Gadget Mind

Chrome Pen

2011-10-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

As digi-painting application technology expands, so does the need for digital artistry tools. The Chromopen concept makes choosing colors for matte-painting a cinch. The user simply points and shoots the Chromopen’s built-in camera to catch colors directly from the scene they’re painting, simultaneously broadening their understanding of color tones. Genius!

Bose Headphones

2011-10-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

With the rise in popularity of Dr. Dre’s Beats, audio company Bose saw a niche they weren’t capitalizing on – the cohort of kids who aren’t afraid of paying $229 for a pair of wildly overpriced headphones. Their reaction? To create and sell a pair of lightweight, over-ear headphones for the cool crowd for $149.

Called the OE2s, these headphones feature comfortable memory foam earcups and support hands-free calling with an optional mic/phone control system.
These are half the cost of a pair of Bose QuietComforts, making them sort of a gateway drug to Bose products for a younger generation.

I’m a big fan of Bose QuietComforts for flying – there’s something calming about being able to cut out the engine and plane noise – so I’ll allow you guys to argue the value of Bose vs. everything else in the comments below.
I’ll just add that these things are designed as a lighter alternative to full-sized Bose cans and, if history is our guide, the distinct lack of specs on the product page suggests that the price point and styling are what’s really being sold here.

Bone Noise BRS - Sexy And Function Efficiently

2011-10-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

weird but sexy.
This is evident from these earpieces are created by Jae-sik Kim.
as if there was a green snake crossed your ears.
kidding, hehe ..

we will see the benefits.
There are three main advantages to using bone conduction technology for headphones: ear-free device, higher voice clarity in noisy environments and the perception of stereo sound.

By using the BRS (Bone Conduction System of Short Wave Radio), with a green light and all the pretty sexy!
Sports chic design, this bone conduction earpiece looks fun and function efficiently with minimal controls.

so, easy caecal i do use it.
Just be careful if your friend was surprised to see your ears completely green.

Look :BONE NOISE

LEAF TIE - Make Your Home Like Forest

2011-10-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

Never thought to see leaf buds cable located inside your home.
especially visible on the desk or near your computer.
this is The Leaf tie.

The artificial cables all around us make a more dark and cold environment.
The Leaf tie takes the cables and wraps the cables while bringing life to a dull area.
It serves the dual purpose of design and efficiency.

The Leaf tie is easy to use. It is simply used in the same manner as the cable-tie. All you have to do is wrap the Leaf Tie around the loose cables.
The design of the Leaf tie makes the cables look like wrapped twigs. For young children or people that live in the city that tire from the artificially modern environment, the Leaf tie can for a short while let them experience a hint of nature.

The cables were always exposed among the complicated buildings or the buildings in the quiet rural alleys.
By using the leaf tie you can feel sympathy for the blossom sprout and when strung together in subways underground, were light can’t reach, you get a brief sense of nature and life.
Beyond simple beauty, the leaf ties can carry a meaning such as the yellow safety ribbons tied to oak trees.
Exhibiting the leaf ties can be used to start an awareness movement directed toward an issue called “Green Environment & Safe Earth”.

Look: LEAF TIE

The Your Magnet

2011-10-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

Magnets, what do you think ..
toy with a U shape and can attract metals like iron ..
Do it.??
maybe like this one.

The Your Magnet connect you and me with a strong appeal, not as a magnetic attraction between poles N and S poles, but as the relationship between humans or between humans / non-human

Memory products like the iPhone or iPod usually must be kept away from magnets because of all the MP3 files you have can be removed by the magnetic properties.
Except this, however, there is no problem even if the device is contacted by the 'Your Magnet'.
This is because they are bound by the influence of magnets, but no suction plate.

The Your Magnet is a new type of lamp that can be attached to mobile devices like iPhones, iPods and mobile devices.
The angle can be adjusted freely by being built or placed in the rear.
It is fun and convenient to watch movies or video clips at home or at work, internet browsing, or using the application.
Also, take a more stable if your finger is placed along the magnet room.
As I lay down, you can easily send a text message to your loved one or friend.

These two features from different angles and adjusting a stable grip is not all. 'You can attach magnets to make razors or small props hanging in the bathroom mirror or a small peg to hang in the kitchen.
As portable, you can take it anywhere / anytime, or anywhere. This not only creates an interesting idea, but it also serves as a useful item.

