This year's exhibition 3GSM Congress certainly was marked by Windows Mobile. Shown for the first time Windows Mobile news from the leading manufacturers in the world have eclipsed his weight almost all of the competing field. Preceding events of the week resembled the calm before the storm, when the apparent calm tensions felt whipped. On the first day of the Congress a storm broke out and poured the flow of announcements, releases and performances, on the second day of the exhibition has already been hard not to get lost in the abundance of new Windows Mobile devices. And no wonder that Microsoft has timed the opening of the exhibition the presentation of a new version of its mobile operating system - Windows Mobile 6. Forced to wait with the announcement of devices based on the new OS, and new producers to withhold based on Windows Mobile 5.0.
HTC
The Taiwanese company High Tech Computer until last summer was a kind of gray eminence of the market Windows Mobile, and then came out of the shadows and started releasing devices under its own brand. Last week she did not try to run ahead of the engine and held a solemn presentation of another portion of new products is not the opening day of 3GSM, but on the second day, when this event is no longer merged with the numerous announcements of direct competitors and manufacturers of related fields. The most impressive premiere of the exhibition could be a communicator HTC Advantage X7500, previously codenamed Athena. However, shortly before the debut of the device under its own brand HTC, announced a new product operator T-Mobile, called T-Mobile Ameo, as well as company Dopod International, a subsidiary of HTC, which produces HTC devices in the Asian market, under the name of the Dopod U1000. As a result, a special interest in the novelty has already had an opportunity to satisfy their curiosity. Nevertheless, the official announcement from HTC itself is a recognition that the device would be issued on the international market, without limitation inherent operator version. Historical significance of issue of such a device as the HTC Advantage is difficult to overestimate. Communicator is clearly the next transitional step on the category of pocket PCs to UMPC, UMPC, which is already based on x86 processors. Although the class UMPC novelty attributed not just because of the processors and operating systems (Windows Mobile 5.0), which set him in a class of Pocket PC, nevertheless the usual communicator HTC Advantage strayed far enough and is a living demonstration of the convergence of these two worlds. At the moment it is definitely the largest and most powerful communicators based on Windows Mobile. Wide distribution, he will not get mass distribution of new items will interfere with such features as cumbersome and, of course, price. It's more of a status for the HTC model, designed to demonstrate its leadership in technology. HTC Advantage is positioned as the best solution for mobile office. Losing UMPC for computing power and compatibility with standard software for the PC, it nevertheless has several advantages over many of them, including the ability to make voice calls as usual on the phone.
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HTC Advantage is equipped by the standards of a great communicator display diagonal of 5 inches with a resolution of VGA. The device can be used as a removable QWERTY-keyboard, and without it.Incidentally, the keyboard can function as screen protection during transportation, and, the keyboard is transparent, so it remains visible to the upper area of the display with battery indicator, time and other performance information. Data can be stored not only on the internal memory ROM and external drives like flash cards, but also on the internal hard drive capacity of 8 GB. Separate highlight - using proprietary technology VueFLO, through which the sensor is activated for intuitive navigation through the pages you view, which allows the user to simply tilt the device in different directions and thus navigate the page. Multifunction device, for example, it is equipped with two cameras, one of which is a 3-megapixel with autofocus, as well as GPS-module and application TomTom NAVIGATOR 6. In fact, the features and advantages of this extraordinary model, one can enumerate a long time, it definitely deserves a separate article. Read the preview of the devices already available in the Library at HPC.ru. In March, the operator T-Mobile will release a new product in several European countries, while it will be released and under the brand HTC. Second on the visibility of the new product by HTC - is a smart phone HTC S710, formerly bore the codename Vox. He became the first and so far the only device under the brand name of the manufacturer based on the new operating system Windows Mobile 6 Standard. In addition, he performed in an innovative smartphone form factor with two keyboards - digital and traditional sliding side QWERTY. The device is quite controversial, with its pluses and minuses. For its form factor of the smartphone is very compact dimensions, it is comparable with smartphones in a classic candybar design, for example, HTC MTeoR and HTC S310 (Oxygen), but loses them by weight. He also noticeably lighter and smaller PDA-sliders. On the other hand, he loses the communicators on the size of the screen, still 2.4 inches diagonally, rather than the usual 2.8, and, of course, on such a standard for smartphones constraints such as lack of touchscreen. HTC S710 Smartphone has an unusual talent to work in both horizontal and vertical mode, however, without this feature, two keyboards would have been meaningless. He also has additional advantages due to the operating system - support for viewing e-mail in HTML, the installed package of office applications, Office Mobile and so on. In other characteristics are typical for modern non-budget model. The device looks like a good option for fans of smartphones, which is important to have at hand the opportunity to gain the convenience of text in mobile conditions, but do not like them "shovel" as Nokia E61, Motorola Q or HTC S620. In fact, in many ways the success of HTC S710 will depend on the established price - to achieve the popularity he must win a communicator, not only in size and weight, but differ markedly in value.
