The HTC TyTN II Microsoft® Windows Mobile® 6 Pocket PC phone is the latest QWERTY-keyboard device from HTC. With its compact size and unique tilting 240 x 320 display, it has the technical specifications to be a worthy successor to the HTC TyTN. Sit the unit on a table and tilt the screen for perfect viewing of applications such as Word Mobile or Outlook Mobile.

The HTC TyTN II offers a complete mobile office solution. Roam anywhere in the world and use HSDPA for high speed Internet access, Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi®. It gives you more control than ever over the way you work.

Technical Details

• Platform: Microsoft® Windows Mobile® 6 Professional

• Dimensions:

- 112 mm(L) x 59 mm(W) x 19 mm(T)

- 190 g with battery pack

• Processor: 400MHz

• Memory:

- ROM: 256MB (for programs and users’ storage)

- RAM: 128MB SDRAM

• Main LCD Module:

- Tilting 2.8" transflective TFT-LCD with backlight LEDs, touch-sensitive screen

- 240 x 320 QVGA resolution with 64K Colors

• Communications:

- Dual-mode, HSDPA (3.6 mbps)

- UMTS (tri-band, 850/1900/2100 MHz)

- GSM/GPRS/EDGE quad-band (850/900/1800/1900)

• Camera:

- 3 megapixel Main camera

- Secondary Video Conference Camera

• Audio:

- Built-in Microphone / Receiver

- Loud Speaker for Hands-Free Support

• Connectivity + Interface:

- Bluetooth® - 2.0

- Wireless LAN 802.11b/g

- 3V USIM/SIM card slot

- HTC ExtUSB

- microSD card slot

- External Antenna connector

• GPS

- Internal GPS antenna

- Standalone GPS abd A-GPS mode

- TomTom Navigator 6 Edition (TomTom 6 Taster Edition)

• Power + Battery:

- Removable and rechargeable Lithium-ion polymer

- Typical capacity: 1350 mAh

- Standby time: Up to 350 hours for UMTS, up to 365 hours for GSM

- Talk time: Up to 264 minutes for UMTS, up to 420 minutes for GSM, up to 120 minutes for video call

- Media playback: 8 hours (WMV); 12 hours (WMA)

- AC Adapter

- AC input: 100 ~ 240V AC, 50/60 Hz

- DC output: 5V and 1A

• Value Added Applications:

- 3G-324MVideo Telephony

- Picture Enhamcement for Pictures and Videos

- MMS and Java applications

- Smart Dialing and Voice Speed Dial

- Comm Manager

- Backup Tool

- Live HTC Home™ menu Screen

- Business card scanner

More powerful than any mobile communications device you've used before, the HTC TyTN II takes global connectivity to the next level. Staying connected means staying ahead. The TyTN II supports the full spectrum of network standards, guaranteeing that you will stay in touch ANYWHERE in the world. With an internet connection via 3.5G HSDPA that is nine times faster than 3G, using the TyTN II to download files and surf the Web is a breeze.

have to say the first week of using the HTC TyTN II has been pretty interesting. The unit is probably one of the most powerful Windows Mobile phones I have used to date other than the HTC Advantage. I am very happy with the lack of soft resets, something that has plagued me with the WM6 Treo 750 I was using. The TyTN II does have some quirky things that really tick me off. The unit will not accept the little brother HTC TyTN battery! Yes, It is a completely different size! Now don't get me wrong but COMON HTC lets get logical. The battery is a Samsung KAS160 battery which is a measly 1350mAh battery. Totally unacceptable for a POWERHOUSE phone. So what did I do? I immediately grabbed my USB car charger that has worked on EVERY HTC device I owned.. Guess what? Nope it wouldn't work! So now I have to patiently wait for an extended battery solution. I am hoping our store will carry them also.

Now to the things I like! Boy where do I start. The TyTN II works like a charm with Skype and Slingbox! Two applications that are very processor intensive and it ran like a charm! I called Steve on the TyTN II over 3G and he clearly heard me with no feedback and a very slight delay. It almost makes you wish Skype for Windows Mobile supported video calling because this phone definitely would work with it. During my use with the Slingbox, I noticed really no problems whatsoever. The Sling always went to full screen giving me the best horizontal view possible. Now since the device slides open and at a 40 degree angle it is a pleasure to watch while eating my lunch.

The TyTN II is a quad-band handset with 3G and HSDPA and there is a front-facing camera for video calling. And putting it at the forefront of other Windows Mobile devices in terms of features, there is a built-in GPS antenna.

HTC adds a couple of nice touches including a Home screen which displays the time in large numerals and can show today's weather, photo contacts and allow you to switch profiles easily. There is also a button that will actually close applications rather than just minimize them, and doubles as an application switcher.

