Nokia will launch an upgraded version of the Nokia E72 for the Chinese market. Dubbed as the Nokia E72i, the new handset supports WAPI (China’s own Wi-Fi technology). The new Nokia E72i features HSDPA, A-GPS, Nokia Maps, accelerometer, a 3.5mm headset jack, a 250MB of internal memory, a QVGA display and a full QWERTY keyboard. Sadly, there is no info on pricing or availability so far. [Mobile-review]
Internet phone company Bandwidth.com just announced a service that could be a boon to new companies that don’t have an office, much less a phone system — Phonebooth Free.
It’s normal for a startup nowadays to use personal cell phones for all calls. But there are probably many companies who would rather not, either to appear professional or protect their privacy. That’s where Phonebooth Free comes in.
Think of it as either an office phone system, but for a virtual office, or as a version of Google Voice that’s designed for businesses rather than a single user. Companies who sign up get a new business phone number. When someone calls the number, they’ll hear a normal company directory (“Press 1 for sales, press 2 for support,” etc.), and when they select an option, they get redirected to the correct cell phone. You also get a text transcription of voicemails.
Cary, North Carolina-based Bandwidth.com plans to make money off this service in a few ways. For one thing, it could be an on-ramp for its pay service, PhoneBooth OnDemand, which enters general availability today and costs $20 per user per month. Also, with the free version you only get 200 minutes per month, but companies can buy more time. And Bandwidth runs advertising with the transcripts.
The company has also added a new feature to both versions of Phonebooth, called Contact Us Plus. This is a widget that replaces the static “contact us” page on most company websites with a widget showing all your Phonebooth extensions, as well as links to your accounts on social networks. And if a customer clicks on the phone number, their computer starts dialing the company.
Bandwidth.com says it’s self-funded and profitable. It recently launched a network for voice and telephone applications.
Companies: Bandwidth.com
So here’s a deal, but it’s a bit odd. The Toshiba R600 is advertised as being Toshiba’s ultimate notebook, and for the price it better be. You can buy it from Toshiba’s website for $2,099 for the base model which includes a 160GB hard drive, 3GB of RAM, and a 12.1″ screen, and comes standard with Windows 7. But that’s not the deal.
If you don’t want to use Windows 7, and would prefer OpenSolaris, you can buy the exact same machine for $500 less. Odd, I know. And it definitely makes you wonder exactly how much you’re paying for that copy of Windows 7 Starter.
[Thanks to Chris for the tip]
Word has it that the Casio Brigade C741 is now available in various Verizon retail stores, although there is no official announcement from Verizon so far. Verizon offers the Brigade C741 for $249 on contract (after a $50 mail-in rebate). You can also purchase this rugged handset via TeleSales. In case you didn’t know, the Casio Brigade C741 has a “solid build quality” and features Push-to-talk, Bluetooth and a camera with LED flash. Stay tuned for more updates. [PhoneArena]