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Mobile Technology
Adobe announces important ereading software - Digital Editions 1.0
By Mike Hanlon
June 21, 2007 Adobe has announced the release of an important new software application - Digital Editions 1.0 - specifically for acquiring, managing and reading eBooks, digital newspapers, and other digital publications. Available as a free download (Win and Mac). Adobe Digital Editions transforms the digital reading experience and offers new creative possibilities for publishers. Leading publishers, online retailers and channel partners have announced their support for Adobe Digital Editions and creating content is very cost- and time-efficient using Adobe’s sensational new InDesign CS3 software (review coming shortly). In addition, with versions for mobile platforms and reading devices also planned, Sony has committed to embed the technology into its most-likely-to-succeed portable reader product line. Read More
Apple iPhone upgraded even before release
By Mike Hanlon
June 19, 2007 You have to hand it to Steve Jobs and the team – they sure know how to build awareness. Yesterday Apple announced the iPhone will deliver significantly longer battery life when it ships on June 29 than was originally estimated when it was unveiled in January - 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours of Internet use and a whopping 250 hours of standby time, which represents more than 10 days without a recharge (provided you don’t do anything else in the meantime of course). On top of that, it’ll run seven hours of video or 24 hours of audio playback. In addition, the entire top surface, including its 3.5-inch display, has been upgraded from plastic to optical-quality glass to achieve a superior level of scratch resistance and optical clarity. Read More
Vibration-compensated mini projectors
By Mike Hanlon
June 14, 2007 Miniature projectors embedded in our cell phones, handheld game consoles and other personal electronics appear very likely to play a major role in the future of information display. Projecting a large screen display on a wall appears the most effective way we can currently envisage having a large screen inside a small form factor. One of the problems will of course be that a handheld device projecting a large screen might not lead to a stable, vibration-free and easily readable display. Now German scientists from the Institute for Photonic Microsystems in Dresden have combined a compact laser projector system with inertia and yaw rate sensors to project vibration-compensated images. The sensor system detects the slightest motion and rotates the image to compensate for it, ensuring a steady picture, even in a moving vehicle. The system could be commercially available within two years. Read More
MIT demonstrates wireless power
By Mike Hanlon
June 9, 2007 The possibility of wireless power transfer came much closer this week when a team of scientists at MIT demonstrated an important step toward accomplishing this vision of the future. The breakthrough moved us one step closer to the point where devices such as cell phones, mp3 players and laptop computers might not even need their bulky batteries to operate. Read More
Speculation mounts with the coming of the iPhone
By Mike Hanlon
June 8, 2007 If you have a keen eye for the markets, you’ll no doubt have been watching the publicity leading up to the release of the iPhone which is slated for June 29. Could the iPhone go the way of Project Ginger (the Segway) and have a fantastic product dubbed disappointing because expectation was just so high? And just how much influence can one product have on a global company’s market cap? According to John C. Dvorak, if “you follow the rules and sell on good news and buy on the bad, now would be time to short Apple Inc. There is no company out there with this much good news.” The interest in what happens next has seen regular sports bookmakers frame odds and the latest market on what will happen to the value of Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) stock on June 29 is that it is short odds to post a greater percentage gain than AT&T and … Read More
ECLIPSE AVN2210p all-in-one navigation and sound solution
By Mike Hanlon
June 6, 2007 ECLIPSE, designer and manufacturer of precision audio, video and navigation products, announced today it is shipping its award winning AVN2210p units to dealers across the United States. The newest product in ECLIPSE’s Audio Video Navigation (AVN) suite of products, the AVN2210p creates a new in-dash, portable navigation category that combines superior sound quality with TomTom’s premier portable navigation device offering an all-in-one solution for audiophile consumers. The AVN2210p has standard Bluetooth connectivity integrated in the unit requiring no other modules. It plays the most popular music program sources: iPod (utilizing a dedicated cable), CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA files and flash memory music utilizing a front access USB port. Read More
iPod dock puts emphasis on video
June 4, 2007 The convenience of using MP3 players as a single portable sound library whether at home, in the car or walking the dog, has become second nature to many of us, but the more recent trend towards video enabled devices is yet to attain quite the same level of acceptance. One new product aiming to fully exploit this video capability is the iVoice Direct Radiating iPod sound system which offers direct access to video output from iPod via connection to an external display device. The iVoice unit also enables simultaneous charging of the iPod whilst in operation and its USB interface means that full functionality such as access to iTunes is retained when the iPod is in the dock. Read More
All-in-one iPod A/V PocketDock: one cable to link them all
By Loz Blain
May 31, 2007 SendStation's PocketDock AV is one of the most versatile iPod docks we've seen yet. Sporting USB, audio, composite video and S-Video connections, the device allows you to simultaneously sync, charge, connect to a stereo, and play video on a TV or projector. Read More
