Entries tagged with “smartphones” from WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS

The Samsung Omnia II has been rumored to be coming out for a while. Finally, leaked documents reveal that the the Samsung Ominia II will go on sale at  Verizon on December 2.

The Samsung Omnia II  will be running Windows 6.5 with an impressive feature list includes 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display, a 5-megapixel camera and 8GB of internal storage expandable up to 48 GB with a microSD card. Probably the most stunning feature of the Samsung Ominia II is the AMOLED display with DVD quality video viewing.

You can use the TouchWhiz interface or the Windows UI.  It comes with widgets and you can multi-task while using them. Users can also access and download content speedily while on the move thanks to the Omnia II's HSUPA 5.76Mbps, HSDPA 7.2Mbps and Wi-Fi capabilities

The price tag for the Samsung Omnia II is $199 for the  with a two year contract and two year agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. You can use the Mobile News' Verizon online coupon-link to get the rebate instantly with an online purchase.

Pyramid Research just published its Q3 2009 Handset Forecasts that show a dramatic increase in demand for smartphones. RIM which has 50% of the current smartphone marekt especially at Verizon.

Pyramid estimate smartphones will represent 31% of new handsets sold in the US in 2009, up more than double from 15% two years prior. Indeed, market leader Verizon claimed that smartphones represented 40% of its device sales in Q2 2009. These smartphone sales will be  propelled by US consumers' love for messaging and mobile Internet-based services on devices with qwerty keyboards, touch screens, HTML browsers, larger screens and sophisticated operating systems.

Pyramid believes that Verizon is the world leader in the sale of BlackBerry devices. Second place AT&T, the world leader in iPhone sales, reported similar success. AT&T sold 4.3m integrated devices in Q3 2009, and 75% were iPhones. At the end of the third quarter, 41.7% of AT&T's postpaid base had an integrated device, up from 22% in the year-ago period.

According to Pyramid smartphones will grow to comprise roughly 60% of new handsets sold in 2014. By then, they expect Apple's exclusive relationship with AT&T to have ceased, which could potentially make the iPhone available to an additional 200m US wireless customers.

We know you keyboard lovers have been holding your breath waiting for the HTC Touch Pro2 to be back in stock at Verizon.. The last time this well-reviewed reasonably-priced, keyboard-tastic smartphone came back in stock, it sold-out in a day.

Today, we checked at the Verizon online store below the rumble of the Droid invasion there it was the smartphone many have been drooling over: The HTC Touch Pro2 without that ugly "Out-of-Stock" hovering over it.

The HTC Touch Pro went on sale at Verizon on September 11. Reviewers of the HTC Touch Pro2 called it the the King of Windows Mobile smartphones and the best high-end smartphone. The world phone has a 3.6 WGA tilting touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth and up to 5.2 hours of battery life.  It sold-out quickly. Came back in-stock and then sold-out again. 

The Verizon spokeswoman told us that more would be in stock by the end of October.  It came in stock for a very brief time. The advantage the HTC Touch Pro2  has over the Droid is that it is world phone and will work in other parts of the world.  It also has one of the best keyboards known to texters.

The HTC Touch Pro2 is priced lower than the other carriers who carry the phone, T-Mobile and Sprint price is $349.99 after rebates.  The Verizon price for the HTC Touch Pro2 is $199 after mail-in rebates. Wireless and Mobile News' readers who were able to nab the HTC Touch Pro2 used the Mobile News' Verizon online coupon-link to get the rebate instantly with an online purchase.

The HTC Touch Pro2 currently comes loaded with Windows Mobile 6.1 but you will be able to update it to Windows Mobile 6.5.  The HTC Touch Pro2 was voted CTIA Hot for the Holidays in the smarpthone category.

"The HTC Touch Pro2 is the kind of Windows experience that people have been wanting to see," remarked IDC analyst Ramon Llamas regarding the surge in smartphone sales.

An added bonus is that when you use the Wireless and Mobile News' Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase you don't have to wait for a rebate.

Many Verizon stores will open early Friday (Nov. 6) so people can buy the DROID by Motorola on its first day of sale. Some stores will open at 7 a.m. and others at 8 a.m.

These early-Droidites can also learn about its variety of advanced features and functions. Verizon Wireless will host demonstrations at select locations to help customers get the most from their new DROID by Motorola devices. The Droid has received good reviews and has some great amazing features.

