New handsets from Cingular, Sprint, & Verizon

- Gary Thayer, Editor

July 6, 2005 -- (MobileVillage) -- In separate announcements, Cingular, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless have each added new handsets. Cingular added Motorola's trendy RAZR phone in a black finish, Sprint added a new camera phone from LG, and Verizon added the Motorola E815 media phone for its V CAST network.

The Motorola RAZR Black has a a VGA camera and leverages Cingular's MEdia services like Picture Messaging and Cingular Sounds, enabling users to share pictures taken with the phone and easily download music. Cingular subscribers can sign up for a monthly package which includes Text, Instant and Picture Messaging as well as MEdia Net.

The Motorola RAZR Black for US $200 with a two-year contract. For $20 plus shipping and handling, Cingular will also engrave the battery door of the phone and ship it to the desired address within approximately 4-6 weeks. The product is available online and at Cingular stores, plus all authorized agent locations and national retail locations.

LG's PM-225 for Sprint has an integrated camera, color screen, full-duplex speakerphone and access to the Sprint PCS Vision network for downloading pictures, ringers and games. The VGA camera features an 8x digital zoom, three resolution settings and color effects adjustments, and a photo gallery that can save up to 100 pictures. In addition to the gallery, users can snap photos and send them to an email address, another phone or store them online.

The 3.35 oz PM-225 is available in silver or red. Designed in LG's trademark clamshell design and weighing in at less than three and a half ounces, the phone features a 65K internal color LCD screen and a 65K color external display. The PM-225 by LG also includes a 500 contact phone book, voice activated dialing, 99 speed dialing entries and SMS capabilities. Other features and specs include:

• 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA/AMPS (Tri-Mode)
  
• Data Transmission: 1xRTT Voice & Data Capable
  
• Memory: 16 MB Flash/8 MB SRAM (download up to 1,024 KB)
  
• Dimensions: 3.53" (H) x 1.76" (W) x 0.93" (D)
  
• Standard Battery 1,000 mAh Li-Ion
  
• Talk Time: Up to 3.2 hours
  
• Sprint PCS Vision Enabled - download pictures, ringers and J2ME games+
  
• Two-Way Short Message Service (SMS)+
  
• VGA CMOS Digital Camera
  
• Self-Portrait Capability with Flip Closed
  
• Resolution choices: 640x480 (VGA), 320x240 (QVGA), 160x120 (QQVGA) Pixels
  
• 5 and 10 Second Self-Timer
  
• Customizable Color Effects, White Balance and Brightness
  
• Customizable/Recordable Shutter Sounds
  
• Send Pictures to E-mail, Phone or Store Online
  
• Assign Pictures to a Caller ID or Screen Saver
  
• Mobile Web Capable -- WAP 2.0
  
• Openwave Browser including JPEG, BMP, WBMP, GIF, PNG & WPNG image support
  
• Voice-Activated Dialing -- up to 30 entries
  
• Recordable Voice Ringers
  
• 30 Unique Default Ringtones plus Vibrate and Silent Modes
  
• Airplane Mode (RF Off)
  
• CMX 32-Chord Polyphonic Sound Support
  
• Voice Memo Recording -- up to 30 memos for up to 3 total minutes
  
• Personal Organizer: Calendar with Scheduler, Alarm Clock, Notepad
  
• Tools: Ez Tip Calc, Calculator, World Clock
  
• FOTA Capable -- upgrade firmware over the air
  
• T9 Predictive Text Input
  
• TTY/TDD Support
  

The 4.6 oz. Motorola E815 1.3 megapixel camera phone targets users of Verizon Wireless' V CAST multimedia service, which enables consumers in the V CAST service area to access short video content on-demand, including current news, weather, sports and entertainment programming. Features and specs include:

• Dimensions 3.69" x 1.89" x 1.01"
  
• 2.2" 176 x 220 internal screen up to 262K colors
  
• 1.3" 96 x 64 external color display up to 4K colors
• 1.3 Mega Pixel camera with flash, 4X digital zoom control, 5 and 10 second self timer, four resolution settings (120 x 160, 240 x 320, 480 x 640, 1024 x 1280)
  
• Bluetooth technology supports headset and hands-free profiles and allows phonebook/datebook synchronization with compatible PCs with optional Verizon Wireless Office Kit or Motorola Mobile Phone Tools kit (does not support OBEX Profiles, including transfer of games, ring tones, picture and video messages)
  
• V CAST- and Get It Now-enabled -- Allows customers to use on-demand video services and download and play advanced 3D games; Get It Now offers a library of more than 500 downloads including ring tones, games, and messaging options
  
• Mobile Web 2.0 browser lets users browse the latest news, weather, and sports scores
• PIX Messaging-, TXT Messaging- and EMS Messaging-capable
  
• Memory Expansion Slot
  
• Datebook, calculator, alarm clock and contact directory that stores up to 1000 contacts
  
• Advanced speech recognition
  
• Polyphonic ringer and sound capability
  
• Built-in speakerphone
  
• TTY and TDD enabled for the hearing impaired
  
• 1XRTT & EV-DO high speed data capable
  
• Up to 280 minutes usage time or up to 280 hours standby time

The Motorola E815 retails for US $150 after a $50 rebate and two-year customer agreement and is available in select Verizon Wireless stores, including those in Circuit City, and select Best Buy and select RadioShack.

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