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Opera Mobile 9.5 beta is now available for download. Here are the main new features:

• Pan and zoom - Using the same technology found in Opera Mini, Opera Mobile 9.5 defaults to full Web page viewing and allows users to pan and zoom into their desired content in just a few clicks.
• Save pages and/or images - With a click, simply save your selected content and send via email or MMS to your friends.
• Improved user interface - Opera has completely renovated its mobile UI. Cleaner and more intuitive, the new UI is designed for quick and easy navigation.
• Improved standards support - Opera remains steadfast in its commitment to make the Web accessible for all. Opera Mobile 9.5 is the most standards-compliant mobile browser available. It is based on Opera's latest core rendering engine, Presto 2.1.
• Faster - Opera has always been among the fastest browsers -- if not the fastest -- available. Opera Mobile 9.5 beta continues this fine tradition with noticeable speed improvements over Opera Mobile 8.65 and IE Mobile.

download the beta

Geardiary got some insider information on AT&T's release plans for the rest of 2008.

The news isn't too exciting for blackberry devices (the Curve 8320 and the Bold in Q3) but for Windows Mobile devices there are a couple of interesting updates coming: the Sansung Blackjack III, the HTC Tilt II, and a new Pantech Duo device.

Check the link below for more specs.

AT&T 2008 Roadmap at Geardiary

HP seems to be going nowhere in the pda phone arena and their latest offering isn't really that exciting compared to the kinds of devices RIM, Apple and HTC are creating.

The HP iPAQ 914 is their latest pda phone and it will be available in Europe in July for about $775.

• A-GPS compatible GPS receiver
• 2.5″ touchscreen with 320×240 pixels resolution QVGA
• Marvell PXA270 processor at 520 MHz
• Quadband GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), EDGE, 3G and triband HSDPA at 7.2 Mbps
• 3MP camera with autofocus on the back of the device - so no video conferincing
• Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• USB 2.0
• 256 MB ROM
• 128 MB RAM
• microSD port
• 1940 mAh replaceable lithiuom-ion battery
• Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
• Google Maps Mobile

HP iPAQ 914 specs via navigadget

The HTC Touch Pro (formerly HTC Raphael) has now bee officially announced for Europe with a US version to follow later in the year.

Here are the specs:

* Size: 102 x 51 x 18.05mm
* Weight: 165 g
* Connectivity: WCDMA / HSPA: 900/2100MHz. HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA
* Operating system: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
* Display: 2.8-inch VGA touch screen
* Camera: 3.2MP, with video calling
* Internal memory: 512 MB flash, 288 MB RAM
* Expansion Slot: microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)
* Keyboard: Slide-out 5 row QWERTY keyboard
* Bluetooth: 2.0 with EDR
* Wireless: WiFi 802.11b/g
* GPS: GPS/AGPS
* Interface: HTC ExtUSB (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed)
* Battery: 1350 mAh
* Talk time: GSM: up to 8 hours
* Standby time: GSM: up to two-weeks
* Chipset: Qualcomm MSM 7201A 528MHz

HTC Touch Pro, via boygeniusreport

T-Mobile has surprised a lot of people by announcing the European release of the HTC Raphael phone (which they are calling the the MDA Vario IV).

This nice looking phone has a 640x480 VGA screen, slide out qwerty keyboard, 3.2 megapixel main camera, 0.3 megapixel secondary camera, bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, FM radio, 528MHz processor, 256MB RAM, and 512MB ROM.

T-Mobile introduces HTC Raphael in Europe via GSM helpdesk

"shadowmite" has posted a pic of the Palm Treo 800w over on Palm Infocenter.

There's no news on cost or when it will be released but here's what they know of it's specs:

"the Treo 800w will be powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, have a 320x320 recessed touchscreen, a ~400mhz CPU and 128mb of RAM with 256mb of ROM. It should also achieve a series of notable milestones, such as Palm's first EVDO REV-A handset, Palm's only GPS-enabled device, and Palm's first smartphone with integrated wi-fi capabilities. Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP and a 2.0megapixel camera round out the hardware specs."

Palm Treo 800w photo at Palm Infocenter

The MWg Atom Life is the subject of a new review posted over at Brighthand.

Here's what they thought of the $399 MWg Atom Life PDA smartphone:

"Maybe it is because smartphones have entered into the consciousness of many users, or maybe the design of the Atom Life is just that it slips into your hand and pocket so easily that its just distinguishable; but, the fact is that this is an impressive smartphone on a features level that just doesn't seem to impress people.

Windows Mobile 6 is a solid enough platform and the 1 GB of internal memory that can be expanded with a mini-SD card gives much life to this device. I like it, but have to resign to the fact that if you don't see it more often, there might not be much of a fusion of this device in your mobile life."

MWg Atom Life Review at Brighthand

Is Windows Mobile 7 going to be available in 2008?

Paul from MoDaCo was in London for the European Launch of Windows Mobile hardware company MWg and noticed that their product roadmap showed a Windows Mobile 7 device being offered in Q4 of 2008.

I will be amazed if we do see Windows Mobile 7 devices in 2008 considering how Windows Mobile 6.1 is only now coming to market.

Windows Mobile 7 MWg presentation via MoDaCo

Engadget was at the press launch for the HTC Touch Diamond and have released some hand-on photos, some videos. and their first impressions of the new Windows Mobile 6.1 device.

"We had a little thumb-print orgy with the new HTC Touch Diamond immediately following its launch. Light and small, the Touch Diamond comes off as a unit with promise. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a while to get our hands on this via a US carrier, but Orange users in the UK will no doubt be pretty happy with this new handset, the first of its kind to use Windows Mobile 6.1."

(more at engadget)

With the under-whelming press event in London now over the HTC Touch Diamond is now officially official... it will be out on 5 networks in the UK shortly and out in the US some time this year.

Here's the officially official specs:

• Size: 102 x 51 x 11.33mm


• Weight: 110 g


• Connectivity: WCDMA / HSPA: 900/2100MHz. HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA


• Operating system: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional


• Display: 2.8-inch VGA touch screen


• Camera: 3.2MP, with video calling


• Internal memory: 4 GB Internal Storage, 256 MB flash, 192 MB RAM,


• Bluetooth: 2.0 with EDR


• Wireless: WiFi 802.11b/g


• GPS: GPS/AGPS


• Interface: HTC ExtUSB™ (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed)


• Battery: 900 mAh


• Talk time: GSM: up to 4 hours


• Standby time: GSM: up to 300 hours/100 hours with push email


• Chipset: Qualcomm MSM® 7201A™ 528MHz

We are officially unimpressed.

Boy Genius from Boy Genius Report went all the way to London for the extremely over hyped press conference from HTC that was supposed to announce the most exciting product of the year.

All that got announced was the HTC Touch Diamond that we already knew all about.

Here are some of his comments:

11:50 AM: We've pretty much confirmed Android will not be making an appearance here. Mmm.
12:15 PM: He just said the design is museum-worthy. We'll be the judge of that, fella.
12:26 PM: Marketing spin: "HTC Touch Diamond is Just Like Your Life." What, sad and lonely?
12:29 PM: Available in Europe and Asia in June. Rest of the world is later this year. What. In. The. Hell?
12:44 PM: Oh my god. We came all the way here for one phone. Where is my slide-out keyboard, damn it!

(more at boygeniusreport)

Trusted Reviews has reviewed the Asus P320 Windows Mobile phone.

Here's what they thought:

"It all goes together to make a well-rounded smartphone that's just about the most pocketable Windows Mobile PDA phone you're likely to come across. Unfortunately, though, there's no getting around the fact that the P320's small screen makes using Windows Mobile Professional even more fiddly to use than it normally is. But if you don't mind getting the stylus out occasionally and want the push email and office document features of a Windows Mobile device without the bulk, it's a very solid option. And the inclusion of a GPS receiver in a device this small is just the icing on the cake."

(full review at trustedreviews)

Phone arena has reviewed the Glofish M800 Windows Mobile 6 smartphone with VGA resolution 640x480 2.8" screen 64MB RAM 256MB ROM, 3.5G HSDPA / UMTS plus quad-band GSM with GPRS, the SIRF Star III GPS, WiFi 802.11b, twin cameras (QVGA in front and 2Mpix flash at the back), all run by a Samsung 500 MHz ARM mobile CPU.

Here's what they thought of it:

"Is the M800 revolutionary device – definitely not. Is it worth upgrading from X800 – only if you really want QWERTY (there’s nothing else new). Is it worth getting? It depends, if you are on the market for a (Windows Mobile) smartphone, the M800 is still a nice device. Although it is neither the fastest, nor the prettiest (and yes, we don’t like the capacitive keys!) it is one of the few out there with a high-res (VGA) display. Of course, it has some negative sides, but it is a matter of compromise. Overall, the TyTN II is better, but only if you could live with the nowadays mediocre QVGA display. We leave the decision to you."

