Mobile script part 2

Big screen consists of 2 layers: a soft OLDE - touchscreen and soft nano material hardening in the filing of low-voltage nego. At the time opening screen hard and bouncy, after work on the side of the screen is pressed Eject, and becomes soft and mosey inside.
The “Mobile Script” mobile phone does not require a power charge, its case is covered with a nano material, converting the Sun light into the energy for your phone feed. At your phone’s display you can watch how much charge is left at the battery and how strong the power of the light which charges the battery is. The mobile phone will automatically give the pieces of advice and clues, when a power recharge is needed, also it is possible to put the mobile phone for a night on a special wireless recharge rug or to recharge the device with a similar wireless way in any public place, where this service is rendered, whether it be: the public transport, a bar or a club.





Diagonal internal screen is 9.5 inches. And you get a Laptop in Your Pocket.



source : http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Mobile-Script/244692

Mobile script part 1

A contemporary mobile phone must maintain such functions, as: mobility, constant Internet access, access to the documents, games and to give the best possibilities and means of communication and contact. A new generation mobile phone “Mobile script” gives all these possibilities!

It has two touch screen (small and large), which provide the best access to information and provide a wide field of communications, such as:
Video link
Ability to view movies
Using the browser
Targeting areas with the help of internet services
All of these functions is more convenient to use on a large screen, which is located inside the phone in the collapsed state.





source : http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Mobile-Script/244692

Dell Studio 14z First Look review part 4

by Jerry Jackson

Performance and Features

We didn't have an opportunity to benchmark the pre-production unit of the Studio 14z, but it's obvious that Dell wants to deliver a full-featured notebook that strikes a good balance between mobility, performance, style, and affordability. Dell is fully aware that netbook sales have exploded over the past year and that consumers want thin and light laptops at a low price. However, Dell also realizes that students and general users need more performance than what a $400 netbook can provide for multimedia entertainment and software than requires a powerful processor.

This is where the $649 starting price of the Studio 14z starts to look even better. Unlike netbooks that usually feature no more than a 160GB hard drive, the Studio 14z is available with up to a 500GB hard drive that can store a full music library of up to 125,000 songs, 142,000 photos or 133 DVD quality movies.

The port layout also strikes a good balance, providing most of what you need in a thin form factor without making too many sacrifices or making the chassis too thick. The Studio 14z packs three USB 2.0 ports including one port that is a USB/eSATA combo port, FireWire (1394a), an RJ-45 Ethernet jack, Display Port, HDMI, dual headphone jacks, a microphone jack and an ExpressCard/34 expansion slot. If Dell made any obvious mistakes in terms of the ports it has to be the lack of a built-in media card reader for digital cameras and other mobile devices. Yes, Dell offers an optional 8-in-1 media card reader that fits into the ExpressCard slot, but this shouldn't be an "option" since media card readers are pretty much considered standard equipment now.



In terms of additional features, the Studio 14z is the first consumer laptop available with FailSafe theft prevention. This option helps protect your personal data in the event that your laptop is missing or stolen. With Failsafe engaged, you can track network information and the ISP location of your laptop when it connects to the Internet, and you can remotely erase selected files and render the laptop unusable until the rightful owner unlocks it.

Optional built-in mobile broadband wireless cards allow you to stay connected to the Internet even when you're away from a Wi-Fi connection. Dell offers your choice of either a Dell Wireless 5600 EV-DO Rev A mobile broadband mini-card or a Dell Wireless 5530 HSPA 7.2 mobile broadband mini-card based on your wireless provider.

The Studio 14z also comes with Dell Remote Access; the optional premium version of which allows people to access content via their home network of personal computing devices including desktops, laptops, ultra-mobile devices, smart phones and web cameras.

We will have a detailed review of the Dell Studio 14z coming soon, so stay tuned to NotebookReview.com for an in-depth review of this notebook.

Pricing and Availability:

The Dell Studio 14z has a starting price of $649 U.S. and is available now online and over the phone in the U.S. and Canada. For more information on the available custom options, be sure to visit www.dell.com/studio

source : http://www.notebookreview.com

Dell Studio 14z First Look review part 3

by Jerry Jackson



Build and Design

The design of the Studio 14z looks extremely similar to the Studio 15, but Dell managed to make this notebook much thinner and lighter ... thanks in no small part to the removal of the optical drive. At first glance, the lack of a built-in optical drive might seem to be a disadvantage, but most students and mobile users will confess that they rarely use an optical drive for anything. You can, of course, purchase a matching external optical drive (DVD burner or DVD burner/Blu-ray player) ... just in case you need it.

The notebook chassis is constructed from a combination of plastics and magnesium alloy for a balance of light weight and durability, and I have no doubt the Studio 14z can survive several years of use and abuse by college students based on the pre-production sample I spent time with.

The keyboard in the pre-production unit felt quite firm with good key spacing and a good depth to the key throw. Each key has a textured black finish and a relatively flat surface. More importantly, the keyboard is available with optional backlighting for easy typing in a dark classroom or dorm room. The multi-touch, gesture-based touchpad is reasonably large for a thin and light 14-inch notebook and the dual touchpad buttons have deep feedback with quiet clicks.

At the time of launch the Dell Studio 14z is available with your choice of colors including, Black Chain Link, Midnight Blue, Promise Pink, Spring Green, Plum Purple, and Ruby Red. Dell will also donate $5 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure from the purchase of each Promise Pink laptop. Starting in September the Dell Design Studio will offer the Studio 14z in your choice of more than 120 different designs, so you won't have to worry about owning a laptop that looks identical to a classmate's notebook.

source : http://www.notebookreview.com

Dell Studio 14z First Look review part 2

by Jerry Jackson



Overview of specs and features:

Sure, the Studio 14z might have a new thin design inspired by the Studio 15 and Studio 17 laptops, but despite the thinner profile this notebook still packs a HD (720p/900p resolution) screen, impressive speakers, and up to 500GB worth of hard drive storage. Here's a quick look at the highlights:

* New thin (0.79–1.2-inches) design for students who want a combination of power and mobility (Dimensions: 0.79"-1.2" x 13.2" x 9.0")
* Energy-efficient, mercury-free, 14.0-inch 16:9 WLED display with HD resolution (1366x768 or 1600x900)
* Intel Pentium Dual Core or Intel Core 2 Duo standard voltage processors up to T9550 (2.66GHz, 1066Mhz FSB, 6MB Cache)
* Integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
* Digital Video/Audio via HDMI and DisplayPort
* Standard 1.3MP webcam with dual digital array mics
* Starting weight of 4.3 pounds
* Standard FastAccess Facial Recognition Software to help prevent unauthorized access to your computer
* Optional Phoenix Failsafe Theft Protection to help protect laptop and data in event of theft
* Gesture-based touchpad controls to help improve productivity
* 4W, SRS 2.0 Audio with discrete tweeters and dual headphone jacks
* Up to 500GB HDD capacity
* Optional 8-in-1 Media Card Reader via 34mm Express Card slot
* Six-cell battery standard, optional slim design 8-cell battery for up to 6:46 hours of battery life
* Standard Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth and mobile broadband to connect anywhere
* eSATA connectivity for high speed data transfer rate (up to 6X USB 2.0)
* PowerShare - Charge your USB-connected cell phone and other mobile devices via the USB 2.0/eSATA combo port even when you’re unplugged from a power outlet
* Optional external optical drive options (DVD+/-RW, Blu-ray Disc read-only and read-write drives)

source : http://www.notebookreview.com

Dell Studio 14z First Look review part 1

BY: JerryJ, NotebookReview.com Editor
PUBLISHED: 5/28/2009

by Jerry Jackson

It has been quite some time since Dell released their last 14-inch consumer notebook, but Dell is back with a vengeance with the all new Dell Studio 14z laptop. The Studio 14z is the thinnest and lightest 14-inch notebook Dell has ever produced, promising more than 6 hours of battery life, powerful video performance, and available in more than 120 different designs just in time for back-to-school season.

