[Android] T-Mobile To Launch Samsung Galaxy Tab For $399 On Contract/$649 Off? Does It Stand A Chance Against The WiFi/WiFi+3G iPads? [Comparison]

Galaxy Tab Vs The iPads

Comparing this to the iPad, where $499 buys you a comparable WiFi-only 16GB version and $629 for the WiFi+3G one, the Tab fits kind of in the middle. If you go for the contract price, it ends up being $250 cheaper than the 3G iPad. If you, however, don’t like contracts, you pay $150 more than the WiFi-only iPad or $20 more than the WiFi+3G variant, but in either case get to keep the 3G capabilities in case you want to go month-to-month.

Comparing the Tab to the iPad a bit further, we find the Tab having both the rear and front facing cameras, an HDMI output, a better CPU, a MicroSD expansion slot, ability to play Flash content, double the iPad’s RAM and half the weight, not to mention all the other cool stuff that comes with Froyo.

In the neutral zone, a 7" screen, which is 2.7" smaller than the iPad’s, may appeal to some and seem too small to others. I personally would probably prefer something like an 8.5", but if I had to pick, I’d go for the 9.7".

Finally, application-wise, the iPad is currently a clear winner and is likely to remain a winner for quite a while, at least until the Android Market figures out some decent apps and games for the bigger screen factor.

Conclusion

All in all, if the slides are indeed legitimate, I think the price points are a bit overpriced. The verdict, in my opinion, is still out because a lot will depend on the the monthly data costs. A $299 Tab on a contract without voice limitations (i.e. no voice at all) would make a whole lot more sense to me.

[source:http://www.androidpolice.com]

[Android] These 5 Android apps will make you the life of any party

[Android] These 5 Android apps will make you the life of any party

Bartender

Want to know a guaranteed party fact? There are always those one or two people present that don’t drink beer. Hopefully these people let you know ahead of time so you can prepare accordingly, but what if they don’t? Then they’re left at the mercy of whatever random liquor and mixers you have. Well the Bartender app will help you out.

As you can see, the Bartender app has three main functions.

1. Browse – Using the browse feature is pretty self-explanatory, it lets you browse through a very wide selection of drinks. Don’t see your favorite poison? Fear not, it supports the ability to add your own drink to the list
2. Favorites – Do you always forget how to make your girlfriend’s fruity pink umbrella drink? Make it a favorite and save yourself the time in searching through the list.
3. Search – This is probably the best feature in my opinion. You can search for drinks that contain a certain ingredient(s) or you can search for drinks that can be made from the ingredients you have on hand.

Very cool if you ask me.

Download Link

Drinking Games

What’s a good party without a few drinking games? Everybody usually has their own “go to” game that they like to play, but playing the same game all the time can get old pretty fast. Thankfully this app comes with 33 different drinking games, which should be plenty for any party-goer. This app is also great for having a cut & dry set of rules, because you and I both know that not everyone plays by the same set of rules for each game.

Download Link

Google Places

You’re probably asking yourself: “How is Google Places going to make me the life of the party?” Well, how many times has the party been rockin’ and all of a sudden the party runs out of something. Whether it’s ice, mixers, booze, or food, knowing the nearest place to stock up on those items is crucial. Nobody wants to wait around for you to go on your beer run for 3 hours. Not only will the app find the nearest gas station or grocery store for you (as well as a ton of other places) but once you select the one you’re going to, you can then click the map button and get turn-by-turn directions right to it! (for free by the way, go Android!) This is especially useful if you’re not to familiar with the area of the party.

Download Link

doubleTwist

I’ve never been to a good party that didn’t have good music. Sitting around in silence isn’t very fun. doubleTwist is arguably the best media player for Android at the moment. Combine the ability to play music, create playlists, play videos (output music video’s to your TV perhaps?) and the smooth & sleek interface and you have a great media player that can keep the tunes pumping the whole night long. (Much to the chagrin of your neighbors)

Just a note, this app is free for a “limited time” so grab this one for free while you can.

Download Link

BAC Calculator

Drinking and driving is a big no-no. If you plan on drinking you should NOT plan on driving, get a designated driver. Well now that I’ve said that, let’s get to the app. This app will give you arough approximation of what your BAC will be based on what you’ve been drinking, but please don’t try to use this to prove to Johnny Law that you’re not driving over the limit.

As you can see this BAC calculator is pretty basic, but it contains all the necessary questions (besides asking if you’re a man or woman, which does matter)

Basic Mode (on left):

1. What are you drinking – It gives a decent list with a couple mixers and the most popular alcohols in 1.5oz.
2. Number of drinks – Self explanatory, how many drinks have you had
3. Weight – Also self explanatory. Generally the more you weigh, the longer it takes alcohol to work it’s way into your bloodstream. (obviously there are other factors such as muscle mass that effect this, but i’m just simplifying it)
4. Hours drinking – Obviously, drinking six beers in an hour will increase your BAC a lot more than drinking six beers over six hours

Advanced Mode (on right) might be more useful if you drink one thing the entire night. You simply put in how many ounces of the beverage you’ve consumed, the alcohol %, your weight and the number hours you’ve been drinking. (note the 4% alcohol was what the app suggested for light beer)

Again, this app isn’t the final word in your BAC, that falls to the police and they won’t care what this app says. It only should be used to remind you NOT to drink and drive.

