Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

A Boingo pass for when you’re near a hotspot, EV-DO for when you’re not. That’s the gist of Helio’s latest product, dubbed “Hybrid” — only their third since launching earlier this year — and the first dedicated to data device from the MVNO (and among the first data devices from any MVNO, so far as we know). Technically, Hybrid is more of a package than an actual device, composed of a rebranded Sierra Wireless Aircard 580, EV-DO service, and WiFi access (provided by Helio pal and Sky Dayton venture Boingo, of course) with Helio’s “Hybrid Connector” software calling the connectivity shots. Though the concept doesn’t seem to go after the same core demographic as the MVNO’s handsets, the $85 package deal could still be a compelling one for folks that maintain separate WiFi and 3G data accounts. Look for Hybrid to be available for a nice, round $0 on two-year contract through Fry’s locations and Helio’s site directly.

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Laptops, Wireless

Good news for EV-DO junkies out there looking for a USB and/or Rev A fix: Novatel‘s lineup of Rev A products are now official, and are coming to an OEM or carrier near you this fall (we’re thinking Sprint would be a fairly safe guess under the “carrier” category). The lineup includes that MCD3000 USB modem we saw hit the FCC the other day as the U720, which is apparently “about the size of a small cell phone,” the Merlin M720 PC card — which is already out for Sprint as the S720 — and the Expedite E720 PCI Express Mini card. The latter is for laptop manufacturers to pop into their own products, so we probably won’t see a retail release, and an ExpressCard version is notably absent. The good news is that all three of these pack EV-DO Rev A for 3.1Mbps speeds, along with the traditional GPS support, Rev 0 and CDMA compatibilities. According to Novatel, they’re “currently ramping shipments at major carrier or OEM customers,” and like we said, those S720 cards are already out, so these really should be right around the corner.

[Via Laptoping]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Okay, so maybe these USB EV-DO modems would be a bit more lovable if they were in dongle form, but they’re still a reasonable alternative if your ExpressCard slot is busy handling other (likely frivolous) activities. AnyDATA’s ADU-E100D is a tad larger than a standard business card, but will only add about 4 extra ounces to your trusty knapsack, and sports an integrated battery as well as USB 2.0 connectivity. The modem is based on Qualcomm’s MSM 6500 chipset, is backwards compatible with 1xRTT, supports EV-DO 3G speeds up to 2.4Mbps (down) and 153.5kbps (up), and allows sending / receiving of those oh-so-urgent SMS messages during data operations. Although details regarding pricing and availability aren’t yet known, the snazzy blue ADU-E100D should be bringing that EV-DO goodness to your notebook (or desktop) real soon.

[Via TD Gaily]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Cellphones

Not a day’s passed after we caught word of Sprint’s launch of Novatel’s S720 PC Card do we hear that Sierra Wireless has a proverbial one-two punch of WWAN modems up its sleeve, this time of the USB variety. First up in Q4 of this year will be the 595U, an EV-DO Revision A device topping out at a purely-theoretical 3.1Mbps downstream, followed by the quad-band GSM, tri-band HSDPA 875U humming along at 3.6Mbps in Q1 2007. Both USB modems look to be coming in sleek little packages with internal antennas and matching cradles, support location-based services, and have upgradeable firmware. If these things really look as slick as the press shots make them out to be, we may not be whining for a Rev A ExpressCard after all — if the ship dates hold up, that is.

[Via Macworld]

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Filed under: Peripherals

Japanese manufacturer Kuroutoshikou looks to be one of the first, if not the first, to bridge the gap between your ExpressCard and your desktop computer with its new PCI Express-based adapter. Just pop the low-profile card into an available PCIe slot, slide in your ExpressCard of choice (54 or 34, it would seem), and in no time you’ll be rocking card-based SATA, tuners, and EV-DO as no one intended it — confined to your desk. As a bonus, Kuroutoshikou will also give you an extra USB 2.0 port. Look for the card to be available in Japan later this month for ¥4,980, or just over $40 US if you’re planning on doing the importing thing.

[Via Impress]

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Filed under: EV-DO, CDMA, Misc

Filed under: EV-DO, CDMA, Misc

As the saying goes, “You snooze, you lose.” Such is the case for LG Telecom, Korea’s 3rd-largest carrier behind SK Telecom and KTF, which purchased a license to deploy 3G services on the 2GHz band in 2001 for 1.15 trillion won ($1.2 billion, give or take), but has yet to do anything with said license. According to the terms of the license agreement, the services had to be in place by the end of last month, and an advisory board has subsequently given the thumbs-up to Korea’s Ministry of Information and Communication to yoink the license. LG Telecom’s CEO, Nam Yong, has said that deploying 3G at 2GHz would be counter to market trends and they’d like to upgrade their 1.8GHz network instead, but it appears the heart-of-stone MIC is going ahead with the revocation nonetheless. And here’s the real kicker: Korean law stipulates that any company failing to make good on a 3G rollout remove its chief executive. Oh, but don’t you worry about Mr. Nam; rumor has it he’ll likely land comfortably somewhere within LGT’s corporate parent — you guessed it — LG Electronics.

