Samsung has partnered with U.S. CDMA carrier Sprint to launch the new SPH-i325 Ace, a dual-mode CDMA/GSM smartphone that borrows some styling cues from Samsung's SGH-i320 from 2 years back.


The Ace combines the best of both worlds with EV-DO capable CDMA coverage in the U.S. on Sprint's network and a SIM card slot for GPRS/GSM use when traveling abroad to make the handheld a true world phone.

The new Ace is similar in design to Samsung's popular Blackjack line of smartphones, but features a non-scrollable d-pad and a thumbwheel for one-handed navigation. The best feature found on the new Ace its dual-mode functionality. The Samsung Ace will work on the 800/1900MHz CDMA networks found in North America and can be used with any valid SIM card when traveling abroad on 900/1800MHz GSM networks. The GSM feature of the Ace is unlocked, meaning that users can buy their own local SIM cards when travelling, rather than having to pay high per-minute rates to Sprint.


Sprint has teamed up the new Ace with some special roaming costs, too. For example, calls placed in Canada are billed at a discounted rate of US$.59/minute, while voice and data minutes used on Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam are billed as if they were used on the U.S. mainland.

Measuring up at 118mm x 58mm x 13mm (4.65" x 2.3" x 0.5") and weighing a mere 111g (3.9oz), the Samsung Ace is both lightweight and stylish. MicroSD memory cards (up to 2G can be used to complement on-board memory, and the device features a large 2.3" QVGA resolution 65k color TFT LCD display. The Ace runs Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6 operating system and features a full QWERTY keyboard for optimum use of the included Office Mobile suite applications. Standard features like a 1.3 megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth stereo, and speakerphone are also present.

The Samsung SPH-i325 Ace from Sprint is available now for US$199.99 after mail-in rebates and savings, with a two-year service agreement.

Source:http://mobilitytoday.com/news/008358/samsung_ace_sprint

World's largest cellphone maker Nokia has tied up with Google to facilitate web search on its products, even as it launched models offering new services, moves that could consolidate its leadership position.


The integration will begin in select markets on Nokia N96, Nokia N78, Nokia 6210 Navigator and Nokia 6220 classic. Google search will be extended to additional models in the future.

Ultimately, Nokia will make Google search available to its customers in over 100 countries around the world, serving mobile owners speaking more than 40 languages.

At the GSM World Congress, the company also launched a number of new devices including phones that offer location- based navigation services.

Nokia improved its market share to 40 per cent last year and hopes to better it.


Launching four mobile phones -- N96, Nokia N78, Nokia 6220 and Nokia 6219 Navigator, the company said these were no longer mobile phones but mini personal computers.

"As we continue to free the internet from the limitations of the desktop, we are taking mobility into a completely new realm of possibility," Nokia Chief Executive Officer Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said.

The devices exhibit different location-based and multimedia experiences from pedestrian navigation to geo-tagging and movie viewing to video and photo sharing. The phones would be in the market from second quarter this year.

Commenting on i-phones from Apple and other companies, Nokia officials said they were ready to face the competition.


Nokia Executive Vice President (Mobile Phones) Kai Ostamo, while commenting on its new range of phones, said "we would like to be called Mobile Experience Company and not just a mobile phone company."

Source:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News_by_Industry/Nokia_ties_up_with_Google_to_offer_search_engine_facility/articleshow/2789539.cms