Sorry, news posting has been slow this last week. I will pick up the pace next week. If you fancy yourself a budding tech writer and want to help out on PDAToday.com drop me a note.

Thanks,

Bill

Verizon Wireless and Motorola announced that the highly anticipated Motorola QTM will be available starting on May 31. The Motorola Q is available through Verizon Wireless and customers can purchase it online at http://www.verizonwireless.com on May 31 or at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store on June 5.

The Moto Q runs Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 software bringing powerful enterprise connectivity and entertainment in a thin and stylish form factor.

Features of the Moto Q from Verizon Wireless include: Bluetooth 1.2 wireless, EV-DO broadband, Thinnest (11.5mm) QWERTY device in the world, dual stereo speakers, 2.4” screen, 1.3 megapixel camera.

The Moto Q is available through Verizon Wireless. Customers may purchase the Moto Q for $199.99 after a $100 instant credit when purchased with a qualified Verizon Wireless voice and data plan and two-year customer agreement.

http://news.vzw.com/news/2006/05/pr2006-05-22c.html

Mobile Tech Review has the goodies on HP’s new rehash of the 6500 series Pocket PC Phone Edition device. From the review:

When the HP iPAQ hw6515 came out last year, it wasn’t the lack of features but rather the already one generation old operating system and lower resolution display that prevented it from becoming the smash hit the competing Palm OS Treo 650 already was and the Cingular 8125 / T-Mobile MDA would become (though all lacked the HP’s GPS). HP has mended their ways with the thoroughly modern Windows Mobile 5 iPAQ hw6915, though the 240 x 240 square resolution remains unchanged. We can forgive HP for the resolution since Windows Mobile doesn’t support 320 x 320 pixels and the form factor with front-facing keyboard requires a square display, lest the device become ungainly. Third party software support for that resolution was another thorn in the iPAQ’s side. Happily, in the many months since the 6515 came out, the 240 x 240 resolution Windows Mobile Treo 700w has come out and between the two, 3rd party software developers had good reason to update their apps to support the square screen.

The iPAQ hw6915 is a Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC Phone Edition device that marries a PDA with a GSM mobile phone. The iPAQ is quad band world phone which supports the 850/900/1800/1900MHz bands and will work anywhere in the world GSM service is available. It has EDGE and GPRS for wide area data and WiFi 802.11b for use with hotspots, home and work wireless local area networks. The Mobile Messenger has Bluetooth 1.2, a 1.3MP camera with flash, a thumb keyboard, Mini SD slot and an internal GPS. In the US, the iPAQ ships with Pocket Streets and a 30 day demo of HP GPS Navigation System software. It runs on a 416MHz XScale processor which improves on the hw6515’s 312MHz CPU.

More: http://www.mobiletechreview.com/HP-iPAQ-hw6915.htm

Today at the VON Europe conference in Stockholm, Nokia introduced a new software upgrade for the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet. The upgraded features of the introduced OS 2006 edition include support for rich Internet communications, including pre-installed Google Talk(TM) - all on a portable broadband mobile device. Google Talk(TM) is Google’s free instant messaging service that enables people to chat and make calls through the Internet.

Additional features of the new software edition include enhanced text typing with full-screen finger keyboard, improved memory performance and refreshed look. There is also an improved home view desktop allowing users to choose from a variety of small applets to enable fast access to Internet services.

The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet is a Wi-Fi enabled device optimized for Internet communications in a slim pocketsize format. The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet features an impressive high-resolution (800x480) 4.13” widescreen display with zoom and on-screen, full-screen finger keyboard or handwriting recognition, ideal for viewing online content over Wi-Fi. Aside from Wi-Fi, the device can also connect to the Internet utilizing Bluetooth wireless technology via a compatible mobile device.

