ASUS's latest laptop computer bound for the Japanese consumer market not only has nice specs, but also a great feel compliments of the premium textured cowhide leather.
The top board and palm rests feature the premium leather, while the rest of the computer is made of standard plastic and metal. The leather gives this computer a nice little extra touch, and makes it stand out from the crowd.
The ASUS W6Fp will come pre-installed with Windows Vista, and is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 (1.83Ghz) processor. It features a nice 13.3-inch widescreen LCD display, an Intel 845GM Express chipset with integrated graphics, a 120GB hard drive, and 1GB RAM standard. You can optionally upgrade the RAM to 1.5GB for a little extra cost. The ASUS W6Fp also features a super multi-DVD burner, three USB ports, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, and IEE1394. The battery life is estimated to be between 2.7 and 4.8 hours.
This new laptop is expected to be be bound for the Japanese market, with an availability date of January 30th. The cost of the ASUS W6Fp laptop is 249,800 Yen, or roughtly $2,073 USD.
CSR, a manufacture of Bluetooth chips, is planning to introduce a single chip that combines both Bluetooth and GPS technology. CSR recently bought two companies (NordNav and Cambridge Positioning Systems), and plans to combine their GPS software with CSR's Bluetooth software. CSR belives that by combining the two technologies into one chip, they can help save on space and power, as well as cost. The new chips are expected to cost only $1 more than current Bluetooth chips.
CSR also thinks that the combined Bluetooth/GPS solution will work better indoors, as well as in urban canyons. Currently, Nokia, Panasonic, and Samsung use Bluetooth chips, so we may see GPS popping up on more phones in the future as the new chip is utilized. Nokia has already started including GPS, although not with this new chip.
Rumors abound regarding the new Nokia E61i business class mobile phone, which features a similar design to that of the Nokia E61. The E61i model, however, features a new shortcut button arrangement and has more of a metallic-like feel to it. The Nokia E61i will support EDGE, GPRS, and the UTMS network. Other features of the phone include a WLAN module and a MicroSD card slot. The device is expected to be formally announced at the upcoming 3GSM event happening next month. For now, these pictures will have to hold you over.
Sony mobile phone fans in Japan will be pleased with their latest annoucement of the Sony Ericsson SO903iTV phone which will be available for NTT DoCoMo users in Japan only.
The new phone features a beautiful 3-inch Bravia LCD screen with 240x432 resolution and the ability to produce a 16:9 ratio picture.
Other neat features of the phone area 2 megapixel camera, built-in FeliCA, GPS, 3G roaming, and a document viewer. You can also use the Sony Ericsson SO903iTV to receive their mobile TV service, as well as record the video to phone's internal memory or a microSD memory card.
Hitachi has introduced a new line of Hybrid Camcorders, which allow consumers to shoot and capture many hours of video directly to the built-in hard drive without changing discs or tapes or running out of space.
To make these videos useable however, you need a way to transfer them easily to a DVD. Hitachi has made transfering videos saved to the hard drive to DVD easy. With just the push of a button, you can transfer to DVD right in the camcorder, making the Hitachi Hybrids the first and only camcorders in the world that have this feature.
With the Hitachi Hybrid DVD+HDD camcorders, consumers can record up to 23 hours of video, and dub a highlight reel with just one button. This allows you to completely bypass the PC. In this line of new hybrid camcorders are the DZH500A and the DZHS300A.
The DZH500A allows you to record to various formats, including the hard drive, as well as DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, and DVD+RW. It also features a 30GB hard drive, 30x optical zoom, and a SD memory card slot. It will be available in April for $800.The DZHS300A features an 8GB hard drive, 25x optical zoom, and a SD memory slot. This model is available for puchase now at the price of $600. For such great features and large storage, these are great prices.
Those in attendance at CES last week got a sneak peek at HandHeld Entertainments new ZVUE 260 Personal Media Player, its entry-level next generation media player. The ZVUE is comparable to the Video iPod in size, at 4.16- X 2.4- X 0.5-inches and 3.93 ounces.
The ZVUE 260 features a 2.5-inch active matrix TFT backlit screen and supports videos running at up to 30 frames per second (fps) at resolutions of up to 320X240 pixels. The ZVUE 260 is also the first ZVUE player to feature a built-in audio speaker. The ZVUE will have SD memory storage capabilities, and will have at least two different SD memory configurations upon official launch.
The device is powered by a lithium-ion battery, and is compatible with Windows Media Player 10 with Microsoft's secure Digital Rights Management (DRM). The ZVUE 206 will support both Windows Media Video (WMV) and Windows Media Audio (WMA) formats, as well as other video, audio and image formats.
The ZVUE 260 is expected to be available in mid-2007. Final pricing has not yet been decided on, although it has been suggested that the entry level model be made available for $99 retail.
If waiting six months or a year to get your hands on an iPhones seems like too much to bear, then some clever programmers may have just what you need to whet your appetite for a little while - iPhone style skins for your Windows Mobile or Palm OS device. Currently being distributed over the internet through various technology-related websites, blogs, and forums, the iPhone skins are catching on fast.
