Option N.V. has announced the GlobeSurfer HSDPA, the second member within its fixed-wireless product family aimed at delivering wireless broadband connectivity to Small Offices, Home Office and Mobile Office environments.

The GlobeSurfer HSDPA is a fast broadband wireless router that enables the user to establish an instant hotspot with a speed of up to 1.8 Mbps (megabits per second) over an HSDPA connection and share this connection with multiple users.

Designed for ease-of-use, and simplicity of installation, the GlobeSurfer HSDPA is suited to Small Office and Home Office environments where it can be shared by multiple users. Support and remote administration features combined with user-authentication capabilities make it a flexible and cost-effective solution to the challenge of providing reliable and secure data connectivity to Mobile or Temporary Offices.

Tags: HSDPA Router, Wireless router

Samsung is reinforcing its technology leadership with the launch of a new HSDPA handset (model: SGH-Z560) for Europe. The launch of this handset will be combined with Europe’s first demonstration of High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) technology, reaching speeds up to 3.6 Mbps, at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona.

The technologically advanced Z560 for Europe supports 1.8Mbps data rates and comes in an ultra slim design. With a depth of mere 16mm, the handset includes advanced features such as a 2 mega-pixel camera with auto focus, external touch music keys, 30 MB of internal memory and microSD external memory slot. The Z560 is slim yet has a wide display for the convenient use of multimedia functions at a very high speed data rate. It uses a 2.3″ QVGA 262K LCD to ensure a clear, sharp screen image. The Z560 will be available in Europe at 2nd quarter of 2006.

At the end of 2005, Samsung announced the introduction of HSDPA phone for the first time in Europe through cooperation with Vodafone and Qualcomm. Samsung has also demonstrated the industry’s first HSDPA handset speeds of 3.6Mbps at CES in January 2006 and will demonstrate the technology for the first time in Europe at 3GSM.

Samsung’s 3.6Mbps HSDPA handset allows users to download content much faster than on WCDMA or GSM/GPRS networks. For example, downloading a 4MB mp3 file takes less than 10 seconds at 3.6Mbps HSDPA. Demonstration of web browsing, as well as streaming and downloading of content will be held to compare the speed of 384Kbps (WCDMA speed) and 1.8 Mbps HSDPA phone.

HSDPA, a new form of mobile broadband, is capable of transmitting data at speeds up to seven times faster than that of WCDMA. Users can enjoy large-scale multimedia downloads, such as DVD-quality movies and interactive multimedia games, with high-speed wireless Internet access comparable to speeds of fixed-line ADSL services.

SGH-Z560 Specification

• Standard HSDPA 1.8Mbps, EDGE
• 900/1800/1900 MHz + 2.1GHz
• Camera 2 Megapixel Camera with Auto Focus
• Display 2.3″ 240×320 262K TFT (Internal)
• 1.0″ 128×128 65K TFT (external)
• Features Video Recording & Messaging (MPEG4 / H.263 / Real)
• Video Telephony & Streaming
• MP3/AAC/AAC+/Real /WMA
• Dual Speaker / Digital Power Amp / External Touch Music Key
• Bluetooth Technology / USB /PictBridge
• Document Viewer
• 30MB user memory & microSD slot
• Size 97.3 x 51.3 x 16 mm
• Weight 98 g

Via Slashphone

Tags: HSDPA, SGH-Z560

The GSM Association (GSMA) and Intel Corporation today announced an initiative to facilitate and drive the adoption of the GSM family of technologies in laptop computers, to enable users to connect and seamlessly roam across global mobile networks.

The GSMA and Intel will collaborate to develop guidelines for integrating 3G modems and SIM cards into laptop computers, enabling automatic connection to both 3GSM networks and Wi-Fi networks around the world - using the same SIM card technology used by mobile phones today. Some laptop makers have already announced their intentions to offer GSM capabilities, and these guidelines are key to ensure that they can quickly and easily provide these capabilities to laptop owners around the world. The GSMA and Intel will seek to engage organizations critical to market implementation, including mobile operators, PC manufacturers and network infrastructure providers.

“Our goal is to ensure that in future, every notebook will be SIM ready,” said Rob Conway, CEO of the GSM Association. “This development brings the advantages and pervasiveness of the GSM platform to the notebook market, where this year sales of more than 60 million laptops are forecast worldwide. As 3G network roll-outs accelerate across the world, with additional media rich capabilities added through HSDPA upgrades, laptops with in-built connectivity to the 3GSM world will enable PC users to enjoy the full benefits of seamless access to mobile broadband wireless services with secure authentication. The mobile operator community will benefit from significant market and revenue growth opportunities.”

Sean Maloney, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Intel’s Mobility Group, added: “During 2006, many of our customers will offer Intel Centrino Mobile Technology laptops that not only feature built in Wi-Fi technology, but also an internal 3GSM data card and an integrated SIM reader. This will turn the notebook into a real multi-communications terminal, and the SIM into a real authentication vehicle for GSM, GPRS, EDGE, 3GSM, HSDPA and Wi-Fi networks.”