ViewRanger: offroad GPS mapping and navigation for your Nokia N95
By Loz Blain
June 2, 2007 We're starting to see some really exciting convergence in mobile devices; why carry around an MP3 player if your phonce already does the job - plus acts as a PDA and a digital camera? ViewRanger have just released a fantastic piece of software that takes advantage of the Nokia N95's inbuilt GPS system to provide a sophisticated, useful and immerseive offroad trail mapping, navigation and information service - including a nifty screen view that can tell you the names of geographic features in the direction you're looking. Read More
Miniaturized color MEMS scanning mirror-based Laser Projector
By Mike Hanlon
May 31, 2007 The collective intelligence of the world’s technologists seems destined to give us the miniature projectors we’ve been promised for so long that will likely revolutionise personal infotainment in mobile devices, the automotive industry (driver assistance, Head-Up Display, etc), medical electronics (acquisition of biometrical data, positioning aid for X-Ray diagnosis and treatment etc), production technology (projection of reference points for drilling, pattern generator for tailoring of steel plates), and Metrology (structured lighting). Earlier this week we reported on the XXXX and now comes the news that a full color laser projection system based on a two dimensional micro scanning mirror technology will be shown at at the LASER 2007 show in Germany next month. The system contains an ultra compact projection head and a separate laser and signal processing unit. It allows the projection of arbitrary images and video sequences with a geometrical resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, 256 brightness levels per pixel and elementary color, and 50 hertz frame rate. Read More
Palm announce Foleo mobile companion
May 31, 2007 The diminishing size of smartphones and PDA's is great for portability but can have the inverse effect in regard to productivity, especially when used for web browsing and email. In response to this problem, Palm has released the Foleo, an add-on device labeled as a "mobile companion" that aims to fill the gap between the phone interface and the laptop PC by providing smartphone users with immediate access to a larger screen and full size keyboard. Read More
iTunes ditches DRM, adds free educational content
By Loz Blain
May 31, 2007 Apple has finally announced the news that users have been waiting for - the first step in the removal of restrictive Digital Rights Management software that, among other things, prevented iTunes music from being played on non-iPod devices. The entire EMI catalogue is now available DRM-free, at a small price premium but with higher quality sound files. Apple simultaneously announced iTunes U, a free service allowing users to download lectures, campus tours and other materials provided by top US colleges. Read More
Tiny 'nano-projector' to launch in 2008
By Loz Blain
May 29, 2007 For years we've been promised micro-projectors the size of a remote control, a matchbox and even a sugar cube that will liberate visual content from the tiny screens of our mobile devices - but none have materialized onto the market. Explay's oio, the standalone version of which looks about the size of an iPod nano and packs some pretty cool features, was recently demonstrated to a press conference - and given a release date of 2008. It looks pretty close to production ready... We live in hope. Read More
Handsfree email access on the go
May 29, 2007 The proliferation of high-speed wireless networks that keep us connected 24/7 has delivered undoubted benefits to many aspects of our working and social lives. The flipside is that in some situations - notably driving - the combination of mobility and connectivity can be an obvious recipe for disaster. Over 50 governments throughout the world have given recognition to this danger through legislation banning mobile use whilst driving. While hands-free phone usage has long been the norm, mobile solutions company Voice on the Go has taken this to the next level by offering voice access to email, calendars, contacts and other content from any cell phone, smartphone, or PDA. Read More
Carbon Fiber heating technology for portable warming oven
By Mike Hanlon
May 22, 2007 This is a technology with a wide range of application beyond its most obvious function of keeping food warm. Methode Development has developed a lightweight and portable food-warming storage solution that uses its own carbon fiber heating technology to maintain a consistent temperature indefinitely. This food-warming storage product is available in a convenient size for holding catering pans, and is powered through a standard vehicle cigarette lighter plug, facilitating use in food delivery or catering situations. Standard AC/DC wall plug accessories are available for use in restaurants and in-store environments. Read More
Samsung develops 8GB microSD memory card
By Mike Hanlon
May 22, 2007 Samsung has announced that it has developed an 8 Gigabyte (GB) microSD (Secure Digital) memory card, the highest capacity MicroSD card yet and a size optimal for today’s multimedia mobile phones. SD cards, to date, have been largely used for data storage in digital still cameras and increasingly in televisions. MicroSD cards, which are a quarter the size of an SD card, are backward compatible with SD cards using an extender, to allow multimedia files downloaded by mobile phones to be easily displayed on other media. Read More
The Walkman is back - Sony announces A800 series with digital audio and video
By Loz Blain
May 18, 2007 Consumer electronics giant Sony once ruled the world of portable audio - their Walkman and Discman brands became synonymous for hand held cassette and CD players around the world. Yet somehow, despite a solid reputation in personal audio, Sony missed the boat when portable entertainment went digital, letting Apple's iPod and a host of other devices snatch a massive market share that it has never been able to eat back into. Yesterday, the company announced the launch of its latest Walkman - the NW-A800 series - a digital personal audio/video player that Sony hopes will bring the company back into the contest. Will it stack up against the wildly popular iPod? Read More
