Nokia E63 joins the successful Nokia E71 to form a compelling QWERTY messaging device range

Espoo, Finland - Nokia today announced the latest addition to its Eseries range, the Nokia E63, designed for people who need to manage their business and personal lives equally well. Building on the success of the Nokia E71, the company's flagship messaging device, the Nokia E63 brings the QWERTY keyboard form factor to a broader audience at a great price. The Nokia E63 is expected to begin shipping in the coming weeks for an estimated retail price of EUR 199, before taxes and subsidies.
"Our research shows that people want a device that deals with both their personal and professional lives, but helps them to separate the two. When someone sits down at lunch, they want to update their social network or browse their personal email account and they don't want work getting in the way of that. It's another great case of technology adapting to the people that use it," says Soren Petersen, Senior Vice President, Nokia. "The Nokia E63 is a new proposition for Eseries - a messaging device where people will be just as involved in their social network as they are in their business network."

Whilst appealing to a new group of consumers with a design that feels great in the hand and has two new colors, the Nokia E63 is still very much a member of the Eseries family. Petersen continues, "People use Eseries to access their corporate mail, review their calendar and work in their business network, so the Nokia E63 still includes Wi-Fi connectivity, easy access to Mail for Exchange and dedicated key access to contacts, calendar and email."

The Nokia E63 also has the ability to switch modes with a single key press, switching from a view of corporate mail, appointments and intranet data, to a personal mode with a picture of friends, personal email and shortcuts to favorite hobby blogs or websites. Petersen adds, "The amazing response we have seen to the Nokia E71, which has very quickly become the best selling model in its category, let us know that we are heading in the right direction. People want a rich experience when using messaging, social networks and the Internet. With the Nokia E63 you can enjoy the web, update your status and work meaningfully with multiple email accounts."

The Nokia E63 also includes Files on Ovi, a service where people can get remote access to their PC files even when their computer is offline. Anyone buying the handset will have access to 1GB of online file storage for free.

The Nokia E63 will be available in ruby red or ultramarine blue with a range of multimedia features. Record and view images and videos with the digital camera and bright landscape display, listen to music downloaded from the Nokia Music Store, or a number of other sources, via the standard 3,5 mm audio jack or customize the device through the thousands of applications available for download. Source : http://www.nokia.com/

Sony Announces 12.25 Megapixel CMOS Image Sensor “Exmor” for Mobile Phones

Sony announced the commercialization of “IMX060PQ”, a new type 1/2.5 CMOS image sensor “Exmor” for use in camera enabled mobile phones which has a 12.25 effective megapixel resolution. Furthermore, Sony will also commercialize “IU060F”, a type 1/3.2 lens module with 12.25 effective megapixel resolution, and “IU046F”, a type 1/3.2 lens module with 8.11 effective megapixels. Equipped with lens and auto focus functions, the two modules claimed to be industry’s smallest and thinnest in their class. Does this also mean we are on the track to what Ericsson had predicted?



Above: Lens modules (from left to right) “IU060F”*2 “IU046F”Below: CMOS Image sensors “Exmor” (from left to right)”IMX060PQ” “IMX046PQ” “IMX045PQ”
Source: www.slashphone.com

How GPS Phones Work

by Tracy V. Wilson
Imagine driving to a job interview and realizing that you're lost. Your first impulse would probably be to call the business that's interviewing you and ask for directions. But if you're not sure where you are, getting directions can be tricky.
But suppose you use your phone for another purpose -- to figure out exactly where you are and to get turn-by-turn directions to where you're going. New phones that include global positioning system (GPS) receivers can do exactly that. With the right software or service package, they can pinpoint your location, give directions to your destination and provide information about nearby businesses.
In this article, we'll review the basics of how cell phones and GPS receivers work. Then, we'll explore how phones combine these technologies.
Cell Phone BasicsA cell phone is basically a sophisticated two-way radio. Towers and base stations, arranged into a network of cells, send and receive radio signals. Cell phones contain low-power transmitters that let them communicate with the nearest tower.
As you travel, you move from one cell to another, and the base stations monitor the strength of your phone's signal. As you move toward the edge of one cell, your signal strength diminishes. At the same time, the base station in the cell you are approaching notices the strength of your signal increasing. As you move from cell to cell, the towers transfer your signal from one to the next.
In remote locations, towers may be so far apart that they can't provide a consistent signal. Even when towers are plentiful, mountains and tall buildings can interrupt their signals. Sometimes people have a hard time getting clear signals inside buildings, especially in elevators.
­ Even without a GPS receiver, your cell phone can provide information about your location. A computer can determine your location based on measurements of your signal, such as:
· Its angle of approach to the cell towers
· How long it takes the signal to travel to multiple towers
· The strength of your signal when it reaches the towers
Since obstacles like trees and buildings can affect how long it takes your signal to travel to a tower, this method is often less accurate than a GPS measurement.­­
GPS Receiver Basics
Like a cell phone, a GPS receiver relies on radio waves. But instead of using towers on the ground, it communicates with satellites that orbit the Earth. There are currently 27 GPS satellites in orbit -- 24 are in active use and 3 act as a backup in case another satellite fails.
In order to determine your location, a GPS receiver has to determine:
· The locations of at least three satellites above you
· Where you are in relation to those satellites
The receiver then uses trilateration to determine your exact location. Basically, it draws a sphere around each of three satellites it can locate. These three spheres intersect in two points -- one is in space, and one is on the ground. The point on the ground at which the three spheres intersect is your location.
A GPS receiver has to have a clear line of sight to the satellite to operate, so dense tree cover and buildings can keep it from getting a fix on your location.
GPS receivers and cell phones have a lot in common, and both are very popular. In the next section, we'll look at some of the features of GPS-enabled cell phones.
GPS Phones
Nearly all new cell phones sold in America have some GPS receiving capability built in. Those that don't can connect to a server that uses techniques discussed in the last section to analyze their signals and determine their location. This allows the phones to transmit a person's location to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) after dialing 911. But that's all a lot of phones can do with their GPS.
However, some phones have a complete GPS receiver located in the phone or can connect to one with wires or through a Bluetooth connection. These GPS-enabled phones can understand programming languages like Java and can provide turn-by-turn directions or information about nearby businesses and attractions. Others can work like a tracking device. To use any of these features, you must have:
· A GPS-enabled phone or a compatible GPS receiver
· A calling plan that supports transmission of maps and GPS data
· A service plan or software that provides the actual maps and directions or provides information about the phone's location
Common uses for GPS phones include:
· Location Tracking: Some employers use GPS-enabled phones to track their employees' locations, and some business offer location tracking services for GPS-enabled phones. The Wherifone locator phone provides GPS coordinates and can dial emergency phone numbers. Parents and caregivers can track the phone's location by phone or online and can receive notification if it leaves a designated "safe area." Wearable Environmental Information Networks of Japan has also introduced the Dog @ Watch, a GPS watch phone for children.
· Turn-by-Turn Directions: GPS-enabled phones with view screens can often display turn-by-turn directions as well as announce them through the phone's speaker. In general, companies that offer these services charge a monthly fee and use a database of maps to provide the directions. The services are only as good as their database -- outdated maps can provide inaccurate directions. Some turn-by-turn direction services include:
o TeleNav
o ViaMoto
o MapQuest Find Me
o smart2Go, which requires a separate Bluetooth GPS receiver and a memory card
o Destinator SP, which is a software package for smartphones
· Outdoor Location Services: Trimble Outdoors offers maps and location-based services for hiking, mountain biking, geocaching and other outdoor activities.
· Other Location-Based Services: Some companies hope to deliver news, coupons, advertisements and other information to cell phone users based on their location.
Some other GPS-enabled phones include:
· Mio A701 Smart Phone
· Several Motorola phones offered through Sprint/Nextel
Follow the links on the next page for lots more information about cell phones, GPS systems and related technology.
Related HowStuffWorks Articles
· How GPS Receivers Work
· Cell Phone Quiz
· How Cell Phones Work
· How Buying a Cell Phone Works
· How Smartphones Work
· How Cell-phone Radiation Works
· How Radio Works
· How Microprocessors Work
· How Telephones Work
· How Intelligent Highways Will Work
· How Satellites Work
· How Location Tracking Works
· How Compasses Work
More Great Links
· GPS Cell Phone
· Global Positioning System Overview
· Cellular Telephone Basics
· Wireless-Assisted GPS
· GPS World
Sources
· Aquino, Grace. "GPS Phone Leads the Way." PCWorld, June 2004. http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,115893,00.asp
· Ellison, Carol. "GPS Phone to Take the Stage at CTIA." eWeek.com, March 10, 2005. http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1774953,00.asp
· "GPS-Enabled Cell Phones Taking Off." TechWeb, September 16, 2004. http://www.techweb.com/wire/mobile/47212213
· "New GPS to be Built into Cell Phones, Study Says." InformationWeek, May 13, 2005. http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=163101789
· Hamblen, Matt. "Don't Count on Using your Cell Phone for Disaster Rescue." PC World, July 7, 2005. http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,121744,00.asp
· Aquino, Grace. "Phones Use GPS to Show You the Way." PC World, August 2005. http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,121417,00.asp
· Levy, Steven. "A Future with Nowhere to Hide?" Newsweek International, June 7, 2005. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5093170/site/newsweek/
· Rojas, Peter. "Garmin Brings GPS to a Handful of Sprint Phones." Engadget, September 8, 2005. http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000667057924/
Source : http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gps-phone1.htm

Samsung INNOV8

Samsung INNOV8 also known as the i8510 is the company’s latest smartphone sporting Symbian S60 OS. The Innov8 takes the form of a slider handset having a 2.8-inch QVGA LCD capable of displaying 16 million colors.
The Samsung Innov8 is a photographer’s dream phone; featuring a massive 8-megapixel autofocus camera that offers image stabilization and blink, smile, and face detection, for the best possible photos. The camera also takes panoramic photographs, and uses the handset’s built-in GPS receiver to geotag images with location information. The Innov8 is also capable of recording QVGA video at up to 120 frames per second and VGA-resolution video at up to 30 frames per second, with a full suite video editing tools right on the Innov8.
The Samsung Innov8 is a photographer’s dream phone; featuring a massive 8-megapixel autofocus camera that offers image stabilization and blink, smile, and face detection, for the best possible photos. The camera also takes panoramic photographs, and uses the handset’s built-in GPS receiver to geotag images with location information. The Innov8 is also capable of recording QVGA video at up to 120 frames per second and VGA-resolution video at up to 30 frames per second, with a full suite video editing tools right on the Innov8.
If music is your thing, there’s a lot to love about the Innov8 - thanks to the built-in FM radio, 3D surround sound, and a standard 3.5mm audio. The Innov8 comes with 16GB of built-in memory in addition to a microSD card slot for even more storage options. Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support for stereo headsets makes wireless music much more enjoyable!
The Samsung Innov8 is the first Symbian S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 smartphone to feature quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900MHz), and dual-band UMTS/HSDPA (900/2100MHz) support is also built-in. Other features include WiFi, built-in accelerometer, and a decent size 1200mAh battery for extended use.
by Vincent Nguyen source : http://www.phonemag.com/author/vincent/

AT&T announces the Nokia 6650’s release date November 14th

AT&T and Nokia have announced that the Nokia 6650 will be available on November 14th. This stylish phone features the Symbian-based S60 platform, running on the nations fastest 3G network, the 6650 offers a broad range of mobile services including. AT&T Video ShareSM and AT&T Mobile Music.

The Nokia 6650 will be available in red and silver, perfect for the holiday season. As with all of Nokia’s phones running S60, there will be plenty of customization options and third party applications for this handset. The 6650 offers users up to 4 hours of talk time, which is not bad for a phone capable of ding so much. This mobile phone is great for taking pictures; the external soft keys work really well whit the 2-megapixle camera and 1.36-inch display.
“AT&T’s reputation of offering the best and broadest choice of mobile phones is strengthened with the addition of the Nokia 6650,” said Carlton Hill, vice president of Consumer Devices and Product Development for AT&T’s Mobility and Consumer Markets. “Adding another Symbian-based device to our lineup underscores our commitment to customer choice.”
The Nokia 6650 has a large variety of features including:
2.0 megapixel camera - Integrated flash that allows customers to capture quality photos
Brushed metal fold design - Features a sharp 2.2-inch display with QVGA (16 million colors) resolution
· AT&T Navigator - A dedicated key allows customers to access AT&T Navigator with a click of a button
· AT&T Video Share - The first-ever service in the U.S. that allows users to share live video over wireless devices while participating in a voice call
· AT&T Mobile Music - Customers can listen and download their favorite music from Napster, eMusic, XM Radio and more wirelessly over the air
The Nokia 6650 will be available tomorrow at AT&T retail locations nationwide for $69.99 USD after $50 mail-in rebate with a two-year service agreement.
by Shawn Brown
[Via Nokia]

