Verizon Wireless Announces the LG Dare

Today Verizon Wireless announced the LG Dare, a new touch device first revealed by LG a couple of weeks ago. This compact phone has an updated user interface compared to other touch phones on the Verizon network. It is far more intuitive to use. The Dare focuses on providing a solid camera and video experience. It has a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash, face detection, panorama mode, and Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens. There are powerful on-board editing tools. The video camera records up to 120 frames per second, and can playback video in slow motion. The Dare also has Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and supports stereo Bluetooth as well. It has a microSD slot and supports cards up to 8GB in size. Lastly, it has a full HTML web browser and works with Verizon's V CAST services. It will cost $200 after rebate with a new agreement. The phone will be available beginning July 3.

Virgin Mobile USA Offers $80 Unlimited Calling Plan

Virgin Mobile USA announced a new unlimited calling plan. The Totally Unlimited plan, which will be available beginning July 1, will give customers unlimited nationwide calling with no roaming or other fees for $80 per month. Add $10 to also get unlimited text messaging, picture messaging, instant messaging, and email. Virgin does not require annual contracts, and customers can pay with cash and/or debit or credit cards.

T-Mobile Tackles Prorated ETFs

Today T-Mobile announced that it will begin prorating its early termination fees. Rather than deduct a dollar amount each month, T-Mobile has taken a different route. ETFs for both one- and two-year agreements are $200. During the last 3 to 6 months of a contract (91 to 180 days left), the ETF drops to $100. During the last 3 months of a contact (30 days to 90 days), the ETF drops to $50. For customers who choose to cancel a contract with less than 30 days remaining, they will pay either $50 or the amount of the last month of service, whichever is less. This means customers who are in the first 6 months (for 1-year contracts) or first 18 months (for 2-year contracts) of their agreements will still have to pay the full $200 ETF to cancel.
from T-Mobile

T-Mobile Adds to HotSpot @Home Lineup

Today T-Mobile announced two more phones that are compatible with its HotSpot @Home converged cellular/Wi-Fi calling service. HotSpot @Home, first launched a year ago, allows T-Mobile subscribers to make unlimited phone calls via a Wi-Fi hotspot in their homes for a monthly surcharge. The Nokia 6301 and Samsung T339 are both tri-band 850/1800/1900 GSM/EDGE phones with stereo Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. They support T-Mobile's MyFaves calling program and most IM messaging services. Both phones are available online and in retail stores beginning today.
Nokia 6301: This bar-phone comes with a stand-up charger and resembles a home phone. It adds an FM radio, a 2 megapixel camera with video capture and has support for microSD cards up to 4GB.
Samsung T339: This clamshell loses the FM radio and dials the camera down to 1.3 megapixels. It has a slot for microSD cards and supports cards up to 2GB.

Motorola Sheds Light on MOTOZINE ZN5

Today Motorola officially unveiled the MOTOZINE ZN5. The ZN5 is a bar-style phone similar in shape and appearance to the ROKR E8. The phone's stand-out feature is its Kodak-branded 5 megapixel camera. The camera has autofocus, and can focus on images in less than a second, allowing you to take your picture quicker. It has a full flash, as well as Kodak-approved optics. It carries Kodak's Easy Share software, and the user interface for the camera was jointly developed with Motorola and Kodak to ease operation. The software supports a lot of editing features, panorama shooting mode, and easy sharing with social networking sites. All functions related to the camera are color-coded purple, and the keypad morphs when in camera mode to show camera-specific buttons. The ZN5 carries quad-band GSM/EDGE radios, as well as stereo Bluetooth, FM radio and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. The phone has a slot for a microSD card (supporting cards up to 4GB), 3.5mm headset jack (supporting TV out), a full HTML browser and runs the MOTOMAGX platform. It will be launched in China first, and will be available in the U.S. by the end of 2008. Motorola did not announce its carrier partner for the phone yet.

