Maybe the best thing to come from the launch of the iPhone less than a year ago is not the iPhone itself, but the pressure it has put on other mobile phone companies to actually deliver better phones. HTC thinks it has the next challenger to the iPhone in the Touch Diamond.

LONDON — May 6, 2008 — Born from a unique heritage of innovation and a deep desire to blend design with simplicity, HTC Corp., a global leader in mobile phone innovation and design, today unveiled its new flagship phone, the HTC Touch Diamond. Delivering unmistakable style and meticulous craftsmanship the HTC Touch Diamond is defined by its compact size, game-changing Internet and its new captivating 3D touch interface called TouchFLO 3D. The result is an uncompromising mobile phone that sets a new benchmark for phone sophistication and shapes consumer expectations for how a phone can be used.

“Today we mark a new era in mobile phone evolution, an era where beauty and size integrate with uncompromising innovation at broadband speeds,” said Peter Chou, president and CEO, HTC Corp. “The HTC Touch Diamond will make browsing the Web and using Web-enabled applications just as practical and easy to use as making calls.”

A New Dimension To Touch
HTC has taken a great leap forward in touch screen innovation with the introduction of its new 3D touch interface called TouchFLO 3D. TouchFLO 3D provides animated access to people, messaging, email, photos, music, weather and more. In addition, HTC is introducing a new innovative touch-sensitive control for interacting with Touch Diamond.

Making The Mobile Internet Fun
With the introduction of the Touch Diamond, HTC delivers an entirely new mobile Internet experience that utilizes broadband-like speeds with HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA wireless connectivity. Committed to improving Web browsing, HTC provides a new customized mobile Web browser that enables easy viewing and effortless navigation of Websites in the way they were designed. As part of this browsing experience users can zoom and pan Websites with one-hand and automatically view optimized content that has been specially created to fit the display. Turning the device sideways automatically rotates the web page view from a portrait to landscape view.
In addition to Web browsing, the Touch Diamond includes a customized new, HTC-developed, YouTube application for watching a variety of user generated video content as well as utilizing Google Maps for mobile for mapping and traffic data.

Unmatched Style and Size
The Touch Diamond is crafted with precision to fit comfortably in a user’s hand without compromising on features or functionality. Blending contrasting design elements of metal and unique geometric facets, the Touch Diamond complements a user’s personal style.

Bursting with Innovation
The Touch Diamond delivers an unrivalled combination of features and functionality that set a new standard for integrating mobile phone innovation into a small package. The 2.8 inch display provides near-print quality viewing that enables beautiful Web browsing and viewing of photographs. The built-in camera includes an optical auto-focus lens that ensures the photos you take will be clear and consistent. Advanced wireless and auto sensor screen pivoting are just a few of the features that make the Touch Diamond experience a stand out.

Availability
The HTC Touch Diamondâ„¢ will be available to customers across all major European carriers in June. It will be available later this quarter in Asia and the Middle East. The North American and Latin American versions of the Touch Diamond will be available in the second half of 2008.
“Our long-standing relationship with HTC meant they shared their phone concept and worked with us from the earliest stage. This early collaboration is important to us because at Orange, we know that the right multimedia experience is about more than just the phone,” said Olaf Swantee, EVP of Orange’s global mobile operations. “Our approach is to select and test the best phones and integrate our applications, combining them with access to the Orange World portal, the best tariffs, integrated billing, a user-friendly interface and excellent customer support. With the Touch Diamond from Orange we have created a unique phone which has taken advantage of our latest service innovation to build upon the consistently rich experience customers expect from Orange.”

HTC Touch Diamond Key Specifications
Size: 102 x 51 x 11.33mm
Weight: 110 g
Connectivity: WCDMA / HSPA: 900/2100MHz. HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA
Operating system: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
Display: 2.8-inch VGA touch screen
Camera: 3.2MP, with video calling
Internal memory: 4 GB Internal Storage, 256 MB flash, 192 MB RAM
Bluetooth: 2.0 with EDR
Wireless: WiFi 802.11b/g
GPS: GPS/AGPS
Interface: HTC ExtUSBTM (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed)
Battery: 900 mAh
Talk time: GSM: up to 4 hours
Standby time: GSM: up to 300 hours/100 hours with push email
Chipset: Qualcomm® MSM 7201ATM 528MHz
About HTC
Founded in 1997, HTC Corp. (HTC) designs, manufactures and markets innovative, feature rich smartphone and PDA Phone devices.