Download Link

[source:http://www.talkandroid.com]

[Android] New features from Android 2.1 to Android 2.2 Froyo

[Android] New features from Android 2.1 to Android 2.2 Froyo

With all the hoopla lately about Android 2.2 (aka Froyo, which means frozen yogurt by the way) I figured I would write a brief rundown of some of the new features you can expect from the latest and greatest version of the Android OS.

Home screen

A new tips widget will grace your homescreen. This widget will assist new users on how to configure the home screen, adding shortcuts, adding widgets and how to use multiple home screens.

Another new home screen feature, as you can see, are dedicated buttons for the Phone, Launcher and the Browser.

Exchange Support

No doubt, one of Android’s most lacking features is exchange support. Well that will be changing with Android 2.2. Froyo’s new and improved Exchange support will include the following features:

• Improved security – Exchange admins can enforce a password policy across devices with support for numeric or alpha numeric passwords to unlock a device
• Remote wipe – Exchange admins can remotely wipe the phone to factory defaults if the device was lost or stolen
• Exchange calendars – Will be supported in the Calendar application
• Auto-discovery – With just your username and password, you will easily be able to set up and sync an Exchange account (requires Exchange 2007+)
• Global address look-up – Will now be available from within the Email application allowing users to auto-complete recipient names from the directory

Camera and Gallery

A new and improved Gallery will allow you to peek into picture stacks using a zoom gesture.

The camera now will have on-screen buttons that will provide easy access via a new user interface for controlling the zoom, flash, white balance, focus, geo-tagging and exposure.

In addition, the camcorder now allows you to easily choose the size and quality desired for your video to make uploading to the web or sending video by MMS easier and more efficient. Shooting video at night or low-light conditions will be better now as well as the LED flash will become a light source when shooting video.

Make your phone a mobile hotspot

Apparently, not all devices will support this feature, but phones like the Nexus One will. When configured as a hotspot, your Froyo device share it’s connectivity with up to 8 other devices. Also, you can use the 3G connection on your phone (via a USB connection) to provide access to the internet on your Windows or Linux laptop. (Yes you can get apps for this on Android 2.1, but it will now be supported natively)

Multiple keyboard languages

Users that speak multiple languages will love this feature. You can now add multiple languages to the keyboard and effortlessly switch between Latin-based input languages by swiping across the space bar. Not only does this effect the keys but it effects the auto-correct dictionary as well.

Improved Performance

Performance increases are coming from all over with the Android 2.2 update, here’s the highlights:

• Browser – By enabling faster loading of JavaScript, the V8 engine will boost the speed of the browser
• Dalvik performance boost – in CPU-intensive duties, an increase of 2x to 5x can be seen
• Kernel memory management boost – Memory reclamation by up to 20x. Applications will switch faster on devices with less memory

Flash!

Flash game addicts rejoice! Adobe just recently released Flash 10.1 for devices running Android 2.2 (there are some beta builds of the OS out there). So not only will you now be able to play flash games on your Android 2.2 device, but any type of interactive content will now work flawlessly on your device.

There is one downside to this though, you will now see those annoying flash ads when browsing the web. But in this writers opinion, it’s a small price to pay for the many other benefits of flash.

Misc Improvements

Bluetooth

• Share contacts with other phones
• Voice dialing
• Support for BT enabled car & desk docks
• Improved compatibility with car kits & headsets

2.6.32 kernel upgrade

• HIGHMEM support for RAM > 256MB
• SDIO scheduling and Bluetooth improvements

Applications

• App Error Reports – A new bug reporting feature enables developers to receive crash and freeze reports from users of their Android Market apps
• Apps can be installed on external storage (microSD card for example)
• Apps can participate in data back up and restore, allowing users to reset their device to factory defaults and not lose any personal data

Cloud to Device messaging – Android apps can use the Android Cloud to Device messaging to allow mobile alert, send to phone and 2-way push sync abilites

Camera/Camcorder

• Video FPS doubled from 10 to 20
• Camera now supports portrait orientation, zoom controls, exposure data and a thumbnail utility
• Camcorder also allows apps to determine hardware capabilities

User Interface – Users are now able to select “car mode” and “night mode” controls to configure their UI however they like.

Looks pretty good doesn’t it? No official word has been said on when the Android 2.2 update will be pushed out over the air, but the word around the web speculates it to be within a month. So cross your fingers and keep checking back with TalkAndroid as we’ll be sure to make a lot of noise when the official update gets rolled out.

[source:http://www.talkandroid.com]

