The Happy Mobile

CES: New Windows mobile devices to come

2006-01-07T08:50:00.000+01:00

In his keynote address at the 2006 International CES, Bill Gates announced new Windows powered mobile devices to show up.
These next-generation devices are going to be packed with features such as extended battery life, support for new higher-resolution displays and wide screens, direct audio/video recording, and direct connections to digital cameras.

The Toshiba S Series gigabeat Portable Media Center includes an extended battery life for movies and a 2.4-inch high-resolution screen. The S Series will come in two varieties: The 30GB gigabeat S30 will have a suggested price of US$299, and the 60GB gigabeat S60 will have suggested price of US$399 (U.S.). Both are scheduled to be available in March 2006.

The Tatung V620 Portable Media Center has a 20GB hard drive with a 3.5-inch QVGA (320x240) LCD screen for watching up to five hours of movies and television shows.

The LG Electronics PM70 Portable Media Center has a 30GB hard drive that connects directly to a television to capture favorite music or shows immediately on the QVGA widescreen.

iRiver G10

2006-01-04T20:39:00.000+01:00

A new piece of hotness from iRiver is on the horizon. The G10 will have a 4-inch WVGA screen that displays at 800 by 480 resolution with 260,000 colors. Allegedly, it runs on a WinCe 5.0 operating system and comes with a 4 to 8 GB internal harddrive. And check out that design: Two D-Pads and a design that looks like it allows the screen to slide over the body of the device when not in use.
Its WiBro-wireless system is being developed by Korea Telecom. Also the depicted game is a korean game (Kart-Rider). Several bloggers hold this as a company-made mockup -- take a close look at the screenshots at aving.net: one shot features a logo on the G10, the other one doesn't. It seems questionable, if the given release-date in 2006 is really going to happen.

Upshot: when this thing will turn up in America and Europe is not sure by any means. There is also no information about the important question of affiliated game-developers. But I got the feeling the G10's sliding case is quite handy for watching movies...

Final Fantasy on Gameboy Micro

2006-01-01T19:24:00.000+01:00

Not brandnew, but still worth mentioning: Final Fantasy IV will be released on Gameboy. Alongside with the game going gold, there is a promotion of very nice FF IV-style-faceplates for the Gameboy Micro going on.
Square Enix's site offers a first look at a Final Fantasy GB Micro faceplate that Square Enix will be releasing. Yoshitaka Amano artwork on your Micro's face will be a reality if you can get your hands on one of these. Square Enix has yet to announce details on how the product will be offered.

Read more at IGN and at Square Enix.

Hackable Y/N

2005-12-21T08:31:00.000+01:00

Those clever guys at PSP Hacks found out how to figure out which firmware is installed on an enclosed PSP--the secret is in the label on the back of the box:

Here’s the coding breakdown:
A-1.50
B-1.51
C-1.52
D-2.00 Unconfirmed
E-2.00 Unconfirmed (likely 1.52)
F-2.00
G-2.01

Now you can decide if you go for a "hackable" version, or not. Read more...

BTW: Boing Boing tells us, that firmware 2.01 has been hacked already.

GMail on a PSP

2005-12-19T19:26:00.000+01:00

Shortly ago, Google announced a mobile version of their GMail-service. It didn't took too much time till somebody got their GMail into their PSP--nifty!
Check out the screenshots and the source at Dirson's blog...

Remo - mobile mails, contacts and calendar

2005-12-15T19:47:00.000+01:00

Remoba Inc. is releasing the latest build of “Remo”. Remo provides access to email, contacts, and calendar on feature mobile phones with synchronizing capabilities, compatible with Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Lotus Notes, and Palm Desktop software. The email application accepts POP, POP3, and IMAP formats as well as internet based e-mail account such as Hotmail, Yahoo, and gMail.

Remo integrates with the user's email address book, providing access to an unlimited number of contacts from a personal or corporate computer on the mobile phone.
An important features is the “Two way sync”, that allows users to back up the existing calendar and contacts from a mobile phone to the pc and download the new calendar and contacts vice versa at the same time.

For security, Remo supports corporate firewalls, various proxy configurations, and up to 128-bit SSL data encryption.

PSP Pad Cover-Up for Button-Bashing

2005-12-11T11:19:00.000+01:00

Street Fighter Zero 3 (Street Fighter Alpha 3 to North American audiences) will shortly debut in the PSP, a superb 2d-fighting which could be played originally on Dreamcast. Now, PSP's D-Pad could maybe not live up to hours of button-bashing fighting games, Capcom seemed to realise on their own--they are releasing a limited edition of a rubbery D-Pad-cover for Street Fighter in Japan.
No details about pricing or plans about America. Check it out on IGN.

