FCC clears i-mate Ulimate 8502 for duty in the US
i-mate's Ultimate lineup of mobile phones is definitely a mobile enthusiasts wet dream. At least in theory. With no US wireless carrier-support and nary an FCC seal of approval to speak of, i-mate hasn't exactly broken into the US high-end handset market. So, no matter how high-end the i-mate Ultimate lineup may be, there's just that little issue of getting the handset into consumer hands. But, that may all change with the FCC's approval of the i-mate Ultimate 8502 Windows Mobile Professional-powered handset. As evidenced by the FCC's label to the right, the Ultimate 8502 has been cleared for duty in the US by the almighty FCC. The i-mate Ultimate 8502 boasts a veritable what's what of high-end mobile phone features that any true cellphone lover can appreciate. Features like HSDPA/HSUPA (in other words, HSPA), GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, 2 megapixel camera, TV-out, and QWERTY keyboard secures the i-mate Ultimate 8502 a spot among the Windows Mobile smartphone elite. The candybar form-factor is sure to appeal to the broadest possible mobile phone market, so it makes sense that i-mate decided to push this particular Ultimate handset through the FCC's labs. It would be nice to see the i-mate Ultimate 9502 get the FCC's nod of approval - with a full-VGA display and 3 megapixel camera, the Ultimate 9502 is a monster of handset. Still, it's nice to see i-mate making some headway into the US market with the Ultimate 8502. FCC --- Related Articles at IntoMobile:
- i-mate Ultimate 8502 and 9502 coming in late December/early January with full QWERTY keyboards!
- i-mate Booth Tour from 3GSM/Mobile World Congress 2008 Barcelona
- i-mate chops US operations down to bare minimum - massive layoffs
- Australian Telstra first one to offer new i-mate smartphones
- FCC approves i-mate Ultimate 8150