Recently in smartphone Category

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.

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.

HTC Touch Pro2 (Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint) Rated 4 out 5 by Wirleess and Mobile News' Review of Reviews

Reviewers of the HTC Touch Pro2 called it the  the King of Windows Mobile smartphones and the best high-end smartphone. Reviewers found the HTC Touch Pro2 to be keyboard-tastic with a gorgeous stand-out touchscreen. All the reviewers found the tilting screen beautiful and useful.  They loved the keyboard and functionality but then didn't like the large size and bulkiness.

The HTC Touch Pro2 has slight differences in features in different carrier versions.  The good news for Sprint HTC Pro2 users is that the Sprint version has additional entertainment software. The Sprint and Verizon version have a standard headphone jack. The resistive touchscreen sometimes requires a stylus, but for the most part the TouchFLO interface is successful. The web browsing is better with the Opera browser than Internet Explorer.

Because the HTC Touch Pro2 is a Windows Mobile device it packs a lot of Windows/Microsoft capability power. GPS functionality on the Sprint network was not good.

The HTC Touch Pro 2 touches on the need for an excellent keyboard for touch typists and those who deal with tons of text and email on a smartphone.

T-Mobile s now selling the Android T-Mobile myTouch 3G smartphone with Google. To celebrate its arrival, T-Mobile produced an aerial spectacle in the sky over San Francisco at noon today. 100 skydivers, each dressed as unique personalities to reflect the individuality of the myTouch experience, parachuted in synchronized formations over the city.T-Mobile paid San Francisco almost $20,000 for the aerial stunt.

During the myTouch arrival celebration, skydivers accompanied by fly-by jets landed at four locations around San Francisco: Embarcadero/Justin Herman Plaza, Marina Green Park, Pier 39 and Moscone Recreation Center. Spectators at Justin Herman Plaza could touch myTouch devices as well as received gifts.

myTouch 3G smartphone customers will  be able to design their own shell using a variety of methods, including uploading a personal photo, graphic design, or selecting text, shapes, icons or logos. The final design is custom-printed onto the shell, then shipped.

Designed by HTC, myTouch 3G features a 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen display and virtual keyboard and autorotate. It also features a 3.2-megapixel camera, a music player with a pre-installed 4GB microSD memory card, and enhanced video capabilities to make it easy for users to record and share pictures and videos, whether via e-mail, MMS or one-click upload to sites such as YouTube and Picas. Web browsing is supported by fast data speeds via Wi-Fi and T-Mobile's 3G network.

The T-Mobile myTouch 3G integrates Google services and the latest Android software.
T-Mobile myTouch features multitasking capabilities and one-touch access to the Google services, including Google Search by voice, Google Maps with Street View, YouTube and Picasa.  

Attention all you texters who need to type constantly but want an different shaped keyboard. Samsung has filed a patent with split fly-out QWERTY keyboard.

The device is titled "Mobile Terminal Having Rear Keypad." The keypads are spring-loaded and slide into the back of the smartphone. The patent states "key input can be easily performed while viewing an image displayed on the touch screen.""

The patent claims "character message writing" and game playing is easier, due to the  the larger keyboard.

The Register pointed out that if may be hard to hold.  Being touch typists, we think the design would fly, if you placed it flat on a table at a coffee house.

Verizon Wireless' HTC Ozone will be available on July 29 from Verizon.  The QWERTY, Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone has host of connectivity options that include 3G network, global roaming and Wi-Fi. It will cost at $49.99 after a rebate  They claim it is great value for first-time smartphone users or savvy business professionals. Reviewers have called it a great deal because you get world acess as well as Wi-Fi, Verizon's BlackBerry Storm doesn' have Wi-Fi.

Features include VZ Navigator, Visual Voice Mail, Mobile IM, email (Yahoo, Hotmail) Microsof Office Mobile, one-touch messaging. It looks just like the HTC Snap but is priced one hundred less. The HTC Ozone has a microSD expansion slot, a 2-megapixel camera, and stereo Bluetooth

The price for the HTC Ozone will be $49.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. 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 order it online from Verizon you can save the waiting for the rebate by using Wireless and Mobile News' $50 off online only coupon-link with the purchase of a plan.

VZ Navigator is available for $9.99 monthly access, and Visual Voice Mail is available for $2.99 monthly access.

Verizon will be offering a lot of smartphones in the upcoming months, in around six months. Verizon's CEO Lowell McAdam revealed plans during a Barclays Capital conference in New York.

