[9to5mac—thanks Ted]

• When the rollout is already slower than people initially hoped, the aforementioned delays are never good.

• Aside from the Nokia N810, Asus Eee PC and Everex Cloudbook, Xohm lacks any mainstream WiMax-compliant devices, and we were hoping CTIA 2008 would be a good time to hear about them. An infrastructure is only as good as its end-user products (and vice-versa).

• Speaking of that, where are Intel's WiMax-compatible chips? What about the 20% of 2008 devices scheduled to have WiMax? What about the Montevina chipsets allegedly eagerly awaited by Lenovo, Acer, Asus, Panasonic and Toshiba? WiMax needs some love from its $2 billion champion.

• Xohm partners we spoke to were under the impression that a full Xohm demo would be set up for CTIA. However, Wired's Joe Brown attended Nokia's press conference and noted the N810 WiMax Edition Tablet was demoed over Wi-Fi. What's up with that?

• Similarly, while previewing the N810's HAVA Player at Nokia's booth, the Hava rep told me he was using Wi-Fi for demos because the Xohm booth just across the hall didn't have a strong enough WiMax signal. Laptop Magazine even suffered dropped connections inside the Xohm booth. What ever happened to 10Mbps at 10 kilometers?

• The WiMax demos that did work seemed promising, but the people running the booth operated with a healthy amount of paranoia. We weren't allowed to get too hands-on and they tried to kill our photos, suggesting perhaps things weren't as fully functional as they seemed.

• An early WiMax service rolled out in Australia last month suffered an EPIC FAIL, quickly closed up shop and prompted the CEO to say "WiMax may not work." Could Xohm be suffering from similar problems?

• WiMax's direct 4G competition, LTE, chosen by America's two biggest and most powerful wireless carriers, already seems to be gaining steam, not to mention showing well in recent demos.

So guys, anything we can do to help? I want the future of technology to actually make it to the future. Lord knows I'd feel better knowing I could play World of Warcraft lag-free while sitting in the middle of the Mojave Desert, not that I own WoW or plan to visit the Mojave Desert, but you never know. Seriously, just give me my damn WiMax already!!

Signed,
Adrian Covert

Motorola Redefines Driving Experience with Smart Rider™ In-Vehicle Phone

Fixed in-vehicle device improves enterprise solutions for professional drivers, with interactive voice activation, GPS services and more

CTIA WIRELESS 2008 - LAS VEGAS, Nev. - 1 April 2008 - Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced the debut of the Motorola Smart Rider™ phone, an innovative in-vehicle solution featuring GPS navigation, interactive voice activation, Bluetooth™ wireless technology and exceptional audio quality that's sure to make this phone an integral part of every driver's journey. A unique hands-free solution, the Smart Rider phone uses GSM technology to enhance user experience by ensuring that users can converse, navigate and tend to business while on-the-go.

The Smart Rider increases convenience and quality of communication:

* Bluetooth™ technology allows users to move freely from the home or office straight into the vehicle while having active calls, contact information and other personal data automatically transferred from the handset to the in-vehicle device
* Multiple user profiles grant secure access to personalized phonebook settings for up to three drivers on the Smart Rider phone
* Interactive voice activation makes the phone hassle-free for drivers
* A robust built-in microphone and speakerphone ensures an exceptionally clear, sharp sound.

The Smart Rider phone also offers feature-rich GPS services:

* Turn-by-turn navigation and voice-guided driving instructions
* Precise on-screen directions and detailed maps on a 2.8" high resolution, sharp color display
* Real-time traffic reports and automatic re-routing
* Enabling of location based services (LBS) and fleet management applications.

"The Smart Rider is the next generation in-vehicle phone, designed to operate in unison with the user's daily needs and environment. The phone re-defines what communication on-the-go is all about, and the main focus was placed on transforming the user experience. We are confident that the worldwide success of this flagship product will speak for itself," said Golan Haver, business unit manager for Motorola Car Phones.

Availability
The Smart Rider will be sold worldwide and will be available on the market in June 2008.

Your HUD (Heads Up Display) or arm mounted screen will show you virtual or real enemy activity. But be careful, enemy hackers might be spoofing more troops and enemy aircraft in the area...Half the team maybe remotely engaged in assisting you against the cyber threat...The other part of the company is en route to the next geocache where the assignment is then downloaded. As you approach, it recognizes that you are within 30 yards of the designated position. It then deploys the next mission to your PDA.