Sony Ericsson Targets Gamers with F305

This latest slider from Sony Ericsson targets the youth market and is focused on providing an enriched gaming experience. It carries quad-band GSM/EDGE radios, as well as stereo Bluetooth and an FM radio. The F305 has what Sony Ericsson calls Motion Gaming. Similar to the Nintendo Wii, it is sensitive to movement, and will allow users to flick or swing the phone to interact with games, such as bowling or fishing. Sony Ericsson says developers are working on a wide range of 2D and 3D games for the device that will be available later this year. It has dedicated gaming buttons, stereo speakers, and has two different covers to personalize the phone. The F305 also comes with a 2 megapixel camera, supports Memory Stick Micro for storage, and media playback. It will be available in select markets in the fourth quarter.

FCC Spills Details on 3G Clamshell for T-Mobile

New documents seen on the FCC web site provide some information about the Sony Ericsson TM506. The TM506 has at least dual-band GSM/EDGE 850/1900, and likely packs 1800, too. The user manual notes that it also has WCDMA 1700/2100, which would earmark it for T-Mobile USA. Photos included in the FCC documentation also show the phone branded with T-Mobile logos and services. Aside from 3G, it also has Bluetooth, aGPS, a memory card slot and a camera of unknown quality. The draft documents suggest that the TM506 can access TV and streaming videos. This means the TM506 might be one of the first phones for T-Mobile that can access T-Mobile's 3G data services, but that cannot be confirmed by these documents. The last Sony Ericsson phone sold through T-Mobile USA was the T610, released five years ago in July 2003 and discontinued November of 2004.

ONYX CELL PHONE

The Onyx Cell Phone is the end result of the partnership between Synaptics and industrial design studio Pilotfish. It's based on the concept to run multiple applications like Phone, GPS, music, teleconferencing and calendar events.It features a touchscreen ( Synaptics ClearPad Technology ) and the ability to take all the applications and create activity based experiences for the user.

ECLIPSE INTUIT PHONE LOVE SUN

Features a 5 mega pixel camera with built-in software for editing and uploading to a photo album, a slide out touch keyboard and a touchscreen.It's skin is mad from

T-Mobile Offers Major Firmware Upgrade for Sidekick LX

T-Mobile is prepared to offer an over-the-air firmware update for the Sidekick LX. New features will include video record, play and share capabilities, an alarm clock, stereo Bluetooth support and Bluetooth file transfer support.

Samsung Tees Up the T229 for T-Mobile

Today Samsung announced that is will begin selling the T229 through T-Mobile. This entry-level flip has a speakerphone, VGA camera, Bluetooth, and is compatible with T-Mobile's MyFaves calling plan. It comes in an 850/1800/1900 tri-band configuration. It will be available for $30 with a new two-year contract.

Nokia's E Series Gains the E66 and E71

Today Nokia officially announced two new additions to its E series business-focused devices, the E66 slider and the E71 bar-phone with full QWERTY keyboard. They share a large number of features. Both have quad-band GSM/EDGE radios and several 3G profiles, with each coming in a 3.6Mbps WCDMA/HSDPA 850/1900 North American variant. Bluetooth 2.0+EDR with stereo support and Wi-Fi are included. They run the Nokia S60 operating system with Feature Pack 1. A 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and flash is standard on both phones, as is GPS, 2.5mm headset jacks and microSD support for cards up to 8GB. Both are loaded with Nokia's business software, such as a VPN client and support for Exchange. Both phones also share the E series styling first seen on the E51. They will be available in the third quarter.
E66: This slider phone is the successor to the E65. Its stand out feature is that it has an accelerometer built in, and will auto-rotate the screen when it is turned sideways.
E71: This phone is the progeny of the E61/62. It is smaller than the E61/62, but still has a full QWERTY keyboard for typing messages.

