Motorola Launches the Sleek, Featherweight QUENCH™XT3 in Singapore, Exclusively with M1
 
- Trackball allows you to browse menus and web pages without obstructing your screen
- Expanded search function helps you keep track of all data on the phone, including bookmarks, browsing history and contacts
 
Singapore – 5 August, 2010 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a global leader in mobile communications, today announced the launch of the QUENCH™ XT3 in Singapore, exclusively with leading integrated communications service provider, M1. With a winning combination of power, usability and style, the QUENCH™ XT3 is designed to bring to you the power of Android™ and an easy and fun touch screen mobile Internet experience at a price you can’t resist.
 
“Many people in Singapore are interested in smartphones but haven’t yet made the leap to invest in one,” said Andrew Morley, Vice President of Marketing across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Russia and Asia at Motorola. “We launched the Motorola QUENCH™ XT3 to entice those people to take the plunge and experience the power and fun of Android-powered phones. It’s elegant, intuitive and accessible even to people who have never used a smartphone before.”
 
The slim and sleek QUENCH™ XT3 is just 12.6mm thin, a featherweight 114 grams, and fits naturally and easily into the palm of your hand with a comfortable soft-touch finish. You can navigate the phone with either the bright, high-resolution 3.2 inch capacitive touch screen, or with just one hand using a convenient trackball that keeps the screen finger-free for easy viewing.
 
Pinch-and-zoom features, 3.5G speed and WiFi connectivity help you surf the web effortlessly and ensure that you’re always connected with friends and colleagues1. A 3MP camera with digital zoom and LED flash ensures great pictures and videos that can easily be uploaded to your favorite social network or photo sharing site.
 
The Motorola QUENCH™ XT3 supports the Android platform, a vast range of Google services1, and access to more than 65,000 apps and widgets via Android Market1. An expanded search function helps you to keep track of all your data on the phone, such as bookmarks, browsing history, contacts and more. It even helps you find data in applications, a useful feature in a phone with support for up to 32GB of storage and space for thousands of songs and dozens of hours of video2.
 
“We are excited about the exclusive launch of the Motorola QUENCH XT3 in Singapore,” said P. Subramaniam, Chief Marketing Officer of M1. “It is a trendy device that supports excellent mobile Internet capabilities. Together with the attractive data bundle on our smartphone plans, it will offer our customers hours of fun staying connected on-the go. What’s more, we will be introducing more exclusive deals in the coming months to meet the lifestyle needs of different customer segments. ”
 
Motorola’s winning design and M1’s extensive voice and data communications services give the QUENCH™ XT3 a premium feel at a price that’s right for everyone. There’s never been a better time to make the leap to a sleek, trendy, full-featured, Android-powered smartphone.
 
Key Features Include:
 
•       The Trackball allows you to browse through menus and web pages without obstructing your screen
•       A 3 megapixel camera with LED flash
•       Expanded search function makes you easier to find information online or within the device of keeping track of all your data on the phone, such as bookmarks, browsing history, contacts and more, and serve up Google web search results based on location1, or launch applications.
•       Android Market™ has more than 65,000 apps and widgets, and there are opportunities for limitless customizations and enhancements to QUENCH™ XT3.
•       Extras1 such as 3.5G and Wi-Fi® access, aGPS and stereo Bluetooth®3 make QUENCH™ XT3 a solid Android-powered device.
•       Size : 116 x 56.8 x 12.6mm
•       Android™ platform
•       3.2” HVGA screen, 320 x 480
•       Capacitive pinch and zoom display
•       Video : Capture / Playback/Streaming, H.263, H.264, Mpeg-4
•       Stereo Bluetooth
•       MP3 Player
•       Internal Memory : 512 MB flash, 256MB RAM
•       Memory card : In-box 2GB microSD card (max. up to 32GB)
•       Support Chinese menu and input
 
Availability
The Android™-powered QUENCH™ XT3 will be available for sale in Singapore on 7 August 2010 at a recommended retail price of S$468 or $148 with a two-year contract at all M1 Shop outlets and its authorized dealers. For more information on MOTOROLA QUENCH™ XT3, please visit http://www.motorola.com/sg

Nokia today at nokia connections 2010 showcase 3 phones the n8, x5 and x6.

The n8 annouced some time ago is he focus if this show. Featuring the symbiam ^3 os this device feautures multitasking , ovi store, web tv and a carl zeiss 12 megapixel camera capable to take 720p videos using xenon flash. There is also hdmi out for connecting to full HD LCD tv.

With partners like channel newsasia, 8tv, makansutra, users can now catchup with news and infotainment programmes on the go.

Two other phones first seen is the x5 and x6.

Nokia X5 – the social jukebox on the move

Nokia unveiled the new Nokia X5, its latest full QWERTY music device which makes messaging, social networking and listening to your favourite music fun and easy when on the move.  The unique, square slider design makes it a perfect device for teens who enjoy Facebook, chatting, games, music and staying in touch with their peers in unlimited ways.

Favorite contacts, emails and social networking sites can be accessed directly from the home screen which makes sending messages and status updates a breeze.  Thousands of games and other social networking, entertainment and personalization apps can be downloaded from Ovi Store.  On top of that, the Nokia X5 has a great music player with excellent sound quality and loud speakers, offering easy access to the device’s music collection with space for up to 1000 tracks with a 2GB in-box memory card, expandable up to 32GB.  In select markets, the Nokia X5 will include Nokia’s Comes With Music, the unlimited music download service with access to millions of tracks.  With the fun “Surprise Me” feature, you can spin the phone when playing music to jump to a random track. Available in a variety of cool colors, the Nokia X5 is expected to begin shipping during the third quarter of 2010 with an estimated retail price of EUR 165 before taxes and subsidies.

Nokia X6 8GB – the social entertainment experience

Nokia also announced today the Nokia X6 8GB which complements the popular Nokia X6 family. The Nokia X6 8GB offers a full-blown entertainment experience for people who enjoy music, social networking, chat and games while on the go. The device provides easy access to thousands of games and apps in Ovi Store, as well as Ovi Maps with free lifetime navigation and location sharing.

In select markets, the Nokia X6 8GB will include Nokia’s Comes With Music service, the unlimited music download service with access to millions of tracks.  The Nokia X6 8GB also allows the capturing of great pictures and videos with its 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash.  It is expected to start shipping during the third quarter of 2010 with an estimated retail price of EUR 225 before taxes and subsidies.

We will post more pictures and videos later. Stay tuned to ocworkbench

More details with pictures and videos here.

The annaul CommunicAsia 2010 trade show is about to begin in 2 days time in Singapore. This annual event has attracted trade visitors and media from around the globe to check out the latest wireless technology and most importantly mobile phones.

As usual, the major brands will be missing from the show. Sony Ericsson and Nokia will be holding their own private events at hotel ballrooms on two seperate days.  Koeran companies LG will have no presense at the exhibition as well.  Japanese giant NTT Docomo will have a more significant presense this year, showcasing it’s LTE technology and Xperia series of Sony Ericsson phones at the show.

In conjunction with the event, the local telcos won’t be sitting back. It is said that one of them will be announcing more exclusive phones to their stable of Android phones. Perhaps, one of the three might just announce the availability of iPhone 4 and iPad for the local market during this period of time.

So, stay tuned while we bring you more this coming week.

Garmin-Asus Partners with Telecommunications T-Mobile USA
First Android-powered Navigation Smartphone from Garmin-Asus
Coming to T-Mobile Later This Spring
 
Garmin-Asus, a co-branded alliance between Garmin® Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) and ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (TAIEX: 2357), announced that it will partner with U.S. telecoms T-Mobile this spring to launch the Garmin-Asus A50, the first Android-powered smart phone that delivers a fully-integrated Garmin navigation experience. With Garmin, ASUS and T-Mobile’s leadership in navigation, device innovation, and wireless telecommunications respectively, the A50 is poised to provide users with the best location based service (LBS) experience possible.
 
“As the global leader in smart phone navigation technology and location based services, Garmin-Asus actively seeks to partner the world’s leading telecommunications service providers to offer users the most advanced, convenient and fun navigation experience,” said Benson Lin, Vice-President and General Manager of ASUS’ Personal Mobile Devices. “Our partnership with T-Mobile reflects the growing recognition within the global telecommunications industry that there is a burgeoning consumer demand for navigation-based smart phones and services, and that Garmin-Asus is the only smart phone maker capable of fulfilling these needs with our ‘best of both’ solutions.”
 
 “The Garmin-Asus A50 brings together two increasingly popular devices in one state-of-the-art package, delivering a rich, unique experience that no other smart phone or standalone navigation device can offer,” said George Harrison, vice president, marketing product innovation, T-Mobile USA. “T-Mobile customers are increasingly seeking smart phones, and the deep integration of Garmin navigation into the smart phone features of this device helps them do more with one device to more simply navigate their busy lives.”
 
With the Android-based A50, Garmin-Asus now not only offers a more complete product line, it has also showcased its ability to perfectly integrate navigation and LBS functionality across platforms.
 
“Regardless of whether users prefer the Android or Windows Mobile operating system, they are assured the best and most comprehensive navigation and LBS experience with a Garmin-Asus smart phone,” said Lin. “We have plans to release more devices in the U.S., Europe, APAC and China markets in 2010, so users seeking the convenience that navigation smart phones affords will have no shortage of options.”

