Unwired View » Accessories

Kogeto’s Dot turns your iPhone into a 360-degree panoramic camera

Matthew Ismael Ruiz — Mon, 23 May 2011 19:54:51 +0000

Kogeto announced Dot, a 360-degree panoramic video accessory for iPhone 4 at TechCrunch Disrupt today.

The slimline camera attachment captures “immersive” panoramic video in real-time. Videos taken with the app can then be shared on Facebook, Twitter, and even livestreamed online with Kogeto’s Web platform.

The contraption contains no moving parts, and consists of two mirrors that reflect a circular 360-degree image the iPhone’s camera. Kogeto’s companion app Looker then “unwraps” the circular image into a navigable rectangular image, not unlike a virtual tour at a real estate Web site. The app will be offered on Apple’s App Store on the “freemium” model, meaning a limited free version will be complemented by a full-featured paid subscription app.

This type of reflective panoramic technology is innovative but not unique. EyeSee360 founder Michael Rondinelli has a similar product called GoPano micro; its bulky modular design allows the iPhone to be held upright for a live preview of your video. However, the awkward, protruding design is makes it less congruous with the iPhone’s streamlined design than Dot.

Both companies have roots in educational research. Kogeto’s Jeff Glasse and David Sosnow developed the panoramic video equipment for The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s MET Project, in part with the help of an early version of Rondinelli’s GoPano Plus.

With the official announcement of Dot, the race to get the competing products to market is on. Kogeto is taking preorders on Kickstarter, while Rondinelli’s Kickstarter campaign is now fully funded.

via PRWeb

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Contest: Win a Wrapsol Ultra Screen Wrap for iPhone 4!

Brad Molen — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:00:04 +0000

Ready for the next contest? What, you’re always ready for the next contest? Then let’s get to it! This week our contest is focusing on a screen protector. But not just any screen protector — we’re talking the super-durable Wrapsol Ultra screen protectors here, not the dinky plastic films that try to pass as screen protectors. The Wrapsol Ultra wraps around the entire phone and not only prevent scratches, but are made of a special material that helps protect it from drops as well.

Made from advanced high strength polyurethane and using a dry application process that actively releases air bubbles, Wrapsol Ultra installs quickly and easily and helps prevent everyday dings, dents and scratches, even damage from falls from up to 6 feet while preserving screen brilliancy and touch sensitivity. Not bad, eh?

Who wants one? We have 11 Wrapsol Ultras for iPhone 4 to give away! And we’re going to give you until Friday, April 1, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST to enter to win.

There are two ways to win, but you can enter multiple times:

1. Retweet this message on Twitter: “RT @unwiredtweets RT this message and enter to win a Wrapsol for iPhone 4! Visit http://wp.me/peL1j-cMB to learn more. #contest #free #iPhone” You can RT once a day, and each time will count as an entry into the contest.

2. Go to our Facebook page and comment on the contest page there. No multiple entries allowed here; only one comment will be counted.

Not too difficult at all, and since there’s 11 of them to give away, you have a great chance of winning!

The Wrapsol Ultra for iPhone 4 is normally priced at $29.99, which is still a great deal because of the high level of protection you receive for your hard-earned cash. If you don’t have an iPhone 4 but would still be interested in getting one for your phone, check out their website to see if your phone model has a Wrapsol made for it.

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Contest: Win a Wrapsol Ultra Screen Protector for iPhone 4!

Brad Molen — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 14:30:04 +0000

Who wants one? We have 11 Wrapsol Ultras for iPhone 4 to give away! And we’re going to give you until Friday, April 1, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST to enter to win.

There are two ways to win, but you can enter multiple times:

2. Go to our Facebook page and comment on the contest page there. No multiple entries allowed here; only one comment will be counted.

Not too difficult at all, and since there’s 11 of them to give away, you have a great chance of winning!

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Jabra Announces New FREEWAY Speakerphone at CTIA 2011

Brad Molen — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:11:40 +0000

I currently use a Jabra Cruiser as the bluetooth speakerphone in my car because it includes an FM transmitter so I can talk on the phone and listen to music in my car directly through my car stereo. However, the speakerphone itself is pretty quiet so I have no choice but to use it for the stereo as my only option. Jabra has definitely taken the concept and improved upon it by releasing the Jabra FREEWAY, a new bluetooth speakerphone that packs some serious audio punch.

I had the opportunity to see and listen to it at CTIA and came away very impressed. The Freeway is a triple speaker and is HD voice compliant, which gives you higher audio quality during calls as long as your phone is compatible. It also offers voice recognition to the max – it loads your phone’s address book and will give you spoken caller ID when somebody in your address book calls (if they’re not in your address book, the Freeway will just announce the phone number of the caller).

The Freeway also features automatic power control, meaning that it will come out of standby mode automatically as soon as you get into your car, and it will also shut down when you leave.

We can expect to see the Freeway available sometime in May for $129.99. No word on which retail stores we’ll see it at yet, though. Needless to say, I’m excited to play with this one.

Full press release:

Press Release:

JABRA LAUNCHES INDUSTRY-FIRST SPEAKERPHONE WITH THREE SPEAKERS AND HD VOICE READY TECHNOLOGY

Take Calls & Listen to Music Anywhere You Are With the Jabra FREEWAY;
Partnership with Voice Assist Creates the Ultimate Hands-Free Solution

Orlando, FL – March 23, 2011– Jabra today announced the Jabra FREEWAY, a revolutionary new speakerphone that features industry-first innovation and expands the Company’s wide offerings in the category. Taking audio quality to a whole new level, the Jabra FREEWAY features a ground-breaking new three speaker system – a first-ever in the category – along with HD Voice Ready, ensuring superior audio quality on both ends of a phone call. The Jabra FREEWAY provides unique versatility as both a device to be used inside or outside the car and for both calls as well as listening to music with any device – an iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, mp3 players or video game console. The Jabra FREEWAY will be showcased at CTIA Wireless show this week in Orlando, Florida, prior to the North American launch in May.

The Jabra FREEWAY features an intuitive design and a complete hands-free experience for users, allowing them to focus on the task at hand. Once the Jabra FREEWAY is clipped to the car’s visor, it automatically turns on when the car door is opened and then helps the driver pair the device to a mobile phone. Drivers can then sit back with their hands on the wheel and focus on the road ahead and use their voice to solicit all kinds of commands – making, answering, ending, redialing or rejecting calls – without touching their phone. And once a conversation is finished or a destination reached, the FREEWAY automatically shuts off so there is no need to worry about saving battery life for the next use.

The Jabra FREEWAY also comes with a free one year subscription (valued at $59) to Voice Assist, a voice controlled app that can be used with any type of mobile phone or IP-connected device. With Voice Assist, calls and commands can be performed all by voice controlled communication, allowing users to call, send or respond to emails and text messages, or post to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, all by voice.

Those features combined with Voice Guidance, which communicates pairing instructions, battery level and connection status, and Caller ID, an easy and safe way to know who is calling by announcing the name of the caller or the phone number if the caller is not in your phonebook, provide a truly hands-free experience.

