Mobility Phones - Mobile Phones

Worldwide Launch of Highest Capacity, Fingernail-Size Memory Card Includes Exclusive U.S. Rollout in Verizon Wireless Stores For Chocolate By LG Mobile Phone

SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today introduced a 2-gigabyte (GB)* microSD card - the largest capacity of the world’s smallest removable flash memory card - to meet demand for a new generation of MP3 music phones, including the forthcoming Verizon Wireless Chocolate by LG mobile phone.

Using the SanDisk microSD card, the Verizon Wireless phone can store up to 1,000 digital songs downloaded from the company’s V CAST music service.** The card, which is sold with an adapter that enables it to fit into a standard-size SD slot of other devices, will debut in the U.S. exclusively at 1,900 Verizon Wireless stores for the next 60 days. Internationally, it will be sold by a variety of mobile retailers.

“Offering our customers removable SanDisk flash memory cards provides a great deal of flexibility in allowing people to manage their downloaded music, both on their personal computer and on their mobile phone,” said Patrick Bucci, Verizon Wireless director of accessory products. “Apart from playing music, the Verizon Wireless Chocolate by LG mobile phone also can capture digital still and video images with its 1.3-megapixel camera/camcorder.” Featuring a color screen, slider-style design and backlit red navigation, the phone is available today on the Verizon Wireless website (www.verizonwireless.com) and will be in Verizon Wireless stores on Aug. 7. The SanDisk 2GB microSD card will be sold by Verizon Wireless for $99.99.

“The need for higher-capacity microSD cards demonstrates that MP3 phones have come of age,” said Jeff Kost , SanDisk vice president, handset business. “Clearly, many consumers are embracing the convergence of digital music and mobile communications because it allows them to carry just a single device. SanDisk’s removable flash memory cards represent the most convenient way for people to store, transfer and play music on their handsets, so we are delighted to work with Verizon Wireless on this new product introduction.”

The market for musically-based mobile phones is stepping along at a lively pace. Strategy Analytics, a global research company, estimates that more than one-fourth of all handsets sold in 2006 will play music, and by the end of next year that number is projected to be more than half of all units shipped. Also, for 2006, an estimated 270 million mobile phones - about 29 percent of all new shipments - will have memory card slots, according to Chris Ambrosio, director of Wireless Device Strategies Service for the Boston-based research firm.

David Bullitt, SanDisk retail product marketing manager for mobile cards, said additional manufacturers will support the 2GB SanDisk microSD card with new models that will be introduced between now and the end of the year. SanDisk, he added, pioneered the development of mobile-specific flash memory cards and is the worldwide leader in the market. The microSD card was invented by SanDisk under the name of TransFlash â„¢ but became a new standard last year when the form factor was adopted by the SD Card Association.

Apart from its retail line of mobile flash memory cards, SanDisk also announced the addition of a 2GB capacity to its OEM line of microSD cards, providing manufacturers with flash memory cards that range from 64 megabytes (MB) to 2GB. On the retail side, SanDisk offers capacities beginning at 256 MB. SanDisk’s previous highest capacity was 1GB.

The microSD uses the latest advancements in flash memory technology to deliver the smallest memory card in the world. Measuring about one-fourth the size of a standard SD card, the fingernail-size microSD card provides high-performance and expanded memory capacity for mobile phones using SanDisk’s TransFlash card slot or any new devices that are marked as microSD slots.

SanDisk is the original inventor of flash storage cards and is the world’s largest supplier of flash data storage card products, using its patented, high-density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is headquartered in Milpitas , CA and has operations worldwide, with more than half its sales outside the U.S.

The BenQ-Siemens E71 is a shapely design mobile of the special kind: Its contours invite the user to touch it. The harmonious proportions without any sharp edges seem to caress the hand. The design idea was inspired by naturally fluid forms and took its cue from the elements: The round, soft design of the BenQ-Siemens E71 was modeled on fluid, floating metal. In accordance with this, a unique surface material was chosen for the E71: Thanks to an innovative non-stick coating of the color variant “Dark Silver”, fingerprints on the glossy surface are kept to a minimum. No matter how often you touch and handle this mobile, the high-gloss surface in a precious metallic finish remains radiant.The BenQ-Siemens E71 features not only exceptionally harmonious design but also high-value technology. An MP3 player offers mobile music entertainment, and the internal memory can be extended with interchangeable Micro-SD cards. Furthermore, an integrated FM radio allows you to enjoy even more music variety or the latest news while on the go. Data can be downloaded thanks to EDGE (depending on operator) in no time. The battery provides you with up to 400 minutes of listening pleasure thanks to the stereo headset included in delivery. Music and data can be transferred effortlessly between the mobile and your PC with the stylish SyncStation DSC-100 which also functions as a charger. If you want to share your favorite songs with friends, just plug the BenQ-Siemens E71 into your stereo system with the Music Cable IHM-100 whose power supply unit also works as a charger.

