All about cellphones and more.
Alcatel has unveiled a new fashion mobile phone handset, designed in collaboration with Italian accessory maker Mandarina Duck.
The Mandarina Duck clamshell handset has a glossy and rubberised texture, and comes in three colours: cherry red, lilac and green. The handset comes with a phone charm and bag clip.
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Telefónica and Nokia today announced they are working together to accelerate the adoption of new Internet services on mobile devices by providing Telefónica customers with easy access to both Telefónica and Nokia Internet services. The collaboration includes areas such as menu customization, technology and billing co-operation.
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Boost Mobile launched Motorola i425 yesterday. The device is the provider’s thinnest ever at 0.47 inches thick but still offers the walkie-talkie instant calls that the company says are extremely popular on its iDEN-based network. It also offers many of the features of better phones on other networks with mobile web access, multi-network IM chat, and assisted GPS navigation. Users can also load true music ringtones rather than the simpler MIDI tones.
The i425 further represents a minor revolution in terms of packaging for cellphones, Boost says. The clamshell pack is made completely of recycled material and uses post-consumer goods for about 35 percent of that material. Boost ships the phone in black/gray (i425t) or espresso/white (i425e) for $40 with $5 of pay-as-you-go phone time and lets users either continue to add calling minutes at will or switch to a pre-paid plan from $30 per month.
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Alltel yesterday launched Alltel Wi-Fi, a new service specifically for users who want to bring their short-range wireless devices online in public places. The plan teams up with Boingo Wireless and lets any user of a Wi-Fi-equipped notebook or smartphone connect both to Alltel’s own locations as well as “thousands” of North and South American hotspots. The Internet connections peak at speeds up to 2.4Mbps and provide a real alternative to EVDO cellular access, according to Alltel.
Pricing for the Wi-Fi plan depends on existing service. An existing subscriber with an EVDO data plan can add Wi-Fi for $10 per month with unlimited access; those who only use phone service or a partial plan can still opt for a $22 monthly agreement. Non-subscribers can pay as they go to fill a gap in Internet access on a trip or a vacation, according to the company: users can pay as little as $8 for a single day’s access or as much as $30 per month. Great!
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