gsma

A phone running the beta of Microsoft's new Windows Mobile 6.5 has gone missing from a Telstra executive, a spokesperson for the Australian telecommunications company confirmed to sister site ZDNET Australia.

Early reports claimed the phone had been given to Telstra chief executive Sol Trujillo, but Telstra says that is not true. Several online reports suggest the phone was pickpocketed, but Telstra would not confirm details of how the phone was lost. What we do know is that the phone had been loaned by Microsoft to a Telstra executive during the Mobile World Congress, a huge mobile technology … Read more

Kent and Bonnie are busy in Barcelona, Spain, so I roped in Tom Merritt from Buzz Out Loud and The Real Deal to talk phones. We spend most of the show going over the big news from GSMA Mobile World Congress, but we also dip our toes in some local news and reviews as well.

News GSMA Mobile World Congress

Reviews LG VX8360 Verizon Wireless Network Extender

I'm sure I'm just setting myself up for disappointment one of these days, but I've come to expect big things from HTC at trade shows, whether it be CTIA or Mobile World Congress. The company has consistently delivered some of the hottest product announcements at these events, so can you blame a girl for thinking such thoughts?

Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 (well, maybe a little, but I'll get to that in a bit) as HTC debuted several new handsets. The Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer kicked off the show by debuting the HTC Touch Diamond2 and the HTC Touch Pro2, which replace the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro.

I stopped by HTC's booth on Wednesday to have a look at both smartphones, and I was impressed with the design improvements and enhanced technologies. The Touch Diamond2 probably wowed me more than the Pro2 because of its extremely thin and solid design. The device doesn't feel as plasticky with its brushed metal face and sides. Also, I can't tell if it's the sleeker design, but the screen pops out that much more and grabs your attention.

HTC has also worked on the user interface, providing a new Start screen where you can easily access your applications. It's also customizable and features more user-friendly icons. The touch-sensitive toolbar is a cool little feature. I didn't think it'd make that much of a difference but it definitely makes it easier to zoom in and out on Web pages and e-mails.

The Touch Pro2 is a monster, and I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. It's bigger than the Touch Pro (4.5 inches tall by 2.3 inches wide by 0.6 inch thick versus 4 inches tall by 2 inches wide by 0.7 inch thick) but again solidly built. The navigation buttons along the bottom are smaller than I like, but that's a relatively minor complaint.… Read more

It's the small things in life.

So it is that when your car battery dies, you can jump-start the engine using generic cables sold by any of the thousands of retail locations that stock the item. And fairly soon, charging up most cell phones will be just as easy: seven wireless operators and handset makers just agreed at the GSMA 2009 conference to standardize chargers.

Terrific. But when it comes to laptop PC power adapters, you'd be well advised to heed the tag line from a well-known American Express commercial: Don't leave home without it.

Because if … Read more

Can't decide if you want a slider or candy bar? Wish your phone had a gamepad or QWERTY keypad? NTT DoCoMo's modular phone takes an inexpensive handset unit and allows it to be slotted into different sleeves depending on your fancy. More than just a fashion tweak, the different holders actually change the functionality of the mobile. This is a prototype model, so no further details were available besides a simple panel showcasing possibilities.

(Via Crave Asia)

Also be sure to check out more cool prototype phones here.

The Samsung Blue Earth phone is an amazing piece of technology that brings solar charging to mobile phones. However, the Korean company has bigger plans than simply fusing solar panels to the back of a handset. It intends to create an ecosystem of "green communication" with a range of accessories.

Recognizing that not every country has ready access to sunlight, a dynamo-powered charge is available to convert kinetic energy to electricity. The popular Bluetooth headset has also been given a solar makeover, though we do not know how long it takes to charge the device using the sun. … Read more

Collaboration with fashion labels or iconic figures seems to be the rage these days. On the show floor of the Mobile World Congress here in Barcelona, we spotted some Sagem Wireless phones co-designed with Porsche.

The P9522 is a simple tri-band phone with a design inspired by the sports car label. Though not a PDA-phone, it does have a generous 2.8-inch AMOLED 400x240-pixel display (the Omnia HD also has the same screen technology), and a biometric fingerprint sensor for security. The unit also has a built-in GPS receiver and an autofocus 5-megapixel camera. It will be available in Europe … Read more

The I-mate 810-F may be the first ruggedized PDA-phone at the GSMA Mobile World Congress here in Barcelona, but the Dubai company is not done yet. Jim Morrison, CEO of I-mate, said too many vendors have been copying technology and interfaces from each other. Instead, he plans to innovate, not imitate, the company's handsets such that each model is unique in its own right.

The I-mate Centurion (shown above) is a credit-card-size, non-touch-screen PDA-phone with a full QWERTY keypad.

Though tiny and really light, we've tried out the keyboard and found it surprisingly usable. This model will retail … Read more

LG had a rather action-packed Mobile World Congress, making several product announcements including the high-end LG Arena multimedia phone and choosing Windows Mobile as the primary operating system for its smartphones. As a result, the company's booth was buzzing with a steady stream of visitors, and we stopped by ourselves to take a look at some of the company's offerings.

The one thing I came away with is that LG loves its touch screens. Everywhere I turned, there was a touch screen staring back at me. Not that I'm complaining, but it got to the point where … Read more