X

FCC publishes specs on new Windows Mobile phone

Tom Krazit Former Staff writer, CNET News
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Google, as the most prominent company on the Internet defends its search juggernaut while expanding into nearly anything it thinks possible. He has previously written about Apple, the traditional PC industry, and chip companies. E-mail Tom.
See full bio
Tom Krazit

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has certified a new Windows Mobile phone with a QWERTY keyboard like the BlackBerry or Treo.

The phone was manufactured by Inventec, which makes notebooks and mobile phones for the major IT vendors. All products that use wireless radios to send data or voice, such as mobile phones or Wi-Fi access points, must be certified by the FCC prior to their official release in the U.S. The agency publishes the results of those tests on its Web site, which allows gadget followers to get an early glimpse of new devices--much to the consternation of their vendors.

Sometimes the photos submitted along with the testing information spill the beans on which carrier intends to sell the new device, but there was no such luck this time. All that could be gleaned from the documents on the site is that the "Mercury" device uses Windows Mobile, comes with a Bluetooth chip and works with GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) networks, such as Cingular and T-Mobile's.