SLRs soon obsolete, replaced with mobiles

According to Reuters, Anssi Vanjoki, the executive vice president at Nokia, said that mobile phone cameras will replace conventional cameras. "They will in the very near future revolutionise the market for system cameras," he said. Vanjoki then pointed to a professional SLR camera used by a photographer nearby and said "there will be no need to carry around those heavy lenses."

HD video recording on mobile phones was another feature that Vanjoki touted, with the technology set to appear on Nokia's phones over the next year. Other manufacturers with phones currently on the market with HD video capabilities include Samsung's HD Icon and Sony Ericsson's Vivaz, both recording at 720p.

Read

The LG Chocolate BL20

Chocolate seems to be theme when it comes to developing new phones. Chocolate bars like the new LG BL20 Chocolate is the new addition to its older brother the BL40.

The LG BL20 may not have the splendor of the BL40 but is definitely an-awe inspiring device to be reckoned with. The chocolate series is back and here is the ingredient that keeps the chocolate sweeter than it is.

The latest BL20 Chocolate comes with a spectacular lively screen and a touchpad for easy navigation. To add to the functionality it has a sliding keypad that steers away from both traditional designs. Definitely the LG BL20 is a fashion phone and here are some of its core features.

First of all the LG BL20 by far is the slimmest of all LG slider phones available in the market. It only measures 106.9 x 50.8 x 12.3 mm, and the handset can still fit in your pocket. It only weighs at 115g just above the average phone you would encounter.

It has a 2.4 inch screen big enough for you to glide your hands through. Screen resolution is by far the best feature of this phone supporting 240 x 320 pixels at 262K colors. Just behind the back lies the LG BL20 Chocolate’s 5 megapixel auto-focus camera fully equipped with Schneider-Kreuznach certified optics. In addition to that, it also has an LED flash which can be used as a source of video light.

The LG BL20 also has some useful applications, this include an organizer, a calendar, a To-Do app, memos, Alarm settings, calculator and stopwatch just to name a few.

The new Chocolate series by LG is a great all rounder phone featuring all the best bits mold up into one. Not only it is powerful enough but it is also great to suite as a fashion statement.

The Funky Nokia 5530

In just a short span of months Nokia has released another ground breaking device in the form the new Nokia 5530. Hitting the market within six months apart, the Nokia 5530 definitely by some call it as the younger brother of the Nokia 5800. Well consumers might have a hard time comparing the two devices on which is better but after you take a glimpse of the handheld you would notice that it is definitely two unique devices.

To start it off, the Nokia 5530 phone casing comes with myriads of color combination casings of red, white on grey, black, and pink on white and yellow and white. The camera specs of the phone are awesome; it is built with “True Colors” by Cindi Lauper. The Nokia 5530 boasts a 3.2 mega-pixel camera with Auto Focus and can capture videos in a dazzling 640 x 360 pixels or in short up to 16 million colors.

The phone is touch based so there is actually no physical keyboard in place. Instead, the Finish manufacturer opted to have a virtual numeric keypad shown in front of the high definition 2.9 inch screen. When the phone is held horizontally on its left, the screen displays a QWERTY keyboard in response to your action.

The phone itself boasts a 70mb of internal memory and is equipped with a microSD card that is expandable of up to 16GB. As well for its raw power, it has a CPU speed of RM 11 434 Mhz processor. In terms of connectivity it has Wi-Fi capabilities and also has a FM and Bluetooth support. And to top it all, the Nokia 5530 even has a 1000mAh battery that means the phone has a talk time of up to 4.9 hours and a stand by time of up to 14 days.

The Latest Edition of Nokia’s NSeries

It couldn’t be that much bigger and better this time around. Nokia the leader in mobile technology has launch another one hell of a phone. A launch like this caliber wouldn’t be so intense and groundbreaking than ever. With the release of the Nokia N97 Nseries the ground is set for another one whooping daybreak for million of geeks waiting around the world.

