GOMOTEXT.COM - Mobile Marketing Blog

Filed under: Handsets, Motorola, EV-DO, CDMA

If there were two entities we just couldn't do without, they'd certainly be the FCC and Bluetooth SIG. The latest handset to be revealed courtesy of the latter is Motorola's QA4 Halo, and thanks to a particularly insightful individual over at HoFo, we've even got a few purported details to pore over. We're told to expect a 2.8-inch 400 x 240 resolution (touchscreen?) display, a 2-megapixel camera, a microSD card slot, USB 2.0, a CDMA / EV-DO radio, customizable widgets, Bluetooth 2.0 and a built-in accelerometer. Alright Moto, the secret's out -- how's about an official release?

[Via CellPassion]

Motorola QA4 Halo outed by Bluetooth SIG, early details begin to flow originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Software, Nokia, Misc

There's hardly anything more embarrassing that admitting that your company still uses Lotus Notes, but for the millions upon millions (140 million, in fact) of licensed users who'd love the opportunity to check in via their S60-based handset, this one's for you. Starting next month, Lotus Notes support will be granted for Symbian S60 3rd Edition, meaning that anyone with a fresh S60 device can soon tap into Lotus Notes Traveler and access real-time email, calendar, address book, journal and to-do list data. On second thought, maybe you shouldn't be so enthusiastic -- leaving work at work is a blessing too many take for granted.

Nokia adds support for Lotus Notes in Symbian S60 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

If you missed the end of this week’s video featuring the G1 firmware updating over the air — and then our very own Dan Lane taking the battery out mid-update — here’s the full vid. The end of it corrupted rather horribly during the upload on Monday.

Over The Air (”OTA”) update of the T-Mobile UK G1 from Mobile Industry Review on Vimeo.

I picked the following up in my RSS Reader from The Register;

300,000 UK T-Mobile customers had a quiet morning as they were unable to make or receive calls thanks to a database snafu that forced the operator to restore from backups - a process which is still in progress.

The problems started at around 10am this morning, and meant that 300,000 customers couldn’t be verified by the network and so were unable to make or receive calls. Restoration from a backup is already underway, and 200,000 customers are already back on the network (in London and the south east, naturally) - the remaining 100,000 should be working by 16:00 this afternoon.

As a T-Mobile customer myself I was fortunately not affected by this issue, however I wonder if any of you the lovely MIR readers were? Especially those who are sporting new G1’s!

T- Mobile’s online system is not exactly the best check out the following post’s from Ewan here, here and here ,however it is rare that I have had network issues with T-Mobile.

Hopefully they will have got it all sorted now!

Filed under: Software, Alltel

Lil' Verizon Alltel has launched its Alltel Perks service, an free app downloadable from the carrier's deck that will automatically deliver "offers and content" to a phone's home screen while the phone is not in use. Real-time, localized coupons appear to be a big push for the system, using the subscriber's zip code, age, gender, and the time of day and day of week to determine what sorts of V1@GR@ deals users will receive. Once a deal hits the handset, it's stored for a little while in a "Recent Offer" menu to make sure you have accessed to the stuff you missed while your phone was tucked away in your pocket. And yes -- fortunately, the service is free.

Alltel Perks delivers spam straight to your home screen originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

We got to spend some time with LG and Prada, on the arrival of their new handset the LG Prada.

The press conference was an unusual one for us which threw us a bit, as there were no presentations, no speeches, no agenda, all very very unusual. It came off much like a round table debate than anything else, as for one we were all just sitting around on chairs in a hotel suite.

The two key people were introduced, Chang Ma the vice president of marketing strategy at LG’s mobile communications division and Matteo Sessa Vitali, the licensing director at Prada. Both of which represented their respective companies and could speak knowledgeably on their behalf.

We all expected for them to talk about the phone, its features, its abilities, what it can do, how it differs from the last handset, etc. Instead they just dove straight into the Q&A. All very strange and we weren’t sure what to do, apart from just go with the flow.

There are two ways to approach and act in a Q&A; either to ask all your questions or keep them until the end and get some face time or a briefing with the people there. There’s always a worry if you blurt out your questions, others can make note of the answers and you’ll lose your exclusivity over the points you raised.

Some of the more respectful titles out there will credit you if they use your question and answers. Therefore still giving you somewhat of a thanks which can also be found on the article is properly SEO’d. Most won’t though and therefore you hold your questions until later, when you can ask them in the privacy of a closed session. There were no one to one meetings, or scheduled private briefings after the Q&A.