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Communicator HTC P3350 will not be anything new. This is a variation of the multimedia navigation model HTC P3300 (Artemis), which was released last autumn, nothing more. He made a similar predecessor designs, including control RollR, but denied integrated support for GPS-functions. Aiming to work with multimedia content emphasizes large amount of internal memory (256 MB ROM, RAM size remains the same), as well as direct access buttons and the application of the same name Media Hub, designed to manage music files, video clips, and create ringtones. The rest of the old platform has not changed. It is expected that the issuance of new items will be held in March.
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With the latest innovation from HTC, the communicator HTC P3400, related the story of the mysterious disappearance. Information about it, probably hit HTC's website inadvertently. Apparently, initially the company planned to present four models, and then decided to limit to three. In a press release, which represented the HTC Advantage X7500, HTC S710 and HTC P3350, HTC P3400 mention was not, however, on the site he was mentioned in the list of new products, were also posted his description and picture. For example, a group picture of new products, which could be observed on the day of the announcement on the website HTC:
Then their number has decreased, and the image is modified, this is how it looks now:
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Concurrently with the site have been removed almost all mention of the HTC P3400. However, the old links to the PDF-files with a description and list of features still work. Except for this mysterious stories, then the model is not very interesting for fans of the latest advances consider megahertz and megabytes. It gives the impression of a slightly modernized Qtek s200, which is noticeably lost weight, lost the IrDA connector and got a brand HTC ExtUSB. Evidence of use of the new product developments is the oldest and the slot for cards SD, whereas virtually all new HTC products provide maps of microSD. As originally submitted the information, HTC P3400 is positioned as an easy and affordable assistant in the business. It should be noted that for a model of economy class, it is perfectly balanced and provides all the basic features of the communicator, and does not offer anything extra. If a company does decide to release it and set a reasonable price, this workhorse can become really popular communicator.
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Toshiba
Toshiba is not too well known in the segment of Windows Mobile devices, but this time managed to attract attention. At least one model of two new products for certain well-remembered. Communicator PORTEGE G900 runs on Windows Mobile 6 and features an impressive 3-inch display with WVGA. For devices based on Windows Mobile features such display - a real breakthrough. In this unit quite a bit more than, for example, made in a similar form-factor HTC TyTN with a 2.8-inch QVGA-display, a good-sized screens differ slightly. PORTEGE G900 is capable of working in networks GSM / EDGE and 3G-networks, as well as the standard 3,5 G - HSDPA. Another highlight - fingerprint reader, which in addition to responsibilities for authentication may perform similar functions to the touchpads on laptops to scroll through the content, both in vertical and horizontal directions. It is expected that the device will be released in early summer, the company even mentions that it is intended for the European market.