The Android-Based G1 proved to be that QWERTY slider phones are really in for the taking. Clocking in at 117.2 x 55.3 x 16.9 mm and only weighing in at 150 grams this phone sure is in for the picking. Its 2mm thinner than its older brother the N96 and much bigger than the XPERIA. Well, who wouldn’t want that extra fat screen? The Nokia N97 features a 16M-color resistive touch screen and measures at 3.5” diagonal. It has a 360 x 640 pixels falling a bit short compared to the E90.

Like the N96, this little baby has a 5-megapixel camera with dual flash Carl Zeiss lens for ultra precision and detailed pictures on the go. They can easily be tagged through geo then A-GPS uploaded for OVI-share.

In terms of memory the phone has a 32GB on board memory and can be expandable with the use of a micro SD card. Just like the NSeries it still sports the same Symbian OS 9.4 with S60 5^thedition UI. Connecting to the internet would be breeze, it supports Wi-FI , Bluetooth and GPS, with 3 months free A-GPS via free voiced guided navigation through Ovi Maps.

With just a slight of touch,you can easily slide in the phone upwards to reveal its full QWERTY keyboard. All in all the N97 series is a great addition to the NSeries of Nokia, users of the old N96 will never be disappointed.

Twinlinx MyMax NFC Sticker Released

Twinlinx releases a new sticker that can help improve the current Bluetooth features of phones with NFC functionality. MyMax NFC Sticker is a thin electronic sticker that runs on the new Windows phone that is slated for release on October 6 offering immediate access to a number of users to Near Field Communications (NFC).

Among the features of the MyMax sticker include payment, transport, loyalty, access control, and smart posters which would normally require a special kind of NFC-enabled phone. With the new sticker, any phone can act as the medium and offer new means of interaction according to their needs.

MyMax unlocks the current situation where few NFC phones are available and now becomes a distribution model is that has been simplified so that it can be marketed and sold through different channels without relying on convincing people to change their phones just to get access to NFC.

(Source) Press

Samsung Announces Samsung SPH-W8550 Mobile in Korea

Samsung Electronics has just announced a new phone for the Korean market with the release of the Samsung SPH-W8550 Mobile. Supposedly with infrared capabilities, the Samsung SPH-W8550 is Samsung’s latest haptic phone made especially for the Korean market.

Features:

• 3.5” WVGA Amoled screen
  


• 5Mpix AF camera


• DMB
  


• GPS
  


• 3.5” Jack-in
  


• Samsung’s latest 3D UI
  


• Support DviX video
  

The Samsung SPH-W8550 will come in these colors:

• Rose Black
  


• Snow White
  


• Valentine Pink

Akihabara News

Sony Ericsson goes green with GreenHeart phones

It is nice to see companies taking more responsibility in keeping the planet clean with each product release without sacrificing on performance, such as LCD monitors and now, cellphones. Sony Ericsson just unveiled a couple of GreenHeart pioneer products that underline the efforts the company is taking when it comes to environmental sustainability, featuring eco-friendly products that won’t compromise on product design and functionality. The two handsets on parade today would be the C901 GreenHeart as pictured as well as the Naite.

The flagship C901 GreenHeart will comprise of an electronic, in-phone manual that does away with the standard paper version - good thinking on their part. Now all they need to do is to sell a gazillion of these handsets in order to make a real, significant impact when it comes to deforestation prevention. Well, sarcasm aside, this move looks set to save more than 90% in paper, further reducing the environmental impact during transportation of the final product as it would mean a more compact packaging. As for the case, the C901 GreenHeart handset uses at least 50% recycled plastics within, while the optimized display light sensor will further reduce your carbon footprint.

Interestingly enough, the Sony Ericsson C901 GreenHeart will be equipped with a WalkMate application that enables users to literally walk the talk as it goes about calculating the exact number of steps you’ll take in an equivalent journey traveled by car, showing how much CO² you save in the process whenever you walk to your destination instead of drive.

