Meizu's MiniOne... Is this Clone of iPhone???

Meizu as a mobile manufacturer may not sound familiar to your ears. But it's latest launch, the MiniOne, is fast growing to be a competitor for the iPhone. The MiniOne has sparked a keen interest in most enthusiasts who have been tracking its launch. However assumptions are rife if its specifications and design are similar to the iPhone.
The MiniOne certainly resembles the iPhone but apparently it may have just a wee bit more. The MiniOne uses Windows CE and is equipped with a Samsung ARM11 533MHZ processor with a 128MB of DDR SDRAM. It also uses a 16 million-color display sporting a 720x480 pixel resolution. The MiniOne has two cameras. The one in front (for video calling) is 0.3 megapixels and the main camera in the rear is 3 megapixels.
The phone is also equipped with features like BlueTooth, Wifi, a DMB Tuner and GPS. It can also be hooked up to a TV or projector using the video output. The MiniOne can play Avi, Mpeg4 and Wmv formats.
The release dates have not been made too clear but prices are – approximately
Rs. 18,359 ($450) for the 16GB and Rs. 10,607 ($260) for the 4GB version.

SE Announces Latest in P Series

Sony Ericsson's latest 'P' series release the P1i, has the promise of another great Smartphone from the manufacturer. It has done away with the traditional design of the original P series with the flip keypad. The P1 is designed more like the M600 with a large 2.6-inch touchscreen display sporting 320 x 240 pixel resolution with a Transflective surface that makes it easier to read even outdoors.
"In one sense the Sony Ericsson P1 is an evolution of our P-series smartphones, as it pushes forward the best attributes of its predecessors," says Steve Walker, Head of Product Marketing at Sony Ericsson. "At the same time there are also significant improvements in design, speed and battery performance."
The business features include a range of push email solutions and Web browsing applications, plus added connectivity via hi-speed UMTS and Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi). The P1 is also VoIP enabled. It runs on Symbian OS version 9.1 and UIQ 3.0. So installing additional software is no problem. It even supports Exchange ActiveSync and BlackBerry Connect. It also supports reading and editing of MS documents.
Among its media features is the 3.2megapixel camera that can double up as a business card scanner. The P1 is also equipped with a music and video player as well as an FM radio. It can also stream mobile TV. For storing your files it comes with 160MB of internal memory and it supports Micro Memory Stick Micro (M2).

The P1 will be available in selected markets from Q3 2007. Prices are not yet disclosed.

Samsung i400 based on Symbian

The newly announced Samsung i400 is powered by Symbian OS with the S60 user interface. The stylish slider surely represents a fresh new perspective on how smartphones should look and feel.
The Samsung SGH-i400 comes equipped with a large 2.3" 262K colors TFT display, a 2 megapixel camera and tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support. Further on, the device has stereo Bluetooth support, a dual stereo speaker and finally a microSD memory card slot with support for up to 4GB memory card storage.
Strangely enough, the Samsung i400 will be first launched in Russia from July 2007 and will start shipping to Europe later on.

iPhone to be Available from June?

Apple's much hyped iPhone may be available for US consumers as early as June 11 this year. The date coincides with Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference from June 11 through June 15. While the UK launch date is yet to be confirmed, analysts expect the touchscreen mobile to cross the Atlantic by November 2007.
When Cnet's Declan McCullagh called cellular carrier, Cingular, he was informed by a customer service manager, that the iPhone would be released on June 11, to US customers.

This is the first time a confirmed date has been revealed after Steve Job indicated at January's Macworld Expo that the iPhone will be released sometime in June this year.
However, Asians may have to wait till 2008, to get our hands on the iPhone.

The information could have been a slip up by Cingular but when asked for a confirmation on the release date Apple chose to play it silent.

Nokia Unveils New Xpress Music Phone - 5700

Nokia has finally revealed their newest addition to the Xpress Music Series – The Nokia 5700 3G Smartphone. Like the 3250, the 5700 is the second phone Nokia has released with a twist design feature. Only this phone uses this feature to perform four functions viz. music, camera, video call and the use of the keypad.

