It looks like Motorola and Verizon are getting ready to take a third crack at the Q9 form factor, following up the Q9m and Q9c -- and this time around, there's a little something extra in store. On top of the EV-DO Rev. A radio, the so-called "Napoleon" (codename, of course) features GSM, because -- surprise, surprise -- businesspeople who use Windows Mobile devices tend to do just a bit of traveling. It looks like Moto has taken this opportunity to give the Q9 meme a little nip-tuck job, too, with a rounded body and a tastefully-applied ring of chrome around the top edge. They've even tossed in a fingerprint scanner for good measure, a tip o' the hat to the suits who'll undoubtedly populate the upper 90 percent of this sucker's client base. No word on a release date or price, but can we cautiously submit a thumbs-up for the design direction here?

Reviews of Philips' new X800 touchscreen phone are starting to hit the wires ahead of its release, and while it's a plenty attractive phone with a lovely 2.9-inch WQVGA display, the relic of a GPRS radio -- you know, the same kind your great grandparents used during the Crimean War -- makes it very difficult to care, unless you happen to be in an area without EDGE or 3G, nor the hope of either technology making an appearance in the forseeable future. On the plus side, that very same black mark on the X800's record should lead to a pretty aggressive pricing strategy for a form factor typically associated with the highest of the high end, and we suppose that's a good thing.

[Via GSM Arena]

July 4 was the date, but hey, what's the harm in opening up the floodgates just a handful of hours early? Get past the lack of 3G, EDGE, camera, and a rock-solid set of tested, commercialized apps, and open-source phoning nirvana can now be yours for $399 on the plastic.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Leaked inventory screens from Best Buy (also known as Poor Buy, So-So Buy, Decent Buy, or Alright Buy, depending on how you feel about the place) suggest that the big box expects to take inventory of the Sidekick Gekko (or "Gecco," depending on whose spelling you believe) along with the Tony Hawk LX come the 27th of this month. That's just about on schedule with the expected release dates for both devices, so it seems believable enough -- and with the memory of the iD fading fast, an entry-level Sidekick with changeable faceplates is just what the doctor ordered (as for the Tony Hawk LX, we're really not sure who ordered that, but it certainly wasn't the doctor).

Indians are among the very first lucky denizens of the world to get a crack at Nokia's 6220 classic, one of the high-end handsets introduced at Mobile World Congress back in February. Though it doesn't get slapped with an Nseries label, it probably should on account of a 5 megapixel camera with xenon flash, AGPS, TV-out, and HSDPA, all underpinned by S60 -- so why isn't it an N something-or-other, then? Our only guess is that it takes a moderately different, more conservative styling direction than the modern Nseries line, because we'd argue the local asking price of 19,959 rupees (about $464) is more than enough to push it into "multimedia computer" category.

[Via Unwired View]

Last we'd heard, O2 was well out of Asia with remnants of the firm regrouping as MWg to forge ahead with some of O2's remaining projects and start blazing a new trail. Be that as it may, IT168 appears to have details of a clearly O2-branded "Xda Vista" with a WVGA display, NVIDIA graphics chipset, Windows Mobile 6.1, GPS, and pretty much every other feature a Windows Mobile power user is clamoring for these days. Those are downright modern specs, which means this thing was likely crafted after MWg came into existence -- or at the very least, after it was known that O2 Asia would go away -- so we're not sure what's going on here. Is it a fake? If not, will it end up getting rebranded as a MWg model by the time it's released? Then again, with a WVGA display and HSDPA, do we really care what it's called?

[Via Slashphone]

Hopes had been reasonably high that Toshiba's G810 would rest near the top of the keyboardless WinMo food chain for a while, but if PocketNow's review is any indication, that's a tall order. Problem numero uno -- which we didn't need a review to tell us, necessarily -- is that the completely tactile-free directional pad and accompanying buttons make using the darned thing a challenge, no matter how cool the glowy blue lights may be. What's more, the screen is QVGA, which is unacceptable for a high-end WinMo handset in 2008, and the tester was unable to get even a single full day of battery life out of it with typical use. On the bright side, the camera appears to take some of the better shots we've ever seen come out of a cameraphone, but is that really enough to justify the $700-plus that retailers are commanding? Probably not.

Quick: name a Linux-based Motorola touchscreen phone that isn't widely distributed in North America. Oh, wait, that's all of them! In this case, "all of them" includes the little A810, a phone that's been kicking around the rumor mill since way, way back in February of this year. EDGE data and a 2 megapixel camera should help keep this one priced somewhere in the midrange, and while not necessarily attractive, it's definitely interesting to look at. Come on, you've got to give it that. Click through to the gallery if you don't believe us.