Look : Your Magnet

Lenovo - The Miniature QWERTY KeyBoard

2011-10-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

Choosing keyboard the right one can actually be more difficult than picking the perfect desktop counterpart.
Every feature on a HTPC keyboard is usually scaled down so ergonomic and usability are a concern.
This niche category have already gone through several generations of redesigns so we are expecting this latest mini keyboard from Lenovo to be near perfect.

An upgrade to the popular Lenovo Multimedia Remote with Keyboard N5901, this enhanced version gives you more function and fun.
Now you can control your PC with a palm-sized wireless and backlit keyboard! There are no drivers to install.
Simply plug in the USB nano dongle and you are ready to go.
With the 2.4GHz radio frequency, you can control your PC as far as 30 feet away.

The miniature QWERTY keyboard, called Enhanced Multimedia Remote with Backlit, is the second generation of the original version shipping since 2009.
While the two share a similar paddle shape, the most notable addition to this iteration is backlighting which naturally makes everything so much easier when touch-typing isn't a possibility.

Also, the trackball is replaced by an optical finger navigation.
One of the main complaints of the original design is the lack of an easy way to scroll so Lenovo came up with a touch-sensitive slide bar for this model.
There's a one-inch long area along the dashed line that is slightly raised below the trackpoint.
This is where you can can do vertical scrolling.
The Lenovo wants just $51.99 ....

Look : Lenovo Multimedia Remote

Pandigital SuperNova - eReader in Android tablet

2011-10-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

The company’s latest device made the FCC this week, and brought some photos and a user manual along for
the ride.
It’s called the Pandigital SuperNova, and it’s described as a Tablet eReader, so it looks like Pandigital is embracing its Android side.

The utmost in value and performance, the Pandigital SuperNova is a light and easy-to-carry multimedia tablet, powered by Android™, perfect for at home or on the go.
Within the sleek design is the performance power to deliver seamless interactivity to countless features.

Take photos and capture videos.
Listen and download your favorite music.
Connect effortlessly with your social networks. Access and manage your email. Browse the full interactive internet with full Flash support.
Download and play the hottest games.
Then Bring the entertainment direct to your living room with the power of HDMI.

With direct access to the Barnes and Noble eStore your world is open to over two million books, newspapers and magazines to read or lend.
And, with the power of Android™, browse thousands of applications perfect for your interests with instant access to the GetJar App market.

Firmware Updates are now simple!
The Nova Media Tablet features a Firmware Update application located directly on the device which will prompt you when a new firmware update is available.
It also allows you to update your device immediately over Wi-Fi! Keep your tablet up-to-date each time your device notifies you of an available firmware update.

Other hardware details include a 1Ghz single-core processor, an onboard micro-HDMI port and Bluetooth 2.1. Internal storage is 4GB with a free MicroSD slot for expansion.
Pandigital doesn’t have Google’s blessing for any of their tablet offerings, so users will have to make do with the GetJar alternative app store.
A few built-in apps like Barnes & Noble’s ebook store, YouTube and Adobe Flash help spruce up the Gingerbread operating system before owners download anything new. According to Pandigital’s press release, the SuperNova will be available in mid-October at retail locations across the US.

The tablet features an 8 inch, 600 x 800 pixel capacitive touchscreen display and runs Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
It has 4GB of storage, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, HDMI output, a built-in mic and stereo speakers, and a mini USB port.
There’s a front facing 0.3 MegaPixel camera and a rear 3 MegaPixel camera.
It measures 6.25″ x 8.5″ and features a 12.6 Whr battery.

If you’re looking for a cheap, hack-friendly tablet, the Barnes & Noble Nook Color is just $20 more and the solid HTC Flyer now provides a full Gingerbread tablet with access to the Android Market for $299.
If you’re dead set on a cheap tablet and you’ve got some spare patience, Amazon’s Kindle Fire will release in just over a month for only $199.

Look : Pandigital SuperNova

HIOD One - Cyclists Communicator On The Road

2011-10-06T07:17:00.000-07:00

Discover a brand new cycling experience with HIOD One.
helping you to stay safe, focused and connected on the road.
HIOD One is the first sports communicator that provides an instant link to your friends, phone calls and music.
The slim and intuitive design combined with advanced sound processing makes HIOD One safe and easy to use when focus matters.

