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Mobile Phone
Ultra-thin MoGo TALK Bluetooth Headset charges right on your lap-top
01:05 July 17, 2009 PDT
Being on the road with a laptop has been a bit of a nightmare in the past. A nightmare of cords, chargers and fiddly bits of equipment. Newton Peripherals has previously attacked this problem with its tiny Bluetooth enabled mouse, but now the company has turned its attention to headsets, producing a tiny device that weighs 9 grams, is about a third the size of a credit-card, and so thin – at 5 mm - that it can be stored and charged inside a laptop’s express card slot. Read More
LG’s concept GC990 Louvre camera phone packs a 12-megapixel camera
By Darren Quick
00:04 July 10, 2009 PDT
Samsung might have claimed line honors with the first 12-megapixel camera phone in the form of the Pixon 12, but LG are snapping at their heels with the LG GC990 Louvre, a 12 megapixel camera phone that got its first public showing at the Korea Products Exhibition in Warsaw of all places. Read More
Using mobile phone towers to help predict the next big flood
17:06 July 8, 2009 PDT
Atmospheric humidity can strongly influence radio signals by scattering them in all directions, weakening and making it much harder to detect on the receiving end. A team of researchers from the University of Tel Aviv has now found a new, promising way of exploiting this phenomenon to accurately predict the intensity of imminent floods and other natural catastrophes. Read More
Mobile makers agree on standard micro-USB charger for Europe
01:18 June 30, 2009 PDT
Are your cupboards full of old phone chargers? They seem to accumulate with every new mobile, and are rarely useful again. Hoping to change this wasteful scenario, the European Union have proposed – and ten leading manufacturers agreed to – a new standard that will see micro-USB charging devices used for all data-enabled mobile phones. The hope is that, within three to four years, mobiles and chargers will be sold separately in Europe, and they’ll all be compatible. Read More
Stop squinting - MiLi Pro gives iPhones the big picture treatment
By Darren Quick
06:31 June 29, 2009 PDT
The increasing popularity of mobile phones as complete multimedia devices has been hampered by one obvious problem – screen size. That problem has seen the development of different projectors and projection technologies eager to provide the solution. The latest to enter the fray is the Mili Pro - a stylish unit from mobile phone accessory developer PhoneSuit that is designed to give the big picture treatment to Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch. Read More
Mini OLED projector prototype for mobile phones
By Darren Quick
03:42 June 26, 2009 PDT
A new mini projector prototype could see mobile phone users hosting impromptu movie screenings on makeshift screens such as white towels or walls... without killing the battery. Unlike conventional projectors the prototype doesn’t need an additional illumination system. Instead it relies on a lens system to project images produced by an OLED onto a wall or other flat surface. Read More
Pop-up buttons the future of touchscreens?
By Mick Webb
19:47 June 23, 2009 PDT
“Eyes-free” mobile phone dialing may be a not-too-distant reality. Hot on the heels of Google recently announcing its experimental Android powered interface comes this prototype from Carnegie Mellon University featuring pop-out buttons on a touch-screen which allow you to tap away without keeping a close eye on the screen. Read More
Land Rover mobile phone on standby for toughest off-road assignments
23:00 June 15, 2009 PDT
Sonim Technologies already has a reputation for producing near-indestructible mobile phones but now, in partnership with Land Rover, they’ve gone one better. The Land Rover S1 is the world’s first IP-67 rated GSM mobile, a standard which means it has tested as totally impervious to dust and is waterproof to a depth of one meter. The S1 can also withstand dirt, shocks, drops and up to 400kgs of pressure. Read More
Samsung jet - smartphone or not?