As this hack has been burnt so many times, I just sat back and let the enjoyment begin on what will be the most unusual press briefing attended in a long long while.

Questions were answered and asked from the likes of CNET, TrustedReviews and Pocket-Lint with responses from the guys at LG and Prada. Often discussions opened up between journalists, which all seemed to bemuse the hosts as to why these were going on.

Points were made, journalists counter them amongst themselves, the hosts weren’t always sure whether to chip in or not. All in all it was confusing, bemusing and a tad unorthodox.

Not a great deal of information was passed along at the event, nothing really on the handset just all about the deal between them both and that’s that. Anything we really wanted to ask but were too afraid to was all left to us and our own deft investigations for later.

But we’re happy to have these little odd meetings, as it just makes life a lot more interesting.

Filed under: Handsets, LG, Orange, HSDPA

We spied LG's Prada II strutting its stuff in some fancy photos yesterday, and here we are just over twenty-four hours later with a gossip-worthy video spectacular of the luxury house's second foray into handset branding. The lucky gent in the film beautifully demonstrates how the Bluetooth-enabled watch can perform such wonders as silence your ringer and retrieve text messages, all without laying a finger on the touchscreen, slider keyboard-boasting phone. We're pretty sure that you'll agree the video of the device is "not long enough," but just do what we did: watch it twice in a row (while lounging by the pool in a diamond tiara sipping a martini) after the break.

Continue reading LG's snobbish Prada II phone and watch combo caught on glorious celluloid

LG's snobbish Prada II phone and watch combo caught on glorious celluloid originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Software, HTC, Verizon Wireless, Windows Mobile, EV-DO, CDMA

Still clutching your trusty XV6900, are you? Not heading out in a few hours to secure yourself a Storm? If you're the mettlesome type, you can surf on over to PhoneNews and suck down the latest and greatest (and unofficial) software update for the Verizon-branded HTC Touch. Version 3.14.605.1 reportedly takes your Windows Mobile to 6.1 and adds in gpsOne, VZ Navigator and Opera Mobile. Don't forget to backup your smooth jazz and whatnot before diving into the unknown, though.

[Via jkOnTheRun]

Verizon XV6900 update leaks, brings WinMo 6.1 and Opera Mobile originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, Apple

We knew Orb was working on an iPhone port of its media-streaming app, and it looks like Orb 2.0 just stealthily went live in the App Store. The $10 app lets TV junkies watch live TV from a tuner connected to a Windows PC, as well as stream music, videos, and photos from their libraries. Even cooler, Orb allows you to monitor a webcam, so you can finally nail those Diet Coke thieves from the comfort of your cube (or keep an eye on your infant, whatever.) Sadly there's no date for the Mac and Linux versions, but Orb says they're on the way. Alright Sling, looks like the ball's in your court.

[Via jkOnTheRun]

Orb 2.0 streams live TV to your iPhone originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Multimedia, Software, T-Mobile

In the UK, T-Mobile-speak for web content on your phone is "web'n'walk." Historically, the branding hasn't been used in the US -- but they are getting closer now with the launch of "web2go." The new Web browsing experience (T-Mobile's language, not ours) incorporates an all-new content stack that features a customizable home page and access to a My Downloads feature that'll allow certain apps and media to be moved between phones when you upgrade (frickin' finally). T-Mobile's also using the opportunity to launch new unlimited data bundles that include data and messaging in a single package. The whole shebang dovetails nicely with T-Mobile's recent olive branch to developers to help them get apps on the deck, and since web2go's available on just about every phone the carrier sells, mom-and-pop software shops suddenly have a nice, beefy audience to peddle their wares.

T-Mobile USA launches web2go content stack and plans, sounds more like web'n'walk than ever originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Virgin Mobile, MVNOs, Misc

Virgin Mobile USA was one of the few outfits out there who managed to post a Q3 net profit, but even that couldn't help it avoid the unfortunate delivery of a non-compliance letter from the New York Stock Exchange. Just a few days before it slashed ten percent of its workforce, the company was notified by the NYSE that it was "not in compliance with certain listing criteria." More specifically, it's considered "below the applicable standards because the average market capitalization of its Class A common stock and substantial equivalents, over a period of 30 trading days, is less than $100 million." Now, it has 45 days to respond with a business plan that demonstrates its ability to get back into compliance within 18 months. Virgin Mobile USA has already texted (at least that's what we heard) the bigwigs on Wall Street with a confirmation that it would be working to get back on track, but even the best intentions fall through sometimes. Godspeed, VM.