HIOD One system appears to consist of three components.
A handlebar mounted control unit that features a high contrast OLED display.
A unit of sound used in the rider's arm, and a wireless microphone that attaches to the chin strap on their helmets.
They all talk to each other via Bluetooth, allowing you to easily communicate with other riders while still watching the road.

And because the system does not rely on BT, can also place and receive calls from your cell phone, or streaming music without you ever having to operate it manually.

Stay in touch and enjoy the soundtrack of your ride.
HIOD One helps you to make and receive phone calls and to stream music while cycling.
These functions can be voice activated if supported by the mobile phone, providing freedom without loosing focus or compromising your safety.

And for the price and availability??

It seems the company behind HIOD One is still looking for distributors and dealers to sell them.
So it could be a while before you can get your hands on it.

Look : HIOD One

Samsung Series 7 Laptop

2011-09-27T05:12:00.000-07:00

Samsung Series 7 laptop - Now, it appears that svelte, quad-core notebook's ready to flood the mass marketplace.
Up for pre-order on Best Buy, Sammy's 4G WiMAX-enabled entry for the "design conscious" will cost you about $880 -- already chopped down from its near $1,000 price tag.

For that handful of Benjamins, you can look forward to a 2.2GHz Core i7-2675QM, a 1600 x 900 HD matte display, 750GB of storage, 6GB of DDR3 RAM, a couple of USB 3.0 ports, an optical disk drive and Windows 7 Home pre-installed.
If you were hoping to get your game on, then we'd advise you to hold out for the company's other Series 7 family member slated to hit this fall. You can get a head start on the anorexic goods by hitting up the source link below.

ARROWS Z - Waterproof Android Phone With Wimax and 13MP Camera

2011-09-27T05:09:00.000-07:00

Fujitsu - Toshiba may be bowing out of its mobile joint venture with Fujitsu, but not without bestowing this Gingerbread-munching flamingo upon the Japanese market.

The Wimax-enabled Arrows Z ISW11F, unveiled today by Japan's KDDI au, is juiced by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, sports a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 LCD and, most notably, rocks a 13 megapixel CMOS sensor. It also features a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and supports 1080p video, along with your standard suite of 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities. Oh, and to top it all off, it's waterproof, too.

The device comes with the following features:

Android 2.3.5
4.3-inch LCD display with 1,280×720 resolution
Wimax
Wi-fi IEEE802.11b/g/n (tethering is possible)
waterproof body
13MP CMOS camera (Exmor R for mobile, ISO25600)
1.3MP sub camera
1080p video recording
dual-core TI OMAP4430 CPU (1.2GHz)
1GB RAM
8GB ROM
HDMI interface, microSDHC card slot (32GB max.), microUSB port
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
infra-red
e-wallet function
digital TV tuner
GSM, CDMA
size: 64×128×10.1mm, weight: 131g

No word yet on pricing, but KDDI plans to bring this bubblegum to the Japanese market sometime in November.

Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0 And 4.0 Release October

2011-09-27T04:59:00.000-07:00

Samsung has just announced that its long-awaited (and long-delayed) Galaxy Player 4.0 ($229) and 5.0 ($269) will be available for pre-order starting September 27th, with US availability pegged for October 16th.
Oddly enough, Samsung gave no reason behind the once-spring, now-autumn pushback, but at least we can finally stop wondering and instead start enjoying the spoils of an (almost) Galaxy Note-sans-phone. (Not like we haven't heard a similar tune before).

All that aside, the Player 5.0 and 4.0 weigh in at 6.4 and 4.2 ounces, respectively, and both are powered by Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread); other specs include 802.11b/g/n, WVGA Super Clear LCDs (800 x 480), Bluetooth 3.0, 8GB of onboard storage, a microSD expansion slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, voice recorder, mini-USB connectivity, front and rear cameras and support for Sammy's Media Hub content service.
The big fellow gets a 2,500mAh battery, whereas its little(r) brother is equipped with a 1,200mAh cell. (Psst... you can catch our hands-on with these here and here.)

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 is available for pre-sale right now, with shipments to hit retail on October 2nd.
You'll be laying down $469 for the 16GB model, while a doubling of capacity will run you $100 more.