[Android] HTC EVO 4G Spesification

[Android] HTC EVO 4G Spesification

Phone Type		Smart phone
Network type & bands		CDMA 1900/800
Design	Form Factor	Candybar
	Dimensions (LxWxD)	4.8×2.6x.5 in (122×66x13mm)
	Weight	6oz (170g)
	Antenna	Internal
Display	Type	Color
	Technology	TFT
	Resolution	480×800px
	Physical Size	4.3in (109.22mm)
	Colors	65,536
	Touch Screen	Capacitive
	Proximity Sensor	Yes
	Light Sensor	Yes
Battery	Type	Li-Ion
	Capacity	1500 mAh
	Talk Time	?
	Stand-by Time	?
Android Version		2.1
Performance	Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon
	Processor Speed	1GHz
	Memory	512MB RAM / 1024MB ROM
Storage	Expansion
	Slot Type	microSD/microSDHC
	Maximum Size	32GB
Camera	Camera
	Type	Immobile
	Resolution	8MP
	Flash	Dual LED
	Features	Auto focus, digital zoom
	Video
	Video Capture Resolution	1280×720 (720p HD)
	Additional Camera	1.3MP
Multimedia	Music Player
	File Formats	MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, AMR, MIDI
	Video Playback
	File Formats	MPEG4, H.263, H.264
	Radio
	Type	FM
	Streaming	Yes
	Youtube Player	Yes
Internet Browsing	Supports	HTML
	Built-in Online Services	Facebook, Flickr, Twitter
Location Based Services	Type	A-GPS
	Navigation	Yes
Phonebook	Capacity	Depends on system memory
	Features	Ring ID, Picture ID, Search by first & last name, multiple #’s per contact, Caller Groups
Organizer	Calendar	Yes
	Alarms	Yes
	Tasks/To-Do	Yes
	Other	Calculator, World Clock, Notes
Messaging	SMS	Yes
	MMS	Yes
	Templates	Yes
	Pre-installed IM	Google talk
Connectivity	Bluetooth
	Version	2.1
	EDR	Yes
	Profiles	Advanced Audio Distribution (A2DP)
	WiFi
	Type	802.11 b/g
	WiMAX	Yes
	USB
	Type	microUSB
	Version	2
	Features	USB Charging, mass storage device
	Headphone connector	3.5mm
	Charges via	microUSB
	TV-Out	Yes
	Computer Sync	Yes
	OTA Sync	Yes
Notifications	Polyphonic Ringtones	Yes
	Music Ringtones	MP3
Other Features	Voice Dialing	Yes
	Voice Commands	Yes
	Voice Recording	Yes
	Sensors	Compass, Acceleromoter

[GADGET] World's Smallest and Uniqe Camera

CMC5020PH
World's Smallest Camera Color Pinhole Camera

• 380 Lines of Resolution
• 1.5 Low Light Lux F1.2
• 3.5mm 82° FOV (Pinhole Cameras)
• Built-in Auto Iris 1/50-1/63,000 Sec.
• Automatic White Balance
• Featherlite 0.35 Ounce
• Signal to Noise Ratio 48dB
• Runs on 9-12VDC @ 35mA
• Tiny Size 0.3" x 0.3" x 0.3"
• Includes EZ-Connect Cables $128.00

Samsung claims that they have developed the world's smallest 8 MP CMOS camera module for use with mobile devices. Measuring a miniscule 28 × 15.3 × 8.5mm, the new module also supports features such as face-detection, anti-shake, a ISO 1600 sensitivity and, get this, can even automatically detect smiles to ensure its time to take the photo. Samsung isn't even claiming this module as a concept, but saying the device is set to launch in Q3 or Q4 of this year, so it's coming to a high-end mobile device near you.

The Others :

[Nice Gadget] Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Waterproof Camera and Camcorder

This is really a nice gadget for people who like photography especially in water...

The new waterproof SANYO Xacti E2 camcorder captures stunning digital video and beautiful 8-megapixel photos...on land and even underwater!

* Waterproof Digital Camcorder
* 8 Megapixel Still Photos
* 5x Optical Zoom
* 2.5-Inch LCD Display
* Photo Face Detection
* Video Face Chaser
* Shake Control Mechanism

Designed to IPX8 International Standard for Waterproof.The Xacti E2 is capable of recording full motion video five feet underwater for up to 30 minutes. Incorporating a water-tight design that can resist the pressure created when submersed at five feet, the Xacti E2 is capable of capturing dramatic photos and video footage underwater to share with less adventurous family members and friends.

Incorporates the Highly Advanced AVC/H.264 Video Compression. This makes posting movies on the Internet or e-mailing them to friends and family easier by reducing the file size. In fact, the file size can be up to 25% smaller than that of typical MPEG-4 cameras. To accomplish the complexity of encoding AVC/H.264 in real-time on the E2, a H.264 video compression IC was incorporated into the camera that was designed specifically for portable consumer devices to achieve high video quality while simultaneously reducing the system power consumption. The result is high-quality video recording up to a total of 8 hours of full motion video with an 8 GB SDHC memory card (in TV-HQ mode). The Xacti E2 can also record up to a total of 4 hours of video with a 4 GB SDHC memory card, up to 2 hours with a standard 2GB SD card, and up to 1 hour with a standard SD card.

Large 2.5-inch Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). The display flips out from the camera and rotates up to 285 degrees on an axis that allows you to take great video or still images from otherwise-difficult-to-view positions, proving to be especially useful when shooting underwater or in small rooms.


Setting the E2 Camcorder Apart from Other Video Cameras Begins Inside. You can find an advanced 8.0-megapixel (total) CMOS image sensor inside the E2. The large sensor allows the E2 to capture high-resolution 8-megapixel still images in addition to recording high-quality digital videos with full-range stereo sound.

Record up to a Total of 8 Hours of Full Motion Video. Or capture up to 2000 8-megapixel still images on a 8GB SDHC memory card, up to 4 hours of video with a 4 GB SDHC memory card, up to 2 hours with a 2GB standard SD card, and up to 1 hour with a 1GB standard SD card.

Import Files Directly Into iTunes Software. Easy transfer to your video-capable iPod® allows you to share a quick video the next time you are asked how the kids are doing!

