As usual, the wireless industry plans to come out in force during this week’s Consumer Electronics Show, running Thursday through Sunday in Las Vegas. Among the expected announcements:
c LG Electronics Co. Ltd. will unveil three new devices. Prices for the phones were not available. LG’s new A7110 slider-style EDGE phone features an integrated camera and support for up to 30 minutes of video recording. The phone is expected to sell through Cingular Wireless L.L.C. this month. LG’s new MM535 slider-style CDMA 1xRTT phone features a 1.3-megapixel camcorder, streaming video, MP3 player, MiniSD memory card slot and 3D rendering technology. The advanced device is expected to sell through Sprint this month. LG’s new F9100 bar-style GPRS phone features instant messaging and Java software, as well as an innovative QWERTY keyboard that slides out from the device’s right side. The phone is expected to sell through Cingular this month.
LG also said it expects to sell its previously announced CDMA EV-DO clamshell-style VX8000 phone for Verizon Wireless by February.
c Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is set to announce seven new devices. Most of the devices are scheduled for release in the first quarter, although Samsung did not provide pricing or carrier details. The company’s new clamshell-style P207 features EDGE support as well as speech-to-text dictation technology. Samsung’s slider-style A800 features a 2-megapixel digital camera and an external memory card. The company’s slider-style P777 also supports EDGE, and features a 1.3-megapixel camera and 100 MB of internal memory. Samsung’s bar-style N330 features a pop-up display and the company’s VibeTonz touch-sensation messaging technology. Samsung’s clamshell-style A890 supports EV-DO networks and features a 1.3-megapixel camera. The company’s high-end, EV-DO-capable i730 wireless personal digital assistant features Microsoft Corp.’s Pocket PC operating system, a slide-out keyboard and Bluetooth. Finally, Samsung’s i645 features Microsoft’s Smartphone operating system and EV-DO support.
c Digit Wireless will announce a new licensing deal with LG. Digit offers its Fastap keypad technology, which aids data entry by adding buttons for letters among the standard 10-key phone keypad layout. LG built the industry’s first Fastap phone, the 6190 available through Telus Mobility in Canada. LG this week will announce it has expanded its licensing arraignment with Digit to cover Fastap devices globally. Digit’s chief executive David Levy said the company expects to reach financial break even by the end of the year.
c Cardo Systems Inc. plans to release its new Scala-500 Bluetooth headset. The company said the headset features technology to reduce wind noise and will sell for $75.
c Mobile Action said it will introduce a CDMA version of its Handset Manager software. The software connects a phone to a computer through a USB cable, infrared link or Bluetooth, and allows users to share calendar information, contacts and files between the devices.
