, dust, shock, vibration and solar radiation. It is also Java-enabled, comes with a digital still and video camera, and supports GPS, Bluetooth® and third-party applications.

“During these cost-cutting times, Motorola Clutch i465 is a dependable and durable handset perfect for those who require a messaging handset at a good price,” Bowman said. “Nextel Direct Connect customers recognize the value of instant communications in the form of push-to-talk offers, and mobile messaging extends the ability of our customers to reach the people they need to when time matters most.”

Nextel Direct Connect services help families and friends stay connected and they are often depended upon by businesses and first responders who need to get things done fast, and includes one-to-one push-to-talk communication in less than one second with millions of other Nextel Direct Connect subscribers, available nationwide from coast-to-coast. With more than 16 years of expertise, Sprint is the undisputed leader in push-to-talk services. Nextel Direct Connect® has set the industry standard for push-to-talk worldwide, and serves the world’s largest push-to-talk community with millions of Nextel Direct Connect subscribers on the fastest national push-to-talk network.

With Nextel Direct Connect Custom Plans, the focus is on the key services used most by workgroups, which are bundled with unlimited usage, at a low flat monthly rate. Specifically, businesses can choose from the following Nextel Direct Connect Custom Plans:
Unlimited Workgroup Communications – with unlimited Direct Connect and Group Connect® plus unlimited text messaging, mobile-to-mobile minutes and night and weekend minutes starting at 9 p.m.
$29.99 per month per line (excluding taxes and Sprint surcharges)
Web & Navigation – includes the above features, plus unlimited data, Web browsing and GPS navigation
$39.99 per month per line for Nextel phones (excluding taxes and Sprint surcharges)
$49.99 per month per line for PowerSource and Nextel Direct Connect capable Sprint phones (excluding taxes and Sprint surcharges)
Pooled voice minutes can be added to either plan for the group to share
500 minutes for $30 per month per line (excluding taxes and Sprint surcharges)
Or 2,000 minutes for $100 per month per line (excluding taxes and Sprint surcharges)

For more details on the Nextel Direct Custom plans, visit www.sprint.com/nexteldirectconnect.

Additionally, Sprint offers affordable Everything Messaging plans that let customers – particularly the growing numbers who are new to texting – take advantage of the Motorola Clutch i465 messaging features at a great value. These plans start at just $49.99 per month for 450 anytime minutes and include unlimited Nextel Direct Connect, unlimited night and weekend minutes starting at 7 p.m., unlimited mobile-to-mobile minutes, plus unlimited text and picture messaging (excludes taxes and Sprint surcharges). This plan provides a savings of $180 (savings based on additional $5 per month charge for push-to-talk service from AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ)) per year vs. comparable AT&T and Verizon plans.2

Everything Data plans are also a great value, starting at just $69.99 per month for 450 minutes of talk time, unlimited Direct Connect and unlimited data, including texting, email, Web browsing and GPS. Unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling to other Sprint customers and free nights & weekends starting at 7 p.m. are also included in these affordable plans (excludes taxes and Sprint surcharges).

Families can also take advantage of unlimited messaging on Motorola Clutch i465 with Sprint’s Everything Messaging Family plans. At an annual savings of $240 vs. comparable Verizon and AT&T plans, these plans start at $99.99 per month, allowing two customers to share 1,500 minutes, including free nights starting at 7 p.m. and weekends, unlimited texting and picture sharing. Unlimited Nextel Direct Connect can be added for only $5 per line per month (excludes taxes and Sprint surcharges).3

For customers who need unlimited voice, messaging, Nextel Direct Connect and data, including email, Web browsing, social networking and GPS navigation, Sprint offers the Simply EverythingSM plan for just $99.99. That’s a savings of more than $1,200 over two years vs. AT&T’s comparable plan for the iPhone.4

About Nextel Direct Connect
With more than 15 years of expertise, Sprint is the undisputed leader in push-to-talk with the largest community of users in the world. Nextel Direct Connect has set the industry standard for push-to-talk and serves millions of Nextel Direct Connect subscribers on the fastest national push-to-talk network.