Opera Mini App approved for the App Store

Oslo, Norway – April 13, 2010 – Opera today announced its popular mobile browser, Opera Mini has been approved for iPhone and iPod touch on the App Store. Opera Mini will be available as a free download within 24 hours, depending on market.

Opera Mini, with more than 50 million users worldwide, enables fast mobile Web browsing by compressing data by up to 90 percent before sending content to the device, resulting in significantly improved page loading. Users of the app will notice an uptake in speed, especially on slower networks such as the 2G Edge network. Surfing the Web with the Opera Mini App on iPhone and iPod touch will also help users save money because of its data compression capabilities. This will hold especially true while the user is incurring roaming charges.

“We are delighted to offer iPhone and iPod touch users a great browsing experience with the Opera Mini App,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “This app is another step toward Opera’s goal of bringing the Web to more people in more places.”

The Opera Mini App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

Opera Mini App approved for the App Store

Oslo, Norway – April 13, 2010 – Opera today announced its popular mobile browser, Opera Mini has been approved for iPhone and iPod touch on the App Store. Opera Mini will be available as a free download within 24 hours, depending on market.

Opera Mini, with more than 50 million users worldwide, enables fast mobile Web browsing by compressing data by up to 90 percent before sending content to the device, resulting in significantly improved page loading. Users of the app will notice an uptake in speed, especially on slower networks such as the 2G Edge network. Surfing the Web with the Opera Mini App on iPhone and iPod touch will also help users save money because of its data compression capabilities. This will hold especially true while the user is incurring roaming charges.

“We are delighted to offer iPhone and iPod touch users a great browsing experience with the Opera Mini App,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “This app is another step toward Opera’s goal of bringing the Web to more people in more places.”

The Opera Mini App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/

Sony Ericsson held an Asia Pacific Region Press Event “EVOLVE, ENGAGE, EXCITE” at the new Resort World Singapore, Sentosa. At the event, Sony Ericsson new tie ups with MTV and also the Digital Ambassador “The Wonder Girls”. Sony Ericsson also presented for the first time the 5 phones that were previously announced – the Xperia X10, X10 mini, X10 mini pro, Vivaz and Vivaz Pro to the regional media.

Check out the videos and pictures at the link below

We attended the press launch of the Xperia and ViVAZ series at Resort World Singapore. We were delighted to know that Sony Ericsson is preparing an update of the Android phones to Android 2.x in Q3 2010. Although it is not official as it could be brought forward, it is an assurance from Sony Ericsson that the Xperia X10 will surely get an update most probably over the air in the 2nd hald of this year.

2 March 2010 – Nokia today unveiled the Nokia C5, a smartphone optimized for social networking and sharing. The compact device includes access to Nokia’s range of mobile services, such as free navigation, in one affordable package.

With direct access to favorite contacts on the device homescreen and Facebook status updates visible from the phonebook, the Nokia C5 keeps people connected with the ones who matter the most. Accessing social networking sites, such as Facebook and MySpace, is fast and easy, while instant messaging and email accounts from Ovi Mail and other email providers are available through Nokia Messaging. Loaded with a 3.2 megapixel camera, a 2GB memory card that comes in-box and high speed data connection for effortless uploading of photos and videos to various online communities, the Nokia C5 delivers an outstanding sharing experience.

The Nokia C5 offers the latest version of Ovi Maps with free walk and drive navigation, including location sharing with Facebook friends. The Nokia C5 also provides fast web browsing, allowing easy access to favorite Internet sites, Ovi Music*) and a range of applications through the Ovi Store.

The Nokia C5 is expected to begin shipping in select markets during the second quarter of 2010.

The new Cseries represents the heart of Nokia portfolio, focusing on social interaction between friends and family.

Release Notes – Latest changes:

Firmware Release Date: 2010-02-15
Firmware File: 4.1.2

NEW: CLICK HERE TO PROCEED TO 4.1.2 EXPRESS UPGRADER (Windows only)

CLICK HERE TO PROCEED TO FIRMWARE DOWNLOAD PAGE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD 4.X MANUAL

CLICK HERE FOR OLDER FIRMWARES

Update since 4.1.1

Overview

The major milestone with this firmware update is that we got SMS working on some previously challenging modems.

SMS

BARCELONA, Spain — Feb. 15, 2010 — Today at Mobile World Congress 2010, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer unveiled the next generation of Windows® Phones, Windows Phone 7 Series. With this new platform, Microsoft offers a fresh approach to phone software, distinguished by smart design and truly integrated experiences that bring to the surface the content people care about from the Web and applications. For the first time ever, Microsoft will bring together Xbox LIVE games and the Zune music and video experience on a mobile phone, exclusively on Windows Phone 7 Series. Partners have already started building phones; customers will be able to purchase the first phones in stores by holiday 2010.

