Sony A2DP Bluetooth Accessories

Sony unleashed a slew of Bluetooth 2.0 accessories, all supporting the A2DP (advanced audio distribution profile) to ensure you lead a wire-free life. The WLA-NWB1 (top left) is a Bluetooth adapter designed to complement the NW-S700/S600 series from Sony. This basically acts as the Bluetooth transmitter.

On the receiving end (no pun intended), you get a choice of either the DR-BT20NX that you strap onto your neck or the DR-NT30Q cans. The good thing is they come with an integrated microphone, so you can use it conveniently with your cell phone as well.

Other newly announced Bluetooth transmitters include the HWS-BTA2W and TMR-BT10, letting you convert virtually any audio player into a wire-free area. The boom box-like speakers you see there is the SRS-BTM30, also Bluetooth-enabled. Most of these devices will be available in Japan late October and November this year. Check out the prices in the extended entry.

Qualcomm Speeds up 3G, Cingular Is Interested

Qualcomm today announced a further advancement to the UMTS platform that is capable of faster download and upload speeds. HSPA+ accelerates both uploads and downloads, even over gains that are expected with HSUPA, by using MIMO technology. This appears to be a pre-standard version of the next evolution of UMTS after HSUPA. The company claims the new protocol is capable of 28 Mbps downloads and 11 Mbps uploads - double that of HSUPA - and is backwards compatible with current networks and equipment. Cingular may leapfrog HSUPA and is interested in migrating to this HSPA+ according to Kris Rinne, Cingular VP of Architecture and Planning. Qualcomm will make the first HSPA+ compatible chips by the end of this year and believes operators could start switching on the faster protocol as soon as 2008.

T-Mobile to Offer Push Email & 3G

Though hard details remain scant, T-Mobile International CEO Hamid Akhavan said during a news conference yesterday at 3GSM that T-Mobile will begin offering push email service to its consumer segment. The new service could be part of T-Mobile's foray into social networking and community services, which have been gaining traction in the mobile world. There is no word on pricing, availability or what handsets will be supported. At the same press conference, T-Mobile USA operations chief Ray Nevelle said U.S. customers can also expect 3G service this year. No word on when, what markets will be first or how much the service will cost.

Motorola at the 3GSM 2007

Motorola officially unveiled their recently rumored devices to the wide public today. The Motorola RIZR Z8, Motorola SLVR L9, Motorola Q q9, Motorola Q gsm and the Motorola KRZR K3 are now officially presented at the Motorola stand at the 3GSM World Congress 2007 at the Fira de Barcelona. As GSMArena.com already wrote, the Motorola enthusiast will now be able to enjoy updated versions of their favorite mobiles.


The Symbian-based Motorola RIZR Z8 is an extreme slider with an unusual flexible construction. At 15.3 mm, it features a 2.2" 16M colors TFT display, a 2 megapixel camera with red eye reduction, stereo Bluetooth, a microSD memory card slot, 3G with video calls and most importantly, it's HSDPA-enabled. The Motorola RIZR Z8 is expected to hit the shelves in Q2 2007.


The Motorola SLVR L9 is an updated version of the SLVR L7/L7e. The new mobile retains the design and form factor but enjoys the added benefits of a FM radio and a 2 megapixel camera. The mobile has also received the mirror-like finish of the Motorola KRZR K1. Motorola SLVR L9 is expected to be available in Q2 2007.


The Motorola Q gsm was finally made available today. It was announced so long ago that we started to wonder if it will be ever really produced. Speaking of messangers, the more interesting part though is the Motorola q9. Based on the latest Windows Mobile 6, this HSDPA-enabled messenger features a QWERTY keyboard, a 2 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, a microSD memory card slot - and all that at a thickness of only 11.8 mm. The Motorola MOTOQ q9 is expected to be available in Q2 of 2007.

Nokia E90 Communicator at 3GSM in Barcelona

If there was one release from 3GSM in Barcelona this week that absolutely delighted us, it was the Nokia E90 Communicator. The triumphant return to this style of QWERTY smartphone really made us smile, and the move to S60 over the old Series 80 operating system is definitely a step in the right direction.

While the Nokia E90 is a big handset, it is also big on features, with everything needed for an efficient mobile office. Both internal and external displays are great, with the internal featuring a whopping 800x352 pixel resolution. Quad-band GSM, UMTS, WiFi, and Bluetooth are all available for connectivity, plus a GPS module is present for compatibility with Nokia Maps. Nokia has even gone to the extent of including a 3.2 megapixel camera.

China Launches 4G Network in Shanghai

Third generation (3G) telephony is passe. China has leapfrogged into 4G mobile systems, which provide faster wireless speeds for transmitting data and images on phone networks.

The home grown technology, launched in Shanghai on Sunday is expected to be put into commercial use by 2010, and is said to provide data transmission speeds of up to 100 megabytes per second, against an 10 Mbps under 3G which was not launched in China and is confined mainly to GSM operators in Europe and CDMA operators in Korea and Japan.

It could even be faster than entry-level broadband connections, which transmit voice and data at speeds of 256 Kbps or more, and many times quicker than dial-up net connections which usually have speeds of around 64 Kbps.

With 4G technology allowing faster data transmission sharply improving, consumers could hope to get multi-channel high resolution TV broadcasting right on their cellphones.

While China claims to have developed its own technology, other than what is used elsewhere, technology buffs are surprised at the latest development. The protocol developed by 10 "leading domestic institutions" calling themselves "FuTURE Project", is estimated to have a rollout cost of $19.3 million.

China initiated the B3G (Beyond 3G)/4G research project in 2001 under the label Future Technology for Universal Radio Environment, or FuTURE Project. It has obtained more than 200 patents and some of its core technologies have been adopted by international standards organisations, positioning China as one of the world's front-runners in 4G technologies, a report in the China Daily said.

"It testifies that the technology we've developed is feasible and brings us one step closer to put it into commercial use," a leading expert involved in the programme, You Xiaohu, said.

"The Shanghai system shows that we have entered the final phase of our project," You added.