Word on the Wall Street Journal is that Microsoft is teaming up with Verizon to create an iPhone-like smartphone, complete with a touch screen and apps for sale at the Windows Marketplace. Reportedly, Microsoft will design the software and hardware, then hand the manufacturing off to a third party, kind of like Google does with its Android operating system. This isn’t a surprising rumor, but there’s a twist: USA Today reported that Verizon is in talks with Apple to reel in the iPhone. Could both of these unconfirmed stories pan out? Maybe, but get ready for yet another shocker: BusinessWeek says Verizon and Apple are actually working on an “iPhone lite” and a media pad that only includes Wi-Fi for making calls. With so many crazy rumors packed into such a short period of time, they can’t all pan out. Which one would you like to see the most? [Wall Street Jounal via Engadget]
In the war for smartphone operating system supremacy, Google’s Android has earned another recruit. Samsung’s I7500 will be the first smartphone from a major worldwide cell phone manufacturer. The 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen is good for viewing all sorts of Google services, such as Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps, along with apps from the Android Market. Other features include HSDPA and Wi-Fi support, a 5-megapixel camera, GPS and 8 GB of storage, plus a Micro SD slot for up to 32 GB more space. The I7500 is coming to major European markets in June, with no official word on a US release. However, Crave notes that the smartphone’s supported bands are compatible with T-Mobile’s 3G network. Perhaps a US announcement isn’t far behind. [via Akihabara News]
The headline says it all. Good job T-Mobile, for selling a million G1 smartphones, or 66 percent of your total US 3G sales. Android will be so proud. We’re not talking Apple or Blackberry levels of market share here, but it’s a great start considering the smartphone only launched in October of last year, and with no 3G coverage at that. Deutsche Telekom, which reported the statistics, says 3G smartphones will be a major selling point in the year ahead. Accordingly, T-Mobile will expand its US “points of presence” under the 3G network from 107 million to 205 million. It’s going to be a bloodbath as telecoms try to sell you their fancy handsets. [Deutsche Telekom via Engadget]
The crack developers at Kyocera are coming up with some crazy ideas, and just for the sake of exciting us, they’re passing around 3D renders of their wildest (phone) fantasies. The neatest, by far, is the EOS (pictured), which sports a flexible OLED display and a QWERTY keyboard function on the back side when partially folded up. It also uses kinetic generations to charge the device as it folds. Meanwhile, the iPhone-like NXT concept has a solar panel on the back and four detachable OLED displays. Obviously we’re a ways off from anything like these designs — OLED itself is just barely coming into vogue — but a Kyocera man can dream, right? [via MobileCrunch]
We’re one step closer to creating the Terminator with iVisit’s “SeeScan” object recognition technology. Intended for the blind and visually impaired, enabled mobile devices can announce the name of an object after looking it over with its camera. Identification only takes a second or two, and the video above shows how the device even recognizes a $20 bill even when it’s folded up. It can also provide estimates of range and orientation, detect landmarks and provide directions with GPS and Google Maps. Beta versions are coming later this year on major 3G network and Windows Mobile phones, with Symbian and iPhone versions to follow. [thanks Eyal]
A Chinese company named CECT has done its very best to bring us the iPhone Nano we’ve all been waiting for, sort of. The m188 looks just like Apple’s creation — minus the branding — but in a shell measuring 3.5 x 1.9 x 0.4 inches (roughly the size of a credit card). The specs aren’t bad, either, with a 2.6-inch touch screen, GPRS connectivity, an MP3/video player, an FM tuner with scheduled recording and a cheap little 640×480 resolution camera. International travelers might enjoy the dual SIM card slots. If you’re interested, head over to BigBoxStore, where $100 gets you this bold exercise in ripping off Apple. [via Technabob]
So HTC’s latest smartphone looks a bit like the Blackberry Bold, but that’s okay; RIM’s probably flattered by having some competition that isn’t copying the iPhone (although, HTC’s kind of done that as well). For specs, you’ve got the Windows Mobile OS running on a 528 MHz Qualcomm processor. There’s 192 MB of RAM — a bit better than the Bold’s 128 MB, at least — a 2.4-inch screen, a 2-megapixel camera, 3G HSPA and all the usual stuff, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 and a QWERTY keyboard. Asking price? Fat chance, they never talk about this stuff during reveals. It’ll be available in the second quarter, but here’s something nice: An unlocked version, dubbed the HTCS522, will arrive for U.S. consumers in the summer. [via Wired]
We’re familiar with kinetic watches, but who wears those old relics anymore? A kinetic smartphone is much more suitable for the 21st century, and Ulysse Nardin has the answer. The “Chairman,” whose technology is actually borrowed from Ulysse Nardin’s kinetic watches, has a revolving rotor on the back that provides supplemental battery power. It also looks damn sexy, and the other features are pretty cool as well. There’s a 2.8-inch multi-touch screen, a 5-megapixel camera, biometric fingerprint unlocking and an e-mail browser with Wi-Fi. The Chairman is on display at the Baselworld watch and jewelry expo, but there’s no word on pricing or availability. We’re guessing the answer is “soon” and “not cheap.” [Uncells via Gizmodo]
Ever feel like you’re not being heard? Perhaps it’s not what you’re saying, but how you’re saying it. Maybe, just maybe, if you were writing it across the night air in front of you with pretty, bright blue lights, people would listen. In fact, we’re pretty sure they would. And it will only cost you a dollar to test out the theory. The new Light Writer – POV Effect app by Laan Labs allows you to use your iPhone to create the illusion of floating words. Type in your message or choose a piece of clip art and wave it in the air like you just don’t care. Just remember, like with speaking, sometimes it’s better to think it than say it–don’t get an ass kicking or disorderly persons in the name of an app. [Gizmodo]