I recently spent some hands-on time with a pre-production unit of the Dell Studio 14z so that I can give you a first look at what makes this laptop special before we get our hands on a final review unit. Without spoiling the surprise too much, Dell might have just made the most popular laptop for college students this year.

source : http://www.notebookreview.com

Review of Asus Eee PC 1000HE part 2

Connectivity and Features

The ports have been placed on the left- and right-hand sides of the laptop - none at the back. On the right is a memory card reader, 2 USB and VGA and on the left is another USB port, Ethernet, and audio line in/out.
Summary

While there are better looking netbooks on the market, the Eee PC 1000HE comes at a very attractive price point and offers excellent battery life. It's also very easy to use thanks to the large keyboard, and has all the features that the competition offer plus a little extra. Combine these aspects and you have one of the best netbooks currently available.
Asus Eee PC 1000HE Technical Specifications

* Processor Atom N280 1.66GHz
* Memory 1GB DDR2
* Harddrive 160GB
* OS Windows XP Home
* Weight 3lbs
* Screen 10 inches
* Screen resolution 1024x600
* Graphic Card Intel GMA 950
* Battery Life 7.5 hours

Learn more:ASUS Eee PC 1000HE 10-Inch Netbook (1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 10 GB Eee Storage, Bluetooth, XP Home, 9.5 Hour Battery Life) Black


source : http://www.laptopical.com/asus-eee-pc-1000he.html

Review of Asus Eee PC 1000HE part 1

Full review of Asus Eee PC 1000HE

Asus started the netbook craze with its tiny, 7-inch Eee PC. Shortly thereafter, every notebook manufacturer except Apple produced at least one tiny and inexpensive laptop just like it. Nowadays, netbooks are not that tiny anymore - little by little they have increased in size from 7" via 9" and now the standard screen size of a netbook is 10 inches. Even a couple of 12-inch models have been released.
Hardware

What they all have in common is the hardware - with a few deviations it consists of an Intel Atom CPU at 1.6GHz, 1GB or RAM, a 160GB hard drive and integrated GMA950 graphics. The Eee PC, however, has been upgraded with an ever so slightly faster 1.66GHz Atom processor and a higher 667MHz FSB speed instead of earlier models which had 533MHz.

The speed increase is not big enough to be noticeable, but you might feel better purchasing an upgraded model. Asus' main selling point with the 1000HE is the battery life. According to the manufacturer, you should be able to keep it alive for 9.5 hours without resorting to an outlet. To achieve this formidable battery life, you need to use aggressive power-saving schemes, no Wi-Fi and turn the brightness all the way down. In our general usage test it still delivered more than 7 hours, which is still more than acceptable.
Design

As far as the design goes, the Eee PC 1000 HE stays with the concept we've seen in previous Eee netbooks. The keyboard is almost full size (92%) and the trackpad buttons are slightly tilted in the front. The entire casing of the netbook is glossy, which enhances the overall look but also attracts fingerprints easily.

On the whole, the design of the 1000HE focuses on usability; it's not spectacularly thin like some of its siblings, such as Asus S101 netbook, but it certainly gets the job done with flying colors. Besides, keeping the design simple also helps keep the price to a minimum, which is often the deciding factor for a netbook buyer.

source : http://www.laptopical.com/asus-eee-pc-1000he.html

Lenovo ThinkPad T400 7417 - Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26 GHz - 14.1" TFT review 2

Features

Included Network Card: Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps)|Wireless Ethernet - 11 Mbps IEEE802.11b|Wireless Ethernet - 54 Mbps IEEE802.11a|Wireless Ethernet - 54 Mbps IEEE802.11g|Wireless Ethernet - 540 Mbps IEEE802.11n
Included Devices: Fingerprint Reader|Modem|ThinkLight
Battery Life: 4.3 hour(s)
Energy Star Compliant: Yes
Software
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business
Dimensions
Height: 1.26 in
Width: 13.2 in
Depth: 9.4 in
Weight: 4.85 lbs
Warranty
Warranty Information: 1 Year Limited Warranty
More Info
URL: URL
General
normalized-Cache Size: 3
normalized-Display Size: 14.1
normalized-Installed Memory: 2000

Learn more :Lenovo 7417-TPU ThinkPad T400 14.1" Notebook



source : http://www.notebookreview.com/price/product.asp?productFamilyID=1196

Lenovo ThinkPad T400 7417 - Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26 GHz - 14.1" TFT review

Description
The ThinkPad T400 features an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 14.1" LED-backlight widescreen, up to 8GB of PC2-8500 and integrated Intel X4500 or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470.

Quick Specs
Intel Core 2 Duo (2.26 GHz), 2 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 4.6 lbs, 14.1 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Business / XP Professional downgrade



Detailed Specs

Detailed Specs

Processor
Processor Class: Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile
Processor Speed: 2.26 GHz
Cache Size: 3 MB
Bus Speed: 1066 MHz

Memory

Installed Memory: 2 GB
Maximum Memory: 8 GB
Memory Technology: DDR2

System

Input Devices: Keyboard|TrackPoint|UltraNav
Interface Connection: Audio - Line In (1/8" Mini)|Audio - Line Out (1/8" Mini)|Bluetooth|Ethernet - RJ45 Twisted-Pair (XBaseT)|FireWire 400/IEEE 1394 - 4 pin|Port Replicator/Docking Station|Serial - RJ11 Modular (Phone/Telco)|USB - Universal Serial Bus 2.0|Video - 15 pin High-Density D-shell (VGA)
Slots: Express Card 34|Express Card 54

Display

Display Size: 14.1 in
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Display Type: LCD Display w/ LED Backlight
Max Resolution: 1280 x 800
Video Chipset: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 MHD

Storage

Included Drives: DVD+-RW DL
Hard Drive Capacity: 160 GB
Number of Storage Drives Included:


source : http://www.notebookreview.com/price/product.asp?productFamilyID=1196

Samsung P3 part 3 review

by Tom Gideon

The haptic feedback adds little more than charm. A little vibration occurs every time you press an onscreen button. I suppose this is to alert you that you've successfully pressed it, but shouldn't you know you have because the screen changes? I think it was included for the same reason Sleep Cat was: It's kind of fun. The goofiest—and worst-named—use of the feedback is a feature called "VibeWoofer," which makes the player vibrate to the beat of whatever song you are listening to. (Insert dirty joke here.)

