Windows Mobile may not be the freshest of smartphone platforms, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of people still using handsets running the Microsoft OS. Happily those people can now get Spotify on their devices, as the streaming audio company has just launched their new Spotify for Windows Mobile app. Meanwhile, looking suitably ahead, they’ve also confirmed that Spotify for Windows Phone 7 will also be available.
Video demo after the cut
The usual Spotify functionality – including streaming over 2.5/3G – and offline playlists is present, though you’ll of course need a Spotify Premium account to use the mobile client. It’s available through the Windows Marketplace for Mobile or by visiting m.spotify.com from your smartphone.
Search, browse and play millions of tracks
Stream over WiFi or 2.5/3G – All your existing playlists are available
Offline playlists – Play your music without an internet connection
On-the-fly sync – Every track you add to a playlist appears on mobile and computer
What’s New tab
Wirelessly sync your local files to your phone
Starred tracks – tag all your favourites into a special list
Motorola’s ES400S isn’t exactly pretty – though we have to say it does have a certain rugged, purposeful charm – but it’s tough and flexible, even with Windows Mobile 6.5.3 as the OS. The “enterprise handheld device” (based on the regular ES400) is headed to Sprint at the end of October 2010, priced at a hefty $499.99 (with a new agreement) but capable of withstanding dust, four foot drops and bumps.
Specs include a 3-inch VGA resolution touchscreen, WiFi a/b/g and EVDO Rev.A, along with a GSM/HSPA for international roaming. There’s also GPS, 1GB of ROM and 256MB of RAM, and a 3.2-megapixel camera which can fire out a red line – just like supermarket scanners – for using it more easily with 1D and 2D barcodes. The regular battery is a 1,540mAh pack, but there’s an optional 3,080mAh pack if you’re looking for extra runtime.
Frankly this is of little interest to most people, but if you’re out in the field, want biometric security and are rough with your smartphones, the Sprint Motorola ES400S might be the handset for you. Just make sure you have deep pockets in all senses.
Press Release:
First Motorola Mobile Enterprise Handheld Device to be Branded, Stocked and Sold Through a Wireless Carrier, Motorola ES400S by Sprint, Available by End of October
Motorola ES400S offers access to the Sprint 3G network,
superior ruggedness, enterprise-class barcode reader capabilities,
built-in Biometric finger swipe security and a customizable enterprise user interface
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Sept. 28, 2010 – Businesses demand capable, secure and rugged devices to get the job done, and Motorola ES400S by Sprint (NYSE: S) will soon be the ideal enterprise mobile device to do just that. Offering integrated voice and data capabilities that can unleash the full potential of mobile professionals, Motorola ES400S by Sprint is designed to transform business operations, increase enterprise profitability, and help teams complete their jobs anywhere and anytime.
Available by the end of October, for as low as $499.99 for qualifying business customers or $549.99 with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement, Motorola ES400S requires a Sprint® Business Advantage Messaging and Data plan or an Everything plan with data.
Motorola ES400S is the first Motorola enterprise handheld device to be carrier-branded, stocked and sold to businesses of all sizes through Sprint sales channels, including Business Sales, Sprint.com and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1). It will also be available through the Sprint Business Solutions Partners, which can provide value-added services, including advanced help desks and application integration.
Enterprise managers and workforces across field service, field sales, healthcare, retail, utilities, manufacturing and transportation/distribution industries will benefit from the device’s compact design and mobile access to business-critical applications and back-end systems.
“Motorola ES400S was built with the business user in mind and expands Sprint’s leadership in rugged devices,” said Danny Bowman, president – Integrated Solutions Group, Sprint. “With its compact size and access to advanced applications leveraging the Sprint 3G network, Motorola ES400S is a breakthrough enterprise-class device that can meet the needs of business users who are constantly seeking ways to boost individual and team productivity. Sprint is ideally positioned to offer business customers tools uniquely suited to meet their needs, and continues to build a reputation as an industry leader among companies searching for cost-effective wireless devices and applications.”
