mTrack has launched their GPS child-finder cellphone, the i-Kids mobile. It can track your child's location with accuracy up to 5 meters accuracy via satellite. The gadget works like a normal phone, receiving calls and text messages with programmable buttons and an emergency button for the child to press which dials all four programmed numbers until it connects. The GPS function still works even if the i-Kids handset is switched off. You can set up "safety zones" and receive alerts if your kid leaves a zone. Via Gadget Review
LG passes on the stick thin phone models and releases something a little meatier - the LG-U8550 Mimmo. Debuting in Italy last month, the clamshell should be released in the UK and Korea soon, followed by Hong Kong and Australia early next year. The phone comes with two displays, a main 2 square inch display, 220x220 65k TFT and a smaller screen on the outside. It has a two integrated 1.3 megapixel cameras for 3G video calls Via
Mobile Whack
The FCC-approved Motorola V270 GSM phone comes with Push-To-Talk (PTT) functionality. It also features Bluetooth connectivity, GPRS, a mini USB port, and productivity applications like calculator, currency converter, the staple alarm clock, and an event reminder. The phonebook and calendar can be synched with a remote server via the Internet. Pretty much a standard phone with no 3G functionality to wow the already jaded market. Via
Mobile Whack
Cingular has launched the flip phone Nokia 6061 today, and it is going for $39.99 with a 2-year service contract. This entry level phone doesn’t do anything fancy but it does its job well enough with a 128 x 160 pixel 65k color screen, MP3 ringtone capability, and AIM/ICQ/Yahoo Instant Messaging connectivity. Via
Mobile Tracker
Nokia’s N80 will be sitting pretty at the pinnacle of multimedia phone-dom when released. It supports the S60 Symbian OS and quad-band GSM, 3G, and EDGE standards. The N80 is equipped with 802.11g and Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity as well as UPnP functionality that enables you to stream media content from the N80 to a compatible PC/home theater device. Its 352 x 418 screen is great to view pics taken with its 3-megapixel camera. There’s a miniSD card slot for future expansion. The N80 will be released before June 2006. Via
All About Symbian
Throughout 2005, Samsung Korea released 53 handsets domestically while the remaining 111 models were shipped worldwide outside of Korea for a grand total of 164 different handsets. Samsung expects to sell over a 100 million handsets for the first time in its history. Other honorable mentions from this Korean giant include the release of the world’s first 8-megapixel cameraphone (
SPH-V8200) and the 3GB music smartphone (
SGH-i300).
Telecoms Korea via
Samsung HQ