[Via mocoNews]

Virgin Mobile USA falls into non-compliance on NYSE, plans to get back on track originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Software, RIM

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Google Sync for BlackBerry gets into your contacts originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Multimedia, Peripherals, T-Mobile, GSM, Misc

We already knew how much the world's first digital picture frame tied to a wireless carrier network would cost, but no one bothered to mention a specific release date. Regardless, the T-Mobile Cameo is finally available in T-Mob retail stores, and it'll cost you $99.99 up front plus $9.99 per month for the connected services. It's the gift that keeps on giving taking.

T-Mobile Cameo frame now available for $99.99 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Software

Oh M8, you've grown up before our eyes. It seems like just yesterday we were looking at your early incarnations and their uncanny similarity to certain other devices. And how could we forget those times we spent together waiting for you at trade shows, and mocking checking out your early hardware? And now look at you, all grown up and caught on video doing your thing. You know what? This actually looks pretty damn nice. Sure, the obvious major iPhone influence is still there, but we have to say, Jack Wong and co. have done a pretty good job of smoothing out this UI -- and we didn't expect to see multitouch working this nicely. Of course, the clip says more than we ever could, so go and wrap yourself in your grandmother's afghan, grab a steaming cup of coffee, head out to the porch of your 19th century farmhouse, and just listen to the wind chimes and smooth sounds of this video as you take a tour of the Meizu M8... after the break.

[Via MP4 Nation Blog]

Continue reading Meizu M8 captured on video looking smooth, doing multitouch

Meizu M8 captured on video looking smooth, doing multitouch originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

LG and Prada also launched at the event the PRADA Link. It’s a fairly stylish leather strap based Bluetooth watch for use with the phone.

Once paired, the screen on the phone indicates the likes of an incoming call from the mobile, via sound or vibration. Where the call can be silenced or rejected from the wrists apparel. Only you can’t answer them in true Dick Tracy fashion; when will technology catch up with a 1930s cartoon?

It does however have the ability to view any incoming SMSs and also syncs with the phone’s calendar to remind you of appointments. So it’s half way there at least.

There’s even an alert generated on the watch when it’s out of range of the phone. A nice well thought out feature, which could even be totalled up to being a security related one too. If your mobile is in a bag or coat and you’ve breached those 10 allowed metres an alert goes off. And all just in time to see someone making off with all your worldly possessions too.

The watch does look like a nice time piece and even looks good without the onboard gadgetry. Obviously this accessory came from the studios of Prada, and to be honest does compliment the phone nicely and all for 300 Euros.

Sony Ericsson recently updated their series of Bluetooth watches that complement their phones. So it looks like this could be a winner in terms of pimping out your mobile.

For one it’s a lot more discrete and polite to occasionally glance at your wrist on an incoming SMS or a missed call, instead of rudely staring at your mobile every few seconds.

Although it might come across you’re bored of someone’s company and want to leave asap for another much more pressing engagement. As frequent watch checking could even be more socially unacceptable than phone checking.

Filed under: Handsets, HTC, Alltel, Windows Mobile, EV-DO, CDMA

Alright T-Mobile, seriously, how can you charge $299.99 for a Wing on contract with a straight face (do carriers have faces?) while every single one of your competitors is rocking a device that's essentially two generations fresher for the same price? Alltel becomes the latest to add HTC's quintessential WinMo QWERTY smartphone to its stable, charging $279.99 for the privilege of adding a Touch Pro to your account on contract after $100 rebate. From the looks of things, it's basically Sprint's version with a tweaked version of the TouchFLO 3D UI that's either prettier or uglier than the stock build, depending on your point of view. Let's be honest, though: doesn't everything look good in VGA resolution?

[Thanks, theups]

Alltel releases the HTC Touch Pro originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Here we go!

I took an exclusive tour around the Nokia Handset Test Laboratory in Farnborough yesterday — see what you think. It really has given me a different viewpoint on (and a new-found respect for) Nokia handsets. I’ve always found them reliable and generally well-built, but when you take a look at the level of punishing tests they subject every revision of their handsets to, it really does demonstrate why they’re so well made.