We were advisors in 2005 to the 10th Mountain Division and during that time we were conttracted [sic] as Tiger team RF advisors. As a result of this invaluable time spent with our military, we have learned the art of miniaturization, have become battery experts, and are quite versatile in covert and black op wireless communication systems.

Bottom line: There's no reason to believe Fry one way or the other just yet—though his promo shot does looks a bit intentionally mysterious. Whatever, if he and his team of developers does pack all of this magic into a PSP-shaped clear router-looking thingy with disco lights, will will be eager to review the thing, feature by feature. [PocketGamer]

A possibility was to take an Android phone and shove AT&T's own money-generating apps onto it, such as MediaFLO mobile TV. "One of the things we were looking for was that it was truly open and that you could put other features and applications on it," which means the fact that AT&T can completely customize up an Android device means it's that much more likely you'll be able to use one on AT&T. Or, you could always just get one of the dozens of other GSM Android phones due out in the next few years, unlock it, and take it onto AT&T yourself. [Gearlog]

Speaking of Sprint, when asked why they only revealed a new all-you-can-eat subscription after Verizon did—and not Sprint—he replied that Verizon is a "high quality" player, number 2 in the marketplace, and they didn't want to give them any edge. Translation? Sprint is a non-player to AT&T. What about WiMax? Ralph is "not too worried about the threat from WiMax." Poor Sprint, they just can't catch a break. [Giz @ CTIA]

I wouldn't exactly call the Shift a mobile computing powerhouse, but I found that Vista more or less ran smoothly on the UMPC. While running Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer, I loaded a handful of webpages over EV-DO that weren't too resource heavy, but had dynamic content and graphics. The webpages took about 20-30 seconds to load and suffered a bit of choppiness with Word running in the background. But they did format nicely and looked good, which should be expected since its running a full blown OS.

One of the better features was the SnapView interface created by HTC specifically for the EV-DO Shift. The interface is built around a stripped down Windows Mobile 6.1, and made use of the platform's more attractive features to build a quick-launch screen. It looks a lot like the homescreen on the HTC Touch Dual and, as mentioned before, provides access to weather, calendars, emails in a quick and well-designed interface. The Shift has a dedicated button on its front bezel to access Snap View and it transitions between SnapView and Vista with smooth animations and no lag (Vista is put into a sleep mode while running SnapView).

The hardware felt sturdy, and the 7" screen offered plenty of viewing space, but the keyboard was on the small side (it's intended for standard touch typing) and the touchscreen could have been more responsive. And the carrying case/sleeve is permanently affixed to the UMPC, which is kind of lame. Not a bad outing at all from HTC, but it needs just a bit more horsepower.

It's actually a pretty nifty UI feature, though it doesn't quite make up for the browser's other flaws—zooming could be much better and no portrait mode, though we're told they're working on both (pop-up keys on the keyboard might be on the way, too). We were also told that the platform will be continually evolving and show up on other Sprint devices, so at least theoretically it's only going to get better. [Instinct Coverage @ Giz]

Personalized Features

* Additional ringers*
* Backlit keypad
* Color display - Internal: 2.2", 240 x 320 pixels, 262K- color QVGA / External: 16 x 104 single color OLED
* Polyphonic (MIDI) ringers, MP3 ringers, and AAC ringers
* Screensavers
* Wallpaper

Productivity Features

* Alarm Clock
* Calculator
* Camera - 1.3 MP, Digital zoom, with dedicated side key
* Contact directory
* Headset jack
* GPS locator*
* Memo pad
* Predictive text-input software for rapid text entry
* Scheduler
* Side volume controls
* Speed dialing
* Stopwatch
* Tip calculator
* Micro USB connector
* Voice recognition (speaker-independent)
* World clock

Communication Features

* 2-way text messaging*
* Bluetooth® 2.0 - Supports Bluetooth wireless technology profiles (Generic Access, Headset, Hands-free Car Kit, Serial Data Port, Dial-up Networking, OBEX, Object Push, Basic Printing, Phone Book Address, Service Discovery App, A2DP) and allows you to talk hands-free using any compatible accessory with Bluetooth wireless technology, version 2.0
* BREW 3.1.5 platform* - allows for downloads of games, ringers, contacts and much more*
* Color picture caller-ID
* Data capable*
* Email, web based email
* Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS) capable*
* Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC)
* Multi-media Messaging Service (MMS) capable*
* Instant messaging capable*
* Multiple language options
* Secondary external caller ID - 16 x 104 single color OLED
* Speakerphone with dedicated key
* TTY/TDD capable*
* Vibrate alert
* Voice-activated dialing
* Voice memo
* Web access* - WAP 2.0 browser to view your favorite Web sites specifically formatted for your phone
Tech Specs

* Talk Time:
Up to 220 minutes
* Standby Time:
Up to 220 hours

Times will vary based on user settings, feature use and network configuration.

