ASUS O2 XDA Graphite phone approved by FCC
updated 11:00 am EDT, Wed October 25, 2006
ASUS O2 XDA Phone
An ASUS phone will make a rare appearance in the US, according to a new FCC filing. The document reveals that the O2 XDA Graphite, a slim candybar phone, has recently been approved by the American testing agency. The handset is focused on phone use but runs Windows Mobile 5 and should support most smartphone software that isn't heavily dependent upon a keyboard. The O2 XDA will be relatively advanced but is not expected to be a breakthrough device: a 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and a 2.2-inch screen are increasingly standard features in newer cellphones. Music support is equally welcome with MP3, WMA, and WAV playback for songs stored on microSD cards.
However, an unusual element of the filing is the device's support for UMTS mobile broadband, a technology normally found only in European phones. While the feature may be disabled for its American release, its presence may point to the O2 XDA's use as apart of T-Mobile's American UMTS service set to begin in 2007. ASUS has not officially announced the phone for the country. Larger photos are available after the jump.