Spontaneous snapshots are a breeze with the E71 thanks to the integrated 1.3 megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom. The versatile mobile also records and plays video sequences in mpeg4 format. The brilliant QVGA display (262.144 colors, 320 x 240 pixels) provides outstanding visual impressions.

The harmonic design corresponds perfectly to the comfortable handling of the BenQ-Siemens E71. The keys are only slightly elevated beyond the smooth surface yet provide precise pressure. A central 5-way navigation key together with a clearly arranged user menu make the E71 easy and intuitive to use. Apart from a practical organizer for appointments, tasks and notes, the E71 also has a moon calendar, alarm clock and currency calculator on board, making this mobile your reliable everyday companion. Furthermore, the E71 doubles as a dictating machine, and the preinstalled games Sudoku and “Ice Age 2” offer fun and entertainment for every age group.

A wide range of original accessories is available for the BenQ-Siemens E71, such as the Car Kit Bluetooth Portable HKW-700 which offers an innovative plug-and-play solution for your car with an integrated display and access to numbers and calling lists stored in the mobile.

With the BenQ-Siemens E71, BenQ Mobile expands its portfolio of products featuring outstanding design and innovative high-quality materials. The E71 will be available in the color variants “Dark Silver” and “Onyx Black” from September 2006 in Europe and Latin America, and from November 2006 in Asia . Prices will be determined locally.

Alltel Wireless (NYSE:AT), America’s largest network, and LG Electronics MobileComm USA Inc. (LG Mobile Phones) today announced two new handsets equipped with Alltel’s innovative and always reliable Touch2Talk walkie-talkie service. The LG AX390 and AX355 handsets are exclusively available from Alltel Wireless beginning today.

“The LG AX390 and AX355 significantly expand and enhance Alltel’s lineup of Touch2Talk wireless phones,” said Wade McGill, senior vice president of product management for Alltel. “These LG handsets provide Touch2Talk users with even greater flexibility as well as the nation’s largest walkie-talkie coverage, allowing customers to improve communications and boost productivity.”

“LG is excited to present Alltel customers with additional Touch2Talk options,” said Jon Maron, senior director of marketing for LG Electronics MobileComm. “These LG handsets make it easier than ever to stay in touch with family and friends, as well as showcasing the latest advanced data capabilities that today’s wireless customers demand.”

The AX390 features enhanced Touch2Talk capabilities, including the ability to upgrade walkie-talkie calls to regular wireless calls when circumstances require an extended conversation; the ability to send a text message to all members of a Touch2Talk group, and the ability to receive “buddy alerts” when friends or co-workers become available for Touch2Talk calls.

The AX390 also features a one-touch speakerphone, voice recognition (no matter who’s talking) and large, forward-firing speakers, all of which allow users to multitask while communicating. In addition, the AX390 is Axcess Web capable and works on Alltel’s Axcess MobileLink network, which delivers speeds of 40 to 70 kbps with bursts up to 144 kbps.

Alltel customers can purchase one LG AX390 for $59.99 and get a second for free. This discounted price is available to new customers on two-year service agreements as well as to existing eligible customers on qualifying rate plans.

The AX355, in addition to delivering Touch2Talk service, features a 1.3 megapixel camera, Axcess picture and video messaging, built-in speakerphone and voice-activated dialing. It also features hands-free Bluetooth(R) wireless technology and BREW(R) 2.1. It is Axcess Web capable and works on Alltel’s Axcess MobileLink network.

The AX355 comes equipped with Axcess Instant Messaging. Axcess Instant Messaging from Alltel Wireless allows users to chat while they’re on the go with AOL(R) Instant Messenger(TM) and Yahoo!(R) Messenger. Alltel customers can use an existing IM account or sign up for a new one. Standard text messaging rates apply.

