Hasta La Gadget!

As you know, Verizon is one of the carriers participating in the worldwide WinMo 6.5 rollout extravaganza bonanza on October 6, and that Microsoft has said they’ll be ramping up to thirty smartphones for the OS by year’s end, so the chance is pretty good that the HTC Imagio XV6975 is one of the new handsets we’ll be seeing early next month. As reported by PhoneArena, this one is by all accounts Leo’s little brother — a CDMA / GSM device that sports a 3.6-inch WVGA display, 528MHz processor, Wi-Fi, Opera browser, 5 megapixel autofocus camera, microSD slot, and all the TouchFLO 3D lovin’ you can handle. In addition, it will also be the first Verizon Smartphone to sport VCast MobileTV — you know, if that’s what you’re into. No word on pricing or release date, but you’ll know as soon as we do.

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC Imagio with WinMo 6.5 out October 6 on Verizon? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you needed another reason to frown upon the state of the North American wireless industry, allow us to go ahead and turn your attention to Exhibit A here. What you’re looking at is some promotional material backing up earlier rumors that the HD2 / Leo is en route to O2 in the UK, but what’s especially upsetting (though not terribly surprising) is the knowledge that customers will be able to scoop up HTC’s new ultra-high-end WinMo beast for zilch on an O2 1200 tariff — a plan that runs something like £45 (about $72) a month. Oh, and that’s on an 18-month contract, not 24. Meanwhile, we’ll be lucky to ever see the Leo land in its natural, original, HTC-approved state on a carrier at any price in the US, but hey, at least we’ve still got some more Touch Pro2 launches to look forward to, right?

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

HTC Leo looking confirmed for O2 UK debut, will be free on the right plan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC’s Touch Pro2 is the cat’s meow on paper, and the US carriers that have managed to score it have demonstrated as much with their outrageous MSRPs. But with Android devices popping up in more places than ever, is the TouchFLO’d Windows Mobile experience really cutting it? We’ve already shared our own opinions about one of the best specced phones to land this side (and that side) of the Mississippi, but as you know by know, this space is all about you. If you’ve splurged on the Touch Pro2, why not give us a shout in comments below and let us know how that decision is working out for you? Feel free to mention the carrier as well, particularly if you’ve got some beef with reception. And… go!

Filed under: Cellphones

How would you change HTC’s Touch Pro2? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Does WinMo butter your biscuit? Do you chuckle, not cringe, at the antics of Microsoft’s CEO? Then lean in close, we’ve got something that’s going to make your day. Benjamin Tan, senior director of Microsoft’s GCR Mobile Team Unit in China, says that more than 30 Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphones from over 15 handset vendors will launch before the end of 2009. And you thought 15 to 20 Android phones were a lot.

Filed under: Cellphones

Microsoft: Over 30 Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphones launching before year-end originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know that Verizon’s version of the Windows Mobile-based Omnia II superphone is incoming, and by all accounts, we would’ve figured on it looking more or less like its global counterpart — but those tinkerers over at Big Red apparently can’t leave well enough alone, because the phone that’s appeared on Samsung USA’s site actually looks a bit different. The most notable change is the move away from the original model’s distinctive cubic center button, though the replacement — a shield design in the same vein as the B900 for South Korea — really doesn’t look any more user-friendly. Otherwise, there’s not much to see here, but there’s a brief mention of a relatively generous 1500mAh battery which should come in handy for spending hours on end using those YouTube, WeatherBug, and Facebook TouchWiz widgets you’ve got installed, eh?

[Thanks, Austin]

Update: As many folks have pointed out, it’s merely a button, not a true d-pad. Thanks, everyone!

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Verizon’s Samsung Omnia II pictured, drops cubic center button originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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