Hasta La Gadget!

Buzz is starting to get white-hot over Microsoft’s plans for Mobile World Congress next month with a number of cloud services and a fresh UI — presumably Windows Mobile 6.5 — heading up the rumor pile, and if Digitimes is even close to right on this latest bit, an MWC unveiling is almost guaranteed. The publication is citing “sources” (oh, those wonderful “sources”) at Taiwanese handset manufacturers saying that the first volley of WinMo 6.5-based devices will hit in the third quarter of the year with major volume following on in the fourth quarter, just in time for the holidays. These guys are well overdue for a serious overhaul and they have to be feeling the heat coming off the Palm camp right now — among others — so let’s hope that window sticks.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

First Windows Mobile 6.5 devices due in third quarter of ’09? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to the good people at Neowin, Microsoft has a few big announcements for Mobile World Congress, which takes place in Barcelona next month. Apparently, the company will be taking the wraps off a cloud-based syncing service called SkyBox, a MobileMe-like system which allows you to sync and backup your Windows Mobile phone OTA, though there’s speculation the service might be extended to non-WM devices as well. The cats in Redmond will also apparently unveil something called SkyLine, an enterprise version of SkyBox, and will properly introduce SkyMarket — its “mobile marketplace” (an App Store competitor). Most interestingly, however, Neowin is now claiming that those shots of a Windows Mobile interface we saw back in November that looked somewhat questionable are in fact actual pics from a forthcoming UI overhaul. The site goes as far to say it can “confirm” that the honeycomb interface seen in the photos are “genuine concept shots” of a new interface. As usual, don’t place any bets on any of this — but we’ll be live and direct at MWC next month, so stay tuned.

[Thanks, Bill]

Filed under: Cellphones

Microsoft’s SkyBox sync service set for a February unveiling, new Windows Mobile UI confirmed? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve been waiting patiently since Tegra’s announcement half a year ago for some seriously awesome Tegra-powered hardware (well, any hardware) to get unveiled, but so far, you could hear a pin drop — we’ve gotten nothing. That should hopefully change in a big way in 2009, and at least one analyst is predicting that HTC will play a role in getting that mobile NVIDIA silicon into pockets around the world. There’s no question that HTC’s supposed leaked lineup contains devices that would fit well into Tegra’s high-function, multimedia-heavy aspirations, but on the flipside, we’ve also got rumors that the company moving toward Ericsson chipsets. Tegra’s definitely flashier than anything in Ericsson’s stable, and HTC’s big enough to pursue multiple chipset strategies at the same time — they have with software platforms, after all — so let’s hope this high drama all resolves itself by MWC next month, eh?

[Via wmpoweruser.com]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

HTC looking to NVIDIA’s Tegra platform for high-performance phones? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile USA has a pretty solid relationship with HTC, considering it sells the Shadow, the Wing, and the G1 at the moment — and seeing how the G1’s doing a nice little spot of business for them, it stand to reason that they’d be looking to continue the good times through ’09. We’re hearing from TmoNews that one HTC devices leaked today — the Sapphire — is the G2, while another source is telling us that the Rhodium is the Wing II, giving T-Mob solid, high-end Windows Mobile and Android devices alike in the new year. The original Wing is older than your grandmother (bless her heart), and as for the G1… well, let’s be honest, these guys can take as much Android gear as HTC will give ’em right now. Bring it, fellas.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

T-Mobile getting HTC Rhodium as the Wing II, Sapphire as the G2? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s veep of marketing for Windows Mobile (jeebus, that’s got to be stressful job right about now) has gone on the record in saying that there’ll be a “major announcement” out of his camp at Mobile World Congress next month, which makes sense — it’s the biggest mobile trade show of the year, after all, and we’ve been expecting WinMo 6.5 for a little while. What’s particularly interesting, though, is that the dude says they’re looking to cut down on the total number of phones offered by its licensees in an effort to “be more focused” and do a better job tailoring the platform to the devices in the market. Makes sense in a way, but on the flipside, one of Windows Mobile’s solid advantages over the competition has always been its endless selection of styles and form factors. Taking that away means that WinMo’s got to be better by leaps and bounds to keep going head-to-head with the Palms, Apples, RIMs, and Nokias of the world, so here’s hoping MWC turns out to be a watershed event.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Microsoft culling the WinMo herd, fewer phones to be offered originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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