After months of speculation about whether Palm would deliver the 700p, again we have another confirmation from TechWorld and the guys at treonauts, that the 700 will be officially announced by Palm tomorrow -- May 15th, 2006. The article, titled "Palm version of Treo 700 arrives," is an additional confirmation that the phone will be announced. CNET has stated that it will be released by both Verizon and Sprint for use on their nationwide high speed EV-DO networks. The 700p is now being referenced as only the second of four devices (700w, 700p, Hollywood, ??) to be released this year by Palm.

The spring launch of the Treo 700p will be just in time for Sprint's new spring Digitopia gala which will show how customers can be melded to the digital life.

Posted by mobilemodo at 11:15 PM | Permalink Posted to News | Rumors | Sprint Nextel | Treo | Verizon

The FCC has just updated photos and specs of two new BlackBerry models yet to be released on their website. Both the Blackberry 7130c and 7130g are GSM/EDGE network compatible and will be headed for Cingular and T-Mobile. The basic design of the new BlackBerry units are slimmed down with a more rectangle shape than previously released handset models.

BlackBerry 7130 series features:
Quad-Band GSM with added EDGE
SureType keyboard support
64MB flash, 16MB RAM
Mini-USB port
Bluetooth Wireless 2.0 support

The maker of the Blackberry Unit, Research In Motion is now embroiled in another lawsuit -- this time around with Visto. The cards may not be in RIM's favor this time because Visto already settled a huge patent infringement suit earlier this year for a cool $600m.

Posted by mobilemodo at 11:53 PM | Permalink Posted to Cingular | News | Rumors | T-Mobile

Palm announced that they are immediately making available the Windows Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) upgrade (a.k.a AKU2), which will allow you to unlock full support for email Direct Push Technlogy.You will need to backup all your data on the 700w before nabbing the software from Verizon's or Palm's support sites when it is made available. They have not stated, but we surmise this also includes the DST fix to problems 700w customers experienced during the recent time change in the U.S. So, hey this doesn't affect any 700p treos -- because they haven't been officially launched yet -- see rumormill.

Continue reading "Palm announces Treo 700w AKU2 upgrade" »

Posted by mobilemodo at 04:21 PM | Permalink Posted to Mobile Applications | News | Rumors | Software Update | Treo | Verizon

The rumors surrounding the speculation of when Apple will launch the "iPhone" media playing mobile received some more juice this week--thanks to the analyst firm Visiongain. The iPhone that Apple is clandestinely working on will also be able to do 3G (EVDO) and VoIP (like Skype) calls according to analysts.

These features will be made available via a deal with a Sprint MVNO preparing to launch known as Helio. Helio is targetting to rake-in over 3 million young, high spending customers in a virtually untapped segment of the cellphone market by 2009.

The odds are extremely good that Apple will launch an iPhone this spring in tandem with Helio's launch in the US." --Pam Duffey, Telecom Analyst for Visiongain.

Apple's only showing to date has been with the Motorola ROKR that will run iTunes. The new phone is rumored to have the look and feel design that mimics the existing iPod media players. Apple recently filed a trademark for the slogan "Mobile Me", thus confirming that they are making future mobile phone plans.

Helio to date has only announced two phones into their lineup known as the "Pantech Hero" and the "VK Mobile Kickflip".

[VNUNet]

In other news--Kajeet is making preparations for launch by posting job positions.

Posted by mobilemodo at 09:29 PM | Permalink Posted to Helio Mobile | MVNO | News | Rumors

For quite a while now, several mobile rumors have been spreading here and there about Apple's plans of making an iPhone. Recently, however, it was revealed that they weren't just rumors but actual plans indeed and that the company is already working on such a device.

According to a report published in the Australian gadget magazine, SmartHouse, some insiders working at the Taiwanese phone maker BenQ have confirmed Apple's intentions and that this gadget will most likely be available in the next few months.

"An iPod phone is definitely coming. BenQ will not be making it as we are in competition with Apple, however, several of our suppliers have been approached to manufacture parts. Among manufacturers in Taiwan it is common knowledge. The issue for many is the availabilty of parts if the phone takes off" -- an executive stated.

Speculations about the release of the famed iPhone still vary depending on what business analyst you talk to. J.P Morgan thinks that Apple will launch the new mobile by 4Q, 2006; while Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster says that there is a 75% chance that the iPhone will be ready within the next year.

Regardless of any release date, the phone is sure to be a hit no matter what form it comes in -- or when it finally arrives.

Posted by mobilemodo at 01:52 PM | Permalink Posted to BenQ | News | Rumors

The rumors continue to fly about not if but when Apple will launch a mobile phone. Today, the financial firm Piper Jaffray has given some more juice to this rumor by stating their is a "75 percent" chance that they will announce a mobile phone product soon.

We have been tracking this news for quite some time and in January we reported on the "Mobile Me" trademark that Apple filed for. How will this strategy play with their existing product line of iPods?

Apple's only foray into the Mobile space to date has been on Motorola ROKR phones, and a weak showing at that.
Insiders still speculate that Apple may launch their own Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) or go down the path of making its own mobile through existing manufacturing and distribution channels.

[via appleinsider]

Posted by mobilemodo at 10:52 AM | Permalink Posted to News | Rumors

The buzz about the rumored unveiling of another new Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) heats up again with a brief report from the Financial Times on Xero Mobile. A story straight out of Hollywood, California -- three former Gizmondo Execs plan to launch a free mobile service dubbed Xero Mobile that is subsized by mobile advertisements.