(This is one of Nokia’s 11 handset test laboratories around the world).

I’ll be posting more shortly…

Filed under: Games, Multimedia, Software, Nokia

It's gonna be a good long while yet before we know whether Comes With Music is the rousing (and profitable) success Nokia hopes it is, but it seems Espoo might already be looking into what other sorts of media can be all-you-can-eat-ified for the benefit of its handsets. They're generally being coy about what the future holds for unlimited media, but company exec Tom Erskine noted that they're being "open minded" about the natural fit that games and movies would have with the Comes With model. Seriously, who wouldn't be down with an entertainment-focused Nseries that bundled a year of gaming? EA's European marketing director added that his company -- which just happens to make a crapload of mobile games -- is "supportive" of any creative ideas handset manufacturers dream up, which certainly sounds to us like code for "we'd totally be down for Comes With Games." Nokia, we eagerly await this initiative you've yet to announce.

Games, movies next for Nokia's "Comes With" franchise? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Nokia

OMG OMG OMG... sorry, but our inner japanese school-girl was just unleashed with the arrival of the Nokia N96 Bruce Lee Edition. If Nokia had any sense, they'd expand the action-doll bundle to the world beyond Hong Kong. Even for 8,788 Chinese Yuan (about $1,286) we're seriously tempted. Watch Bruce clean up at ping pong in the Nokia video posted after the break -- no, really.

[Via Unwired View, Thanks Robin oL]

Continue reading Nokia N96 Bruce Lee Edition: the only thing tougher than Chuck Norris

Nokia N96 Bruce Lee Edition: the only thing tougher than Chuck Norris originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Messaging, Apple

We heard yesterday that Telia customers might be getting an MMS app for their iPhones, and that it was being developed by the carrier themselves, with plans to launch in the next two months. Well, today we've gotten word that Mobispine is likely the developer of said application, and that they have plans to offer it to carriers all over planet Earth. Mobispine says that the app will be branded to each particular operator, and distributed via Apple's App Store, but we don't know when all of this is going to go down. Now we'd just like to meet the caveman owner of the iPhone pictured above who needed to be told (on November 15th!) that "Obama will be our next president."

[Thanks, Mike]

Mobispine's iPhone MMS application... for the entire universe? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

There are lots of neat mobile VoIP services out in the market – two of my favourites are Truphone and DeFi mobile because of the way they embed themselves into a Nokia S60 handset, provide an additional phone number and just work where there’s WiFi. However one provider that I’ve been taking another look at is Rebtel. Rebtel is aimed at people who call abroad using their mobiles (Rebtel does work just as well from landlines) and (not surprisingly!) don’t want to pay the extortionate rates charged by the mobile operators. Whilst Rebtel uses VoIP to carry the international leg of the call, the call to the local Rebtel number is made using your regular mobile minutes. Rebtel’s killer feature is that it works on any mobile phone; no software to install, no SIM cards to swap over. This can be a five quid or a five hundred quid handset – Rebtel just works.

There are several different ways to use Rebtel. First you need to set up an account online and add some credit. At a simple level, for ad hoc international calls, you call the local Rebtel operator number and follow the IVR. This is Rebtel ‘double dial’. However the easiest way to use Rebtel is via ‘direct call’. Login to your account and enter the phone number of a friend or colleague who lives abroad. Rebtel then provides you with a permanent virtual number for your friend. So if I want to call Annie in Australia, I’m given a local UK number to use instead of her Australian number. I save the local number in my phone and use this to call Annie in the future. Cost is zero to my mobile operator (for me) because the call comes out of inclusive minutes, plus £0.013 per minute to Rebtel. I could also make this call for free (assuming inclusive mobile minutes), using ‘smart call’, by asking Annie to call me back on the local Australian number displayed on her handset while I stay on the line. Not quite as seamless but a way to save even more money.

Rebtel has just launched ‘collect call’. If I, as a Rebtel user, call someone who isn’t on Rebtel, they will see a local number displayed on their phone. They can then use that local number to call me back on in the future and I pick up a small call charge from Rebtel. The online account management system lets you manage the settings for ‘collect call’ so you can choose whether to accept or decline calls.

Rebtel accounts and numbers can also be managed via SMS and mobile.rebtel.com.