Ever Need to Capture Still Images While You're Already Shooting Video? The E2 enables simultaneous shooting of both 8-megapixel still images and 640 x 480-pixel video clips with a simple press of the shutter button during the shooting of a movie clip. You will never need to miss another precious photo opportunity. (Depending on the mode used to take still images, simultaneous video clip shooting may be interrupted. While shooting video clips, using the digital image stabilizer may change the angle of view for still images.)

Sophisticated Photo Face Detection and Video Face Chaser.Using a proprietary SANYO algorithm, the E2 automatically compensates for distracting up-and-down or side-to side camera movement, keeping your subject steady and easy to follow. It accurately distinguishes between unintentional camera shake and deliberate camera movement. This handy feature operates in both wide-angle and telephoto modes, giving every shot a solid, professional-looking feel. It can detect faces and adjust the focus and exposure accordingly. Faces are sensed even when they move, allowing you to track up to 12 people at once. Automatic exposure is applied according to the area, while automatic focus captures the person at the center of the frame. During playback, you can zoom in and enjoy those facial expressions in detail.

Shake Control Mechanism. Used for still pictures, it cancels both rotational blurring that cannot be corrected by optical systems and blurring caused by moving subjects. The E2 also incorporates a digital image stabilizer for videos, which accurately distinguishes between unintentional trembling and intentional camera work such as panning and tilting—a distinction that some systems have difficulty making—so that shaking is corrected without sacrificing the natural look of your actual camera work.

Sequential Shooting.The E2 is capable of high-speed continuous shooting at 5 frames per second (for up to 10 frames) in [2M] mode, ensuring that you won't miss that perfect shot. It is also capable of continuous shooting at 1 frame per second (for up to 10 frames) in [8M] mode.

5x Optical Zoom With a Bright Maximum Aperture of f/3.5. Consisting of 9 groups and 12 total lenses, the E2’s lens provides a fantastic field-of-view with a 38-190 mm range (35 mm equivalent). Combined with the 12x digital zoom, the E2 provides up to 62.5x zooming capability.

Super-fast Start-up. Reduce your chance of missing the moment. The Xacti E2 media camera is designed for super fast start-up and shooting. With the tapeless design, the E2 eliminates the need to queue up a tape deck allowing the E2 to begin shooting in as little as 1.7 seconds! When the E2 is powered on, closing the LCD display puts the E2 in standby mode. Simply open the display and the E2 automatically powers up and can begin immediately recording in as little as 1.7 seconds.

Includes a High-Capacity SANYO Brand Lithium-ion Battery. The DBL-L20U is a high-voltage 3.7-volt battery designed to work with the SANYO Xacti E2 camera. High energy density design minimizes the battery size and weight, making it perfect for use in small portable cameras. The DBL-L20 is designed to resist memory accumulation so it provides a full charge every time.

Easy Playback of Recorded Video Directly on a TV Screen. Connect the E2 to a VCR or DVD Recorder to back-up copies of recorded content. Still images and video clips on the Xacti E2 are played back continuously and in chronological order. The Xacti E2 offers convenient connection to a PC. With simple drag-and-drop operation, it's easy to save recorded video clips and still images onto a computer's hard disk for emailing, editing or archiving.

Easy Video Sharing. Video recording on the E2 employs highly efficient MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression. This keeps high-quality files small, so you can upload videos to websites and blogs or share them via podcasts or online social networks. Conveniently, these video files don't require format conversion before being uploaded to websites. If you know that you are filming for your blog, you can record at a smaller file size that's suitable for website use. You can then upload the file as-is, without needing to resize it.

On or off, the E2 is a true work of art. Ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, most video and still functions can be easily accessed with the thumb of the hand used to hold the camera. Available in Blue and White, the E2’s design is likely to get as much attention as your videos.

Asus G71 the World’s First Quad Core Notebook

The Asus G71 is the world’s first quad core notebook specially designed for gamers. It is powered by the Intel’s new QX9300 Core 2 Extreme processor and features 17’’ Crystal Shine High Brightness display, an NIVIDIA GeForce 9700M GT GDDR3 512MB graphics card, 4GB of DDR3, up to 1TB of HDD (500GB x2), 2Mpix web camera, Bluetooth V2.1, and Blue-ray writer. More info after the break.




Press Release:
Taipei, Taiwan, October 6, 2008 – Consistent with the tradition of breaking new grounds, ASUS is proud to present the world’s first Intel® Quad Core™ Gaming notebook—the G71. Specifically designed with gamers in mind, the G71 is the first in ASUS’ planned series of Quad Core™ gaming notebooks and an addition to its expanding G Series. The G71 delivers a total gaming experience in a highly portable package, with an emphasis on audio clarity and stunning graphics performance. The World’s First Quad Core™ Gaming Notebook The ASUS G71 is the world’s first Quad Core™ gaming notebook, powered by the new Intel Core™ 2 Extreme processor QX9300. The removal of the Overspeed Protection means that the G71 is capable of extreme performance through overclocking, pushing the envelope of computational processing power and thus allowing users to multitask extensively. Superior Gaming Performance As a dedicated gaming notebook, the G71 sports an impressive array of high performance components, such as a 17” Crystal Shine high brightness display with a quick response time of 8 ms, powered by a NVIDIA GeForce 9700M GT GDDR3 512 MB graphics card. The G71 also features up to 4 GB of DDR3 1066MHz system memory coupled with dual hard disk drives of up to 1 TB (500 GB x 2)—enabling users to enjoy multimedia entertainment and games while on the move. Direct Console 2.0 Direct Console 2.0 is an all-in-one gaming control interface that allows users to select from three processor speed settings depending on their mode of usage. The same interface also includes controls for Direct Messenger, enabling communication utilities such as Instant Messaging (MSN™), Meeting and E-mail notification. The gaming hotkeys enable users to launch their favorite games with a single touch and execute in-game commands on-the-fly. The chassis of the G71 also features a programmable lighting system, which lights up and blinks during in-game events. These lights can be configured through the Direct Console 2.0, providing the user with a pyrotechnic-like ambience while in the game. Direct Messenger Users can now read their emails and communicate via Instant Messaging (MSN™) through the Direct Messenger. Acting as a secondary display, it displays email notifications, instant messages, battery reserves and system loadings in real-time even during a game in progress. This allows users to keep in touch with their friends and family while multitasking between various applications. Entertainment and Style on the Move The G71 incorporates several entertainment features that promise to give users a gaming experience like none other. Altec Lansing speakers equipped with a subwoofer deliver excellent sound reproduction, further complimented by Dolby™ Home Theater. A 2.0 megapixel webcam allows users to communicate visually through Skype™ or MSN™; while a dedicated game keyboard layout provides them with strategically placed movement keys on a full-sized keyboard—granting them quick access to their in-game inventories and allowing them to issue commands in the shortest time possible. These features combine to provide an entire host of gamer-centric features for users to immerse themselves in a world of audio and visual entertainment with style. Fun for Everyone The G71 may have the sheer power to sate the needs the most serious of gamers, but it is also very suitable for those who prefer to play games on a more casual basis. Attaching ASUS’ innovative Eee Stick—a simple plug and play gaming solution that allows users to interact with the game by translating their hand motions into corresponding movements onscreen—for example, will instantly transform the G71 into a mobile gaming console. The easy-to-use and family-friendly Eee Stick—which works with all of ASUS’ notebooks—consists of an Activation stick, a Navigation stick and a 2.4GHz RF dongle. It has a broadcast range of up to 10 meters, allowing users more leeway for physical movement. Boasting three modes of operation, the Eee Stick can be used with a myriad of game genres, ranging from sports and shooting, to action and beat ‘em up games.

[New Gadget] Sony XS-L10S Slim Line Subwoofer

Getting some woof for your ride? Check out this one from Sony’s Xplod line, the XS-LB10S, featuring an extremely strong cone material that can take a serious beating.

• 10″ Polypropylene Cone
• 1200W Peak Power (330W RMS)
• Pre-wired & Loaded Enclosure
• 4-Ohm Voice Coil
• Perfect for pick-up trucks & compact vehicles
• Gold-plated 5-way Binding Posts
• Unique Turbo cone design offers superior rigidity

The Sony XS-LB10S is available with enclosure for $197. However, you can also one without the enclosure for $80. Full specs after the break.

Specifications
• Speaker Size (cm): 25
• Speaker Size (inch): 10
• Peak Power (W): 1200W
• Rated Power (RMS, W): 330W
• Impedance (ohms): 4
• Sensitivity (dB/W/m): 88
• Frequency Response (Hz): 18 - 2,500
• Mass (kg): 4.1
• Mass (lb/oz): 9/1
• D (mm): 217
• D (inch): 8.5
• RDC (ohms): 3.7
• FS (Hz): 42.1
• QTS: 0.61
• QES: 0.86
• QMS: 2.12
• VAS (Lit.): 18.5
• VAS (Cu. ft.): 0.65
• MMS (g): 150.6
• LVC (mH): 1.1
• Xmax (mm): 6.2
• Xmax (inch): 0.2
• BL ™: 12.9
• Sealed Enclosure Vol. (Net Cu. ft.): 0.57
• Sealed Enclosure Vol. (Net Lit.): 16.1

[New Gadget] Blackberry Storm

The Blackberry Storm is RIM’s latest addition in their 3G smartphone line. It comes with a clickable 3.26-inch (480 x 360) touchscreen, built-in accelerometer, 3.2-megapixel camera, built-in GPS, 1GB onboard storage with microSD/SDHD memory card slot and the phone is preloaded with lots of apps. The Blackberry Storm will be on Verizon first.

Sony NWD-E020F Walkman PMPs with swappable color panels

Sony has unveiled its latest entry-level Walkman PMPs, and if the battle with Apple’s Shuffle was based on color options then Sony would be ahead of the game. The NWD-E020F-series will be available in 1GB and 2GB capacities and feature Sony’s Quick Charge technology; that means up to 28hrs of continuous playback from just a single hour’s charge. It also has an FM radio and 3-line color LCD.


The NWD-E020F is compatible with MP3, WMA (including DRM-encrypted files), non-DRM AAC and Linear PCM files. It has a built-in USB plug, and shows up as an external drive for drag-&-drop loading of music. It also has Clear Bass and Clear Stereo, Sony’s two sound-tweaking technologies.

Of course, it’s the colors that catch the eye, and Sony will be selling five different sets of interchangeable panels: Pure White and Precious Gold; Luxury Pink and Jewel Pink; Ocean Blue and Forest Green; Urban Black and Shiny Silver; as well as Blazing Red and Indigo Blue. There are another ten panels to choose from, if you’re still not satisfied. The NWD-E020F will be available in Asia-Pacific from mid-June, priced at $69 and $79 respectively for the 1GB and 2GB modes. Optional color panels will be priced at $12 each.

