Gadget archive at Fun Box

Archive for the 'Gadget' Category

Jul

Opera Mobile 9.5 Beta Is Out, Bugs Included

By Global Admin 0 Comments

Categories: Gadget, News and Opera Mobile

Opera Mobile 9.5 Opera has just released the latest version of its Opera Mobile web browser for Windows Mobile, the 9.5 beta, which comes with lots of enhancements but also with several bugs (since it’s a beta version).

Opera Mobile 9.5 beta has a new user interface (UI), presented as more intuitive and cleaner than the UIs from the previous versions. Furthermore, the new browser is faster and features the following:

– support for Opera Dragonfly, which enables developers to check Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) or debug JavaScript;

– pan and zoom – full page viewing is now the browser’s default mode and users can pan and zoom into any desired area of the page(s);

– quick and easy page and image saving;

– and enhanced standards support;

“Our fans have been eager for the release of Opera Mobile 9.5 since it first appeared at the Mobile World Congress this year. We are now answering the call of the people and delivering what we proudly proclaim to be our best Opera Mobile browser to date. It is a totally new user experience,” said Jon von Tetzchner, Chief Executive Officer at Opera Software. That’s surely an enthusiastic statement, but maybe Mr. von Tetzchner should have waited until the browser gets to be released in the 9.5 final (and stable) version.

The bugs and issues that the 9.5 beta version of Opera Mobile comes with include:

– no ActiveX support – hence embedded video streaming and Flash plugins will not work;

– custom-made IMEs (input method editors) are “buggy at best, not working at worst” when Opera Mobile 9.5 beta is installed on your handset;

– in overview mode, the text will not be displayed correctly;

– when installed on a memory card, Opera Mobile 9.5 beta may cause unexpected problems (crashes, most probably);

– except English, no other language is supported.

These being said, before installing the new Opera Mobile 9.5 beta on your handset, make sure not to expect a flawless functionality. Moreover, the installation of the 9.5 beta is only recommended for advanced users and developers, since it may lead to “data loss or other unintended actions”. Thus, regular users had better wait for the final 9.5 version of the famous mobile browser.

Jul

Samsung M150 Available across Europe in August

By Global Admin 0 Comments

Categories: Gadget, News and Samsung

Besides announcing the upcoming Italian availability of the high-end i900 Omnia Pocket PC, Samsung has also recently unveiled the release of another new phone, named M150 and targeted for fashion-conscious users who don’t want to spend too much money on a mobile device.

First presented together with the J800 model, which is a slider, the new Samsung M150 comes in a simple but nice candybar case. It measures only 106.5 x 45.4 x 12.7 millimeters and brings the following features: a 1.77 inch TFT display with 65K colors and 128 x 160 pixels, dual-band GSM connectivity with GPRS (EDGE is missing), Music player (supporting MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+, e-AAC+ and RA), FM radio, WAP 2.0 browser, email capabilities, personalized ringtones, a VGA camera with video recording, speakerphone, embedded games, calendar, alarm clock, 20MB of internal memory and so on (it’s not clear yet if the phone has a microSD card slot too).

In order to attract as many users as possible, Samsung will offer the new M150 in no less than 5 color versions: Ice Blue, Pure White, Light Gray, Charcoal Gray and Lavender Pink.

The first market to get the Samsung M150 (or SGH-M150) will be Germany, where the slim candybar should be on sale starting mid-August. After that, the handset will also be released in other markets across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Apparently, mobile users from North and South America will not be able to buy the M150.

No word yet on the exact retail price of Samsung M150, but its features don’t actually qualify it for one higher than 200 Euros. With a contract agreement from some carriers, the M150 might even be offered for free, so if free handsets are your coup of tea, be sure to check out this new Samsung.

Jul

Apple Is Testing iPhone OS 2.0.1

By Global Admin 0 Comments

Categories: Gadget and iPhone

Apple Is Testing iPhone OS 2.0.1 Apache server logs have revealed that requests from phones running two distinct iPhone Software 2.0.1 builds are coming from the San Francisco Bay Area (near Apple’s Cupertino HQ) and Atlanta (where AT&T is at). It is believed that OS 2.0.1 will resolve the issues emerged with some iPhones after the 2.0 update last Friday.

AppleInsider could confirm that build 5B101 is aimed at first-generation
iPhones, while build 5B103 is targeting the new 3G device. “Although Apple began testing the updates prior to the official release of iPhone Software v2.0 on Friday, neither have made their way into the hands of iPhone developers,” the site notes.

This week, Apple Discussions has revealed that dozens of iPhone users are experiencing crippled camera applications, and some issues with the accelerometer on the new iPhone 3G, after upgrading the phone’s software. Some users claimed that, after updating, it took a full six seconds for the camera application to launch and the digital shutter to open to be able to take a photo.

