(Click here for a larger view of the Gsmart MW998)

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Gigabyte's proprietary "Wisetalk" software has been featured on several Gigabyte phones, such as the Gsmart i120 released in 2006 and the Gsmart i350 released last year. Wisetalk adds preset background noise such as "airport," "concert," or "meeting room" to calls in order to camouflage a user's actual location. More usefully, it also renders the MW998 capable of storing incoming messages locally and recording all phone calls, though Gigabyte does not specify the amount of storage this might require.

The MW998 has no more and no less memory than most other phones, offering 64MB of RAM and 256MB of flash. As usual, though, storage may be expanded via a microSD slot.

As for other hardware attributes, the MW998's CPU is Marvell's PXA 270, clocked at 520MHz. The phone is a quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 device that also includes Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11b/g wireless networking.

Its shiny "pure black" case houses a 2.6-inch, 640 x 480 touchscreen display. Also on board is a two megapixel camera, featuring a macro function, autofocus, digital zoom, and video recording.

The Gsmart MW998 includes the usual audio and video playback capabilities provided by Windows Mobile 6 Professional, along with the operating system's ability to view and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. Push email and Windows Live Messenger are offered as well.

Key features and specifications listed by Gigabyte for the Gsmart MW998 include:

• Processor -- Marvell PXA270 clocked at 520MHz
  
• Memory -- 64MB of RAM and 256MB of Flash
  
• Display -- 2.8-inch 640 x 480 touchscreen display
  
• Camera -- 2.0 megapixel with autofocus, macro, digital zoom, and video recprding
  
• Wireless interfaces:
  • WAN -- GSM 850/900/1800/1900
    
  • LAN -- 802.11b/g
    
  • PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
• Other I/O: miniUSB connector
  
• Battery type and life:
  • 1300 mAh lithium-ion battery
    
  • standby time up to 150 hours
    
  • talk time up to 4 hours
• Dimensions -- 4.3 x 2.2 x 0.75 inches (110 x 56 x 19mm)
  
• Weight -- 4.9 ounces (140g)

Pricing and availability information for the Gsmart MW998 were not released, but the device appears to be available now.

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