These features make it easy to get to different aspects of the device. And there is a business card scanner that uses the main camera, which could come in handy.

BlackBerry Pearl 8120 Smartphone

The BlackBerry Pearl 2 has finally arrived, but are the improvements worth the bother? Research In Motion (RIM) gave Pocket-lint the new 8120 ahead of the launch to have a play and find out.

Like the previous Pearl, the 8120 looks more like a mobile than a traditional BlackBerry in order to appeal to that crucial consumer audience, but RIM promises it's still a BlackBerry at heart.

The shape and size might not have changed much (it's slightly bigger), but the new 91 gram Pearl offers plenty.

First off, yes you guessed it by that "20" in the model number, the new version features fully fledged Wi-Fi. Connection to available networks is easy and brings this smartphone into the 21st century. We had no problems in our testing hooking up to our office or home network, although we did notice a drain on battery power when Wi-Fi was used.

Why would you need a Wi-Fi option in a consumer device? Well we found it really handy for downloading applications for the 8120 like Google maps, something that is around 40MB in size and would cost you a small fortune in data charges. It also means that surfing is considerably faster and something that is an option rather than the poor GPRS surfing you'll experience over the phone.

The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 comes with Wi-Fi technology which allows the user to enjoy a wireless connection on their Smartphone which is dependent on the network provider's available services. The user can enjoy a high speed internet connection using a wireless connection & the handset comes with a HTML Internet browser complete with a built in RIM® wireless modem. The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 comes with built in Bluetooth™ technology & with a USB port which allows the user to connect to other compatible devices quickly & easily to transfer files & data. The user can experience high speed data transfers & transfer rates with the built in EDGE technology & GPRS. The Smartphone comes with 64 Mbytes of built in memory which is flash type memory. The user can extend their Smartphone's memory capabilities further by adding a memory card as the Pearl 8120 comes with MicroSD™ memory card support. The user can view documents in popular document formats including Microsoft™ documents (PowerPoint, Word & Excel). This business Smartphone supports BlackBerry Maps™. The rechargeable battery can provide up to 360 hours of battery standby time or approximately 4 hours of battery talk time from a full charge.

The user can experience a wireless email service on their BlackBerry Pearl 8120 which works like the users home or office computers email service with send, receive, forward, save & attachment features. The user can enjoy an online chat with other compatible instant messaging contacts which allows the user to enjoy a text chat with others that are online at the same time as the user. This Smartphone comes with easy to use & quick to access messaging features which allows the user to stay in contact with others at all times. The Smartphone comes with a text message service known as SMS messaging & a picture messaging service known as MMS. The user can user the QWERTY keyboard when inputting text which provides the user with a quicker method of text entry on their Smartphone. A vibration alert can be selected when the user does not want to be disturbed by a ringing phone which will allow the user to know when a message or call comes in but a subtle vibration of the handset. The user can take a call using the speaker call feature which allows the user to hear their contact over the handsets loud speakers which means the user does not have to hold the Smartphone to their ear during a call but can place in on their desk whilst talking. A security password protection allows the user to lock their BlackBerry Pearl 8120 to avoid other access the user's stored data.

A built in media player allows the user to play music & video on their new Smartphone. The user can hear the sound via a set f headphones for a private listening experience or via the built in speakers for a shared listening experience. A built in camera allows the user to capture either still pictures or record video footage using the 2 megapixel digital camera feature. The camera comes with useful camera setting & option which will ensure the user captures the perfect picture. A zoom function allows the user to zoom up closer to their target & a flash option allows the user to capture pictures in darker surroundings. The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 comes with easy to locate camera keys which allow the user to capture & record quickly when needed. The Smartphone comes with a small discrete mirror which allows the user to take a self portrait picture. The Pearl 8120 is a business user's best companion as it comes with user friendly business & communication focused feature as well as some fun features to keep the user entertained on their travels.

BlackBerry Pearl 8120 Specifications & Features

Screen
65k Colour Screen (240 x 260 Pixels)

Imaging
2 Megapixel Camera
Flash
Zoom
Self Portrait Mirror
Dedicated Camera Keys
Video Clip
Video Player
Video Recorder
Picture Wallpaper
Screensaver

Messaging
SMS (Text Messaging)
MMS (Multimedia Messaging)
Wireless Email with Attachments
Instant Messaging
Predictive Text Input

Sound
Media Player
MP3 Ringtones
Polyphonic & MIDI Ringtones
Microphone
Built in Speakers
Vibrating Alert
Speakerphone
Voice Dialing

Entertainment
Embedded Games
Downloadable Games

Organizer
Phone Book
Calendar
Alarm Clock
Memo Pad
Task List
Organizer
Trackball
QWERTY Keyboard
SureType® Keyboard Software
Document Viewer (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, PDF)
BlackBerry Maps™
Security Password Protection

Connectivity
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth™
USB
GPRS
EDGE

Network
Quad Band Technology (GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800 & GSM 1900)

Internet
HTML
RIM® Wireless Modem

Memory & Talk Time
64 Mbytes Flash Memory plus MicroSD™ Memory Card
4 Hours Talk Time
360 Hours Standby

Weight & Size
91 g
107 x 50 x 14 mm

For a start, you now get Wi-Fi as well as GPRS and GPRS/Edge connectivity. Out and about in mid-Kent, the BlackBerry Pearl 8120 quickly found two or three Wi-Fi networks that we could log on to if we chose, helped by the fact that 02 has hitched itself to The Cloud.

