Even though the device has popped up on ebay a few weeks ago, the rumor mill keeps spinning when it comes to the successor of T-Mobile’s current Shadow WMS - the Shadow II(picture below):
DigiTimes reports that HTC will produce the Shadow II(shouldn’t they say is producing?). The more interesting fact, however, is that they claim that the device will be the first Windows Mobile box that supports UMA.
Cutting a long story short: UMA is a technology that allows a phone to use both GPRS and a local WiFi hot spot for communication. T-Mobile uses this for its hotspot@home service, which allows for cheaper calls when in range of your WiFi router.
Further information on hotspot@home can be found at this flash-laden web site:
http://www.theonlyphoneyouneed.com/
In case anyone of you looks for a Windows Mobile Smartphone with a dedicated keyboard and doesn’t feel like paying out of the nose for Palm’s Treo 500: Expansys currently sells off the Samsung SGH-i320:
The device runs Windows Mobile 5(AFAIK, no WM6 update is available), has a QVGA screen, Bluetooth/IrDA(no wifi) and a MicroSD slot.
In case anyone feels like taking the plunge:
Expansys Germany - 125 EUR
Expansys UK - 100 GBP
Expansys USA - 176 USD
A prototype unit of the recently-identified T-Mobile Shadow II has hit ebay - the auction has unfortunately ended via Buy Now(for 500$).
The seller posted a few pictures of the device - here are the two most interesting ones:
Specs-wise, the seller claims that the model has the following features:
Seeing that the company that peddles the box is a Power Seller, it is very likely that we are looking at a real device here and that the box will actually ship to its new owner. However, seeing that no one knows when it will actually hit the road: take the specs with a grain of salt!!!
The so-called SideShow technology found in most versions of Windows Vista is one of the few real and visible improvements in the new OS.
Cutting a long story short, SideShow is a protocol that allows PC data to be pushed to small SideShow devices, where it can then be displayed even when the host is powered off(due to caching).
Drivers that allow Windows Mobile devices to function as SideShow terminals aren’t new - but Microsoft now released a developer preview of an official driver that transforms Bluetooth-capable WM5/WM6 devices into SideShow stations.
As of now, the program still is in early beta - daredevils with Vista(/me is excluded) can give it a pop at the link below:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=79f19684-f862-4e02-a2b0-0003b4565f34&DisplayLang=en
The Bluetooth SIG recently leaked information on a weird HTC device called CONV100 - and the FCC now dropped yet another blurry picture of the device:
In case anyone of you now thinks of another pic leaked out some time below - yes, the rumored T-Mobile Shadow II is said to look like this:
Unfortunately, the TamsWMS team currently doesn’t know anything else about the box except that it is a Windows Mobile Smartphone - stay tuned for further info as we get it!
A rather weird Windows Mpobile 5 smartphone called SMT5700 has been floating around on the internet(and on AT&T’s rebate sheets) for almost a year:
The device will have a 2MP camera without autofocus(probably similar to the one found on the Nokia N81), a QWERTY keyboard and EDGE-only data connectivity.
Boy Genius Report claims that the device is said to hit the road in the near future - in case anyone of you is on AT&T and wants a QWERTY WMS, this box could be a cheaper alternative to Palm’s rather pricey Treo 500…
Samsung’s low-end i200 was handled at this year’s CeBit - the electronics giant now announced when it will be let loose on the masses:
AkahibaraNews quotes Geesung Choi, the president of Samsung’s Global Telecom Business:
Samsung i200 will be launched in the European market in June and will enter other market within a month.
European market…looks like the TamsWMS team can be at the very front of the line for that one. Stay tuned - we’ll inform you as we get further info!
The Pantech Duo has seen a nice bit of blowout action a few weeks ago(AT&T paid you 50$ is you purchased such a box with a contract) - indeed, the nice little box seems to be pretty useful(pictured below):
Engadget Mobile has now claimed that a successor called Pantech Duo 2 C820 with the following specs:
Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard
CE OS 5.2.19581Available storage 110.03MB
Total Storage 121.98MB
Available memory 30.8MB
Total Memory 64.04MBARM1136EJS (MSM7201A)
As of now, not much more information is available as of npow - but stay tuned for news as they emerge!
People following our sister site TamsPPC closely will probably already know the Celio RedFly(more info here) - in case you are new to the topic, it essentially is an “external screen” for Windows Mobile devices.:
So far, RedFly support has been limited to touchscreened Windows Mobile devices. However, according to BrightHand, the company now plans to support touchscreenless devices that run WM 6.1(no chance with WM5 or 6).
P.S. In case anyone of you feels like risking 500$ - give their preordering page a click via this link…