The RAZR2 - how the next generation RAZR shapes up
By Mike Hanlon
May 18, 2007 Motorola’s iconic RAZR, the most distinctive single mobile phone design in the industry’s short history, is about to move into its next generation. RAZR2 evolves the critically important brand into a next-generation device with a host of cutting-edge features such as CrystalTalk technology which automatically adjusts audio to ensure clear calls even in a noisy environment. The RAZR2 has 2GB of on-board memory, Web browsing, real-time point-to-point video and a new ultra-fast menu navigation system, all packed into a slimmer, stronger, sleeker design. Available July 2007 in several markets, the RAZR2 family’s three new handsets – V9 (3G HSDPA), V9m (EVDO CDMA) and V8 (GSM) - will be available to users of all three major technology networks. Read More
Sony PCM-D1 portable recorder looks (and sounds) the part
By Tim Hanlon
May 17, 2007 Sony's gorgeous PCM-D1 recorder allows effortless capture of stereo recordings with surprising spatial detail, thanks to its two built-in condenser microphones in an XY configuration. If you need to capture audio on the move, you'd be hard pressed to find a more exquisite tool than this. Read More
Try to get lost with a Garmin Rino GPS radio
By Tim Hanlon
May 14, 2007 Garmin have updated their Rino line of two-way GPS radios with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver that promises fast acquisition and high accuracy in environments typically disruptive to GPS, like dense forests or deep canyons. The Rino 520HCx and 530HCx feature a patented location-reporting function that uses Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) spectrums to beam your location to other Rino users up to 14 miles away. If you're ever trekking in remote parts of the Amazon (or taking your kids to Disneyland), a Garmin Rino or two could be the paddle for your proverbial "fecal creek" situation. Read More
HP showcases 20 inch entertainment notebook
By Mike Hanlon
May 10, 2007 HP overnight introduced a wide range of mobile computing devices, services and infrastructure designed to enhance individual connectivity. The world’s largest notebook vendor showed 13 new notebook models, including a sleek, ultra-light Tablet PC but the star of the show was undoubtedly a 20-inch entertainment notebook. The new HP Pavilion HDX Notebook PC is a very impressive unit, using the big 20.1-inch diagonal display, which is capable of true HD 1080p resolution, with a range of home theatre features including quality speakers, a full-sized keyboard with number pad and a pop-out remote control for watching movies on the very stylish, dare we say iMac-esque, machine. Check out the photo library - this is both beautiful and functional. Read More
The MobileLite 9-in-1 USB Card Reader
By Mike Hanlon
May 9, 2007 There are so many Flash memory card formats currently used by different digital devices that the US$9 Kingston MobileLite 9-in-1 USB card reader will be a welcome tool that simplifies managing digital content between one’s cell phone, digital camera, PC and MP3 player. With nine different card reading options, MobileLite makes moving and accessing music, video, image and data files between cards and devices quick and easy – via one convenient reader. The device works with microSD, miniSD, full-size Secure Digital, SDHC, MMCmicro, MMCmobile, RS-MMC, MMCplus and full-size MMC. Read More
Pantech dual-LCD sliding phone with OLED touch screen keypad offering tactile feedback
By Mike Hanlon
May 9, 2007 Korean handset manufacturer Pantech will launch its new IM-R200 dual-LCD sliding phone onto the Korean market this month. The IM-R200 comes equipped with two screens – a 2 inch 260K QVGA TFT main display and a 1.6 inch 260K OLED touch-sensitive screen which replaces the standard keypad. When the phone is opened, the virtual keypad shows up on the touch-sensitive 1.6” 260K OLED LCD, allowing users to dial numbers and view contacts with the stroke of a finger. The advantage is that the touch screen keypad offers a fun and easy way to use its multimedia applications with separate and virtual interfaces for each function. For example, the touch sensitive LCD displays various lists of songs when the phone is used as a music player, while it shows camera functions when used as a camera. The capacitive touch screen vibrates when pressed, offering tactile feedback to give the feel of real buttons. Read More
TAG Heuer Monaco V4 concept watch goes into pre-series production
By Mike Hanlon
UPDATED May 9, 2007 PRE-PRODUCTION IMAGES - Three years ago this week, we previewed the remarkable TAG Heuer Monaco V4 concept watch which was to debut at the world’s premier watch and jewellery fair, Baselworld 2004. The mechanical Monaco V4 overturned basic watchmaking principles by featuring driving belts and ball-bearings instead of the conventional wheels and pinions. Next week, the Monaco V4 returns to Baselworld 2007 as a pre-series production unit. The mechanism uses toothed belts instead of the traditional gear transmission and delivers higher energy efficiency than a traditional mechanical movement. Read More
Bose In-ear Headphones
By Mike Hanlon
May 7, 2007 In a trend mirrored around the world, US MP3 sales have been rapidly increasing, with a 32% rise in 2006 capping an eight year climb that never fell below the double-digits in percentage gain. And since people (grudgingly) replace headphones far more often then they replace MP3 players, headphone product innovation is expected to increase alongside the market, with companies trying to distinguish themselves and tap into the demand. Bose promises that its first venture into in-ear headphones will offer a wide frequency range and an ergonomic design. The US$100 headphones, (which are not noise-reducing or sound-isolating), can be fitted with three differently sized silicone ear tips to ensure that extended listening is made comfortable. Read More
Freedom Glen
- November 25, 2009 @ 02:47 UTC