Nextel Direct Connect is the only push-to-talk product in the industry that offers:

Industry-leading performance with the advantage of instant connection (call set-up times of less than one second)
Connection to the world’s largest community of users, with millions of existing Nextel Direct Connect subscribers
Nationwide and international push-to-talk services
The largest portfolio of push-to-talk phones, including the largest selection of rugged phones
Integrated business solutions, including the largest selection of GPS-solutions

For more information about Nextel Direct Connect, visit www.sprint.com/nexteldirectconnect.

ABOUT SPRINT NEXTEL
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving more than 49 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2009; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

1 Sprint Oct. 2008 telephone survey of 2,010 people.
2 Savings based on 450-minute options for Verizon Nationwide Select with Unlimited Push to Talk and AT&T Nation Talk & Text with Push to Talk Unlimited plans, based on published rate plans available on publication date.
3 Savings based on 1,500-minute option for two customers on AT&T FamilyTalk Talk & Text plan with Push to Talk Unlimited and Verizon Nationwide Select Family Share Plan with Unlimited Push to Talk, based on published rate plans available on publication date.
4 Savings based on publicly available information on base service plan and options rate totaling $149.99/month for AT&T as of publication date, excluding taxes, surcharges and fees.
# # #

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Four Low-End Samsung Phones Revealed

Simon Sage — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:15:14 +0000

Four entry-level handsets from Samsung have made a quiet debut today. We had seen a brief glimpse of the Samsung S6700 and C5510 not too long ago, but the M2510 and M2310 are new to the scene. Nothing hugely impressive, but definitely stylish, functional devices for those who don’t need all the hassle of a full-blown smartphone. Here’s the spec rundown, Align-Left Overlap Edition.

Samsung S6700

Quad-band GSM, dual-band UMTS (HSDPA up to 3.6Mbps)
2.4″ QVGA display
3 megapixel camera with autofocus, dual LED flash
120MB of internal memory, microSD card slot
GPS, Bluetooth

Samsung C5510

2.2″ QVGA display
Quad-band GSM, dual band UMTS
2 megapixel camera (no AF)
Bluetooth v2.1
microSD card slot

Samsung M2510

Quad-band GSM support (no 3g)
2.2″ TFT display
DNSe audio enhancement, FM radio with RDS, 3.5mm headphone jack
microSD card slot
1.3 megapixel camera

Samsung M2310

9MB internal memory plus microSD
3.5 mm headphone jack
2″ Q-QVGA display, 1.06″ secondary (96 x 96)
Quad-band GSM
Bluetooth

[via MobileBurn, GSMArena]

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HTC Hero Passes Certification

Simon Sage — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:13:10 +0000

The Global Certification Forum has approved the HTC Hero, a mere two days away from what we presume will be the launch event. The biggest change that we can tell so far is the user interface makeover - if you haven’t had a chance to check out Rosie, take a look at some of the screenshots. We first saw the Hero when HTC’s ‘09 roadmap leaked out, and although specs didn’t show up then, the GCF certification confirms the Hero will be running on quad-band GSM and dual-band HSPA. Other pics have revealed that it will be packing a 3.5 mm headphone jack and none of this extUSB nonsense. It’s good to see HTC is keeping up with the Android hardware even though other manufacturers are finally starting to get the ball rolling.

[via ::theunwired]

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LG Announces Windows Mobile-Packing GW550, Looking E71ish

Simon Sage — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:00:27 +0000

LG isn’t just rehashing hardware announced at Mobile World Congress at CommunicAsia (although they are pushing the watch phone, Style, GM730 and everything else they announced in Barcelona) - the GW550 is a new handset that’s squarely targeting the enterprise crowd with distinctly BlackBerryish looks. LG is staying mum on a lot of the details, but it’ll be running Windows Mobile 6.1, packing a 3 megapixel camera, a QVGA display, and HSUPA/HSDPA connectivity. In the Windows Mobile sphere, the GW550 will be butting heads most directly with the upcoming HTC Snap, but those looking for a bigger keyboard may sooner eyeball the Touch Pro 2 or the Omnia 2. No information on release dates or carriers, as usual, but no doubt we’ll get something in good time.

