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Filed under: Handsets , Samsung , GSM , EDGE , HSDPA , UMTS IFA typically isn't considered the strongest show in the mobile world, which Samsung apparently saw as an opportunity to grab just a little more spotlight than it'd normally have. Okay, maybe "a little more spotlight" is an understatement, seeing how it trotted out no fewer than a dozen handsets at the show -- and granted, none of them are groundbreaking taken alone, but the collective ends up making for a mighty showing. Highlights include the S7330 slider, featuring a Soul -like display in the d-pad; the rumored D980 DUOS which adds an extra SIM slot to the F480's design language ; the music-centric M3510 Beat; and this here beast of a phone, the B2700 , looking like it's more than ready to take a lickin' and keep on tickin'. Overall, we would've liked to have seen a little more high-end fare in the mix, but we'll take it. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , Multimedia , LG , ATT , GSM , EDGE , HSDPA , UMTS Just as we'd envisioned , the Invision candybar (if a phone this stubby can, in fact, be called a candybar) from LG is now a reality for AT&T. The phone becomes just AT&T's third to support its MediaFLO -based Mobile TV service, taking a similar line to Samsung's Access by stuffing a landscape display, 1.3-megapixel camera, and HSDPA into a squarish case that's sure to make minimalists and traditionalists swoon; what's more, it also takes the honor of being AT&T's smallest Mobile TV-equipped handset to date. It's available today for $99.99 with a $50 rebate and two years' worth of commitment -- just be sure to factor the cost of the Mobile TV add-on into your budget. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , Motorola , T-Mobile , GSM , EDGE Moving just a tad downmarket from the mighty morphin' E8 , Moto has rolled out three new members of its music-centric ROKR series today: the EM25 slider, EM28 flip, and EM30 candybar. The EM30 probably feels the most familiar, aping the E8's design language but trashing the touch-sensitive wheel for a plain ol' d-pad. It does, however, carry over the E8's so-called ModeShift morphing keypad and features an FM radio with RDS, 3.5mm headphone jack, and Windows Media compatibility. The EM28 brings the same style to a clamshell, while the EM25 reps the slider form factor. We're seeing some shots of a T-Mobile branded EM30 in here, too, so it looks like the carrier wants something to slot in right below the E8 in its Moto lineup -- a wise move, considering the E8's considerable expense. Look for the EM30 to launch first in Taiwan (sorry, T-Mob) followed by other markets later in the quarter, while the EM25 and EM28 should launch on a more global scale in the coming weeks. Gallery: Motorola adds EM25, EM28, and EM30 to ROKR series Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , Motorola , GSM , EDGE As boring (or in the case of the W6, difficult) as they may be to look at, we've got to hand it to Motorola -- they've managed to pack in a nice mix of interesting features into the latest round of wallet-friendly W-series phones. Starting at the bottom, the W231 candybar has an FM radio with RDS and recording capability, media player, microSD slot, "streamlined interface" for text messaging (your guess is as good as ours), and Moto's CrystalTalk noise reduction circuitry. The W388 and W396 -- a candybar and flip, respectively -- are dead ringers for one another on the spec sheet, with both offering VGA cams and Windows Media compatibility in addition to the W231's decent list of capabilities. Our personal favorite, though, has to be the W6 (pictured), which has a few really unique features: a host of built-in training software (and A2DP doesn't hurt either) for making the phone particularly useful on the jogging circuit, the ability to export recorded data up to your PC in Excel format, and the tendency to burn your retinas with one of the loudest, most painful shades of yellow we've ever seen on a phone. [Via Celularis , thanks Mariano ] Read - Motorola W6 Read - Motorola W231, W388, and W396 Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , Sony Ericsson , GSM , EDGE If you were thinking to yourself, "gee whiz, if only Sony Ericsson had made a Walkman version of the S302 ," well, your life is now complete. The sporty, hipper version of the S302 Snapshot is predictably hot-rodded up, though the changes seem to be strictly visual -- from a guts perspective, the W302 (codenamed "Feng," it seems) should be a dead ringer for its recently announced cousin. Sony Ericsson Blog claims we can expect to see it announced on July 22 alongside the W595 and W902, with a release in October. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , Samsung , GSM , EDGE From the same pedigree (and naming convention, apparently) as the rugged B2700 comes the M3510, a relatively inexpensive candybar from Samsung that trades water and dust resistance for a plethora of goodies that probably matter more to the average buyer. Notably, it's said to feature gesture control -- a feature brought into the spotlight recently with a number of Sony Ericsson models -- for controlling the music player. A 3.5mm headphone jack, meanwhile, makes using that music player an actual possibility, and the 9.9mm case makes it worth carrying your pocket. In other words, MP3s are obviously the focus here, which is a good thing since you'll probably keep browsing to a minimum on the EDGE connection. IDNES reports that it'll sell for about 5,000 Czech crowns (about $336) toward the end of summer. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments