New line-up includes INQ Chat 3G – INQ’s first qwerty mobile – and the compact and colourful INQ Mini 3G
INQ brings Twitter, free push Gmail and media sync with PC and Macs to mass market social mobiles
INQ Mobile took the next step in its mission to bring easy-to-use mobile internet to the mass market with the launch of two new 3G Social Mobiles complete with internet-based Twitter and media sync capabilities.

The new phones offer high-spec functionality without the hefty price tag – shaking up the market by giving operators a unique proposition – a 3G social mobile with the speed, usability and suite of applications capable of driving data usage in the mass market.

The INQ Chat 3G is the company’s first qwerty-style phone, while the compact INQ Mini 3G expands the range and provides an entry-level social mobile ideal for the price-sensitive prepay market. They complement the award-winning INQ1.

For the two new phones, Twitter joins the suite of communications applications that INQ has already woven into the heart of its social mobiles: which include Facebook, Skype and Instant Messaging.

Working closely with the Twitter team, INQ has developed an authentic Twitter application for both its new Social Mobiles. After the initial log in, Twitter will be ‘always on’. Consumers can send tweets and retweet via the internet rather than using SMS. With the INQ Chat, a specially designed Twitter widget will deliver Twitter updates straight to the home screen.

The INQ Chat 3G was developed in response to consumer and operator demand for a qwerty-style keypad device from INQ. It has a new email client developed by INQ that incorporates free push Gmail – removing a cost for push mail typically borne by operators or passed on to consumers. The INQ Chat 3G comes complete with the expanded suite of INQ applications; Facebook, Skype, email, IM and Twitter.

The INQ Mini 3G is a slimline Social Mobile that offers Twitter, Facebook, IM, Skype and web-based email services like Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail and GMail. It brings the usability that INQ is known for to a new form factor. Like the INQ Chat, the INQ Mini offers impressive capability at a fraction of the price of other application-rich devices.

Both phones have plug and play HSDPA modems enabling high-speed wireless broadband on PCs and Macs.

The INQ Mini 3G and the INQ Chat 3G represent a new design direction for the company; both can be customized with a range of seven coloured backs.

The INQ Chat 3G and INQ Mini 3G applications can be updated over the air – a unique feature essential to keep pace with how online applications change and consumer usage evolves.

INQ is also introducing seamless media syncing between its devices and PCs or Macs. The software, powered by doubleTwist, syncs music from iTunes and WMP straight to your INQ mobile and, unlike most other sync solutions, doesn’t require the customer to give up using their favourite media player on their computer. The new mobiles from INQ will also be able to sync video and photos.

INQ’s ground-breaking platform was built from the ground up for the mobile internet and offers unprecedented integration throughout the handset. Popular internet applications are not simply bolted on (as they are with proprietary systems which are primarily voice and text) – but embedded within the underlying software, delivering benefits such as native messaging and an address book that consolidates phone contacts with those from relevant applications.

This allows INQ to remove many of the cumbersome steps that have made using these services on ordinary mobiles frustrating or time-consuming. INQ phones multi-task, so key applications like Facebook, Skype, IM and email are ‘always on’ and accessible with one click from the home screen; a log-in to any application is required only once.

Frank Meehan, INQ’s CEO, said: “We build phones that focus specifically on what people want to do most on mobile, and deliver it at a price point that’s easy for consumers and profitable for operators. We have completely broken the vice grip hold that high end smartphones had on great mobile internet experiences, and made them available to everybody.”

“With the INQ Chat 3G, we’ve reinvented the qwerty for consumers by creating a fantastic social mobile. With the INQ1, we were blown away by how much consumers were writing just using the standard 12 keys – 30% of them were regularly sending emails. So we know that a keypad will go down a storm.”

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Admit it, you do it. You talk on your phone in your car. No headset, no speakerphone. One hand on the wheel, the other on your smartphone. For shame.

Here’s a quick look at the BlueAnt S1 Sun Visor Bluetooth Car Kit with Multipoint — that’s a lot of words that mean “speakerphone,” and one that packs the usual BlueAnt power and one very cool feature you don’t find most places.

Hardware

The S1 comes packaged like most other BlueAnt products, nicely presented in a clear plastic case. It’s slim and looks how you think a visor-mounted speakerphone should.

The black matte finish is a little bit of a change from from the glossy finish of other BlueAnt speakerphones, but it’s not unattractive.

