Rumor Mill: Europhone Could Release 3 Windows Mobile Smartphones

[Mike Temporale]

http://www.europhoneusa.com/gprs.htm

These phones are not yet available, and they may never be. However, you can't help but admire their style and amazing feature set. The three phones can be seen here, here, and here on the Wapzon.com website, or on the Europhone website.



Here's a couple highlights from the spec list:

• GSM Triband
  
• TV Tuner
  
• FM Radio
  
• Bluetooth
  
• WLAN 802.11b
  
• Java
  
• Windows Mobile for Smartphone 2003
  
• 64MB
  
• 2.4" 240x320 TFT LCD screen
  
• 1.3MB Digital Camera

So what do you think? Would you be willing to make one of these your next phone?

[Mike Temporale]

http://www.europhoneusa.com/gprs.htm

These phones are not yet available, and they may never be. However, you can't help but admire their style and amazing feature set. The three phones can be seen here, here, and here on the Wapzon.com website, or on the Europhone website.



Here's a couple highlights from the spec list:

• GSM Triband
  
• TV Tuner
  
• FM Radio
  
• Bluetooth
  
• WLAN 802.11b
  
• Java
  
• Windows Mobile for Smartphone 2003
  
• 64MB
  
• 2.4" 240x320 TFT LCD screen
  
• 1.3MB Digital Camera

So what do you think? Would you be willing to make one of these your next phone?

[Kris Kumar]

Looking at the formfactor (about the same size as the MPx220), absolutely. :-)

A little confused though. The EurophoneUSA site says that it is "Microsoft PPC PE 2004, Magneto" based device. But in the screen shot you can see the softkeys ("Start" etc).

So does that mean next PPC PE release will have support for Smartphone like softkey based input/UI. :?

[Mike Temporale]

Originally Posted by Kris Kumar

A little confused though. The EurophoneUSA site says that it is "Microsoft PPC PE 2004, Magneto" based device. But in the screen shot you can see the softkeys ("Start" etc).

So does that mean next PPC PE release will have support for Smartphone like softkey based input/UI. :?

We know that Microsoft is working at narrowing the line between PPC and SP, so I wouldn't be surprised to see softkeys on the next PPC release. Howeve, I don't think these are PPC based phones. They clearly show Smartphone characteristics.

The two on the left appear to be slider phones. Pretty cool.

[MadTxn]

Magneto is *supposed* to converge the PPC and SmartPhone OS. So yes, it should have both.

[kennyg]

I find the TV tuner part hard to believe, even the newer tuner cards have at minimum a PCCard size tuner in them...

Kenny.

[Mike Temporale]

Originally Posted by kennyg

I find the TV tuner part hard to believe, even the newer tuner cards have at minimum a PCCard size tuner in them...

Kenny.

A quick Google search turned up this article:

At present, a mobile phone manufacturer would have to include three separate chips -- a TV tuner, a signal demodulator and a channel decoder. The Hollywood chip includes all this functionality.

Texas Instruments said that the chip will be able to receive a live TV broadcast at up to 30 frames per second

Of course the article goes on to say that it won't be shipping in prodcution until 2006 and we won't see them in phones until 2007. That doesn't mean Europhone won't be using the 3 chip solution.

[Ben]

These phones look incredible. I will buy one at any price under $1,000. Those features are ideal, and the greater screen resolution does seem to be blurring the line between PPC and SP. There really is no reason to have two separate OS's. I like the one in the middle the best. The only improvement they should definitely consider is a clamshell design. (Then integrated GPS, a clip-on qwerty keyboard, and brilliant speech-recognition software, and I'll never ask for anything more).

[mathiaspettersson@msn.com]

I think the time is right for a slider-type MS Smartphone! Clamshell is so two minutes ago. Except I would like it to slide the other way, Sidekick-stylee. Anyone who thinks mobile e-mailing wil take off with 12 keys is kidding himself.

[Kris Kumar]

Originally Posted by Ben

There really is no reason to have two separate OS's. I like the one in the middle the best.

Looks like that is what Microsoft is doing with the Magneto. One OS, that will be applied to two different hardware form factors. So Smartphone and PPC PE will differ only in hardware and UI behaviour. :?

[BillMSTI]

Was just watching the 10:00 news and they had a piece on the TV tuner phones. Looked pretty good to me. They mentioned the TI chip as well and said they would be available in 2-3 yrs.