Need a refresher on this one, too? How's about a WXGA (1,280 x 800) touchpanel, dual-core T250S processor, 6,100mAh battery, sub-one pound weight, DLNA compatibility, a 3 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front-facing camera, integrated Swype / Polaris Office and even a few amenities for those in the enterprise -- things like full support for Exchange ActiveSync (v14), on-device encryption, Cisco VPN, Sybase MDM and WebEx support. Best of all, the inbuilt FindMyMobile service allows users to track their lost / stolen Tab 8.9 down on a map as it moves, remotely lock the device to prevent unauthorized access and delete personal information stored on the device. Head on past the break for the full release.

Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0 And 4.0

HTC's Amaze 4G for T-Mobile

2011-09-27T04:50:00.000-07:00

HTC Amaze 4G - While other carriers gear up for the upcoming iPhone 5, T-Mobile today introduced a trifecta of 4G products poised to take advantage of the carrier’s 20 Mbps-plus network speeds.

Two smartphones, the Android Gingerbread-running HTC Amaze 4G and the Samsung Galaxy S II, along with a hotspot, the Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot, were introduced at the Mobilize 2011 conference.
The HTC Amaze 4G is all about the camera. It has 8 megapixels, 1080p HD video recording capabilities, a backside illuminated sensor and a dual LED flash.

Touting zero shutter lag, it also comes with some proprietary digital camera features like SmartShot, which takes five photos and creates a composite for the “best” shot and PerfectPics, which creates a separate album of best photos based on qualities such as general picture sharpness and the presence of faces.

And we know all about the Samsung Galaxy S II, but the T-Mobile flavor is slightly different than Sprint’s Epic 4G Touch version. T-Mobile’s Galaxy S II will be NFC enabled, with a 1.5 GHz dual core Snapdragon processor.
The 4.52-inch display, HDMI out and most other features remain largely unchanged.

T-Mobile’s Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot, built by Huawei, can support up to five Wi-Fi devices and is small, weighing in at only 3.88 ounces. It has an SD card slot so you can share photo and video content with anyone who is also connected to the hotspot. An OLED screen on the device displays stats like network strength and battery level.

T-Mobile could soon be the only carrier not to offer Apple’s iPhone, so the company has instead decided to boost its 4G and Android offerings. It’s a smart move, as Android is iOS’s biggest competitor for now. In March, AT&T announced intentions to buy T-Mobile and merge their networks into one conglomerate. The move was recently blocked by the Justice Department, much to the joy of competing carriers (and many T-Mobile subscribers).

As the “anti-iPhone” carrier, it could also be smart of T-Mobile to embrace Windows Phone 7 and its upcoming Mango update. With Nokia’s hardware and software teams firmly behind Microsoft and a slew of new devices in the works, the critically acclaimed fledgling OS could take off come 2012. But so far it seems that AT&T has embraced that role a bit more, offering three Mango-specific smartphones that will debut this fall.

The HTC Amaze 4G will be available starting Oct. 10 and will cost $260 with a two-year contract.
The Galaxy S II will run you $230 when it lands Oct. 12. The Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot hasn’t been officially priced yet, but it will also be available in October.

Buffalo DriveStation Axis Velocity and MiniStation Extreme

2011-09-27T04:42:00.000-07:00

The MiniStation Extreme and DriveStation Axis Velocity aren't exactly ground breaking products, but they're certainly nice additions to Buffalo's lineup of USB 3.0-packing storage solutions.
The Axis Velocity is a pretty standard external drive for a desktop, with platters inside it spinning at 7,200 RPM. What sets it apart from a good chunk of the crowd is the 256-bit AES hardware encryption, which is tough enough to meet even the government's stringent security standards.

The MiniStation Extreme goes truly portable and rugged -- for those who have a tendency to drop things or hit them with a hammer.
The MiniStation ships in 500GB and 1TB capacities for $95 and $130 respectively, while the Axis Velocity starts at $95 for the 1TB model and goes up to $135 for 2TB and $180 for three. Check out the gallery below and the complete PR after the break.

LG Cinema 3D Glasses - For Four Eyed Moviegoers

2011-09-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

For a spectacle wearer, 3-D movies are a no-go zone.
Even if the filthy, crappy 3-D glasses provided by the local movie-house were instead clean and awesome, they’d still be impossible to wear over your own specs.
LG has come to the rescue with an updated version of that 1970s style staple — clip-on, flip-up shades.