Some of the features found on the Sony Ericsson C901 GreenHeart will include :-

* Smile shutter
* One-click uploading
* Face Detection
* GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
* UMTS/HSPA 900/2100.
* 5 megapixel camera with 16x digital zoom and xenon flash
* Video recording capability
* Bluetooth stereo A2DP connectivity
* 2.2″ 240 x 320 resolution TFT scratch-resistant display
* Memory Stick Micro slot


Source

Pharos Traveler 137 GPS Smartphone

Most smartphones these days come with GPS navigation capability, but they were made by companies that have phones as their primary business. Turn the tables around and you’ll get the Pharos Traveler 137 GPS Smartphone - this is a GPS unit with cellphone capabilities, or should we call it a cellphone with GPS navigation skills? Regardless of what you classify it under, we’re pretty sure you’d be well pleased with the following specifications :-

* Qualcomm MSM7201A 528MHz Processor
* 3.5” WVGA 480 x 800, 65K color TFT LCD with touch panel
* Tri-band AWS 1700/1900/2100 MHz, UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA: 384K/7.2M/2Mbps
* Quad-band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, GSM/GPRS/EDGE
* Built-in GPS
* Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
* FM transmitter
* 3.1-megapixel camera
* 0.3-megpaixel front camera
* Free real-time traffic, gas price, movie and weather information

This cute little number will retail for $599.95 - pretty hefty since it comes unlocked and is not subsidized by any carrier.


Source

Sony Ericsson’s Aino

Sony Ericsson has just released a mobile phone called the Aino which is able to sync wirelessly with a PS3. I am not certain if this is the first mobile phone to connect to a video game console, but if it is, then it is a long time coming.

After all, who wouldn’t want instant access to their digital content on their PS3 from their mobile phone? As long as there is mobile internet available on the Aino, the user can sit back at watch whatever content is on that large PS3 hard drive.

In addition to that huge connect-to-PS3 as their biggest selling point, the Aino can also sync wirelessly to your PC. Other features include a 8.1 Megapixel camera, 3G connectivity, and assisted GPS. It also comes with a Bluetooth headset, a wireless dock, and light-up headphones.

When I first saw that the Aino could sync with the PS3, I immediately had visions of surfing through the main menu of the PS3 on my mobile and playing games, sans joystick. Not in this version of the Aino, but I am hoping that I’m giving Sony Ericsson a few ideas. Not that they aren’t already thinking what I’m thinking, I’m sure.

Sony Ericsson’s Aino should be available in the fall, but so far, there is no word on a price. Rumor has it that the Aino is slated for a European-only release.

Source

Cellular South offers Motorola Hint QA30

Cellular South, the nation’s largest privately-owned wireless communications carrier, has just announced the availability of its latest handset - the Motorola Hint QA30. This model will definitely keep all you social butterflies up to speed with the latest happenings among your peers as well as other events happening in town, where the innovative slider design will reveal a full QWERTY keypad when open to make way for easy messaging and natural browsing on-the-go. According to Jim Richmond, director of Corporate Communications for Cellular South, “Staying in touch with friends and family, keeping networks updated and ensuring constant access to social circles are top priorities for many of our customers. “Motorola Hint is a stylish solution for those social networkers who demand quick, reliable access and communication.”

Well, what can the Motorola Hint QA30 offer the layman? It boasts threaded SMS which is a boon to folks who text frequently, since it allows you to have the flow of the conversation right at your fingertips instead of scrolling through tons and tons of messages in your inbox. With Internet connectivity, you can also be on top of your emails wherever you go. Another interesting point would be pre-loaded, one-touch SMS access that enables important information such as weather, stock prices, sports news, maps and directions to be available right at your fingertips. Hardware-wise, you get a 2.5″ widescreen display, MP3 and video playback, a microSD memory card slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a 2-megapixel camera and USB 2.0 connectivity.