Mario Mobile Strap

2005-12-08T18:51:00.000+01:00

Strapya released a solar powered strap for mobile phones, depicting Super-Mario characters like from the 80's NES Super Mario. Mario, Princess Peach & Kuppa--for only around 10 bucks.

upshot: now this is really something. ;)

Remote Mario

2005-12-05T18:51:00.000+01:00

Awright, this is not a game or an add-on for your mobile gadgets. Its a remote controlled Mario figurine, standing 4cm tall. Gamebrink has some pictures of the (not yet released) toy.

Upshot: A must-have! ;))

Nintendo WiFi Upshot

2005-12-03T08:44:00.000+01:00

When figuring out the DS WiFi-stuff you probably stumbled across helpful releases like: "We're using Buffalo AOSS!", "McDonalds!", "You will need USB and a laptop!"...
Now, here are some facts: The DS WiFi will connect to any 802.11b wireless network with or without wep, aoss networks, and nintendo usb adapters. If there is a wireless network, or other internet connection, that the Nintendo DS does not understand (T-mobile hotspots, cable modems, wpas and the like) you will need to put the nintendo USB wireless dongle into a computer so that it can route the Nintendo DSes over that connection through the laptop.

That connector comes at a quite hefty $34.99 and is only available in limited quantities in the United States.

Upshot: besides some criticism about the laptop-stuff, most reviews I read stated, that the DS WiFi is really smooth as silk...

PSP Firmware 2.6

2005-11-29T18:29:00.000+01:00

The latest Playstation Portable update hit the net this week. Firmware 2.60 gives you the ability to listen to podcasts, tweaks the still unsupported LocationFree player, lets you download video straight to the memory stick, play WMA files (but no copy protected WMA-files may be downloaded) and adds Chinese language. Allowance for RSS-feeds is also included -- and probably less opportunities for homebrew, who knows... Check out more.

Upshot: there are still a lot of guys out there who consider to not update, huh?

Nintendo DS: online spots

2005-11-21T20:03:00.000+01:00

Two new spots went online on Nintendo's official site. You will need Flash and a little bit of polished up Japanese.

Watch Animal Crossing Spot
Watch DS Golf Spot

Nintendo DS Touch Pen holder

2005-11-19T10:30:00.000+01:00

There is new touch pen holder from Nintendo, which effectively turns the stylus into a more grippable pen. The "Pen Imp" comes in 6 different colors. Check it out here.

Upshot: umm, a little bit overcomplicated, perhaps? Still very lovely!

Quake III on a PDA near you

2005-11-17T18:11:00.000+01:00

On Korea's last Games Conference, Pulse Interactive and Noctemware introduced Quake III and Quale III Arena to PDAs. The showpiece was running on a Dell Axim X51v with a smooth 25fps. Gamespot awarded Quake Mobile as Best Mobile Gam of E3 2005 -- those guys are really full of appraisal...

Tour de France ... anybody?

2005-11-15T10:55:00.000+01:00

Living Mobile published a new cellphone game Tour de France. If you didn't heard about it yet, then maybe you didn't missed anything. The game and it's website are kinda bleak with now information at all about the supported mobiles, pricing whatsoever... even the promotional video consist of only 6 or 7 screenshots, nailed together...

Upshot: anybody tried this one? Probably not worth to check it out...

iDoom

2005-11-11T13:10:00.000+01:00

How could I miss this one? iDoom is a Doom port for iPod that is built from the source code id software released in 1997. The goal for the iDoom project is to make a fast and nice looking Doom port for iPodlinux, that gives you the maximum possible Doom experience. Happy fragging... :)

Would you use Google Mobile?

2005-11-10T11:46:00.000+01:00

Google Mobile makes it easy to access online information — billions of pages images — on your cell phone or mobile device.

In Germany and Austria T-Mobile has already given up the battle against Google, where the engine has become the default search provider on T-Mobile's network.
Google's mobile search technology either works by sending a text message to the search engine with a query, or by visiting a specially formatted version of the engine on the Google website.

Vodaphone's Ferguson however argued that Google Mobile for now is mainly a marketing offensive. "Google is very aggressive, but they don't have a product."

PSP2TV... or NOT2TV

2005-11-08T17:33:00.000+01:00

Many PSP-owners were waiting for their PSP2TV-device. This comes as (rather complicated) hardware-installation -- and enables you to watch PSP-output on a tube, especially in S-Video.

