We’ve seen Moto’s ICS update for Verizon’s DROID RAZR, though they seem content to keep it to themselves for the time being. This software seems to be pretty similar, though obviously it’s using Chinese (the phone has a China Mobile logo emblazoned on the front). Specs match the current RAZRs with the exception of  720p screen: 1.2Ghz dual-core OMAP 4430 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8MP camera and an unknown amount of on-board storage. Due to this phone’s slightly chunky nature, it’s probably using the RAZR MAXX’s admirable 3300mAh battery. Also note what appear to be virtual navigation buttons, though those could be removed by the time of release.

Motorola seems comfortable with releasing a surprising number of phone variants in China, while most other markets just get the local flavor of the RAZR and RAZR MAXX. This being the case, it’s unlikely that we’ll see this particular phone, the “RAZR” MT887, outside of Asia. With Verizon preparing a bigger and probably badder version of the DROID RAZR, this model is likely just an incremental update for Chinese consumers who haven’t bought a RAZR yet.

[via GSMArena]

The DROID RAZR was officially announced last month and we quickly received some hands-on time with it and you can see all of those videos right here. Apparently the model shown above has just cleared China’s equivalent of the FCC and will be headed to a few markets across China soon. Shown below is an image of the US model so you can see the difference.

Known as the Motorola MT917 the newly designed model will most likely share the same specs as the recently announced DROID RAZR. With a dual-core processor and the new 4.3″ AMOLED qHD display, 8MP camera on the rear making up that little hump and running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. We’ve been told the DROID RAZR should see ICS very soon in 2012 and would expect the same for this too. From the front it resembles the Motorola Atrix if you ask me and the entire design goes back to the original shape they’ve used in the past instead of what we’ve been seeing from Motorola with tapered edges. Either way we don’t expect to see this outside of China, but was worth a look.

[via UnwiredView]

Meizu, the company responsible for the iPhone-esque M9 is now all set to release their quad-core Meizu MX smartphone running on Android, sadly this is most likely only for the Chinese markets. What we are hearing is a 4.3″ qHD 540 x 960 display, a Cortex-A9 quad-core processor and 32GB of internal storage.

Like we mentioned above, sadly this will debut in China with a 32GB version for ¥4,999 ($780) and 16GB version for ¥3,999 ($625). We are hoping to hear more details and maybe, just maybe a US release but that is highly unlikely. We don’t have any other specs regarding the front or rear camera, Android version, or anything else at the moment but it should be available shortly. I do know that hearing qHD and quad-core in the same sentence with a September/October release date gets me very excited.

I might just have to import one of these bad boys here to the US and give it a whirl.

[via Engadget Chinese]

Yi will consist of Android but be stripped of anything Google and replaced with Baidu and have a beautiful user interface over the top, looking a bit like iOS and MIUI combined for a nice pretty UI. Dell sees this as an opportunity and is already planning a large hardware partnership with Baidu to launch their own smartphones and tablets running on the new “Yi” OS. Some being branded by Dell, and other by Baidu they expect this to greatly improve their mobile business.

Some analysts stated this is just Dell grasping at anything to help their ailing mobile business not to mention China still has a huge fan base of Apple products that dominate the market. While seeing 3rd party or custom “operating systems” running off of Android is nothing new, I do like to see what others come up with and how they will implement everything. Did you guys see the Google Android running Yahoo! Phone? This is what comes to mind although something tells me Baidu has a much better chance than Yahoo does.

More as this story develops.

[via SlashGear]

Looking over the specifications of the device everything looks decent until we get to the CPU. It will be rocking a slightly outdated 800 Mhz CPU, but it will feature a 3.5″ display, 512 MB RAM, 5MP camera with flash and even a VGA front shooter for video chat. Sounds a bit like the Motorola Droid in its own way. It may not be the best device around but its no slouch either.

Deep down it will be running on the latest iteration of Android and that is 2.3.4 Gingerbread but will most likely be covered up with that Moto Blur UI stuff. It still has a bit of charm to it when looking over the device. The design is nice and playful and it doesn’t have those squared edges like most Motorola phones as of late. The curved edges and thin looks you see in the photo above are a bit unique but I actually sort of like it. The glossy white finish might not be my favorite but that is just me.

Whether this device makes it out of China or not is still unknown but it will be launching sometime in August for those that may be interested.

[via MICgadget]

This Android 2.3 sporting XT882 has the 1 Ghz dual-core Tegra 2 CPU we all love, as well as that 4″ qHD High-Res display like the Atrix, with 8GB internal storage and an 8 MP shooter on the rear and a front facing camera for all your video calling needs. This phone is a powerhouse regarding its hardware and same goes for its capabilities with being a world phone.