“I have an original iPhone and after updating to iPhone update 2.0, my camera got noticeably slower,” a user wrote. “I would say unacceptably slower. It takes around 6 seconds to launch, 3 seconds to return to camera after viewing recent photos, and six second to take a photo after the last photo is taken!” Because of this, some users are quite disappointed by not being able to take spontaneous photos.

As for the second issue encountered after the 2.0 update, others complained of bad responsiveness on behalf of the iPhone 3G’s accelerometer: jerky responses, unintentional landscape shifts, or no response at all after the handset sleeps, are just some of the issues pointed out by AppleInsider.

“My accelerometer is also having problems,” a disappointed 3G owner wrote on Apple Discussions. “It works perfectly until the iPhone sleeps for 30 seconds or more – when it wakes the screen no longer rotates (in photos, safari, calculator, etc).” He added that “accelerometer based games behave as if the top of the phone is pointing down to the ground,” while other motions still have an effect in the same application. “…it seems to be just one of the 3 accelerometer axes that is reporting the wrong value,” the user concluded.

Apple hasn’t said a word about whether software update 2.0.1 for iPhone and iPhone 3G is even being tested, let alone mention the issues it is aimed at. Nevertheless, nasty bugs such as the ones mentioned above simply can’t be ignored, so it is safe to assume that iPhone software 2.0.1 is coming to the rescue.

Jul

Ezio Mega4, the iPhonicsson

By Global Admin 0 Comments

Categories: Gadget, News and Others

Ezio Mega4 is a brand new mobile phone that comes from South Korea but it’s not made by any of the Samsung, LG or Pantech giants. The Mega4 is manufactured by Ezze Mobile Tech, a company that we’ve heard of before, on the occasion of FCC’s approval for its SLT100 handset.

Now the FCC brings Ezze into the spotlight again, as it approved the new Ezio Mega4 too, a touchscreen phone that looks like a mix between Apple’s iPhone and a Sony Ericsson handset (the W910 Walkman slider, for example). Well, it’s not the first (and certainly not the last) time when a new device brings similarities with older ones, so I guess we shouldn’t be too surprised by this new handset.

From Ezio Mega4′s User Manual we know that the new phone features the following: TV out, Video player, Music player with auto equalizer, FM radio (with recorder but sans RDS), a 2 Megapixel camera with Flash, self-timer and video recording (no auto focus, though), Photo Editor and Photo Album, MMS capabilities, Bluetooth 1.2 , WAP browser, email, e-book reader, flight mode, Caller ID, Java MIDP 2.0, 2 embedded games, sound recorder, file manager, vCard, To Do list, calendar, calculator, alarm clock, world clock, unit converter, currency converter, stopwatch and a BMI (Body Mass Index) application.

A thing that’s not at all great about the new Esio phone is that it only features tri-band GSM connectivity (850 / 1800 / 1900 MHz) with GPRS, hence it won’t be able to provide fast data transfer speeds or an optimal Web browsing experience.

The size and resolution of Mega4′s touchscreen display is not known, nor are its weight and size or its internal memory.

Since the new Ezio has just received FCC’s blessing and it’s compatible with the North American GSM networks, the handset might soon hit the US market – although, being GPRS-only, I’m not sure how many users will be enthusiastic about it.

Jul

O2 XDA Vista – New Pocket PC from China

By Global Admin 0 Comments

Categories: Gadget, News and Others

If, for some odd reasons, you have always dreamed of having a Vista Pocket PC, your dream can now finally come true, thanks to a new mobile device named O2 XDA Vista. At first, when I stumbled upon this device, I thought that maybe O2, the well-known global mobile operator, made a fabulous deal with Microsoft in
order to use the Vista branding on a new Pocket PC from its XDA line-up.

Well, no, O2 hasn’t made any Vista deal, nor did Microsoft license the use of its latest OS (or of its name) for any mobile device on the market. The mystery behind the handset called O2 XDA Vista can be found in China, where the Pocket PC was made and where, according to IT168, it will be on sale, for retail prices of around 3,500 yuan – the equivalent of $510 or 325 Euros.

To make it clear, O2 XDA Vista has nothing to do with either the real O2 or with the real Vista. It’s just another copycat device, but one that has the “merit” of cloning and ripping off quite a lot of handsets and brands.

When closed and seen from the front, the O2 XDA Vista looks like a Nokia handset, as its navigation keys are made in such a way that they resemble the ones of an Eseries smarpthone (E90, for example). When seen from the back, the XDA Vista unveils a 3 Megapixel camera as well as the logos of O2 and Windows Vista – both put there without the consent of their true owners.

When open, the O2 XDA Vista unveils a full QWERTY keyboard, bringing in mind several HTC devices as well as the Toshiba G900. The display packed by O2 XDA Vista is a 480 x 800 pixels touchscreen one, à la Sony Ericsson Xperia X1.