Samsung estimates the battery life for the P3 at an admirable 40 hours for audio and 6 hours for video. Our own battery-rundown test yielded 28 hours 27 minutes of audio—still respectable, but not quite 40 hours.

width="75%" height="75%">

Samsung is one of my favorite PMP manufacturers because, like Apple, it sticks with the formula that works: Make a good-looking, simple user interface and wrap it in a case with a slick design. Although the nice looks remain, the new interface lacks the simplicity found in previous Samsung iterations like the YP-T10's, and the screen's sensitivity issues are annoying. Basically, Samsung is making the same mistake competitors like Cowon have made in trying to beat Apple by emulating its designs. But a touch screen alone isn't enough to make a device exciting, and although the P3 is generally solid, its flaws and omissions (no accelerometer, no Wi-Fi) make justifying its prices difficult for me. As it is, the Samsung P3 is somewhere between an iPod touch and an iPod nano in ability, but without the grace of either.

source : http://www.pcmag.com

Samsung P3 part 2 review

by Tim Gideon

File support is, as usual for Samsung, strong for audio and weaker for photos and video. The P3 plays MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, AAC, WAV, and ASF audio files. Video support is limited to WMV9, MPEG-4, and H.264; for any other file you want to watch, you'll need to convert with the aforementioned software, which is easy to do but can be time-consuming for longer files. Only JPEG, BMP, and PNG files are supported for photos.

Samsung players are consistently strong at playing back music. Like Sony, Samsung knows how to make an EQ that both looks cool and responds as it should to user adjustments. But because the screen buttons are slow to respond, navigating to the music menu and playing a song is slower than on the iPod touch, even though both processes involve about the same number of steps. The Now Playing screen has several different animated graphics to choose from; my favorite, the "Spectrum," shows EQ bands pulsating to the music, like an eighties-era stereo system. Another cool feature in the music menu is the "horizontal stroke" option, which lets you skip a certain time interval in a given song when you swipe your finger across the screen. Alas, there's nothing here like Apple's Cover Flow that truly utilizes the touch screen's capabilities, and there's not even an accelerometer to switch the screen to horizontal mode when you rotate the player—something you find on other touch competitors, like the Cowon S9. (Accelerometer aside, the S9 is inferior to the P3 in just about every respect.)

width="75%" height="75%">

Video is a pleasure to watch. Sure, the P3's screen's resolution is slightly lower than the touch's (480 by 320 pixels), but because the P3's screen is half an inch smaller, images end up looking just as crisp. All files automatically switch to a horizontal orientation on the screen, and, as with music, playback controls appear when you select a file and tap the display.

For a player with no Internet access, the P3 still has plenty of features, even if they're not all mind-blowing. Among them: an FM radio with 30 presets and a recorder, a voice recorder, and Samsung's usual Bluetooth pairing options. (Want to answer your cell-phone calls through your player? Simply pair the two and you're set.) The included games are incredibly simple—one involves popping virtual bubble wrap by tapping on the screen—and not always consistent given the screen's fickle response to fingers. The widget collection is extensive, if a little underwhelming: a short-term alarm called Sleep Cat makes an animated kitten meow when your alarm sounds, there's a detailed virtual map of every major subway system in the world, plus an international clock, a calculator, an address book, and a memo pad. These extras pale compared with most of the free apps you can load onto an iPod touch, but they do add value to the P3.

source : http://www.pcmag.com

Samsung P3

by Tim Gideon

Samsung's P3 is a touch-screen player with an icon-based menu. Sound familiar? At $149.99 (8GB), $249.99 (16GB), and $299.99 (32GB), Samsung is clearly taking aim at the more-expensive iPod touch. The preloaded software, excellent FM tuner, and haptic feedback are steps in the right direction. But the P3, an update to 2007's P2, lacks Internet access and an accelerometer, making the touchy touch screen feel like a gimmick—and the player seem overpriced.

Measuring 4 by 2.1 by 0.4 inches (HWD), weighing 3.3 ounces, and sporting a 3-inch 480-by-272-pixel touch screen, the P3 has both a smaller frame and display than the iPod touch. A reset pinhole doubles as the microphone, which is found on the bottom panel with the proprietary-to-USB connection and the headphone jack. The top panel houses the Power/Hold button, volume controls, and a built-in speaker. The rest of the controls are internal, operated via the touch screen. Samsung's included earbuds are pretty weak—as usual, we suggest upgrading to something like the Shure SE115, or, for lovers of low frequencies, the Radius Atomic Bass. Also included with the P3: a connection cable for syncing with (and charging from) your PC, and a CD containing EmoDio, Samsung's music- and video-management and video-conversion software. The conversion software is pretty straightforward, but for managing your files, I'd stick with Windows Media Player.



Media players should be easy to use, but the P3 is not especially intuitive. It's easy to navigate to a menu from the main screen, but because the virtual "Home" button is hidden under a flip-up menu (usually at the top of the screen), getting back to where you started can be tricky. The screen is also somewhat insensitive, generally needing several taps to select an option, and it's quite easy to select the wrong one. It's a shame, because Samsung has clearly poured some hard work into the interface's graphics. The main menu is a little cluttered, but it can be customized with various wallpapers. But no matter how nice the graphics are, navigating the device is a generally slow process, and this is bound to annoy all but the extremely patient.

source : http://www.pcmag.com

iPhone 3G review part 3

by Ryan Block

All our tests were conducted with 3G on, WiFi on (not connected), Bluetooth off, no data fetching enabled (unless specified otherwise). Media tested with stock headphones, medium volume, and medium screen brightness, auto-brightness disabled.

* Music (continuous playback, large library, occasionally turning on screen): 31h 23m
* Video (continuous playback, no push/fetch data): 7h 5m
* Video (continuous playback, with push and 15 minute fetch data): 5h 24m
* Daily data use (browsing, email, and GPS / maps): ~6h 30m

Those numbers definitely are not bad, but if you're anything like us and you kill time on your phone reading feeds and checking email like a fiend, by 3 or 4pm you'll likely be wondering if you'll even make it home with any power left -- especially if you leave on the 3G data. So be warned, because the kind of prolonged usage you used to get away with on the original iPhone probably isn't possible with the iPhone 3G. For some, this may be an issue. Others may never notice.