The AX355 is available from Alltel for $69.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. This discounted price is available to new customers on two-year service agreements as well as to existing eligible customers on qualifying rate plans.

About LG Electronics, Inc.
LG Electronics, Inc., (KSE: 06657.KS) is the leader in consumer electronics and mobile communications. The company has more than 72,000 employees working in 77 subsidiaries and marketing units around the world. LG Electronics is the world’s largest producer of CDMA handsets, optical storage devices, residential air conditioners and home theater system. With total revenue of more than USD 35 billion (consolidated USD 45 billion), LG Electronics is comprised of four business units: Mobile Communications, Digital Appliance, Digital Display and Digital Media. LG Electronics’ goal worldwide is to create and enable the intelligent networking of digital products that will make consumers’ lives better than ever.

About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company
LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is the world’s leading manufacturer of WCDMA (UMTS), CDMA. The company provides a total range of wireless solutions, and is rapidly establishing a global presence as it cultivates international market share in 3G handsets. For more information please visit www.lgusa.com.

About Alltel
Alltel is owner and operator of the nation’s largest wireless network and has more than 10 million wireless customers.

Designed Around the Human Form, the Next-Generation Plantronics Discovery and Explorer Headsets Provide Fashionable New Looks and Superior Sound Technology

Plantronics, Inc., (NYSE: PLT) today unveiled the latest products in its award-winning Discovery and Explorer lines of Bluetooth headsets. Plantronics announced the details of each product line at the Plantronics Design: Body & Form event in New York City, reflecting the company’s commitment to provide easy-to-use wireless headsets that embody excellent style, comfort and sound.

“Plantronics designs its products to effectively marry the intricacies of superior sound technology with fashionable design and comfort - and does so in a very small and elegant package,” said Renee Niemi, vice president of Mobile and Entertainment at Plantronics. “Our new lineup of Bluetooth headsets demonstrates this design philosophy and continues our legacy of providing consumers with reliable, intuitive and feature-rich products.”

Plantronics Discovery Family: Premium Styling and Sound Innovation The Plantronics Discovery 655 expands on the innovative design of previous Discovery headsets, featuring a new, fashionable look and comfortable ergonomic fit that complements the contours and lines of the human face. Weighing only 9 grams, the Discovery 655 also employs digital signal processing (DSP) to actively reduce background noise for crystal-clear conversations. The Discovery 655 includes a unique AAA charging pocket that provides up to 10 hours of talk time and a headset storage jacket with a vibrate ring indicator to offer a convenient way to charge, store and transport the headset. The headset also comes with a mini-USB adapter to charge from a PC or mobile phone power supply.

To give consumers more headset options, Plantronics also introduced the Discovery 640E, which reflects the design of the original Discovery 640 product and comes with fewer charging adapters at a reduced price. Meant for personal and professional use, the Discovery 655 and Discover 640E were designed with the tech-savvy, fashion-conscious consumer in mind.Plantronics Explorer Family: Convenience and Ease of Use Plantronics today also announced three new products under the Explorer headset line, aimed at first-time Bluetooth users. The new Explorer 330 reflects classic styling that fuses the freedom of wireless mobility with effortless call control. The Explorer 330 headset is easy to use and incorporates all call features - volume, answer/end call, last-number redial, and voice-activated dialing - into one single button.

The new Plantronics Explorer 340 and Explorer 350 feature new aggressive styling and multiple colors to provide consumers with more design options. For those customers needing a more flexible way to keep their headset charged, the Explorer 350 provides convenient in-car accessories for charging and stowing.

Putting Design First
Plantronics executives also announced details behind the company’s evolving industrial design philosophy, driven by the ever-present challenge that Plantronics has addressed in bringing new products to market: how to combine superior sound technology with the fashion standards of apparel, jewelry or eyewear. This delicate and complex challenge is unique to headsets, as they represent the only technology device that people actually wear on their faces.

“At Plantronics human anatomy is the canvas on which we create new products, which is very unique to the consumer electronics industry,” said Darrin Caddes, vice president of Corporate Design at Plantronics. “In many ways, we begin the design inspiration process by starting at the end: by examining where our final products will rest. If it doesn’t look good on the human body, it isn’t worth exploring.”

At the event, Caddes highlighted the four complementary elements that guide Plantronics’ design philosophy:

• Behavior. “The physical, the cognitive, the social, and the cultural factors that define human style and behavior. Behavior inspires us to examine life through the users’ eyes.”
• Body. “It is more than a factor in the design process, it is our canvas. We see the human form and its multitude of curves and lines as a landscape for symbiosis - the pure and perfect partnership between physiology, technology and fashion.”
• Build. “This is technology as you’ve never seen it before, where inspiration, color, ergonomics, proportion and surface development reveal Plantronics’ competitive advantage.”
• Beyond. “Creating new design paradigms. Anticipating customer needs before they exist. Plantronics constantly explores the realm of possibility for fashion and technology to stay on the cutting-edge and fulfill future customer desires.”

 

Pricing and Availability
The Plantronics Discovery 655 and Discovery 640E headsets have manufacturer suggested retail prices (MSRPs) of $149.95 and $119.95, respectively. Both products will be available in August at www.plantronics.com and at retailers this fall.

The Plantronics Explorer 350 and Explorer 340 have MSRPs of $89.95 and $79.95, respectively. Both products will be available in August at www.plantronics.com and this fall at retailers, including Cingular and CompUSA. The Explorer 330 has an MSRP of $79.95 and will be available this fall at www.plantronics.com and at stores, such as RadioShack, T-Mobile and Target.

To learn more about Plantronics Design and the new fall products, please visit: www.plantronics.com/design.

About Plantronics
In 1969, a Plantronics headset carried the historic first words from the moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Since then, Plantronics has become the headset of choice for mission-critical applications such as air traffic control, 911 dispatch, and the New York Stock Exchange. Today, this history of Sound Innovation is the basis for every product we build for the office, contact center, personal mobile, entertainment and residential markets. The Plantronics family of brands includes Plantronics, Altec Lansing, Clarity, and Volume Logic. For more information, go to www.plantronics.com or call (800) 544-4660.

 

 What was once known as the Capri — the US Motorola team’s first 4LTR slider effort , not to be confused with the Korean team’s Z — can now be called the MOTORIZR, and the skinny is, of course, not entirely surprising. The 0.6-inch thick quad-band device features EDGE, a 2 megapixel camera, QQVGA display, Bluetooth with A2DP, microSD, and a 2H launch time frame. Again, nothing to turn the head of anyone who’s heard about the device over and over online, but still a welcome addition to Moto’s staid lineup of RAZRs in an ever-increasing array of colors. 

With S60 3rd Edition, UMTS, a 3.2 megapixel camera with optical zoom, WiFi, miniSD slot, and QVGA display, Nokia’s N93 dual-pivot clamshell pretty much does it all — at the cost of some considerable bulk, that is. Mobile-review had a chance to spend some quality time with the beast, and if you can get past the portly 188 grams of mass in your pocket, they appear to come away liking the device for all that it does. As flimsy as it may look, we’re told the stalk connecting the display to the remainder of the phone is rock-solid: “Even if you shake the phone with all your strength, there is no way the halves will move towards each other.” Triband GSM plus UMTS 2100 make the N93 a tough sell in the States, but everyone else seeking out a worthy N90 replacement can expect Nokia’s latest superphone to drop this month for around €600 ($765).

Remember the news that a Korean government-appointed panel had recommended revocation of LG Telecom’s right to 3G on the 2GHz band? Well, it happened. Interestingly, investors think this is great news for the company, pushing its stock sharply upward on the news — possibly because the technology for which the license was issued has failed to become a commercial success. LG Telecom now looks to instead deploy EV-DO rev. A on the more widely-accepted 1.8GHz band, but at any rate, Korea takes their 3G deployments seriously — per regulation, the government is now pressing for CEO Nam Yong’s removal.

Shh, keep this on the down-low, but there’s a new crypto phone on the scene dubbed the vectroTEL X8 apparently manufactured by Sagem. It goes tri-band GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 and features a 240 x 320 pixel, 256k color display, Bluetooth, and 1.3 megapixel camera no self-respecting spy should be without. Clearly, the most important feature, however, is end-to-end call encryption via 1024-bit Diffie Hellman Key exchange and 128-bit AES encryption. Slap in a miniSD card / crypto module (with PIN activation) and you too can make “tamper proof” calls to uh, all the other nefarious peeps with vectroTEL handsets. So get to planning your conspiracy now kid, this game ain’t for the shortsighted.

