(Credit:
FCC)
Before collapsing under the incredible blogger peer pressure and buying an iPhone, I was a user of Helio's Ocean. The thing was great. It did everything the iPhone did and still outperforms it in some ways (MMS and video capture, anyone?), and Pantech's engineers used the dual-sliding idea to create the Pantech Duo for AT&T last year.
Sadly, the Duo was all hardware. Running Windows Mobile 6 meant that while it had a lot of things it could do, they weren't going to be as easy as you'd like. But now, thanks to the FCC, we've got a look at the successor, the Duo 2.
Using a similar form factor with dual sliding keyboards--one T9, one QWERTY--the Duo 2 adds Windows Mobile 6.1 and upgrades the camera to 2 megapixels, but that's about it. The rest of the key features remain for the most part the same.
That being said, it does have a more Ocean-like design, far slicker than the original Duo, so that's something. No word on when AT&T will start selling the phone or what it will cost, but we'd guess early next year for about $100 after rebates and the signing away of two long years of your life.
HTC Touch Diamond headed to Sprint and Verizon?
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)It's summertime and things are heating up, and we don't necessarily mean the temperature (because it certainly isn't very hot here in San Francisco, but I digress). No, we're talking more about rise in smartphone rumors, which isn't uncommon for this time of year as the carrier's start prepping for the fall and holiday seasons. As such, the blogosphere is blowing up with speculation, and looks like there's something for every carrier. Now, we must reiterate that these are just rumors and obviously, the service providers and device manufacturers haven't confirmed anything, so take it for what it's worth. That being said, here's the dish.
AT&T: I know it may be hard for some of you to believe, but there are people who don't want the Apple iPhone 3G, which is fine because if these rumors are to be believed, there are plenty of solid smartphones coming down the pipeline. According to Gizmodo (via Gear Diary), AT&T is expected to release the Wi-Fi-enabled RIM BlackBerry Curve 8320 and the RIM BlackBerry Bold in Q3. We actually followed up with RIM earlier this week to see if we could squeeze a more specific availability date for the Bold, and all we got is "availability is scheduled for summer 2008." Super, thanks. Anyway, Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrades are also due for the Samsung BlackJack II, AT&T Tilt, and Motorola Q9h in July and the Pantech Duo in October.
If you want more than a software upgrade, the Samsung BlackJack 3, Pantech Duo 2, and AT&T Tilt 2 (which the Boy Genius Report says will most likely be the HTC Touch Pro) are slated for a Q4 release, as well as a non-QWERTY mystery LG device. Finally, Nicole Lee reported yesterday that the Samsung Omnia may just be headed to AT&T as well.
T-Mobile: Frankly, T-Mobile's been pretty quiet on the smartphone releases lately. Aside from the Limited Edition Tony Hawk Sidekick 3 and the occasional BlackBerry here and there, nothing major has come out of the carrier. However, it looks like TMO is gearing up to offer an upgrade to the T-Mobile Shadow. It appears the Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone will have a curvier design and continue to offer integrated Wi-Fi with added support for the T-Mobile's HotSpot@Home service. The Shadow II has an expected ship date of August. No word yet on whether there will be update to the T-Mobile Wing, but for those who care, there's apparently a new T-Mobile Sidekick, codenamed Gekko/Aspen, in the works.
Verizon Wireless and Sprint: According to Phone Arena, both CDMA carriers will be getting their own variations of the HTC Touch Diamond and the HTC Touch Pro. Unfortunately, no time frame was given as to when Sprint and Verizon might land these puppies. Both are also rumored to get the Palm Treo 800w, and while we're on the subject of Palm, who, oh who, will get the Palm Treo 850?
Red Pantech Duo
(Credit: AT&T)It almost seems like every other handset is getting the red or pink treatment in time for Valentine's Day, and the Pantech Duo smartphone is no exception. If you'll recall, this dual-slider smartphone runs Windows Mobile 6, and has features such as a 1.3-megapixel camera, quad-band support, as well as HSDPA/3G speeds. We were not terribly impressed with the Duo's slider mechanism and user interface, but it is one of the cheapest smartphones. It will set you back $99, with an AT&T contract. You can see the red Duo in shelves and online retail starting next week.
Pantech Duo from AT&T
(Credit: AT&T)Pantech and AT&T have partnered up to launch the Pantech Duo today, available exclusively via AT&T. The new Windows Mobile 6 smartphone takes some design cues from its cousin, the Helio Ocean, with its dual-slider design. Yes, it sports both a slide-out number dialpad as well as a QWERTY keyboard. Features include quad-band support with HSDPA, access to AT&T's broadband services like Mobile Music and Cellular Video, stereo Bluetooth, and a 1.3-megapixel camera. It's currently available from AT&T for an introductory price of $199.99 with a two-year contract and a mail-in rebate. We currently have a unit in-house and are eager to put it through its paces, so stay tuned for our full review.
- prev
- 1
- next