You won’t find the Motorola Hint QA30 to be too heavy on your finances either despite offering some pretty impressive features and functions. In fact, Cellular South is offering it for just $79.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate, after being tied down to a new two-year customer agreement, of course. Each purchase will also come with full support from Cellular South’s online and in-store Discover Center, enabling the user to make the most out of the QA30 for folks who are less technologically savvy. If you want web access with the QA30, be prepared to fork out another $9.99 monthly.

Source

« Halo RC Vehicles The Devil Mummy USB Flash Drive » HP iPAQ K3 Obsidian from AT&T

AT&T is planning on launching a smartphone from Hewlett-Packard called the iPAQ K3. It will also be known as the “Obsidian”, and, I don’t know about you, but it reminds me of another mobile device that starts with Black and ends with Berry.

The smartphone works on a triband HSDPA as well as a quadband EDGE. It has an operating system of Windows Mobile 6.5, and features Global voice and data connectivity as its big selling point. The Press Release believes that the Obsidian as a “powerful laptop substitute” when a user is on the road.

Another big selling point is its “large ‘THUMB’ sized keys for heavy email usage”. I’m guessing that means the buttons on the QWERTY keyboard are terrific for giant fingers.

Other features include a 2.8-inch QVGA display, a 2 Mega-pixel camera, 256MB of RAM, a 512MB ROM, Bluetooth 2.0, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a microSD card slot, as well as GPS and Wi-Fi.

The release date is going to be November 30th, but there is no word on the price as yet. I predict that this smartphone is not going to be as popular as a certain phone available from AT&T with an “i” in front of it, but it might be a good seller.

Source

Self-charging mobile

Meet the Chairman. We’re talking VIP but Very Important Phone as opposed to Person, because the Chairman is a new phone with a difference.

The clue is in its maker - Ulysse Nardin, watch maker extraordinaire. This phone takes top-of-the-range watch technology and teams it up with a touchscreen giving us a stylish hybrid handset. Its built-in battery is charged by the kinetic energy generated by the moving rotor so that your phone charges without you even noticing, while it’s working.

But if you thought this was a gimmick phone, think again. Ulysse Nardin have created an interesting multi-touch smartphone. Complete with Wi-Fi, 5 megapixel camera and 2.8 inch screen, the Chairman ulysse-nardin-the-chairman-rotorcertainly sounds like a phone to look out for. Release dates and price are currently under wraps but we’ll keep you posted.

Source

Solar Power Gorilla Laptop Charger

It’s an unfortunate fact of modern life that we are reliant on power for so many things and battery technology just doesn’t seem to be evolving at the same level as everything else. What that means in practical terms is that it’s all too easy to be stuck somewhere with a dead iPod, phone or laptop and no way of charging it. (Unless you want to carry around all the chargers for all your devices, all the time. Which is a pain.)

PowerTraveller make a range of portable batteries that can be used to recharge devices on the fly and the PowerGorilla is the largest of these, storing enough juice to recharge a laptop.

Charge the PowerGorilla before you leave the house and when you need juice just plug it into your laptop (adapters for common laptops included). It will also juice up an iPod or phone at the same time via a secondary power output.

The display tells you what it’s doing and it comes with a worldwide mains adapter so it can pull power from anywhere. Interestingly, if you couple it with the SolarGorilla it can use the sun to recharge – although I’d like to see how well this works in the UK! Still, it’s one of the first solar power stations I’ve seen that is man enough to juice up a laptop so if you plan on visiting a country with some sun it might be worth the investment.

The PowerGorilla and SolarGorilla are available as a bundle for £279 from PowerTraveller.com or separately for £147 and £137 respectively.

Source

Bell&Ross: Bringing it all back home

Finally, a B&R I can stand behind. I love B&R. I love GMTs. This is like two great tastes that taste great together.

This new model is a bog standard GMT with a stationary central bezel - which means you can’t change the 24-hour markings - and a movement that will move the hour hand back and forth to show the local time as well as the time at home.