Built on Windows Embedded Handheld technologies, including the Windows Mobile 6.5.3 platform for seamless connectivity, application compatibility and support for industry-specific applications, advanced security and device management mobility needs, Motorola ES400S provides the familiarity of a desktop with an intuitive, customizable user interface for quick access to critical apps. Key enterprise-friendly features include:
Customizable Motorola Enterprise User Interface (MEUI) makes business-critical information and functions available with one key press. Includes enterprise-specific enhancements like photo annotation
Enterprise-class security including built-in Biometric fingerprint reader
Durable construction to withstand dust, drops and bumps, with certifications for MIL-STD 810G, for a 4-foot drop, and IP42 sealing specifications
3-inch VGA touchscreen
3.2 MP camera with red line aimer for easy barcode scanning and one-button push-to-scan for one- and two-dimensional barcode reading
Wi-Fi/802.11 a/b/g with Enterprise Security
1 GB ROM/256 MB RAM
CDMA EVDO Rev. A for domestic service and HSPA/GSM for international roaming
VoIP ready
GPS
Battery: 1540 mAh standard battery and 3080 mAh extended battery (sold separately)
Motorola ES400S is designed for task managers working hands-on in the field or in the office and juggling management responsibilities who rely on access to high-value data and applications to sustain productivity.
“We are pleased to be working with Motorola and Sprint to extend Windows and the benefits of cloud computing to the world of high-performance and connected enterprise handheld devices,” said Kevin Dallas general manager of the Windows Embedded Business Unit at Microsoft Corp. “The future for enterprise handheld devices is endless, and the new Motorola ES400S powered by Windows Embedded Handheld (based on Windows Mobile 6.5.3 technologies) demonstrates opportunities for enterprises to boost the productivity of their mobile workforce with anytime, anywhere access to vital information.”
Motorola ES400S enables rich applications to be easily developed, ported and deployed on the device, while meeting enterprise security needs. It also includes the unique MEUI, providing users with a customizable business-class interface. Designed for efficiency and speed, MEUI features include:
one-touch access to applications
business-focused home screen
single touch barcode scanning
enterprise-class camera application
simplified call management screen with touch-friendly dial-pad
readily accessible device management tabs to eliminate the need to drill down through multiple menus and screens to adjust settings
Sprint has earned top honors in the competitive business marketplace – winning the #1 ranking for overall satisfaction for wireless voice service providers and a matching #1 ranking in overall satisfaction for wireless data service providers in a survey of large business decision makers, according to a comprehensive study by Yankee Group and Mobile Enterprise Magazine (www.mobileenterprisemag.com).1
The study indicated that Sprint ranked first in overall satisfaction in wireless voice and data, and in voice services, ranked first or second in nine of the 10 categories among large business customers.
You may not remember the Motorola ES400 announced back in June; it’s the first device to run Microsoft’s Windows Embedded Handheld platform, after all — an offshoot of WinMo 6.5.3 — and doesn’t have a whole lot of relevance to the average consumer. Well, let this be your refresher: Sprint has revealed that it intends to launch its own version of the phone, the ES400S, through a variety of Sprint sales channels next month, marking the first time an enterprise-oriented Moto has been branded and offered directly by a carrier. It meets a variety of standards for ruggedness and includes a 3-inch VGA display, full QWERTY keyboard, 3.2 megapixel camera (which actually performs the barcode scanning duties, not a traditional laser scanner), 802.11a / b / g, GPS, and both CDMA with EV-DO Rev. A and GSM / HSPA for international use. You get a 1540mAh battery in the box, but a whopping 3080mAh unit is available separately if you plan on enterprisin’ away from a charger for days on end. “Qualified” businesses will be able to get in on the ES400S starting sometime before the end of October for $499.99, while average Joes will have the option of paying $549.99 on a new two-year deal. Follow the break for the press release.
TerreStar’s GENUS hybrid satellite/cellular phone has finally arrived on AT&T, though you’ll need deep pockets if you want to enjoy seriously remote coverage. Unlike previous satellite phones, the GENUS is intended to be used as an everyday phone, only flipping into satellite mode – for voice, data and messaging – when no regular coverage is available.