The real treat for those in China is this phone also features GSM/CDMA both as well as dual-sim slots under the battery cover so you can have one of each and be covered wherever you are headed. Those capabilities along with that dual-core, dual-camera and dual everything power you are surely covered for just about any situation. Sadly this is only in China but we have a feeling Motorola might have something in the works for other regions. For more pictures of the device click here.

[via Motorola]

It also has a 5MP cam with flash, CMMB mobile TV capability and the dual screen will be both resistive and capacitive. The part that flips will have capacitive sensors while the main screen will be resistive. It will be interesting to see how both of these technologies work together. A link to the promotional video is below.

Video is here.

[via IT168]

The eStore will offer apps for every device all in one place. The initiative should be supported by 24 operators including Orange, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, NTT Docomo, Telecom Italia, Vodafone, Verizon Wireless, Telefonica as well as support from 3 manufacturers, Sony Ericsson, LG and Samsung. The eStore has already 30,000 paid and free applications and its not even released yet.

[via frandroid]

There’s also a 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera, mini-USB port and 3.5mm headphone jack, and the whole thing measures 115 x 62.4 x 13.2 mm.  What remains to be seen is whether Philips have plans to bring the V900 – or a version of it – to US or European shores.  If they do, it’ll need to throw in 3G.

[via Mobiset - Thanks Timon!]

The phone will use China’s homegrown 3G standard and a China Mobile operating system, which is known as the Ophone. It will access the internet using China Mobile’s TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access) network or WiFi. The MT710 will also be able to download applications via the Mobile Market from China Mobile.

A China Mobile representative said that the MT710, will go on sale in China on December 28th of this year. There’s no word on pricing just yet, but the device – like all Ophones – will use a version of the Google Android operating system, which is modified by China Mobile. To check the full specifications of this Motorola phone, click here.

China Mobile is the first to get this smartphone running Android from LG. But unlike the LG GW620, the GW880 doesn’t have a keyboard, it comes with a nice big touchscreen of 3.5inch (800 x 480). Talking abot the screen, it seems you can fit many icons on the homescreen ala iPhone.

It also has Chinese-spec TD-SCDMA 3G connectivity, along with Bluetooth, a 5-megapixel camera and GPS. There’s no mention of WiFi on this phone but it comes with CMMB (China Multi Media Broadcasting) TV tuner for mobile entertainment. Price is unclear at this moment and LG has not mention about releasing this Android phone in other parts of the world.

The first thing China Mobile wants you to notice is that they will offer the mini 3i in two colors; Red Passion and Oiled Bronze. And of course that is arriving later this month, although I wonder how late, if we are at the end already by just a few days. Well, I guess that’s what they meant; in just a few days.

The price for the Dell Mini 3i is still not confirmed, though. But next are a few pointers of this Android phone:

* Form Factor: Tablet/PDA
* Dimensions: 58.35 x 122 x 11.7
* Display: 3.5” nHD, 640×360
* Bands/Modes: Quadband GSM/EDGE
* Weight: <105g (grams)
* Bluetooth
* GPS
* Micro SD (up to 32GB)
* Connector: Mini USB

And below is the press release:

November 23, 2009 01:01 AM Eastern Time
China Mobile Becomes First to Sell Dell Mini 3i Smart Phones

* The Mini 3i, in Red Passion and Oiled Bronze colors, will begin arriving across China later this month
* China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator, serves more than 500 million subscribers

BEIJING–(BUSINESS WIRE)–China Mobile will soon become the first mobile operator to sell the Mini 3i, a sleek and slim new multi-touch smart phone from Dell designed to leverage the power, flexibility and applications of China Mobile’s new OPhone and Mobile Market platforms. Available in Red Passion and Oiled Bronze colors, the Mini 3i will begin arriving through China Mobile’s nation-wide channels (its authorized stores) by the end of this month and Dell direct to follow.

The Mini 3i runs China Mobile’s flexible OPhone open source platform, and includes the latest in popular entertainment including pre-loaded 139Mail e-mail, Fetion chat and digital maps for navigation. A large 3.5-inch widescreen creates a big-screen experience, making photos and videos bigger and more intense. The Mini 3i is also compatible with a range of consumer applications, e-mail platforms, and office productivity software.

“People today want to carry their lives with them – they want to discover, capture and share new content as they roam around the world,” said Michael Yang, vice president and general manager for Greater China Consumer of Dell. “We believe Dell’s year-long development collaboration with China Mobile will amplify those experiences better than anyone else in the industry.”

