Still waiting on Palm Pre and the next Android phone

Sound ID 200: This Bluetooth headset is all about reducing background noise through NoiseNavigation technology, making this a good option for people who tend to talk on a cell phone in noisy environments. There's also automatic volume control for seamless volume adjustment to fit the environment where you're using the headset.

Sound ID 300: This Bluetooth Headset is filled with technology that helps you set it to your own preferences. This model comes with NoiseNavigation and PersonalSound technology, which helps eliminate background noise and choose from three listening modes for better clarity without actually having to increase the volume. This lightweight (0.28 ounces) headset comes in black and sports a universal micro USB charger. You'll be able to find this headset in a couple of weeks at AT&T for about $100.

All things considered, App World represents a great start for Research In Motion, but they certainly have a long way to go if they want to be a serious contender in the application store market.  As much as I hate to reference Apple at every turn, the company has 24,000 more applications in its App Store.  Furthermore, RIM is only accepting payment via Paypal at the moment, and though it has promised additional methods of payment soon, it needs to move quickly to make the experience as smooth as possible.  I can't wait to see the impact of the store once these small hindrances are ironed out.

• The store will work with WinMo 6.5, which is also slated for release later this year.
• LG's WinMo phones released at that time will have MySpace preloaded.
• Microsoft will announce an alliance with fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi, who will create customizable phone themes.
• The company's planning on enticing carriers by splitting the software revenue with them (after 70% goes to the developers) and enabling them to have their own stores within the marketplace.

In the growing battle to launch application storefronts, App World will feature downloadable programs starting at $2.99 - pricier than Apple's .99 entry level, but also high enough to dissuade programmers from creating useless applications.  They're also fighting for developers; RIM is taking a 20 percent cut of the software sales, whereas Apple requires 30 percent in order to list in their App Store.  "There's going to be a significant counter-­challenge to Apple," said Mike McGuire, an analyst with Gartner."

Regardless, RIM has a challenge before them, as Apple's App Store offers 25,000 software programs of all shapes and sizes.  The average iPhone owner has downloaded 20 applications - significantly higher than on any other device.  In order for RIM to compete, they must make the experience as smooth as Apple's operation, according to Mark Woolen, an Oracle vice-president.  "It's just very, very elegant," he said.

Source: SlashGear (image via Engadget)

The killer smartphone?  Palm Pre.  Despite today's seemingly made up rumors of some guy at Palm saying something about a delay, I still thing we're going to get our official launch on April 1 with a ship date of May 1 or 15.  The only official timeframe we've EVER been given by Sprint or Palm is "First half of 2009," and there's nothing substantitive yet out there to indicate that Pre won't ship by the end of June as scheduled.  That said, Sprint and Palm are holding a webcast for media next week (March 12), so check back with me after that for a revised prediction.

The Windows Mobile options?  HTC Touch Diamond2 and Touch Pro2.  Look for both devices to launch in Sprint branding on April 1, as well.  Diamond2 should ship by the end of April followed by Pro2 sometime in May or early June.  HTC did some great work on both device's hardware and software, as they showed at MWC last month.  I'm particularly fond of the deeper integration of messaging and contacts in TouchFlo 3D.  Also, both phones are ready for WM 6.5 (which is a bigger deal than you might think).

The multimedia phone?  Samsung Instinct Mini.   I've never been a huge fan of Instinct, but plenty of Sprint users like it just fine, and Sprint and Samsung have steadily been stomping bugs and upgrading features since it launched at last year's CTIA show.  Vegas '09 would be the perfect venue to drop Mini2 on the public - preferably at a nice, low price point and with an updgraded Web browser.



The messaging phone?  LG Rumor 2.  While I'm not exactly sure what to make of the superficial similarities between Rumor, Samsung Rant, and the photos I've seen of Rumor 2, messaging phones are still hot and tweens love their options.  While Rumor 2  might not make sense in Samsung's eyes, seeing how Rant was just launched in September, LG and Sprint are probably just fine with the idea of a Rumor successor being unveiled on April 1.

This thread on Sprintusers has some purported details (and the below image), including:

It is not EVDO, it still has a 1.3 megapixel camera.

It also has a higher resolution screen (320 x 240 pixel), it has an improved 4 line QWERTY keyboard with emoticon key.

It has Bluetooth stereo with max memory of 16 GB.

It also has changeable faceplates and threaded SMS .

It is sprint's texting phone, not multimedia. Having seen it, it looks much cooler than the Rant (which looks cheap IMO) with it's mirror finish.

Since T-Mobile's already gone and said they'll have the new HTC smartphones out in Europe by June, it stands to reason that HTC's confident they'll have the devices ready to rock by then, at least.  HTC's made it clear that Diamond2 and Pro2 will be everywhere by the end of 2009, and if you recall Sprint was first to market with US versions of the original Diamond and Pro last year.  So on the one hand it stands to reason that the struggling carrier should follow suit this year in being first on the American block with the sequels.  Then again, HTC and Sprint engineers have to figure out how to cram CDMA radios into the devices before then, whereas the same GSM models T-Mo Europe is readying should be able to serve T-Mo and AT&T here in the states with a few minor tweaks.