Rebtel has just launched a great promotion – up to 50 percent off call rates to 23 countries around the world for the next 30 days. A nice gesture in these financially challenging times.

Never one to stand still, Rebtel has been taking a look at the iPhone and will have a Rebtel application in the iPhone AppStore in the next couple of months. They aren’t saying too much about it yet but sounds like one to watch out for. Knowing Apple’s somewhat ambiguous view of VoIP this’ll be interesting!

You can also follow Rebtel on Twitter http://twitter.com/_rebtel

In case you’re wondering, I’m told that Rebtel is a corruption of Rebel Telecom, a fitting name for a market disrupting service provider!

—

Jonathan’s also at Sevendotzero.

Several notable points came to light in the press briefing. The first of which was the handset will also be known as the LG Prada phone, the exact same moniker the first phone went under.

Not LG Prada II, or LG Prada: The Next Generation. In fact nothing to separate it from the first phone which is confusing in itself. Not to mention screwing with people searching on info for the new mobile, which a CNET journo actually brought up and then added somewhat of awkward air to the conference.

How they’re getting around this issue is simple, they’re discontinuing the first phone. It’s as easy as that. The original LG Prada mobile has obviously out served its usefulness and it’s time to put it out to pasture, or put it out of its misery and out of their minds.

Initially they began selling the first phone in 4 countries and on the back of that success they expanded it to 44 more. This obviously proved to be a winner for them and not a bad strategy either.

They shifted over a million of the first generation mobiles, but oddly enough never touched down in America for any sales. This is a route they are duplicating with the new phone, and once again staying far far away from that market.

55% of the original LG Prada phone sales were in Europe alone, with the UK playing a key role within that success. Although we’re unsure what the figures were before the iPhone came out, or how many just bought the phone solely for the Prada name. Both of those stats would be of interest to see. If only to gauge if the phone really had an impact on early touch screen mobile sales and if a fashion name carries weight in Electronics.

This time around, they’re starting with 7 countries and are hitting up Asia in January. From all accounts that was a last minute play with the first LG Prada, from last year. So it’s good to know companies do learn from their success, beside from their failures.

Another point that came out that took us by surprise was the number of handsets LG launch in a year. They release 125 different mobiles on average, globally. Out of that figure, we were told typically only 25 of these phones will make it to the UK. Either proving that carriers are very choosey, we’re very picky as customers or a perhaps a bit of both. We suspect the latter is the case, which leads nicely into the first.

The original phone could be seen as being ahead of the game, which is a feeling jointly shared by both companies who are not shy in airing it either. In a previous piece we touched on the phone came out a good four months ahead of the initial Apple iPhone. Making it the first fully touch screen handset around, which could have led the way or even aided in Apples sales by making its play first.

With the new phone, they are aiming at attracting users who previously bought the first handset and are now looking for the latest and greatest. Although they didn’t actually say ‘repeat business is key to us’ but we could tell they wanted to.

They’re also going after the SMS or email driven users with the new addition of a keyboard. It doesn’t fully fall into the Smartphone category as do the likes of the HTC Touch Pro or Sony Ericsson X1, as it lacks decent business tools and associated features. It could however be seen as a stylish substitute or a fashionable alternative though.

Another point that came up during the briefing is that they’re selling the phone at the very same price as the first, 600 Euros SIM free. This can be seen several ways: either they’re addressing the market economy as it is today, or perhaps realising continuity is key in keeping the customer happy or just the times have moved on in technology on and what they’re included today is a fair and respectful price for what’s onboard.

Either way, we’ll just have to wait and see. With the competition for physical keyboard based phones being rather high at the moment. Especially with those current models already mentioned above are all baying for the same market share. LG are definitely hoping the Prada name will prove to be the deciding factor in sales. Time will tell.

Filed under: Handsets, Features, RIM, Verizon Wireless, GSM, EDGE, EV-DO, HSDPA, UMTS, CDMA

The most anticipated BlackBerry of the year (sorry, Bold) is just a day away from release on Verizon -- and naturally, we've got your full rundown ready to go. Head on over to Engadget to see our review of the Storm!

BlackBerry Storm review on Engadget! originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

After a short break earlier in the week the prize draw is back and now provides direct dual US and UK currency donations to the 2 good causes. Donate £5 / $10 (or more!) to get chances to win a great selection of prizes.

Please make a donation, help these excellent causes and enjoy some of our best ‘free stuff’ ever!