[via LG, pic]

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LG GM730 Due July, Launching with App Store

Simon Sage — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:56:00 +0000

We first saw the LG GM730 at the Mobile World Congress, but it’s popped up again at the CommunicAsia conference and announced for a July release. The GM730 will be one of the first to use LG’s new S-Class 3D user interface built on top of a “new version of” Windows Mobile 6.1, as well as pack their new Application Store. Details on the Application Store are scarce, but we’ve got a full spec list for the GM730:

HSDPA 7.2 Mbps, HUSPA 2.0 Mbps
UMTS 900/2100, 850/900/1800/1900
110 x 56.5 x 11.9mm
3″ WQGVA resistive touchscreen
5 megapixel camera
aGPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth,

Having seen a bit of S-Class in action, it should be an interesting new family of user interfaces. The main trick is having scrolling rows, so you can access more than four each without having to switch entire screens. The front-side keys have changed a little bit since the initial announcement in Barcelona, but nothing extreme. The GM730 will launch in Asia first, so don’t hold your breath too long for a North American release. As for LG’s app store, it’s not that much of a surprise - every manufacturer and his dog is opening one these days, it’ll simply be a matter of seeing how well-populated it is at launch and how many developers they can wrangle to sign up beforehand.

[via LG]

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Samsung Omnia Lite B7300 Announced

Simon Sage — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:02:54 +0000

The fourth and final phone announced by Samsung today is the Omnia Lite (9B7300). So far, they’re only telling us that the B7300 packs TouchWiz 2.0, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, aGPS, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and comes preloaded with Opera and the Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) Office Suite. The B7300 had snuck out back in March, but not much was revealed then either. Luckily Unwired View dug up a few more specs:

Quad-band GSM, GPRS, Edge connectivity
3.2” 320×400px TFT LCD touchsreen
Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0 (microUSB)
Dimensions: 107,9 x 51,8 x 12,98 mm
Weight: 100gr

If you haven’t already, take a gander at Samsung’s other new phones, the two Omnia Pros and the Jet.

[via Samsung]

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Samsung Launches Omnia Pro Twin Brother: B7320

Simon Sage — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:06:09 +0000

It’s been a busy day for Samsung - they’ve gone official with not only the Jet and Omnia Pro, but also this Omnia Pro variant (B7320). Opposed to its side-sliding sibling, the B7320 features a BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM)-style QWERTY keypad, but presumably similar specs. The only things they’ll tell us right now is that it has a 3 megapixel camera, FM tuner supporting RDS, and Wi-Fi. That definitely looks like a front-facing video conferencing camera, too.

Samsung also announced a little something called the Omnia Lite, which we’ll get to shortly…

[via Samsung]

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Samsung Ultra S Spotted in Pink

Simon Sage — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:34:52 +0000

A new addition to Samsung’s Ultra line, the Samsung Ultra S (S7350) has been spotted in a pink paint job. The specs put it just a notch below the Ultra Touch, but definitely packs the same style and slim profile. A 5 megapixel camera, WQVGA screen, GPS, FM radio, Bluetooth, and microSD memory card slot are all a part of the package - luckily, there’s a silver sersion for those who aren’t quite bubbly enough to pull off the pink.

[MobileNet via DailyMobile]

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Samsung Intros Solar-Powered E1107 Guru

Simon Sage — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:39:26 +0000

Samsung’s most prominent move into solar-power cell phones to date has been Blue Earth, but it looks like they’ve decided to ship another handset first: the E1107 Guru. Samsung India will be selling the E1107 for Rs 2799, primarily targeting rural areas with spotty electricity service. Five to ten minutes of talk time can be squeezed out of an hour’s worth of sunlight, maxing out after 40 hours of sunbathing. Solar panel aside, there’s not much to look at…FM radio, MP3 ringtones, 1.52″ display, dual-band GSM, but all you really need is something that makes calls. Europe, Asia, and Latin America should be picking this one up shortly as well. Samsung’s touting the Guru as “the world’s first solar phone”, but that’s total bollocks, frankly - ZTE claims that prize and KDDI takes the runner-up spot. Not that we’re going to complain about an ecologically-friendly phone for emerging markets that have trouble getting with the times, but slimy marketing pushes my buttons.

