Actually, Nokia N97 is a true mobile computer. It has a large 3.5" 16:9 widescreen tilting touch display and QWERTY keyboard. The size of on-board memory is 32 GB and can be extended by 16 GB with a microSD card. Designed for active Internet users, the Nokia N97 makes it easy to update social networks automatically with real-time information, giving approved friends the ability to update their 'status'. The Nokia N97 also has a 5-Megapixel camera with high-quality Carl Zeiss optics. The smartphone is expected to begin shipping in the first half of 2009 at an estimated retail price of EUR 550 before taxes or subsidies.    

LG Electronics, a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, today announced that it has signed an agreement to become a Global Partner of Formula 1 and a Technology Partner of Formula 1. As part of this top-level association LG acquires exclusive designations and marketing rights as the official Consumer Electronics, Mobile Phone and Data Processor of Formula 1. The multi-year agreement runs from January 2009. Source: GSMPress ®  

  Today's release of the Series 40 6th Edition SDK coincides with Nokia's announcement of the new Nokia 6260 slide, the latest device based on the Series 40 6th Edition platform. New SDK release provides support for Java-based location API (JSR-179), WebKit Open Source Browser and Adobe Flash Lite 3.0. Releasing the new software development kit (SDK) for its Series 40 6th Edition mass-market mobile devices, Nokia provides application developers and network operators with new tools to create unique applications and services for the high-volume feature phone market worldwide.  

  Today Nokia introduces the Nokia 6260 slide that comes with the latest 3G technology, high speed uploads (HSUPA) and downloads (HSDPA), a great 5Mpix Carl Zeiss camera with flash. In addition to this, Nokia Maps and the assisted GPS provide a great navigation experience. The Nokia 6260 slide brings GPS into the Series 40 software platform for the first time. The Nokia 6260 slide is expected to begin shipping at the beginning of 2009 for an estimated retail price of EUR 299, before taxes and subsidies.  

  Why is it that handsets from little-known Chinese manufacturers always claim to feature ground-breaking technologies but come wrapped in low-end plastics and half-baked ideas. The latest Chinese smartphone to hit the intertubes is the Sciphone Dream G2. Powered by the same Android OS that made a splash on the T-Mobile G1 (wherever did Sciphone get the idea for “Dream G2?”), the Sciphone Dream G2 promises to bring the world’s second Android smartphone to market on November 28. The Dream G2 promises to sport a 2.8-inch 320×240 touchscreen, 4 megapixel camera, EDGE (keep dreaming about that 3G connection), WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 A2DP, and FM radio. Unfortunately for the “engineers” at Sciphone, the Dream G2 doesn’t sport a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The Android OS doesn’t support any on-screen, virtual keyboards, which should make for some fun times when you’re trying to input text numbers anything on your Dream G2. Another half-baked smartphone from China? How surprising.

  Well, it got its first airing last month, but today LG has officially launched second-generation Prada Phone (aka Prada II) in Europe. If you loved the ultra-stylish minimalist looks of the first phone, chances are you'll be sold on this too. Indeed, even with the addition of the slide-out keyboard, it's still slimmer than a supermodel's sandwich. But there's more to this upgrade than a few cosmetic touches. In comes a new touch control screen with haptic feedback, HSDPA connectivity and a 5MP camera with slow motion video recording, rubbing shoulders with Wi-Fi connectivity, a full HTML browser and video calling. And that's not all. If you really want to splash the cash, check out the matching Prada Link watch, a Bluetooth timepiece that can monitor your calls and show your text messages without having to check your phone. And if none are incoming, just use it as a high-end digital watch. Trust us, it's what all the beautiful people will be wearing this Christmas. We're still awaiting network details, expect those in the coming days.

  South Korean company LG Electronics today introduced a new mobile phone model LG-SH460, whose release is timed to the early onset of winter and early ski season. This clearly says white version of the phone.   The main purpose of this phone - office workers and students, which itself in the LG-SH460 features an electronic dictionary. In addition, owners of the new items will be in the 2 MP camera, support for memory cards and wireless technology Bluetooth. Other specifications LG-SH460: • Dimensions: 100.5 h51, 2h16, 35 mm• Weight: 96 gr.• Main display: 2.2-inch, TFT, permission 240h320 points• External display: 1.3-inch, TFT• Sound: 64-s tone ringtone• The main camera: 2 MP• Camera for videozvonkov: VGA• Communication: Bluetooth v2.0, USB 1.1

  New Sony Ericsson C905 sees Sony Ericsson claim UK top spot from Samsung for one week only, with Nokia down in third Sony Ericsson has topped the weekly sales statistics with a brand share of 28.7 per cent following the launch of its C905. According to figures published by GfK for week 44 of the year, Samsung hit second with Nokia third. Sony Ericsson’s share has grown three per cent since the C905’s launch; it is now the second best selling contract phone. “This is a really good result,” said Sony Ericsson UK and Ireland marketing manager Dave Hilton.

  It’s good to see that smartphones are steadily gaining momentum in China. To put this into numbers, volume sales of smartphones in the world’s fastest growing economy grew 12.2% on year to reach 2.53 million units in September 2008. According to CCID Consulting, Nokia, Motorola and Dopod China benefited the most out of this trend. With 70% of the market, The Finnish giant ruled the Chinese smartphone sales in September, followed by Motorola with 18.9%, Dopod with 5.2%, Samsung with 2.6%, and Sony Ericsson with 1% share. China-based Coolpad ranked sixth with a 0.8% share, whereas other domestic branded vendors were unable to make significant gains in the segment.

  Officially announced today, the Samsung Anycall SPH-W6050 is the latest 5-megapixel cameraphone to appear under Korea’s handset spotlight. While it may look rather bland, looks are deceiving, as aside from a 5MP auto-focus cam, it also features a built-in DMB TV tuner. And if that’s not enough, a 3-inch WVGA LCD touchscreen display is also on-board, as well as Samsung’s Haptic user interface and Internet browser. Some users may also like the simplicity of its design, which is key to making it look good on hand and on a table. This new handset supports HSUPA and 3G connectivity, which could make that front-facing camera very useful. Of course, there’s the usual array of mobile phone features available with the Samsung SPH-W6050 and expandable memory via microSD cards. No word yet on a release outside of Korea, but in that part of Asia it will retail from 800,000 Korean Won or nearly $600 at the very least.

  Frustrated that mobile makers refuse to develop strong internet handsets for under $500, 3 parent Hutchison has created its own $179 hyper-connected phone under a new brand, INQ. Some have dubbed it the "Facebook phone" as it is the first to fully integrate the social network into the phone's address book and message inbox. The 3G handset has also been built around Skype and Windows Live Messenger.The INQ phone can be bought from 3 for $179 on prepaid or free on a $39 a month two-year plan. It will be available before Christmas. Frank Meehan, the Australian chief executive picked to run INQ's global operations, said while expensive handsets like the iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices grabbed headlines, 90 per cent of phones sold were cheap, basic devices. The trouble for carriers like 3 is that those cheaper phones have appalling, clunky internet features, so they are rarely used for browsing the web, equating to swathes of lost revenue for mobile operators. And with devices like the iPhone, which 3 does not sell, the high up-front cost for carriers means they have to charge hefty amounts for data plans just to earn a profit. Announcing its second quarter results, Optus singled out high iPhone subsidies as putting a $44 million dent in...

  Sony today announced the commercialization of IMX060PQ, a new type 1/2.5 CMOS image sensor Exmor, for use in camera enabled mobile phones that features an effective resolution of 12.25 megapixel. IMX060PQ is designed to meet the need for advanced image quality within mobile phone enabled cameras. Sony also announced the launch of IMX046PQ, a type 1/3.2 CMOS image sensor Exmor with 8.11 effective megapixel resolution, and IMX045PQ, a type 1/4 Exmor CMOS image sensor featuring 5.15 effective megapixel resolution. Furthermore, Sony will also commercialize IU060F, a type 1/3.2 lens module with 12.25 effective megapixel resolution, and IU046F, a type 1/3.2 lens module with 8.11 effective megapixels. Equipped with lens and auto focus functions, the two modules are the industry's smallest and thinnest in their class. Camera phones and other small-pixel consumer imaging devices often suffer from poor performance, especially under low light conditions and therefore we really don’t need a smaller, better, larger and more sensitive sensors for cellphones supported with a better optic and that is the only way to get the image quality that can be equal or even surpass what is available from current classic point and shoot cameras! In a matter of...

  The Windows Mobile team has confirmed that the upcoming IE Mobile 6 browser or "IE 6 on 6" will not be made available as a separate download for current WinMo 6.1 smartphones. Instead, the update will only show up on devices released starting at the end of this year or in early 2009. The reason, according to Microsoft, is that "the rich media experiences that IE Mobile 6 enables require more powerful, advanced devices." IE doesn't have a whole lot of fans, but if you already have a WinMo smartphone it would suck to miss out on what appears to be a huuuge improvement.