Other industry-leading features include Virtual Surround Sound, delivering superior audio quality and rich, crisp, full stereo sound anywhere your day takes you – at home, in the car or at a friend’s house – and A2DP for playing music and podcasts or listening to GPS directions, long talk and stand-by times, connection to more 2 Bluetooth devices at same time, and auto on/off.
The Jabra FREEWAY was recently named a winner of the 2011 red dot awards for product design, and is currently a finalist in the CTIA 2011 Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Awards Program.
For more information on Jabra’s line of mobile products, visit http://www.buyjabra.com/US, like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Jabra.US or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jabra_us. The Jabra FREEWAY will be available in May for a suggested retail price of $129. The FREEWAY is already available in Europe and Asia-Pacific retail stores

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This Week: Win a GorillaMobile Ori for iPad Case from JOBY

Brad Molen — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:43:47 +0000

JOBY is our sponsor for this week’s contest, and we’re really excited to give this one away. I saw the Ori for iPad last month at CES and was intrigued by its gorgeous craftsmanship and features, and if you’re looking for an iPad case you definitely want to get your name in the running for this particular product.

The GorillaMobile Ori uses a lightweight, superstrong aluminum casing which helps add a significant amount of durability to your iPad. It was designed with adjustable height and viewing angles, which is much different than the standard cases that typically throw in a kickstand and can’t be adjusted at all.

We have one GorillaMobile to give out, so the competition will be intense!

So here’s what you have to do to enter: go to our Facebook Contest Page and leave a comment. Nothing else. Not bad, eh?

For this contest, your deadline to enter is Friday, February 25 2011 at 11:59PM PST. We will then pick the winner and do another contest. And so it continues. Don’t you love free stuff every week?

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Enter to Win an AirCurve Play from Griffin Technology

Brad Molen — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:00:46 +0000

Have a hankerin’ for free stuff? I hope you’ve been tuned into our weekly Facebook Giveaway, because this is — and will continue to be — a great way to get what you’re looking for. Our sponsor this week is Griffin Technology, a company that makes iOS device accessories galore from cases to chargers to FM transmitters and so on.

This week Griffin is giving away an AirCurve Play for iPhone 4! All you have to do is go to our Facebook Contest Page and leave a comment. Not much at all; we try to make it easy to enter and win!

Just make sure you do it before end of day Sunday, February 20. That’s 11:59 PM PST. Plenty of time to get there and have your voice be heard!

Just head on over here and leave a comment! Good luck!

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Announcing the Winners of the Skullcandy Headphones!

Brad Molen — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 03:24:28 +0000

We at Unwired View want to give all of you a special thanks for participating in our weekly Facebook giveaways. We are finding a high amount of interest and are happy to continue offering great prizes each and every week.

Last week our contest sponsor was Skullcandy, which are some of our favorite headphones to use! Be sure to check out their headphones at their website.

We want to give a special shout out to the 3 winners of our contest, and will do so each week from this point on. So let’s give a round of applause to:

Eddie Tsou won the Skullcandy Full Metal Jackets in shoe blue
“CyanBlue” won the Skullcandy 50/50 headphones in shoe blue
Raman Bhadu won the Skullcandy Holua headphones

We definitely want you to be one of the lucky winners too. So keep coming to our Facebook contest page and leaving a comment every week so you get your chance to win! Very soon we’re going to be offering ways to enter multiple times each week, so you’re not restricted to just one method of entering. Stay tuned!

This week’s sponsor is Griffin Technology, and they are giving one of our readers an AirCurve Play for iPhone 4!

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This Week, Win a AirCurve Play for iPhone 4 From Griffin!

Brad Molen — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 02:46:59 +0000

Our sponsor this week is Griffin Technology, and this contest will be a little more intense in competition because we only have one item to give away. But fret not, because it’s an AirCurve Play Amplify for iPhone 4! We enjoy almost everything that comes out of Griffin, as they make a good quality product, and we know the AirCurve is in that same category.

What is an AirCurve Play, exactly? Below is a full description direct from their website:

“AirCurve Play makes the speaker of your iPhone 10 decibels louder. And it works without batteries or cables or power adapters or incantations. Just slip your iPhone into AirCurve’s rubber dock gasket, and your iPhone 4 becomes the perfectly portable audio/video conference phone, and self-contained music player and video viewer.

AirCurve is a cleverly designed acoustic amplifier that collects the sound from the built-in speaker of your iPhone, amplifies it in a built-in coiled waveguide, and projects it out into the room. AirCurve’s transparent polycarbonate body lets you appreciate the waveguide’s graceful curves, inside, that do all the work.”

With this week being Mobile World Congress, we’ve started the giveaway a little later. But we’ll give you until 11:59 PM PST on Sunday, February 20 to enter!

To participate, go to our Facebook contest page and leave a comment! In order for it to work you must have already Liked our Facebook page.

If you want to learn more about Griffin’s Aircurve Play, check out their website below.

AirCurve Play Acoustic Amplifier for iPhone 4

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Just 2 More Days to Win a Skullcandy Headset!

Brad Molen — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 07:13:57 +0000

Skullcandy has some of the best headphones on the market today, and I’m using a pair of Skullcandy headphones as I write this. The audio quality of the Skullcandy is top-notch, and now it’s your turn to get some without having to spend any money.

Go here to our Facebook launch page and leave a comment about what you hope to see from MWC in Barcelona next week, and you’ll be eligible to win one of three Skullcandy headphones!

You have until Friday, February 11, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST to post your comment and enter to win!

Here’s what’s being offered:

Each one of these Skullcandy headphones retail anywhere between $50-100. They’re definitely worth the price of admission to this contest; just leave a comment on our Weekly Contest page on Facebook and you’ll be all set! Easy to do. Happy contesting!

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This Week’s Contest Sponsor: Skullcandy

Brad Molen — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:30:15 +0000

It’s time to give away more free stuff! This week we’re going to be featuring Skullcandy, a name that many of you have heard of, and if you haven’t heard of them you really ought to go check them out. Skullcandy has made some of the best quality wired headphones without forcing you to spend too much on them.

Skullcandy has a huge variety of different in-ear, on-ear and over-the-ear headphones that provide a wonderful experience when listening to your music. One of the best parts is that these headphones will work not only on iOS devices, but any device that takes a 3.5 mm jack. The company’s been around for 8 years now and is solidifying its place as one of the best headphone manufacturers in the US.

I wanted to partner with Skullcandy as one of our first giveaway sponsors because I currently own 2 of their products: the Full Metal Jacket (FMJ for short) and the Ink’d. The Ink’d, which happens to be the least expensive product in the lineup, still provides a good quality audio experience, and it only gets better with the other products offered. The FMJ is my headphone of choice when I really want to get lost in the music; with an 11 mm speaker diameter built-in to the FMJ’s I get an amazingly rich bass experience which rivals that of other more expensive over-ear headsets.

So with that introduction, here’s the details about the contest:

Skullcandy has graciously provided 3 headphones as prizes:

1 Holua (a $99.95 value)

1 Full Metal Jacket in Shoe Blue ($69.95 value)

1 50/50 Shoe Blue ($49.95 value)

The deadline for entries is end of day Friday, no later than 11:59pm EST. Any entries afterward will not count.