* Size (closed):
3.52 in x 2.05 in x 0.66 in (89.5 x 52 x 16.7 mm)
* Weight:
3.17 ounces (90 grams)
* Mode:
CDMA2000® 1xRTT, tri-band (800, 1900 MHz, AWS), S-GPS*
* Screen Resolution:
Internal: 2.2", 240 x 320 pixels, 262K- color QVGA / External: 16 x 104 single color OLED
* Camera:
1.3 megapixel
* Battery Type:
790 mAh lithium ion (Lilon) battery
* Vocoders:
13 Kbps (PureVoice) and EVRC
* Operational Temperature:
-22° to 140°F (-30° to 60°C) [Note: Battery performance limited in temperatures below 32°F (0°C).]

I wanted a large file download (like a movie) to check sustained speeds, but they weren't giving us too much freedom to mess around. So I just downloaded iTunes, since it's a decent size and usually pretty snappy on my home computer. As you can see, I got between 140-170KB/s, averaging around 150. A little less than I'm used to with cable in that scenario, and a bit below what I expected post-speed test, but not too shabby, for sure.

I would've liked to try some P2P to really straintest the network, but at that point I got yelled at for taking pictures and downloading stuff. Overall, performance was solid, but it's a lot easier to get a WiMax network running in a cramped, controlled environment than following through on a nation-wide deployment. And that's the real trick. [Giz @ CTIA 2008]

Once you get past the homescreen, you're pretty much back to the same context menu-based system of navigation. The main difference between the Professional and Standard editions is that Professional is designed around a touchscreen and Standard is designed around a QWERTY Keyboard and soft keys. For the Professional edition I used an HTC Touch Dual and for Standard edition, I used an HTC S620 and a Moto Q9w.

Some of the new features include Adobe Flash Support, Silverlight support, a new camera interface and the inclusion of the Microsoft Live search engine. Putting Flash to the test with YouTube on an HTC Touch Dual was more or less a disaster. The page is slow and clunky to navigate, video constantly buffers, and when video does play, it is artifacty and pixelated. The Microsoft Live search works pretty well on the HTC SC29. It provides a clean and clear page for results, and is pretty responsive.

When the camera app worked, it wasn't bad at all. It repeatedly froze on the HTC Touch Dual and required a hard reset to get going. It worked flawlessly on the HTC S620. The Interface includes a translucent overlay on top of the viewfinder display and options for zoom and exposure.

The fonts and colors are new, but the backbone isn't. Little things like switching between the inbox and sent folder for text messages is no easier than it was before. When browsing the apps menu, I find it silly you still have to click the "More" softkey to bring up all the apps.

With the emphasis on multimedia features in phones lately, I'm surprised there isn't a new Windows Media Player interface. I still have to use the context menus to go from the Now Playing screen to the Library, which involves a lot of unnecessary clicking.

Overall responsiveness isn't horrible, as it only only seriously lags when trying to get back to the home screen. The 6.1 update is a slight improvement over its predecessor, but Windows Mobile still has some work to do.

My favorite part of the phone is the addition of a SureType keyboard, which I think is a suitable texting alternative when QWERTY keyboards won't do (for the record, I hate T9 texting on a 0-9 pad). The hardware is minimal in design, and has a stylus-based touchscreen that gets the job done.

However, I'm no huge fan of the Windows Mobile platform, and my gripes with it still stand. The camera application kept freezing on me and required a hard reset to get it working correctly. It makes poor use of touchscreen functionality and is far more complicated than it should be. While more responsive than on other HTC offerings i've used, the interface slightly lagged and was a bit choppy. TouchFLO only fixes this so much, generally bringing you back to WinMoLand within one or two screens. The thumb swipe gesture to activate TouchFLO is somewhat difficult and requires too much effort.

In short — good looking hardware, ho hum software.