Also on Friday, Verizon Wireless will create a first-of-its-kind interactive experience in New York City called, "DROID Does Times Square." This experience will let callers control two of Times Square's largest digital billboards - the NASDAQ and Reuters signs - using only voice commands.

The digital billboards will instruct passersby to call a toll-free number (1-888-376-4336) to search locations in the Times Square area. Participants can search for practically anything (e.g. their favorite cuisines, plays, movies, stores), and the search results will be displayed on the digital billboards using Google Maps. This activity takes place from Nov. 6 through Nov. 20, daily from 12:30 p.m. to 2:10 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 8:10 p.m. and from 6:00 a.m. on Nov. 27 through 2:00 a.m. on Nov. 28. 

Droid by Motorola will be available in the United States exclusively at Verizon for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' online purchase coupon-link for Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate.

Over the weekend it was rumored that the new Sony Ericsson Xperia Android smartphone would be called the the Xperia 3, that was previously code-named Rachel.  Instead Sony has jumped numbers to Sony XPERIA X10.

Sony created something similiar to the Moto Blur experience. They developed Android apps in what they call the UX Platform for media, contacts/social networking, email syncing and recoginizing faces. In a video demo they make all the features rock.

The UX platform builds on top of the Open OS and creates a unique Sony Ericsson user experience by combining entertainment features with signature applications.The Sony UX Platform Introduces signature applications like Mediascape and Timescape, the XPERIA X10 lets consumers organize everything in their phone in an intuitive way:

• Sony Ericsson Timescape manages all your communication with one person in one place.  Browse through your conversations the bright way to check out your  Faceboo Twitter, photos, emails, and texts all in one go
• Sony Ericsson Mediascape is the smart way to get all the music, photos and videos you want from your favourite friends and artists. It accesses content from everywhere - your phone, YouTube, PlayNoW - and presents everything for you

The T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ with MOTOBLUR, the first Android -powered device from Motorola and the only device to feature MOTOBLUR this holiday season goes on sale today.

To celebrate the CLIQ's arrival, also launched the T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ Challenge today, a nationwide contest to build the largest college fan club on Facebook.

The T-Mobile CLIQ delivers a powerful 3G mobile Web experience by harnessing the strength and speed of T-Mobile's 3G network and Wi-Fi. Available in two colors - Titanium and Winter White - the CLIQ features a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 3.1-inch HVGA full touch-screen display, support for T-Mobile's high-speed 3G network and Wi-Fi, a 5 megapixel auto-focus camera with video capture, a 3.5mm headset jack, a music player with pre-loaded Amazon MP3 store application, Shazam, iMeem Mobile, AccuWeather, MySpace Mobile, Quickoffice and a pre-installed 2GB microSD memory.

With integrated Google technology, the CLIQ brings one-touch access to the popular Google mobile services millions use every day, including Google Search by voice, Google Maps with Street View, YouTube and Picasa. The CLIQ also provides easy access to both personal and corporate e-mail, calendars, and contacts supported by Exchange Server and Gmail. E-mail is also supported by Yahoo!, Windows Live Hotmail, and other POP3 and IMAP e-mail services.

Sony Ericsson is set to unveil a new high-end phone on November 3. Let's see what open operating system that is invading earth would it have?

This power-packed smartphone which has been kept top secret, shows signs of Android. The Sony Xperia 3, code-named Rachel, is expected to have an 8 megapixel camera, 1GHz processor snapdragon processor a 4.1″ OLED capacitive touch screen (larger than Droid), 32GB internal storage and loaded with apps for Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.

It's interesting to note the that the Sony Xperia 3 is silver with rounded corners not black like the Verizon Motorola Droid that recieved excellent reviews. Smartphones with Android and the sold-out HTC Touch Pro2 are fueling positive expectations for Q4.

Last year, over the holidays, the Sony Xperia was mysteriously pulled from Sony Style Stores and off the website.  We were told by sales associates that it was recalled.

One thing that has been noted about Android smartphones it not all of them come with preinstalled software to sync media with your iTunes or Windows Media Player files on your PC.

IDC isn’t the only research company that is reporting a positive outlook for wireless in the fourth Quarter. ABI Research is reporting a slowing of the contraction in the market and calls Android the “dark horse” that could capture 10% of the market in 2010.

“The outlook for mobile handset markets continues to improve”, says Jake Saunders, ABI Research’s VP for Forecasting. “While 3Q-2009 showed a YoY 6.5% contraction in shipments to 291.1 million, 2009 should close out with only a 4%-5% contraction (to 1,138 million for the year).”