What’s funny is that, although it bears the Vista name and logo, this new Chinese Pocket PC doesn’t even run on the latest Windows Mobile 6.1, but only on the 6.0 version.

The rest of the features packed in the XDA wannabe apparently include: GPS, Wi-Fi, 3G connectivity, mobile TV capabilities, Music player and an Intel XScale 520 MHz Processor.

What’s left to say is that the company that made the so-called O2 XDA Vista should seriously think not to release it on the market, as there are at least three giants that can easily accuse it of ripping off their work – O2, Microsoft and Nokia.

Jul

Sony Ericsson C905 to Bring Adventure in Your Life

By Global Admin 0 Comments

Categories: Gadget, News and Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson C905, the latest Cyber-shot handset that the Swedish-Japanese company will try to conquer the high-end market with, is now featured in a new video demo, aimed to lure “adventurous mobile
users.”

The C905 slider has already appeared in a video presentation released by Sony Ericsson, but the new one is more like a commercial, relating the handset to the daring side of life and concentrating on its photo camera and GPS capabilities.

C905′s camera seems to be one of the best ever integrated into a mobile phone, as it brings 8.1 Megapixels, Xenon flash, auto focus, face detection, image stabilizer, geotagging, smart contrast, red eye reduction and video recording. Besides this and the built-in GPS, the handset also features: a scratch-resistant 2.4 inch TFT display with 240 x 320 pixels and 262K colors, Wi-Fi, Music and Video players, stereo Bluetooth (A2DP included), TV out, FM radio with, email, NetFront browser, Instant Messaging and quad-band GSM connectivity plus HSDPA.

The C905 weighs 125 grams and, when closed, it measures 103 x 55 x 18 millimeters – maybe a bit too thick, but we’ve seen thicker sliders before (Nokia’s N95 8GB, for example).

Although lots of mobile users can hardly wait to get their hands on the new C905, Sony Ericsson will only release the Cyber-shot flagship in the fourth quarter of the year, most probably starting October, in three color versions: Ice Silver, Night Black and Copper Gold. The official retail price of C905 was not announced, but it should be around 500 Euros ($790) in the first months of availability. After that, the price will most probably become more affordable, as it happens with most phones a while after their initial release.

Until October, enjoy the C905 video:

Jun

What Your Future Phone Will Do (Part 2)

By Global Admin 0 Comments

Categories: Gadget, Innovation, News and Others

Your future phone will do the following, some of these features are available now, but your future phone is definitely going to perform all these features. What a gadget!

Wireless Charging

Tired of negotiating a tangle of wires to charge your cell? Boulder, Colo.-based Wildcharge makes a flat panel built to charge phones resting on its surface. Currently, phones need a special adapter to connect the plate’s charge with their battery, but Wildcharge hopes to integrate its technology directly into cellphones in the coming year. Another company, Pittsburgh-based Powercast, is working on an even more impressive feature: Using the small amount of energy transmitted in radio waves, it hopes to charge a phone placed near its devices without even making contact.

Alternative Energy

Another way to take the pain out of charging your phone: tapping into natural energy sources to extend the power of your handset. Phone makers including Motorola and Nokia are researching ways to use solar power, fuel cells and kinetic energy. Batteries aren’t going away anytime soon, says Motorola’s Jerry Hallmark. But alternative energy is a practical way to provide an “instant refuel” to your phone through a built-in application or a plug-in accessory.

4G Networks

To power all these advanced features, phones will rely on speedy 4G networks, which will roll out across the world over the next few years. Whether based on technology called WiMax or LTE, these 4G networks will enable faster Web browsing, more reliable streaming video and, possibly, lower connection costs for consumers.

Touch-Free Motion Sensing

For your phone to be a “magic wand,” it needs to be able to detect motion. A handful of current phones from the iPhone to Sony Ericsson and Nokia models already do this. So do phones powered by “shake, rock and roll” technology from a California firm called GestureTek. In the future, motion sensing won’t even require you to touch your phone. Simply make the motions in the air; your phone’s camera will read your commands. The best part? No fingerprints to wipe off later.

Source: Forbes.com

Jun

What Your Future Phone Will Do (Part 1)

By Global Admin 0 Comments

Categories: Gadget, Innovation, News and Others

Your future phone will do the following, some of these features are available now, but your future phone is definitely going to perform all these features. What a gadget!

Video Chat

We’ve dreamed of two-way video conferencing ever since AT&T debuted its Picturephone at the 1964 World’s Fair (and probably long before). But video calling is a bandwidth hog–and that means real-time chatting remains a dream for U.S. cellphone users for now. The advent of WiMax, a speedy fourth-generation (4G) wireless technology, should change this in the next few years.

Phone As A Magic Wand

In the future, your phone may also be the device that ties together your other gadgets. Think of it as a remote control that can transfer files and activate or shut off other devices with a shake or swing of your arm.