The on/off button, end call button and volume buttons are easily reached and clearly labeled (that’s not always the case in other speakerphones). The blinking LED on the underside is noticeable but not obtrusive. There’s a little hole and indicator to show you where there microphone, if you’re worried about that sort of thing.

The specs

• Bluetooth 2.0.
• 2.4GHz frequency.
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
• Up to 15 hours’ talk time/800 hours’ standby.
• Charges in 3 hours.
• Weight: 100 grams.
• Dimensions: 64×120x21mm.
• A2DP compatable – stream music from your phone.
• DSP noise and echo cancellation.
• Multipoint capability (more on that below).
• Voice dial/answer.
• 10-meter range.

What’s in the box

• The S1 SunVisor speakerphone.
• Sun visor clip.
• Micro-USB wall charger (though any micro-USB source should work).
• Quick-start guide.
• Warranty card.

Bell and Telus probably weren’t so hot on the idea of LG blowing the cover on their August releases, but for what it’s worth, we’re certainly happy that the manufacturer’s Canadian site saw fit to unveil a pair of new sets in all their glory. Actually, the Keybo2 is really nothing more than an enV3(dressed a little warmer for its Canadian excursion, of course) that should be hitting Telus in a few days’ time; like its American cousin, it makes off with a 3 megapixel cam, EV-DO, and a pair of displays with QWERTY on the inside. The Bliss for Bell might be the more interesting of the two, a full-touch dumbphone that clocks in at 11.95mm deep with a 2 megapixel camera and that’s about it — not Earth-shattering specs by any means, but a solid sign that manufacturers are aggressively looking to take the full-touch concept downmarket. MobileSyrup says we can expect both of these on the 7th of the month, so if they’ve got you fired up, you shouldn’t have long to wait. engadgetmobile

Available soon in August, Klipsch has announced its new Image S2m in-ear headset with microphone. Compatible with virtually all phones that have a 3.5 mm headphone jack, the Image S2m features a compact in-line microphone that lets you answer or end calls with the touch of a button. This button also lets you track forward and track back as well as play and pause songs on the iPod classic 120GB, iPod nano 4th generation (video), iPod touch 2nd generation, iPod shuffle 3rd generation and iPhone 3G S.

The Image S2m utilizes the company’s exclusive oval ear tips that provide comfortable long-term wear. Unlike circular-shaped designs that put stress on the pressure points inside the ear, Klipsch’s oval ear tips naturally fit the contours of the ear canals. These ear tips also offer superior passive noise-cancellation, blocking out almost all ambient noise and providing excellent bass.

Available in a piano black finish, the Image S2m comes with a two-year warranty and includes a cloth carrying pouch as well as small, medium and large ear tips. Priced at $59.99 (U.S. MSRP), the S2m will be available for purchase at klipsch.com, InMotion and Amazon in August. slashphone

Wireless carrier AT&T and Samsung Mobile announced on Tuesday the launch of yet another touchscreen-enabled mobile phone on the carrier’s airwaves, namely the Samsung Solstice. The new device is expected to become available for purchase as soon as August 2 and to pack a wide range of connectivity options, as well as support for social networking, messaging and multimedia.

he Samsung Solstice comes to AT&T’s lineup with a full 3.0 touch screen and provides a landscape virtual QWERTY keyboard, as well as Samsung’s TouchWiz UI, which enables users to enjoy fast access to social networks like Facebook or MySpace through a series of widgets. In addition, the phone also comes with access to mobile broadband, along with support for AT&T Navigator, AT&T Mobile Music with Napster Mobile and eMusic Mobile.

“AT&T customers will be thrilled with the Samsung Solstice’s improved full touch functionality,” said Mike Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “The widget bar functionality makes this device an easy to use passport to customers’ favorite applications.”

The new mobile phone also comes with multiple messaging options, including Mobile Email, IM and MMS, and sports a 2.0 megapixel photo snapper with video recording, accelerometer, Bluetooth technology, a microSD memory card slot for up to 16GB of additional storage space, as well as dual-band 3G connectivity and quad-band GSM technology.

“Samsung is proud to launch the new Samsung Solstice, the next handset in our line-up of touch screen devices at AT&T,” said Omar Khan, senior vice president, Strategy and Product Management, Samsung Telecommunications America. “The sleek, compact Solstice brings a rich web browsing and instant access to your favorite social networking sites through widgets and Samsung’s innovative TouchWiz user experience.”