“Today, I’m proud to introduce Windows Phone 7 Series, the next generation of Windows Phones,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “In a crowded market filled with phones that look the same and do the same things, I challenged the team to deliver a different kind of mobile experience. Windows Phone 7 Series marks a turning point toward phones that truly reflect the speed of people’s lives and their need to connect to other people and all kinds of seamless experiences.”

Designed for Life in Motion

With Windows Phone 7 Series, Microsoft takes a fundamentally different approach to phone software. Smart design begins with a new, holistic design system that informs every aspect of the phone, from its visually appealing layout and motion to its function and hardware integration. On the Start screen, dynamically updated “live tiles” show users real-time content directly, breaking the mold of static icons that serve as an intermediate step on the way to an application. Create a tile of a friend, and the user gains a readable, up-to-date view of a friend’s latest pictures and posts, just by glancing at Start.

Every Windows Phone 7 Series phone will come with a dedicated hardware button for Bing, providing one-click access to search from anywhere on the phone, while a special implementation of Bing search provides intent-specific results, delivering the most relevant Web or local results, depending on the type of query.

Windows Phone 7 Series creates an unrivaled set of integrated experiences on a phone through Windows Phone hubs. Hubs bring together related content from the Web, applications and services into a single view to simplify common tasks. Windows Phone 7 Series includes six hubs built on specific themes reflecting activities that matter most to people:

• People. This hub delivers an engaging social experience by bringing together relevant content based on the person, including his or her live feeds from social networks and photos. It also provides a central place from which to post updates to Facebook and Windows Live in one step.

• Pictures. This hub makes it easy to share pictures and video to a social network in one step. Windows Phone 7 Series also brings together a user’s photos by integrating with the Web and PC, making the phone the ideal place to view a person’s entire picture and video collection.

• Games. This hub delivers the first and only official Xbox LIVE experience on a phone, including Xbox LIVE games, Spotlight feed and the ability to see a gamer’s avatar, Achievements and gamer profile. With more than 23 million active members around the world, Xbox LIVE unlocks a world of friends, games and entertainment on Xbox 360, and now also on Windows Phone 7 Series.

• Music + Video. This hub creates an incredible media experience that brings the best of Zune, including content from a user’s PC, online music services and even a built-in FM radio into one simple place that is all about music and video. Users can turn their media experience into a social one with Zune Social on a PC and share their media recommendations with like-minded music lovers. The playback experience is rich and easy to navigate, and immerses the listener in the content.

• Marketplace. This hub allows the user to easily discover and load the phone with certified applications and games.

• Office. This hub brings the familiar experience of the world’s leading productivity software to the Windows Phone. With access to Office, OneNote and SharePoint Workspace all in one place, users can easily read, edit and share documents. With the additional power of Outlook Mobile, users stay productive and up to date while on the go.

Availability

Partners from around the world have committed to include Windows Phone 7 Series in their portfolio plans. They include mobile operators AT&T, Deutsche Telekom AG, Orange, SFR, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telstra, T-Mobile USA, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, and manufacturers Dell, Garmin-Asus, HTC Corp., HP, LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Qualcomm Inc. The first phones will be available by holiday 2010. Customers who would like to receive additional information about Windows Phone 7 Series and be notified when it is available can register at http://www.windowsphone7series.com.

Sony Ericsson set the stage for MWC by announcing three new handsets in a press event held on the day before the launch of the international mobile phone conference. Sony rolled out two new compact Android handsets based upon the design of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and one Symbian-powered handset phone that is the big brother to the previously announced Vivaz. The X10 mini and X10 mini pro are similarly spec’d handsets with the X10 Mini Pro sporting a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The Vivaz Pro is a slightly modified version of the Vivaz and offers a QWERTY keyboard, a touchscreen interface and the Symbian S60th 5th edition operating system. All three handsets are expected to launch in Q2 2010 in select markets.

Both the mini X10 and mini X10 Pro include:

• 600 MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor
• 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and geotagging
• 2.55 inch QVGA touchscreen display
• aGPS
• Google Maps
• Wisepilot™ turn-by-turn navigation
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
• Full suite of Google services
• 3.5mm audio jack
• microSD expansion with 2GB card included in the retail package
• Android 1.6 with Sony Ericsson Timescape
• UMTS HSPA 900/2100, GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• UMTS HSPA :850/1900/2100, GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• X10 mini will be available in Pearl White, Black, Pink, Lime, Red and Silver
• X10 mini pro will be available in Black and Red.