While the iPhone skin does not add any new functionality to these devices, it does give it a fresh, new updated look in the style of the Apple iPhone. Unfortunately, as fast as the word and the skins are spreading, the Apple lawyers are asking website owners to take them down, citing copyright issues and the potential to create confusion. That's funny. So it is okay for Apple to use the copyrighted name "iPhone", but not for users to create a skin for existing phones based off the iPhone's user interface design? When it comes to copyright issues, perhaps they should practice what they preach.
If you're looking to snag the hot new skins, you might want to do a few Google searches. As I said, many of the links and images are going dead soon after they are put up, but enough people are re-uploading it that you should be able to find it somewhere.
If you're curious about how this whole skin thing works, take a peek at this video from YouTube that shows a Windows Mobile iPhone-skinned device:
Wirefly.com is a leading online retailer of mobile phones (and accessories) and wireless service plans. They offer more carriers, plans, and cell phones than any other online store that I thus far come across. It also seems to be pretty easy to find what you need. You can search by carrier, phone, or service plan to find the best deals for what you want or need.
Carriers that they include are T-Mobile, Cingular, Virgin Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, Alltel, Nextel, US Cellular, Amp'd Mobile, Disney Mobile, and more. Pre-paid mobile choices include T-Mobile To Go, Virgin Mobile, Cingular Go Phone, and Liberty Wireless.
Wirefly is so confident that you'll enjoy your phone purchase through them that they offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee. If you order any phone, PDA/Smartphone, or wireless card with a new wireless plan and don't like it, Wirefly will swap it for another model or refund you the entire purchase price. Each purchase also includes free return shipping, so if you don't like it you can return it without any cost to yourself.
If you're in the market for a new mobile phone, check out Wirefly for the biggest selection of phones and plans. You're sure to find something to suit you.
* SiRF Star III GPS receiver
* Omni directional antenna
* supports 20-channel all-in-view tracking accuracy
* LED shows GPS signal fix or searching
* Supply OS: pocket PC 2002/2003, Win CE 5.0, Palm OS 4.X, 5.X
Not sure if your breath stinks so bad that you'd scare off your date if you went in for a kiss? Then make sure you've picked up the new Kiss Me device, which will inform you of whether or not you need to get yourself a breathmint or some mouthwash.
To use the Kiss Me device you do not need to kiss it. Rather, all you have to do is turn it on, wait for it to calibrate, and then blow into it for a few seconds. The sensors inside will react negatively to Hydochloric Acid, Hyrdogen Sulfide, cigarette and onion and garlic odors. It has five levels of results.
The device measures 4.3cm x 2.5cm x 0.85cm, which is perfectly small enough to use as a cell phone charm (as shown in the picture). The Kiss Me device will be available soon for purchase for about $20 to $30.
Samsung's E420 mobile phone that was initially available in Europe and Asia in pearl white is now being released in a black and red design. It has a 0.3 megapixel camera, 65k colors screen, and basic phone functions. It lacks Bluetooth and IrDA connection, and the only way to download ringtones and games is via GPRS. With these kinds of features, this seems to be a phone suited for those who just want basic phoning capabilities as it lacks many of the high-tech features found on many of today's hottest phones.
* High Performance Personal Information Manager
* Hands-Free Speaker-Phone with 40 channel polyphonic speaker
* Speaker Independent Voice Dial
* Cursive Handwriting Recognition (Chinese only)
* Bluetooth wireless technology™* with support for the following profiles: HSP, HFP, PAN, GOEP, A2DP, AVRCP, BIP, BPP, and DUN
* Integrated FM Radio (use of wired headset required)
* RealPlayer Media Player Supporting Audio Codecs: MP3, XMF, WMA v9, AAC+, WAV and more
* MicroSD™ Card slot for up to 2GB of optional expandable memory
* Integrated 2MP camera with digital zoom and macro mode
* Video Capture/Playback/Streaming* support for MPEG4 and H.263 formats
* Downloading* capabilities for wallpapers, vocal ringtones, screensavers, video clips, games, etc.
* Multimedia Messaging Service* for sending images with attached voice notes
* Instant Messaging via IM* Wireless Village
* Motorola ClearTalk™ technology
* Email support* for: SMTP; POP3; IMAP4; CMCC Mail
Recently featured at the CES last week, the Innowell UREN ultra mobile PC functions as both a UMPC, as well as a car navigation system. In fact, it is the world's first 7-inch mobile auto PC.
The UREN runs off of the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and includes a 1.8-inch 30GB HDD, 256 internal memory, a lithium-ion battery, and a 7-inch WVGA TFT LCD display. Size wise, it is 192x120.5x22mm and weights 695g.
The UREN is a multi-functional mobile device that support GPS Navigation, DMB, PMP, MP3, PDA and Tablet PC. More information on the device can be found on the company's website (note: the website is Korean).
With the name Blackberry Pearl, you'd have expected the intial phone to be a pearly white color, right? Well, Blackberry decided to launch it in the color black.
Last week, images surfaced of the new white Blackberry, with some skeptics wondering if it was a customized job. But now, it has been revealed that the white Blackberry Pearl is in fact an official release. The white Blackberry Pearl is now available through T-Mobile. It is expected to cost about $150 with a two-year agreement.
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