[via TechShout]

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Nokia N86 On The Way to Stores

Simon Sage — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:07:13 +0000

Commence your rejoicing, Nokia (NYSE: NOK)’s 8 megapixel upgrade to their popular N85 model is now shipping! The N86 was announced at MWC back in February, and has already enjoyed an imaging award thanks to its blur reduction, quick processing time, and low-light sensitivity. After passing through the FCC late last month, we were ready to receive Nokia’s bounty with open arms, but for those of you unfamiliar with the N86, here’s a quick spec run-down:

8 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, dual LED flash
8 GB internal memory with microSD memory card support
aGPS, FM transmitter, Wi-Fi, stereo Bluetooth
2.6″ AMOLED QVGA screen
Running S60 3rd. Edition
Bands:
- WCDMA 900/1900/2100 (HSDPA) and EGSM 850/900/1800/1900, WLAN
- WCDMA 850/1900/2100 (HSDPA) and GSM 850/900/1800/1900, WLAN
- WCDMA 900/1900/2100 (HSDPA) and EGSM 850/900/1800/1900

The N85 is a hot little number, and will provide a solid alternative to the equally awesome N97 which just hit flagship stores yesterday. Presumably those same stores will be getting the N86 in short order, and carriers will be stocking up over the next few weeks. Will one of these two phones have a chance at swaying folks who are too impatient to wait for the iPhone 3GS? You can get a closer look at the N86 here, or scope out the data sheet here.

[via Nokia]

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Verizon Outs Waterproof Casio Exilim and Side-Sliding Motorola Rival

Simon Sage — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:19:43 +0000

The waterproof Casio Exilim that we saw Verizon (NYSE: VZ) promoting in rather scandalous ways is now available for $279.99 on a two-year contract after rebates. It might seem a little steep, but for a waterproof, ruggedized device with a 5.1 megapixel camera with 3 x optical zoom and a really cool swiveling form factor, this could be the cameraphone of choice for avid photographers. An 8 megapixel version of the Exilim is out there, but might take awhile to find its way to our end of the pond. Alongside the Exilim is the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) A455 Rival, a side-sliding texter we saw briefly yesterday, available for $99.99 on contract with rebates. GPS, a 2 megapixel camera, 3.5 mm headphone jack and stereo Bluetooth are all confirmed, along with the usual services like VZ Navigator and Rhapsody music.

[via PRNewswire]

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Nokia N97 NAM goes live in the US!

Will Park — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:30:22 +0000

Fans of Nokia (NYSE: NOK)’s Nseries smartphones are probably throwing their hands up in celebration right about now. Why? Because the North American version (NAM) of the Nokia N97 is now available in the US!

Following on Nokia’s announcement that the Nokia N97 would launch in 75 countries this month, the Finnish mobile phone giant has gone live with a US 3G-compatible Nokia N97 NAM. The Nokia N97 NAM is available now for $699 unlocked and sucka contract-free.

The iPhone 3G S and the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre may be getting all the hype this week, but it’s hard to discount Nokia’s range-topping Nokia N97 and its 3.5-inch near-HD touchscreen,

This is the White variant

5.0-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera, WiFi, GPS, microSD slot, 32GB on-board storage QWERTY keyboard and HSPA data connection. But, will the Symbian-based Nokia N97 have what it takes to fight the more intuitive and finger-friendly iPhone OS and WebOS? Sound off in the comments!

Find the Black Nokia N97 NAM hanging out in Nokia’s flagship stores in Chicago and New York City with a $699 price-tag around its neck. If you want the White Nokia N97 NAM variant, you’ll have to order through Nokia’s website.

[Via: UnwiredView]

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Apple Announces iPhone 3GS - 3 Megapixel Camera, Magnetometer, Video Recording, Voice Control and More

Simon Sage — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:39:33 +0000

It looks just like your old iPhone, only it’s more awesome. WWDC’s biggest announcement has been made, and it’s for the next generation iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 3GS. (Hint: the S stands for sexy.. or maybe just speed).

Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s announcement today of the iPhone 3GS effectively relegates the iconic iPhone 3G (8GB) to lower-tier status as a $99 entry-level iPhone. What makes the new iPhone 3GS the new hotness worthy of replacing the iPhone 3G?

Let us count the ways:

The iPhone 3GS boasts an upgraded 3.0-megapixel camera with autofocus (tap-to-focus)
We’re finally able to record true-blue video at 30 FPS - videos can be editing on the iPhone 3GS, with support for one-touch video uploading to YouTube
The new iPhone 3GS features Voice control - control playlists and make phone calls with your voice
A digital compass allows for more accurate position data and turn-by-turn GPS
Much faster processor and 256MB RAM allows for at least 2x times speed increases when running native iPhone apps
iPhone 3GS comes pre-loaded with OS 3.0 goodies like cut and paste, universal search, stocks, and voice memos
MMS via AT&T (NYSE: T) later this summer
Tethering via everybody else but AT&T
Nike+ integration
Battery life improved: 9 hours of WiFi use, 10 hours of video watching, 30 hours of audio listening, 12 hours of 2G talk time

You can get the full spec rundown over here. To ditch antiquated stock mark the new iPhone dawn, Apple has slashed the price of the iPhone 3G to $99 and $149.