The Sony Vivaz Pro will feature

• slide out QWERTY keyboard
• 3.2 inch, 360 x 640 16:9 resolution touchscreen display
• 720 MHz processor
• 5.1 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, autofocus, face detection and geotagging
• 720p HD recording
• Video calling (main camera)
• WebKit web browser
• social networking support
• A-GPS
• Google Maps
• Wisepilot turn-by-turn navigation
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Bluetooth technology
• DLNA Certified (photos and audio)
• TV out (VGA resolution)
• Wi-Fi
• microSD with 8GB microSD in the package
• Symbian S60 5th edition
• UMTS HSPA 900/2100, GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• UMTS HSPA 850/1900/2100, GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• Available in Black and White

Read [Sony Ericsson X10 mini and X10 mini pro] Read [Sony Vivaz pro]

OCWorkbench will be following the developements and news from MWC2010. You can catch our news on our main news page at main site , our forum at this link, on twitter, Facebook

and follow us on Google Buzz @ocworkbench.news

Huawei to Showcase Unparalleled HSPA+ Uplink and Downlink Capabilities at 2010 Mobile World Congress
84Mb/s download peak speeds and 11Mb/s uplink peak speeds will be achieved

Huawei, a leader in providing next-generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world, will showcase its latest HSPA+ (High Speed Packet Access Plus) technologies at the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona. Visitors to Huawei’s booth (8A159, Hall will experience the world’s fastest HSPA+ download peak speeds of 84Mb/s and uplink peak speeds of 11Mb/s.

Huawei forecasts that there will be a 1,000-fold increase in mobile broadband network traffic in the next decade, posing both a challenge, and an opportunity, for operators around the world. Driven by this rapid growth of mobile broadband, higher speed, lower latency, and better service experience has become the priority for end-users. Huawei’s HSPA+ solution greatly improves the end user’s mobile broadband experience when uploading materials, such as video conferencing, file sharing, and email.

In order to provide downlink data rates of up to 84Mb/s, Huawei’s HSPA+ solution is based on 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) Release 9 standards and combines higher order modulation (HOM) schemes (64QAM), multi-input multi-output (MIMO), and dual cell transmission. To realize the peak uplink data rates of up to 11Mb/s, Huawei adopts an Interference Cancellation solution, which doubles the speed on 3GPP Release 6 and minimizes intra-cell interference issues.

Wan Biao, President of Wireless, Huawei, said, “Our record-breaking data speeds showcase the potential of HSPA+ and demonstrate how Huawei’s solution can enable operators to provide consumers with an ever more attractive mobile broadband experience.”

Huawei plays an active role in HSPA+ development. In March 2009, Huawei deployed Asia Pacific’ s first 21Mb/s HSPA+ commercial network. In October 2009, Huawei announced plans to provide 28Mb/s HSPA+ commercial service in Singapore, and Huawei successfully demonstrated a 56Mb/s HSPA+ commercial solution in Beijing. As of 2009, Huawei helped 36 operators with HSPA+ network deployment, among which 20 were HSPA+ commercial networks and 16 were HSPA+ networks in deployment or in trial.

M1 successfully completes 100 Mbps data call on trial LTE network
Call used commercial LTE hardware and software from Nokia Siemens Networks

MobileOne (M1), the leading mobile operator in Singapore, has today successfully completed a 100 Mbps data call on its Long Term Evolution (LTE) trial network. This makes it the first South Asian operator to achieve this milestone on commercial LTE hardware and software. The call was made at M1’s flagship store in Singapore, where the operator is trialing and showcasing applications over LTE together with its partner Nokia Siemens Networks.

“I am delighted with the completion of today’s data call, which met our requirements for low latency, high speed, and reliability,” said Patrick Scodeller, chief technical officer at M1. “The ongoing trial will let us obtain firsthand experience of Nokia Siemens Networks’ commercially ready LTE hardware and software, based on its Flexi Multiradio base stations. Our network modernization contract with Nokia Siemens Networks represents the first steps in our evolution towards LTE, and this trial helps pave the way to faster and better quality mobile broadband services in the future.“

“LTE will not only enable a rich end-user experience but also help drive new business opportunities for operators like M1,” said Ricky Corker, head of Asia Pacific, Nokia Siemens Networks. “The technology is rapidly approaching commercial introduction in many markets, and trials such as these are proof of LTE’s potential to deliver fantastic mobile broadband.”

M1 will be showcasing High Definition (HD) TV streaming, as well as high-speed file download over an LTE network at its flagship store until end March 2010.

 BARCELONA, Spain/February 11, 2010/Business Wire — Garmin-Asus, a co-branded alliance between Garmin® Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), and ASUSTeK® Computer Inc. (TAIEX: 2357), today announced the Garmin-Asus nüvifone A50, a touchscreen Android-powered smartphone with multiple location technologies and apps.  The A50 benefits from the personalization and enhanced features offered by the Android platform, and also includes Garmin navigation with turn-by-turn, voice prompted directions for use in a car or while walking. Location features are designed into virtually every function including email, text messaging, and photos. The A50 will be on display at the Garmin-Asus booth (Hall 8, #8B127) at Mobile World Congress, February 15-18, 2010.