The Internet Tablet OS 2006 edition which is based on popular desktop Linux and Open Source technologies is planned to be available during the second quarter of 2006 in selected countries in Europe and the Americas. It is downloadable free of charge from the Internet http://www.nokia.com/770

Sprint will get the first crack at selling Palm’s new Treo 700p, making the smart phone available to its customers by the end of the month.

Verizon Wireless was the exclusive launch partner for the Windows Mobile Treo 700w, but Sprint’s EV-DO (evolution data-optimized) network will be the first to carry the Palm OS-version of the phone. It will cost $399 after rebates and discounts, according to a press release.

Sprint will offer its Sprint TV streaming television service on the 700p, taking advantage of the average download speeds of 400Kbps to 700Kbps provided by EV-DO networks. Sprint’s other Palm OS device, the Treo 650, ran on slower networks that some application developers, like Sling Media, said isn’t suitable for some types of streaming video.

More: http://news.com.com/Palm+Treo+700p+available+first+from+Sprint/2100-1041_3-6072844.html

Digital Trends reviews the Samsung T509:

“Ever since Motorola introduced their RAZR V3 cell phone, design has been a huge deciding factor for many when it comes to purchasing a new phone. Samsung?s latest offering?the SGH-T509?is an ultra- thin candy bar phone that puts both Motorola?s RAZR and SLVR phones to shame, coming in at only 9.8mm thick. However, the SGH-T509 has its shortcomings and could be improved in many areas. This is a great phone for someone looking for pure fashion without functionality, but it even fails somewhat in the design department. Read on to find out why the T509 turns out to be a disappointing phone.”

Link to the article:

http://reviews.digitaltrends.com/review3549.html

Mobile Tech Review has been busy with the i-mate JAMin Pocket PC Phone. Here is a quote:

“This follow-up to the popular i-mate JAM keeps the super-compact design while offering many upgrades including a 2MP camera, more memory, Windows Mobile 5, WiFi and a quad band GSM radio with EDGE for data. That’s a lot of features packed into one of the smallest Pocket PC phones on the market! It’s sold unlocked for use with any GSM carrier in the world.”

Pro: Very compact for a PPC phone, sharp display, has Bluetooth with support for many profiles, WiFi and Exchange push email support (with most recent ROM). Good battery life. A stable Windows Mobile offering. Full sized SD slot.

Con: Though 2 megapixels, the camera takes photos with impossible color inaccuracies. A tad sluggish (power users will want to try some over-clocking).

Read the entire review at: http://www.mobiletechreview.com/i-mate-JAMin.htm

Our peeps over at Digital Trends has given Blackberry’s 8700g the full looksie. Here is a quote:

“People in a high-demand workplace need to constantly keep updated on information. Whether it’s checking e-mail, making phone calls, or viewing stock prices, most people you encounter will all be using the same tool: the Blackberry. T-Mobile’s Blackberry 8700g is the best Blackberry to date. Its combination of sophisticated styling, excellent navigation, and high-powered applications make it a must-have for communication on the go. You’ll definitely want to read on to find out why every power user in today’s workforce needs a Blackberry 8700g.”

Highs: Stylish design; excellent UI; EDGE connectivity; bright LCD display
Lows: Keyboard is wobbly at first; SIM contacts must be manually moved over

http://reviews.digitaltrends.com/review3548.html

H2O Audio Headphones combine a high-fidelity waterproof speakers in a fully waterproof headphone set. Features include a durable neck wrap that keeps headphones in place (even through rough water and active conditions) and comfortable silicone earplugs easily adjust to provide individual comfort fit and optimal acoustics. They even have an innovative coiled cable to help eliminate tangles. w00t.

The headphones are designed for complete submersion (up to 3ft/1m when combined with the OtterBox for iPod cases). Headphones are compatible with all OtterBox for iPod cases.

These look interesting. We recently published our review of the Otterbox for iPod Video and these little babies would make a nice add-on.