The passive glasses use even more 1970s tech to do their work. Polarized lenses let differently polarized light into the left and right eyes.
This passive 3-D was found in a recent study to be superior to active 3-D, in televisions at least.

The best thing about these glasses, apart from the fact that wearing them will inspire you to grow a mustache, is the price: At $20, you might just want to buy them and use them as actual clip-on sunglasses.

Samsung Omnia W - Super AMOLED and1.4GHZ processor

2011-09-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

Samsung just took the wraps off its Omnia W, which looks like a non-US variant of the Focus Flash we've already heard about via AT&T.
The handset will debut in Italy and start spreading across the Old World and Latin America from next month.

It'll sport Windows Phone 7.5 out of the box, a 3.7-inch 800x480 Super AMOLED display, 1.4GHz processor, VGA webcam on the front and rear 5MP shooter with 720p video recording.
We expect it'll go head-to-head with HTC's 3.8-inch Radar when the War of the Mangoes finally kicks off.

Canvio - extends USB 3.0

2011-09-26T07:10:00.000-07:00

Monday morning is hardly the time for philosophical questions, but here's one anyway: should manufacturers refresh product lines if they're not adding anything new?

Toshiba's Canvio 3.0 external HDDs announced today have pretty much identical specs to the Canvio 3.0 Plus drives already available on Amazon: capacities from 500GB to 1TB, prices from $90 to $140 and the inclusion some cloud backup software worth around $40.

The pocket-sized drives come in a range of colors and it's hypothetically possible that they'll look better than their predecessors, but we can't be sure until we get product photos instead of the plain render you see on the right.
Meanwhile, things get relatively more interesting when we come to the Canvio Basics range, which make a few sacrifices to come in $10 cheaper and which at least now come with USB 3.0. Enough with the nihilism already.

JayBird Bluetooth Sports Headphones

2011-09-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

My podcast listening has dropped off, but my concentration is surely up.
Which is why I won’t be buying these Bluetooth sports headphones from JayBird, despite the fact that they’ll probably never distract the wearer by falling out of the ears.

The Bluetooth headphones actually have a cable joining them together, which runs behind your neck.
The units themselves come with a flat, Paisley-shaped (or sperm-shaped) hook, made from a squashable, honeycomb material.
These squeeze inside your ears and grab onto the nooks and crannies therein, securing them against the most violently head-shaking of sports.

The buds, which double up as a microphone headset for your phone, are also water-sealed against dripping sweat, the downfall of many a pair of earbuds in my home.
They’re even reasonably priced, at $100. I’d also like to see a wired version with the same ear-grabbing tech.

SRF-18 - Sony New Compact Radio And Speaker Combo

2011-09-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

Sony’s SRF-18 portable radio speaker setup features technology that would have been unremarkable two decades ago.

The tiny speaker system has an AM/FM radio, sound recording, and an auxiliary input for whatever peripheral device you’ve got (be it smartphone or 8-track player).
The tuner looks straight out of the ’70s, complete with yellow sliding bar and thumb-driven dial.

Sony’s Jambox lookalike can sustain continuous play for several days on two AA batteries.
If you plan on using it at your desk and don’t want to burn through batteries, however, there’s an AC adapter available for purchase (sold separately, of course).

Here you are an interesting two in one little gadget from Sony the SRF-18.
This compact radio (155.4×34.2×80.3mm for 198g) comes with the usual FM and AM tuner as well as a line-in that will let you enjoy your DAP or Phone music from the SRF-18 2x80mW speakers, as well as basic Radio recording features that will forward all recording to an external device.

The SRF-18 is powered by two AA batteries and will offer you up to 47h worth of continuous FM radio, 52h of AM Radio or 80h of music via its line-in option.
Announced for the end October the SRF-18 is available in black, white and red and will cost around 3,500 yen.

At the very least, the SRF-18 comes with a decent paint job.
The unit is sold in pink, white or black options, and is currently set for a Japan-only release in October. It will sell for 3,500 yen, or about $45.

Panasonic Lumix - New Lenses Small And Light

2011-09-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

Panasonic has launched a pair of new non-Leica-designed lenses for its Micro Four Thirds range of cameras.
The emphasis is on making these new lenses small and light, and to this end Panasonic has removed somewhat essential features.