How to enter:

1. Like our Facebook page

2. Go to our “weekly contest” section near the top of the page, and leave a comment telling us what you’re excited to see at Mobile World Congress in Spain next week, or give any predictions you have about what will be announced at the show.

That’s it. We’re making it pretty easy on you the first couple weeks, so take advantage of it while you can!

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Last Day to Get Free Stuff on Facebook, Sponsored by Speck!

Brad Molen — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 14:00:20 +0000

Super Bowl Sunday is always a great day to eat, watch TV for a long time, and take advantage of all the wonderful contests around us. This is your last chance to get to our Facebook page and enter to win one of Speck’s latest awesome cases!

The contest goes until tonight at 11:59 EST. Any entries after that will be disregarded, so you don’t want to make any more delays.

You will win either a Speck DustJacket for iPad/Kindle (retail price $49.95) , CandyShell Wrap for iPad (retail $59.95), or regular CandyShell for iPhone 4 ($34.95)/ iPad ($49.95)/iPod Touch 4th Gen ($34.95). We’ll be giving out 2 DustJackets and 2 CandyShells.

Above: Speck DustJacket

Description: The Speck iPad DustJacket’s protective screen cover opens like a book and folds back flat making it comfortable to hold. It comes complete with a built-in, flip-out reading stand with multiple pre-set standing angles for viewing and working. The micro-fleece lined interior with custom cradle will securely hold your iPad, while the exterior adds high style.

Above: Speck CandyShell Wrap for iPad

Description: Built with the same two-layer hard-shell, soft-center design as our original CandyShell case for iPad, CandyShell Wrap has a unique flip-close front cover that offers yet another level of shock-absorbent protection with a hard exterior and soft, rubberized lining. The cover also folds back into a stand for your iPad with multiple viewing angles.

Above: Speck CandyShell for iPhone 4 (iPod Touch and iPad cases not shown)

Description (iPhone version): Speck’s award-winning CandyShell case for iPhone just got even better. The iPhone 4 case features a thin, hard-shell coating with soft, rubbery interior lining, bezel, & button covers. The slick, one-piece design offers you the protection of both a hard shell and rubbery case, making CandyShell one of the tastiest, sweetest, and best iPhone 4 cases yet.

I’ve had the opportunity to use Speck CandyShells for each of my iPhones and have had a great experience with each one. And throw in getting it for free in our contest and now it becomes a must have for your iOS device!

Remember the rules: Like us on Facebook, find the Weekly Contests Tab, and leave a comment there (no roll calls, just try to say a couple profound statements or whatever kind of story you want to say. We’re not that picky!).

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Speck is this Week’s Facebook Giveaway Sponsor

Brad Molen — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:00:27 +0000

This week we are beginning what we hope to be a new tradition here at Unwired View, which is the weekly Facebook Giveaway. Whether or not it becomes a tradition will be completely up to you and your interest in it, so we hope you will tell all your friends and retweet the heck out of this post. This week we are proud to have Apple accessory powerhouse Speck as our Giveaway sponsor and we couldn’t be happier to kick off such a huge event this way.

Also, we want to start off strong so we are going to pick 4 winners this week! This is a great opportunity for you to win. What are the prizes though?

Speck is giving away 2 DustJackets for iPad/Kindle and 2 CandyShells for your choice of iPad, iPhone 4 or iPod Touch 4th Generation!

So here’s what you do:

1. Like us on Facebook!

2. Find the “Weekly Contest” tab on the top of our page and write a comment there. Something heartfelt and meaningful, not just “here” or “I want one please”. Tell us whether you’d like the DustJacket or CandyShell, tell us a story about your device, or even tell us why you need one. There’s no specific requirement here, just make it creative and meaningful.

3. We will pick the winners first thing Monday morning. Typically we will hold the giveaways each Friday, but we want to give you more time to participate this week. So, the deadline to have your comment in will be Sunday night at 11:59 EST.

Best of luck, and tell your friends!

PS. Remember, the more people signing up and commenting on our giveaways, the longer we’ll continue doing these giveaways each week. So it’s really up to you!

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Sony Ericsson intros Xperia X10 Experience Packs: XP110, XP120 and XP130

Florin — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:05:07 +0000

Remember those Experience Packs that Sony Ericsson talked about when announcing the LiveView micro display?

Well, the first three of them are now official. They’re the XP110 Fitness Experience Pack, the XP120 Business Experience Pack, and the XP130 Design Experience Pack.

Here’s what’s included in them:

XP110 Fitness Experience Pack – LiveView micro display, SportyPal Pro app, wristband, clip, and a Micro USB charger. It is compatible with the Xperia X10 Mini and Xperia X0 Mini Pro
XP120 Business Experience Pack – Bluetooth Noise Shield Handsfree VH700, Office Suite Pro application with life time license, WaveSecure application with 6 months usage rights, and Micro USB Cable EC300. It is compatible with the Xperia X10, Xperia X10 Mini and Xperia X0 Mini Pro
XP130 Design Experience Pack – three fashionable back covers (which we’ve seen before), lanyards, “a chic set of charms”, “style wallpapers”, Fashion News app, Celebrity Gossip app, and Ship Chick app. It is compatible only with the Xperia X10 Mini

We’re not sure the Experience Packages are available right away, but you can check them out at Sony Ericsson’s website: here, here and here. Pricing details are currently unknown.

Via Xperia X10 blog

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Sony Ericsson LiveView “micro display” Android accessory announced (video)

Florin — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:31:16 +0000

Instead of announcing a new Android phone (because it doesn’t have too many), Sony Ericsson has just unveiled a Bluetooth accessory for Android, called LiveView.

LiveView is a 1.3 inch “micro display” that can remote control your Android smartphone, as long as this runs Android 2.0 or higher.

Ironically, all Sony Ericsson Android handsets currently run version 1.6 – however, by the time LiveView hits the market (sometime in the fourth quarter of this year), they will be updated to v 2.1.

When paired (via Bluetooth) with a compatible phone, the Sony Ericsson LiveView will let you see incoming calls, read messages, feeds, Facebook and Twitter updates and so on. You can even control the phone’s music features, see calendar events, and access apps.

To help users find apps for LiveView, Sony Ericsson will launch a LiveWare Manager application – this scans Android Market for LiveView-enabled apps and presents them to you.

For your convenience, LiveView can be “attached in a watch strap, on a keychain or clipped to a laptop.”

LiveView video preview:

Sony Ericsson didn’t say how much LiveView costs, but it did mention it will be included in “Sony Ericsson Experience Packs” starting Q4 (for those who don’t want to buy the micro display alone).

Via Press release

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Motorola intros Oasis Bluetooth headset for AT&T, S10-HD Bluetooth stereo headphones (video)

Florin — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:53:17 +0000

Apart from announcing the Droid R2-D2 limited edition for Verizon, Motorola today has also unveiled new accessories: the Motorola Oasis Bluetooth headset and the Motorola S10-HD Bluetooth stereo headphones.

The Oasis is made for AT&T and “features a unique, behind-the-ear design that creates a comfortable, stable feel, and dual-mics for superior noise cancellation.”