(full review at phonearena)

The PalmOne LifeDrive has shwon up on amazon with the following description:

The LifeDrive mobile manager from palmOne is the perfect companion for your digital lifestyle. With a 4 GB hard drive, extra-sharp high-resolution color display and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, you can easily manage, access and share your documents and media files. Includes email support, plus MP3 player and photo viewer.Drag and drop thousands of files from your PC. LifeDrive Manager does the synchronizing for you, preserving your PC's directory structure and ensuring you always have the most recent versions of your documents safely with you. You can store and access years of email, thousands of documents, presentations and photos, hundreds of songs and hours of video... The non-volatile memory keeps your information safe.Stay connected via your mobile phone or at public Wi-Fi hotspots. Access your POP, IMAP and Exchange email accounts and browse the web. Or, use Bluetooth to connect to compatible devices nearby.View photos and videos with the palmOne Media application. And enjoy all the songs in your personal music collection with on-board support for MP3 files. Rehearse your PowerPoint presentation, on your way to a meeting. Keep all of your important Word and Excel documents at your fingertips. Synchronize and view an Acrobat file.

Looks like Brighthand got the scoop on the PalmOne LifeDrive, Palm's new high-end handheld that is the first handheld with a built-in hard drive (come on Microsoft: where are the Pocket PCs with this hardware??).

The current rumored spec is as follows: 415Mhz Xscale processor, PalmOS Garnet, 32 or 64MB RAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, SD card slot, 320 x 480 pixel display, and a 4GB Hitachi hard drive.

The LifeDrive is expected to be 4.7 x 2.8 x 0.8 inches in size, will weigh in at 6.8oz, and will cost around $500.

No word yet on the hit the battery life takes from the hard drive.

(via Brighthand)

Acer have launched two new Pocket PCs: the n50 and the n35.

The n35 is described as the Pocket Chauffeur due to its built in GPS receiver. It also has a SD/MMC card slot, 266MHz processor, 64MB RAM, 32MB ROM, QVGA 240x320 screen.

The n50 has a standard and a premium version:

The n50 standard features a 312MHz processor, 64MB RAM, 64MB ROM, SD/MMC and CF card slots, bluetooth, and a QVGA 240x320 screen.

The n50 premium features a 520MHz processor, 128MB RAM, 64MB ROM, SD/MMC and CF card slots, bluetooth, and a QVGA 240x320 screen.

None of these devices sound particularly exciting to us, where is the 802.11b wireless, the VGA screen etc?

Acer (via PocketPCThoughts)

According to Gartner Dataquest research worldwide sales of Pocket PC devices exceeded shipments of Palm OS devices for the first time in Q3 (July-Sept) 2004.

2004 Palm OS sales are expected to be down 23% to 4.4 million compared 2003 while Pocket PC sales are expected to be up 15% to 5 million units.

When the results are broken out by company we get the top 5 as follows:

1) palmOne: 26.2%
2) HP: 24.2%
3) RIM: 19.8%
4) Dell: 6.5%
5) Symbol: 2.2%

(via brighthand)

Dell Home has a bunch of coupons today:

Dell Axim X30 high Pocket PC: $379 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)
Dell Axim V50v VGA Pocket PC: $464 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)
Canon Powershot S500 5 megapixel digital camera: $324 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)
Canon Powershot S410 4 megapixel digital camera: $279 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)
Dell 2001fp 1600x1200 pixel 20 inch LCD monitor: $604 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)
Dell 2005fp 1680x1050 pixel widescreen 20 inch LCD monitor: $644 with free shipping (use $35 off $350 code)

$35 off $350 accessories purchase with code BPDHZ0CHM?ZBLZ (expires 11/11/04)

25% off $999 Inspiron laptops with code 2WL7WMLD3Q4G23 (expires 11/15/04)
25% off $1299 Dimension desktops with code M60LDQM2TH?N37 (expires 11/18/04)
30% off $1799 Dimension desktops with code 3TB6R405280WT1 (expires 11/18/04)
(above codes replace the 15% to 25% discounts shown for desktops and laptops)

Sorobangeeks also got some photos of the new Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000 PDA.

The Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000 is a nice looking PDA that could only be improved if it had WiFi and was available here in the US.

The Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000 has a great flip-top design with a QWERTY keyboard, runs linux, has a 416mhz xscale processor, 3.7" VGA screen, SD/MMC card slot, USB connectivity and a 4GB hard drive.

Battery life of the Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000 is said to be 7 hrs, it is 4.9" by 3.5" by 1" and it weighs 10.5oz.

(photos from sorobangeeks)

We've been on top of the X50 VGA Pocket PC reviews all day over at VGAPocketPC.com.

If you haven't been over there here's a roundup of all the reviews of what is now the new #1 top Pocket PC around:

PocketNow
Brighthand
CNET
BargainPDA
PocketPCThoughts
Aximsite
PDAGeek
PC Magazine
PDA Buyers Guide
Infosync

Dell Home: Axim X50v for $499 (free ground shipping) - 624MHz VGA Pocket PC, 64MB RAM, 128MB ROM, CF, SD, 802.11b, Bluetooth.

Update: $35 off with coupon on VGAPocketPC.com (October 13th only)