"The Nokia 5700 XpressMusic adds a new twist to the mobile music experience with compatibility for tracks purchased from many Internet music stores," says Heikki Norta, Senior Vice President, Mobile Phones, Nokia. "In addition the Nokia 5700 XpressMusic features a dedicated audio chip for improved music performance which consumers can further enhance by selecting from an ever increasing line of compatible audio enhancements."
The 5700 is equipped with a 2 megapixel camera with a display that supports 16 million colors. Music can be heard using Nokia's Bluetooth stereo headphones or any other earphones that have a 3.5mm jack. The phone supports WMA, MP3, AAC and MP4 audio formats. The music player also supports album art, playlists, plus it's loaded with a 5-band equalizer and audio visualizations. The device can take up to 2 GB of external memory.
The Nokia 5700 Xpress Music is based on Series 60 software and runs on a Symbian operating system, thus enabling plenty of personalization.
The phone is expected to retail for EUR 350 (approximately Rs. 20,150) before taxes and should be available during the second quarter of 2007.

SE Launches W580 Walkman Phone

Sony Ericsson has introduced a new model to the Walkman series—the W580. It has a slider design and is equipped with the full Walkman phone features along with gaming, imaging and fitness applications. At just 14mm thin, the W580 is offered in two colors—Style White or Urban Grey both with orange accents. The W580 also has light effects along the side that change as you navigate the music player. The W580 also features a 2.0 megapixel camera and has a 2-inch color display.
The phone also offers radio programming as it's equipped with an RDS-FM radio. The W580 ships with a 512 MB Memory Stick Micro. Memory can be upgraded. With regards to music, this Walkman model also has the Trackid application for recognizing music using GPRS. Sports-wise functions include applications to track your steps, your calories and monitor your running speed/distance/time.
The W580 can be coupled with Sony Ericsson's Portable Speakers MPS-70 and Snap-on Speakers MPS-75 or the Bluetooth Music Receiver MBR-100 that allows you to play music directly through a home stereo. The phone can be used as a remote control for this accessory to change tracks and increase volume.
The W580 Walkman phone is a Quad Band EDGE device (850/900/1800/1900) and will be available in selected markets from the third quarter of 2007. No announcements on the price have been made.

Nokia finally starts shipping N95

Espoo, Finland - Nokia announced that the Nokia N95 started shipping in key European, Asian and Middle Eastern markets, with expanded shipments to other markets in those regions in the coming weeks. The Nokia N95 is an all-in-one multimedia computer with a unique 2-way slide design, integrated GPS functionality, a 5 megapixel camera and support for high-speed mobile networks, making it easier to watch and record videos, listen to songs, take high-quality photos, browse the internet, or catch up on email while on the move.
"The Nokia N95 is the ultimate multimedia computer and a fantastic example of what Nokia Nseries devices can deliver," said Juha Putkiranta, senior vice president, Multimedia, Nokia. "It easily replaces a number of single purpose devices with a well designed package that is with you and connected. The Nokia N95 is what computers have become - personal, powerful and connected devices."
Designed for High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) networks and with support for WLAN, EDGE and WCDMA networks, the Nokia N95 provides excellent coverage and connection speeds. Browsing the internet and subscribing to your favourite news feeds is a pleasure using the Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map.
The Nokia N95 offers a well rounded entertainment experience with a sharp color display, built-in stereo speakers, a standard 3.5 mm audio connector and support for compatible microSD memory cards. With powerful 3D graphics, the Nokia N95 has a stunning user interface that makes it intuitive to find the features and services you want.
With its integrated GPS and Nokia Maps application, finding your way just got easier. The Nokia Maps application includes maps for more than 150 countries, enabling users to explore the world, find specific routes or locate services such as restaurants and hotels and covering more than 15 million points of interest. You can also purchase additional features, such as city guides and voice guided navigation.
The innovative 2-way slide design makes it easy to switch between different modes, going from reading maps to watching a video with a simple slide. With Carl Zeiss optics on the 5 megapixel camera, you can capture print quality photos and DVD-like quality video clips.
The Nokia N95 is based on the world's leading S60 software on Symbian OS, enabling you to personalize your device from a wide choice of compatible applications that can be downloaded to the Nokia N95, including games, navigation, entertainment, productivity and creativity.