“The A50 brings premium navigation features to the Android operating system, offering users a seamless location based experience along with access to the wealth of applications that the platform affords,” said Benson Lin, vice president and general manager of ASUS’ personal mobile devices business unit, handheld business group

“Location is relevant to everything you do,” said Cliff Pemble, Garmin’s president and COO. “The A50 integrates navigation and GPS functionality throughout the device, which gives customers the versatility and reliability they need as they navigate their day.”

The elegant and thin A50 has a 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen display that incorporates a finger-friendly user interface. The QWERTY touchscreen keyboard makes it easy to send and receive messages, and predictive text helps customers type faster. It also comes with hardware features like 4GB internal storage, an expandable microSD card slot, and accelerometer so every screen can be viewed in portrait or landscape mode.

Access to thousands of applications
The A50 integrates Google™ mobile services with one-click access to Google Search™ by voice, Google Maps™, Gmail™, YouTube™, calendar, contacts and Android Market™, where users can find more than 20,000 applications to expand and personalize their phone to fit their lifestyle.

Powerful enterprise email capability
The A50 includes on-device sync with Microsoft Exchange server, with the ability to wirelessly synchronize contacts, calendar and enterprise email. Account setup is quick and easy, and in a few simple steps users will have their contacts, calendar and email ready to go.

High-sensitivity GPS receivers with Garmin navigation
The A50 receives its location (latitude and longitude) information from multiple sources including satellite, network-based and terrestrial sources.  These overlapping technologies ensure that A50 customers have the best location and navigation experience a smartphone can offer.

Garmin navigation is included and preloaded on the A50. Because maps are installed on the device, customers will not have to wait for third party maps to download from a server, nor will they lose their turn-by-turn, voice-prompted navigation if they are out of cell phone coverage. The A50 also has many of the same features as a high-end Garmin nüvi® navigation device such as lane assist with junction view that guides drivers to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit and realistically displays road signs. Ready for pedestrian or automotive navigation out-of-the-box, the A50 includes a custom Garmin car mount and vehicle power cable.

The A50 also supports cityXplorer™ maps so that customers can plan and use routes that include public transit options such as bus, tramway, metro and suburban rail systems. cityXplorer content is available as an optional download for select cities. Thanks to the A50’s e-compass, customers will know their heading even when standing still.

In addition to Android Market, the A50 has preloaded, apps through Garmin-Asus’ connected services, which includes real-time, location-relevant information like weather, traffic, fuel prices, safety cameras, flight status,. Connected services information varies by country.

Customers also have access to Street View in Google Maps and 3D landmark images.

Surf the web
With a powerful, multi-touch capable WebKit browser, the A50 allows users to browse the web at quick speeds and view streaming content. In addition, it automatically identifies location information embedded within web pages allowing the user to quickly navigate to the locations published on the world-wide web. 

Take quality photos
The A50 includes a three mega-pixel camera with auto-focus that automatically geotags images with an exact latitude and longitude reference of where the photo was taken.  Customers may then save the image so they can navigate back to the location, or email the geo-tagged image to friends.

Availability
The Garmin-Asus nüvifone A50 is expected to be available in Europe in the first half of 2010. Specific availability and pricing details will be given in the future. Additional information about Garmin-Asus products is available at www.GarminAsus.com.

Opera Mini for iPhone sneak peek

Exclusive press and partner preview at MWC 2010

Oslo, Norway — February 10, 2010

Opera Software, maker of the world’s most popular mobile Web browser, plans to reveal Opera Mini for iPhone in an exclusive press and partner preview during the 2010 Mobile World Congress (MWC). Visit Opera’s exhibit in Hall 1, C44, to witness a new way to surf the Web on the iPhone — an experience that Opera promises will be fast, easy to use, and packed with favorite Opera features.

Opera Mini is renowned for its compression technology, which results in significantly faster Web-page loading and reduces data surcharges. With favorite desktop features in its arsenal, such as tabs, Speed Dial and the password manager, Opera Mini is designed with usability in mind.

“We are thrilled to offer journalists and partners an exclusive preview of Opera Mini for iPhone during the year’s biggest mobile event,” said Jon von Tetzchner, Co-founder, Opera Software. “This is a unique opportunity to introduce the fast, feature-rich Opera Mini experience for the iPhone, and to showcase our latest beta releases of Opera Mobile and Opera Mini on other platforms and devices. Opera’s mission is to bring the Web to the world, and by making Opera Mini available on yet another platform, we are one step closer.”