Handset vendors are starting to mutter confidently of 4Q-2009 cash tills jingling to the tune of robust handset sales. In 3Q-2009, North America and Asia-Pacific helped to spearhead a recovery. In North America, the avid enthusiasm for smartphones was the driver. In Asia-Pacific, recovery in the local economies has been stoking interest in upgrades.

Market shares are starting to thaw. Nokia saw its market share slip from 38.3% to 37.3% in 3Q-2009. Samsung continues to steam ahead, raising its market share to 20.7%. Despite some very novel handset model introductions in 2Q-2009, LG’s market-share softened in 3Q-2009 (10.9%). All the other vendors either held their ground or lost a small amount of market share.

The prime exception is Apple: its iPhone range of smartphones increased its market share from 1.9% to 2.5%. There have been arguments that Apple’s limited handset line-up will constrain growth, but for the mid-term, ABI Research does not expect any slowdown in Apple’s market-share growth.

“Despite the successes of the iPhone operating system, the leading player in the smartphone OS market is still very much Symbian (48%), followed by Blackberry (18%),” notes practice director Kevin Burden.

“The ‘dark horse’ in all this is Android.” This week Motorola announced the launch of its navigation-friendly “Droid” handset. As the list of vendors committed to releasing Android handsets expands, product momentum should translate into increased Android sales. ABI Research estimates Android could capture 10% of the smartphone market by 2014.

The fourth quarter releases of smartphones including Android and BlackBerry, along with the success of the HTC Touch Pro2  are helping fuel a positive outlook for the wireless market in Q4.  We talked with senior research analyst Ramon Llamas at IDC who just released the IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

"The HTC Touch Pro2 is the kind of Windows experience that people have been wanting to see," remarked Llamas about the sold-out Windows smartphone. The HTC Touch Pro2 went on sale in September at Verizon, sold-out, came back-in-stock for a day and then sold-out again.

Another factor, contributing to his positive outlook for smartphones, is Verizon's Droid, "Everyone is optimistic on many fronts. Motorola is hopeful and Verizon is very positive," Llamas said.

Llamas pointed out that Motorola and Verizon are positioning the Droid feature-set squarely against the iPhone which shows their confidence in Droid. 

Smartphones such as the Motorola Cliq, HTC Hero, BlackBerry Storm2 and BlackBerry Bold 9700 contribute to the optimism for the growing smartphone market.

"The mobile phone market is showing the first signs of improvement since the onset of the economic crisis," Llamas said "During the third quarter, we saw a number of channels promoting older devices at significantly lower prices. For many, this was enough to spur demand and push volumes higher. Now that we have moved into the fourth quarter, vendors are setting the stage for further gains by launching their flagship devices to meet pent-up demand."

Verizon Droid Rated 4 out 5 by Wireless and Mobile News' Review of Reviews

The new reviews of the Verizon Motorola Droid just came out and reviewers were all impressed with the fast processor speed, web browser and brilliant display on the Verizon Droid smartphone.

The Verizon Motorola Droid is scheduled to land on earth on November 6 and some reviewers think it is "out of this world.'   Droid has everything an alien or earthling could want, Wi-Fi, multi-window web browsing, super-high res 3.7", mutlittasking of apps, voice search, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and DVD playback, turn-by-turn Google navigation(Beta) while reviewers found just a few things to criticize.

For those who do a lot of texting or emailing the slide-out QWERTY keyboard should be a welcome addition but reviewers were disappointed by its flatness and that it could slide back-in accidentally.

Some reviewers loved the media playing functions and one especially liked the YouTube videos. Unfortunately the Verizon Droid doesn't currently sync media with a PC. However, the Droid email functionality which includes unified email from mutiple source including pushed MS Exchange/Gmail and often checked Pop3 email, worked well. The universal search feature was mentioned and appreciated. The Verizon Droid is geared more towards a business user therefore it doesn't have as good as social networking integration as the Motorola CLIQ.

Reviewers called the Verizon Droid the fasted and most lust-worthy Android smartphone but still don't believe the iPhone should be or will be killed. None of the reviewers had time to test out the turn-by-turn directions but did note that turn-by-turn Google Maps Nav Beta is a game changer because it's free.

Droid by Motorola will be available in the United States exclusively at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' online purchase coupon-link for Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate.

The Droid has taken the thunder out of the BlackBery Storm2 which is now included in Verizon's Buy One BlackBerry or Netbook Free deal.