He gave a tour of what to expect from Verizon in the upcoming months. Almost every style make and of smartphone is represented RIM, Palm, Motorola and unannounced Android smartphone maker. Apple and the iPhone are of course not mentioned.

"Over the next six months or so, you will see devices like the Palm Pre and the Cousin on our network from Palm. You will see a second-generation Storm. You will see a new device we call the Tour from BlackBerry as well. That is an upscale of any other QWERTY-based devices that we have from BlackBerry today. You'll see Motorola back into our portfolio. We feel very good about the progress that the Motorola team has made. And, yes, you're going to see Android devices as well."

Notice he is more careful in his wording, he said "like" before Palm Pre. Maybe they may not be introducing the Palm Pre exactly just its cousin/sister the the Palm Pixie Eos Castle Mini-Pre or other cute name.

Other interesting information McAdam reported:

• Approximately 41 percent of first-quarter device direct sales were smartphones.
• Verizon is "very encouraged by the kind of uptake" that the carrier's first netbook.
• Verzion is going to move very quickly to deploy LTE with apps ready to go.

Verizon Wireless and LG Mobile have cooked up three new phones for summer fun. The new  LG enV3 will be available Friday, while LG enV TOUCH and LG Glance will be available June 5 at all Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online.

The LG enV3 is the successor the LG enV2 it has an internal screen:, external screen and  3.0 megapixel camera/camcorder. It offers visual voice mail, p to 16 GB microSD card optional removable memory, text Instant reply and Media Center for storing and downloading music from V CAST Music with Rhapsody.

The LG enV Touch has been dubbed the sucessor to the LG Voyager. It has all the features of the LG enV3 with an external touchscreen. It opens to reveal a  QWERTY keyboard, and it has a 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder with autofocus, flash, plus an image editor. It offers the ability to read documents from any microSD card in several file formats including .doc, .xls, .ppt, and .pdf.

AT&T claims that, based on independent market research, twice as many smartphone users have chosen AT&T over any other U.S. carrier.

They attribute their success to the fastest 3G network and nearly 20,000 U.S. Wi-Fi hotspots offers and AT&T's industry-leading lineup of iconic devices, including BlackBerry Bold (available for free with refurb package) and Nokia E71x.

We, however, would add the iPhone. Another new smartpone they offer is the Samsung Jack. The prices for the newer smartphones such as the Nokia E71x and Samsung Jack can be as low as $50 or free to new customers which also contribute to smartphones subscriber growth.

AT&T says they will soon launch an advertising campaign that highlights its smartphone leadership.

In addition to smartphones, which are devices that use open operating systems like Windows Mobile or OS X, AT&T sayst it is at the forefront of a new category of full-QWERTY consumer devices known as "quick messaging phones" that bring text and picture messaging, IM, and mobile data applications to the masses. Together, smartphones and quick messaging phones comprise AT&T's integrated device portfolio, which has more than doubled in subscribers over the past year. They often offer deals on the Samsung Propel and Samsung Impression at great prices.

As the popularity of text messaging and other mobile data applications continues to soar, customers are upgrading to integrated devices in record numbers. During the first quarter of this year, more new and existing customers activated integrated devices than AT&T added in new postpaid customers. Nearly 32 percent of AT&T's postpaid subscribers now use an integrated device.

The NPD Group reports that the buy-one-get- one" promotion by Verizon Wireless helped RIM's BlackBerry Curve outsell Apple's iPhone to become the best-selling consumer smartphone in the U.S. in the first quarter (Q1) of 2009.

RIM's consumer smartphone market share increased 15 percent to nearly 50 percent of the smartphone market in Q1 2009 versus the prior quarter, as Apple's and Palm's share both declined 10 percent each.

Based on U.S. consumer sales of smartphone handsets in NPD's "Smartphone Market Update" report, the first-quarter 2009 ranking of the top-five best- selling smartphones is as follows:

1. RIM BlackBerry Curve (all 83XX models).

2. Apple iPhone 3G (all models).

3. RIM BlackBerry Storm.

4. RIM BlackBerry Pearl (all models, except flip).

5. T-Mobile G1.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Verizon and Microsoft are working on a new touchscreen phone to rival the iPhone, yearly next year.

While they claim "Verizon has also had discussions in recent months with Apple about partnering on devices other than the iPhone, people familiar with the matter say."

The smartphone is code-named "Pink," and it is most likely be based on Windows Mobile with apps from Windows Marketplace. While Microsoft is taking part in the design an outside company will manufacture it.

The Pink project includes staffers from Danger Inc, who designed the software in the Sidekick.