There have been a number of other fixes to better the device as well. For example, the phone now has two proximity sensors to better detect when it's held to your ear. We also found that while the camera was essentially identical, we were getting images that were ever so slightly sharper and crisper than the original iPhone on 1.1.4 (check it out below). Still, knowing that HTC's Touch Diamond -- which features a 3.2 megapixel sensor and mechanical autofocus -- could pack such a great camera in an even smaller form factor than the iPhone's left us pining for something a bit more than the same 2 megapixels from the first time around.
Gallery: iPhone 3G review - camera test

What we're probably the most excited about, though, is that two of our biggest hardware-related gripes from the original device have finally been addressed: first, the headphone jack is now flush, which means any standard (3.5mm) headphones will work in the iPhone without the need for an adapter. The new jack has a solid, confidence-inspiring feel that won't leave you worrying about damaging the device or your headphones. To this day we still have no clue why Apple pushed the jack in -- it was kind of funny hearing Steve pitch the flush jack as a feature at WWDC. It's the simple things, you know?

Second, the speaker volume has been jacked up significantly, giving your calls (or music) a much more workable volume level if you're not blessed with superhuman hearing. It's not the loudest speaker we've ever heard on a device, and unlike many Nokia Nseries phones, it's still mono. But it's definitely a step up compared to the first iPhone, which was not only quiet, but also seemed to distort at much lower volumes.



source : http://www.engadget.com/

iPhone 3G review part 2

by Ryan Block

The hardware
No one will have any trouble recognizing the new device from its face -- it's essentially identical to the original iPhone. Thankfully, the bright, high quality, high resolution 480 x 320 3.5-inch display that's just so easy to love, hasn't been changed a bit. Unfortunately, it's still every bit as much a magnet for smudges and fingerprints -- in fact, even more so now that the rear of the device has dropped its chic matte aluminum in favor of black (or white, optional on the 16GB model) plastic. Hey, at least now it's more symmetrical.

The move to plastic seemed almost inevitable now that the iPhone has so many radios, frequencies, and antenna needs (GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS), but while we do prefer the original aluminum, the plastic does feel pretty solid and not at all flimsy, which is more than we can say for a hell of a lot of handsets. There's no doubt about the fact that we'd have preferred a matte or soft-touch finish to the glossy plastic, but that's all a matter of taste.

The body of the phone is slightly thicker at its center than its predecessor, although the edges are tapered and thinner than before, which is always a good way to make a device feel smaller than it actually is. (Palm learned this a long time ago.) There are a couple downsides to the body shape, though: first, when you're tapping off-center on a hard, flat surface, the phone wobbles (but only a little, oh well).


Second, the new shape means you won't be using it in your original device's dock. This really wouldn't be all that bad if Apple included a dock with the 3G like they did with the first iPhone, but now they want you to buy that separately. Did we mention they're asking $30 for it? Way lame. That absurdly small power adapter kind of makes up for it, but only a little.

One thing Apple was keen to talk up is the vastly improved call quality of the iPhone 3G. Those in the know understand that 3G call quality is often better than regular GSM -- but it turns out Apple made a huge improvement on both sides. iPhone 3G calls made over 3G and GSM both sounded significantly better than calls made on the original iPhone. If you're upgrading your device iPhone you may not necessarily notice it, but on a side by side it was pretty obvious.

Of course, call quality most often depends on coverage, and coverage varies between 3G and GSM networks depending on where you are. 3G calling also requires more battery power. Where are we going with this? Well, despite many of the painstaking measures Apple's taken to preserve battery power, the iPhone 3G doesn't do any real time signal detection to help determine whether you currently have better 3G or GSM voice coverage. If you suspect you might get better coverage either on or off 3G, it's up to you to dig down through a few settings menus to flip the switch. Not a deal breaker by any means, but it'd make for a welcome fix.

iPhone 3G review part 1

by Ryan Block


It's hard to think of any other device that's enjoyed the level of exposure and hype that Apple found in the launch of the first iPhone. Who could forget it? Everyone got to be a gadget nerd for a day; even those completely disinterested in technology seemed to come down with iPhone fever. But the original device was still far from perfect: its limited capabilities (especially in the 3G department), high price of entry, and the small number of countries in which it was available kept many potential buyers sidelined. Until now -- or so Apple hopes.

The wireless industry is a notoriously tough nut to crack, and it's become pretty clear that the first iPhone wasn't about total domination so much as priming the market and making a good first impression with some very dissatisfied cellphone users. With the iPhone 3G, though, Apple's playing for keeps. Not only is this iPhone's Exchange enterprise support aiming straight for the heart of the business market, but the long-awaited 3rd party application support and App Store means it's no longer just a device, but a viable computing platform. And its 3G network compatibility finally makes the iPhone welcome the world over, especially after Cupertino decided to ditch its non-traditional carrier partnerships in favor of dropping the handset price dramatically. $200? We're still a little stunned.

So now that Apple finally stands poised for an all out war on cellphone-makers everywhere, will the iPhone 3G stand up to the competition -- and higher expectations than ever? Read on for our full review.

LG KP500 Cookie Review 3

Features of the LG KP500 Cookie include:

* 3 megapixel camera with digital zoom
* Video recording
* Touch sensitive screen: TFT LCD, 262k colours, 240 x 400 pixels (3 inches)
* Handwriting recognition
* Music player (MP3/AAC/AAC+/AAC++/WMA formats)
* FM radio
* Speakerphone
* Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email
* T9 predictive text
* Document viewer (TXT, PDF, DOC, PPT, XLS)
* Ringtones: 64 voice polyphonic ringtones / MP3 ringtones
* Wallpaper
* Java 2.0 games
* Phonebook (1000 names)
* Memory: 48 Mbytes plus microSD memory card slot (up to 8GB)
* Connectivity: USB 2.0, Bluetooth
* Internet: WAP 2.0, GPRS, EDGE, web browser
* Vibration alert
* Quad band
* Size: 107 x 55 x 12 mm
* Weight: 89g
* Talktime: 3.5 hours
* Battery standby: 350 hours

source : http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk

LG KP500 Cookie Review 2

So, the ergonomics are good, and the screen is good. What else is good? Well, it has a media player that plays most popular digital music formats. It also has a stereo FM radio. It's got a good web browser. It supports email and has a document viewer installed. Connectivity includes USB and Bluetooth, and the operating frequency is quadband GSM, so you should be able to use the phone anywhere in the world.

Now let's take a look at what's missing.

The camera is not as good as the 5 or 8 megapixel cameras seen in LG's high-end phones. It's limited to 3.2 megapixels, and there's no autofocus but this is reasonable when you consider the price. The memory is also more limited at 48 MB, although you can add a microSD memory card to bring this up to 8GB. It's not 3G and there's no WiFi, so web browsing probably isn't a good option, despite the big screen, which is a shame.

Inevitably there are trade-offs between price and features. We feel that LG have got the balance just right with the Cookie. By removing the features that most people won't miss, and by installing an average camera, they've not only slashed the cost, but have also made the phone more compact and easier to use in many ways. As long as you won't miss high speed web browsing or the camera quality, you can have all the benefits of the latest touchscreen phones for a fraction of the cost. For example, on contract you can expect to get the LG KP500 with half-price line rental for the duration of the contract, or a freebie such as a Nintendo Wii Fit, an XBOX 360 or even a couple of hundred quid cashback! With deals this generous, it's very hard to find fault with the Cookie.

source : http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk

LG KP500 Cookie Review 1

Review: November 2008. Updated February 2009.