“This signals an important milestone in the long term partnership between China Mobile and Dell,” said a China Mobile spokesperson. “We are excited for Dell to be among the first manufacturers to introduce new technology based on the OPhone platform. We look forward to working with Dell as it brings innovative new products and services to add value to our customers’ lives.”

The Mini 3i is the result of a year-long collaboration with China Mobile and further illustrates Dell’s ongoing investment in smarter and more mobile products. China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile service provider with more than 500 million subscribers, teamed with Dell earlier this year to develop a new product for the rapidly growing base of mobile broadband users in China, embedding 3G technology in the Dell Mini 10 netbook.

With the recent launch of the OPhone platform, industry analysts are estimating that the current base of 180 million mobile broadband users in China will continue to grow at a rapid pace. The Mini 3i is specifically engineered to give those customers a smart phone that delivers fast, easy and fun access to the internet, e-mail, chat, music and video.

Popular Mini 3i Features:

* Entertainment: Access to China Mobile’s Mobile Market suite of services, games, productivity tools, wallpapers, ringtones and applications. Discover China’s popular Internet sites including 51.com, Kaixin and Renren.
* Customization: Personalize MP3 ring tones, icons and shortcuts. Run widgets on the home screen: sports, stocks, news and weather tickers.
* Navigation: GPS navigation.
* Search: Search contacts, appointments and e-mail from the home screen.
* Camera: 3 megapixel camera with zoom, auto-focus, flash, video capture and photo-editing capabilities. A 3.5 inch, widescreen (16:9), 640 x 360 display that’s ideal for viewing photos and videos.
* Popular Messaging: Support for the wide range of messaging platforms and services, including e-mail, IM, MMS and SMS.

Dell Mini 3i OPhone Specifications:

* Form Factor: Tablet/PDA
* Dimensions: 58.35 x 122 x 11.7
* Display: 3.5” nHD, 640×360
* Bands/Modes: Quadband GSM/EDGE
* Weight: <105g (grams)
* Bluetooth
* GPS
* Micro SD (up to 32GB)
* Connector: Mini USB

About Dell

People worldwide can buy Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) online, by phone and through more than 43,000 stores.

About China Mobile

Officially established on April 20, 2000, China Mobile Communications Corporation (“China Mobile” for short) has a registered capital of RMB 51.8 billion and assets of over RMB 700 billion. China Mobile has been playing a leading role in the development of the mobile communications industry in China and holds an important position in the international arena as well. Listed among the Top Fortune 500 companies for 8 consecutive years, China Mobile’s latest ranking is No.148; China Mobile was also a partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The OPhone operates with OMS or Open Mobile System which is a fork of Android. The device has a 5MP cam with auto-focus and flash, WiFi, microSD slot, TD-SCDMA (the standard in China for 3G). The phone also has CMMB (China’s TV streaming standard).

The more recent images clearly show off the China Mobile branding. There is limited information and specific price  details available at the moment. Suggestions list the phone to follow the launch of Dopod G2 which also runs OMS.

[via EngadgetMobile]

This Lenovo handset will not be the only OPhone, however.  The project is China Mobile’s attempt to marry the open-source OS with the Chinese government’s favored 3G standard, and refers to the OMS (Open Mobile System) they have developed.

“Given these (iPhone, Android, Symbian) developments, it is becoming very clear that developing a proprietary handset operating system is essential for dominance of the mobile Internet market in China. At the moment, China Mobile is in a comparatively weak position without its own operating system. With its own operating system, China Mobile will be able to commission customized phones from handset makers and keep its hand strong in negotiations over profit sharing. There is even the possibility that China Mobile may move into manufacturing handsets itself” Source familiar with situation

Unfortunately the nature of TD SCDMA means that the Lenovo handset, in its Chinese form at least, will not be available outside of the country.  However we can hope that Lenovo will consider developing a US/Euro version of the smartphone.

China Mobile has turned to Lenovo to help deliver the first Android-powered handset to China. Looking at the Lenovo site is a bit of a disappointment for many with the phone that they currently offer, this Android will almost certainly be anything but special. The site lacks the “flashy eye candy” of other major mobile phone manufactures such as Motorola, Nokia and HTC.

We can’t help but question the motive behind the decision to use this company over all the other available companies. We certainly expected the first China Mobile phone to run Android to come from a company that is a member of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA). Do you think that this phone will fail given the reputation of both China Mobile and Lenovo?

Photo courtesy of Android Community member heyitsnan.

[Via Shanghaiist]