Also featuring advanced voice prompts, advanced MultiPoint technology, EasyPair technology, and a dedicated mute button, the Motorola Oasis Bluetooth headset will be available at AT&T starting October 3 for $79.99.

Next, the Motorola S10-HD is presented as “the only Bluetooth stereo headphones designed to keep your music moving with you.” The S10-HD features high-definition sound quality and comes with a sweat proof and water resistant design.

Best Buy will sell the Motorola S10-HD in the US starting October 24 for $79.99.

Via Press release and Press release

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Nokia intros Mobile TV (DVB-H) headset for Symbian^3 smartphones

Florin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:14:39 +0000

Nokia has just announced the Mobile TV Headset (its first of this kind, as far as I know), which receives DVB-H signal in order to “turn your mobile device into a portable television” without needing an Internet connection.

Of course, DBV-H is not available everywhere, but there is coverage in countries like the Netherlands, Russia, Austria, Switzerland, Finland (Helsinki) and India (New Delhi).

The Mobile TV Headset (which features dedicated keys for changing channels, as well as music controls) is compatible only with Symbian^3 smartphones. Yes, there are no Symbian^3 smartphones available yet, but by the time the headset hits the market, there will be (the N8 is coming at the end of this month).

Nokia says that the Mobile TV Headset will be available in the fourth quarter of the year. Its price before taxes should be around €40 ($51).

Via Nokia

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Palm is working on a palmtop with detachable cellphone

Staska — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:53:00 +0000

This winter/fall Palm has been in some dire straights. With hugely disappointing Palm Pre sales, dwindling cash reserves and knowledge that company won’t be able to survive on it’s own.

Still, Palm R&D department hasn’t been sitting on it’s hands even during the tough times. And they’ve come up with some interesting ideas of how to improve our palm computing/communication experiences.

Here’s one of them – compact removable voice handset, integrated into a palmtop computer. It’s described in a fairly recent Palm patent application, filed at the end of April, this year.

And, looking at the patent app, I wonder why nobody has made such a thing yet.

As the touchscreen displays get bigger and bigger, our smartphones become ever harder to use for their basic – cellphone – function. Just look at Dell Streak. It’s a great portable web browsing, e-mail, online communication device and media player. But I shudder only thinking about using it as a phone, and putting this slab of a device to my ear for a 10-15 minute conversation.

It gets even worse for 7″ or 10″ tablets, that are just around the corner. Even though most of them can have all the necessary 3G circuitry to make phone calls, the form factor makes this activity hugely impractical.

Now Palm has designed an extremely elegant solution – adding a small, removable, voice only handset to the body of a palmtop device. When separated, phone and main body parts are coupled via Bluetooth. All the “smarts and brains” remain in the main body, detachable handset is used only for voice comms. As the call comes in, you pull the cellphone part from the main body and start talking. After the call, you pop the cellphone part back in. All other functions – like contact management, dialing, etc; remain with the main palmtop body.

This mode of operation may even better then on traditional smartphone – if you need to take some notes, enter or look-up contact info, arrange a conference call – you can do that without any interruption, while talking on the phone.

It’s just a patent application for now, and may never become an actual product – most of patented things don’t. But I really like this idea and hope someone implements it soon.

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Free Zagg Side Shields from Best Buy to fix iPhone 4 antenna issues

Florin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:53:11 +0000

Starting today (July 28), Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores are offering free Side Shields to all iPhone 4 buyers who got or will get the smartphone from the giant US retailer.

Manufactured by Zagg, the Side Shields is “a clear, unobtrusive shield applied to the outer edges of the iPhone 4” and it was “designed to address issues with antenna attenuation.”

Sure enough, Apple also gives free bumpers and cases to address the iPhone 4 antenna issue, but Best Buy’s offering may be more attractive to some – after all, an invisible shield looks different than a regular case.

Best Buy will sell Side Shields to “general public”, too, for $9.99 a piece.

The retailer also said it’s currently offering 20% off of any iPhone 4 case – the deal expires on August 7.

Via Press release

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On Droid X and Samsung Vibrant launch day, Sprint announces HTC EVO 4G accessories (the phone itself is still sold out)

Florin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:31:14 +0000

Seeing how Verizon and T-Mobile launched the Motorola Droid X and the Samsung Vibrant, respectively, Sprint said: “hey, we want to be in the news, too!”

And since it didn’t had any new hot phone to launch (the release date of Samsung Epic 4G is still not certain), yesterday the carrier announced it’s offering a bunch of accessories for the HTC EVO 4G, its current flagship smartphone.

Accessories include:

6-foot HDMI Cable – $29.99 (plus tax)
Plantronics BackBeat 903 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones with Altec Lansing sound technology – $99.99 (plus tax)
3.5mm wired Stereo Headset – $29.99 (plus tax)
lots of protective cases
batteries and chargers

You can check out all the available accessories here at Sprint (most, if not all of them, were already available for purchase).

As I’m typing this, the EVO 4G is sold out on Sprint’s website – as it has been for quite a while now. But hey, at least you can buy accessories for it.

Via Press release

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Nokia bicycle phone charger provides free, environmentally friendly electricity

Florin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 10:34:01 +0000

While announcing the C1 and C2 dual SIM phones, Nokia has also unveiled a new alternative charging solution for its handsets: the Nokia Bicycle Charger Kit.

The Kit consists of a DC-14 phone charger, a phone holder for your bicycle, a Bottle Dynamo, and everything you need to install it on our bicycle. After it’s installed, the kit will charge your phone when bicycle speed is between 6 km/h and 50 km/h. Efficiency of a normal charger is reportedly reached when speed is 12 km/h.

The dynamo included in the Kit uses the wheel’s movement to charge your phone the same way other dynamos provide electricity for your bicycle’s light – it’s a simple and quite brilliant idea. The Kit is compatible with any Nokia handset that has a standard 2mm charging jack.

As far as I know, there are hundreds of millions of bicycles in India and China (9 million in Beijing), so Nokia’s new charger will likely be a hit when it launches in Q4 2010. The Finnish company says the charger kit will cost €15 (about $18.5).

Via Press release

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Motorola announces the Backflip for Germany, launches H17txt Bluetooth headset via Verizon

Ilinca Nita — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:11:22 +0000

Already launched in China, the US (via AT&T) and Italy, the Motorola Backflip has now been announced in Germany, where it should be available starting this month (April).

In case you don’t know yet, the Motorola Backflip features Android 1.5, MotoBlur, a 3.1 inch HVGA touchscreen display, reverse-flipping QWERTY keyboard, HSDPA, GPS, Wi-Fi, HTML browser, 3.5mm headset jack, 5MP autofocus camera with Flash, and MicroSD card support.

The Backflip will be available in Germany via Mobilcom and Amazon, unlocked, for €499 (about $672).

Motorola has also announced a new Bluetooth headset for Verzion, called “H17txt with MotoSpeak”.

The Motorola H17txt optimizes “the text-to-speech technology and experience, which, when paired with an application, reads text messages (SMS) into the headset, in real time.”

Motorola says that the H17txt Bluetooth headset is available as of today at Verizon (although it’s not yet featured on the carrier’s website). The price of Motorola H17txt was not unveiled, but you can find out more about the headset here.