Speaking to the British Journal of Photography, Panasonic’s UK Lumix boss Barney Sykes said that “Leica has very strict standards when making lenses.
This would not have conformed to Leica’s standard.”

The two lenses are power-zoom models (you zoom in and out by pressing two buttons instead of twisting a dial), like you’d find on compact cameras.
Also replaced by buttons is the manual focus ring.
There’s a 14-42mm ƒ3.5-5.6 and a 25-175 ƒ4-5.6 model.
The 14-42 in particular is tiny when the zooming center is retracted, barely larger than the tiny 20mm pancake.

The lenses are the firs tin Panasonic’s new “X” line, which denotes high-end optics, and are supposedly of better quality than the current lenses.

Sykes says that the lenses use “digital technology to get the same quality” as the lenses designed in collaboration with Leica.
This, presumably, means that there’s a lot of correction going on in-camera.
We’ll be able to test this when we get our hands on one by comparing the in-camera JPG files with the RAW files processed in Lightroom.
If the camera is making corrections, then the unprocessed RAW file should show the naked image.

The 45-175 will cost $450 and be available in September.
The 14-45mm will cost $400 in November.

Samsung SHV-E120L - Is The Xtina to LG's Britney

2011-09-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

Brothers from another mobile mother, or just a case of copycat syndrome?
We'll let you be the judge, but from the looks of this latest leak, Samsung's SHV-E120L could be sharing some of the LG LU6200's special spec sauce.

Outed over on Cetizen and iNews24, the full breakdown of the device's innards point to a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 HD display, 2 megapixel front-facing / 8 megapixel rear camera, 1GB RAM, 16GB of onboard storage, WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC.

We've seen conflicting reports as to the exact version of Gingerbread that'll ship on the phone, with Android 2.3.5 in the running.
As for the handset's radios, its purported MDM9600 Gobi chipset indicates tri-mode LTE, HSPA and CDMA compatibility.
Sammy's super-sized smartphone could hit South Korea later this month, or in early October.

Skytex - Adopted The Custom Touch Layer

2011-09-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

ExoPC may not have bowled folks over with its own Slate last year (or met its own promise of some all-in-one PCs this summer), but the company did produce an unquestionably unique UI, which it's since been trying to license to others.
Now it's found what appears to be its first taker in Skytex, which has adopted the custom touch layer for its new Skytab S Series Windows 7 tablet.

Like the ExoPC itself, this one packs a 9.7-inch capacitive display, although the internals get an upgrade to a dual-core Atom N550 processor, which is paired with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and an as-yet-unspecified amount of storage.

ExoPC also describes this particular version of the UI as a "special edition," although it's not showing off too many of the changes just yet.
There's no word on a price yet either, but the tablet's expected to ship in early

Huawei Impulse 4G - Phone Crowd

2011-09-25T05:02:00.000-07:00

If the cost of a handset has left you tentative about dipping your toes into the smartphone pool, here’s your chance to dive in without draining your bank account.

Today, AT&T officially announced the dirt-cheap Huawei Impulse 4G, an Android 2.2-running smartphone aimed at those of you clinging to your feature phones.
It’s got a $30 price tag with a two-year service agreement, which is as low as $15 a month for 200 megabytes of data.

You’ll probably spend more than that on coffee this week, making the Impulse 4G a great entry-level rig for someone who wants a smartphone and doesn’t anticipate quickly becoming a data hog.

Features-wise, the Impulse 4G has a 3.8-inch WVGA (800 x 480 resolution) touch display, a 5-megapixel camera with the ability to record 720p video and an 800 MHz Qualcomm processor.
Again, nothing wow-tastic, but more than adequate for someone switching to their first smartphone.

The Impulse comes as smartphone manufacturers and carriers have tried to entice the significant part of the population — 60% of cellphone owners — who still use feature phones. Sprint unveiled the $100 Samsung Conquer 4G in August, for example, and even Apple is said to be getting into the game amid rumors of a cheaper, 8 gig iPhone 4S expected next month.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has helped fuel those rumors by saying, “price is a big factor in the prepaid market,” and Apple is “not ceding any market.”