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Filed under: Handsets, Samsung, Verizon Wireless, EV-DO, CDMA

Filed under: EV-DO, CDMA

Filed under: Handsets, Nokia, Pantech, Verizon Wireless, EV-DO, CDMA

Say you’re the world’s largest cellphone manufacturer. Maybe you made a few bad decisions along the way; threw your weight behind the wrong technologies, caught the wrath of CDMA’s keeper, and now you’re missing out on the EV-DO party. That’s precisely the quandary Nokia has found itself facing, and as we’ve already seen with the 6315i, they’re turning to Korea’s Pantech to bail them out. In exchange for a pair of rebranded Pantech EV-DO handsets, Nokia will dish out $129 million. That’s a lot of zeroes after the 129 there, when we’ve yet to see a Pantech headed to these shores we’d even pay $129 for.

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Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops, Wireless

Prepare that national ego for a beating son, 'cause SK Telecom and Samsung have developed a Korea-only mobile data card sure to make you feel like a chump. Having just launched their HSDPA service days ago, it's no suprise to see Korea's largest mobile operator demonstrating a PCMCIA data card which supports both HSDPA and EV-DO. However, this card also packs in WiBro setting the stage for some good ol' fashioned head-to-head action against Korean Telecom. KT's WiBro service is set to go live in just days while SK's offering is only just now in pilot, with a limited commercial offering said to be starting next month when this card should drop for retail. But who knows, afterall SK's fledgling HSDPA service is said to offer equivalent speeds to KT's WiBro and at least initially the two complementary services are targeting the same market segments. So SK's not in a rush, if ya dig?

[Via Akihabara News]

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Oh Treo 700p, we feel we've known ye for months -- maybe that's because we have. Here we have Sprint finally showing availability on their site for the device, failing to making good on its promise to ship before Verizon -- but we'll take what we can get, right? Available now for the princely sum of $429.99 with contract. Grab yours before it gets taken down, goes on backorder, or otherwise disappears without a trace.

[Thanks, Jonathan and Patrick]

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, Samsung, EV-DO, CDMA

Fancy that, a cellphone with a built-in camera! We're just playin', Samsung. We know your SCH-B490 does much more than that. Besides the usual category-bending 3.2 megapixel shooter and DMB -- which is becoming downright ho-hum in Korea these days -- the EV-DO twist clamshell throws down internal stereo speakers and a QVGA screen that can be closed facing up or down. It only comes with 67MB flash onboard, but fret not shutterbugs, the MicroSD slot has you covered. We're assuming this bad boy is Korea-only, but if Sprint or Verizon have a secret DMB deal they're not telling us about, sign us up.

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio

There was little surprise in this one, but Sprint’s officially launched that LG LX550 as the Fusic. Sure, maybe it’s not the most skillfully named (or styled) phone we’ve laid eyes upon, but it’s got EV-DO, A2DP, an FM transmitter and radio, 1.3 megapixel camera, and MicroSD (bundled with 64MB) for $179.99 after rebate and two-year contract.

[Via Phone Scoop]

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Filed under: Handsets

There was little surprise in this one, but Sprint’s officially launched that LG LX550 as the Fusic. Sure, maybe it’s not the most skillfully named (or styled) phone we’ve laid eyes upon, but it’s got EV-DO, A2DP, an FM transmitter and radio, 1.3 megapixel camera, and MicroSD (bundled with 64MB) for $179.99 after rebate and two-year contract.

[Via Phone Scoop]

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Filed under: Handsets, Features, Motorola, Verizon Wireless, Windows Mobile, 1xRTT, EV-DO, CDMA

Check it, we just out our hands on a brand new Motorola Q yesterday evening and we figured we'd snap a few pics of the unpacking ritual.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

We were (then weren’t) expecting it any day now, but it looks like Motorola and Verizon have finally done the deed and made the Q official. Final specs include EV-DO (duh), Bluetooth 1.2, stereo speakers, Pocket Office, and the rest of the spread we’ve come to know all to well about this thing. The best part, however, is that you’ll be able to order online starting May 31 or buy in store June 5th for a paltry $199 (after $100 instant rebate and two year plan, of course), with EV-DO enabled data plans to run between $80 and $170 per month, depending on your usage. And don’t you even think about tethering this thing, mister.

