Mobile Phone

Scala rider G4 headset lets bikers be heard

By Darren Quick

23:09 February 1, 2010 PST

Making oneself heard over the roar of a motorcycle engine can be difficult at the best of times. But being heard over the roar of a motorcycle engine when tearing down the highway with your head encased in a helmet is downright impossible. Naturally technology has come to the rescue in the form of Bluetooth enabled helmets and helmet-to-helmet communication systems. The latest solution to keep chatty bikers happy is the scala rider G4 bike-to-bike Bluetooth headset that offers group intercom between up to three riders at distances of up to one mile (1.6km). Read More

Synaptics debuts Fuse next-generation mobile phone concept

By Ben Coxworth

23:22 January 24, 2010 PST

Last December, the world was introduced to the Synaptics Fuse, a new concept in mobile communications. The prototype smartphone is the result of a collaboration between Synaptics, Texas Instruments, Immersion, TheAlloy and The Astonishing Tribe (TAT). What makes this phone so special is its user/phone interface. It takes Synaptics’ pioneering touchscreen technology to a whole new level, allowing people to use the phone one-handed, and without having to even see the screen. Read More

Control4 launches new energy-savers, a mobile app, even an app store

By Jeff Salton

01:45 January 23, 2010 PST

At CES 2010, home automation and entertainment company, Control4, released a new energy-saving system, an app that turns Blackberries and Droid handsets into remote control for its system, and even added an app store which it is hoping will have the same impact on home automation that iTunes had on music. Read More

Could text messaging be beneficial for children’s spelling and reading?

By Jude Garvey

23:18 January 21, 2010 PST

Results of a new British study may have children and teens LOL – laughing out loud or ROTFL – rolling on the floor laughing. Contrary to what their parents and teachers might have suggested, new research shows that text messaging actually improves children’s literacy skills. Read More

The rise and rise of Mobile Application Stores

By Gizmag Team

21:34 January 18, 2010 PST

The appstore model pioneered by Apple will unquestionably become the predominant model for mobile phone users, with remarkable growth prospects in the next few years. Mobile application downloads will exceed 4.5 billion this year, growing to 21.6 billion downloads by 2013. Consumers will spend US$6.2 billion this year in mobile application stores, growing to US$29 billion three years from now. Free applications will continue to account for an ever greater share, growing from 82 per cent of all downloads in 2010, to 87 per cent of downloads by 2013. This year alone, advertising revenue is expected to generate US$600 million worldwide. Read More

The rise and fall (in weight) of the handbag

By Gizmag Team

15:10 January 16, 2010 PST

The rapid development of personal entertainment and communication technologies is causing quite seismic changes in the weight the average UK female carries in her handbag. Research conducted for UK Department Store chain Debenhams each year for the last two decades shows that the doubling of weight of the handbag between 2002 and 2006, due to the adoption of laptops, has been completely reversed in just three years by the adoption of smartphones, replacing laptops and filofaxes. Read More

Textecution app stops kids from texting while they drive

By Loz Blain

21:55 January 13, 2010 PST

Motor vehicle accidents are the single highest cause of death for young people - and the dangerous practice of texting while driving is on the rise among teens and young adults. Textecution is an Android app that parents can install on their kids' phones. It's designed to shut down all texting functions - sending and receiving - if the phone handset is moving at more than 10mph. It's a flawed solution, but a first step towards combatting a very serious issue that's only going to become worse as smartphones proliferate. Read More

Kia teams with Microsoft to develop the UVO voice controlled in-car infotainment system

By Mick Webb

21:55 January 13, 2010 PST

In addition to its recent 7-year / 150,000km warranty announcement, Kia has created further interest with the showing of its UVO in-car voice and touch activated communication and entertainment system. Developed in collaboration with Microsoft, the system offers users an easy to use interactive hands-free alternative that uses speech recognition for making and taking calls, sending text messages and managing in-car music. Featuring a 4.3” full color touchscreen display and built-in 1GB storage with the ability to rip CD’s and MP3’s onto the system’s “Jukebox”, the open platform UVO system also doubles as a rear view camera when the vehicle is in reverse. Read More

USD160,000 Diamond-encrusted Nokia Supreme (mobile phone)

