Away from the main halls at the 3GSM show in Cannes last week, many delegates were pondering the emergence of a hybrid handset for existing 2.5G networks. Too large to be a mobile phone, yet not powerful or feature-rich enough to be classed as a handheld PC, the devices team big colour screens with innovative designs and an emphasis on email and internet applications.
Executives from US company Danger gave an exclusive preview of the latest incarnation of its hiptop device. The original hiptop has a large screen that flips open to expose a full Qwerty keyboard. Among its features are web access, email with the option of opening attachments, voice calling, instant messaging and a personal organiser.
It uses Danger's operating system, which may have helped keep the price under $200 in the US. The hiptop paraded in Cannes adds a colour screen, GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and tri-band network functionality. Although it has yet to announce a deal with a European network, the company is confident the colour version will be launched by the end of the year.
Also from the US came Bsquare's Power Handheld. It has an unusual design - imagine a small colour screen Pocket PC device laid on its side with a retractable Qwerty keyboard. It has voice calling and internet access and email, with support for attachments, over GPRS. It uses Microsoft's Windows CE .NET operating system. Bsquare is hoping to launch the device, below, by the end of the year. The third device hailed from closer to home, with Pogo Mobile Solutions offering its latest product- the nVoy - to networks.
Smaller and lighter than the original Pogo, the nVoy adds built-in camera and photo messaging to the earlier prod uct's email, internet access, voice calling and personal organiser facilities. The nVoy uses compression techniques that Pogo claims makes web browsing up to six times faster, only this time using even faster GPRS networks.
Pogo says the product will be in British shops by the end of the year. Cannes also saw activity in the smartphone sector - standard sized mobiles that feature web browsers, easy access to email systems and advanced facilities like video streaming. Siemens unveiled its riposte to the Nokia 7650, Orange SPV and Sony Ericsson P800 in the shape of the SX-1. Due in early summer for around £350, the model is smaller and slimmer than rivals yet has a slighter larger screen. The handset's number keys are at the side of the screen.
Due around the same time is the smartphone from Alphacell. Aimed at the youth market, the M5 features an integrated camcorder/camera, Java support for gaming, internet access and multimedia messaging. The company has secured a distribution deal with The Carphone Warehouse.
In keeping with previous years, 3GSM also threw up the odd wacky gadget. A British design company PDD was touting a prototype pair of glasses (pictured, above) that connect to a device wirelessly and then fool the user's eyes into thinking they are looking at a much larger screen: PDD claims 21 inches. (AN)
GB advances
A sleek silver case, clamshell design, rechargeable lithium ion battery: meet the new Game Boy Advance, or GBA SP. Out on March 28, it looks set to bring an older audience to Nintendo's venerable handheld. The main improvement is the frontlit screen, which allows you to play in conditions other than perfect sunshine. The screen, which folds out, is an improvement, but can be overly reflective. The battery gives approximately 10 hours power with the light on, 18 without. One annoyance is the lack of a headphone socket; an additional connection is needed. Internally, the SP is the same as the GBA, but with its new look the Game Boy has finally grown up. (GH)
