SIM card in Palm Pre?
(Credit: PreCommunity)We were really hoping that Palm would announce the HSDPA/GSM version of the Pre during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but that didn't happen. The folks at PreCommmunity managed to get some time with the device, and in a quick shot that showed the back battery cover off, a Vodafone SIM (subscriber identity module) card was spotted.
The fact that it has a Vodafone SIM card indicates that this is a GSM version of the Pre. So even without an official statement we know that Palm doesn't only have the CDMA version ready. Just why the Sunnyvale, Calif., company is holding back on an announcement isn't clear. But these manufacturer-operator relations can be tricky, so we just have to be patient. Check out PreCommunity's video for a quick look at the Palm Pre's SIM card slot.
Via PreCommunity
(Via CNET Asia)
The Acer DX900 is now available for preorder on Clove's Web site.
(Credit: Clove Technology)Acer isn't yet an official entrant into the smartphone market and already it's having the same problems keeping secrets as established players Apple and Palm.
On Wednesday, a smartphone called the Acer DX900 popped up for preorder on the Web site of Clove Technology, a retailer based in the U.K.
It appears to be the same device as the E-Ten Glofiish DX900--same features, same look, just a different brand name--which makes sense since Acer bought E-Ten last year. It's being offered for the equivalent of $570 (unlocked, we presume).
Acer plans a high-profile introduction of several handsets at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in less than two weeks. Specs-wise, the DX900 is a fairly run-of-the-mill smartphone, which leaves room for something far more impressive to be revealed on February 16.
Earlier Wednesday, the Boy Genius Report blog posted what it claims to be a leaked photo of another Acer smartphone with a swivel keyboard.
Is this one of Acer's new smartphones?
(Credit: Boy Genius Report)In less than two weeks, Acer plans to unveil its first line of smartphones, but a picture of at least one of the purported models is already making the rounds online.
On Wednesday, the Boy Genius Report blog posted the blurry photo to the right. It has a swivel keyboard and a touch screen--according to BGR's source--but it's unclear which mobile OS it will run, Windows Mobile or Android.
If this is indeed one of the handsets to be introduced at Acer's event at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, we won't have to wait long to find out more details. Acer has said it will introduce a new line of smartphones on February 16.
CNET will be there, so make sure to come back for full coverage of the event.
(Credit:
Pocketlint.co.uk)
Less than a year after buying up smartphone maker E-Ten, Acer will debut its first handheld, a company representative confirmed Wednesday.
The Taiwanese PC maker has just begun distributing invitations to a press event that will be held next month during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Both President and CEO Gianfranco Lanci and Aymar de Lencquesaing, the head of the Smart Handheld business unit, will be on hand for the event. The invitation specifically says "smartphones" launch, so it doesn't sound like it's going to be an event focused on a single model or device like, say, Apple's past iPhone events, or the Palm Pre launch.
If Acer's found a way to enter the smartphone market in less than a year, it begs the question: where is Dell? The Texas PC maker has had almost a complete makeover of its consumer business in the last two years, but it's been focused on its laptop lineup mostly.
During that time, Dell hired Ron Garriques, a former executive in Motorola's cell phone division--and still nothing. It's coming up on two years since the company pulled out of the handheld market and all we've heard so far is an offhand comment from CEO Michael Dell last July that his company is "kind of working on" making another smartphone. To be fair, Dell did say during the summer not to expect it soon. But still...where is it?
When Palm's new smartphone, the Pre, debuted at CES, many GSM users (this reporter included) were chagrined to note that the maiden device was branded for Sprint, a CDMA carrier.
Almost all of Palm's past smartphones have had both CDMA and GSM flavors, and there's no reason to expect anything different from the Pre. And, according to rumors swirling around the Internet, we'll see the first GSM Pre at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, this February.
(Credit:
CNET)
The first GSM device will likely be an unsubsidized and unlocked version. Internet clairvoyants are guessing the retail price for this device might be around $400. Those same sages are expecting the subsidized price from Sprint to be either $199 or $249, likely after rebates of some sort. If Sprint makes the price much higher, it risks losing out to comparable phones, like the 8GB iPhone or the G1.
In addition, Sprint on Thursday posted the anticipated Palm Treo Pro to its phones page, then quickly yanked it. Also retailing at $249, the Treo Pro runs Windows Mobile 6.1, and includes features like Wi-Fi and other goodness, but pales compared with the Pre, which is certainly right around the corner.
That again raises the question of pricing for the Pre: for $249, would you rather have a device running WinMo and a static touch screen, or an equally outfitted device with the hot new WebOS, a larger touch screen, and a whole lot of awesome?
We know Palm has something planned for MWC this year as it also accidentally leaked info in the form of a Web site that was quickly pulled down. That means that at least some of our questions will likely be answered at the MWC between February 16 and 19. Like you, we're a little anxious to see what's up.
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