By Mick Webb

11:18 January 13, 2010 PST

The folks at Goldstriker International – courtesy of designer Stuart Hughes – have unveiled their latest precious metal-laden creation. Not content to rest on his laurels after crafting the limited edition gold plated Wii Supreme, the English engineer of excess has turned his attention back to mobile phones and bought us the Nokia Supreme. Featuring 12.5 carats of pink diamonds and a 3-carat diamond as the phone’s navigation button, the sparkling unit also incorporates 83 grams of platinum. The price? A cool US$160,000. Read More

Big screen experience from your mobile device - the Microvision SHOWWX laser pico projector

By Mick Webb

12:39 January 10, 2010 PST

The Microvision SHOWWX laser pico projector

first came to our attention in development back in 2008, with the final version making an appearance at this years CES. Around the size of a smartphone, the SHOWWX projector enables a user to connect their iPod, mobile phone or a myriad of other devices to display movies and photos as a WVGA (848x480 pixels) DVD quality “big screen” experience. Read More

YoGen charger uses your energy for its power

By Jude Garvey

20:04 January 9, 2010 PST

Increasingly, people are carrying a multitude of hand-held devices including perhaps a cell phone, MP3 player and even a GPS and keeping these devices charged whilst on-the-go is an ongoing problem. There could be a simple solution - Easy Energy, Inc has brought its clever YoGen charger to CES 2010. This unique and easy to use, hand-powered charger is a pocket-sized dynamo. It is designed to charge small portable devices such as mobile phones and MP3 players and unlike other battery-free chargers this one doesn't rely on the sun for its power - it uses 'elbow grease' instead. Read More

Nokia launches USD1 million Growth Economy Venture Challenge

By Gizmag Team

21:42 January 8, 2010 PST

The mobile phone and not the Personal Computer, has become the device which democratises information and communication and liberates much of mankind from poverty. With 4.6 billion connections from 6.8 billion people, the mobile phone now touches two thirds of humanity, and as Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said in his keynote at CES today, “for the majority of the world's people, their first and only access to the Internet will be through a mobile device, not a PC, and this access is spreading very, very fast. In China, every month more than 7 million people gain access to the Internet for the first time, and mostly on mobile devices. This trend shows no signs of slowing. The mobile device has become a necessity for upward mobility." Kallasvuo used his platform to announce the “Nokia Growth Economy Venture Challenge” - a USD 1 million fund to encourage developers to come up with innovative software to accelerate development in these growth markets. Read More

Google launches the Nexus One smartphone

By Tim Hanlon

23:23 January 5, 2010 PST

Google sees a future where carriers have to compete on price and the quality of their networks, rather than exclusive deals with handset manufacturers like AT&T's lengthy exclusive deal with Apple for the iPhone and subsequent models. The Nexus One is its first baby step toward that future and it's currently available in unlocked form to consumers in the US, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong for US$529. If for some reason you want to be locked into a contract, the only option is T-Mobile, with the phone available for $179 with a two-year contract, with Verizon (US) and Vodafone (EU) options available in the not-too-distant future. Read on for the full details. Read More

What’s in a name? Google Goggles lets you search the web with pictures

By Jeff Salton

23:06 December 8, 2009 PST

As Juliet was heard to remark: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Well, that’s fine for Juliet but if you can’t think of a name for something, how do you search for it on the Web? Use Google Goggles. This new app for Android phones lets you use pictures taken with your mobile phone to conduct your searches. It's especially handy for things that aren't easy to describe in words – like ones right in front of you! There's no need to type or speak your query - all you have to do is open the app, snap a picture, and wait for your search results. Read More

Take credit card payments on your iPhone with Square

By Jeff Salton

19:57 December 8, 2009 PST

The proliferation of credit cards as a payment method preferred by millions of consumers has led to the co-founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, creating Square – a credit card reader device that makes any mobile phone a cash register. Retailers can hook up the credit card reader to any device with an audio input jack, including a mobile phone. And consumers never have to worry about carrying cash again (well, almost). Read More

iPhone 3GS Supreme – the 3 million dollar mobile phone

By Darren Quick

18:05 November 26, 2009 PST

Goldstriker International, a company which specializes in dipping mobile phones in gold and platinum, appears to have snatched the title of world’s most expensive mobile phone from the iPhone 3G King’s Button with the creation of the iPhone 3GS Supreme. Priced at £1.92 million (approx. US$3.14 million) this is one phone you definitely wouldn’t want to leave on a bus. Read More