The iPhone 3GS, however, will be available June 19th for $299 for the 32GB model, and $199 for 16GB model, both available on preorder from AT&T starting tonight. Canada, France, Germany, UK, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland should also have the iPhone 3GS available for June 19th. All in all, it looks like a solid incremental upgrade for the iPhone, if nothing mind-blowingly new.

Those who are still rocking the original iPhone will be feeling the squeeze to upgrade to the 3GS, but even then, the operating system upgrade to version 3.0 will probably be enough to sate most users. What do you guys think of the new iPhone? Is a smoother experience and a new camera worth the money? Does video recording, turn-by-turn GPS navigation and improved battery life make the iPhone 3GS worthy of the $199 price-tag?

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Samsung B5100 Passes FCC

Simon Sage — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:55:57 +0000

So, while you’re all oohing and aahing and Will’s live WWDC coverage, maybe you can show some love for this Samsung B5100 that just passed the FCC running S60. It’s a simple candybar with a 3 megapixel camera with LED flash, GPS, Wi-Fi, HSDPA, and a QVGA screen. No other info other than that, but we’re going to guess that it’ll be cheap, even for something packing a pretty solid spec line. We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for this one in the public shortly, in any case.

[mobil.cz via GSMArena]

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Inventec Shows Off New Android Handset with 1 GHz Media Chip and 4″ Screen

Simon Sage — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:48:02 +0000

The Computex show is all wrapped up in Taipei, but one juicy little nugget to emerge is this Android handset dubbed IAC from Inventec which is powered by Freescale’s 1 GHz ARM Cortex A8 multimedia chip. Freescale calls the new hardware a “smartbook”, but whatever you call it, a 4″ screen and slide-out QWERTY keypad = sexy. The same chip enables 720p video on a Pegatron netbook, so you can get a sense of what kind of horsepower will be tucked away in the IAC. As cool as it is, we’ve seen other manufacturers squeeze up to 1080p on Android in the past, although only in a prototype format - nothing nearly this close to finished. Freescale has already shown some interest in Android, but this is by far their most solid push into the OS. No word on a release date, other than “later this year”.

Video after the jump!

[techvideoblog via Engadget]

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Sprint stores sell out of Palm Pre stock, no resupply for a week!

Will Park — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:17:20 +0000

Well, it’s not like we didn’t expect this to happen. But, we certainly didn’t think the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre would sell out this quickly. Despite having topped off their Palm Pre inventories yesterday, it seems the rush of eager Pre fans managed to scoop up all available Palm Pre units at all the Sprint (NYSE: S) stores in the Los Angeles region - before lunch time, to boot! We also have confirmation that stores around the country are sold out as well.

If you haven’t yet gotten your hands on a Palm Pre today, consider yourself too late. The good news is that some Sprint stores are reportedly waiting to on resupply shipments on Monday, so you won’t have to wait too long to buy a Palm Pre. The bad news, on the other hand, is that other Sprint stores, like those in the LA area, aren’t expecting to be resupplied for an entire week. Unconfirmed reports say that the regional/district distributor has been tapped clean.

The Palm Pre has no doubt proven to be a launch day success! There are probably bottles of celebratory champagne being uncorked inside Sprint and Palm corporate offices as we speak. Seeing stores across the country selling out of the Palm Pre just hours after its launch is a good reason to party. But, it still remains to be seen if the Palm Pre can keep up its launch-day momentum through the year.

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Oh (HTC) Snap! Now available in UK.

Will Park — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:07:56 +0000

If the prospect of a new BlackBerry Storm or the all-new Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre doesn’t get your juices flowing, perhaps a snazzy new Windows Mobile-powered smartphone will fit your fancy. Those of you in the UK with an itch for the HTC Snap will be happy to hear that the email-friendly QWERTY smartphone is now available in the UK.