The Samsung Solstice will become available for acquisition on AT&T starting August 2, at a price tag of $99.99 upon the signing of a two-year service agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate in the form of an AT&T Promotion Card. Users will be able to purchase the device either from AT&T’s retail locations or online from the company’s site. news.softpedia

Some might argue it’s the most subtle update in the iPhone family thus far, but Apple’s iPhone 3GS still seems to be moving the sales meter, regardless. The latest and greatest iPhone officially hit the market a few weeks back, and even though Apple claims that demand is still far outpacing supply, we’re of the belief that most everyone who wanted one has managed to snag one by now. During our time with the unit, we definitely didn’t find too many reasons to upgrade from the already solid iPhone 3G, but given that you probably did anyway, we’re eager to hear how things have turned out. Did you upgrade from a prior iPhone to this? Are you joining the iPhone family for the first time? What gripes have you found impossible to ignore? Are you still up in arms about AT&T’s inability to provide MMS / tethering service? Are you, like us, completely roiled by the unit’s lack of multitasking abilities? Go ahead and let it rip in comments below — we’re guessing Apple has about 11 months or so to take your opinions to heart. engadget

Palm Pre is the new slidingkeyboard, multi touch screen phone, that Palm, Inc has to offer. It was launched in June, and it uses a Linux based operating systemcalled the webOS. It has been much appreciated by both critics and users, which is evident from awards like People’s Voice of 2009 and CNET’s bet in Show.

The Features
It has a 3.1-inch touch screen with a 24-bit color 320×480 resolution and HVGA liquid-crystal display. The screen is designed to curve towards you, which are done in order to reduce glare and provide a comfortable user experience. In older versions a stylus was used, but in this version you can maneuver around with your fingers. Additional touch commands are available with a touch sensitive area with LED under lighting.
Palm Pre comes with three sensors that enable it to respond to its surrounding. Display orientation between portrait and landscape changes automatically with an accelerometer when the device is rotated in your hands. If you are holding the Pre close to your face, a proximity sensor will allow pre to disregard commands. The display brightness is adjusted automatically with the help of an ambient light sensor.

The overall sound quality over Sprint’s 3G networks is very good. The Pre connects to either UMTS HSDPA or EVDO Rev. A , depending on location. 802.11b/g WiFi is also present and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR with support for A2DP stereo headsets. At the top right corner there is the power button and, next to it, a switch that can be used to activate ring and silent modes. A 3.5mm stereo headphone jack is present at the top. The volume buttons are on the left side; the right-hand side has the micro USB input. The thin plastic tether that’s attached to the USB door can be easily damaged.
The Linux based webOS interface is built on a system of “cards” used to handle multitasking. You can launch the applications from the Quick Launch bar, which shows up to three pages of icons in a grid that is scrollable. In order to go from one application to another you have to first bring up the “cards”. Applications are closed by flicking a “card” up – and “off” – the screen.
One of the most vital components of webOS is its ability to synthesize info from various sources into one integrated view. Palm calls this concept “Synergy” and it is incorporated into the e-mail, contacts and messaging applications. For example, you can sync the Palm Pre to your Facebook, Google and Microsoft Exchange accounts; it will take your contacts from those accounts, and all of them will appear in you contact applications.
The Flaws
The keyboard usability is given second place behind compactness, it seems. The keys are slightly recessed and feel gummy, and the bezel lip on the bottom and sides often interfere with the typing. Furthermore, the keyboard is a touch(no pun intended) too close top the slider screen, so you have to angle your fingers to press those keys. Though the keyboard slides out smoothly, but it also feels a bit shaky, as if it could snap off if used too much.
Battery life, unfortunately, is not that great. The average battery talk time is 5 hours and 17 minutes. The Pre also does not have video recording. The camera has no shutter which can be the cause of blurriness in pictures, but this can be countered by steadying the phone by keeping the keyboard out.
Palm Pre is one of the most eye-catching devices that you will find. The design is very good and its functions run smoothly. dcellphone

nucellphone

The HTC Touch Pro2 is crurrently priced at $249.99 on a 3-year contract while the HTC Snap is free on the same contract. In terms of specs, both of these are Windows Mobile smart phones and feature things such as WiFI, GPS, Bluetooth and visual voicemail. mobilewhack