Via Press release and Press release

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BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, Q1 Android app (video)

Ilinca Nita — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:44:47 +0000

BlueAnt has announced the upcoming availability of T1, a rugged Bluetooth headset that has some unique features.

The BlueAnt T1 is the company’s first headset to come with Wind Armour Technology – which can provide clear audio in wind speeds of up to 22 miles per hour (according to BlueAnt, this is “the best wind noise reduction of any Bluetooth headset on the market”).

The T1 is also the first Bluetooth headset that features “caller name announce”, always letting you know who is calling by reading out the caller’s name.

Other features include: durable exterior and soft touch silicon covers, multipoint (for connecting two phones at the same time), A2DP streaming, 6 hours of talk time and 120 hours of standby time.

BlueAnt T1 will be commercially available starting May for $79.99.

A video promo of the rugged BlueAnt T1 Bluetooth headset can be watched below:

BlueAnt has also announced a free Q1 Android application. Obviously designed for owners of the BlueAnt Q1 headset, the Q1 Android app allows “text messages to be concisely and discretely read aloud directly into a headset”, and offers support information, pairing and connection guidance, as well as a direct link to BlueAnt Customer Service.

The BlueAnt Q1 Android app will be available starting April 1 at BlueAnt’s official website, or via Android Market. It will be compatible with phones running Android 2.0 or higher.

Via BlueAnt

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SanDisk’s 32GB microSDHC cards to go on sale next month

David Gonzales — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:05:43 +0000

Flash memory maker SanDisk has prepared an announcement called “Something Big”, and it turns out that this revolves around a new microSDHC card–one that holds 32GB of storage space and will cost $200 USD.

If you’re big on storage on your mobile phone and would rather have your data where you can easily access it wherever you are, then SanDisk’s newest offering should be able to serve you well. It’s set to come out next month for the above mentioned price as the last spec bump under microSDHC.

Users that demand even more storage space (and I fail to see why anyone would need more than 32GB of space on a mobile right now) can opt for the higher capacity SDXC cards, but those probably aren’t about to come out any time soon and will require a change in handheld.

32GB should be just enough for now, though, as you can have several of your favorite games on it with other files and stuff without any issues whatsoever. If only they could make the card itself even smaller…

Via Pocket-Lint

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MOSeco ES905 universal charger will power up your devices day and night

David Gonzales — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:40:05 +0000

Ever gone fishing, hunting, on a journey or on a picnic trip and thought of charging your gadgets but there were no power outlets in sight? Have you wished you could carry around a portable charger, digital alarm clock and temperature indicator in one? Now you can!

Enter the MOSeco ES905 universal charger. It doesn’t just look good, it is good… for you and your portable electronic devices. Because with a set of adapters for charging most mobile phones (including those from Apple, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, LG, and Motorola), MP3-players, and digital cameras, it’s all you’re ever going to need.

The MOSeco ES905 also holds pride in being able to charge gadgets via solar power (with the help of its built-in solar panels), as well as with normal AA or AAA batteries (there are two included with every unit). And that’s not all.

A mini-USB port is onboard in order to juice up the MOSeco ES905 via a computer, and if all else fails, there’s also an integrated hand-operated dynamo generator that will charge electronic devices… somehow. And did I mention that it’s also a flashlight with three high-brightness LEDs fitted on one end of it?

It sounds like the MOSeco ES905 packs a lot of power for something so small. For what it’s worth, some people will probably consider it a steal at 2,450 Rubles or about $83 USD.

MOSeco via Mobile-Review

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AT&T intros ZERO draw charger and the Airo Wireless A25is intrinsically safe smartphone

Ilinca Nita — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:13:22 +0000

The same day when Sprint announced its own Google Nexus One, AT&T has unveiled two new products: a charger and a smartphone.

The charger is called AT&T ZERO and it’s “the worlds first automatic zero draw charger”. This means that, when left plugged in, it automatically detects when your phone is not connected to it and cuts the power supply from the wall socket – this way saving energy.

Designed by Superior Communications, the AT&T ZERO charger has a 5-star efficiency rating and a block-and-cable design “for maximum interchangeability”, allowing customers “to use the same charger for future handsets”.

The new charger will be available starting May, for the same price as regular replacement chargers. It will be sold ”in packaging with 100% recycled paper”. Until then, Superior Communications will showcase the AT&T ZERO at CTIA Wireless 2010 (23 – 25 March). You can sign up here to be notified when exactly the AT&T ZERO will become available.

As for AT&T’s new smartphone – it’s the Airo Wireless A25is, the world’s first rugged and intrinsically safe smartphone.

The Airo Wireless A25is is targeted at “people communicating in industries that operate in potentially explosive environments including process and chemical manufacturing, the petrochemical industry, the military, utilities, as well as companies in the pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods manufacturing industries.”

The device meets military specifications 810-F/G, it’s shock-proof and can be immersed in up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutes.

Airo Wireless A25is features Windows Mobile, a 2.8 inch touchscren display, GPS and GPS telematics applications, Bluetooth, Push-to-Talk, and it supports “AT&T’s suite of line of business mobile applications.”

AT&T says that the Airo Wireless A25is is available starting today. Its price was not unveiled.

Via Press release and Press release

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Verizon intros music-filled slotRadio+ microSD card for BlackBerry

Ilinca Nita — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:37:13 +0000

Verizon has just announced a new accessory for music lovers who own BlackBerry smartphones – it’s a new microSD card from SanDisk, called slotRadio+.

The slotRadio+ microSD card includes 1,000 songs, as well as an additional 4GB of flash memory, where users can store their own music, videos and photos.

There will be two versions of the slotRadio+ card for BlackBerry: Billboard Hits (with the latest rock, dance, hip hop, Latin and country hits) and Billboard Decades (featuring songs from the ’80s and the ’90s, plus classic rock and oldies).

There’s also a slotRadio+ application which features playlists and direct access to Verizon’s V CAST Music service.

The slotRadio+ microSD card is compatible with various BlackBerry smartphones, including: BlackBerry 8830 World Edition, BlackBerry Pearl 8130, BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230, BlackBerry Curve 8530, BlackBerry Storm 9530, BlackBerry Storm2 9550 and BlackBerry Tour 9630 (pictured above).

Customers will be able to buy the slotRadio+ microSD card for BlackBerry starting tomorrow (January 29) for $49.99.

Via Press release

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Samsung intros new 32GB MicroSD card, 64GB moviNAND flash memory

Ilinca Nita — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:24:21 +0000

Samsung has just announced two new 30nm-class storage solutions designed for mobile devices: a 32GB MicroSD memory card, and a 64GB moviNAND memory chip.

The 32GB MicroSD memory card is only 1mm thick and it will enter mass production next month, so it should be available for purchase sometime later this year.

The Samsung 64GB moviNAND memory is in mass production since December 2009, so it’s ready to be used in new devices – like, say, Apple’s 4th generation iPhone, which may be launched in June as iPhone 4G.

The prices of Samsung’s new 32GB MicroSD card and 64GB moviNAND memory were not unveiled.

