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On Call: A summer of cell phones

Update at Wednesday, May 20 at 10:00 a.m. PST: A few readers have asked about the North America version of the Nokia N97. It should launch June 2.

Though summer is always a busy time for new cell phones releases, so far the summer of 2009 is shaping up to be a doozy. We expect a full load of new handsets over the next three months with June being an especially hectic time for high-profile models. To help you keep track of the news, here's a handy list.

Palm Pre After months of waiting (and plenty of rumors), we finally learned today that the Palm Pre will go on sale Saturday, June 6 for $200. Palm pushed its "first half of the year" deadline to the very end, but it appears they'll make it.

We're hoping to have a review unit by the time it hits stores so that we can give you the full scoop on this much-anticipated device. Indeed, we're very excited to finally be able to touch it. June 6 was a bit unexpected since Sprint typically releases new devices on a Sunday. But the date does give Palm a two-day jump on what should be the next incarnation of the iPhone. … Read more

A sneak peek at HTC Hero's software

Last week, we previewed the HTC Magic and revealed some of the enhancements the company made to Android, most significantly, the addition of Microsoft Exchange support. Well, it looks like the Taiwan manufacturer's R&D department is far from done when it comes to tweaking the default Android 1.5 firmware.

A video has emerged with what is supposed to be the ROM for the upcoming HTC Hero--installed on a T-Mobile G1 device.

Some of the improvements include a new music player, a calendar that's somewhat similar to the one found on the Touch Diamond2, and changes to the browser interface comprising a new loading status bar and a jazzed-up screen for switching between windows. … Read more

What do you want from the next Android device?

While many cell phone fans are awaiting the launch of the Palm Pre and details of a new iPhone, there's another segment of the community that's waiting for something else: more Google Android phones.

Their arrival seems imminent with a T-Mobile-branded HTC Magic passing through the FCC and now the Samsung I7500 getting the official stamp of approval. Also, there are rumors of a Motorola-manufactured T-Mobile G1 v2 slated for October. And let's not forget that Sony Ericsson, HTC, and Samsung have more than one Android device slated for 2009.

While the prospect of new hardware is … Read more

Microsoft Exchange support shown on HTC Magic

This post was last updated on May 15 at 11:28 a.m., PT.

Earlier on Thursday, we reported on the Singapore HTC Magic launch and learned from our friends at CNET Asia that HTC has two more Google Android devices planned for the year. Great to hear, but was there more immediate good news that flew under the radar?

In Damian Koh's hands-on report of the Magic, right there in the sixth picture, plain as day, is Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support on the HTC Magic (kudos to CNET News reporter Stephen Shankland for noticing).

Koh also writes, "… Read more

Expect at least two more HTC Android handhelds this year

Here's some news straight from the horse's mouth. At Thursday's launch of the HTC Magic in Singapore, Executive Vice President Jason Juang told CNET Asia in an aside that the company will be releasing at least two more Android smartphones by the end of this year. He remained coy when pressed for more details.

HTC's no longer alone in the Android party as Samsung has recently announced its first Android offering, the I7500. We'll continue to keep you updated. Meanwhile, check out our hands-on pictures of the Magic, or if motion images are your kind … Read more

Japan gets a DoCoMo HTC Magic

Looks like Vodafone isn't the only carrier getting the HTC Magic. Japan has just received one of its own, a DoCoMo version known as the HT-03A. Plus, it will have Android's new 1.5 Cupcake update already installed on it.

Like we reported at GSMA earlier this year, the HTC Magic has a 3.2-inch HVGA touch screen, a trackball navigator, a 3.2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Android's Webkit HTML browser.

Right now the GSM version is only available in the U.K., Spain, France, Germany, and Italy. No word on pricing just yet, though. Still, … Read more

Canadians to get Android phones in June

Updated at 7:21 a.m. PDT with comment from Rogers.

Dominant Canadian carrier Rogers Wireless announced plans to release two phones in June built by Taiwanese manufacturer HTC and powered by Google's Android open-source operating system.

The HTC Dream, sold in the United States as the T-Mobile G1, was the first Android phone to go on sale last year, but now the newer HTC Magic, which lacks the G1's flip-out keyboard and uses a touch-screen software keyboard instead, has begun arriving in parts of the world. Rogers will sell both in June, the company said Thursday.

"Both devices offer outstanding wireless Internet search capabilities and a full suite of applications that run two times faster on Canada's fastest mobile network," John Boynton, Rogers Wireless' chief marketing officer, boasted in a statement Thursday.

The Rogers Wireless Android phone Web site said the debut date is June 2, but the company offered no information about prices or subscription plans.

"Regarding pricing, it will be released soon, but in the meantime, I can confirm that customers who activate or upgrade to a HTC Dream or HTC Magic smartphone will be able to take advantage of Rogers Wireless' in-market pricing," spokeswoman Elizabeth Hamilton said. "And I can also confirm that customers can choose from contract or no-contract pricing."

Rogers' 3.5G network reaches 75 percent of Canada's population, she added. … Read more

Hands-on with the HTC Magic and Android 1.5

After months of drought, we're finally seeing the Google Android news trickle in--the debut of the Samsung I7500, the upcoming Android 1.5 (aka Cupcake) release, and the launch of the HTC Magic. Unfortunately, for us here in the States, all the action has been overseas, but we can only hope that we're not far behind in getting in on the Android love.

To tide you over, we thought we'd point you to a photo gallery posted by our friends over at ZDNet UK who got a hands-on look at the Vodafone HTC Magic. The hardware is … Read more

Rumor: HTC, Motorola messaging smartphones bound for Verizon

While the Verizon Wireless and Apple talks are dominating headlines these days, the iPhone isn't for everyone and it looks like there might be two other noteworthy devices that are headed Verizon's way. More specifically, two QWERTY smartphones from HTC and Motorola.

The first handset, the Motorola A4500, is almost a lockdown for the carrier, considering that it was outed by the FCC. As PhoneScoop points out, the A4500 has similarities to the Motorola Q9c/Motorola Q9m but adds quad-band world roaming, Wi-Fi, a 2-megapixel camera, and a fingerprint scanner. The Windows Mobile 6.1 device will also … Read more

HTC Magic out today in Spain: Scorchio!

Behold the Magic of Spain! Don't worry, you haven't accidentally pointed your browser at an asinine tourism site. No, this is Crave reporting on the apparent surprise launch of the Android-powered HTC Magic smartphone in Spain, a full week earlier than the rest of the world.

The news was announced in a post on the Spanish Vodafone blog, which Google helpfully--if wonkily--translates for us.

We'll hold off on the magic-related puns since we used most of them when the Magic debuted at Mobile World Congress in February. The Magic uses the Android operating system, and packs … Read more