Mobile Payments

Cellphone manufacturers like to say that your phone is the object aside from your wallet that you’re least likely to leave home without. So why not combine the two? In fact, carriers Mobilkom in Austria and NTT Docomo in Japan already allow users to make small purchases by swiping their cellphone across a sensor. The technology has yet to catch on in the U.S., but credit card companies including Visa and MasterCard are experimenting with similar phone-based payment systems.

Video Projectors

One constraint on the utility of phones has been their tiny screens. The solution of companies including 3M, Texas Instruments and Redmond, Wash.-based Microvision is to install projectors into handsets. Equipped with what these companies call “pico projectors,” cellphones can expand their displays to fill the nearest white wall or desktop. Microvision’s plans to sell pico projectors in 2009, while 3M may install them in Samsung phones as soon as late 2008.

Unfolding Screens

If projected screens seem too science fictional, the Dutch company Polymer Vision offers a product that hints at a more practical solution. The company’s Readius cellphone, announced last January, offers a flexible folding screen. Wrapped around its core, the gadget is no larger than a typical cellphone. Unfolded, the Readius sports a five-inch electronic ink screen. While that’s only slightly larger than an iPhone, it may foreshadow bigger foldable screens resembling a digital broadsheet newspaper.

Source : Forbes.com

Jun

Motorola ROKR E8

By Global Admin 0 Comments

Categories: Gadget and Motorola

Giving consumers the best of both worlds, ROKR E8 is both a talented MP3 player that makes great phone calls and a mobile phone with amazing music capabilities. The first device to feature Motorola’s breakthrough ModeShift technology stole the spotlight at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), taking home top awards from leading consumer technology media.

TRANSFORMING THE MUSIC EXPERIENCE

Motorola designed ROKR E8 to deliver an uncompromised consumer experience for music or talk. Using breakthrough ModeShift technology from Motorola, the quad-band GPRS/EDGE device presents users with only the controls they need, at the time they need them, instantly transforming from music player to phone to imaging device with the touch of a button. Simply move a thumb across the FastScroll navigation wheel to search for music (music mode), contacts (phone mode), calendar (phone mode) and multimedia (imaging mode). A perfect blend of art and science, the face of the E8 is a sleek, seamless panel that features the first haptic touch pad from Motorola, which provides vibrating, tactile feedback when the user touches virtual buttons.

LIBERATE YOUR MUSIC LIBRARY

ROKR E8 is designed for music. The device enables the ultimate freedom in loading songs from multiple sources and is compatible with standard connectors, software and accessories. Compatibility with Windows™ Media Player™ 11 on the PC allows users to easily transfer their favorite music onto the device, access to more than 200 online music stores and simple drag-and-drop organizing of songs, artists, albums and playlists. Discovering and downloading new music has never been easier with the ROKR E8′s built-in FM radio (optional 3.5mm headphones must be plugged in) and the Song ID feature that recognizes and displays tune information². Share music with friends over the built-in speaker, break free from wires with stereo Bluetooth® wireless technology³, or use a favorite set of standard stereo wired headphones using the 3.5 mm headset jack.

Summary of key ROKR E8 features:
• ModeShift technology transforms the device from phone to music player with the touch of a button
• Innovative haptics technology provides tactile response when a virtual key is pressed
• FastScroll navigation wheel allows for scrolling through thousands of songs with the slide of a thumb
• Patented CrystalTalk™ technology delivers outstanding call clarity even in noisy environments
• Windows™ Media Player™ 11 compatibility enables easy transfer of tunes from the PC to the device(1)
• Includes pre-loaded music tracks and album art from Interpol, The Starting Line and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Jun

Samsung Instinct

By Global Admin 0 Comments

Categories: Gadget, News and Samsung

Samsung and Sprint have collaborated together on a touchscreen handset that could finally give the iPhone some decent competition. The Samsung Instinct is an EV-DO Rev.A handset with GPS and access to Sprint TV, together with a 2-megapixel camera with video recording, Bluetooth 2.0 and microSD storage supporting up to 8GB cards. However the interface deserves some attention too, with haptic feedback, single-touch access to favourite functions.

Samsung Instinct, exclusively available from Sprint, has a high-tech look with large, vibrant touch screen featuring localized tactile feedback, called haptics, which allow the virtual QWERTY keypad and other operations to become a sensory experience. The device also offers a Voice to Action button providing many functions using voice activation including call, text, picture messaging, traffic, movie, sports, news and search.

“Instinct brings customers what they want with the immediacy they want. Every decision during the development process focused on simplifying the user experience,” said John Garcia, senior vice president of Product Development and chief marketing officer for Sprint. “The end result is a great looking phone that makes the value of Sprint’s fast NOW Network come to life, but most importantly, it is fun and easy to use.”