Archive for March, 2008

If you were unimpressed with the original launch of Levi’s mobile phone then an "ultra limited edition" Red Tab version is perhaps unlikely to make you reach for your wallet.
If, however you are impressed, then you might like to know that there are only 100 available from posh Parisian retailer Colette, oh, and the price tag is 549 euros, and no, that’s not for all one hundred.

Source pocket-lint

Samsung has announced its first MediaFLO TV compatible GSM phone for AT&T, the Samsung SGH-a827 Access. The Access will be one of two devices that will be part of AT&T’s Mobile TV launch in May of this year.

Unlike most candybar feature phones on the market, the Access sports a landscape oriented, 2.3" screen to better suit the television programming that it is intended to display. On top of that, Samsung claims that the Access will offer ‘exceptional’ Mobile TV reception without the need for an external whip antenna. Even Samsung’s own SCH-u620 MediaFLO handset for Verizon Wireless requires an external antenna.

More info at mobileburn

Kodak has launched new digital picture frames in the States. Available in 10-inch and 8-inch multimedia, and 7-inch standard photo versions, the new models are the Easyshare M820, M1020 and P720.
The frames offer a new feature from Kodak, "Quick Touch Border" that claims simple operation with a touch or slide of your finger, while leaving the screen fingerprint and smudge-free.
The 16:9 aspect ratio frames are "colour-tuned to Kodak’s standards" and are available with various snap-on faceplates so you can personalise them to your’s.
Compatible with CF, SD, MMC, xD and MS memory cards, the Kodak Easyshare M820 and M1020 frames display JPEG images and MPEG1 and 4 video on their respective 8-inch and 10-inch screens, they can also play MP3 songs and have 128MB of internal memory, which Kodak claims is enough for 300 pics.
The P720 frame is the 7-inch model that loses the multimedia and CF card functionality but has a "sleek" design that means it can be wall-mounted.
USB hook up allows for PC pic transfer which is done via the bundled Kodak Easyshare Digital Display Software. A US launch just now, pricing and availablity has not yet been revealed.

Source pocket-lint

If you’re aiming for the full-on integrated home entertainment system, the final touch definitely has to be a wall-mounted touchscreen for the James Bond look. Opus has obliged, with a keypad compatible with a variety of third party lighting and smart home products as well as its Opus 500 system. Good to know there’s a certain amount of mix and match allowed, especially if you’re splashing out £490 just on the super-glorified remote control.

Source shinyshiny.

China is definitely the other place to be if you are a PMP or DAP fan. Today we stumble upon the OPPO S11, a compact sized PMP (95×58x9.9mm) with a 3” touch-screen (480×272), that supports many video codecs like AVI, DVIX, RM, XVID, DMVB and FLV. It also supports MP3 files as well as other audio codecs like the WMA, WAV, OGG, FLAC and APE.
Our device also features a FM Tuner, and provides a nice little video output function.

Source akihabaranews

Here’s another PC LCD with a digital TV tuner and an HDMI port. The LCD-DTV221 XBR has a 22” LCD monitor with a WSXGA+ resolution (1680×1050), an integrated digital TV tuner, PIP, D5, DVI HDCP, and HDMI ports, a 2.5Wx2 integrated speaker, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, and a brightness of 300cd/m2.

Source akihabaranews.

Sony has launched the MEX-BT3600U in-car CD tuner that offers a USB port on the front to plug in your USB digital music player, and A2DP Bluetooth for connecting compatible MP3 players or mobile phones through the car’s speakers with no need for wires.
There’s also a front panel AUX input that connects with the headphone output of any personal audio player.
The Bluetooth hook up means that not only can you stream music from your mobile, but that the head unit can be used for hands-free calling.
What Sony describes as a sensitive, high-quality microphone with echo cancellation technology is concealed behind the head unit’s front panel while the voice of the person on the other end is heard through the car speakers.
Complete with card-sized infrared remote, the Sony MEX-BT3600U in-car CD tuner with Bluetooth connectivity and USB will be available throughout Europe from May 2008.

Source pocket-lint

Asus has launched the "luxury high-end" ASUS U2 series that it says sets a new industry benchmark in the fusion of landmark design and powerful computing.
With design-led features, the U2 has a hand-polished stainless steel frame, with a copper etch and premium leather finish.
The notebook’s screen and keyboard joining "seamlessly" at the polished plated hinge (inspired by luxury cufflinks, apparently) while the touch pad and palm rest are positioned so users can type and navigate the cursor "in one fluid motion".
The notebook has a back-lit 11-inch LED screen and one version features a 32GB solid state drive, which means improved shock resistance.
The embedded high-res web cam has Asus’ "SmartLogon" face recognition technology that intelligently recognises the rightful owner and only grants access following a positive facial scan while data is further protected thanks to a built-in fingerprint scanner.
The U2E-1P014E in black and the U2E-1P018E in "mocha" brown are on sale now for £1199 and £1499 respectively, sample spec highlights below:
- Intel Core 2 Duo Processor ULV U7500 (1.06GHz)
- Intel Wireless Wi-Fi Link 4965AGN Network Connection
- Intel 965GM Chipset
- Genuine Windows Vista Business
- 11.1-inch (WXGA, Colour-Shine LED backlight)
- 32GB SSD+TPM (Mocha Brown)
- 1.8-inch 120GB HDD+TPM (Black)
- 4096MB (2048MB x 2) DDRII (Mocha Brown)
- 2048MB (1024MB x 2) DDRII 667 RAM (Black)
- DVD Super Multi DL
- Webcam built-in
- Bluetooth
- 802.11a/b/g/n
- Finger print security
- Bag/mouse included
- 3+6 cell battery
- 2 years global warranty

Source pocket-lint

Believe it or not this sexy concept is almost ready for the streets as is, more unbelievable than that, its from Suzuki. You read correctly, someone at Suzuki got the memo that good design just might equate to more sales and this Suzuki “Kizashi” (Kizashi means Prelude in Japanese) is seriously good design. Sporting 300 horsepower, 6-speed paddle shifters and all-wheel drive, is slightly larger than a BMW 3 series but kilometers more appealing. Taking everything they learned from their highly successful motorcycle and WRC development teams, Suzuki plans to have a not to distant variant of this very design on the street in 2010.

Designer: Suzuki

Source yankodesign

The Alpha Power battery charger from La Crosse features a LCD display. The charger defaults to a 200mA charge mode which is the optimal setting for prolonging battery life. Speaking of prolonging battery life, did you know that the ideal method to recharge a NiMH battery is the slow and steady way? Apparently fast chargers strain the batteries thus reducing their lives. But in case you are in a hurry, with the Alpha Power battery charger you can manually set it to 500, 700, 1000, 1500 or 1800mA to reduce charging times. When the battery is fully charged, this charger automatically switches to a trickle charge mode to ensure maximum battery capacity.

Alpha Power charger from La Crosse works with all NiCd and NiMH AA and AAA rechargeable batteries and you can even charge AA’s and AAA’s at the same time. The charger comes with a set of 4 AA and 4 AAA NiMH 1.2v batteries, a travel bag, an AC power adapter and adapters for converting the batteries into C or D cells. It is available at Amazon for $39.99, but at the official site it is marked for $79.99!

Source newlaunches