[New] iPod nano-chromatic

Features:
• A musical Genius.
o The Genius feature finds the songs in your music library that go great together and makes a Genius Playlist for you. It’s like having your own highly intelligent, personal DJ.

• Rock and roll over.
o You can flip through your album art with Cover Flow. Or, vertically speaking, see more albums and artists on the screen at one time.

• Let the games begin.
o They respond to the way you move, so they’re immersive, addictive, and a blast.

• Even your photos rock.
o Your photos look beautiful in their proper aspect ratio on the vibrant, 320-by-240-resolution display.

• Find your music faster.
o Now you can view your album art in Cover Flow. Or just press and hold the Center button to browse by album or artist. When you find the right song, press the Center button to add it to your on-the-go playlist.

• Shake your groove thing.
o Now you can shake to shuffle your music. Just give iPod nano a shake and it shuffles to a different song in your music library.

• World’s biggest small screen.
o Watching movies, TV shows, and videos is big fun on iPod nano. And the high-resolution picture looks crisp and vivid on the 2-inch widescreen display.


Audio Playback
AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV

Video Playback
H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Low-Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; H.264 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Baseline Profile up to Level 3.0 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

Display
• 2-inch (diagonal) liquid crystal display with blue-white LED backlight
• 320-by-240-pixel resolution at 204 pixels per inch

Storage 8 GB

Input Dock connector

Output 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack

PC Connectivity USB 2.0 port

PC Compatibility • Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later
• Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3

Battery Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery

Battery Life
• Music playback time: Up to 24 hours when fully charged
• Video playback time: Up to 4 hours when fully charged

Dimension (WHD) 38.7mm (W) x 90.7mm (H) x 6.2mm (D)

Weight 36.8 gr

Nokia N810 Review

First Look
My first reaction taking this thing out of the box was “wow”. It’s small and very solid. Clearly well constructed. All metal - not that cheap chrome-coated plastic that ends up looking shabby after a few months. Turning it on brings another “wow”. The screen is very bright, and extremely pleasant to look at (The resolution is 800×480 which is a great deal more than the iPhone, for example). It comes with a handy vinyl (faux leather) slip case you can use to keep it clean.

What is this thing good for anyway?
The n810 is *not* a phone. It won’t take your SIM card. So, comparisons to the iPhone are interesting although not really applicable. What then, can it do? Well, it has an internet browser (using a mozilla browser); an RSS reader; it has wifi; it has GPS and a mapping program; It has an email application (using POP or IMAP4); a chat program (gtalk, for example); it has (or is supposed to have, in the very near future) Skype; it has a webcam (for video chat); you can watch movies (using most codecs) and listen to music. Basically, it does all the stuff a “smartphone” is supposed to do (except the mobile phone part), a few things your laptop can do, plus GPS.

Internet
Whenever the n810 is able to connect to an unsecured wifi hotspot, it will. Otherwise you have to give it a password, of course. Browsing is reasonably fast. The touch screen allows you to scroll with your finger. You can go totally fullscreen using the button on the top of the device, where there are also buttons to zoom. Zooming works well although it takes up to 5-6 seconds to refresh the screen, which can be annoying. As mentioned before, the screen is very bright, the text is very sharp — web pages are really pleasant to read on this device. Watching Youtube videos works very well also.

Browser Limitations
My principal interest for this device was the possibility that it could play VR panoramas. As it has Flash 9 installed, I was quite sure it would work. Well, it doesn’t. There is also no Java installed on this device at this time, although I am guessing it will be possible to install it sometime soon. Google maps does not work on this device either — it simply does not load at all. I cannot say why, because javascript obviously works. The processor should be able to deal with it, and there is enough RAM. Yahoo maps does work on the device.

GPS and Mapping
This seems to be a basic rule: internal GPS doesn’t work as well as a dedicated bluetooth GPS device. My sirfstar3 bluetooth GPS device (it’s tiny and the battery lasts 16 hours) works great, finds a fix quickly and under challenging conditions (indoors). The internal GPS on the n810 has trouble getting a fix (often taking a few minutes), and doesn’t keep it for long indoors.

The Nokia n810 uses the Nokia mapping program, which seems to be something that Nokia is betting heavily on, as they acquired Navteq last year for $8.1 billion. The program is still buggy, however. The Central Europe map set loads ok, but the eastern US map set for some reason doesn’t show the streets (!) most of the time. Zooming in and out sometimes fixed it. Sometimes doing this I’d see the street appear for an instant after pushing the zoom button, only to see it disappear again. The mapping program itself is meant as a navigation tool, but not an authoring tool. It’s not so easy to set a waypoint, and not possible to create a track. It is not possible to export waypoints (as far as I could tell). So the extremely useful process of geotagging your photos using your GPS track is not possible with this software, which is very frustrating…. especially considering my favorite GPS program, nhGPS, has existed for years, and can do this stuff easily. These are simple problems so it’s very possible that they will be fixed by Nokia in the near future…. I hope!

Skype
Skype is not available yet for the Nokia n810. It will be soon, they say. This is the second exciting aspect of this device (after VR) that I wanted to try. The fact that it isn’t available yet makes me optimistic - it means they’re fine-tuning it to make sure it really works well. Nokia is clearly on our side here, giving us a device that will help people avoid paying the phone companies whever possible :-) When skype is available for this device, you’ll hear about it here.

RSS Reader
It works great. It comes with a few RSS feeds to get you started. They’re easy to add. I added the 360 Cities RSS Feed with no problem. It loads fine, images too.

Email
The email application is quite easy to set up. I got my gmail account set up on it within a couple minutes using IMAP. I can see the benefit of having this device for reading emails, but I don’t want to write emails on anything but a full-size keyboard.

Battery
The battery is surprisingly small, but it seems strong enough to power the device for a day of use. I have not watched movies on it all day, but for everything else, I have not managed to drain the battery completely after a day’s use.

Conclusion
The Nokia n810 is a beautifully constructed machine that has an amazing set of features packed into it. It’s far more capable at most things than the desktop computer you had just a few years ago, and it fits in your shirt pocket. It has a few bugs which should be addressed, and a couple features aren’t available quite yet. If you are someone who commutes or is on the move, this thing could be an excellent addition to your pocket: load some web pages and RSS feeds, read your email, make skype calls, do some text chats, watch movies, listen to music, and keep track of where you are. The mapping program needs some more features (people MAKE maps in addition to LOOKING at them!!) and the GPS seems a bit weak. If you want to read and not write so much, then this is your gadget. A 1-10 rating? I’d give it an 8.

iPod Touch Review

The latest innovation from Apple is the iPod Touch. Released on September 2007, it promises to provide maximum entertainment to anyone using it. Aside from letting you view your favorite videos and listen to your favorite songs, the iPod Touch will also enable you to browse the internet thanks to its WiFi capability.

However, you have to consider that these applications are often not enough for people using the iPod Touch. If you want more applications, you will see that the iPod Touch will have quite a lot of downloadable applications that can make your iPod Touch more powerful and do more things for you.

The iPod Touch will be able to let you install applications in it. In fact, you can even install different kinds of games, such as Tic-Tac-Toe game, and even chess.

If you want to know how to mix drinks, there are applications that can instantly give you recipes for cocktails.

There is even a dictionary that you can install in your iPod Touch.

There are quite a lot of cool applications available for iPod Touch that you can download from the internet. Although most are not available for free, you will see that finding the application that you want will definitely be worth your money.

These are the things that you have to remember about iPod Touch. With the available downloadable applications for it, you can be sure that you will make your iPod Touch a more powerful and personalized multimedia device.

Produk Description

Revolutionary multi-touch interface.
iPod touch features the same multi-touch screen technology as iPhone. Pinch to zoom in on a photo. Scroll through your songs and videos with a flick. Flip through your library by album artwork with Cover Flow.
Surf the web with Wi-Fi.
Browse the web using Safari and watch YouTube videos on the first iPod with Wi-Fi built in.
Gorgeous 3.5-inch widescreen display.
Watch your movies, TV shows, and photos come alive with bright, vivid color on the 320-by-480-pixel display
Music downloads straight from iTunes.
Shop the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store from anywhere with Wi-Fi.1 Browse or search to find the music you're looking for, preview it, and buy it with just a tap.

Product Specifications:
*Plays:Music, movies, TV shows, videos, audiobooks, podcasts, photo slideshows
* Capacity: 8GB
* Song: Up to 1,750
* Photos: Up to 10,000
* Video: Up to 10 hours
* Wireless: 802.11b/g
* Color Display: 3.5-inch (diagonal) multi-touch
320 by 480 pixels
* Battery life for music playback: Up to 22 hours
* Battery life for video playback: Up to 5 hours.

What's In The Box
* iPod touch
* Earphones
* USB 2.0 cable
* Dock adapter
* Polishing cloth
* Stand
* Quick Start guide.

Nokia N82 Review

If you compare the N82 to the N95, you will find lots of similarities between the two phones. For instance, a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and Carl Zeiss lens and built-in GPS with A-GPS support. Then there's also the 3.5mm audio jack, HSDPA and onboard 802.11b/g wireless LAN. So the big question here is, what sets this latest N-series camera-phone apart from the popular N95? We recently had a sneak preview of the phone before the launch and here's what we found out.

Upside
Clearly, the most obvious difference between the N82 and N95 is the form factor. The N82 adopts a candy-bar design, much like the N73, though admittedly it didn't feel as solid as the latter. The N95, as we all know, uses a two-way slider which is shorter than the N82 but is also somewhat more bulky and heavier.

The most distinct feature in the N82 is the addition of a Xenon flash unit, much like the ones we've seen on the Sony Ericsson handsets such as the K800i and K850i. Generally, cameras with flash units take better pictures especially in poor light condition, compared to those with LED illuminators which are more like torchlights. An orientation sensor using built-in accelerometers has also been added for quick toggling between portrait and landscape modes.

Another thing we noticed about the N82 is its higher 1,050mAh capacity battery. As a result, the rated talktimes and standby times are also higher than the N95 which has a 950mAh cell. USB connectivity on the N82 is via microUSB while the N95 comes with a miniUSB port.

Otherwise, the N82 has pretty much everything you can find on the N95, most notably the VGA video capture (at 30fps) with video stabilisation, TV-out, A2DP Bluetooth stereo, 16-million-colour display and FM radio (with Visual Radio). Like the N95, the N82's onboard GPS is also supported by A-GPS and Nokia Maps applications. The N82 comes with just 100MB of onboard memory compared with 160MB on the N95, but it does come bundled with a 2GB microSD card.

Downside
One of the tradeoffs for the N82's candy bar is its smaller 2.4-inch QVGA display which will now make it even harder to surf the Web or use for GPS directions. (The N95 sports a 2.6-inch screen.) Also, the prototype unit of the N82 we saw came in a light silver tone which is a good neutral colour for most mobile users, but we felt it made the phone a tad too plasticky. Hopefully, we will see an improvement in this aspect for the commercial unit. Or perhaps an 8GB version of N82 in black?

With the N82, there are no dedicated buttons for multimedia playback. Some users may also find the number keys a tad too tiny to press.

Outlook
Like the N95, the N82 is a powerful handset that will certainly appeal to those who want a full-featured mobile phone. In particular, the addition of the Xenon flash will put the handset on par with the Sony Ericsson K850i for camera-phone fanatics. The lack of unique features on the N82 is, however, unlikely to make it compelling enough for N95 users to upgrade.

According to Nokia, the N82 is expected to be available in selected Asian markets within the next few weeks.

Nokia N95 8Gb Review

The Nokia N95 8GB is a little bit more than just the existing N95 with a paint job and memory upgrade - this version of the N95 has a larger screen and enhanced GPS, plus N-Gage gaming.

The display has been upgraded to a 2.8" panel from 2.6", and according to Nokia it is also brighter and clearer than ever before. In fact, the screen is the same size as the HTC TyTN II - but the big drawback with the Nokia N95 8GB is that it doesn't have a touchscreen.

Underneath the snazzy new exterior, the Nokia N95 8GB packs in an awesome number of features. It's a 3G phone with HSDPA high-speed data, quad-band GSM with GPRS and EDGE and WiFi. The N95 8GB also has stereo Bluetooth, infra-red and USB connectivity.

The camera is one of the N95 8GB's strongest points - it's a 5 megapixel unit with autofocus and Carl Zeiss optics. Video capture resolution is up to 640 x 480 pixels, and the N95 8GB also has a video out port.
Images and video clips can be uploaded directly from the phone to a number of compatible weblog or picture sharing sites. Along with some other high-end Nokias, the N95 8GB can use the N-Gage Arena gaming service.

One criticism of the original N95 (since resolved in a software update) was the amount of time that it took to get a GPS fix, now Nokia have upgraded this to A-GPS which is quicker. Basic mapping functions will be included, but full Navigation support will require a subscription.

There's comprehensive multimedia support too, the N95 8GB can play back MP3, AAC, M4A and WMA audio files plus video clips. There's an FM radio too for good measure. The N95 8GB retains the unusual two-way slider mechanism that allows users to switch between the number pad and a set of dedicated media keys.

An addition, there's a web browser, email client and set of personal information management applications. The N95 8GB can also view common email attachment types such as Microsoft Office and PDF files.

As you can guess by the name, the Nokia N95 8GB now has eight gigabytes of internal memory, although unlike the original N95 it does not appear to be possible to add a memory card. Nokia say that this can hold up to 6000 songs or 20 hours of videos.

To be honest, there wasn't much wrong with the original N95 (apart from the lack of a touchscreen) and there's no pressing reason to upgrade if you're an N95 user.

The physical characteristics of the N95 8GB are very similar to the original at 99 x 53 x 21mm in size and slightly heavier at 128 grams in weight. Maximum talktime is around 3.5 hours on 3G, 5 hours on GSM and the standby time is up to 11 days.

Nokia say that the N95 8GB should be available during the fourth quarter of 2007 for a price of around €560 / £380 / $700 before tax and subsidy.

Aero-Garden Kit

This is the perfect gift for cooks or gardeners or yourself, no green thumb required. It's a counter-top herb garden, with the perfect balance of organic nutrients, oxygen, lighting and automation technology. No messy soil is needed. It comes complete with everything including seed pods and nutrients.

Voice-Activated R2-D2 Droid from Star Wars

How would you like your own little R2-D2 droid chasing you through the hallways of your battle-cruiser... er, I mean house?

This motorized replica responds to more than 40 voice commands, and plays games like tag using an infra-red sensor to find people.

R2-D2 has lights, a swiveling dome top, and sounds that mimic the real thing.

Casio Atomic Time Watch

I've seen so many watches lately that record and display all sorts of data that I'd forgotten what a watch is really for: to tell you the time. But how do you make sure your watch has the right time? With Casio's atomic time watch, you don't need to worry about it.

The watch receives radio signals from five atomic clocks across the world, thus ensuring that your watch will tell you the correct time for the next 30 million years. Other features include the usual multiple alarms (4), timer, stopwatch, and solar power!

Wireless Floodlight Camera

Transform any light fixture into a security camera without new wiring. The installation of this security camera, which “presents” as a floodlight, is as easy as replacing a lightbulb. It constitutes a whole new security option so people can set up a security camera in their homes or businesses without having to run wires across the building. Specifically, the Wireless Floodlight Camera is screwed any wall or ceiling light fixture, then an included decoder is plugged into an AC outlet and connected any TV to provide a live surveillance video feed instantly. The camera is totally portable so it can be readily moved. It captures images at night using infrared emitters, doesn’t interfere with X10 signals and can also be connected to a VCR to record the surveillance feed. Unfortunately, there's no easy way for us to tell you that the camera is not actually a working floodlight.