To that end the Windows Mobile 6.5.3 smartphone has a full QWERTY keyboard and a chassis that’s reasonable in line, with respect to size, to cellular-only phones. However the price is significantly higher: $799, and that’s before you get to the satellite call rates.
AT&T’s satellite tariff is a further $25 per month on top of your regular call plan, with voice calls charged at $0.65 per minute, data at $5 per megabyte, and messages at $0.40 apiece. You don’t even get worldwide coverage, either: just satellite calls in the US, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and in territorial waters.
Press Release:
TerreStar GENUS™ Dual-Mode Cellular/Satellite Smartphone Now Available From AT&T
AT&T’s Satellite Augmented Mobile Service Provides Satellite Wireless Voice and Data Communications for Business and Government Customers
DALLAS, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ — For many people it’s crucial to stay connected wherever life takes them. Thanks to a new offer from AT&T*, it’s now easier and more convenient than ever before to have mobile coverage in remote locations or when the cellular network is unavailable.
AT&T’s new Satellite Augmented Mobile Service with the TerreStar™ GENUS™ dual-mode cellular/satellite smartphone is now available for enterprise, government and small business customers. Intended to be used primarily as an everyday mobile device, the TerreStar GENUS smartphone is an innovative dual-mode device with cellular wireless capability as the primary default mode and satellite access capability as a secondary option for voice, data and messaging.
The access to the TerreStar™ satellite network enables wireless communications coverage in remote areas for government, energy, utility, transportation and maritime users, as well as backup satellite communications capabilities for public safety agencies, first responders and disaster recovery groups.
With just one phone number and one smartphone device, users with a line of sight to the satellite will have access to expanded voice and data roaming coverage in the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and in territorial waters. The TerreStar GENUS runs on the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system to provide rich features and functionality, including a touch screen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, camera and GPS.
According to an AT&T Business Continuity Study(1) conducted earlier this year, businesses are stepping up their technology investment and efforts in disaster planning and business continuity programs despite the economy; and mobile devices are increasingly part of business continuity plans.
“We understand the importance to stay connected in remote locations and especially in emergency situations, and today’s announcement is the latest example of AT&T’s commitment to delivering the highest levels of service, quality and reliability for customers,” said Michael Antieri, President, Advanced Enterprise Mobility Solutions, AT&T Business Solutions. “With this expansion of AT&T’s innovative mobility portfolio, AT&T is helping businesses and government agencies stay connected with a single device, single support contact and single bill.”
“With advancements in satellite technology, satellite-based communications is poised to be the next standard in everyday mobile devices,” said Jeffrey Epstein, President and Chief Executive Officer of TerreStar. “We are pleased to work with AT&T to bring powerful integrated satellite-cellular solutions to market, providing customers with critical communication capabilities and a great mobile experience.”
Availability
The AT&T Satellite Augmented Mobile Service and the TerreStar GENUS is available today to enterprise, government and small business Corporate Responsibility Users. The service requires standard AT&T cellular voice and smartphone data rate plans, as well as a monthly satellite subscription feature. Usage of the satellite network for voice, data and messaging is not included in the monthly feature charge and is billed as per-minute, per-message or per-megabyte roaming charges on a customer’s AT&T Mobility service invoice.
Enterprise, government and small business users should contact their AT&T sales representative for information on availability and ordering.
(1) 2010 AT&T Business Continuity Study
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
It’s been just shy of a year since TerreStar’s Windows Mobile-based Genus was announced for AT&T, offering a unique combination of GSM / HSPA backed up with satellite capability for those times when you find yourself in the middle of nowhere; in fact, you may have assumed that it had already been released by now. After all, this isn’t the phone for 97 percent of the population — it runs Windows Mobile and still works in places where us soft city folk would never dream of going — so odds are good you never bothered to follow up on it. Fact is, though, it’s just now available for the first time today, so as long as you’ve got a line of sight to TerreStar’s bird and a willingness to tolerate WinMo 6.5.3, you’ll be able to make and receive calls throughout the US, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and in the surrounding waters — and it’s all on one telephone number. Of course, having a single number eliminates the cool factor of being able to say “if you can’t reach me, try my sat phone,” but let’s be honest: convenience wins here. Right now, the phone’s only available to business and government users… and with $799 upfront for the phone and satellite service running $25 a month plus per-minute, per-message, and per-megabyte charges of 65 cents, 40 cents, and 5 dollars, respectively, that’s probably for the best. Follow the break for AT&T’s full press release.
