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NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA), the worldwide leader in programmable graphics processor technologies, today announced that it has combined the processing capabilities of the NVIDIA GoForce family of handheld graphics processing units (GPUs) with Intel Corporation’s newest processor family (codenamed Monahans) based on the third-generation Intel XScale® architecture, to deliver a powerful development platform to content developers.

“Increased global demand for high quality digital media on the move is driving a dramatic increase in the adoption of multimedia processing technology for the wireless market segment,” said Mark Casey, general manager of Intel’s Applications Processor Business Unit. “The Monahans platform family and NVIDIA GoForce family of processors have both been architected with this steep growth curve in mind, and their combination will support exceptional 3D and multimedia capabilities in handheld devices.”

The Monahans platform family will offer a wide range of performance, power and integration levels to help meet the needs of mobile phones, portable gaming devices, personal media players and other consumer electronic devices. The NVIDIA GoForce family of handheld GPUs, including the recently launched NVIDIA GoForce 5500, enables advanced multimedia features such as digital TV, advanced photo imaging, surround sound audio, and 3D gaming on next-generation handheld devices.

Source: Nvidia.com

BenQ Mobile has announced the BenQ-Siemens P51 Pocket PC Phone Edition, including an integrated GPS module and WLAN.
Based on the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system, the device is equipped with a QVGA (240x 320 pixels) TFT color display measuring 2.83″, plus a bult-in QWERTY keyboard.

In addition to Bluetooth and USB, this Pocket PC also has an integrated WLAN interface (WLAN 820.11b/g) to enable the user on the move to surf the Internet and make phone calls via Voice-over-IP using Skype at any hotspot.

Push e-mail based on the new Windows Mobile 5.0 Direct Push feature informs the user immediately about newly received messages. All data are synchronized quickly and easily with a PC via a USB DCA-150 data cable using ActiveSync.

The BenQ-Siemens P51 is equipped with a music player (MP3, AAC, AAC+) with equalizer and 3D surround sound. IT also comes with an integrated 1.3 megapixel camera with LED photolight.

The BenQ-Siemens P51 will come on the market in July 2006 in the color “Silver.” Prices will be determined locally and it will be available with an optional onboard navigation solution.

Press release @ http://www.benqmobile.com/

Engadget has some info from Cebit on the first Microsoft Origami / UMPC device.

You can also check out Intel’s site for more information on the first UMPC devices. The first generation of Ultra Mobile PC devices from Samsung*, Asus* and Founder* are scheduled to be commercially available in Q2, 2006.

So we managed to get our hands on a Samsung Q1 / Origami device set to roll tomorrow here at CeBIT. Don’t ask how, but it’ll be awhile before we recover from the brutal caning we just received. From the five minutes we spent with it we can tell you, well, it’s an XP Tablet PC with a 7-inch display. Sorry, that’s about it, nothing earth-shattering here folks. In fact, for all the hype, it’s hard to find anything revolutionary or even evolutionary in the hardware specs or loaded software (perhaps that will come when the price is announced). Sure, Samsung did call it a prototype unit, but as the final prototype prior to manufacture we’re told not much will change besides a “brighter TFT LCD.”

Now, beyond what we saw earlier today, Samsung will release their UMPC / Origami device with optional GPS and DMB (and presumably DVB too, eventually) mobile digital TV expansion modules, as well as WiBRO support for when that goes live in Korea around June. The version we grabbed, the Q1, also supports Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP and sports a 30GB hard disk. Unfortunately the whole thing just felt wrong in the hands – very plasticy and without substance. Take a look for yourselves after the break, we’ve got tons more shots.

Read more about the samsung Q1 @ engadget

HP has just announced the new HP rw 6800 multimedia messenger series in Asia. No idea of release dates yet but the device looks good and includes the following specifications.

• Intel PXA272
• 416MHz processor
• 64MB RAM
• 128MB ROM
• QVGA (240 x 320) 262K-colour TFT-LCD
• tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support,
• Bluetooth 1.2, 802.11b Wi-Fi (rw6828 only)
• FM radio tuner,
• 2.0-megapixel camera
• Windows Mobile 5.0 with MSFP

Source : Aving news network (babelfish)

RIM has finally settled with NTP ahead of an expected ruling from a federal court. The settlement was much lower than many analysts expected and RIM stock jumped by almost 20% to $85.20 on the Nasdaq. Did RIM make the correct decision to settle? Many people believe they did as the uncertainty surrounding the litigation was causing serious reductions in new subscribers to the blackberry service. Only time will tell how Blackberry will be affected in the future.

Research In Motion Ltd., the maker of the BlackBerry e-mail device, Friday announced it has settled its long-running patent dispute with a small Virginia-based firm, averting a possible court-ordered shutdown of the BlackBerry system.
RIM has paid NTP $612.5 million in a “full and final settlement of all claims,” the companies said.

Source: CNN

“VIPN – Voice Internet Phone Network presents you the new AXIA A308 PDA Phone described as being a quad-band device offering GSM, GPRS and EDGE connectivity, the AXIA 308 also features Wifi connectivity. It is also the world’s smallest PDA Phone on the Microsoft® Windows® Mobile 5 operating system.”

Specifications

• Windows Mobile 5.0
• Quadband GSM (850/900/1800/1900)
• Integrated GSM-GPRS-EDGE
• Bluetooth 1.2 compliant, class 2 transmit
• Intel PXA272 CPU 416Mhz
• 2.2″ Transflective TFT LCD
• 262K colours
• 240 X 320 resolution
• 1.3 MegaPixel Camera

Arne Hess over at the theunwired has gotten his hands on the new O2 XDA atom PocketPC phone edition.  He will be posting a full review soon but he has posted a number of pictures of the device showing it’s compact size in comparasion to other  PocketPc phone edition devices.

“Thanks to O2 Asia, today I found an O2 Xda Atom in front of my door. If you don’t know yet, what the Xda Atom is, it’s an O2 Asia exclusive Pocket PC Phone Edition, running Windows Mobile 5.0, supporting tri-band GSM/GPRS, Bluetooth 1.2 as well as W-LAN b.
Memory-wise the Atom is sporting a total Flash ROM of 128 MB in with 64 MB RAM, features a fast Intel PXA272 416 MHz CPU and has stereo speakers on the front which makes sense since Xda Atom also features a FM radio! Last but not least the Atom includes a 2 megapixel camera with photo light.
While the Xda Atom isn’t that brand new anymore, it was released mid December last year, it’s still new enough, especially because most of us will not get our hands on it because it is released in East and South East Asia only, available exclusively from O2 but it’s also available from some resellers around the world now. “ 

Read the preview and view the pics @ theunwired