02 minimizes the standard BlackBerry screen clutter by reducing the BlackBerry Pearl 8120's main screen to a selection of five main applications – Messages, the secondary email inbox set up for this trial, a dual SMS and MMS alert, Calendar and Address Book. Below this is the standard BlackBerry icon which you click on to access the more familiar BlackBerry screen.

As before, it’s a breeze to get online and to send and retrieve email. Prompts appear when needed – and only then. Most helpfully, the BlackBerry Pearl 8120's wireless radio icon now pops up to Manage All Connections. You’re asked whether you want to turn on the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Mobile Network or turn on the lot in one go.

For times when you need to get a handle on where you are, the Pearl has Maps built in. While no match for the detailed and more localized Vodafone Maps of the latest BlackBerry Curve, it's nonetheless a useful inclusion for anyone traveling long-distance and needing to get a fix on where they are.

This BlackBerry Pearl 8120 does multimedia far better too: the 2Mp camera (with 5x zoom selectable via the central roller ball navigator and automatic flash) produced some surprisingly good snaps, even in low light. The memory is now expandable too, via microSD card. Slot one in and you'll be able to capture video to it (you still only get 64MB flash memory onboard).

HTC Touch Dual

At first glance, the Touch Dual looks a very similar form factor to the original Touch, but when placed side by side, you realize that the device is slightly longer and narrower, as well as being a millimeter or two thicker to allow for the sliding keyboard. The 4-way rocker pad and selector button remain on the front of the device below the screen, along with call pick up and drop buttons. The camera button found on the original device is also there on the side, along with a volume button for both device and call volume.

To use the keyboard, you push the top half of the device up and the keyboard slides out of the bottom section. In use, this has a nice positive action to it and on sliding out, calls up an action screen on the display, offering common tasks such as New E-mail, SMS, appointment etc. If you don’t choose one of these options, the display returns to the normal Windows 6 Today screen after a couple of seconds. The keys on the 16 key keyboard were slightly small for our fat fingers and a little tricky to use at speed. As well as the normal 0–9, * and # keys, the device has 4 larger keys around the edges, offering shortcuts to the start menu, email, the web and a backspace key. Currently Orange are only offering the 16 key version of the device (when announced, HTC announced both a 16 key and a 20 key version).

The device also sports a second camera on the front top right of the case, allowing for video calls. Like the original, the back of the device has a 2 megapixel camera for normal shots and videos. In use, we found the picture quality to be surprisingly good for a 2 megapixel device.

HTC have also enhanced their today plug in from the original device, now offering 4 tabs to choose between displaying the time, weather, a customizable quick launcher for applications and a photo dialler screen. The touchflo functionality that was introduced with the original device remains and is easy to operate in day to day use.

The phone has also been upgraded from the Tri-Band GSM to a full HSDPA enabled 3G device, but the cost of this upgrade is the removal of the Wi-Fi functionality. In use, we found that the phone was fast at downloading email and surfing the web, but this is only a cost effective solution if you have an inclusive data package in your mobile contract. The inclusion of Wi-Fi was one of the reasons we loved the original device, but it’s removal is probably due to size limitations of fitting the aerial within the device.

The dual has also been upgraded in its processor, now running a Qualcomm 7200 processor at 400MHz as opposed to an OMAP 850 running at a slightly slow 201MHz. The RAM has also been bumped up to 128MB from 64MB, offering that all important extra space, so crucially needed when running Windows Mobile programs.

Strangely, the new device comes with a small drawstring bag to protect it, as opposed to the slip-in pouch that the original Touch came with. In use, we found it tricky to get the phone out of this in a hurry (like when it rings!) and so would ditch this for an alternative if we were to use the phone for an extended period. Also supplied in the box is a USB lead for charging and syncing with a PC and USB headphones with microphone for hands free use. Our review device didn’t come with a memory card, although the device has a micro SD slot.