Shoot, all Motorola had to do was change from pink mahogany to this nice, normal, compliant shade of black, and that would've been enough of an update to justify a model name change. There's more, though: the V9x will officially offer AT&T Navigator, the Telenav-powered navigation system already found on the Z9, and we can see from these press shots that it'll even work on the secondary display, which is pretty trick. This appears to be the same update that we'd originally heard would drop way back in January, which means we can likely expect Video Share support as well. Check 'er out!

The second model in Motorola's new ZINE line -- the ZN200 slider -- has officially broken cover, though it's with a whole hell of a lot less fanfare than the first. There are plenty of reasons for that noticeably lower-key intro, of course; a less-than-spellbinding design and unremarkable 2 megapixel camera (with no Kodak branding to be found, mind you) are the two standouts that come immediately to our attention, and the 30MB of on-board storage isn't helping the case, either. It should be launching in Brazil alongside the Z10 for 499 reais (about $311) in your choice of black or pink, and Moto'll throw in a 1GB memory card for that price, too, just 'cause they like ya.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Unlike the Sony Ericsson series of the same letter, Motorola's "W" line doesn't really stand for anything special -- it's basically a catch-all for the company's low-end fare. On that note, we've got a W265 hitting the FCC here with an endless appetite for boring us to tears, though the presence of both GSM 850 and 1900 means we'll be able to bring that boredom straight to US shores if we should so choose. There's also an FM radio in there somewhere, but that's pretty much where the feature list comes to a grinding halt. Make it free, Motorola -- not on contract -- and we'll take two.

It looks like Sony Ericsson's finally getting around to producing an ultra-thin candybar that isn't all dolled up in Walkman branding, which should be music to the ears of folks who hate music of all kinds (you know who you are). We jest -- obviously, the Walkman image isn't for everyone, and modern non-Walkman Sony Ericssons typically have plenty of prowess for busting out the tunes -- so we're actually seeing people from all walks of life being able to get into this so-called "Remi". The rumored handset looks plenty real in these shots posted over on se-nse, and the specs sound legit, too: HSDPA, a 3.2 megapixel cam, and a body measuring somewhere in the neighborhood of 10mm thick -- all attributes borrowed from its W890 cousin. Pictured next to the Remi on the right is the legendary T610, a phone that holds a very special place in the hearts of they Sony Ericsson faithful; with its aluminum shell and two-tone face, it's pretty obvious that the Remi is trying to tastefully evoke the T610's cues, so let's just hope there's some bite behind the bark when it launches.

Finally, a piece of news we can actually do something with. AT&T today announced its pricing structure for the next iteration of Apple's iPhone -- which you can plunk down money for come 8 am, July 11th. There's not much that's surprising here -- new customers and those eligible for an upgrade will be able to nab the phone for $199 (8GB) or $299 (16GB), while "early upgraders" will have to fork over $399 or $499, all with a two year contract and $18 upgrade fee, of course. The telco says a no-commitment version of the phone will be available for $599 and $699, though it looks like that will come after the initial launch. AT&T appears to be leaning pretty heavily towards the all-in unlimited plans, but there are options if you don't want to go that route. We've sorted out the basics after the break, and included AT&T's "iReady" video -- certainly good for a few chuckles.

After you delay a not-exactly-groundbreaking product like the iPAQ 900 for the umpteenth time, there should really be no surprise to find a lukewarm reaction when it actually ships. Nevertheless, loyalists out there that refuse to give up on HP's Windows Mobile 6.1-powered Business Communicator will likely love the lengthy hands-on demonstration at GottaBeMobile. There's nothing there that'll floor you or anything, but if you really needed to see someone handle this thing for 14 minutes before making your purchasing decision, head on past the break and mash that sideways triangle.

[Thanks, Rob]

LG and Samsung just love throwing down the touchscreen gauntlet on American carriers lately -- one only need look at the Dare, Instinct, Vu, Voyager, and Glyde to figure that much out. Thing is, none of those devices really fall into the smartphone bucket, much less the coveted "superphone" one. That might just be where the recently-announced Samsung Omnia comes into play, though, which is now rumored to be destined for AT&T with a gaggle of features in tow: Windows Mobile 6.1, 5 megapixel camera, HSDPA, at least 8GB of internal storage, and support for AT&T Mobile TV. If it turns out to be true, that's got to steam LG, who's presently sitting atop the AT&T Mobile TV food chain with the Vu -- but hey, if that means they're going to set to work with another range-topper above this one, we're all for it.