The H2O Audio headphones are compatible with the entire OtterBox for iPod case line and retail for $39.95. See website for package deals.

http://www.otterbox.com

PhatNotes is a notes organizer for Microsoft Windows-based Pocket and Desktop PCs and Smartphones allows users to create notes and organize them by type, subject, creation, and modification date.

The new application has a “Context Analyzer” feature that enables smartphone users to instantly dial phone numbers, launch an Internet browser and send emails using information stored in PhatNotes with a single button click.

In PhatNotes 4.7 Smartphone Edition, you can now attach files to PhatNotes documents, record and replay voice notes and link to other documents stored within the same database.

The new software supports Windows Mobile 5.0 and smartphone devices with QVGA screens.
http://www.phatware.com/phatnotes/phatnotesphone.html

A new product called Phraze-It offers finger typing text entry and thumbing for entering a large amount of text into Pocket PCs.  The keyboard has multilingual support and fits well on the touch screen of a PDA, leaving room for reviewing, correcting and editing text.

From the press material: Phraze-It is perfect for typing longer documents, emails, notes, contact lists etc. as well as for mobile messaging, browsing and easily entering text into your favorite Pocket PC applications, all on your PDA. Why tote around a heavy laptop when Phraze-It gives you the ease, mobility and freedom to use your Pocket PC PDA for all text entry functions?  Consumers can choose from a variety of eight keyboard layouts, as well as key designs & colors.

Sounds and looks pretty cool and they have a 7 day trial. I never understood those very short term trials, I barley have enough time to get a feel for a product in your typicall 30 days trial. Oh well, give it a try and tell me what you think.

http://www.prevalentdevices.com/

Right now if you buy SplashMoney for Palm OS, the company’s personal finance application, or SplashShopper for Palm OS, a shopping list manager, you get the other program for free.

SplashMoney is a personal finance application that allows you to manage your finances while on the go. Connect to your online bank from your desktop computer or wireless handheld and download transactions directly into SplashMoney. 

SplashShopper is a shopping list application that is perfect for keeping lists of any kind, including groceries to buy, movies to rent, CDs to buy, books to read and more!  Easily manage and synchronize shopping lists on your handheld and desktop. 

To get to the promotion offer directly, go to http://www.splashdata.com/splashmoney and click on the “Two for One” button.

Our friends over at Bluetake have released a new mouse that appears to be very compact in size. The BT500+ is equipped with 10 meters of radio coverage, 800dpi optical resolution, and “super mini size”. This brings new meaning to “pocket pal” for travelers.

Further more, the USB recharging design and bundled 700mA Ni-MH rechargeable battery provides you continuous operation time even while recharging. We don’t have battery life stats as of yet, but it could prove interesting.

We have tried other mice from a few other vendors and battery life will be crucial to making this a great product. However our past experience with Bluetake has proven that they know how to bring a bluetooth product to market.

http://www.bluetake.com/Products/BT500+.htm

"The Panasonic VDR-D300 was one of the most anticipated camcorders of 2006. It’s the first DVD camcorder to use three CCDs for recording video instead of a single imaging device. Panasonic has made a name for itself by incorporating three CCDs into MiniDV models for years such as the legendary PV-GS400. And now they’ve brought the technology to DVD camcorders.”

Highs:
3 CCDs; DVD convenience; optical image stabilization
Lows:
Expensive; no hot shoe; poor GUI; battery life could be better

Link to the article: http://reviews.digitaltrends.com/review3545.html

Despite being the same size as your average mobile phone, the Mini-S offers a full Qwerty keyboard and reasonable Windows Mobile 5 performance.

Quote:  “You might be looking at that measly 200MHz processor and thinking it’s a bit slow, but using the Mini-S doesn’t feel that way. There’s occasional slow down when converting the screen from portrait to landscape, but nothing too drastic. In any case, this article is about what you can do with the Mini-S, not its performance stats, so let’s leave the benchmarks on the bench where they belong and get some real-world experience with it.”

Link:  http://www.short-media.com/review.php?r=308