Back when Sony Ericsson first announced the Aspen smartphone, a Windows Mobile 6.5.3, in early February 2010, we wondered whether the QWERTY-equipped handset would have enough room to make its mark before Microsoft launched Windows Phone 7 by the end of the year. Now, five months later and even closer to the new platform’s debut, the window of opportunity for the Aspen is even smaller. Can this combination touchscreen/keyboard candybar convince buyers with its green aspirations? Check out the full review after the cut.
Now, it’s worth pointing out that the Aspen we have in is a sales sample for retailers rather than the handset that will – eventually – go on sale. We’re hoping that means build quality will be improved by the time Sony Ericsson boxes and ships them, since the Aspen proved quite creaky and prone to battery door flexing. It’s also unduly tricky to remove the battery itself and access the SIM slot, perhaps not something most users will be doing every day, but frustrating when we were trying to switch between devices. At 12.45mm thick it’s a reasonably tubby handset too.
Happily if the back half of the Aspen was less than impressive, the front made up for it. Although the 2.4-inch display is a resistive touchscreen – complete with a pull-out stylus – we found ourselves more often than not using the hardware keys to navigate it. The D-pad is firm and nicely balanced, as are the main buttons surrounding it, while the QWERTY keyboard is quiet and tactile. Not quite to BlackBerry levels, but better than the slide-out keyboards we’ve seen on other recent smartphones. The squared-off layout takes a little getting used to, if you’ve been using a ‘board with a mild curve to it, but the bowed back of the Aspen makes it comfortable to cradle in the fingers as you peck out messages with your thumbs.
The display itself is servicable if not outstanding, offering 320 x 240 resolution and 65k colors. It’s duller in brightness than some other Windows Mobile devices we’ve seen, though Sony Ericsson’s murky choice of default skin doesn’t help, and there’s plenty of zooming required to see a full website (if indeed it will load in Internet Explorer Mobile). The company has preloaded the SPB Mobile Shell 3.0 – with both professional and lifestyle interfaces – which cover up the regular WinMo homescreen with a new, panel-based system. You can toggle between the two using a dedicated hardware button to the left of the D-pad. Even so, Windows Mobile remains a less than intuitive OS in comparison to iOS, Android or webOS.
Connectivity includes dualband UMTS/HSPA (900/2100) and quadband GSM/EDGE, though Sony Ericsson are also prepping a triband 850/900/2100 UMTS/HSPA version for North America. There’s also WiFi b/g, Bluetooth and a microUSB port, together with a microSD slot (cards up to 16GB supported) and A-GPS. A 3.5mm headphone socket will work either with Sony Ericsson’s bundled headset or your own, though A2DP support means you can use Bluetooth headphones instead.
The Aspen’s 3.15-megapixel camera lacks autofocus or a flash, and while the latter doesn’t particularly disappoint us – our disdain of LED flash units is well known – the fixed-focus makes it of limited use. Shots in normal lighting lacked definition and colors leaned toward the greens and blues; they were also prone to oversaturation in particularly bright environments. Indoors, meanwhile, there was considerable graininess on show in all but the best lit situations. Macro images suffered too, overall relegating the Aspen’s photography skills to little more than the occassional snap rather than a replacement to your dedicated point-and-shoot.
Of course, you could well argue that the business market who might be tempted by the Aspen aren’t so much interested in the smartphone for its photography strengths and instead want a solid phone. Happily the Aspen does well under those considerations, with good call quality and a tenacious grip on a signal. Battery life also proved impressive; perhaps it’s the comparitively small display, but a single charge saw us stretch out use over two days, complete with push email turned on during extended work hours (i.e. switching to only periodic checks while we were asleep) and some voice calls made. Sony Ericsson themselves estimate up to 8hrs of calls or 600hrs of standby, ambitious of course, but in our experience the Aspen certainly has impressive legs.
