Helio Has Thinnest Phone in the US

Helio announced the availability of the "Fin" from Samsung, the thinnest clamshell style phone in the US at just 11mm thin. Don't let it's size fool you, this phone is packed with power. The Fin supports EV-DO high speed mobile broadband. It has a 3 MB camera that allows you to instantly upload pics and clips to YouTube and Flickr. In regards to memory, the phone comes with 100MB and can hold up to 4 GB via its MicrosSD slot. The Fin even has GPS packed into its small frame, providing support for Helio's Buddy Beacon service, Google Maps, and voice-guided navigation provided by Garmin.

The Fin measures 4.06"x2.06"x0.45" and weighs 3.35 ounces. The MSRP for the device is $365, but it is available on Helio's website for as low as $175 with discounts and rebates.

PPC 6800 (HTC Mogul) Coming to Sprint June 18th

The PPC 6800 (HTC Mogul) may be available from Sprint as early as June 18th via online sales. The retail launch is currently slated for July 16th. The phone will replace the currently available PPC 6700 (HTC Apache). The major differences are this device will be the first CDMA device to ship with Windows Mobile 6 and will be upgradeable to EVDO Rev A this fall. Other than that, it's 1/3 thinner, the camera increased from 1.3 mega pixels to 2 mega pixels, ROM doubled to 256 MB, battery life increased 20%, and the external antenna has been removed. The device comes with a 416 MHz processor and still supports Wi-Fi (both 802.11b and 802.11g). The suggested retail price is $549.99, but it will be available for $399.99 with service agreement and rebates.

Pros: Touch Screen, Windows Mobile 6, Wi-Fi, 2 MP camera, EVDO Rev A.
Cons: EVDO Rev A upgrade won't be available until the fall.

Sprint to Launch the UpStage in Red

The popular music phone from Samsung and Sprint is expected to be available in RED sometime around June 18th. The combination phone is a phone on one side and an MP3 player on the other. The current model (available in Black) is on sale for $99.99.

Even with two sides with separate displays, the UpStage is still only 0.3 inches thick. It has a 1.3 megapixels camera/camcorder, Bluetooth, and a MicroSD slot. One thing that separates this music phone from the much anticipated iPhone is the ability to download music directly to the phone over-the-air (OTA) from Sprint's music store. To put music on the iPhone, you will have to download it to your PC and then sync the phone to the computer.

Pros: OTA music downloads, thin, and EV-DO
Cons: The phone does not have much internal memory, but it does have a MicroSD slot to store music and comes with a 64 MB card.

Sprint Launches New Samsung Clamshell Phones - M300, M510

The M300 (not pictured) is an entry level device. It measures 3.6" x 1.9" x 0.7" and weighs only 2.7 oz. It's best features are Bluetooth support and a VGA camera. Being an entry level phone, it works with Sprint's 1xRTT data network versus the higher speed EVDO network. The M300 is avaialable in two colors (red and silver) for $29.99 with a two-year service agreement.

The M510 (pictured in pink) is a mid-range phone. It measures 3.6" x 2.0" x 0.6" and weighs only 2.9 oz. The phone may be tiny, but it packs a lot of punch. It comes with stereo Bluetooth support, a 1.3 megapixels camera that takes pictures and videos, a web browser, a media player, GPS, and a microSD slot for extra storage. The phone also operates on Sprint's high speed Mobile Broadband (EVDO) network allowing over-the-air music downloads, Sprint TV, and PAM (Phone As a Modem). The M510 is a available in two colors (black and pink) for $129.99 with a two-year service agreement.

Sprint Launches Palm Treo 755p

Sprint has announced that the Palm Treo 755p will be available this month. The price tag will be $279.99 with a new two year service agreement and a $100 mail-in rebate. The Treo 755p is the first CDMA Treo with an internal antenna, so it has a smaller form factor than the Treo 700. The phone will be available in two colors - midnight blue and burgundy.

Data Network: EV-DO Rev 0
Operating System: Palm OS 5.4.9
Memory: 128 MB
Processor: Intel XScale 312MHz Processor
Camera: 1.3 megapixels with 2x digital zoom
Expansion Slot: MiniSD

The 755p will offer the same functionality of the 700p. Some key differences are:
1. No external antenna sticking out
2. MiniSD slot on the 755p is different from the SD slot on the 700p. Another key difference here is the 755p's slot is on the side, which makes theft and accidental ejection of the card more difficult.
3. The 755p will launch with the Maintenance Release that is scheduled to be available for the 700p sometime around May 28th. The Maintenance Release is suppose to fix issues with speed to launch applications, Bluetooth, SMS send/receive performance, and MP3 playback.
4. The 755p will come in different colors

Pros of the new device are the no antenna and the miniSD slot.
Cons of the new device are no EV-DO Rev A support and the camera is still only 1.3 megapixels.

Verizon Adds Additional EV-DO Markets

Verizon has expanded it EVDO coverage to include portions of Alabama and Louisiana.
The latest service launch in Alabama covers the Greater Tuscaloosa area as well as the University of Alabama. Tuscaloosa follows other recent launches in the state. The EV-DO network also is up and running in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery, Ala.

In Louisiana, the carrier expanded its EV-DO coverage to include Hammond. Verizon Wireless launched wireless broadband coverage in New Orleans in early 2004 and expanded the wireless broadband coverage area to include most of the North Shore in June of 2005.

The service launches give subscribers access to Verizon Wireless' BroadbandAccess and V CAST services. With regard to the Hammond launch, Verizon says the upgrade will strengthen the carrier during emergencies. Earlier this week, Verizon Wireless extended the reach of its high-speed wireless network into more parts of Ohio. The latest rollout covered Allen, Auglaize and Hardin counties and Sandusky. The carrier calculates that its EV-DO network now covers about 200 million people in the United States.

Source: www.wirelessweek.com