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The second new product from Toshiba - PORTEGE G500 smartphone based on Windows Mobile 5.0. This is far less impressive model. It is made in a rather rare in Windows Mobile Smartphone form factor of a simple slider with a numeric keypad. The unit is equipped with the usual 2.3-inch QVGA-display, supports networks GSM / EDGE, WCDMA / HSDPA, as well as Wi-Fi. Perhaps the main feature that distinguishes smartphone competitors, apart from a rare form factor, is a fingerprint sensor, a similar set in PORTEGE G900. The rest is fairly standard, although an advanced model - "outstanding, and only". It should appear in the spring of this year.
i-Mate
Since the company i-mate is no longer cooperate with HTC, its innovations have become, to put it mildly, is not impressive. Apparently deciding to correct this unfortunate oversight, at 3GSM World Congress the company made a whole series of powerful devices called Ultimate. The series consists of five models - 5150, 6150, 7150, 8150 and 9150. The first of these will be released in mid-year. Apparently, they have some common qualities, but with different details of the execution, including those they will be implemented in various form factors, although it can be traced to the overall design concept. According to i-mate, Ultimate, all models will come with the following features: touch screen with VGA resolution and support for 262,000 colors, a processor with a clock frequency of 520 MHz, running Windows Mobile 6, 256MB ROM and 128MB RAM, stereo FM-radio support four band GSM / EDGE, and tri-band UMTS / HSDPA, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/e/i) and other "goodies". In addition alleged by the parameters in the exhibition are well known and some details about future updates. Model 5150 - a slider with a numeric keypad, 2.8-inch display, the thickness of 19,5 mm. 6150 - candybar with 2.8-inch display and a thickness of 15,7 mm. 7150 clearly can be seen as the heir HTC Universal, he received an internal 3.8-inch display and an external OLED display, which was not at Universal, with the thickness of the novelties of the order of 18 mm. Model 8150 - a slim candybar with a numeric keypad and a 2.6-inch display with a thickness of 11 mm. And finally, 9150 is a clamshell with 2.6-inch internal and 1.2-inch external display. Specifically, we have not just hear about these exciting updates for a year. With the release of this family company is able to markedly improve their affairs, and the number of Windows Mobile PDA with a VGA-display exceeds a dozen, which can not but rejoice.
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Was also presented communicator i-mate JAQ4, positioned as the first device from i-mate, which will ship with Windows Mobile 6. Frankly, he seems absurd device rather unsuccessful attempt to create something like a series of HP iPAQ hw69hh. i-mate JAQ4 is the logical successor of model i-mate JAQ - device with 2.8-inch display and a horizontally-oriented QWERTY-keyboard. Novelty is equipped with a GPS-module, has a good selection of communication options, but it has impressive dimensions (125h71h15, 5 mm), a rather big weight (184 gr.) And TI OMAP 850 clocked at 200 MHz.
Motorola
Motorola has finally pleased his fans with two variations of the MOTO Q smartphone for the international market, which from her long-awaited. The first of them - a version of MOTO Q for GSM, hardly differs from its CDMA-predecessor. The main differences in the inventive use of Windows Mobile 6 Standard and, of course, in another communication standard. It is as thin (11.5 mm) device with a 2.4-inch QVGA-display oriented horizontally and the QWERTY-keyboard. The design is almost the same as that of CDMA MOTO Q, which was released in May last year in America. Smartphone MOTO Q gsm is able to work in GSM / GPRS / EDGE, and also as the first MOTO Q, has integrated support networks Wi-Fi. However, according to the manufacturer, the problem can be solved by miniSDIO adapter. This model is immediately met by competitors in the face of HTC S620 and Samsung i320. Release is expected in the second half of the year.
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The second product - the model of MOTO Q q9 waited almost from the beginning of last year, when Motorola announced that this model will be. It is designed for 3G-UMTS networks and supports high-speed standard HSDPA. The design is slightly different from CDMA-predecessor, including evolved a keypad, the technical capabilities have also undergone some changes. There was a better camera (2 MP), 256 MB of internal memory, a slightly increased thickness, supports memory cards microSD, not miniSD, and so on.As one of the strengths of the company rests on the capture and playback video at 30 frames per second. What is interesting, usually the model of such communication capabilities are equipped with front camera for video calls, but here it is not. Also, in the best tradition of Motorola, there is no Wi-Fi. Release is scheduled for the second quarter of the year. Both new company delayed too much, now they are faced with orderly competition, whereas a year ago, they would be perceived as something neizbitoe and extraordinary.