Let the inter-galatic smartphone wars being. Droid will be invading the planet on November 6. 

Motorola and Verizon unveiled Droid by Motorola today. Most of the features were previously leaked, and they are impressive. Verizon is touting its high-speed web browsing, voice-activated search, customizable large screen, and what they call the best 3G mobile network in the country. Droid also includes access to Google Voice and Google apps.

They claim Droid by Motorola  is one of the thinnest full-QWERTY slider phones available. It is a no-fuss, high-tech, location-aware, voice-recognizing, over-the-air updating, multi-tasking machine - and it is available just in time for holiday wish lists.

Droid has everything an alien or earthling could want, Wi-Fi, multi-window web browsing, super-high res 3.7", mutlittasking of apps, voice search, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and DVD playback, turn-by-turn Google navigation(Beta),

Droid by Motorola will be available in the United States exclusively at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online on Friday, Nov. 6, for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' online purchase coupon-link for Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate.

Today, the AT&T HTC Tilt 2 smartphone goes on sale at AT&T it's a lot like like the HTC Touch Pro2. In fact, cases that fit the HTC Touch Pro2 fit the AT&T Tilt 2 smartphone.  However, the HTC Tilt 2 smarpthone ships with the latest version of Windows Mobile 6.5 which has more features. Owners of the HTC Touch Pro2 will have to update their smartphones tot h Windows Mobile 6.5.

This smartphone is simply keyboard-tastic with a large keyboard that even an old touch typist could write emails on without getting frustrated. To get an idea how emailiscious this smartphone is you can read  our Review of Reviews  of the HTC Touch Pro2, called it the the King of Windows Mobile smartphones and the best high-end smartphone. Th HTC Tilt 2 has a 3.6 WGA tilting touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth and up to 5.2 hours of battery life.

 The HTC Touch Pro 2 was so popular at Veriozn it keeps selling out but with a much lower sale price of $199 after rebates. Then it came back in stock and sold-out again.

The HTC Tilt 2  at AT&T sells for $299.99 with a $50 mail-in-rebate. Two-year agreement on a minimum $69.99 plan required.

If you are a new AT&T customer, don't forget to use the he Wireless and Mobile News'  $50 off online only coupon-link with the purchase of  a new phone with a plan.  Free shipping is included with online activation.

There was good news for all of you texting fans, web-fiends and emailaholics who couldn't wait to get their hands on the keyboard-tastic HTC Touch Pro2.  It was back in stock on the Verizon website for what appears to be a very short time.  

The HTC Touch Pro went on sale at Verizon on September 11. Reviewers of the HTC Touch Pro2 called it the  the King of Windows Mobile smartphones and the best high-end smartphone. The world phone has a 3.6 WGA tilting touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth and up to 5.2 hours of battery life.  It sold-out quickly.

The Verizon spokeswoman told us that more would be in stock by the end of the month.  If anyone is able to nab this King, please let us know and after you buy yours, we'll let the rest of the HTC Touch Pro2-hungry crowd know how.

The HTC Touch Pro2 is priced lower than the other carriers who carry the phone, T-Mobile and Sprint price is $349.99 after rebates.  The Verizon price for the HTC Touch Pro2 is $199 after mail-in rebates. Wireless and Mobile News' readers who were able to nab the HTC Touch Pro used the Mobile News' Verizon online coupon-link to get the rebate instantly with an online purchase.

The HTC Touch Pro2 currently comes loaded with Windows Mobile 6.1 but you will be able to update it to Windows Mobile 6.5 sometime in October or November.  The HTC Touch Pro2 was voted CTIA Hot for the Holidays in the smarpthone categorey.

Smartphone satisfaction is improving while mobile phone satisfaction is decreasing according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Wireless Consumer Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study-Volume 2 and the 2009 Wireless Business Smartphone Satisfaction Study.

iPhone leads for both business and consumer smartphone satisfaction, followed by LG and BlackBerry. Smartphone owners are giving up their landlines, want Wi-Fi and download entertainment/business apps.

In the Traditional handset market, LG leads in satisfaction.. Customers who "buy" free phones are least satisfied.

Apple ranks highest among manufacturers of smartphones used primarily for personal reasons, with a score of 811, and performs particularly well in ease of operation, operating system, features and physical design. LG (776) and RIM BlackBerry (759) follow Apple in the rankings.

Among customers who use their smartphones primarily for business purposes, Apple ranks highest with a score of 803, followed by RIM BlackBerry (724).