While Opera Mini for iPhone is not publicly available, visitors without a press pass will not leave Opera’s stand disappointed. Opera will unveil a host of other Opera-powered devices at its exhibit. Check out the following Opera technology, live from MWC:

• Opera Mobile 10 beta 3 on Symbian S60 and Windows Mobile handsets
• Opera Mobile 10 beta running on Android handsets
• Opera Mini 5 beta, running on a variety of handsets and platforms
• Opera’s cross-platform Widgets Manager beta, running on Windows Mobile and S60 handsets

To hear more from Opera about the future of the Web, attend one of our speaking engagements during MWC:

Monday, February 15, 2010

15:00 — Jon von Tetzchner, Vodafone panel discussion on “Mobile Web developments, W3C standards, using Web APIs and the live creation of widgets”, in Hall 7, Auditorium 1

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

14:00 — Håkon Wium Lie, panel discussion on “Mobile security in an IP world”, Hall 5

14:00 — Christen Krogh, presentation on “Creating a connected cloud for the perfect mobile storm”, Hall 5

15:45 — GSMA Awards ceremony, Opera Mini shortlisted for “Best Mobile Internet Service” and “Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough”, Hall 5, Level 3, Auditorium 1

Get your hands on an Opera-powered device by visiting our stand in Hall 1, C44, during Barcelona’s annual Mobile World Congress, or schedule a meeting with Opera.

GREAT THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES WITH NEW MINI PHONE FROM LG
Trendsetting Design and Superb Connectivity Make
Touchscreen Phone the Next “Must Have” Device

SINGAPORE, February 9, 2010 – LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in mobile communications, today announced its new LG Mini (LG GD880), a new smart phone that accentuates its trendsetting design with a full complement of intelligent features.

Expected to be available in Singapore in June, LG Mini will be the smallest and slimmest 3.2-inch full touchscreen phone on the market, making it the perfect handset for people who want all the communication features that today’s technology has to offer without the bulk and weight of a traditional fully-loaded handset.

“We developed the LG Mini in response to specific requests from consumers who were unhappy with current full touchscreen phones that are too bulky, too clunky and too expensive,” said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The easily pocketable LG Mini delivers great looks at a reasonable price, along with the trendy features that people want.”

Thanks to a slim, compact form factor made from the highest quality materials, the LG Mini easily slides in a shirt pocket or small handbag while still feeling reassuringly solid to the touch. Textured metal accents on the sides of the LG Mini add to the phone’s eye-catching looks without detracting from its overall simplicity. On the front, a large 3.2 inch touchscreen with an aspect ration of 16:9 extends all the way to the edge of the phone, giving it a finish that is as smooth as ice. In addition, a button-free face keeps the LG Mini simple and sleek.

But the LG Mini has much more than just great looks. Besides a range of staple features such as speedy web browsing and fast push email, the LG Mini also includes several unique aspects, including Social Network Connect, which makes keeping in touch with online friends even easier than on a desktop PC. Popular social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are instantly accessible through built-in applications and a Social Network Feed provides instant and automatic updates of friends and family members on the home screen. Updates also appear next to each contact in the Social Address Book.

What’s more, the LG Mini boasts a 5.0 megapixel camera featuring advanced face detection which allows uploading of sharp, vivid pictures and videos wirelessly to multiple social networks in one simple step. The device also plays music and movies in several popular file formats and even includes an FM radio.

With HSDPA connectivity at 7.2 Mbps and Wi-Fi, the LG Mini can browse the internet at high speed and also provide real-time location information using A-GPS.

The LG Mini will be available in Europe starting in March, followed by other markets, including Singapore. Prices will vary country-to-country and will be announced separately in each market.

Motorola Introduces a Unique Mobile Experience with the Launch of Motorola DEXT, Exclusively with SingTel

Singapore – 20 January 2010 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (SingTel) introduced in Singapore a unique mobile service platform with the launch of Motorola DEXT™, Motorola’s first Android-powered device.

SingTel customers will be the first in Asia to enjoy this breakthrough social mobile device, powered by the unique MOTOBLUR™ platform and complemented by SingTel’s mSocial service plan.

Developed by Motorola, the MOTOBLUR™ platform is one of the first solutions to synchronize contacts, posts, feeds, messages, e-mails, photos and more – from sources such as Facebook^TM, Twitter^TM, MySpace^TM, Gmail™, work and personal email – and automatically deliver them all to the home screen.

Motorola DEXT™ is the first device in Motorola’s Android-powered product portfolio to come with MOTOBLUR™. Following a string of successful and acclaimed launches of its new generation of Android-powered smartphones in North America and Europe, Motorola brings the DEXT™ to Singapore customers looking for an easy, intuitive and smart way to manage their work and social lives – all with the touch of a finger. Plus, users will have access to more than 18,000 applications through Android Market^TM, as well as the ability to search Google^TM right from the homescreen.