Sound ID Announces Latest Bluetooth Headset Innovation - the HD300 Developed by acoustic scientists and engineers, the Sound ID HD300 offers exceptional Bluetooth connectivity, sound clarity and comfort Las Vegas, NV (CTIA) and PALO ALTO, CA, April 1, 2008 - Sound ID, the leader in personalized sound, today announced a breakthrough Bluetooth headset, the HD300. With NoiseNavigation™, providing pristine sound through the automatic reduction of wind and background noise, the HD300's acoustic innovations are evenly matched by its narrow form and chic, high-gloss piano black finish. "Comprised of hearing specialists and top acoustic scientists, Sound ID brings an in-depth knowledge of the human ear to the Bluetooth arena," said Michael Jones, President and CEO of Sound ID. "Engineered to complement the natural hearing process, the HD300 delivers great audio and a slim design for comfort and style - ensuring its place among the slickest gadgets on the market today." The Sound ID HD300 Bluetooth Headset offers several unique technology features, including: · NoiseNavigation - A proprietary development, NoiseNavigation optimizes speech intelligibility at both ends of the conversation, as dual microphones isolate speech and DSP algorithms automatically reduce wind and background nose. · PersonalSound™ - HD300 users can choose from three listening modes - tuned to the most common hearing preferences - further enhancing speech clarity without raising the volume. · Automatic Volume Control - This feature eliminates the need for constant volume adjustment in variable noise situations such as driving. Created for extended wear, the lightweight HD300 includes scientifically designed RealComfort™ EarLoops. Available in three sizes, the EarLoops provide a secure and comfortable fit and are engineered to better channel sound into the ear for enhanced listening. Users will also appreciate the headset's compatibility with standard micro USB chargers, which come with many of today's popular mobile phones and may eliminate the need to carry multiple chargers. Sound ID has also created a free downloadable application that extends the HD300's functionality and enables users to control the headset via their mobile phone. The application includes a sound level meter to monitor surrounding noise levels, volume control and a battery life indicator, among other features. HD300 Specifications · Weight: 8 grams (0.28 ounces) · Dimensions: 53.5 x 15.5 x 7.5 millimeters (2.1 x 0.6 x 0.3 inches) · Battery Life: Up to 6 hours talk time, 200 hours (8 days) standby · Latest Bluetooth Technology: Bluetooth version 2.1+EDR with eSCO improves the transmission sound quality and is compatible with earlier versions of Bluetooth. Pricing and Availability The Sound ID HD300 is expected to be available in Q3 2008 for $119.99. It will come with a Universal AC charger (100-240 VAC), three sizes of RealComfort EarLoops and an Ear Hook for an alternative over-the-ear wearing option.

VIA and Everex to Demonstrate New CloudBook™ Max with Built-In WiMAX™ Capability for Sprint XOHM™ Network at CTIA

Stylish, full-featured mini-note delivers seamless
mobile internet experience

Taipei, Taiwan, 1 April 2008 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced that Everex, a pioneer in developing next generation ultra mobile computing devices, has adopted the VIA C7®-M ULV processor for the new Everex CloudBook Max, a stylish mini-note with a stunning 8.9" screen and integrated single-chip Mobile WiMAX solution from GCT Semiconductor for use with Sprint's high-speed XOHMwireless network.

VIA and Everex will display the device for the first time at the WiMAX Experience Lounge in the Central Hall lobby at CTIA Wireless 2008, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center on April 1-3, 2008. In addition, live demonstrations of the Everex CloudBook Max will also be made at GCT Semiconductor's meeting room MR-789 in Hall C of the convention center.

Packing in a host of advanced connectivity, computing, and multimedia features into a compact and stylish clamshell form factor that weighs less than 1kg, the Everex CloudBook Max has been designed from the ground up to enable people to fully enjoy the growing array of rich mobile Internet applications and services that will be available on Sprint's XOHM wireless network.

"Consumers and mobile workers want to experience the real Internet and all their favorite applications with the same high speed and full functionality whether at their desk or on the go," said Richard Brown, Vice President of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. "With its ground-breaking design and embedded Mobile WiMAX connectivity, the new Everex CloudBook Max paves the way for truly seamless computing whatever your location."

"The development by VIA and Everex of the Everex CloudBook Max with WiMAX capabilities from GCT is an example of the embedded device ecosystem at work. We expect this collaboration, along with others like it, to result in a robust portfolio of WiMAX capable devices," commented Bin Shen, Vice President of Product Management and Partnership Development at Sprint's XOHM business unit.

"With the new Everex CloudBook Max, we are extending our leadership in the development of innovative ultra mobile devices that deliver the richest and most compelling experience on the mobile internet," commented John Lin, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Everex.

"Mobile devices with embedded WiMAX will continue to require Mobile WiMAX solutions with a smaller form factor and lower power consumption," said Kyeongho Lee, President and CEO of GCT Semiconductor. "We believe that GCT's industry-first, single-chip mobile WiMAX solution provides the optimal features of size and power consumption for the Everex CloudBook Max."