Satisfaction among consumer smartphone owners has increased by 14 index points (on a 1,000-point scale) from just six months ago, while satisfaction among business owners has increased by 43 index points from 2008 as these devices have become more stylish, customizable and user-friendly.

The studies also find the following key wireless handset usage patterns:

• Among consumer smartphone owners, 22 percent want Wi-Fi capability in their next handset, while 21 percent want touch-screen capabilities and 17 percent want GPS capability.
• More than 40 percent of consumer smartphone owners report entirely replacing landline calling with mobile phone calling, while only 27 percent of traditional handset owners have done the same.
• Among business smartphone owners, more than one-half report downloading third-party games for entertainment, while 46 percent report downloading travel software such as maps and weather applications-indicating business users are also integrating their devices into their personal lives. In addition, nearly one-half of owners (46%) report downloading business utility applications to increase productivity.
  

Sprint and Samsung announced while at CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment, the upcoming arrival of Samsung Intrepid, a Windows phone powered by Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional.

The Samsung Intrepid improves on previous Samsung Windows phones with an user experience that offers a customizable Today screen to displays the features the user accesses most often and shows important information like new emails, text messages, missed calls and calendar appointments. It also has a richer Internet browsing experience and new personalization options including a diverse selection of designer themes and the ability to create an original look for your phone with the built-in theme creator.

Samsung Intrepid is aninternational device and will be available on Sunday, Oct. 11 for $149.99 (excluding taxes) with a new line or eligible upgrade, two-year service agreement, and after a $50 instant savings and $100 mail-in rebate.

While the Android Locusts buzzed around CTIA, Windows Mobile was also quietly powering super-smart phones.  HTC unveiled the HTC HD2, the first Windows phone with HTC Sense with a  high-resolution, 4.3-inch capacitive touch display, the ultra thin HTC HD2 delivers more visible content in a sharper, brighter and richer way.

The HD2 uses the first capacitive touch display on a Windows phone to make viewing, zooming and resizing websites, Microsoft Office files, PDF documents and pictures easier with just a pinch of your fingers. The large display also enables faster, more efficient and accurate typing using the onscreen keyboard. Utilizing Qualcomm's new 1Ghz Snapdragon mobile processor, the HTC HD2 offers enhanced performance that improves the speed of applications, videos, games and more.

HTC has also included a new Windows-based version of its Twitter application, HTC Peep. The pictures you take with the 5MP camera can also be quickly shared via Facebook or Twitter.

The HD2 includes a variety of sensors including a proximity sensor that is used to prevent false screen touches when the phone is picked up to answer or make a call. A light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of the display. Leveraging its 3G broadband connectivity, the HTC HD2 also offers personal Wi-Fi anywhere for your computer or other devices.

While the major news story yesterday, was Google and Verizon joining the Android invasion of devices and apps, the real news is that Windows Phone the HTC Touch Pro 2 is a hot-seller at Verizon, and keeps selling out.

Our readers have been bugging us to find out what happened with that super-popular keyboard-tastic HTC Touch Pro2 and why it is still out of stock at Verizon online. At first we heard that there would be some in stock within a week, which apparently flew off the shelves instantly.

Here's what the Verizon spokeswoman told us today:

"Sales exceeded expectations. The HTC Touch Pro2 has literally been flying off shelves. Customers wanted a great device at a great price."

"We're getting regular shipments in, but customers are so enthusiastic about the HTC Touch Pro2 they're buying them as soon as they are available. We're anticipating the ability to meet demand later this month."

The HTC Touch Pro went on sale at Verizon on September 11. Reviewers of the HTC Touch Pro2 called it the  the King of Windows Mobile smartphones and the best high-end smartphone.The world phone has a 3.6 WGA tilting touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth and up to 5.2 hours of battery life. The HTC Touch Pro2 won the CTIA Emerging Technology Award in the smartphone category.

The Verizon price for the HTC Touch Pro is $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an e-mail feature or e-mail plan. T-Mobile and Sprint sell the HTC Touch Pro 2 for $349.99 after rebates.

Microsoft debuted their new line of Windows phones and their new OS Windows Mobile 6.5.

Windows mobile users can now also  find useful applications from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Microsoft expects partners to deliver more than 30 new phones in more than 20 countries by the end of 2009.

Because people's phones often match their personality and unique needs, Microsoft now offers the Windows phone Custom Theme Creator. People can create personalized themes for their Windows phone by choosing the color and design that suits their style at http://www.windowsphone.com/theme.