Neither is AT&T, apparently. According to Nielsen, 55 percent of people who bought a cellphone in the last 3 months chose a smartphone, which means a lot of people are upgrading from feature phones.
AT&T is making that transition seamless and attractive budget-wise, and offering options for those who want a smartphone, but don’t necessarily need all the bells and whistles of something like an iPhone or flagship Nexus.

“Folks with feature phones tell us the main reason they chose their current phone is price. So as smartphone prices continue to go down, we can expect more of them to upgrade,” says Don Kellogg, director of telecom and insights at Nielsen.

Huawei’s Impulse 4G also includes the standard Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS, and will chug along on AT&T’s 4G HSPA+ network.

The Impulse 4G will be available on AT&T September 18th.

OCZ - For Your HDD's Shortcomings

2011-09-25T04:52:00.000-07:00

This really shouldn't come as much of a surprise, given some of OCZ's other offerings, but the company has outed its Synapse Cache SSDs so you don't have to suffer the speed limitations inherent in spinning disk storage.

These 2.5-inch, 6 GB/s SATA drives come in 64 and 128GB flavors, and do the dual drive dance with your HDD of choice using the firms' Dataplex caching software.
That nifty bit of code hastens data retrieval by dynamically managing your data, placing frequently used info on the speedy SSD, and shoving the rest on your capacious, cheap-as-chips HDD.

When can you up your storage speed limit and how much will it cost? OCZ's not telling, but the drive's full performance specs can be found in the PR and source below.

The Sony Xperia Arc - Super Slim Android Gingerbread Running Handset

2011-09-25T04:46:00.000-07:00

Choosing one mobile carrier over another is, for many, a fairly arbitrary decision. The service they offer doesn’t differ that much.
Coverage may be a factor if you live in the sticks, but for most people that isn’t an issue either.
And the hardware is largely the same, just repackaged or rebranded.

So how can carriers like AT&T and Verizon differentiate themselves from the competition? How can they entice customers to sign up for their service as more people embrace smartphones and pricey data plans?

AT&T, Verizon and Sprint have all launched developer-centric programs to beef up innovation and their carrier-specific app arsenals.
AT&T just opened its third developer Foundry, in Palo Alto, California. Verizon offers a number of developer tools and a dedicated Android app store.
Sprint has a wealth of tools and advice through its developer program.

“So far, carriers haven’t been thinking about the dev side as much.
These developer centers are a first step toward that,” says John Basso, chief information officer of Amadeus Consulting, a custom software and app development company.

Historically, carriers haven’t done much to differentiate themselves beyond costly marketing campaigns for specific devices. Manufacturers, on the other hand, might try things like modifying the look of their devices through “skinning” the OS, one example being HTC Sense.

But seeing how a thriving app store is a cornerstone of a successful smartphone platform, it makes sense for carriers to work with developers to entice their own apps and entice customers.

“By providing these developer services, the carrier becomes a solutions provider,” Gartner analyst Michael King says.
“Potentially, carriers gain credibility, as an application guru. They also potentially gain exclusivity to certain applications.”

AT&T’s Foundry program is an interesting way to attract developers. It is comprised of three physical facilities and a virtual developer’s portal.
The physical centers provide access to resources developers “couldn’t get anywhere else.
” They also act as a sort of incubator, with fast pitch sessions that can be used to get funding and allow AT&T to help them bring their product to market.

“The AT&T developer center is acting as a think tank, a place where developers can connect, use best practices and share code,” King says.

AT&T gives devs access to a number of APIs and phone features, like its exposed messaging API, in-app billing API and WAP push in its online portal.
It has been working with developers for six years now.

“We’ve got a very rich history of interacting with the developer community,” says Carleton Hill, vice president of device operations and applications development, about AT&T. “We actually had a developer program with Bell-South two-way pagers. We’ve been doing this for a long time.”

Verizon, on the other hand, wanted to separate itself from the Android ecosystem and launched its own app store: What used to be called V CAST Apps is now Verizon Apps. It differs from Google’s Android Market in that its search is powered by Chomp. The search engine lets you search for apps by name, just like Google, but its standout feature is the ability to search by topic or function of an application.

“Whatever it is beyond the name of the application, that’s where Chomp comes in with the technology and algorithms we’ve been working on over the past two years,” said Chomp CEO Ben Keighran.

For instance, if you type in “fun games,” he says, “You’re going to see better results — things from Zynga, from Rovio. You’re also going to see recently released games that may not be from very big brands, but are gaining a lot of traction.”

