UTStarcom Personal Communications (formerly Audiovox Communications Corp.) today announced its first wireless handset for WCDMA/GSM/GPRS networks, the GW200. The 3G-enabled GW200 combines innovation and practicality in a truly global phone that provides wireless voice and data communications capabilities anywhere around the world where WCDMA wireless networks are operational. UTStarcom Personal Communications is the wireless device division of UTStarcom Inc., a global leader in IP-based, end-to-end networking solutions and services.

The GW200 is a dual-mode WCDMA/GPRS/GSM handset that operates on WCDMA, or Wideband Code Division Multiple Access networks, the main technology for 3G wireless systems globally. With the WAP-2.0-enabled GW200 on a WCDMA network, consumers will have swift access to data, web browsing, streaming video and other over-the-air downloads. The GSM mode offers tri-band operation: 900/1800/1900 MHz.

The bar-style GW200 handset has an elegant yet edgy industrial design and measures 4.5″ high by 1.8″ wide by 0.86″ thick and weighs only 3.8 ounces. The GW200 features a large 1.8″ 65K color TFT LCD screen and the most desired wireless device functions including:

• BREW(TM) enabled
• Streaming Media
• Call waiting/call forwarding/speed dial
• Internal antenna
• Internal flashlight
• Single-key web browsing
• Text messaging through SMS and MMS. 300 SMS storage capacity.
• 72 chord ringers
• Embedded MP3 player with integrated speakerphone
• Stores up to 300 phonebook entries
• Scheduling, calendar, calculator, alarm and world clock

Read the full press release

HTC today formally introduced ‘Universal’, the palmtop-like PocketPC phone a number of European network operators have already announced, but on which the handset’s vendor has kept quiet.

Microsoft’s announcement yesterday of Windows Mobile 5.0 - aka ‘Magneto’ - provided the motivation for HTC, which claimed Universal is the “world’s first” WM5 handset.

Universal first appeared in February, when T-Mobile announced the MDA IV in Germany. Soon after, it emerged Orange was planning to rebadge the same device. Since then, Vodafone has joined the others. It will offer Universal as the VPA IV.

All three branded Universals are expected to ship this later this year, though T-Mobile revised its original summer release to an autumn debut. HTC provided no better guidance beyond saying Universal will ship in the second-half of the year.

Universal builds on HTC’s previous PocketPC phones by adding 3G support, along with a clamshell casing that reveales the device’s QWERTY keyboard. Universal’s screen can rotate and fold back to present the user with the more traditional tablet PDA form-factor. To support 3G video calls, there are twin cameras on board, and twin stereo speakers. There’s quad-band GSM/GPRS in there too, along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Windows Mobile 5.0 provides software support for 3G communications. It also integrates ‘push-to-talk’ functionality.

Sanyo’s first 3G phone, the S750 was launched last December and it received complaints regarding its cumbersome design. The new S750i is an enhancement of the S750, functionally the same, but comes with a sleeker rounded design and improved controls, making it lighter and more streamlined.

The S750i now comes with a 32MB SD card (the S750 used to come with an an empty slot) but is capable of handling up to 256MB, which is very handy for storing MP3s and videos. It can connect to your PC via Bluetooth, Infrared and a USB connection and can also do Direct photo prints if you are using a Pictbridge printer.

Key Features:

Pantech has announced the launch of the PT-S100, a new 3G (CDMA 2000 1x) phone mainly aimed at camera enthusiasts. The PT-S100 features unique swivel technology design, which allows the phone to adapt to a range of different functions. The new model is specifically designed for camera enthusiasts who can utilize the phone’s advanced functionality to take a wider, more elaborate range of shots.

Another unique feature of the PT-S100 is the keypad, positioned on both sides of the LCD display. The new keypad layout reduces the size of the phone and creates an interesting new trend in mobile handset design.

The embedded 1.3 CMOS camera includes auto focus functionality, which features an adopted semi-shutter system, by which users can control the lens focus manually and take exactly the kind of pictures that they prefer. Four different sizes of still shots can be saved, up to a limit of 999 pictures.

Users also benefit from a movie recording function through the inclusion of QCIF and SQCIF technology. The recorded files are saved in MPEG-4 format and a mini-SD card slot is provided for extra capacity. The enhanced camera function is supported with a big screen of 1.93″.

The MP3 player function and the FM radio are included to provide for users’ entertainment. In addition 3D gaming and an electronic dictionary are also included.

PT-S100 features include:

Pantech’s industry leading excellence in handset design has been acknowledged on numerous occasions, most recently by accolades from the iF Design Awards, run by the German International Forum, and the Red Dot Design Awards.

South Korean SK Teletech, a subsidiary of SK Telecom, unveiled a satellite DMB phone, IMB-1000, featuring touch screen.

IMB-1000 supports satellite DMB service and cdma2000 1x EV-DO. It features a 2.4-inch QVGA, 260K color TFT LCD. The side-slide phone has stereo speakers on both sides of LCD, 2M pixel CCD camera module, MP3 player, VOD service, electric organizer and 100MB memory.

It is not yet known whether the IMB-1000 will be available outside Korea.

KDDI Corporation announced a new line-up of 3G CDMA 1X mobile phones, with compact, color bodies resembling sweets such as mousse and jelly. This new range of cellular phones, called Sweets, offers convenient, fun features that can be safely used even by teenagers. Made by Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., the new models will be launched from late March onward.

The phones will be available in three fresh, vivid colors reminiscent of sweets: Cassis Mousse (pink), Vanilla Beans (off-white), and Mango Pudding (orange). Five unique stickers, including “flower” and “hologram” varieties, are also provided to match each color. The stickers can be affixed around the display and scroll keys to personalize the phones, which come preset with illustrations by Ado Mizumori, whose designs are popular among all age groups.

In addition to convenient features, such as Schedule, Money Manager, and Diary, the phones feature a Teens Mode, which prevents overuse and access to unsuitable content via spam. This feature ensures that Sweets phones can be safely used by children.

Sweets feature a 2.1-inch QVGA, 260,000-color, 220-candela display and high-resolution QVGA LCD, plus Flash™ capability. As well as fine-line text on the standby screen and in e-mail, the phones can display photos, taken with their built-in 330,000-pixel CMOS camera. In addition, they can handle EZ NaviWalk and barcodes (QR codes), plus EZappli (BREW®) [3] and EZ ChakuUta® (full-audio ring-tones). These cell-phones deliver, not just a cute design, but features that are fun, convenient, and safe to use.

Even though we avoid mentioning relatively slow devices that run on CDMA2000 1xRTT (max bandwidth 144kbps) or EDGE (max 384kbps) enabled networks, we will make an exception with the Treo 650 due to its great features and huge popularity.

Treo 650 comes in two versions, depending on the carrier. One is the slower CDMA2000 1xRTT (Sprint) which includes gpsOne hybrid A-GPS support. The faster one runs on GSM enhanced networks with GPRS class 10 and EDGE support.

The Treo 650 smartphone simplifies your life by combining a compact mobile phone with email, an organizer, messaging, and web access. Theres also Bluetooth technology so you can connect wirelessly to other Bluetooth devices. Not to mention an MP3 player, a digital camera that captures video, and a vibrant color screen that brings everything to life all in a device thats still small enough to fit in your pocket. Seems like Treo smartphones just keep getting smarter.

Check out these great reviews for more information:

MobileTracker Treo 650 Review
Mobiledia Treo 650 Review