Via Press release

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#CES 2010: Bluetrek Concerto headset has Voice Email, Texting and Memo Functionality from Dial2Do

Ilinca Nita — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:12:37 +0000

Bluetooth headset maker Bluetrek announced the upcoming availability of Bluetrek Concerto, a new headset that allows users to “enjoy voice-activated, hands-free email and texting without touching their phones.”

The Bluetrek Concerto leverages on Dial2Do’s Hands-free Assistant service, which costs $3.99 per month – you can sign up here.

The Dial2Do Hands-free Assistant service can be accessed with the touch of one button on the Bluetrek Concerto headset. After you’ve accessed it, the service lets you listen, send and reply to emails and text messages, as well as access popular Web destinations (Twitter, Google Calendar etc) – all by voice command only.

In the US, the Bluetrek Concerto headset (pictured below) will be available starting March 2010, for $89.99, coming with a 60-day free trial subscription to the Dial2Do Hands-free Assistant Pro service.

Later this year, a Dial2Do app will be available for free to Blackberry, Android, Windows Mobile and iPhone 3GS users.

Via Press release

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iPhone to get mobile TV from Flo TV and Mophie

Ilinca Nita — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:16:56 +0000

Qualcomm’s subsidiary Flo TV has partnered with accessory maker Mophie to announce an upcoming series of products that will allow iPhone and iPod touch users to watch live mobile TV.

The products will be available sometime in the first half of the year, for prices that have not been disclosed.

Flo TV and Mophie will integrate built-in FLO TV receivers into Mophie cases, so I guess you should expect your iPhone to look something like this when you’ll want to watch mobile TV on it:

For the moment, AT&T offers mobile TV from Flo TV only on three phones: LG Vu, Samsung Eternity and Samsung Mythic. Verizon also offers the service (under it V CAST brand) for the Motorola Krave and HTC Imagio.

Via Press release

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RIM launches the BlackBerry Presenter to help you with your PowerPoint presentations

Ilinca Nita — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:21:15 +0000

The first product announced by Research in Motion at CES 2010 is not a new smartphone, but a new accessory: the BlackBerry Presenter.

Measuring 3.4 x 2.4 x 0.9 inches (8.6 x 6.1 x 2.3 cm) and weighing 140 grams, the BlackBerry Presenter can be easily plugged into a projector or monitor, allowing users to wirelessly display Microsoft PowerPoint presentations from a BlackBerry smartphone.

The BlackBerry Presenter supports: VGA (640 x 480), SVGA (800 x 600), and XGA (1024 x 768) resolutions, Bluetooth 2.0, NTSC and PAL video formats, most PowerPoint animations / transitions, and five languages (English, Spanish, French, Italian and German). It features speaker notes, loop mode and freeze mode.

RIM will sell the BlackBerry Presenter online later this year, for $199. Until then, the Waterloo-based company will showcase the new accessory at its CES 2010 booth in Las Vegas.

“BlackBerry Presenter equips mobile professionals with a simple, secure and convenient way to deliver presentations directly from their BlackBerry smartphone, giving them the freedom to leave their laptops behind,” said Glenn Laxdal, Vice President and Product Management at RIM.

Note that the BlackBerry Presenter is not compatible with the BlackBerry Curve 8300 Series and BlackBerry Pearl Flip Series, but is compatible with the following models:

BlackBerry Curve 8520
BlackBerry Curve 8530
BlackBerry Curve 8900
BlackBerry Bold 9000
BlackBerry Storm 9500
BlackBerry Storm 9530
BlackBerry Storm2 9550
BlackBerry Tour 9630
BlackBerry Bold 9700

Via Press release

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Seidio says that “ultimate accessories” for Google’s Nexus One are coming soon

Ilinca Nita — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:41:51 +0000

Seidio, a respectable provider of mobile accessories for many major brands (BlackBerry, HTC, Palm, Samsung, LG, Motorola, Apple) is saying that it will soon launch “the ultimate accessories” for Google’s unannounced Nexus One Android smartphone.

Most probably, these accessories will include protective cases, screen guards, desktop chargers and so on.

The problem is that Seidio doesn’t actually know when its accessories will be available, since no one knows when Google plans to launch the Nexus One. The accessory maker doesn’t even have an official photo of the Nexus One – the one included in the image below is from the leaked photos appeared at Engadget a few weeks ago.

Anyway, one thing is clear: the Google Nexus One is coming really soon – maybe on January 5, as previously rumored.

Via Android Community

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Samsung Corby WEP490 Bluetooth headset announced

Ilinca Nita — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:47:50 +0000

Samsung currently has three Corby phones (well, four, if you count the B3310 Corby Mate too), and it will soon introduce a Corby Bluetooth headset as well.

Named Samsung WEP490 Corby, the headset comes in various color versions, to match the colorful Corby phones.

The WEP490 Corby features a status LED indicator, echo cancellation, noise reduction and automatic volume control. It can provide a talk time of up to 6 hours, or a stand-by time of up to 10 hours.

The Samsung Corby WEP490 Bluetooth headset should be available soon in Russia for about $45.

Via Samsung Hub

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14 million Nokia-branded chargers are faulty, Nokia exchanges them for free

Ilinca Nita — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:13 +0000

Nokia has just announced that a certain number of chargers manufactured for its phones by a third-party supplier could cause electric shock hazards and they need to be replaced.

The chargers come from Huizhou BYD Electronic and include model types AC-3U and AC-3E manufactured between June 15, 2009 and August 9, 2009, and model type AC-4U manufactured between April 13, 2009 and October 25, 2009.

Nokia says that “the plastic covers of the affected chargers could come loose and separate, exposing the charger’s internal components and potentially posing an electric shock hazard if certain internal components are touched while the charger is plugged into a live socket.”

However, the Finnish handset maker mentions that no incidents or injuries related to the chargers were reported.

While Nokia didn’t say how many chargers are affected, Reuters India mentions that their number is of about 14 million.

To check if your charger needs to be replaced, visit Nokia’s charger exchange website. If your charger is on the list, Nokia will give you a new one, for free.

Via Press release

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RIM’s BlackBerry Bluetooth Watch (inPulse) shows up

Ilinca Nita — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:57:24 +0000

That BlackBerry Bluetooth Watch we first heard about in August seems to be a real device after all, as two photos of it have just appeared on the Web, along with some technical details.

According to CrackBerry, the watch will come as an accessory “designed specifically for BlackBerry from the ground up.” It has a nice OLED display and it can show notifications or messages that you receive on your BlackBerry smartphone.

The Bluetooth watch might be called BlackBerry inPulse, but this name isn’t confirmed.

No info yet on the release date or the price of BlackBerry inPulse.

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Sony Ericsson Motion Activated Headphones MH907 announced

Ilinca Nita — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:53:55 +0000

The music event organized today by Sony Ericsson was indeed about new headphones, and not about a new phone.

The Swedish-Japanese company has just announced the Motion Activated Headphones MH907, presented as “the world’s first ever motion activated headphones that sense the user.”

With Sony Ericsson MH907, you can listen to music just by plugging in its two earphones. To pause music, you have to remove one earbud. You can answer and end calls in a similar way – so there’s no need to push any buttons.