HP’s everything-to-everyone hw6xxx series of Pocket PC phones have taken their fair share of criticism for some flaky software, sluggish performance, and bizarre 240 x 240 display resolution, but as we previously reported, the hw69xx looks to be a worthy upgrade. Besides the obvious bonuses like a faster processor and integrated WiFi, the keyboard is allegedly more usable thanks to a revised key shape and, well, it’s just good to see that HP finally showed up for the Windows Mobile 5 AKU2 party. Folks that have been waiting for these bad boys to drop might want to reach for their wallets: MobilePlanet is now showing July 4 availability for the hw6915, coming in just shy of $890. Despite the decidedly patriotic release date, the first round of units will likely be European, but the quad-band GSM / EDGE has our American readers covered either way.

Yeah, we’ve heard it before, but they mean it this time. Carriers Vodafone and NTT DoCoMo have teamed up with Motorola, Samsung, NEC, and Panasonic to succeed where others have failed, busting out a common Linux-based smartphone platform and sharing costs and R&D resources along the way. Besides unifying the fragmented mobile Linux community behind a single open platform, the group’s goal is to see the light of day in a production phone before the end of 2007, but let’s be honest — the project won’t be considered a success unless the joint venture can produce a popular, well-known platform that can scrap with the Symbians and the Windows Mobiles of the world. Hey, Access PalmSource, you guys paying attention?

The W300i may not be the most fascinating phone out there, but golly, it’s good to see a midrange flip once in a while coming from someone besides Samsung and LG. The music-oriented W300i earned a 7.6 on CNET’s 10-scale, earning praise for its “remarkable” call quality but getting knocked for its tricky button placement, lackluster VGA cam, flimsy feel (attributed to the phone’s feather-like 3.3oz), and tendency to freeze for a few seconds on occasion. In our opinion, the dismal 20MB of internal storage doesn’t really jive with its Walkman branding — thankfully, the Memory Stick Micro slot is there to bail you out. No word on any US carriers picking the W300i up, but it’s rockin’ quadband GSM plus EDGE, so feel free to buy your own if you can stomach the $299 Sony Ericsson is asking.

As we all know, FCC approval means virtually nothing for a phone’s chances of seeing a US release, but we can dare to dream. The 900/1800/1900 tri-band NEC e373, just released on Italian carrier TIM, treads some moderately uncharted territory as a truly low-end UMTS clamshell, lacking an external display and expansion slot. To boot, the useless-for-anything-but-video-calling VGA camera and 32MB of internal memory make the phone all but useless as a multimedia device, but yeah, we have a soft spot in our hearts for hot-looking 3G clamshells, so we’re going to give the e373 a mulligan this time.

It’s hard for any phone to out-do the legendary StarTac, but Motorola’s posterchild — you know which one we’re talking about — has officially sold 50 million units. Since the Hong Kong debut way back in 2004, the RAZR has dominated the mobile scene, and with a figure like that, you have to give props to the ingenious engineering, er, marketing team behind it. The handset really hasn’t changed much over the years, and its lamentable success is due in large part to buyers’ infatuation with colors; the ability jump-start sales by varying the paint job gave Motorola a bonafide cash cow, enabling everyone and their mother (literally) to jump on the ultimate mobile bandwagon. And with the possibility of more colors on the horizon, the question beckons: when will the madness end? While the 50 million unit milestone is commendable, we’re not shy about spending our time looking towards the future.

We’ve been pining after Unlicensed Mobile Access and the promise of seamless VoIP / cellular handoffs for so long, we’ve admittedly become a little jaded, so forgive us if we seem a bit desensitized to the news that Samsung has launched its SGH-P200 UMA slider in Italy this week. Samsung’s claiming that the P200 is the world’s first commercially available UMA mobile, and we’re inclined to believe them, despite a string of promising announcements over the past couple years that have yet to materialize. UMA aside, the P200 sports a 1.3 megapixel camera, EDGE, smallish 220 x 176 display, and 80MB of shared internal memory in a 22.5mm thick package — fairly pedestrian specs, but hey, the draw of VoIP is strong, is it not? Expect the phone to spread elsewhere in Europe shortly, while our American friends shouldn’t have much longer to wait for the similarly styled T709 on T-Mobile.