By Darren Quick
22:57 June 15, 2009 PDT
Samsung is touting the new Jet as “smarter than a smartphone”. Not sure how “smartness” is measured, but the claim probably stems from the beefy 800MHz processor powering the phone. However, opting for Samsung’s own TouchWiz 2.0 platform instead of a traditional smartphone operating system means the phone is more likely to fill a niche between feature phones and smartphones. Read More
LG shows off its new Prada phone with matching Bluetooth watch
By Darren Quick
22:50 June 8, 2009 PDT
Two and a half years after it released its first Prada phone, Korean electronics giant LG has revealed a successor. While it's a long time in the world of mobile phones, the updated LG-KF900 Prada phone does include a range of features not found on its predecessor, while retaining the same slick minimalist styling and touchscreen. LG has simplified accessorizing the Prada phone with the availability of the Prada Link, a Bluetooth digital watch that can remotely monitor phone calls as well as read SMS text messages. Read More
LG to launch 3G watch phone in July
By Darren Quick
01:01 June 5, 2009 PDT
LG’s wristwatch videophone that first piqued our interest when it appeared at CES 2009 has been given a release date. Dick Tracy wannabes will be able to live out their fantasies when the LG-GD910 Touch Watch Phone goes on sale from July. The GD-910 will initially be exclusively available through Orange UK and Carphone Warehouse before hitting Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and Latin America. There’s no announcement as to whether a yellow coat and fedora will be included with the Touch Watch Phone. Read More
Eyes-Free dialing just a swipe of a finger away
By Mick Webb
21:47 June 3, 2009 PDT
Google engineers have shown an experimental “Eyes-Free” touch interface for Android powered mobile phones. Through tapping, sliding and releasing, the interface can be used to quickly enter a phone number without having to look at the screen, and it’s not only vision impaired users that are set to benefit from the technology. Read More
Green energy charger ready and pumped for UK's biggest music festival
By Paul Best
23:30 May 26, 2009 PDT
Mobile operator Orange and renewable energy specialists GotWind know they’ve hit on a good, marketable idea. The companies have joined forces for a third consecutive year to showcase their outdoor charging solution at next month's Glastonbury Festival, the United Kingdom’s largest and hippest open-air music bash. This year Orange has unveiled a mobile phone charger prototype it’s calling the Orange Power Pump. By treading on what is essentially a standard camping air foot-pump, the kinetic energy created drives a small turbine inside the Power Pump. The energy is converted into electrical current, which recharges the mobile phone. The idea is not only simple, it cleverly encourages you to dance and charge your mobile at the same time. Read More
Sharp first with solar-powered, waterproof mobile phone
By Darren Quick
22:00 May 24, 2009 PDT
Mobile phones and the beach are generally not a great mix, but for anyone looking to stay in touch while soaking up the rays there are a few more details filtering through regarding Sharp’s waterproof, solar-powered phone. Due for a June release in Japan through Japan’s KDDI wireless provider the new phone has finally gained a title, the Solar Ketai (Solar Mobile) and will be released as part of KDDI’s “au” line. Read More
KDDI mobile pico projector
By Darren Quick
23:42 May 19, 2009 PDT
If you’re looking to share some of the video or photos stored on your mobile phone with an audience, then the KDDI pico projector could be just the thing for you. Designed to work with the new KDDI iida G9 mobile phone and the upcoming iidda range, the Toshiba manufactured handset uses DLP display technology. It can project a 480x320 image of between six and 63 inches onto a flat surface or wall up to 8.2 feet (2.5m) away. Read More
Samsung customers get their own online movie store
By Darren Quick
23:43 May 18, 2009 PDT
Online movie stores aren’t exactly a dying breed, but now European owners of Samsung phones, laptops and PCs have a movie store to call their own with the launch of Samsung Movies. Powered by European digital movie retailer Acetrax, the new store will allow users to download the latest Hollywood releases and TV shows for viewing on compatible Samsung devices. Read More
Golden-i Bluetooth headset with virtual PC display
By Darren Quick
23:04 May 11, 2009 PDT
Mobile phones and laptop computers have made traditional 9-to-5 workdays a thing of the past for many workers. That ability to work from any location, however, can be a double-edged sword. The flexibility to be freed from the office also means that work is increasingly encroaching on people’s recreation time, as they find they are never really off the clock. That situation looks set to worsen, or improve, depending on your perspective, with the introduction of the Golden-i from Kopin Corporation. The Golden-i is a Bluetooth headset that provides a 15-inch virtual display with a hands-free, natural-speech-recognition interface for wireless remote control over a range of devices including mobile phones, PCs, company networks and wireless systems. Read More