Advertising on cell phones has been a hot topic lately in the mobile space -- being spurned on by the big U.S carriers Sprint Nextel (testing video ads) and Verizon Wireless to help subsidize mobile content offerings that (along with MVNO deals) can pay for the billions of dollars sunk into Ev-DO network build-outs in 2006.

The initial rumors on funding for Xero Mobile were pegged at $300M with startup costs estimated to be $92 million for launch. The payoff that catches the eye of investors -- a cool $1.8 billion estimated to be returned within 3 years. Given the fact that mobile advertising is virtually an untapped market with serious upside potential, Xero Mobile may be on to something here.

[via thealarmclock]

Posted by mobilemodo at 10:43 AM | Permalink Posted to News | Rumors | XeroMobile

We are now experiencing a rapid evolution of mobile content on handsets, and with the age of complete interoperability between all kinds of electronic devices getting closer -- the deal signed today between TiVo , the creator of TV services for digital video recorders (DVR), and Verizon Wireless, one of the top three (Cingular #1, Verizon #2, Sprint #3) US mobile carriers the age of Mobile TV has arrived.

According to the new agreement rumors today, Verizon Wireless will launch debut TiVo Mobile, a new downloadable application that lets TiVo service subscribers schedule recordings on their TiVo device directly from their "Get It Now" menu, which also provides access to Verizon's VCAST music, video, ring tones, and games.

"This arrangement will allow the growing base of TiVo subscribers to integrate control of their TV life with the most widespread piece of consumer electronics, the wireless phone," said Tom Rogers, CEO of TiVo.

TiVo Mobile is a new innovation that will allow TiVo subscribers to schedule DVR recordings and access related entertainment information from the convenience of their mobile handsets. Viewers will be able to schedule recordings on the go via the same user interface that makes TiVo the best-in- class DVR experience.

Continue reading "TiVo And Verizon make Mobile Deal" »

Posted by mobilemodo at 01:43 PM | Permalink Posted to Mobile Applications | Mobile TV | News | Rumors | Verizon

Amazon.com has really been breaking into the mobile world lately, first announcing plans to unleash a pre-loaded iPod-like music player, and now they are swinging some deals with a third-party company who is working on a mobile phone Java application called "Price Check for Amazon."

With this mobile application, you will be able to take a quick snapshot of any barcode you find while shopping and immediately you can shoot the information over to Amazon for a price check and review.

This new fangled mobile software solution is being created by Moonlight Mobile, and according to buzz on the web about this cool Java application, they are only going to charge a one-time fee for the application download.

This barcode lookup tool with ultimately put you in the drivers seat allowing you to instantly compare prices no matter where you are -- along with Amazon's customer reviews.

Amazon has had one of the best mobile Internet portals on the Web, and the "Price Check for Amazon" with no doubt be a just another example of a company that is willing to be on the cutting edge of next generation technologies that will change all of our lives. This new mobile application service should be rolling out in the next couple of weeks.

[via MobileMag]

Posted by mobilemodo at 10:24 PM | Permalink Posted to Mobile Applications | News | Rumors

The forums are burning about a cool free program to unlock an HTC Wizard. Many hacker wanna bees have been hovering around just waiting to unleash the shackles off their Cingular backed 8125, or T-Mobile plugged MDA.

An XDA-Developers.com contributor has developed a wiz-bang software program called lokiwiz that will untether your Cingular HTC Wizard and free it from its SIM-locked shackles.

We don't currently have a locked HTC or MDA phone in our lab, but lokiwiz users are reporting a not-to-shabby -- 80% success rate of unlocking their HTC. This is not too bad considering their is currently no way to do this without locking into a big contract with T-Mobile or Cingular.

If you are still trying to get your hands on one of these phones you're still going to have to pony up a wad of cash without a contract on these phones. The prices still circulating are upwards of $450 without a signed carrier contract.
[via EngadgetMobile]

Continue reading "HTC Wizard Unlocker code name - lokiwiz" »

Posted by mobilemodo at 04:09 PM | Permalink Posted to Cingular | HTC | Mobile Applications | News | Rumors | T-Mobile

The guys over at EngadgetMobile landed the hot scoop on a preview of the Motorola ROKR E3, a phone not yet announced for release or sale by Motorola. Motorola's enacted a policy last year of not announcing new handsets until they start shipping. It appears that Motorola has decided to create an underground buzz about this cellphone instead of releasing the final specs.
Moto ROKR E3 specs:
GSM/GPRS/EDGE
512MB memory built-in
Transflash Memory slot
Bluetooth
1.3 megapixel camera
3.5mm headphone jack
quad-directional quick-wheel

Motorola is still not disclosing the ship or release date but the best speculation would be 2Q, 2006. The ROKR E3 predecessor the ROKR E2, was just pre-announced in January. The US carriers likely to launch this phone will be T-Mobile and Cingular Wireless.

Posted by mobilemodo at 02:51 PM | Permalink Posted to 3G | Motorola | News | Rumors

Another day another MVNO that is now in the Works. This time it is not the Kajeet Mobile that we having been watching, but another contender by the name of XeroMobile vying for the Helio (youth focused 3G on Verizon's network) crowd.

Andy over at VoIPwatch blog reported --

A hat trick reader told me about a new Los Angeles based MVNO about to come out of stealth mode named XeroMobile. My source tells me they raised about 300 million dollars, mostly from Europe. They are a likely contender to Helio in the newcomer space and will more than likely want to be in the 3G/VoIP/WiFi space that Google, FON and Boingo are all playing in.

The competition to provide mobile phone services outside the traditional bubble of Verizon, Cingular, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile has created a market that is ripe for explosion in 2006.

Posted by mobilemodo at 01:41 PM | Permalink Posted to News | Rumors | XeroMobile