Microsoft inked a search and advertising deal with Verizon earlier this year. 

PC World reported today that,
""Microsoft's strategy has not changed," a spokesperson said. "It is and has always been to provide a software platform for the industry. We work closely with many mobile operators and device makers around the world because customers want different experiences on a variety [of] phones."

The details for the LG Viewty Smart LG GC900 super camera smartphone are now available. It has an 8 megapixel camera with a Schneider-Kreuznach lens.

The LG Viewty Smart can take pictures at up to 1600 ISO and record videos in "DVD-quality" with DivX and XviD playback. Other camera features include:

• Inteliigent Shot -automatic scene recognition.
  
• Multi-Face Detection.
• Optimized Settings for all Conditions.
  
• BackLight Condition.
  
• Low-Light Night Features.
• Touch Shot and Smile Shot from the touchscreen display.
  

The LG Viewty Smart has a 3″ touchscreen display with WVGA resolution, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, a-GPS with geo-tagging ahd Wi-Fi  The microSD can hold up to 32GB.

It has a 3D S-Class user interface and is 12.4mm thin. The LG Viewty Smart will be available this May in Europe first. No pricing has been set or when and if it will be available in the U.S.

The Samsung Instinct s30, the next generation Samsung Instinct haptic touchscreen phone with a voice control button is now available from Sprint.

Instinct s30 has built-in instant messaging, improved web-browsing via the default browser and Opera Mini 4.2 as well as the popular games "Guitar Hero - World Tour" and "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" preloaded. Instinct s30 offers a thinner streamlined design for a smoother feel in the user's hand with two color options - Cobalt Metal or Touch of Copper.

Instinct s30 has business functions such as access to corporate calendar functionality via Microsoft Outlook. Sprint Mobile Email Work provides access to corporate email, contacts and calendar from Microsoft Exchange Server 2000, 2003 or 2007 accounts, or IBM Lotus Domino accounts at no additional charge.

Instinct s30 offers a Speech to Action button for voice activation of call, text, picture messaging, traffic, movie, sports, news and search. Speech to Action also works with Sprint Navigation, powered by Telenav, with GPS-enabled audio and visual turn-by-turn driving directions, one-click traffic rerouting and more than 10 million local listings.

We're still sorting through all the great things we saw at CTIA and realize that we were impressed with the Qik demo at the BlackBerry booth. Qik is a video sharing service that allows you to stream live video from your smartphone camera to the Qik website or other website.

Qik is today's free BlackBerry and Smartphone App of the Day for people who like to share through video.

Qik suggests you use the service to share family moments such as a new baby or birthday party which you can also share to MySpace or Orkut. They say you can broadcast events and news spontaneously and share the results live on any website. Qik allows you to broadcast to partner sites like Mogulus, Justin.tv, and Twitter. Qik can be used to record incidents for legal and insurance purposes or provide live customer support.

Qik has a chat feature so your friends can comment on the action as it happens. Mrs. Kutcher aka Demi Moore uses Qik to video blog her life and is very popular on Qik.

For BlackBerry users there is an alpa version of Qik, for BlackBerry Bold, BlackBerry Curve, BlackBerry Pearl and BlackBerry Storm available by browsing in your BlackBerry browser to d.qik.com.  Qik supports iPhone, HTC Windows Mobile Phones, Nokia phones, BlackJack, Motorola Q, AT&T Tilt and others.

The Nokia E75 is now available and shipping.  The Nokia E75 is the first smartphone to ship with the new email user interface, offering full desktop email functionality, and complete integration of Nokia's email and messaging services.

The HTC Touch Diamond will be available tomorrow from Verizon.  The HTC Touch Diamond combines a fashionable mobile design with the added benefit of the nation's most reliable voice and data network for fast e-mail and Internet connectivity.

The most liked feature of the new HTC Touch Diamond by reviewers was the TouchFlo 3D user-interface on top of the Windows Mobile operating system. Reviewers found the multimedia features of the HTC Touch Diamond appealing forfast web and easy push email/syncing.

The 262,000 color  640x480 pixel screen is extremely vibrant and crisp. The battery life, call quality, multimedia capabilities were all well-rated.

HTC Touch Diamond Features:

• Brilliant 2.76-inch touch screen display for navigating web pages on the built-in Opera browser.
• 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera.
• microSD(TM) card slot that can support up to 16 GB of memory for extra storage of pictures, videos and music.
• Customers can choose either the familiar Windows Mobile home screen or the intuitive HTC TouchFLO(TM) 3D user interface.
• Supports the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional platform and integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Office applications.