Sony Ericsson worked with internationally renowned animator Kristofer Ström to make a video promo for the MH907:

The SE MH907 is compatible with most Sony Ericsson phones that feature a fast port connector. The headphones weigh only 25.32 grams and will be available in the fourth quarter of the year, in two color versions: Titan Chrome and Yellow/White.

Via Press Release

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Sienna and Savannah Miller partner with LG, present Twenty8Twelve case for the BL40 Chocolate

Ilinca Nita — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:48:01 +0000

Back in July, we told you that LG might collaborate with Sienna Miller to promote its new BL40 Chocolate phone.

Well, LG has announced that it has, indeed, partnered with the famous actress, as well as with her sister, Savannah Miller, who is Creative Director of fashion label Twenty8Twelve.

The announcement was made at the London Fashion Week, where Sienna and Savannah Miller have unveiled a luxurious case for the BL40 Chocolate phone.

Made from bespoke leather, the case features the Twenty8Twelve logo on a stainless steel tag, and is presented as a “perfect accessory” for the BL40.

LG will also offer exclusive Twenty8Twelve digital content for the BL40.

A video with Sienna and Savannah Miller’s opinion on the LG BL40 Chocolate can be watched below. They say they’re amazed by the phone:

Via Press release (in Korean)

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Sprint launches Samsung M240, new eco-friendly accessories

Ilinca Nita — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:14:57 +0000

If you’re a Sprint customer in need for a new and affordable phone, you should know that the third largest US carrier has just launched the Samsung M240, which might be exactly what you want.

Presented as a fashionable flip phone, the M240 comes with features like: internal and external displays, Web browsing, voice dialing, and up to 6.5 hours of continuous talk time.

Samsung M240 can be bought from Sprint online, for only $19.99 with a contract agreement for two years.

Sprint has also introduced a set of new eco-friendly accessories. In consequence, as of today, customers can by a new All-In-One Vehicle and Wall Charger (pictured below) for $39.99, or an Eco-Friendly Universal Case (made from cotton and linen) for $19.99.

In early October, Sprint will launch a new SOLIO solar powered charger too.

To see all the eco-friendly accessories in Sprint’s portfolio, visit this website.

Via Sprint

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Samsung intros new Bluetooth headsets: WEP870, WEP850 and WEP470

Ilinca Nita — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:18:36 +0000

Samsung has announced the availability of three new Bluetooth headsets: the WEP870, WEP850 and WEP470.

Available for $89.99, Samsung WEP870 includes a noise-canceling mono headset, as well as a pair of premium stereo ear buds for listening to music.

The WEP870 can be paired with two Bluetooth devices at the same time. It features active noise and echo cancellation technology, dual-microphones, and an LCD display (which shows call status, Bluetooth connection status, and battery level).

Samsung WEP850 also features noise and echo cancellation – “amongst the best in the industry when compared against products with pricing up to 80 percent higher.” The WEP850 is priced at $69.99.

And finally, the Samsung WEP470 (which costs only $39.99) comes with stuff like integrated background noise filtering, detachable crystal ear hook, and dedicated on/off switch.

You can buy any of the new Bluetooth accessories from Samsung USA’s official website.

Via Press release

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Verizon launches ZTE AD3700 USB global modem

Ilinca Nita — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:55:53 +0000

Verizon Wireless has announced the availability of a new Mobile Broadband USB modem that features global connectivity.

Called AD3700 and made by ZTE, the modem provides access to EV-DO, GSM, GPRS, EDGE and UMTS/HSPA networks in more than 175 destinations around the world.

Compatible with Windows Vista, XP and 2000, the USB modem comes with VZAccess Manager software, allowing “easy connection management and automatic installation.”

The AD3700 global modem is priced at $79.99 with a Mobile Broadband plan for 2 years, and after a $50 mail-in rebate. Verizon will sell the modem starting tomorrow, August 14.

Via Press release

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RIM to launch BlackBerry Bluetooth watch, new Bluetooth headset?

Ilinca Nita — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:52:37 +0000

Research In Motion is best known for its smartphones, but what would you say if the Canadian company launches a Bluetooth watch?

According to a post found at BlackBerry OS, Antoine Boucher, RIM’s vice president of Accessories, has “confirmed” that they’re working on a Bluetooth watch, alongside a new Bluetooth headset codenamed Alpha 1.

Reportedly, RIM’s Bluetooth watch can be connected to a BlackBerry smartphone and receive email alerts, BlackBerry Messenger messages, SMS, and even Tweets and Facebook notifications. Moreover, the watch would allow you to transfer music and videos from you BB smartphone. Something similar to LG’s Prada Link watch, we guess.

As for the upcoming RIM Bluetooth headset, this will feature the BlackBerry logo and noise reduction technology. It might be the HS500 (pictured below), approved today by the Bluetooth SIG.

The HS500is not featured on RIM’s website, and only a few retailers are listing in as being on pre-order.

We’ll bring more on RIM’s new Bluetooth watch and Bluetooth headset as soon as new info emerges.

Via IntoMobile

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Toshiba readying fuel cell charger, 64GB SDXC memory card

Ilinca Nita — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:01:13 +0000

Toshiba, one of Japan’s largest manufacturing companies, is getting ready to release a DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell) battery charger that will be compatible with mobile phones, gaming devices, music players and other portable gadgets.

A fuel cell battery charger is considered greener than traditional chargers, due to the fact that it produces power from a reaction between water, air and methanol, while releasing negligible amounts of water vapor and carbon dioxide as by-products. Moreover, the DMFC chargers can be replenished in a matter of seconds with a new methanol cartridge.

According to NetworkWorld, the new Toshiba fuel cell battery charger will be available for purchase before September 2009. Its price is not known at the moment.

Toshiba has also announced the upcoming launch of the world’s first 64GB SDXC memory card. Unlike SDHC cards, SDXC cards can have a storage capacity between 32GB and 2 terabytes.

The 64GB SDXC memory card will be available for purchase sometime in spring 2010. At about the same time, Toshiba will launch new 16GB and 32GB SDHC cards. Similar to the 64GB SDXC card, these can provide a maximum write speed of 35MB/s, and a read speed of 60MB/s.

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Apple thinks of adding flash memory to headsets to ease new device configs

Staska — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:35:58 +0000

Remember that exciting time when you buy your new phone or media player and start playing with it? Me too.

But there’s also one problem. Through the years of using, you’ve set-up your old device to work with perfectly.

You know – things like fast dial numbers, equalizer settings, network connection passwords, bookmarks, shortcuts to various apps and functions, etc. Now you have to do all that again on a new device, which is one hugely boring task.

And then there’s that process transferring all your media collections, favorite playlists, etc; to the new handset.

Well, Apple may soon have a solution to make this process completely seamless. With the help of the headset that comes with your device.

The idea, described in the latest Apple patent application called “Data store and enhanced features for headset of portable media device “ is pretty simple and elegant.

Since most of the time you don’t really have to change the headset when you get a new device, just add some flash memory to it to store all your device settings, and, maybe, even most used media items. Then, when you get a new device, plug-in your old headset and all your settings and media items are quickly downloaded to your new phone.