Since its establishment, HTC has developed strong R&D capabilities, pioneered many new designs and product innovations and launched state-of-the-art PDA Phones and smartphones for mobile operators and distributors in Europe, the US, and Asia. These machines are available as HTC devices and as products individually customized for operator and device partners.
HTC is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile device market. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

With rumors running rampant that a new 3G iPhone is eminent, Samsung has quietly released what they believe is an iPhone killer. There have been others before, but the new Samsung 3G Instinct has the most promise of the bunch. Running on Sprint’s 3G “EV-DO Rev. A” data network the Instinct looks a lot like the iPhone, but has 3G, a replaceable battery, and haptic feedback for the touchscreen. The Instinct is due to be released in June and by that time there is no telling what form or features will grace the iPhone, but it’s good to see some competition that might actually be competition.

[via Yahoo]

Barcelona, Spain will be host to the newly named Mobile World Congress Monday, where thousands will gather to find out what to expect in 2008. This years conference will surely include Google’s Android prototypes, a battle between WIMax and Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and plenty of touch screens. No, the iPhone will be nowhere, but the race to produce an interface that matches or even bests the iPhone will be present. Mobile advertising, locations services like GPS and mapping software should also play significant roles at 3GSM. Learn more at www.mobileworldcongress.com.

Text messaging is a whole new language that most people know nothing about.

Do you know what 182 means? What about CRS? If you are a seasoned text messenger, you know exactly what those mean (I Hate You and Can’t Remember Sh** for those that arn’t). When I was in high school, 182 was just a number, but today it means so much more. So if you find yourself on the other end of a BRB, here is a quick run down of some common and not so common messages.

Numbers and Symbols Text Lingo

@TEOTD At The End Of The Day
^RUP^ Read Up Please
02 Your (or my) two cents worth
2G2BT Too Good To Be True
404 I haven’t a clue
4Q F*** You
9 Parent is Watching
99 Parent is no longer watching

Letters

A3 Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime
ACK Acknowledgement
ALAP As Late As Possible
ALOL Actually Laughing Out Loud
AWC After While, Crocodile
BAU Business As Usual
BTHOOM Beats The Heck Out Of Me
BW Best Wishes
CD9 Code 9 – it means parents are around
CWOT Complete Waste Of Time
DIRFT Do It Right the First Time
DWB Don’t Write Back
EOM End Of Message
FISH First in, Still Here
FLA Four Letter Acronym
FUBAR F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition
FWB Friends With Benefits
GFN Gone For Now
IAC In Any Case -or- I Am Confused
IAW I Agree With -or- In Accordance With
IGTP I Get The Point
INBD It’s No Big Deal
KMP Keep Me Posted
MEGO My Eyes Glaze Over
MOP Moment Please
MTF More To Follow
NWR Not Work Related
OOO Out Of Office
OWTTE Or Words To That Effect
P2C2E Process Too Complicated Too Explain
PITA Pain In The Ass
POS Parent Over Shoulder -or- Piece Of Sh**
PRON Porn
RBTL Read Between The Lines
STYS Speak To You Soon
T@YL Talk At You Later
TAW Teachers Are Watching
w00t We Own the Other Team
WTH What The Heck
YGWYPF You Get What You Pay For
ZZZ Sleeping, Bored, Tired
[via NetLingo]

Garmin did more than introduce a new GPS device today. The nüvifone adds a phone, web browser and touchscreen into a package about the size of the iPhone. This will not be the only comparison to the iPhone people will make to the nüvifone. Everything from the screen size and the shape of the icons to the touchscreen remind you of the iPhone. The nüvifone will be released later this year.

New York/January 30, 2008/PR Newswire — Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN) and the world’s leading GPS manufacturer, today announced its entrance into the mobile phone market with the nüvifone, an all-in-one, sleek and slim, touchscreen device that combines a premium phone, mobile web-browser, and cutting-edge personal navigator. The nüvifone is a work of art in features, design and functionality and is destined to transform how individuals connect, communicate and navigate their life.

“The nüvifone is an all-in-one device offering unmatched integration of utility and function in a single mobile device,” said Cliff Pemble, Garmin’s president and COO. “This is the breakthrough product that cell phone and GPS users around the world have been longing for — a single device that does it all.”

The nüvifone is an innovative mobile phone that has a wide range of advanced yet easy-to-use features. The all touchscreen device is the first of its kind to integrate premium 3.5G mobile phone capability with an internet browser, data connectivity, personal messaging, and personal navigation functions in one device. When powered on, the 3.5-inch touchscreen display reveals three primary icons — “Call,” “Search,” and “View Map” which allow the user to effortlessly master the nüvifone’s functions.