Polaroid pictures once again fun with PoGo

Some of you kids probably don’t know what Outkast was taking about when they said “shake it like a Polaroid picture,” but those of you all too familiar with the days of instant photos probably still have a few of them hiding in your closet. Yeah, those days were cool, but we certainly don’t miss them now that we have digital photography. No matter, Polaroid is bringing back the days of instant photos with a cool little printer they call PoGo (short for Polaroid-on-the-go). PoGo is a pocket-sized printer you can carry in your purse or backpack that uses Bluetooth to print snapshots stuck in your cell phone. You can also print pictures taken with your digital camera if it has PictBridge, although you’ll need a cable to do that. The printer is inkless, so you’ll have to buy special paper from Zink that creates an image in less than 60 seconds when it heats up. The pocket-sized printer will be available next month at Target for a cool $149.

Tony Hawk Sidekick LX..Coming Soon!

Skateboarders and gamers are all too familiar with the legendary Tony Hawk, well now they can show their love and admiration for the skateboarding star with a limited edition Tony Hawk Sidekick LX, to be released sometime in July. The new Sidekick LX will feature video capabilities, enhanced Web browsing features, and Bluetooth (welcome to 2008). Now don’t expect the Tony Hawk Sidekick to be shaped like a skateboard. What you can expect is a skateboard-themed device with a grip-tape back that looks and feels like the surface of a skateboard, lots of Tony Hawk multimedia goodies like wallpaper, sounds, and video, and art fit for a skateboarding enthusiast. Here are some shots:

Verizon Offers Sweet Music with the LG Chocolate 3

LG brings the sweetness to Verizon with the new LG Chocolate 3, a clamshell music phone. On the outside, this slim handset sports a control wheel and dual speakers for better music enjoyment. A built-in FM transmitter on the inside allows you to stream your music through any FM radio, and the handset offers 1GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot for even more expansion.
The LG Chocolate 3 uses a 2 megapixel camera for capturing pictures and also supports Verizon's EV-DO 3G network for high-speed data. Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP stereo support makes this V CAST Music Store handset a strong portable music player, as well. V CAST Video and ESPN MVP are also available, rounding out the incredible abilities of this slim clamshell.
The LG Chocolate 3 is planned to be available from Verizon Wireless in July, though a specific date and pricing information were not announced.

Verizon and Nokia Announce the 6205

Today Verizon and Nokia announced the addition of the Nokia 6205 to Verizon's lineup. The phone, which will initially be available as a special limited "The Dark Knight" edition phone, is similar to the 6555 clamshell in that when open, it creates a smooth line from end to end. This special edition is mocked up to resemble a Batman boomerang. The 6205 carries a 1.3 megapixel camera with flash, supports microSD cards up to 4GB in size, and has dedicated music keys. It has EVDO data, and can access Verizon's V CAST services, and comes preloaded with Batman images, tones and screensavers. The special edition 6205 will be available only from Verizon's web site beginning June 15 for $70. The standard edition will become available both online and in retail outlets beginning in July.

Palm Centro Comes to Verizon Wireless

Today Verizon Wireless and Palm announced that Verizon will begin selling the Palm Centro for $99 with a new contract. The Verizon version of the Centro is identical to the version that's been available on Sprint's network since late 2007. It will be available beginning tomorrow, Friday, June 13.

Nokia Introduces Entry-Level Bar Phone

Today Nokia announced the 1508 bar-style phone for CDMA networks. It has CDMA 1x data, and an FM radio for listening to music, though its headset jack is 2.5mm in size. It uses a microUSB port for charging, and runs the Series 40 user interface with BREW 2.1 and support for BREW applications. It will come in red, navy blue, and black. No carriers have announced plans to sell this device, but it is compatible with Alltel, Sprint and Verizon Wireless' networks.