Something for everyone with NTT DoCoMo's new mobile phones

By Darren Quick

21:50 November 16, 2009 PST

Japan’s biggest mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo, has unveiled a raft of new phones – 19 in all – along with a 3G-capable digital photo frame. The new lineup includes the waterproof F-02B (complete with snap-on perfume holder), four models packing a 12.2-megapixel camera and the world’s first phone with a separable two-module body. Read More

Nissan licenses self-healing paint for mobile phones

By Mike Hanlon

14:33 November 11, 2009 PST

Self-healing paint has been with us on automobiles since Nissan released its “Scratch Shield” in 2005. Scratch Guard is a highly elastic resin that self-heals fine scratches and is capable of restoring the vehicle’s paint surfaces overnight or up to a week’s time in more severe cases. Now Japan’s major Telco, NTT DoCoMo, has announced it will license Scratch Shield for use on mobile phones as a value-add feature for Japanese customers. Read More

The Tag Heuer Lamborghini phone handset

By Paul Lester

18:27 November 5, 2009 PST

If you're looking for value for money, a sports car-inspired designer mobile phone probably isn't the best place to start. Based on its Meridiist handset, Tag Heuer's latest model is inspired by the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640. We’ve no problem with admitting that it looks the business, but as is strangely typical of these sorts of overpriced phones, it seems to be seriously lacking on the practicality front. Read More

Toshiba announces new sensitive 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor

By Paul Ridden

18:12 October 30, 2009 PDT

Toshiba has announced a 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor for mobile phones and digital cameras which it says will boost light sensitivity and absorption by up to 40 percent. Whereas conventional sensors have multi-layer wiring sandwiched between the lenses and light receiving substrate, Toshiba has moved the wiring out of the way and placed the lenses and the photodiodes together. Read More

Google announces free turn-by-turn maps app for Android - looks the goods

By Darren Quick

01:37 October 29, 2009 PDT

Every platform needs a killer app and for the Android OS the early contender for that title has to be the just announced Google Maps Navigation for mobile. Only available for Android 2.0 phones, the new application takes the current Google Maps for mobile and gives it a hefty shot of steroids. Most of the new features that set the app apart from most in-car turn-by-turn navigation systems come courtesy of its Internet connectivity, which makes it possible to access a wealth of relevant information residing on Google’s servers while out and about. Read More

Wildcharge review - is wireless power worth it?

By Paul Lester

20:29 October 25, 2009 PDT

It seems strange to think that in today’s age of ever advancing technology, it’s been over 100 years since Nikola Tesla began developing theories for wireless power, and though researchers at MIT have picked up the baton in recent times, we’re still waiting for an efficient, mass-market way to abolish reams of unsightly cables from our homes. The Powermat, demonstrated at CES 2009, is one product that threatens to kick-start this revolution. Another early mover in the market is WildCharge and we've been testing one of these devices to find out first hand what all the fuss is about. Read More

Kempler & Strauss W Phonewatch

By Paul Ridden

14:35 October 12, 2009 PDT

Being able to hold a conversation on a wrist-bound communicator has been a staple of popular fiction for many a year, but real world offerings have so far been a bit of a hit and miss affair. Things recently improved with devices from LG and Samsung but they're somewhat expensive solutions. Now Kempler & Strauss has launched the quad-band W Phonewatch which threatens to shake things up a bit. Offering similar functionality to its competitors at a fraction of the cost, the W also comes with its own Bluetooth headset that doubles as a stylus and MP3 control. Read More

Kingston releases MobileLite Flash card reader, reloaded

By Dario Borghino

03:24 October 10, 2009 PDT

Kingston recently released MobileLiteG2, the second generation of its portable Flash card reader. The 18.9g plug-and-play unit shows up as two separate devices on your system to make it easier to transfer data between Flash memory cards using only one USB port. Read More

Fujitsu announces winners of Mobile Phone design competition

By Paul Ridden

03:04 October 7, 2009 PDT

In May of this year, Fujitsu called on the imagination of the public to help the company come up with some mobile designs for the future. Offering budding designers the choice of being realistically practical or wildly imaginative, the company received around 2000 entries over the Summer and has just announced the winners at the CEATEC technology trade show in Japan. Read More