Verizon Apps looks to be a more regulated experience than Google’s Android Market, as well. Verizon is positioning it as a “premium store” — more carefully groomed, more easily searchable.

Sprint provides a number of services through its developer program. “We’re not trying to recreate what other developer communities, like Android, do,” said Sprint spokeswoman Jennifer Walsh. “We’re trying to help them take advantage of the unique features of Sprint devices.”

For instance, when the EVO, one of the first smartphones to include a front-facing camera, debuted, Sprint helped developers get used to using and incorporating the feature in their apps.

The company also offers two programs and tries to help developers target their apps to them. Sprint Zone offers app suggestions based on what your phone can do.
Sprint ID bundles apps, widgets and services according to particular interests, like MTV or fantasy football.
Sprint has also hosted an annual developer’s conference, which is now 11 years running.

“With these programs, developers potentially get distribution, tools for testing, resources, access to a customer base and access to other developers,” says King.

But are these services developers actually need?

Right now, the mobile scene is still young, and the tools used to develop for it, as with any new innovation, lag behind the technology.

“Neither carriers or manufacturers have a program where I can take a test, pay a fee and get every phone they come out with each year.
A lot of issues come in with hardware,” says Basso.
With experience programming in .NET, he says that this is what Microsoft does with software, and it works really well.

“Mobile emulators and debuggers are very weak, they’re immature.
They’re not very useful,” Basso says. “So developers have to download the app and test it out on a phone themselves.” This can be expensive, if not impossible, if you want to test your app on every available device.

There are services that allow remote testing, but they can be of limited value to serious developers. The vast array of screen sizes and spec changes mean apps often aren’t “one size fits all.” The availability of APIs and SDKs is helpful, but seems to assume there won’t be any device problems.

“It’s very hard to test across all the different permutations, and you do need to test across them, ” Basso says, because there always are device problems.

And unlike browsers, easy-to-access metrics about device popularity aren’t available, so it’s difficult to choose which handsets are going to end up being the most popular.

Basso thinks that, with regard to AT&T’s Foundry program, it would be immensely helpful if carriers built developer centers in every city (or teamed up with local companies to do so), made all their devices available for testing and made it easy to wipe the device’s data afterward.

Basso sees the carriers’ developer-focused efforts as a way to deal with an area in which they’re woefully deficient.
They’re putting energy and money into an area they don’t quite understand.
But, he says, if they start doing things like providing physical developer centers with pre-release demo devices to work on, it will definitely spur innovation and attract more notice.

Canon S100 - Low Light Hotshot

2011-09-25T04:40:00.000-07:00

Take a popular camera line, whether compact or entry-level SLR, and you can be sure that it’ll be updated every year.
Whether it needs to be or not. Sometimes, though, these incremental updates hide some genuinely big changes.
So it is with Canon’s new S100.

On the surface, it looks like the S100 isn’t much different from 2010’s S95, itself a rather pedestrian upgrade from the S90.
But despite the similarity of specs, there’s a lot to like.

The most obvious addition is GPS. The S100 will geotag your images for you as you shoot.
The next big leap is the DIGIC5 processor chip, apparently six times faster than the DIGIC IV, and with 100% less Roman numerals.

But the real changes come in the sensor and lens.
The pixel count for the CMOS sensor jumps modestly, from 10 to 12 megapixels, but according to Canon it uses “EOS technology,” including bigger micro-lenses and on-chip noise-reduction to help low-light performance. At 1/1.7-inches, the sensor is still relatively large compared to most digicam sensors, and now shoots up to ISO 6400 quite happily.
It can also capture 1080p video, up from the S95’s 720p.

On paper, the lens also looks virtually unchanged.
The maximum aperture is still ƒ2.0, and the zoom range now runs from 24-120mm instead of 28-105mm (35mm equivalent).
But the lens elements are of an all-new design, and the image stabilization now features seven (seven!) different modes.
One lame-ification of the new design is that the maximum aperture when zoomed to the longest focal length drops from ƒ4.9 to ƒ5.9.

There is also the obligatory smattering of new special FX.
One of these is actually pretty useful, allowing different white balances in different parts of the frame to correct for mixed lighting.

The Powershot S100 will cost around $430.