This initiative builds on the work completed within the GSMA, which has laid the groundwork for seamless roaming scenarios between networks of mixed technology infrastructure and the usage of the SIM card to provide Wi-Fi access control and billing. This initiative will focus on developing guidelines to include the GSM family of technologies including the new high speed 3G wireless broadband technology, HSDPA, in laptop computers.

Sony Ericsson announces the K610, a slim, lightweight and affordable UMTS imaging phone that opens up the world of 3G for a much wider population. Just 17mm thick and weighing 92 grams, the K610 is the size and weight of a typical 2G stick phone and will be one of the smallest and lightest 3G phones to come on the market. It packs into its slender frame a suite of advanced communications, business and entertainment applications plus a 2 Megapixel camera, Memory Stick removable storage and Bluetooth connectivity.

“The K610 is a classic Sony Ericsson design reminiscent of the iconic and much loved T610 with a balance of form and function that makes it pretty irresistible,” said Jan Wäreby, Corporate Executive Vice President, Head of Sales and Marketing

The K610’s pure lines combine with a solid, quality feel to make it a pleasure to hold and use. It is also incredibly practical and easy to use, with bright illumination plus large keypad and 262K colour display.

UMTS connectivity and a 2 Megapixel camera makes the K610 an ideal tool to shoot images and share them instantly – whether for business or pleasure. Creating a photoblog is easily done by just adding text to images and posting them to the Internet, or images can be quickly sent by email or MMS.

High speed email, web access and a range of business-friendly applications make the K610 the ideal partner for the productive mobile office. Standard push e-mail support (P-IMAP) sends messages direct to the phone without having to download them, and a flight mode allows users to work offline.

The phone’s practical use as a business tool is further strengthened by a comprehensive connectivity suite that keeps the user always in touch. UMTS is supplemented by Bluetooth, Infrared, USB 2.0 mass storage and Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) support,. USB 2.0 can be used to synchronise with Microsoft Outlook to ensure calendar and contacts are always up-to-date the handset.

Browsing the Internet on the K610 is a graphic-rich experience that is very similar to using a PC, thanks to the NetFront™ browser. HTML pages are presented in full with photos, video, words and graphics adapted to fit the 1.9” colour display, making it easy to scroll, browse and follow links between sites. New support for RSS Feeds allows users to subscribe to news services to receive updates direct to the phone.

The K610’s integrated music player makes listening to music on the move simple. Music files can be stored on Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™), which can be expanded to 1GB, It is easy to create and manage playlists and supplied software handles transfer of music files between the user’s PC and the phone. The player delivers a top notch listening experience, helped along by the phone’s high quality stereo headphones and built-in equaliser.

The Sony Ericsson K610 is a Dual Mode UMTS handset commercially available in Evening Red and Urban Silver colours and starts shipping during Q2 2006.

K610i - Dual mode UMTS (2100MHz) - GPRS 900/1800/1900 for Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa
K610c - Dual mode UMTS (2100MHz) - GPRS 900/1800/1900 for Mainland China. (Launch for mainland China dependent on availability of 3G services.)

Check the full press release for the full list of features.

Tags: K610, K610i, K610c

At the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, the Motorola RAZR V3x won the “Best 3GSM Handset 2006″ award. Known as the ultimate multimedia phone Motorola’s RAZR V3x features a ton of great features.

“Motorola is proud and excited that the RAZR V3x has been named Best 3GSM Handset of 2006 by the GSM Association. A first for the company, I am thrilled to accept this esteemed award on behalf of everyone involved in the design and development of this great handset,” said Ron Garriques, president of Motorola Mobile Devices.

Tags: Motorola RAZR V3x, Motorola RAZR

Motorola has announced that the QWERTY-equipped Q smartphone will be released in a UMTS version. While it was also confirmed that the CDMA/EVDO version of the Motorola Q will be available during this quarter, consumers will have to wait until at least Q4 this year for the UMTS version.

Tags: Motorola Q

The GlobeTrotter GT MAX is the first of a new breed of wireless data card featuring multi-band flip-out integrated antenna design meaning that GT MAX once inserted in a laptop may be operated by simply deploying the flip out antenna. For ease and convenience the antenna is retracted for briefcase or laptop carrier bag transport without the need to remove the wireless data card from the laptop.

In addition to the innovative antenna design the GlobeTrotter GT MAX is the world’s first wireless data card supporting all of the commercial HSDPA/3G UMTS networks available today. The GT MAX features Tri-band HSDPA/3G UMTS on 850/1900 & 2100 MHz bands as well as Quad band EDGE/GPRS on 850/900/1800 & 1900 bands.

Commercial shipments of GlobeTrotter GT MAX commence before the end of this quarter. The GlobeTrotter GT MAX is the fifth commercial HSDPA product from Option.

Tags: HSDPA