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Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company today announced at 3GSM, unusual for a device, not a PDA or smartphone and smartphone HP iPAQ 500 Voice Messenger. The debut model is positioned as a smartphone for business users. The device is definitely a fairly simple, though based on the new Windows Mobile 6. For example, the display is unlike most modern smartphones, has a diagonal of 2 inches and a resolution of 220x176 pixels. But at the iPAQ 500 good communication capabilities, in addition to cellular networks, GSM / GPRS / EDGE can work in Wi-Fi (802.11 b / g) and the interface Bluetooth. Design conforms to the underlying message - a simple, austere and unpretentious. In promoting the new products the company makes a great emphasis on the VoIP-capabilities, voice control and corporate functions. One of the main advantages of the new items - light weight (102 gr.) And for a long time to work offline, according to HP, up to 6.5 hours of talk time. In Russia, it will be called the HP iPAQ 514, the appearance of a sale expected in June. Judging by the performance and approach to the promotion, the company decided to focus not on ordinary consumers, and the corporate segment.
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Gigabyte
Gigabyte Communications has continued to go beaten by communicators, sharpened by watching television. Both new products presented at 3GSM, working on the new Windows Mobile 6. Communicator GSmart t600 is a rapidly growing ranks of models with VGA-screen. The only pity is that only some of these manufacturers have display sizes greater than 2.8 inches diagonally. GSmart t600 is no exception, it is equipped with 2.6-inch display. However, for small screens Gigabyte PDA - it's almost a corporate style. For television and radio broadcasting standards, the novelty real talent: supports DVB-H, DVB-T, T-DMB and DAB. On board is also nimble processor (520 MHz) and a good memory - 256Mb ROM and 96Mb RAM.
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Model GSmart q60 remember that this is the first device from Gigabyte, capable of running on 3G and 3,5 G cellular standards in addition to the three frequency bands GSM / GPRS / EDGE. Also, the Gigabyte is the first model with a QWERTY-keyboard. In addition to the sharper the processor with a clock frequency of 520 MHz, supports Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi (802.11 b / g), the communicator has received traditional support of digital TV, DAB-radio and a built-in GPS-receiver. It is expected that the two new items appear and outside Taiwan, probably in early summer.
ASUS
ASUSTeK Computer Company has not made any official announcements and issued press releases, but a new Windows Mobile at 3GSM yet been shown. Smartphone ASUS Aries, augmentation slender ranks of monoblock with QWERTY-keyboard and horizontally oriented display - this is the first attempt at writing ASUSTeK in this segment. It is based on Windows Mobile 6 Standard and powerful enough for a smartphone. According to reports from the exhibition, ASUS Aries is equipped with Intel XScale processor with a clock frequency of 520 MHz, which is very unusual for a smartphone, and can operate in GSM and UMTS, supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (802.11 b / g).
BenQ
Another device, which the manufacturer has not stated publicly, but still showed in the exhibition - Smartphone BenQ-Siemens E72. This is another not too confident trying to speak Chinese manufacturer of Windows Mobile devices. This time BenQ has shown a simple model, but based on the new Windows Mobile 6 Standard. As we learned from the report, the smartphone is powered by TI OMAP 1030 processor with a clock common 260 MHz, 64MB RAM, 128MB ROM, is designed for GSM / GPRS networks and supports Wi-Fi. Regarding the release of this smartphone still many poorly understood, largely due to the unclear situation regarding the fate of BenQ-Siemens brand after the bankruptcy of German division of BenQ Mobile. Perhaps, BenQ-Siemens E72 will be available only in the Asian market.
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It's not all, but the main, and perhaps most interesting, new models of devices based on Windows Mobile, which were presented during the exhibition 3GSM World Congress, held from 12 to 15 February in Barcelona. Traditionally, the model shown at 3GSM, give cause for news at least the first half of the year, due to the release and placing on the market, and sometimes they get to the stalls and later - closer to the end of the year. Certainly we will hear many more of these updates throughout the year and then we can give them much more attention than this, in general, a brief review. In the future we will find a lot of interesting;) other events of the week as usually you can read in the next issue of "Mobile Panorama. The authors, translation:
