Mobile Technology

MOGO's portable cell phone tower boosts reception

By Kyle Sherer

15:40 January 9, 2008 PST

January 10, 2008 MOGO Wireless has released a line of personal mobile cell towers that can boost signal strength by up to ten times, reducing dropped calls and increasing transfer speed for mobile broadband users. Read More

SanDisk evaluating 12GB microSDHC memory card

By Emily Clark

16:00 January 8, 2008 PST

January 9, 2007 SanDisk has announced plans for the world's largest capacity microSDHC card for mobile phones packing a whopping 12GB of storage. Read More

Microvision showcase Pico Projector for mobile devices

By Noel McKeegan

18:04 January 2, 2008 PST

January 3, 2007 There is an inherent contradiction in the quest for smaller mobile devices - as the units themselves shrink in size, so too does the available screen area, making viewing a challenge for even the most eagle-eyed consumers and turning the "convenience" of portability on its head. Microvision will display a stand-alone prototype device at the upcoming CES in Las Vegas that embraces the clearest solution - image projection - by providing home theater-sized viewing from mobile phones, PDAs, PMPs, digital cameras and laptops. Read More

Much more than just photographs: the future of mobile phone camera applications

By Noel McKeegan

21:15 December 30, 2007 PST

December 31, 2007 Nokia's vision for mobile phone camera applications of the future include one-step access to online information on your surroundings and the ability to translate written characters in any language simply by snapping a photograph. Read More

RAZR2 V8 Luxury Diamond Edition phone

By Noel McKeegan

18:47 December 26, 2007 PST

December 27, 2007 Amosu has announced a limited release of only five Motorola RAZR2 V8 Luxury Diamond Edition phones. The handsets feature 412 diamonds with 5.9 carats and the purchase includes an international Concierge service. Read More

Zipit adds SMS texting capability to Z2 wireless instant messaging device

By Darren Quick

15:27 December 20, 2007 PST

December 21, 2007 Zipit Wireless, Inc. has announced it will begin offering SMS text messaging to users of the Zipit Wireless Messenger 2 (Z2), providing the ability to communicate with mobile phones, other Zipit devices and PC's. Read More

COWON introduces A3 portable multimedia player

By Darren Quick

14:22 December 16, 2007 PST

December 17, 2007 COWON America, Inc. has announced the shipment of their new A3 portable multimedia player. Featuring a wide-range of high-end audio/video capabilities, the A3 incorporates direct recording from external A/V devices such as a TV, VCR or camcorder and high-definition video decoding for viewing on the unit’s 4-inch widescreen 16-million color, 800x480 (WVGA), TFT LCD display. Digital video performance is optimized courtesy of the latest Texas Instruments DaVinci DM6441 digital media processor and hard-drive capacity has been upped from the maximum 30GB, found in its predecessor the A2, up to 60GB. Read More

Breakthrough lithium battery charges to 90% in just 5 minutes

By Loz Blain

00:29 December 13, 2007 PST

December 13, 2007 Toshiba have stunned the world with their announcement of what's pretty much the holy grail in Lithium battery technology – the Super Charge ion Battery, which recharges up to 90% of its energy in just five minutes, and has a lifespan of over 10 years. Slow charging has been the key hurdle to public acceptance of battery-electric vehicles as viable distance travelers, so this breakthrough has all sorts of implications for the automotive industry as well as being a very welcome upgrade to a whole host of other portable devices. Read More

iPhone goes platinum

By Darren Quick

15:36 December 10, 2007 PST

December 11, 2007 Goldstriker International have announced new additions to their expanding range of luxuriously finished consumer electronics showpieces which include a 24ct. gold plated iPhone. The company's new Power of Platinum collection makes some of the world’s most sought after gadgets even more desirable by coating them in the world’s most precious metal. Read More

IDAPT provides a one-stop charging stop for mobile devices

By Darren Quick

16:04 December 9, 2007 PST

December 10, 2007 As portable devices such as mobile phones, MP3 players, digital cameras and handheld gaming devices proliferate in the home, so too do the number re-chargers and cables adding clutter to our benchtops. The latest solution to cross the Gizmag desk is the IDAPT "innovative adapter", a convenient multi-purpose charger with interchangeable connections that enables simultaneous charging of a wide range of mobile devices. Read More

A satellite-navigated history lesson

By Noel McKeegan

18:26 December 6, 2007 PST

December 7, 2007 Sick of leafing through travel guides planning your next tour? Now you can be informed about hundreds of historical sites without leaving the comfort of your car. Inspired by hand-held audio guides, the RoadTour SatNav application marries GPS functionality with a lesson in history, alerting drivers to places of historical interest as they motor through the countryside. Read More

Belkin Bluetooth USB Adapter for camera phones

By Emily Clark

22:01 December 5, 2007 PST

December 6, 2007 It is estimated that 93 million camera phones will be sold by 2011* and while in-built camera technology has improved dramatically, the process of transferring images from your phone to your PC can still be little complicated. Belkin's latest solution is a Bluetooth USB Adapter that wirelessly transfers full-resolution photos from your camera phone directly to your PC. Read More

World’s first fingerprint protected personal navigation device

By Emily Clark

18:35 December 3, 2007 PST

December 4, 2007 Theft of personal navigation devices (PNDs) is on the rise with several European and US cities reporting that GPS devices are the most commonly stolen items in cars today. To combat this, MEDION AG and AuthenTec have announced the launch of the world’s first personal navigation device to use a fingerprint sensor to enhance user security and deter device theft. Read More

Sony Ericsson P1i smartphone

By Darren Quick

16:53 December 3, 2007 PST

December 3, 2007 Sony Ericsson has expanded the company’s P-series smartphone range with the release of the P1i. Building on the feature set of earlier models, the Sony Ericsson P1i supports a range of push corporate and consumer email, is WLAN and VoIP enabled and supports connectivity via hi-speed 3G and WiFi. Designed as a complete mobile office solution with its compact size and multimedia capabilities, the P1i is powered by the Symbian operating system (v9.1) and UIQ 3.1, an open platform based on Symbian OS v9.2. Read More

LG Viewty mobile phone boasts 120 fps video capture

By Darren Quick

15:34 November 25, 2007 PST

November 26, 2007 With most camera phones able to capture video at either 15 or 30 frames per second (fps), LG Electronics has made a big leap forward with the unveiling its new LG Viewty (KU990) mobile phone- a handset that sports advanced digital camera features and the ability to record video at up to an impressive 120 fps. This allows users to seamlessly watch "DVD-like" content, even in slow motion. Like the recently announced Nokia N82 the LG Viewty also boasts a 5.0-megapixel camera and xenon flash, adding strength to the argument that camera phones are now a serious option for those looking to ditch their dedicated camera for the convenience of carrying only one device. Read More

New Nokia N82 optimized for navigation, photography and internet connectivity

By Darren Quick

20:16 November 15, 2007 PST

November 16, 2007 Nokia has announced another addition to it’s Nseries range of “multimedia computers” with the successor to the N95, the Nokia N82. Optimized for navigation, photography and internet connectivity featuring A-GPS, 5 megapixel camera with Xenon flash and Carl Zeiss optics, the Nokia N82 also incorporates all the multimedia computer features common to Nokia Nseries within a candy-bar design. Read More

SnapTell launch interactive camera phone marketing

By Darren Quick

16:45 November 15, 2007 PST

November 16, 2007 Marketers are always looking for new ways to reach customers and the ongoing boom in mobile phones has seen mobile marketing become an important part of the mix. Now SnapTell, a provider of image-recognition-based mobile marketing solutions, has announced the release of its "Snap.Send.Get" solution that converts every camera phone into an opt-in marketing device. Snap.Send.Get enables consumers to obtain information with the snap of a photo while marketers, in the process, get to create a personalized and targeted brand conversation with their customers. The SnapTell solution works with all camera phones, using existing collateral and product packaging, thereby doing away with the need for special barcodes or additional software. Read More

Venturi Mini – Bluetooth handsfree kit meets MP3 streaming jukebox, through any FM car radio

By Loz Blain

21:27 November 13, 2007 PST

November 14, 2007 Cable connections are dying a slow death at the hands of convenient, wireless Bluetooth devices like this one. The Venturi Mini is a wireless music streaming and hands-free telephone gadget that works with most phones – but it’s the combination of new-world Bluetooth with the old-school technology of short-range FM radio transmission that makes this handy toy work with almost all car stereo. Read More

$10 Million developer challenge for Android mobile platform

By Noel McKeegan

16:54 November 12, 2007 PST

November 13, 2007 Google has announced the Android Developer Challenge – a $10 million incentive for developers who build mobile applications for Android™, the complete, open, and free mobile platform recently unveiled by a group of more than 30 technology and mobile industry leaders known as the Open Handset Alliance™. Read More

Otterbox protective cases for Blackberry Pearl and Curve series

By Darren Quick

18:26 November 11, 2007 PST

November 12, 2007 Otter Products, LLC. has added to its Defender Series of semi-rugged, fully-interactive protective cases with the OtterBox 1934 for the Blackberry Pearl and the OtterBox 1935 for the BlackBerry Curve. Both cases enable complete usability of the trackball and camera with three protective layers providing bump, scratch and drop protection. Read More

Sony Ericsson’s W380 Walkman phone

By Darren Quick

20:30 November 8, 2007 PST

November 9, 2007 Sony Ericsson has unveiled the latest addition to its Walkman phone portfolio, the W380. Featuring gesture control functionality, which allows users to mute calls or silence the alarm with a wave of their hand, the clamshell design W380 features a 512MB Memory Stick, FM radio with TrackID, plus an external display with customizable light effects and one-touch control buttons on the top of the phone so users can see who’s calling or manage their music without having to flip the top. Read More

MOTOROKR T505: hands-free speakerphone and FM transmitter

By Darren Quick

23:41 November 7, 2007 PST

November 8, 2007 Motorola’s latest in-car technology combines a Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone and a Digital FM Transmitter for hands-free phone calls and music streamed to the car stereo. When calls come in, the T505 automatically mutes the music and audibly announces the Caller-ID, so drivers can keep their eyes on the road and echo and noise reduction technology are built-in along with "StationFinder" technology that identifies the best FM connection. When the ride’s over, the T505 can be easily unhooked and taken to another car for the next trip.

features StationFinder, a technology that announces where the best FM connection can be found on the user’s car radio. Read More

Unplug from the electricity grid: Solar bags for the eco-minded

By Darren Quick

14:30 November 7, 2007 PST

November 8, 2007 Adding to a growing selection of solar powered satchelsand backpacks on the market, Office Depot has announced the availability of a line of Voltaic solar charging bags that feature three lightweight, waterproof solar panels generating up to four watts of power - enough energy to charge nearly any handheld electronic device. Read More

Multi-national alliance announces open platform for mobile devices

By Darren Quick

23:53 November 5, 2007 PST

November 6, 2007 Some of the technology world’s biggest names have joined forces to announce the development of Android, the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices. Android holds the promise of unprecedented benefits for consumers, developers and manufacturers of mobile services and devices by providing developers with a new level of openness that enables them to work more collaboratively and accelerate the pace at which new and compelling mobile services are made available to consumers. Read More

Airbox CM3 delivers the Internet on wheels

By Darren Quick

20:19 November 4, 2007 PST

November 5, 2007 WAAV has announced the AirBox CM3, a mobile broadband cellular router engineered to maintain a broadband speed connection on the go by turning any vehicle into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. The ruggedized mobile router provides an "always on" 3G link that allows multiple devices such as PDA's, laptops and gaming consoles to be connected simultaneously. Read More