With a Windows phone, people will have familiar work and play experiences right from their Start button, including these:

•	A new enhanced Windows Live experience with What's New feeds and improved Windows Live photo sharing across major social networking sites (such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and Flickr)
•	A best-in-class e-mail experience and the ability to manage multiple accounts right from their phone with Outlook Mobile and Exchange Server synchronization
•	The ability to use PowerPoint and open and edit Word and Excel documents from their phone with Microsoft Office Mobile
•	The power to sync files on the phone through Windows Live Media Manager and play media files seamlessly with Windows Media Player
•	A redesigned Windows Internet Explorer mobile browser with Adobe Flash Lite2 that brings the mobile Web browsing experience closer to what people have come to expect from their PC

Also launching today is Windows Marketplace for Mobile, which offers people an easy way to find and purchase high-quality mobile applications for both work and play, while creating a new opportunity for developers to reach millions of people using Windows phones worldwide.

Microsoft is pleased today to introduce 246 quality mobile applications initially in Windows Marketplace for work and play, with more than 753 ISVs worldwide on board to continue building out the catalog. People will have access to not only important line-of-business applications for work, but also popular mobile applications for play such as Facebook, MySpace, Netflix, Twikini, WunderRadio and ZAGAT, as well as leading game titles including Sudoku, "Guitar Hero World Tour" and the "PAC-MAN" series, all of which can be easily purchased and installed directly on a Windows phone.

All purchased applications are certified by Microsoft to run on Windows phones and are backed by a simple return policy. Over the next few months, Microsoft will continue to evolve Windows Marketplace for Mobile to bring to market a fresh take on the app store that delivers strong value for developers and a great shopping experience for people.

AT&T is now selling the touchscreen smartphone, the HTC PURE with Windows Mobile 6.5. The HTC PURE offers an advanced touch experience that is optimized for one-hand use, which further evolves the compact smartphone design.

Incorporating a large, brilliant 3.2-inch  WVGA (800 x480  resistive touchscreen (with stylus), the HTC PURE is crafted to fit perfectly into the hand. The HTC Pure has an advanced five megapixel auto-focus camera with video capture,  gravity sensor and an ambient light sensor. There's memory card slot that will allow users to easily add up to an additional 16GB of storage space for music or whatever.

Pricing and Availability

The HTC PURE is available at AT&T (pay $199.99 and receive $50 mail-in-rebate)  Two-year agreement on a minimum $69.99 plan required.) If you are a new AT&T customer, don't forget to use the he Wireless and Mobile News'  $50 off online only coupon-link with the purchase of  a new phone with a plan. Free shipping is included with online activation.

AT&T will offer the HTC Tilt 2 with Windows Mobile 6.5. Designed for the business professional, the HTC Tilt 2 has Microsoft Office capability and productivity. It's the successor to the first AT&T Tilt.

The HTC Tilt 2 features a high-resolution 3.6-inch widescreen WVGA display which can be easily tilted for an expanded viewing area and a large QWERTY keyboard, which is optimized for heavy email use.

A quality speakerphone experience is enabled by dual speakers and dual microphones with advanced noise cancellation, and HTC's Straight Talk which allows for simplified conference calling and activation of the speakerphone by simply turning over the device. The HTC Tilt 2 also features a 3.2 megapixel camera.

The HTC Tilt 2  has an enhanced TouchFLO 3D interface on a large touchscreen that makes navigation intuitive and rich. It offers full access to voice, text, or email in a single contact view, regardless of whether voice, text or email was used. This view can be accessed from the contact card or in the in-call screen during a phone conversation, ensuring the latest conversations are always at hand.

AT&T will support Windows Marketplace for Mobile in 2009 for access to a variety of application. AT&T customers' purchases from Windows Marketplace can be added to their monthly statements. .

Windows Mobile 6.5 received several upgrades that enhance ease-of-use, such as a touch-friendly user interface and improved browser with Flash support. Content and applications are just a fingertip away on the redesigned Start Menu and Internet Explorer Mobile will support the rich experiences that many Web pages offer for desktop computers.

The HTC Tilt 2, will be available in the following weeks for $299.99 with a $50 mail-in-rebate. Two-year agreement on a minimum $69.99 plan required.

If you are a new AT&T customer, don't forget to use the he Wireless and Mobile News'  $50 off online only coupon-link with the purchase of  a new phone with a plan. Free shipping is included with online activation.