Antenova (News - Alert), an integrated antenna and RF solutions company, and Tranzda Technologies, a smart phone design company in Shenzhen, China, have launched Tranzda’s T818 ultra-slim smart phone with embedded GPS functionality.

 

Targeted at mid to high end consumer and business user markets the new tri-band EDGE NEWPLUS Linux core smart phone combines all the functionality of a mobile phone, a PDA and a multimedia device in a sleek, low profile and light weight handset. Tranzda’s T818 offers the latest features, including GPS and Bluetooth connectivity, and a variety of multimedia entertainment functions in a 13mm thin device.

 

Antenova’s GPS RADIONOVA M10214, which incorporates the SiRFstarIII GPS chipset, is a complete GPS system in a compact low profile package. The system is ideally for handset applications such as Tranzda’s slim 13mm smart phone.

 

According to Greg McCray, CEO Antenova, China manufactures almost half of the world’s mobile phones, and many of which are designed by innovative Independent Design Houses (IDHs), such as Tranzda, who offer their designs with the latest features and functionality to the growing Chinese mobile phone market as well as the international markets.

 

As GPS has become a pervasive feature in mobile phones, Tranzda is offering the T818 slim smart phone with GPS, which has been GPS enabled by Antenova’s high performing and low profile M10214 GPS RF antenna module. McCray noted in a statement that the T818 also benefits from Antenova’s high performing tri-band EDGE cellular antenna and is Bluetooth enabled using Antenova’s Comata 2.4GHz standard antenna.

 

Chaoyong Wang, general manager, Tranzda Mobile said that the T818 smart phone is gaining great traction with their customers as it offers everything a handset user could dream of in a sleek light weight handset, including the must have GPS feature.

 

Wang observed that the M10214 RF antenna module which combines the SiRF GSC3LTf GPS receiver IC with Antenova’s high efficiency patented complementary antenna technology underpins the T818’s high performing GPS engine that provides accurate, uninterrupted positioning indoors and outdoors. He further explained that the unique omni-directional capability and resistance to de-tuning in the ‘talk position’ of the M10214, as well as extra filtering for co-existence with cellular frequencies, make it the ideal GPS system solution for mobile handsets where the orientation of the device can be varied.

 

McCray said that given the increase in multi-band/multi-mode devices, a higher degree of device integration is necessary in the RF front end to save space, enable co-existence, reduce design time and remain cost competitive. He emphasized that offering fully integrated and pre-optimized RF antenna modules is an ideal solution for OEMs and ODMs as well as the Independent Design Houses.