LG Announces Three New Phones for Verizon

Today LG officially announced three new handsets as part of Verizon Wireless' summer lineup.
Dare: This bar-style touch-based device carries a 3.2 megapixel camera that has improved video recording capabilities. It will have photo editing software, as well as direct access to social networking sites. It will be able to use to Verizon's EVDO network and V CAST services, but LG was short on providing more details.
Decoy: This slider phone has a built-in, removable Bluetooth headset that is incorporated into the phone's design. The headset will charge when it is stored in the phone. It has a five-way joystick for navigation, and has incorporated GPS. It will be available June 16.
Chocolate 3: This latest version of LG's music-centric phone switches from being a slider to being a clamshell. The music control wheel has been relocated to the outside of the phone for access when the phone is closed. It will also have an FM transmitter, stereo speakers, and 1GB of internal memory. It will also support microSD cards up to 8GB in size. It has a 2 megapixel camera, and will be available in July.

Apple Announces 3G Version of the iPhone

Today at Apple's WordWide Developer's Conference it announced the next version of the iPhone, complete with 3G. This new iPhone has thinner edges, a black, plastic back cover, a flush 3.5mm headset jack and solid metal buttons. It carries over the same 3.5-inch display, and has improved audio quality. Apple says that talk time with 3G will be 5 hours, and stand-by time will be 300 hours. 3G browsing time will be 5 to 6 hours, with 7 hours of video playback, and 24 hours of audio playback. GPS will be built into the device. The 8GB version will sell for the price of $200, a 16GB model will sell for $300, and it will also come in white. It will be available July 11. It will support tri-band UMTS/HSDPA bands at 850/1900/2100MHz. Coincidentally, the FCC approved the 3G version of the iPhone today.

Apple Shares Details About iPhone App Store

Apple today announced that the iPhone Application Store will be available in 62 different countries around the world. For applications that are smaller than 10MB, users will be able to download wirelessly via cellular or Wi-Fi connections. For apps bigger than 10MB, users will need to download them to a PC. App developers will set the prices for most applications. Apple also announced that developers will be able to create and push apps in an ad-hoc manner to up to 100 different iPhones. Apple cited the example of a professor pushing applications to his/her students.

iPhone Firmware Upgrade to Be Available in July

Apple today said that the 2.0 firmware update for the iPhone will be available for free in early July. Apple noted some new features to come with the firmware upgrade, including an enhanced calculator with scientific mode, bulk email move/delete, parental controls, and contact search. Another new feature will allow you to save images sent to your email inbox to the iPhone's photo gallery application.

Nokia Accidentally Confirms E66, E71

Over the weekend, Nokia mistakenly posted online video demonstrations of its next-generation E series business devices, the E66 and the E71 (pictured). The demonstrations were only posted briefly, however, before Nokia realized its mistake and pulled the videos. Images and other information about these devices has been circling the internet for nearly six months. This is the first time that Nokia itself has acknowledged their existence, even if accidentally. A device that could be the E66 was recently approved by the FCC. Later, a Nokia executive confirmed that it will be bringing new E series devices to the market in the third quarter, but declined to comment on exactly which models they will be.

Samsung Reveals Omnia Flagship Smartphone

Samsung today announced the Omnia, a high-end smartphone that combines Windows Mobile 6.1 with Samsung's TouchWiz finger-touch interface. The Omnia supports quad-band GSM/EDGE, plus HSDPA 7.2 for Europe and Asia. Key features include a 3.2-inch wide touch display, GPS, stereo Bluetooth, WiFi, and up to 16 GB of internal memory plus a memory card slot. A 5-megapixel camera is also included, and sports auto-focus, geo-tagging, auto-panorama, stabilizer, face detection, smile detection, and video editing. FM radio and auto-rotation round out the features packed into the 12.5mm body. The Omnia will be available in Asia starting in June, followed by Europe in July. The Omnia's model number is SGH-i900; an SGH-i907 (with the "7" implying an AT&T model) was recently approved by the FCC.