The LG KP500 is nicknamed the Cookie. It's billed as an affordable touchscreen phone and in fact there are some amazing deals out there to tempt you. But before you rush off to buy one, join us in a tour of the Cookie, and let's find out what's missing compared to the more expensive rival touchscreen phones.

Let's start by looking at what you do get. You get a genuine touchscreen-driven phone (not just one with touch-sensitive buttons) that is controlled by pressing virtual buttons and icons with your finger or the stylus that's supplied with the phone. Pioneered by the iPhone (and others), touchscreen is the hottest trend in mobile phones in 2008, and it's hard to underestimate the amount of fun that you can have pressing virtual buttons on a screen. Especially for people like us, who don't get out enough. In the early days touchscreen phones were often tricky to use, but these days they're all pretty easy once you've got used to them. We don't think that the Cookie will pose any trouble, although some may find the stylus a nuisance. Anyway, great fun to use! The KP500 also has a built-in accelerometer, which simply means that it senses which way is up and automatically rotates the display. The virtual QWERTY keyboard slides into view when you turn the phone to landscape mode, which looks very cool. The accelerometer is also used when playing games, so you can tilt and turn the phone Wii-style to control movement. You can shake and flip the phone at other times to control various functions. It's all great fun, as long as you don't mind being stared at by passers-by.

The Cookie is more compact than most touchphones. It's about 20% smaller than the iPhone 3G and several millimetres thinner than its big brother, the LG Renoir. And weighing just 89g, it's probably the lightest touchscreen phone ever. We can't think of any lighter ones off the top of our head anyway. But, and this bit is important, LG have cleverly made the phone smaller without reducing the size of the screen. At 3 inches across, it's a big display by any standards, and when it comes to touchscreen, size really does matter! A bigger screen makes it easier to use, and the Cookie is definitely an easy phone to use.

source : http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk

Touchscreen Samsung S5600 fights back at LG Cookie

By this point it is more than obvious that Samsung are pushing hard on all fronts. Obviously the midrange touchscreen market is the next area where the Korean company aims for with Samsung S5600.

Samsung S5600 appeared on the sly at the MWC 2009 in Barcelona and somewhat escaped the attention of the crowds (and ours too).

Samsung S5600 isn't yet officially announced so the information about it is pretty limited. From what a quick glance tells us the handset will be a low-end fully touch-operated handset running on the TouchWiz UI. It will also come with 3G support, which its main competitor - the LG KP500 Cookie lacks.



It is no wonder that Samsung are entering this market segment having seen the wonders that the Cookie did for LG's sales. We are however yet to see when will the S5600 actually make it to the market and what will its exact pricing be like.

source : http://www.gsmarena.com

SMS driving efficiency

By James on 23 February 2009



LONDON, England - Developing new technologies is vital, but implementing older ones well is equally important. We’ve just registered at a new dentist only to find our appointments are to be confirmed (and reminded) by SMS. I’m surprised, and a touch amazed, as it’s the first time I’ve seen or experienced technology being implemented in such a useful way. It appears that even in our lonely little outpost in South East London, mobile phone penetration has reached such a point that such a service can be implemented, and relied upon. But that isn’t really the point here. I’ve since done a little digging to find that a similar service was first tried in Helsinki back in 2007, and another service has been run by the Swedish National Health service since 2003.

The idea behind these services is to reduce the number of unattended appointments. And the system works. The Swedish health service saw a drop of 16 per cent in uncanceled appointments in the first year, whilst the trial in Helsinki whilst not as impressive, still saw a significant reduction in unannounced absences. Both systems are being run by the local health authorities, whereas ours comes courtesy of a private practice.

It wouldn’t be difficult (as proven by Sweden and Finland) for other healthcare organisations to roll this system out, and to take it beyond dental care into general healthcare. In fact, any organisation that requires appoinments to be kept (which frequently aren’t). I know I’m much more inclined to send or respond to a text than I am to make a call (is it just me?).

Applying SMS in such a way reminds me of the kind of stuff going on in emerging or developing countries, where frequently SMS is not only the most cost-effiecient route to reach people, but frequently the only route.

I’d be interested to hear about any other places you’ve unexpectedly come across mobile technologies, and why or how they might have made a difference to you.

source : http://conversations.nokia.com/2009/02/23/sms-driving-efficiency/

Nokia E75 series review

Nokia E75’s features:-

1. Designed for the best email experience via pre-installed email clients.
2. A horizontal slide out design QWERTY keyboard with a standard numeric keypad when closed.
3. Ovi Files services for accessing files and documents in your PC even when it is offline.
4. Overall dimension: 111.8 x 50 x 14.4 mm; weight: 139g.
5. Battery standby time up to 11 days.
6. Available in three colors: Red, Silver/black and Copper/Yellow.
7. Support N-Gage games.
8. 2.4-inch display screen which supports 16 million colors.
9. 50MB of internal memory with a memory card slot.
10. 3.2-megapixel camera with auto focus, flash and mirror.
11. Video recording in VGA quality.
12. Other features: stereo Bluetooth, USB mass storage, full e-mail and messaging, assisted-GPS with Nokia Maps, a digital-music player, organizer applications, a 3.5mm headset jack, a text-to-speech message reader, a voice recorder, speaker-independent voice dialing, and a speakerphone.
13. Expected to ship in March at an estimated retail price of 375 EUR.

source : http://www.tipandtrick.net/2009/nokias-new-e-series-
messaging-phones-nokia-e55-and-e75/

Nokia E55 series review

Nokia E55’s features:-

1. The thinnest Nokia Phone.
2. A new compact QWERTY keyboard – two letters per key which makes messaging easier.
3. Overall dimension: 116 x 49 x 9.9 mm; weight: 98g.
4. 2.4-inch display supports 16 million colors in both landscape and portrait modes.
5. It has up to 28 days of standby battery life.
6. Supports N-Gage games.
7. 60MB of internal memory with memory card slot.
8. 3.2-megapixel camera with flash.
9. Video recording in VGA quality.
10. Available in two colors – black and write.
11. Other features: Bluetooth, voice commands, text and multimedia messaging, assisted-GPS with Nokia Maps, instant messaging, organizer features, IMAP4 and POP3 e-mail, USB support, a 3.5mm headset jack, PC syncing, instant messaging, a voice recorder, a text-to-speech message reader, and a music player.
12. Expected to ship in the second quarter at an estimated retail price of 265 EUR.

source : http://www.tipandtrick.net/2009/nokias-new-e-series-
messaging-phones-nokia-e55-and-e75/

Nokia unveils N86 8-megapixel cameraphone with Carl Zeiss optics 2

Below is a excerpt of bullet points from Nokia's press material:

* The Nokia N86 8MP delivers the power of Nokia Nseries with the latest Ovi Services and authentic build materials.
* It sets a new benchmark in mobile imaging versatility with an 8 Mpix super wide-angle Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, and mechanical shutter. This means it’s easy even for novice users to get the versatility and quality of a stand-alone digital camera, now built-into their phone.
* Optimized for both photos and videos even in low-light or bright sunlight, the device delivers automatic aperture control to f2.4/f3.2/f4.8 - plus motion blur reduction, video stabilizer, noise reduction, panorama mode, flash and geo-tagging.
* The Nokia N86 8MP also incorporates the latest services Nokia Maps with compass and Ovi Contacts. Great for technology-savvy users who live in the moment and like to share their life with friends. Now it’s pure simplicity to snap great shots, geo-tag and share them with people that matter.
* The premium design includes scratch-resistant hardened glass front with a vibrant OLED display. Authentic metal details add to the quality and prestige of the unit.
* Amazing Video and TV entertainment on the go, up to 24GB of memory to store favorite programs, and a TV-out capability for plugging into any standard TV set.
* A built-in kickstand means you can stand-up the device for hands-free games or video entertainment. Opening the kickstand activates a photo slideshow, so you can also use the device as a digital photo-frame.
* Ovi services are integral to the whole experience, enabling users to chat, plan an evening, share a picture or a place, buy and listen to music and play games on the way.
* With Contacts users can manage their address book and calendar and keep it safe. They can also simply chat over IM, email or text - or let others see their location on the Nokia Maps and even share the song they are listening to.
* Maps, with guided pedestrian navigation, now provides straight line A-to-B guidance and automatic map orientation with compass, and has new 3D landmarks, satellite, hybrid and terrain maps.
* With Share users can store photos, videos and music online, upload images to the web and even see and place their photos on the map. Also integrates with Maps for users to share, plan and sync favorite places and routes between device and PC.
* Nokia Music Store enables users to browse millions of tracks, buy and download direct to their mobile and manage their music library on the go.
* The device supports N-Gage games and N-Gage Arena as well as Java games, and comes with a pre-installed catalogue to start off with. The device’s iconic dual-slide allows users to pick up a game where they left off with “Slide and Play” access to optimized gaming controls. The superior AM OLED display tops off a great gaming experience.

source : http://www.gizmag.com/nokia-n86-8-megapixel-cameraphone-carl-zeiss/11047/

Nokia unveils N86 8-megapixel cameraphone with Carl Zeiss optics

February 19, 2009 It looks like Nokia has pulled out all the stops in delivering a potentially paradigm shifting N86 cameraphone with a camera that they claim has SLR-like optics and is good enough to replace your current compact digital one. With 8GB of internal storage, and a lens system from Carl Zeiss, this device can capture still images at 8 mega pixels, as well as 640x480 video 30 frames per second. The camera has a F2.4 aperture (so it's able to handle low light conditions) and includes a high intensity dual LED flash. Nokia is also using the internal GPS in the device to geo-tag all the photos.

Aside from is prowess as a camera the N86 is a S60 release 3 feature set 2 phone, which is the latest multimedia variant of their OS, so it supports the latest software from Nokia, including Nokia Maps 3.0 and N-Gage compatible games. The device slides both up and down, upward for a numeric keypad, and downward for multimedia controls, in the same way that the N95 and N85 do.

We're looking forward to giving it a complete test just as soon as we can get one!

source : http://www.gizmag.com/nokia-n86-8-megapixel-cameraphone-carl-zeiss/11047/

Authorities alerted to iPhone card-counting application

by Darren Quick



February 20, 2009 Looks like crafty iPhone app developers have come up with another handy use for the iPhone. The Las Vegas Review-Journal is reporting that California gaming authorities are warning their Nevada neighbors to be on the lookout for gamblers using blackjack card-counting programs such as Card Counter or A Blackjack Card Counter that run on either the iPhone or iPod Touch.

The California Bureau of Gambling Control was alerted to the programs by operators of a Northern California Indian casino who discovered customers using their iPhones to improve their chances of winning. While those with a head for figures can legally use their natural acuity in Nevada casinos (although you’re likely to be shown the door), it is a felony to use a device to aid in the counting of cards, so anyone using card counting programs can be detained by casino operators and arrested by state gaming agents. Making life difficult for casino security A Blackjack Card Counter, which uses four different card counting strategies, also has a “stealth mode” using vibration to signal the user that it would be a good time to place a large bet.

Anyone who would rather gamble with casino security instead of a blackjack dealer can download the card counting programs from the iTunes Store.

source : http://www.gizmag.com/iphone-card-counting/11055/

HTC to Work on a Pre-Killer Touchphone

By Ionut Arghire



HTC is reported to plan on releasing a new touchphone sometime in the second quarter of this year, at least this is what a senior executive of Telstra is reported to have stated. According to the news on the web, the device has been developed through a combination of Linux-based software written by HTC and the Google Android operating system.

In addition to this, the handset it touted to feature the largest screen ever offered by HTC. From what the Telstra official is reported to have said, the phone should prove a powerful competitor for Apple's iPhone and for the new Pre device unveiled by Palm. It seems that, after seeing the new Pre, executives from Telstra said that the HTC phone should be “better and more functional.”

“We have seen both and we believe that the new HTC phone will be a real competitor to the iPhone and the Pre which at this stage looks nice but is still not delivered to market,” the Telstra officials seem to have stated. At the same time, HTC refused to comment on the new phone slated for a second quarter release.

The fact that Palm's Pre handset has been considered for comparison with a device in preparation might be good news for the company. The maker went through rather difficult times lately, and it needed a strong product to bring it back in the game. It seems that it finally managed to release such a device, Pre, which is expected to take on Apple's iPhone.

The phone running the company's new webOS won Palm the best product award in the mobile phone and smartphone category at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. Moreover, the device was also called the “Best in Show” and is stated to have received the highest number of votes in a “people's choice” Internet poll.

source : http://news.softpedia.com

BlackBerry Is Eventually Heading for Fido

By Ionut Arghire



After playing a little hide and seek with offering BlackBerry devices and services, Fido seems finally determined to make the move and display the handsets for sale. According to the latest news on the Web, Fido representatives and CSRs have been announced that the BlackBerries are on their way and that they will start training sometime next week.

Moreover, it seems that Fido employees have said that the company will have the Pearl 8100 as the first device available from the line. This doesn't sound too good, some voices over the Internet say, and Fido is rather expected to go for the 8220 at full throttle, mainly due to the fact that RIM announced about a year ago the end of the device's life cycle.

Given this situation, Fido wouldn't be able to order any Pearl 8100s, although word has it that it may try to grab whatever devices its parent company Rogers has failed to sell. On the other hand, even if Fido manages to grab some 8100s, place its logo on the cover and print some boxes, the phones would still display the Rogers logo when booting up, since it has been included into the phone's firmware.