The Samsung Impression is now being sold by AT&T. It has an AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode). We saw the screen at CTIA and it is really impressive, because of the way it uses power and doesn't change appearance under different light, such as sunlight. The AMOLED uses less power and is stunning to look at, especially for photos and video. We say "Ole!" to AMOLED because colors are more vivid. "Viva OLED!"

The Samsung Impression, has a  slide-out keyboard underneath and is still slim. AT&T calls it a quick messaging phone that's all touchscreen on the outside, all buttons on the inside.

Other features of the Samsung Impression include a 3-megapixel camera a full HTML browser, Bluetooth, Samsung's TouchWiz interface, 3G support with access to Cellular Video and, a personal organizer, AT&T Navigator, and a speakerphone.
 
The retail price is 199.99, with of a 2-yr contract agreement and a $50 mail-in card rebate or $399.99 witthout a contract. The best deal discount on the Samsung Impression is by using the Wireless and Mobile News $50 off online only coupon-link with the purchase of the Samsung Impression with a plan. Free shipping is included with online activation.  The nice thing about this messaging phone is that you are not required to buy a data plan with the smartphone like you have to do with the iPhone.
     

While trying phones at the HTC booth during CTIA, the new HTC Touch Pro 2 had great text appeal due to its keyboard.  Our touch-typist editor who learned to type on a manual typewriter in the dark pre-pc ages, was able to type a message without a mistake on the HTC Touch Pro 2 keyboard. She could barely type her name on other smartphones at CTIA.

She noticed out loud to the HTC rep, "Hey what's this a T-Mobile SIM?" to which he tried to quip something back.

It was undocumented rumor that the HTC TouchPro would be coming T-Mobile,  therefore, she didn't write about it.

Now everyone knows that the HTC TouchPro 2 will be coming from T-Mobile, because of an FCC filing. Also TmoNews calls the HTC Touch Pro 2 the T-Moble Wing II /Rodium with an expected release date of July 22.

Let's think about it, T-Mobile is headquartered in Seattle near Microsoft, and near T-Mobile it makes working together much easier.

The HTC Touch Pro 2 was launched at Mobile World Congress. The HTC Touch Pro2 runs on Windows Mobile and T features a high-resolution 3.6-inch widescreen VGA touchscreen display, HTC Push Internet, enterprise emai land the HTC TouchFlo interface.

We have finally gotten the details on the Samsung Sprint Instinct s30 in English! All we had yesterday was that the screen was 3.2 inches. The Samsung Instinct s30 is the next generation Samsung Instinct haptic touchscreen phone with a voice control button that will be available from Sprint April 19 in blue or copper.

Instinct s30 has built-in instant messaging, improved web-browsing via the default browser and Opera Mini 4.2 as well as the popular games "Guitar Hero - World Tour" and "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" preloaded. Instinct s30 offers a thinner streamlined design for a smoother feel in the user's hand with two color options - Cobalt Metal or Touch of Copper.

Instinct s30 has busy business functions such asaccess to corporate calendar functionality via Microsoft Outlook. Sprint Mobile Email Work provides access to corporate email, contacts and calendar from Microsoft Exchange Server 2000, 2003 or 2007 accounts, or IBM Lotus Domino accounts at no additional charge.

Instinct s30 offers a Speech to Action button for voice activation of call, text, picture messaging, traffic, movie, sports, news and search. Speech to Action also works with Sprint Navigation, powered by Telenav, with GPS-enabled audio and visual turn-by-turn driving directions, one-click traffic rerouting and more than 10 million local listings.

Beginning on April 19, customers will be able to purchase Instinct s30 through Sprint retail stores, web for $129.99 at launch with a two-year agreement, $70 instant savings and $100 mail-in rebate.

The Samsung Impression, AT&T claims to be the nation's first commercially available AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) screen for one of the brightest and clearest displays in the U.S.

The Samsung Impression, has a keyboard underneath and is still slim. It's a quick messaging phone that's all touchscreen on the outside, all buttons on the inside.

The Samsung Impression, is candy bar phone with a large 3.2-inch touchscreen display with a slide-out keyboard.  Other features include a 3-megapixel camera a full HTML browser, Bluetooth, Samsung's TouchWiz interface, 3G support with access to Cellular Video and, a personal organizer, AT&T Navigator, and a speakerphone.

The touchscreen has customizable widgets and features text messaging M, mobile email, AT&T mobile music and AT&T Navigator. The Samsung Impression is priced at $199.99 at AT&T nd will be available April 7. What's your impression?