T-Mobile Merger On The Horizon?

Topic: Mobile Phones

Alright, so here's what we know. T-Mobile has had a tough few quarters. Their Q3 numbers were not good, and rumors abound that Deutsche Telekom is considering drastic action. It's possible that they will even sell T-Mo, although that would obviously be their last course of action. Right now, they appear to be looking at the possibility of a merger.

A report in the German newspaper Handelsblatt has all the bloggers (FierceWireless) speculating like madmen over the possibilities of a T-Mo merger. The newspaper stated that Deutsche Telekom is looking for partners for T-Mo, in order to help the ailing carrier stagger back to solvency. AT&T, Clearwire, and MetroPCS were named as possible partners.

Posted on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:20:58 CST | by Robert Evans

Samsung's Diva Phones Are Really, Really Girly

Topic: Mobile Phones

Two new Samsung phones have just been snapped by Samsung Hub. The first mobile is the S5150 Olivia, and the second is the S7070 smartphone. Both of these new devices are seriously girly. I can't tell if this is brilliant or foolish marketing.

The Olivia is a clamshell feature phone with a silver body that looks almost rhine-stoned. It has a 2.2" QVGA display, a 3 MP camera, and appears to be composed of about 60% estrogen. The S7070 is a standard touchscreen smartphone with a 5 MP camera, 3" WQVGA resistive touchscreen, Bluetooth, microSD slot, and FM radio. It's got a checkered, pearl-colored back and what looks like a gemstone for a 'home' key.

Posted on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:58:37 CST | by Robert Evans

FunMail: Talk Through Photos

Topic: Mobile Phones

Ah, Multimedia Messaging...so many uses, yet so rarely used. Taking a picture with your camera and sending it with a message is too much of a hassle to do with every message. That's why MMSing never really caught on the way SMSing did. FunMobility, a mobile content provider from Pleasanton, CA, thinks that's a shame. They've created the FunMail app as a way to encourage more MMSing by making it easier to send pictures in your message.

FunMail keeps a stable of over 50,000 images from a variety of creative commons sources like Flickr. When you enter your message, the app's "Media Brain" will give you a selection of five different photos to choose from. Pick the image, and the app automatically sticks your text into the picture and sends it off. An example of a conversation held this way is shown in the photo above.

Posted on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:19:35 CST | by Robert Evans

Verizon Launches G'zOne Phone For Adventurers

Topic: Mobile Phones

Are you a rock climber? An avid fisher, hunter, hiker, or climber? Since you're reading this website, the answer to this question is probably 'hell no'. But there must be a few of you rugged, globetrotting adventurers out there, and Verizon's just built the phone for you. It's called the G'zOne, which wins our prestigious "Worst Cell Phone Name of 2009" award.

The G'zOne is apparently pronounced Jeez_wun, which makes it no less indecipherable and ridiculous. The phone comes from Casio, makers of fine, cheap-ass wristwatches. It's built to comply with MIL-STD-810F standards for durability and comes loaded with a ton of neat features for people who leave the house occasionally.

Posted on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:50:00 CST | by Robert Evans

Could The Google Phone Be 100% Data-Driven?

Topic: Mobile Phones

Ever since we heard the news that Google was building a branded smartphone one question has been running through my mind; why? Google is a massive, powerful corporation with stockholders and employees to be accountable for. They don't just embark on wild hares to make all of the tech geeks squeal. If Google is working on a phone, they've got to have something in mind that's more than just a really good Android-running mobile. But what?

Thanks again to TechCrunch we might have that answer already. Fairly recently Andy Rubin of Google seemed to deny the idea of a Gphone straight away. He "scoffed" at the possibility that Google would "compete with its customers" by releasing a phone. However, that doesn't equate to an all-out denial of the Google phone...as long as it's not really a phone.

Posted on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:07 CST | by Robert Evans

iCarte BFC/RFID Reader for iPhone Debuts

Topic: Mobile Phones

There really is an app or a hardware accessory for just about any need that an iPhone user might have. Wireless Dynamics has announced a new hardware accessory for the iPhone called iCarte. The device turns the iPhone into a NFC/RFID reader.

The iCarte 110 is a near field communications device and RFID reader that plugs into the charge and sync port of the iPhone. The embedded smartchip can also be used as a debit, credit, pre-paid, or loyalty card to turn the iPhone into a digital wallet. Read more

Posted on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

Nokia N900 Now Available In U.S.

Topic: Mobile Phones

If you pre-ordered a Nokia N900 back when it first became available, your handset is in the mail right now. Nokia's just sent out a press release announcing their new, Maemo-powered handset's availability in the U.S. Orders are shipping now, and the phone is available for sale in stores across the country.

Posted on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:04:28 CST | by Robert Evans

The Google Phone Does Exist

Topic: Mobile Phones

Today, TechCrunch broke some rumors that, if true, mean two things. First, that an honest-to-goodness Google phone is coming. And second, that Google VP Andy Rubin is a liar, with pants of fire. Michael Arrington himself claims that they have "absolutely confirmed" the existence of a Google branded smartphone. This new device will be sold through retailers, and should ship out in early 2010.

Previous rumors of the Gphone's existence have been quashed by the top brass at Google, and yet Arrington seems utterly convinced of the mobile's existence. He states that the phone will be made by a "major mobile manufacturer", but will have Google branding. Unlike the G1 (which was branded 'with Google') the Gphone will be designed from the ground-up to match Google's ideal Android phone as closely as possible.

Posted on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:07:13 CST | by Robert Evans

AT&T and LG Unveil Shine II Mobile Phone

Topic: Mobile Phones

LG and AT&T have announced that the Shine II will be coming to the AT&T network on November 22nd for $119.99 after a mail-in rebate. The actual price of the device is $169.99 with a new 2-year agreement. The new Shine II offers a slider design with a glossy surface similar to the original Shine handset.

The Shine II has a 2.2-inch mirror LCD and uses stainless steel construction and a streamlined shape. The handset supports Java 2.0 and has a built-in media player with a customizable EQ. Read more

Posted on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:00:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

Video Calling: The Future of Android?

Topic: Mobile Phones

Since at least the days of the Jetsons, we've expected that video phones would someday be the standard method of communication. While several videophones have launched over the last decade-and-change, none of them have managed to gain any popularity. Skype allows video chatting, and for the last few years webcam equipped notebooks have acted as a sort of poor man's overly-bulky video phone.

Now Saygus has launched an Android smartphone that claims to be the first mobile in America with 2-way video calling. On its own, the Saygus is fairly easy to dismiss as a gimmick. It's got a middling processor and nothing else to set it apart as 'special'. After reading this Android & Me report about Google's Gizmo 5 acquisition, however, things were thrown into stark relief.

Posted on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:12:50 CST | by Robert Evans

T-Mobile Selling Sidekick Again

Topic: Mobile Phones

Less than a month after the resolution of the terrible Sidekick data disaster of 2009, T-Mobile is back to selling the troubled mobile once more (via PhoneNews). The 2008 Sidekick goes for $49.99 with an Even More plan, while the 2009 Sidekick LX will set you back $149.99 with the same plan. Pretty pricey for a 3G messaging phone.

Despite last month's horrific debacle, the Sidekick still appears to be as popular as ever. All Sidekick models are currently listed as 'out of stock'. Is T-Mo's site having inventory troubles, or are that many people still in love with the Sidekick as a mobile phone?

Posted on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:46:04 CST | by Robert Evans