The nüvifone is the ultimate multi-tasker. Calls are easily initiated by tapping the “Call” button and selecting a name from the contact list or by using the on-screen keypad. When the user is trying to juggle talking on their phone while entering their vehicle to start a trip, the nüvifone makes the transition simple. When the nüvifone is docked onto the vehicle mount, it automatically turns on the GPS, activates the navigation menu, and enables hands-free calling so that the user never misses a beat in the conversation and is able to begin routing to their destination with ease.

Customers familiar with Garmin’s industry leading nüvi® product line will feel right at home using the nüvifone’s personal navigation features. It includes preloaded maps of North America, Eastern and Western Europe, or both, and allows drivers to quickly find a specific street address, establishment’s name or search for a destination by category using the nüvifone’s built-in database with millions of points of interest. Turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions guide the user to their destination. If they miss a turn along the route, nüvifone automatically recalculates a route and gets them back on track, speaking the names of the streets along the way.

The nüvifone is Garmin’s first device to include Google local search capability, which harnesses the vast point of interest information available from the world wide web. Nüvifone users can search for locations like “coffee shops” and Google will sort the results based on the user’s current location and relevance. Information provided by Google includes a web-based rating so that users can select the most appropriate destination and route directly to it. In addition, the nüvifone includes a web browser incorporating premium features and touchscreen operation for an optimum mobile browsing experience. The nüvifone also includes personal messaging functions, including email, text, and instant messaging.

For the ultimate in safety, the “Where am I?” feature lets users touch the screen at any time to display the exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations. The nüvifone also helps drivers find their car in an unfamiliar spot or crowded parking lot by automatically marking the position in which it was last removed from the vehicle mount.

In addition to navigation, the nüvifone includes access to Garmin Online™, an online service offering constantly-updating information such as real-time traffic, fuel prices, stock prices, sport scores, news reports, local events and weather forecasts.

The nüvifone also includes numerous mobile entertainment applications. The built-in camera allows individuals to take a picture that will automatically be tagged with the exact latitude and longitude reference of where the image was taken. The user may then save the image so they can navigate back to the location, or email the image to a recipient who can navigate directly to the location. The nüvifone also provides direct access to millions of geo-located landmark and sightseeing photographs available through Google’s Panoramio picture sharing site. The Panoramio photo search feature enhances the enjoyment and adventure of sightseeing in an otherwise unfamiliar location. Other multimedia functions of the nüvifone include a built-in video camera, MP3 and MPEG4/AAC.

Garmin anticipates that the nüvifone will be available in the third quarter of 2008. Specific details about pricing and sales partners will be announced in the future. Additional information about nüvifone is available at www.garmin.com/nuvifone.

Charge your Razr without using a wire!

The WildCharger is a new way to power up your cell phone, one that does not involve wires to your phone. The power cord to your phone is replaced by a large silver mat that can charge multiple items at the same time. CNET recently reviewed the WildCharger and liked it despite some flaws like limited phone support.

The WildCharger is composed of three parts: the charger itself, an AC power adapter, and a special adapter for your phone. The first part is the most interesting. As we mentioned previously, it looks like a placemat, albeit one the Jetsons might have used. The broad metal stripes do more than just reflect the light; they actually serve as the pad’s conductive surface. The back of the pad is sturdy plastic and on one side are the charger port and a small indicator light.

So how does it work? Electrical current is delivered to the metal stripes on the pad from the AC adapter, which is then passed to the phone adapter (remember those metal bumps) and then on to the phone. When you think about it, the concept is pretty basic but WildCharge is one of the few to put it into practice.

At $89, it’s not for everybody, but if your a gadget freak (and have a Razr V3) and want the very latest to wow your friends, then this is it.

DirecTV recently announced a new beta program called DVR Scheduler that lets you set up recordings from your mobile phone or on the web. The service lets you browse the 14-day program guide and schedule a program to record, as well as set its priority over other scheduled recordings. Customers with the DIRECTV PLUS DVR (models R15-100, R15-300, R15-500) and DIRECTV PLUS HD DVR (models HR20-700, HR20-100) will be able to use this service right now. DirecTV plans to expand the service to other DVR models including the DirecTiVo units. Your mobile phone must have internet functionality, like the Apple iPhone, RIM Blackberry and others from Motorola, LG and Nokia.