Devicewire has the HTC Snap for sale at £289.99 (about $480) unlocked and sucka-free contract-free. In trade for your hard-earned coin, you’ll get HTC’s newest Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard-powered smartphone equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard and HTC’s InnerCircle email management feature. The HTC Snap aims squarely at the BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) lineup and its email-savvy BlackBerry OS, what with InnerCircle keeping you on top of emails from your closest friends and family.

Now us Yanks just have to wait for Sprint (NYSE: S) to go live with the HTC S511.

Grab your UK HTC Snap here.

[DeviceWire via MoDaCo]

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INQ to Launch Twitter-Centric Phone by Christmas

Simon Sage — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:07:30 +0000

Ambitious small-timer INQ will have two more handsets for their lineup by Christmas ‘09, one focusing on the Twitter experience. Their current INQ1 revolves more around Facebook, but Twitter, a social network built from the ground-up with mobile in mind, should be a great fit. As for pricetag, CEO Frank Meehan says it’ll cost operators only $140, and considering those who use the INQ1 are gobbling up data at a rate comparable to iPhone users, carriers should have an easy time raking in plan revenues.

[via Reuters]

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Sony Ericsson blitzes the unlocked market with Sony Ericsson W995a Multimedia Phone!

Simon Sage — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:16:31 +0000

Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) is continuing to expand their influence in the unlocked GSM cellphone market with the launch of their latest multimedia beast, the Sony Ericsson W995a Multimedia phone. Following its trip through the FCC’s labs, the Sony Ericsson W995a is now available for pre-order through SonySyle.com and comes unlocked and ready to roam whatever wireless network you so choose (as long as you stay away from CDMA networks). Like Sony Ericsson’s Walkman phones of the past, the W995a is a slider, but it also rocks a highly capable 8.1-megapixel camera outfitted with Cybershot technologies.

Rather than brand the Sony Ericsson W995a as a Cybershot or Walkman phone outright, the new W995a is being touted as a “Multimedia” phone. The Sony Ericsson W995a plays comfortably well on both sides of the fence. On the one side, we have the dedicated music playback controls lining right side of the handset and the large stereo speakers on either end of the device that lend to the W995a’s Walkman ancestry - there’s even an FM radio in there somewhere. On the other side, we have a quality 8.1-megapixel auto-focus camera boasts photo-flash, image stabilization, Face Detection and BestPic technologies, which give the Sony Ericsson W995a the bits to compete with other Cybershot handsets.

The Sony Ericsson W995a is being offered on pre-order through SonyStyle.com for $600. Interested? Read up on it here. Order it here.

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LG Glance, LG enV3 and LG enV Touch get official for Verizon Wireless

Will Park — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:10:07 +0000

As expected, LG’s hitting Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless with new-generation handsets, and they’re hitting hard. Verizon Wireless has just announced three new LG handsets for this year. The LG Glance will apparently arrive on Big Red as an affordable monoblock (candybar) sporting a slim waistline, with the LG enV3 picking up where the LG enV2 left off. And, on the higher end of the spectrum, we have the LG enV Touch doing its touchscreen thing as the successor to the LG Voyager.

Left to right: LG Glance, LG enV3, LG enV Touch

The super-slim LG Glance features a 1.3-megapixel camera and some sort of fancy “woven metal” battery cover. The name of the game here is “affordability.” The LG enV3 improves on the enV2’s spec-sheet with a 3-megapixel camera, EVDO and Visual Voicemail. Like the original, the LG enV3 features a smaller display and numeric keypad on its exterior face, with a larger display and QWERTY keyboard lying underneath the sideways clamshell. The LG enV3 can expand storage with a microSD card. And, finally, the LG enV Touch turns up the “cool” factor a couple notches with not just one, but two WVGA displays. Like its predecessor, the LG Voyager, the enV Touch features a touchscreen on its exterior face, opening up to reveal a WVGA display and QWERTY keyboard. LG rounds out the enV Touch’s feature set with a 3.2-megapixel auto-focus camera, microSD card slot, image editor and 3.5mm headphone jack.

Expect to see the LG Glance and LG enV Touch launching on June 5 for $49.99 and $149.99, respectively (after applicable mail-in rebates are applied). The LG enV3 will set you back $129.99 starting tomorrow (rebates apply). All prices are only valid when purchased with new 2-year contract.

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