No price but expect it to hit at about $7,000. Finally: A B&R with a little pizazz. After all their gold-encrusted models they’re kind of figuring out that their watches are popular with dudes.

Source

Sony MHSPM1/D Webbie HD MP4 and 5MP all-in-one Camera in Orange

Record HD MP4 video and 5MP images then easily upload them directly to the web with the MHC-PM1 Webbie HDTM camera. The ultra-compact Webbie camera also features a unique lens system that can swivel up to 270 degrees, allowing for easy self-shooting if you like to post videos of yourself on your blog.

* 4GB MEMORY STICK.
* SONY CASE.
* SCREEN PROTECTORS.
* CLEANING KIT.
* MINI TRIPOD.


Price: $219.95

Source

Black at&t Samsung Eternity a867 Phone

This AT&T phone can handle high-speed data connectivity via AT&T's 3G mobile broadband data network, which is available in most major metropolitan areas. The AT&T 3G network uses the dual-band UMTS 850/1900 MHz network, which provides download speeds ranging from 700 Kbps to 1.7 Mbps, and upload speeds ranging from 500 Kbps to 1.2 Mbps. This makes it possible to enjoy a variety of feature-rich wireless multimedia services, and it gives you the advantage of offering simultaneous voice and data services.

In areas where the 3G network is not available, you'll continue to receive service on the AT&T EDGE network, which offers availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. Providing average data speeds between 75-135Kbps, it's fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services, including video and music clips, full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go. You'll also enjoy quad-band GSM connectivity, which allows you to make calls in more than 190 countries and access data applications in the more than 135 countries where AT&T offers international data roaming.

With 3G connectivity, you'll be able to access AT&T's Video Share service, which enables you to send a live, one-way video stream to another compatible phone during a standard voice call. The service also allows you to switch the direction of the video stream during the same phone call. (Customers must be in an area served by the company's 3G network and have a Video Share-enabled phone.) A majority of users in the architecture, engineering and construction industries rated the ability to share live video through Video Share highly, according to research commissioned by AT&T. Video Share lets you see progress on a job site or review the day's work without having to drive from an office or other site to do so.

You can take advantage of the AT&T Navigator GPS software and service, a full-featured premium navigation application that includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options, and 3D moving maps (additional charges applicable). AT&T Navigator offers several other features to make your commute more enjoyable and reliable, including mobile access to Yellowpages.com. Additionally, AT&T Navigator is the only mobile phone-based GPS service that provides integrated speech recognition for address entry and points of interest search.

With 3G connectivity, you'll be able to access AT&T's Cellular Video (CV) service and the Internet while on the go. Cellular Video features content from CNN, The Weather Channel, iFilm, Comedy Central and exclusive premium content from HBO and much more. And you get access to AT&T Mobile Music, which enables you to buy tracks while on the, access the Napster and eMusic subscription music services, stream music video, discover what's playing with Music ID song-recognition software, and find out what's hot with The Buzz music news portal. (A MEdia Max subscription bundle is recommended for accessing AT&T's Internet, video, and music services.)

The phone has a built-in web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T's MEdia Net service enables you to receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more.

AT&T Mobile TV
AT&T Mobile TV with FLO is a revolutionary video service that delivers full-length television content and sporting events from top networks to your phone while you're on the go. Joining with MediaFLO USA's award-winning FLO TV service, AT&T Mobile TV with FLO provides an intuitive program guide that makes it easy to flip from one channel to the next. The service includes more than 150 simulcast and/or time-shifted programs, as well as live sports events, from CBS Mobile, Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile TV, FOX Mobile, MTV, NBC 2GO, NBC News2Go and Nickelodeon. Additionally, the Mobile TV service includes two channels exclusive to AT&T users:

* PIX, from Sony Pictures Television, offers a variety of contemporary films, including comedies, cult classics, action films and family favorites from the studio's vast library.
* CNN Mobile Live provides users with access to 24 hours of breaking news with live streaming anchored coverage from CNN.com Live as well as CNN's most popular programs, including American Morning, Lou Dobbs Tonight, CNN Election Center, Larry King Live, Anderson Cooper 360°, and CNN International.