With Windows Phone 7 on the horizon, though, is decent phone performance enough to merit the Sony Ericsson Aspen? Windows Mobile 6.5.3 may be due for replacement but there are still plenty of people who like the OS and – more importantly – are familiar with its boons, quirks and sizable catalog of third-party apps. The latter in particular is likely to be absent at the high-profile launch of its successor later in the year. There are also some elements of the WinMo experience perhaps unfairly overlooked: its tight, consistent Exchange integration for one, benefiting from the all-Microsoft ecosystem and delivering the sort of enterprise stability rival platforms have only boasted of more recently.
Still, it’s unlikely to be enough – even with Sony Ericsson’s “GreenHeart” earth-friendly branding – to bring in a broad audience, and the Aspen pales in comparison with the company’s own XPERIA range of predominantly Android-based smartphones. It’s not a bad handset, but neither does it do enough to stand out in a market increasingly crowded by superlatives. If you – or your collection of software – are wedded to Windows Mobile, you prioritize battery life above all else, and you prefer a hardware keyboard to touchscreen input, the Aspen could fit the bill. Everybody else would likely find a stronger text-input experience on a BlackBerry or a slicker OS in Android or webOS.
Many thanks to Clove.co.uk for the loan of the Aspen. The smartphone is expected to go on sale later this month, pricing TBA.
We had to exercise our neglected patience muscle with this one, but at long last we’ve gotten ahold of a real live HD Mini and put it through its paces. Equipped with the same processor, screen size and resolution as HTC’s Legend, but running the HD2‘s Windows Mobile 6.5.3 under a WinMo-specific Sense skin, the Mini is in many ways an amalgamation of its two better known cousins. You’ll no doubt be aware that we weren’t too displeased by either of those handsets, so what you must be wondering now is whether or not splicing them into one eminently pocketable package delivers an equally compelling device. Read on to find out.
If you’re still hanging on to the hope that Windows Mobile is going to serve you just fine in the coming years, LG and Verizon have at least one more option for your phone needs — and it’s running 6.5.3, a first for a US carrier launch. Enter the LG Fathom, a 1GHz touchscreen device with a 3.2-inch screen, slide out QWERTY keyboard, WiFi, a microSD slot (for up to 16GB of storage), and a 3.2 megapixel camera. The device will be available for pre-orders on May 27th, with a street date of June 3rd, and will run you $149.99 after a two year contract and $100 mail-in rebate. If you want all the details, just check out the PR after the break.
If you’re going to rip off one of the more memorable Windows Mobile devices ever made, you’d think you’d want to at least clone its most notable feature — but seriously, what do we know about the KIRF business? Yeah, well, this little number manufactured by a firm doing business as “iHTC” (no relation to HTC, we’re sure) looks an awful lot like the HD2, but lacks that all-important 4.3-inch display, instead trading down for a more pedestrian 3.6-inch unit. On the upside, it’s still WVGA and packs the latest and greatest Windows Mobile 6.5.3 (if “latest and greatest” really applies there) plus a 5 megapixel autofocus cam — not bad specs for a device that eats copyrights for breakfast. Seems you can hunt one of these puppies down for about 1,580 yuan ($231), so start saving and packing for your Chinese adventure — and in the meantime, follow the break for a comprehensive video demo of the finest technology iHTC has to offer.
So, hear us out: this isn’t a slam dunk by any stretch of the imagination, but we’ve good reason to believe that we’re looking at the FCC ID label of the HTC HD mini variant designed to support North American 3G bands. The most obvious reason is the fact that the label is screaming yellow — a perfect match for the chartreuse internals of the device that HTC was excited to show off at its MWC introduction a couple months back. What’s more, this approval comes a few weeks after approval of the Euro-spec PB92100 with a similarly-designed label, which would’ve been the right time frame for a phone that’s due to ship across Europe any day now. Of course, the approval of this phone doesn’t really say anything about carrier availability — sure, it could ship on AT&T, but it could also come to Rogers, Bell, Telus, or be sold unlocked and unbranded, a tactic that HTC has occasionally employed stateside in the past. Regardless, though — considering WinMo 6.5.3′s rapidly-waning relevance, they’d better ship it on the double.
