BenQ-Siemens Announces First Handsets Under New Brand

BenQ-Siemens today announced the first handsets that are clearly a result of the merger of the two companies. Each of the three handsets are due out this quarter, most likely outside North America. One handset is clearly designed for Europe and Asia as it is UMTS 2100 and 900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS. The other two are triband GSM/GPRS.

S88: a triband candybar phone clearly aimed at Sony Ericsson's high end models. Features a similar 2.0 MP auto focus camera with LED flash, photo editor, Micro SD slot, Bluetooth and a media player compatible with MP3, AAC, H.263 and MP4. Also features a 176 x 200 OLED screen.
EF81: a slim (16 mm) 3G clamshell with a QVGA screen inside and a large 120 x 160 screen outside. The outside also features four softkeys for controlling many of the phone's functions without opening it. Features include rotating 2 MP camera for pictures and video calls, Bluetooth, USB, Micro SD slot and a media player that handles MP3, AAC++, MP4, Real video and H.263.
S68: a sleek, slim triband candybar aimed at business users. Lacks multimedia functions like a camera or audio player, but features a document and fax viewer for reading email attachment. Also features Bluetooth and USB connectivity.

Recent trial proceedings against a Florida company that sells phone records reveals how these businesses obtain records from carriers. The companies do not use high tech means to steal the records from the company. Instead the company on trial would call up Verizon's customer service pretending to be a non-existant department of the company. Armed with a phone number and a social security number obtained through other illicit means, companies could then request call records. Carriers continue to sue these companies, but Wired reports that lawyers are some of their biggest
clients.

Verizon and Nextel both plan to test out services that would display video ads on subscribers' phones. All plans mentioned will require customers to opt in to receive advertisements. Initial tests will ask customers to opt into simple video ads, possibly in exchange for reduced monthly subscription fees. A number of big name companies including Nike, ESPN, Hilton and Pepsi have campaigns lined up for the so-called third screens. If tests are successful, marketers have further plans such as location based advertising which would use phone based location to trigger ads when a subscriber enters in a certain area.