HTC Touch Dual specification:

· Windows Mobile 6 Professional

· Qualcomm® MSM 7200, 400MHz

· ROM: 256MB ; RAM: 128MB SDRAM

· 2.6" TFT LCD Touchscreen 240 x 320

· Tri-Band HSDPA/UMTS

· 2.0 Megapixel main camera

· Bluetooth version 2.0

· 1150mAh Lithium Ion battery

· MicroSD card slot

· Slide-out 16-key keypad

· 107 mm (L) X 55 mm (W) X 15.8 mm (T)

· 120 grams

As usual, HTC has provided enhancements allowing more productive use of the touch screen. In particular there are options for launching programs, viewing and zooming images, and navigating the contacts list. But when it comes to writing emails or sending texts you're dumped unceremoniously into the usual Windows Mobile 6 applications.

The new keyboard helps, but ultimately this exposes the limitations of a device with interface tweaks layered over the top of something originally designed for stylus operation. It tries to ape the iPhone where the finger-based screen interface goes right to the heart of the device's design philosophy, but in this it ultimately fails.

If you can look past the Touch Dual's image as a wannabe iPhone, and start to think about it as a serious business tool, however, it suddenly starts to make a lot more sense.

It runs the Professional version of Windows Mobile 6, so includes the full version of Mobile Office including document creation and spell checking. Although it didn't come loaded on our review device, it's a simple matter to add the Remote Desktop client. There's no Wi-Fi but HSDPA means that mobile data really flies. And HTC has pulled off quite feat of engineering by squeezing a sliding keypad into a phone just 2mm thicker than the original.

There's no denying the underlying awkwardness of Windows Mobile stops it from being a credible competitor to the iPhone, but the HTC Touch Dual is worthy of consideration.

For business people in need of push email and Exchange integration the keypad turns what was a good start into a practical business tool. And it's a nice bonus that it still manages to be one of the sleekest and sexiest Windows Mobile devices around.

Blackberry Pearl 8100g

As powerful as it is trendy. All the features you'd be expecting from a BlackBerry smartphone and more.

The BlackBerry Pearl smartphone sets new values for ease-of-use. Its next-generation user interface features a pearl-like trackball navigation system that makes using this smartphone incredibly intuitive.

The BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8100™ Smartphone is one of the world’s smallest smartphones and packs all of the power of BlackBerry.

It comes complete with digital camera, multimedia capabilities and expandable memory. And it offers customers everything else they’d expect from a BlackBerry smartphone – including phone, email, web browser, text messaging (SMS and MMS), instant messaging, organizer applications and more.

The BlackBerry Pearl offers Quad-Band network support on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS and EDGE* networks to allow for international roaming between North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. The BlackBerry Pearl is small enough to take anywhere. It’s the ultimate combination of brains and beauty. Small, Smart and Stylish.

DEVICE SPECIFICATIONS

The BlackBerry Pearl provides complete features and functionality, including: Phone. Email. Text messaging (Short Messaging Service and Multimedia Messaging Service). Instant Messaging. Web browser. Camera. Media Player. Audio and video playback in a variety of formats. Integrated address book, calendar, memo pad, task list. BlackBerry Maps™, the best way to find your way.*

Speakerphone and voice activated dialing. SureType® keyboard technology in a QWERTY-style layout. Bluetooth capability for hands-free dialogue via headsets and car kits. Integrated attachment viewing. Compatibility with popular Personal Information Management (PIM) software. High resolution, light sensing screen that adjusts lighting levels automatically for ideal indoor and outdoor viewing.

Dedicated Send, End and Mute keys, a pearl-like trackball navigation system, plus user definable convenience keys. 64 MB of memory and expandable memory via microSD card.

BlackBerry Pearl 8100 Features Available

The BlackBerry Pearl 8100 features complete functionality, including*:

Camera

Media Player

Corporate Data Access 1

Wireless Email

Organizer

Wireless Calendar 1

Phone

SMS

MMS

Wireless Internet

64 MB of memory and expandable memory via microSD card***

Push-to-talk (only available from Cingular Wireless)

Dedicated Send, End and Mute keys, a pearl-like trackball navigation system, plus user definable convenience keys

Speakerphone and Voice Activated Dialing

SureType® keyboard technology in a QWERTY-style layout

Bluetooth® capability for hands-free dialogue via headsets and car kits

Integrated attachment viewing

Compatibility with popular Personal Information Management (PIM) software

High resolution, light sensing screen that adjusts lighting levels automatically for ideal indoor and outdoor viewing

Blackberry Pearl 8100 Enterprise friendly

For larger corporate and government organizations, the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 smartphone works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server to provide users and IT managers with:

Advanced security features

Wireless push delivery of email and data

Single mailbox integration

Attachment viewing of popular file formats

Wireless email reconciliation

Remote address book look-up

Unlike traditional mobile phones, the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 can be centrally managed and supported by IT departments using BlackBerry Enterprise Server.