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We were (then weren’t) expecting it any day now, but it looks like Motorola and Verizon have finally done the deed and made the Q official. Final specs include EV-DO (duh), Bluetooth 1.2, stereo speakers, and the rest of the spread we’ve come to know all to well about this thing. The best part, however, is that you’ll be able to order online starting May 31 or buy in store June 5th for a paltry $199 (after $100 instant rebate and two year plan, of course), with EV-DO enabled data plans to run between $80 and $170 per month, depending on your usage. And don’t you even think about tethering this thing, mister.

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Filed under: Handsets, Nokia, Pantech, Verizon Wireless, 1xRTT, EV-DO, CDMA

It looks like Pantech and Nokia have been hanging out again, but this time Nokia will be the one dropping the rebranded handset, an EV-DO-sporting model for Verizon known as the 6315i (and formerly known as the PN-E330). Phone Scoop discovered this recent approval while enjoying the FCC website, and reports back that it features a 1.3 megapixel camera, microSD slot, and Bluetooth, along with dedicated external music controls. We'll let you know when we find out a release date and some pricing info for this fairly feature-filled flip phone.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, Pantech, EV-DO, CDMA

What do we know about Pantech & Curitel’s new SKY IM U-MU110 clamshell (besides the fact that it has a tongue-twister of a model number)? Not much, unfortunately, as AVING is heavy on the images but light on the deets, so all that we can discern about this model — two megapixel camera, 1GB of memory, EV-DO, external music controls — comes from pics of the so-called “Jukebox” phone. Besides snapping photos and rocking tunes, pictures seem to indicate that the IM U-MU110 also makes voice calls. No word on such trifles as pricing or release dates/locations, but keep reading for another hot pic…

[Via MobileMag]

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Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

We’ve been hearing for some time now that the Motorola Q would be coming to Verizon and Sprint first, with versions for other carriers out later in the year. Now, it looks like Verizon may have scored a coup, and shut Sprint out of that initial launch. According to a teaser that’s now up on Verizon’s site, the long-awaited smartphone will be available “exclusively from Verizon Wireless.” We don’t know how long that exclusive is going to last; we still expect Sprint to roll out a version pretty quickly. In the meantime, though, if you absolutely must get your Q next week, it looks like you now know where to go.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Filed under: Handsets, Palm, Verizon Wireless, EV-DO, CDMA

If you were hoping to play Sprint and Verizon off of each other and try to get a better deal on the Treo 700p, the jig is up. Verizon's pricing is now out, and the company is charging the same price as Sprint for the new Palm-based smartphone: $400 (with a two-year contract, that is). Calling plans with unlimited data start at $80 a month, and if you want to use your Treo as an EV-DO modem with your laptop (which we suspect you just might), be prepared to add an extra $15 a month. And, no, it still doesn't have WiFi.

Filed under: Laptops

If you’ve been bugging your corporate IT department for a new laptop, try to hold off a few more days before making the final push, because Lenovo is set to upgrade its Z-series line of ThinkPad notebooks with dual-core processor options on Tuesday. Both the 14.1-inch Z60t and 15.4-inch Z60m will be bumped to the Z61t and Z61m, respectively, and offer three varieties of Core Duo procs (maxing out at the 2.0GHz T2500) or two flavors each of the Core Solo or Celeron M chips. All the other specs on both models seem to remain unchanged: you still get WXGA widescreen displays (at the minimum), integrated graphics (along with the option of upgrading to ATI Radeon cards in the m), 256MB of RAM to start, your choice of hard drive capacities and speeds, all three 802.11 standards, optional Bluetooth, and of course, the option of built-in EV-DO which have made the Z-series so popular. No word yet on exact pricing for these new models, but you can expect them to start around the same price points as the Z60 models did when they were first released.

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Filed under: Handsets, Features, Reviews, Others, Helio, EV-DO, CDMA

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Well, Helio sent us our href="http://www.engadgetmobile.com/search/?q=kickflip">Kickflip in the mail today, and we can’t really stop
playing with it. The EV-DO is the usual walled garden media business; href="http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/05/02/helios-media-services/">H.O.T. isn’t bad, but won’t let you add
feeds; generally the apps work well and are easy on the eyes, even if they aren’t always incredibly flexible. We’ll go
more into the software later (anything you want to know?) though, it’s the hardware where the Kickflip really shines.
We freaking can’t stop flipping the thing open. It’s like tactile crack, and we have to put it away under some papers
to free our hands and get any work done, instead of engaging in the idle addictive sensation of nudging the screen and
flipping it open, then closing it again with that little click. Not that it’ll do it justice, but if you want to peep a
video of the Kickflip’s opening mechanism in action, check out the link below. Otherwise click on for a bunch of hands
on pics of the device.

Watch [19.5MB Quicktime]

src="http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/05/P1010393.JPG" />

Great box, the packaging is first-rate.
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It’s got a
clean, minimal face, but if the screen’s off you don’t know which way is up.

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