And that’s about it. No manual configuration, no additional data transfers, and your new device works just as perfectly as the old one.

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Micro USB phone charger standard to be adopted next year by Nokia, Samsung, Apple and others

Ilinca Nita — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:20:48 +0000

Last time we heard about the GSMA’s universal phone charger project, it was estimated that most phones would use a standard Micro USB charger by 2012.

Now it looks like phones compatible with the new universal charger will be available in Europe as soon as next year.

According to Reuters, the European Commission announced that major telecoms companies have agreed to adopt the Micro USB solution and offer compatible products starting 2010.

The companies are: Nokia, Samsung, LG, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Apple, Research in Motion, NEC, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments.

Reportedly, the new chargers will only be compatible with data-enabled handsets, leaving out basic phones.

A new EU norm should be created soon, requiring next-gen mobile phones to use a universal Micro USB socket. This would eliminate “unwanted phone accessories”, allowing users to charge phones made by different manufacturers with the same charger.

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Verizon intros GlobalAccess plan, USB1000 Global Modem

Ilinca Nita — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:17:06 +0000

Verizon’s customers who often travel abroad should be happy to find out that the largest North American carrier has announced the USB1000 Global Modem (manufactured by Novatel Wireless), which features EV-DO Rev A and HSPA, thus being able to provide high-speed data connectivity both inside and outside the US.

The USB1000 Global Modem will be available from Verizon starting tomorrow, June 19 – the same day when AT&T and Apple are launching the iPhone 3G S.

With a 2-yr contract agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate, the USB1000 costs $149.99.

Verizon offers the USB1000 together with the GlobalAccess plan, available in two options: monthly or pay-per-use.

The monthly GlobalAccess plan can be used in 31 select destinations and costs $129.99 for 100MB, or $219.99 for 200MB per month (5GB allowance in the US and Canada is included).

Via Verizon

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Motorola Endeavor HX1 Bluetooth headset with bone conduction technology announced

Ilinca Nita — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:11:14 +0000

Motorola has just unveiled a new Bluetooth headset, the Endeavor HX1, presented as the company’s first such headset to combine “CrystalTalk noise cancellation technology with a stealth mode so you can hear and be heard in the fiercest environments.”

HX1’s stealth mode leverages on true bone conduction technology, thus allowing users to hear and be heard clearly, even in extreme noise/wind conditions.

Motorola says that the bone conduction technology used for the Endeavor HX1 is similar to that used by special military forces.

Moreover, the Multipoint technology enables users to connect the HX1 headset to more than one device.

Compatible with Bluetooth 2.1 and providing up to seven hours of talk-time, the Motorola Endeavor HX1 Bluetooth headset will be available starting July in Asia, with other markets to follow later this year.

The price of HX1 was not announced.

Via Motorola

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Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-905 – the best headset ever made?

Ilinca Nita — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:44:00 +0000

Nokia has just announced the brand new Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-905, which is presented by the company as the best headset ever made.

The BH-905 allows users to either make calls or listen to music, “with virtually any compatible phone or music device.”

It features active noise cancellation technology from Wolfson Microelectronics (plus a special switch for turning it on/off), 10 microphones (8 for canceling noise and 2 for capturing speech), a dedicated multifunction key for call management, and music/volume controls.

Here’s the BH-905 paired with the Nokia N97, which will be available this month in more than 75 countries:

The Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-905 is compatible with:

all Nokia devices that have 3.5 mm Nokia AV and 2.5 mm Nokia AV
music players, PCs and devices with standard 3.5mm jack
home stereos with standard 6.3 mm jack
airplane players

The Nokia BH-905 will be available starting August 2009. Its retail price should be of around €285 ($400).

Until then, the video promo below should give you a better idea of what the BH-905 is all about:

Via Nokia

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KTF launches mobile-controlled cleaning robot

Ilinca Nita — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:02:32 +0000

KTF, the South Korean carrier that just released the Nokia 6210s, announced the introduction of a Cleaning Robot which can be controlled via 3G mobile phones.

Built in collaboration with the Korean company Microbot, the CW100 robot – which is actually a very smart vacuum cleaner – uses video calling to send live images to your phone. By seeing what the robot sees, you can remotely control its actions, helped by your phone’s keypad.

KTF says the new robot can also be used for monitoring kids, elders or pets at home.

The CW100 bot costs 500,000 KRW ($370) and it’s sold together with a wireless data plan of 5,000 KRW ($3.7) per month – required for video calling.

Reportedly, KTF intends to export the CW100 robot to France, through a partnership with France Telecom.

Via KTF

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Cellphone energy gap widens, says Strategy Analytics

Ilinca Nita — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:26:25 +0000

According to a report issued by Strategy Analytics, the average time between charges for mobile phone users is likely to fall by 4.8% per year in the near future.

The report mentions that, in the last three years, battery capacity in handsets has increased by only 4% yearly, despite the fact that nowadays phones (and especially smartphones) need much more power than the ones we had a few years ago.

It’s said that web browsing, social networking and GPS navigation will grow “from a combined 9% of the battery budget in 2008 to 30% by 2014”. So, in case manufacturers don’t find ways to significantly increase battery lifetime, we’ll need to charge our phones more often than we do now.

(an O2 Universal Charger)

However, the future will probably bring new technologies that may be more energy-efficient.

“Strategy Analytics believes that emerging technologies, like Fuel Cells, Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP), small semiconductor process nodes and bistable displays, could eventually have a positive impact on the cell phone battery budget,” said analyst Sravan Kundojjala.

Via Press release

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Motorola T325 Bluetooth speaker unveiled

Ilinca Nita — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:44:16 +0000

Yesterday we saw Sony Ericsson announcing its first outdoor Bluetooth speaker – the MS500 – and now we’ve got news about a Bluetooth accessory that comes from Motorola.

Unlike the MS500, though, Motorola T325 was not officially announced.

However, we know that this Bluetooth speaker can also be used as an in-car hands-free system.

Further details about its features, specs or size are not known, but the T325 probably works with any Moto phone that has Bluetooth with A2DP.

Here’s what the new Motorola Bluetooth speaker looks like:

The price and release date of T325 will probably be announced by Motorola in the next few months.

Via Mobile-review

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Sony Ericsson MS500 outdoor Bluetooth speaker announced

Ilinca Nita — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:05:20 +0000

Sony Ericsson has just expanded its line-up of accessories with the MS500, which is presented by the Swedish-Japanese company as its first outdoor Bluetooth speaker.

At 113 x 83 x 45 millimeters (4.4 x 3.3 x 1.8 inches) and 155 grams, the MS500 is both small and lightweight, thus you can take it anywhere with ease.

Obviously made for the outdoor environment, the speaker comes with a splash proof shell, plus a handy strap.

You can pair with any Sony Ericsson phone that supports Bluetooth with A2DP, as well as with phones from other brands. Your handset can be used as a remote control for the speaker if you keep within a 10-meter range.

The MS500 is offered with 2 AA batteries capable of providing a playback time of up to 5 hours. Its price was not announced, but we know that it will soon be on sale in two color versions: orange with black and white with pink.

Via Sony Ericsson

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