February 16 - 11:30am EST   At the Mobile World Congress that has kicked off on Monday, Qualcomm and Inventec are showing the first smartphone to use Qualcomm's mirasol display, the Inventec V112. The 1.1-inch bichrome display sits below the main display and saves energy and is perfectly visible in broad daylight thanks to the technology inherent to its design. Mirasol screens use conductive plates to reflect light and change the wavelength to produce different colors in many small elements that make up each individual pixel. [full story]

January 16 - 1:20pm EST   According to a Friday report, HP will soon launch more model to add to its Mini family of netbooks. Most recently, the computer maker launched the Mini 2140 at CES, which replaces the Mini 2100 and brings with it an Intel Atom chip instead of a VIA C7-M as well as bumps up the screen size to 10.1 inches from 8.9. The report claims a Mini-note 2150 is the next model due for release, adding integrated 3G data network access to the specs. [full story]

November 12 - 4:40pm EST   Qualcomm on Wednesday announced the Kayak PC alternative, designed to give users in emerging markets widespread and affordable access to high-speed wireless Internet. The Kayak PC alternative uses 3G wireless broadband to supply Internet access to markets in which wired Internet access is unaffordable or otherwise not available. Comprised of a reference design and a set of software specifications that can be made available to hardware builders, the Kayak PC alternative can be categorized in-between a desktop PC and portable, Internet-capable wireless devices. [full story]

October 27 - 4:15pm EDT   A false start on Dell's website revealed the computer and monitor maker may soon get into the smartphone game as well with a pair of Pharos-branded smartphones, the Traveller 117 and 127. While the phones have disappeared since making their short-lived online debut, their specifications were revealed so we know what to expect if and when they do come to market. Manufactured by Inventec, the devices feature access to 7.2Mbps HSDPA networks, assisted GPS capabilities and Windows Mobile 6.1 with the Microsoft Office Mobile suite. [full story]

August 7 - 9:15am EDT   HP plans to significantly expand its Mini-Note line in the fall along with a switch in processors, one new leak claims. Although an expansion has already been rumored, the new tip is more specific and alleges that a larger 10-inch model will ship with an Intel Atom processor rather than the VIA C7-M used in the 8.9-inch version. The system will purportedly ship with a solid-state drive and an unusual 1024x576 screen resolution rather than the 1024x600 of the current system. [full story]

June 2 - 1:40pm EDT   Qualcomm has collaborated on a miniature notebook with Linux and plans similar efforts for Windows Mobile 7, the company has revealed today. Designed largely by Inventec, the Linux system will cost $300 but should have a Qualcomm 3G chipset to give it wide-area wireless access without buying extra hardware. the latter's senior VP Luis Pineda acknowledges that the PC hasn't been made official but promises a launch sometime before the end of 2008. [full story]