At the time, these would only look as speculations, yet, given the fact that Fido is expected to eventually start selling BlackBerry devices, some of them are legitimate. Even the reports that the company might consider using the VSM tool to put a Fido logo into the firmware could be seen as such. Of course, in order to make the move, Fido would have quite a lot of work to do, as it needs to upgrade all 8100s from OS 4.2.1 to 4.5, but it is doable.

Hopefully, Fido users will soon have a reason to rejoice. We're waiting for official announcements to see how soon the BlackBerries will finally come to them.

source : http://news.softpedia.com

Multitouch Capabilities for the T-Mobile G1 Android Phone

By Ionut Arghire



T-Mobile's G1 Android phone is a rather popular device, hence it is common knowledge that it came with a touchscreen but with no multitouch capabilities. This was and still is one of the downsides of the handset, yet there seems to be hope that something will change in the near future. One developer announced on the Web that it managed to come up with a little app that offered multitouch capabilities for the handset.

The creator of this small application is Luke Hutchinson, who announced that the software did not require any changes in the kernel and that only one Java system library was to undergo some modifications. One the other hand, we should notice that the multi-touch system is somehow limited because of the locking of the X and Y coordinates.

At the time the T-Mobile G1 was launched, its lack of multitouch capabilities was rumored to be caused by hardware limitations or by a missing software support. On the other hand, the Android platform was stated to feature multitouch support, yet Google was said to be willing to work on developing such software for compatible hardware devices.

Luke Hutchinson trusted that the G1 could come with more than single-touch capabilities, and worked on his own application that would allow for more than one finger to be used on the device's screen. The article he published comprised a lot of details regarding the way it managed to compile the software, as well as a lot of technical data on other similar solutions.

Besides these pieces of information, there are also a lot of photos available on the multitouch functionality of the T-Mobile G1, as well as a video. Luke Hutchinson even offered the code for its application, nevertheless he stated that it still required some work to be done and mentioned that the code was available so that other developers could benefit from it as well. End-users should be aware of the fact that using the application may also imply several risks.

source : http://news.softpedia.com

Nokia Unveiled Its Locate Sensor at CES

By Ionut Arghire



In order to offer customers an easy solution to avoid forgetting or misplacing their power-packed smartphones, Nokia came to CES with a little device called the Nokia Locate Sensor. This tiny piece of tech is said to act like a little reminder, or sort of an assistant if you want to put it this way, and it is able to keep your handset within your reach at any time.

Basically, the Nokia Locate Sensor can be attached to any other object that either you are fond of or you find it necessary to carry at all times, whether it’s a phone, a wallet, keys, or an I.D., as it is no bigger than a small thumb. Once it is attached to the object, it is able to wirelessly communicate with a user's phone through a special software application.

As soon as certain events occur, like when the object is dropped or, at times, when the user gets too far from it, the Nokia Locate Sensor rings the alarm. The device is not in its final development stage, the company announced, yet work on it is done. Moreover, it seems that the Nokia Research Centre labs could be very soon preparing for an official release of the product.

The company did not explain the way the little device connects wirelessly to a user’s phone, yet some voices say that it might be a Bluetooth connection. What's more interesting is that the software application is reported to be able to sustain up to 100 individual sensors. In addition, each sensor is stated to have enough energy to stay powered from six months to up to a whole year.

Hopefully, the Nokia Locate Sensor will come to retailers in the near future, although it is rather uncertain at what time. Yet, we should reckon that this could prove to be a rather handy device, especially when you're on the go.

source : http://news.softpedia.com/

Nokia E71's Firmware Updated to 200.21.188

By Ionut Arghire


Nokia has released a major firmware update for its E71 handset. The new version, namely 200.21.188, brings Internet Radio and My Nokia application to the device, and it also includes two new themes. Furthermore, it comes with a number of different improvements, among which some stability and functionality updates, like WLAN support, power efficiency on 3G, and leveraged performance for the phone camera.

The change log of the new firmware 200.21.188 shows that functionalities like Easy Dialing support for Simplified Chinese language, One key input method switch for China language, Device Lock improvement: Open device lock with LSK + Fn-keys, ‘Mute’ option in Right Soft Key when wired headset / handsfree is connected, ‘Loudspeaker’ option in Right Soft Key immediately when a phone call is started, Enlarge characters in Chr-table and NTLM v1 and v2 support for Intranet Browsing have been added.

In addition, the time zones have been updated, the localization has also seen some improvements, with missing localizations being added to the device, and the operator name database has been updated, as well as the startup settings, certificates and security. The phone was added Stability and functionality improvements and Keyboard mapping corrections for the Qwerty keyboard, while its browser has also been slightly improved.

All data from the internal memory of the Nokia E71 will be lost as soon as the upgrade is performed, so users willing to install the new firmware should make a backup prior to proceeding. It has been suggested that there would be performance improvements seen if data was added back manually rather than by restoring a previously made backup.

Depending on the region, the previously available firmware for the Nokia E71 was v100 or v115. The new release is stated to be available at the moment for the EURO regions, but it should become more widely available in the near future. Some of the improvements brought by the new update can also be downloaded and installed individually.

A full change log of the update can be seen here. More information on how to install the firmware are available on Nokia's official site.

source : http://news.softpedia.com

Nokia 8800 Gold Arte Available Starting Q2 2009

By Ionut Arghire

The new phone comes with impressive looks

Recently, Nokia has unveiled its new 8800 Gold Arte, the latest handset to be added to the Nokia 8800 Arte product lineup. The rather exquisite features of the new handset include stainless steel parts with 18 carat gold plating, to which premium-quality leather was added. Moreover, the phone also comes with a slide mechanism with precision ball-bearings.

The entire range benefits from exclusively designed soundtracks and living wallpapers. The Nokia 8800 Gold Arte handset is also reported to sport the tap-for-time feature. Basically, users are enabled to tap two times the leather surface below the display so that a clock would appear on the screen. Another interesting feature of the phone is its turn-to-mute silencing mechanism, which comes as a hallmark of the range. Customers can discretely silence incoming calls by simply turning the handset over, with the screen side down.

On the other hand, the new Nokia 8800 Gold Arte is not all about looks and exquisite features, but it also packs capabilities we are used to see in a modern mobile phone. Thus, the specification list of the handset shows that it sports a 3.2-megapixel camera with auto focus, while also coming with 3G capabilities.

The device comes with a stunning OLED display and packs 4GB of internal storage memory. In addition, the Nokia 8800 Gold Arte has a unique all-in-one micro USB, which is meant to create a seamless design experience. The company's anti-fingerprint coating included with the handset is meant to reduce smudges on both metal and glass.

According to the news on the Web, the newly unveiled Nokia 8800 Gold Arte will be made available for purchase on selected markets in the Southeast Asia Pacific. The phone is expected to hit the shelves in the second quarter of the year.

source : http://news.softpedia.com/

Mobile technology WiMax seems to be losing the battle to Long-Term Evolution (LTE).

By Reuters, 8 Jan 2009 at 08:57



Nokia has ended production of its N810 WiMax Edition tablet PC - the only device made by the world's biggest mobile manufacturer to use the US-centric WiMax technology.

WiMax has been competing for the status of next generation mobile technology, but has largely lost the battle to Long-Term Evolution (LTE).

"We have ramped down the N810 WiMax Edition tablet. It has reached the end of its lifecycle," said a Nokia spokesman. Nokia unveiled the model only nine months ago, while usually even the most trendy models have a shelf life of well over a year.

Canada's Nortel Networks Corp has said LTE will be the most likely upgrade path for about 80 per cent of the world's existing mobile phone providers, with others going for WiMax.

But Nokia did not rule out introducing further WiMax phones in the future.

"We will continue to follow the technology and its evolution," the spokesman said.

source : http://www.itpro.co.uk

The Palm Pre: CES 2009's Hottest Product

by Lance Ulanoff
CES 2009

LAS VEGAS—The Palm Pre is the technology product I've been waiting for. Like every tech journalist I know, I knew what was coming, but today's demo literally blew away my expectations. Step aside, iPhone, sit down, Bold, this is the Palm, maybe the device, I've been dreaming about: A touchscreen phone with a full QWERTY keyboard.

Okay, okay. Touchscreen phones and even smartphones with both touch screens and keyboards are a dime a dozen, but in my estimation, the Pre (weird name aside) grants the wishes of a once-devoted Treo audience in ways that none of the competitors have or could.

First of all, the specs are impressive: a large multi-touch screen, powerful processor, accelerometer, hidden QWERTY keyboard, multitasking, GPS, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and 3.2 megapixel camera. Honestly, it's a long list that I could scarcely cover. However there's more than simply me-too technology to the Pre; it offers real innovation. From a new app and tasks management metaphor known as "Cards" to the gesture area, this is a smart phone that's breaking new ground.

I was particularly impressed and intrigued by the gesture area. It's a touch sensitive section that actually sits below the screen. So instead of always using the large touch screen to access oft-used apps, you can spend much of your time making swipes and flicks in this smallish area. Now you're not obscuring the screen with your fingers—unless you want or need to and maybe, just maybe, you'll cut down a bit on all those greasy screen fingerprints.

Pre will give me what the iPhone and Bold (the former leader in my smartphone lust affections) can not: a full-sized touch screen and a QWERTY keyboard. The combination of touch screen and QWERTY keyboard is one of the reasons I fell in love with my Treo 700p. That thing is old, dust filled and hoary now, but once it was my beloved.

Like my old Treo, the Pre will be exclusive – at least initially – on the Sprint platform early in 2009. (There is no pricing info yet). For some, this is a downer, but Sprint has become a much better and more reliable service over the years and I have no complaints about the EVDO Rev A 3G service.

Palm told us that they built the Palm Web OS platform from the ground up. It has a Linux core and is capable of numerous feats never before attempted by a Treo, including multi-tasking and deep integration of virtually every aspect of your online, social and information-management life. The demo made it all look so simple and because it's an entirely new, yet somewhat familiar-looking, interface, it all looked good.

As the hour-long demo went on I began to feel like I was sitting at an Apple event, listening to Steve Jobs wax rhapsodic about the amazing stuff his latest tech gizmo could accomplish. The spell was broken by Sprint chief executive Dan Hesse, who probably went on too long about how excited he was about the Pre.

Later I learned that this new Palm Web OS platform would do not one thing that could bother a lot of devoted Treo users: offer backward compatibility for existing Palm apps. There's no SDK yet, but it will likely be announced soon. Palm reps told me that rewriting code for this platform should be trivial; that remains to be seen.

I don't really mind. I have just a handful of proprietary apps running on my Treo: Dataviz DocsToGo, Goodlink and a crappy chess game. I'm sure at least two of those will be upgraded. Palm also left open the question of an Apple-style application store for the Pre, but that announcement can't be far behind.

As excited as I am, I still haven't had a chance to touch Pre's sleek, black, semi-curved body, to feel the fit and finish, tell whether or not the keys are rubber or plastic and know if the gesture area and multi-touch screen are as good as they looked in the live demo. But now I have real hope.

With that hope, by the way, comes the real prospect that I have witnessed Palm's phoenix moment. It's rising from the ashes on good word of mouth and reaction to this crucial demo. Let's hope the Pre provides wings for it to fly toward renewed success. This is, after all, Palm's last best chance.

source : http://www.pcmag.com

The Next Generation of SD Memory Cards is SDXC

By: Michael Kwan



Click to ZoomOn the surface, these things will look identical to the Secure Digital (SD) memory cards that we have been using for ages, but they're going to pack a lot more of a capacity wallop in the same sized package. We've already become familiar with the SDHC format that pushed SD cards well past the original 2GB maximum. I'm using a 4GB and an 8GB memory card for my digital camera, for example.

Get ready for the next generation. The new SDXC (eXtended Capacity) memory card standard has been announced, providing a theoretical maximum storage capacity of two terabytes on a single card. This applies not only to the full-size SDXC card, but also the microSDXC format as well.

Considering that the hard drive market is still trying to reach the two terabyte milestone (I hear that could be coming next week), it's really amazing that you may soon get the same capacity on something the size of a postage stamp. The first SDXC cards will hopefully be reaching the market as soon as next year, starting out with data speeds in the 104MB/sec range. In the future, they'll push it to 300MB/sec.

Also, while the theoretical maximum capacity is 2TB (enough room for dozens of high-definition movies), the first SDXC cards will likely only be offered in 32GB and 64GB capacities. That's still a noted improvement over the current maximum SDHC capacity of 16GB.

I just hope that memory will get even cheaper when these cards come out, because I don't really feel like spending more money on memory than I did on my camera.

source : http://www.mobilemag.com

Video: Hands-on with OQO Model 2+ UMPC

By: Michael Kwan



Click to ZoomAs I mentioned late last month, the OQO Model 2+ UMPC is currently on display here at the Consumer Electronics Show. At the time, we thought that they were going to call it the OQO Model 02+, but they've apparently dropped that superfluous zero to streamline the name.

I had the opportunity to chat with the OQO representative about the new Model 2+ UMPC and seeing it in person, I'm more impressed than ever. That OLED display is simply stunning, especially when you're using it to watch some great videos and movies. The clip shown below gives you a glimpse into what this thing can do with its rich colors and superior contrast.

There are two versions being offering. The less expensive of the two, retailing at $999, comes with an Intel Atom (1.33GHz) processor, Windows XP Home, 60GB hard drive, 1GB of DDR2 SDRAM, 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 5-inch WVGA LCD touchscreen. If you want the nicer stuff, you need to move up to the $1499 version. That gets you Vista Business (or XP Pro), 120GB HDD (or 60GB SSD), 2GB of RAM, the OLED touchscreen, and a 1.86 GHz Atom processor.

By going with Atom and the OLED, this UMPC is more power-efficient than ever before. That's great, considering that the Model 2+ UMPC is meant for the mobile professional. Look for it to start shipping some time in May 2009.

source : http://www.mobilemag.com