The relatively obscure Singapore-based company MWg recently launched two new smart phones that may bring some much-needed attention to the brand. Its new Zinc II and Atom V roll high-speed Internet, GPS, and even FM radio into slick packages, but they won’t come cheap.
The Zinc II is a slider with a 2.8-inch exterior touch screen and QWERTY keyboard beneath, much like the Glyde that Samsung launched yesterday. Its footprint measures a fairly beefy 4.3 by 2.3 inches, but it manages to stay fairly slim with a depth of just 0.7 inches. Features include HDSPA 3.6 Mbps Internet access, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios, a 2.0-megapixel camera, and the popular SirF Star III GPS chip for navigation, the same chip found in many standalone nav units. It’s also one of the first phones to roll out with Windows Mobile 6.1.
The Atom V adopts a more angular candy bar shape, but retains the Zinc II’s rough dimensions. Features closely match the Zinc II’s, from the 2.8-inch touch screen to the GPS chip, but the Atom V supports faster 7.2Mbps HSDPA Internet, and packs an FM tuner with RDS. It does, however, get the slightly more dated Windows Mobile 6.0 operating system.
According to Electronista, the Zinc II will launch in mid-May for about $880 US, while the Zinc II is available now in the U.K. and runs for $782.