Nokia E71 gets official on Rogers

In a move that has been very long in the making, Rogers has officially acknowledged that it will be carrying the Nokia E71 in the near future. With the N95 8GB being such a huge seller, Rogers is hoping that the E71 will prove to be popular not only with consumers who are seeking a device that offers a better compromise between business and pleasure, but with people who want a great 3G smartphone that isn’t the Bold or iPhone 3G. The specs of the Rogers E71 are as follows:
- Quad-band GSM/GRSP/EDGE
- 850/1900 MHz UMTS/HSDPA (3.6 mbps)
- 114mm x 57mm x 10mm, 127g
- 128MB RAM/256MB ROM
- S60 3rd Edition FP1, Symbian 9.2
- 320 x 240 display
- 802.11b/g and aGPS
- microSD
- microUSB
- Full-QWERTY keypad and metal body construction
- 10.5 hours talk-time, 408 hours stand-by
(via http://www.boygeniusreport.com/) thanks Michael Bettiol

Samsung M320 - red (Sprint)

If you're looking for a low-end camera phone with a simple design, you can always count on Samsung. The company spins them out fast and furiously in the United States, particularly in the run-up to the holiday season. The Samsung SPH-M320 for Sprint is the newest model to fit this mold. Its design is minimalist and easy to use, and it offers a quality VGA camera. On the downside, the call quality is variable, and the display is a little two low-res for our tastes. But, in the end, it's not a bad handset for occasional callers. Alternatively, if you want the basic functionality without the shooter, the SPH-M220 is the SPH-M320's cameraless counterpart. The M320 is just $19.99 with service.
DesignThe SPH-M320 has a standard flip-phone design, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its good points. The red color is attractive, and the light-catching mirror goes easy on the fingerprints and smudges. At 3.6 inches tall by 1.86 inches wide by 0.85 inch deep, and weighing 2.68 ounces, the phone is also slim, lightweight, and compact. The handset feels comfortable in the hand, and the hinge is sturdy, but the plastic skin feels a tad flimsy.
The external display is no bigger than a postage stamp, but it shows all the information you need, including the date, time, battery life, signal strength, and numeric caller ID. And with support for 65,000 colors (96x96 pixels), it also shows photo caller ID and works as a viewfinder for the external display, which sits just above. You can choose from a few clock styles and adjust the contrast. The remaining exterior controls include a volume rocker and a micro-USB port on the left spine, and a 2.5mm headset jack and a camera shutter on the right spine.
The SPH-M320's internal display measures a sizable 1.8 inches, but it supports just 65,000 colors (128x145 pixels). On a phone without a camera we wouldn't really mind, but even a handset with a VGA shooter deserves a higher-resolution screen. Colors were relatively bright and the menus are simple, but graphics and photos were far from sharp. You can change the backlighting time, the brightness, and the dialing-font size and color.
We very much approved of the SPH-M320's navigation array and keypad. Both have spacious layouts with tactile buttons. What's more, the numbers on the keys are large and the backlighting is bright. On the array there's a four-way toggle with a central OK button, two soft keys, Talk and End/power controls, and a back key. The toggle doubles as a shortcut to four features of your choice.
FeaturesThe SPH-M320's phone book holds 499 contacts, with room in each entry for five phone numbers, a URL, an e-mail address, a nickname, and notes. You can assign callers to groups and pair them with a photo and one of 20 polyphonic ringtones. Alternatively, you can compose your own ringtones using the integrated voice recorder. Other essentials include a vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, a calendar, a scheduler, a task list, a countdown timer, a memo pad, a world clock, an alarm clock, and a calculator.
Though it is miles from being a smartphone, the SPH-M320 offers a couple of extra options. Inside you'll find Bluetooth, voice dialing, and an airplane mode. It also offers instant messaging and browser-based POP3 e-mail. The latter isn't the most user-accessible experience, but it works in a pinch.
Reviewed by: Kent GermanSource : http://reviews.cnet.com