Quick click access to mobile services
By Paul Best
00:56 May 5, 2009 PDT
It’s not only that mobile phones are enormously powerful communication tools – it's the highly personal way we use and customise them that is emerging and catching the attention of mobile operators. Australian communications giant Telstra is one that has seen the need to simplify how we access mobile services, launching a new mobile user interface – called TelstraOne Experience – that lets its customers access their favourite applications and services with one click. Read More
Skype answers the call for iPhonistas
By Darren Quick
00:50 May 4, 2009 PDT
Up until recently iPhone users wanting to cut their phone bills by using Skype have been forced to use third-party solutions, such as fring or IM+ for Skype. But with the official Skype for iPhone app now available free, such third-party offerings are likely to become less popular. Skype for iPhone does pretty much what you think. It lets Skype users make free calls to fellow Skype users, using a Wi-Fi network, as well as allowing the use of Skype accounts to make reduced-price calls to traditional landline phones. Read More
Suntrica solar-powered chargers: pocket-sized energy sources
By Jude Garvey
02:22 May 1, 2009 PDT
The Suntrica SolarBadge and the SolarStrap are pocket-sized, durable and lightweight solar-charging devices with a flexible design that's durable enough to withstand harsh environments and versatile enough to be worn on various parts of your body or your backpack. Read More
The search for the best ideas in satellite navigation
By Mike Hanlon
16:13 April 30, 2009 PDT
The Sixth European Satellite Competition is an annual search for the best application ideas for satellite navigation. In recent years, the winning innovations have included a rescue system for persons who have fallen overboard at sea; a mobile, GPS-supported social network; a mobile phone-based guidance system that aids more economical driving; a remote monitoring system for recovering heart patients; a Web 2.0 platform that delivers location-based videos in real time; and a flood prediction system. It's not quite American Idol for entrepreneurs, but there are many similarities. Apart from the monetary prize, success in the competition paves the way to market for your talents, with significant partners. Entries open May 1. Read More
WildCharge expands wireless charging compatibility with new Universal Adapter
23:00 April 8, 2009 PDT
Boosted by the buzz surrounding wire-free charging at CES earlier this year, solutions for powering up portable devices without the hassle of messy cords and multiple chargers are making the transition from curious concept to viable consumer product. One of the obvious problems with the early examples of this kind of technology was that each solution is tailored to a particular device, but now early mover WildCharge has released a Universal Adapter for Cell Phones which works with multiple devices across multiple brands. Read More
LG makes things clear with the transparent GD900 mobile phone
By Darren Quick
22:00 April 1, 2009 PDT
The LG-GD900 mobile phone will feature not only a 3-inch full touchscreen, but also a transparent touchpad that supports finger-writing recognition and vibrational haptic feedback. The stylish looking phone features a slider form factor with the translucent rear slider containing a touchpad that allows users to navigate through the phones features and 3D user interface. Further enhancing the phone’s style cred is the fact that the clear slider will be made from glass instead of plastic. Read More
Hyundai MB-910 Watch phone to launch in UK
By David Greig
18:46 March 18, 2009 PDT
The idea has been with us for more than half a century and numerous examples have made it to market, so why aren't we all wearing watch phones? Maybe it's a question of usability, maybe the watch phone is just that bit too geeky or maybe it's simply that the right product hasn't yet emerged. Hyundai Mobile is throwing its hat into the ring by announcing of the imminent release of the Hyundai MB-910 watch phone in the UK. The MB-910 is already selling in mainland Europe and features a Bluetooth headset, email client, video playback, music player and touchscreen control. Read More
The Android handset war begins in 2009
By Loz Blain
15:45 March 16, 2009 PDT
While Apple's iPhone has enjoyed enormous success using a highly controlled, locked-down handset, operating system and application store, Google's touchscreen smartphone platform takes the opposite approach. Android is a completely open-source operating system, meaning that developers can write whatever abilities they want into it - and Google doesn't make or recommend any particular handsets. The HTC Dream (AKA the T-Mobile G1) gave Android a start in the market - but several big-name competitors are working on Android smartphones to be released sometime this year. The battle for Android handset supremacy is about to begin - let's take a look at the challengers. Read More
Freedom Glen
- November 25, 2009 @ 02:47 UTC