AT&T provides several packages for accessing Mobile TV, and it offers parental controls that provide content filtering and purchase blocking on your phone so that you can restrict access to content that may be inappropriate for younger viewers.


Price: $399.99

Source

Samsung Ultra Mobile PC

Imagine staying in touch with everything and everyone without having to lug a heavy laptop around. Weighing less than 1.5lbs, it features an ultra bright 7" touch-screen and Intel's Ultra Mobile CPU. So you can run all your Windows software, open all your files, check your email and open all your attachments, watch movies, play music, update your presentation, take photos, have a video chat, etc. With a Q1 Ultra Premium, more choices mean you never have to settle. With the 32 GB solid-state drive, the NP-Q1U/SD1 no longer has any internal moving parts, making it a more rugged and durable solution for your business trips or vacation. Also, the SSD option means less waiting for boot up/shut down and improved battery life. The Q1 Ultra Premium reflects the latest in mobile technology integration by showcasing its new ultra-bright LED backlit touch-screen LCD featuring 1024 x 600 native resolution. With the touch-screen you can just tap the icons to open up your favorite programs or just use the stylus to take down notes and have them converted into text or drawings. It offers latest communication technologies with 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11b/g wireless and Bluetooth 2.0 as standard while the microphone allows you to make VOIP or Skype calls. It's the ultimate tool for the road warrior who wants to bring it all without carrying it all. With the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium, it's not hard to imagine. 7 WSVGA (1024 x 600, 300 nits) Touch-Screen LCD with LED Backlit Display Two Webcamera (0.3MP Front, 1.3MP Rear) and Dual Array Microphone Intel GMA 950 with up to 128MB Shared Video Memory Built-in 802.11B/G Wireless Integrated Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR AuthenTec Fingerprint Reader 10/100Base-TX Ethernet LAN 2-in-1 Memory Slot (SD, MMC) 2 x USB 2.0, Headphone out, Audio Jack, VGA, RJ-45 LAN Approximate Unit Dimensions - 8.96? (W) x 0.93? (D) x 4.88?(H) Approximate Unit Weight - 1.44 pounds

Price: $1,049.00

Source

Are you among the Gadget Freaks Today?

One thing you will notice today is that more and more people are getting attached towards the new technology gadgets released in the markets. Mobile computing is the popular by-word for most computer geeks and often you would see most of them held by people even if they have not yet been fully introduced in the market.

Ranging from the usual smaller notebooks towards the mobile phones today, people seem to be infatuated with these breakthroughs. But the thing is, are they using it to their full potential?

One thing you have to consider when you buy one of these mobile gadgets is on whether you can use them? Some buy them for the purpose of immature satisfaction. They are not direct needs. People just want these gadgets because they want their techie urge to be scratched.

The Importance of Warranty

Many gadget users put premium towards the warranty that comes along with their laptop, mobile phone or PDA since no one will know when they would suddenly breakdown. Warranty provides a sense of security for gadget purchasers for the reason that they only want to be assured that they have a means of being able to exchange defective units in cases where faulty production and manufacturing may suddenly fall into their hands.

Electronics are risky merchandise to purchase without any means of replacement within a given warranty period. The chances of landing defective units may not be that high, but just the same, people would do well to be sure about their purchases for value of money. With a vast production line to satisfy the demands for technological enhanced gizmos and gadgets, probabilities of defective merchandise will always be a possibility in any manufacturing concern.

The list goes on as to what categories would fall under this area. Portable media, mobile computers, plasma television, LCD television, home theaters and other forms of technology breakthroughs are sure buys for the people who put premium in technology advancements. Hence the need to safeguard the vested interest of most consumers is a must if reliability is something to be measured for brand loyalty and awareness later on.