SingTel will offer a newly created value-added service, mSocial, priced at S$5.35 per month for consumers to enjoy unlimited local mobile data using the MOTOBLUR™ platform. These include photo uploads, postings received and status updates on popular social networking sites, including Facebook^TM and Twitter^TM within the MOTOBLUR™ service platform

mSocial includes 100MB of local data for all other internet surfing and email access. In addition, excess usage beyond 100MB is capped at S$30 per month, giving customers peace of mind when using Motorola DEXT. Also, as a launch promotion, mSocial is free to all customers who sign up for any 3G Flexi plans with the device.

“Life’s a blur. So much to do, so little time! MOTOBLUR^TM connects everyone in your life by blurring the lines among the various social networks,” said Spiros Nikolakopoulos, Vice President and General Manager, Asia Pacific and International Distribution, Motorola Mobile Devices. “Today’s mobile phone must be more than ‘smart’. It needs to be social – and the DEXT^TM funnels your entire social life into a single stream, making it easy for you to keep track of all your friends, your conversations, your life. No more reason to be anti-social!”

“SingTel and Motorola have cultivated a longstanding relationship through many years of successful collaborations. DEXT^TM is no exception and the innovative MOTOBLUR^TM platform makes it a breeze for customers to stay connected right from the home screen. With SingTel’s affordable mSocial service, customers’ social networking experience will be taken to greater heights when they engage friends, without worrying about data charges, said Ms Sarah Chua, Vice President, Consumer Marketing, SingTel.

SingTel customers can also access a suite of services to meet their mobile lifestyle needs. The exciting services include: i) MobileTV viewing for Channel 8 Primetime, Channel NewsAsia, Bloomberg  and Football Frenzy ii) TrafficLIVE, an intelligent traffic planning service and iii) Android applications like SingTel’s first “BroadBand on Mobile” data usage application for Android devices. This application allows customers to keep track of their data usage and will be available free of charge soon.

Pricing and availability details

Motorola DEXT^TM is available from Saturday, 23 January 2010 from as low as S$0 – S$248 (on any 3G Flexi Plans) or S$0 – S$348 (on SingTel’s free incoming call plans).  Customers on free incoming call plans who sign up for mSocial will enjoy an additional S$50 discount.

Customers on SingTel’s free incoming call plans (excluding 3G Flexi plans) can sign up for mSocial at a promotional price of S$5.35/month (usual price is S$9.90). mSocial is free for customers who sign up for the latest enhanced 3G Flexi plans that come with 12GB of local data, starting from S$39/month, with local data usage capped at S$30.

To purchase DEXT^TM, visit any SingTel retail store or SingTel Exclusive Retailers, and SingTel’s online store, www.singtelshop.com

To experience DEXT^TM with MOTOBLUR^TM, please visit www.motorola.com/motoblur. For the latest product news and promotions, customers can go to the Motorola page on Facebook and Twitter.

ImSocial

With the arrival of the much anticipated DEXT^TM, SingTel will launch a social media marketing campaign, ImSocial (I am social) today. ImSocial is a campaign calling out to social networkers to form the first photo mosaic created via a social media platform.

A dedicated Facebook Page will be created and users can join as fans to upload a photo showing them at their ‘social best’ on the page. Selected photos will also be featured in SingTel’s marketing campaign for Motorola DEXT.

The winning entry will get a chance to win an all expenses paid private party on a yacht with 10 of his/ her friends from social networks.

The public can experience this social media campaign on the 23 and 24 January 2010 at a popular shopping mall in the city area. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ImSocial.

Results for the year ended 31 December 2009
Net profit stable at S$150.3 million, exciting opportunities ahead with NGNBN
SINGAPORE, 19 January 2010 – MobileOne Ltd (M1) today announced the unaudited group financial results for the year ended 31 December 2009. Amidst a challenging economic and operating environment, M1’s operating revenue declined 2.4% year on year to S$781.6 million. However, EBITDA margin on service revenue improved by 1.3% points to 44.2% as a result of ongoing cost management initiatives. Net profit after tax was stable at S$150.3m.
The total customer base grew by 40,000 – helped by an increase of 19,000 postpaid customers – in the fourth quarter to 1.758 million as at 31 December 2009. The iPhone, launched in December 2009, received an overwhelming response from existing and new customers.
The broadband customer base continued to grow and revenue from non-voice services contributed 26.0% of service revenue, up from 23.4% a year ago.
“The Next Generation National Broadband Network (NGNBN), to be launched this second quarter, will present new and exciting opportunities for M1. We will be able to offer a more comprehensive suite of communication services to both retail and corporate segments. For 2010, we aim to grow revenue and mobile market share.”
“Based on the current outlook, we foresee earnings this year to be comparable to 2009,” said Ms Karen Kooi, Chief Executive Officer of M1.
The Board of Directors has recommended a final tax-exempt dividend of 7.2 cents per share, taking full year payout to 80% of net profit after tax for 2009.