Apple announces faster, cheaper iPhone

Apple announced on Monday a much faster iPhone that's half the price of the current model.
The news is expected to address one of the biggest complaints about the hugely popular iPhone: That its network is too slow. CEO Steve Jobs said the new iPhone, which is based on 3G technology, is 36% faster than top rival Nokia's N95 smartphone.
As Fortune.com first reported, the new 8-gigabyte iPhone will cost $199 and a 16-gigabyte version will cost $299. Jobs says the new iPhone will be available worldwide starting July 11. It will allow up to six hours of Web browsing and five hours of talk time.
Jobs announced the 3G iPhone, which had been rumored for months, at the company's annual World Wide Developers conference in San Francisco.
Apple shares fell 4% after the iPhone announcement, as some investors were left wanting more from the gadget maker. The stock had been up 55% in the past three months on heightened expectations for a radically improved iPhone and the possibility of other product launches.
While the price cut was good news for consumers, U.S. iPhone partner AT&T said it would feel the pinch of having to lay out a subsidy for the new phone. In a press release late Monday, AT&T said the iPhone costs will cut adjusted earnings by about 11 cents this year and next.
AT&T's exclusive iPhone partnership also calls for the company to share as much as 24% of its monthly iPhone service revenue with Apple.
During the show, Jobs also introduced a slew of new applications for the iPhone, including a wireless system that automatically forwards e-mail to other devices, a friend-finding service called Loopt and mobile blogging software from TypePad.
Other new applications for the iPhone include a service from MLB.com that provides a live scoreboard of major league games, and music-making software, called Cow Terry, for creating songs on the phone.
The new iPhone applications are aimed at boosting revenue from data services. Wireless companies increasingly are looking to these services to offset slowing growth in mobile phone sales. Apple, for instance, will charge $99 a year for its new MobileMe service, which sends e-mail, contact and calendar updates to a user's devices.
The new services drew plenty of 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the 5,200 attendees at Apple's developers conference. But the main attraction was the 3G iPhone.
Since the original iPhone was introduced nearly a year ago, Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) has sold 6 million handsets, Jobs said Monday. The company has set a goal of selling 10 million handsets worldwide this year.
But iPhone users have complained loudly about the cumbersome EDGE network, which is operated by AT&T (T, Fortune 500), the exclusive seller of the iPhone in the United States.
Jobs kicked off the conference by talking about the iPhone for business users, a lucrative market dominated by rival Research in Motion (RIMM). He said that the iPhone now works with Microsoft's Exchange office server systems - a key feature if the iPhone hopes to crack the BlackBerry's lock on working professionals.
Jobs also said that 35% of the Fortune 500 has participated in a beta program for business applications for the iPhone.

Touch Pro Announced By HTC

Today HTC announced the Touch Pro, a new smartphone that follows in the footsteps of the Touch Diamond and carries over a lot of the same specs. It uses the same HTC TouchFlo 3D user interface, runs Windows Mobile 6.1, and packs HSDPA 7.2Mbps and HSUPA 3G. Unlike the Diamond, the Touch Pro has a slide-out, five-row QWERTY keyboard for the messaging minded. Other stats include a 2.8-inch VGA screen, a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and GPS. It also has a microSD 2.0 slot that can accommodate 8GB memory cards, and 16GB cards in the future. The Touch Pro has a customized version of the Opera Mobile 9.5 browser that is optimized for better browsing with your fingers. The screen will also auto-rotate when the device is turned. It will be available in a European version first--supporting 900/1800/1900 GSM/EDGE and 900/2100 HSDPA, and a North American version--bands yet to be determined--later this year. Pricing information was not made available.

T-Mobile Offers Family Unlimited Plan

Beginning today, T-Mobile is offering a new unlimited family plan for subscribers. The initial line is required to subscribe to T-Mobile's $99 unlimited everything plan. After that, each additional line added to the account will cost just $49 per month, but will still have unlimited national voice minutes, SMS, MMS and IM.