About the Everex CloudBook Max

Powered by the 1.6GHz VIA C7-M ULV processor coupled with the VIA VX800 digital media IGP chipset, the Everex CloudBook Max supports Microsoft® Windows Vista™ and delivers outstanding graphics and video performance through its vibrant 8.9" WVGA display at resolutions of up to 1024 x 600.
With its integrated single chip Mobile WiMAX solution, the Everex CloudBook Max will connect seamlessly to the ultra-fast Sprint XOHM wireless broadband network, as well as to existing 802.11b/g WiFi networks. To provide additional convenience and functionality to the mobile internet user, the device also comes with Bluetooth support, an integrated GPS receiver, and dual built-in 2-megapixel webcams for videoconferencing.

The Everex CloudBook Max delivers up to four hours of battery life and also features a full keyboard plus integrated trackpad with two mouse buttons in a stylish and durable form factor that measures just 240mm(w) x 175mm(d) x 27mm(h) and weighs less than 1kg. Other features include up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, 80GB hard disk drive, one S-Video port, and Mic-In/Speaker-Out ports.

The Everex CloudBook Max is expected to be available in a year.

Debuting in the United States, the HTC Touch Dual Incorporates an Intuitive Touch Screen, Slide-Out Keypad and Windows Mobile 6.1 Software

HTC offers customers an enhanced mobile experience through the introduction of Windows Mobile 6.1 software updates for a variety of HTC devices.

LAS VEGAS — April 1, 2008 — HTC Corp. (TAIEX: 2498; "HTC"), a global leader in smartphone design and manufacturing, revealed that the popular HTC Touch Dual™ will debut in the United States this quarter. Announced today at the Cellular Telecommunication and Internet Association (CTIA) Wireless 2008 spring conference, the HTC Touch Dual™ combines an intuitive touch screen with integrated TouchFLO™ technology and slide-out keypad and Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional software, making it easier for customers to communicate on the go.

"HTC has witnessed incredible support and demand for the Touch product portfolio, and we are pleased to provide our customers with the opportunity to experience additional iterations of the Touch product family," said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of HTC America. "The Touch Dual will be among the first devices in the United States to run Windows Mobile 6.1 and will be followed by a range of 6.1 updates for several other HTC products."

Software Upgrades Available on HTC Devices

In partnership with Microsoft and key mobile operator partners, HTC will continue to extend the functionality of many current HTC devices both in the United States and abroad by providing Windows Mobile 6.1 updates. Windows Mobile 6.1, an update to Windows Mobile 6, provides new timesaving features, easier phone navigation and management, stronger security safeguards, and support for Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008. Some of HTC's most popular smartphones including the Touch by HTC and Mogul by HTC from Sprint, AT&T Tilt, Alltel Wireless' HTC Touch and PPC6800, and the HTC TyTN II, will be among the first of many devices available for a Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrade.

Supporting existing customers and enhancing their experiences continues to be a focus for HTC; Sprint and HTC recently provided an update for the popular Mogul by HTC, making it the industry's first EV-DO Rev. A-capable handset while also enabling additional GPS functionality.

"Windows Mobile enhances people's lives by providing them with an experience that keeps them close to what's important to them — anywhere, anytime," said John O'Rourke, general manager of the Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft. "HTC has a history of providing a great selection of popular Windows Mobile phones, and we are pleased to bring the latest in software to a range of its products around the world."

HTC Touch Dual Availability and Features

Best Buy will be the first to offer the HTC Touch Dual, which will be available through select Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile retail outlets, online at BestBuy.com and htc.com.

"At Best Buy we are committed to providing customers with a wide selection of high quality handsets," said David Ryan, director of merchandising, Best Buy Mobile. "We look forward to adding the innovative HTC Touch Dual to our current lineup of unlocked phones."

Taking user control to a whole new level, the HTC Touch Dual combines an intuitive touch screen and keypad within a stunning design. The versatile device offers an interactive cube interface for quick and easy navigation to e-mails, text messages, calendar appointments and contacts. Features include the following:

• TouchFLO™, a touch-screen technology that allows finger-touch scrolling, panning and photo zooming

• Slide-out 20-key keyboard for quick dialing, text messages and e-mail

• Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional

• Microsoft Office Mobile for working on documents and getting your Outlook e-mail

• Live HTC Home™ featuring time and weather display, quick launcher, and one-touch ring-tone settings

• 2 megapixel camera for shooting photos/videos and a second camera for video calls

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900Mhz) and HSDPA (850/1900Mhz) connectivity