After this thing was shipped out, more and more complaints are pouring in. Read more about those issues here. It even looks like the picture-quality on the screen does not live up to the expectations. Read more here.

Upshot: possibly too much trouble for 120 bucks. If you want to play console-games on your TV, then stick to your PS2...

Finger Stylus

2005-11-06T08:39:00.000+01:00

Now this one seems to be a little bit older already: Truetip offers stylus replacements for your PDA. They come in two forms: one is like a thimble to be worn on your forefinger. The other version is like a pen cap that fits regular pens. The Truetip Styli are offered in a variety of colors.

Upshot: I'll stay with my regular stylus. Admitted, the truetips are cheap -- but they also look cheap. I found other combinations of pen-and-stylus much more elegant.

Is that a wallet in your phone?

2005-11-05T12:27:00.000+01:00

The japanese company bitWallet is introducing Edy, their solution of mobile, virtual cash. It began life as a smart card but made the leap onto mobiles last year. What it means is that you can ditch your smart cards, because they will all be stored on your phone instead. Shopping for groceries, renting a video, buying a drink, or going to the theatre can all be done now with your mobile.

What it means is that you can ditch your smart cards, because they will all be stored on your phone instead. Shopping for groceries, renting a video, buying a drink, or going to the theatre can all be done now with your Edy-mobile. More here...

Upshot: the Japanese tend to take such technologies upfront. Not sure if this would be popular in western countries...

PSP media download site

2005-11-04T09:21:00.000+01:00

The day before yesterday, Sony opened their doors to MovieSquare, their site for buying and downloading music and videos.
MovieSquare has 268 titles up for sale so far with the items ranging in price from lesss than $3 to about $9. You’ll be shocked to hear that it’s a Japanese site.

New games for Nintendo DS

2005-10-31T14:32:00.000+01:00

Shukan Famitsu, Japan's most respected games-magazine recently announced details about Resident Evil and Ys Strategy coming to the DS soon.
Resident Evil--Deadly Silence goes gold at the start of next year and will be sold (in Japan) for roughly 44 U$.
Players can experience a remake of the original with new features and controls updated to play more like a recent Resident Evil game. Players can do a quick 180 degree turn, draw their trusty survival knife, and reload their weapon without needing to go through a menu screen.

The added classic mode lets players enjoy Deadly Silence like the original PlayStation release (no use of the DS stylus). Unfortunately, the game does not support Nintendo Wi-Fi at the moment.

Nintonedo's long running role playing series also sees it's debut on the DS in spring next year. But Ys Strategy strays from the series' action role-playing game roots in favor of a focus on real-time strategy. The storyline also deviates from the series' past formula. This time around, players will be thrown in the midst of a major war between the nations of Ys.
Ys Strategy uses the DS's top screen to display an overview map and a menu of the player's remaining resources. The bottom map is used for the main game screen, where the player issues commands to units on the field with the stylus. In addition to allowing local wireless multiplayer matches, the game also supports the Nintendo Wi-Fi service.

iPod Nano: scratch-protection box

2005-10-30T08:52:00.000+01:00

iWood is the latest chic for iPoad-Nano users: think of a wooden casing for your beloved MP3-player, and don't think about scratched or broken displays... ;)
The iWood comes in Maple, walnut, mahogany, cherry and oak. You get a personalized engraving on top and a short message on the inside. I didn't checked the quality, but the pictures of the iWood look extremely yummy. Cases for other iPod-models are coming soon, as it said on the iWood website.

Upshot: iWood comes at a hefty 90$/75EUR--but if you're a distinguished owner of an iPod-Nano, you owe this to yourself, right?

Mobile-vending machines in UK

2005-10-27T15:47:00.000+02:00

Today Vodafone UK unveiled two new mobile phone vending machines in Manchester. These “Quickphone” kiosks are just the beginning of what Vodafone hopes to become a vending empire first across all of Britain, then worldwide. Machines will be stocked with three different phone models which will be refreshed monthly reflecting the latest trends. Fellow bloggers who experienced similar attempts in their countries already quoted that those things were not frequented too good.

Upshot: who really wants to buy a cellphone from such a machine? Anyway, you can't beat the japanese when it comes to vending machines -- from fishing-lines and flight insurances to reverse vending-machines. Check it out here.

Sues about Ipod-Nano

2005-10-26T10:13:00.000+02:00

Today I read that several consumers are going to sue Apple over severly scratched and broken Ipod-Nano-displays. The story with damaged displays is raging on for some time now. It seems to me that Apple didn't made proper design-decision for its latest products (the iTunes-phone ROKR also falling short).
I have to admit that the original iPod-Design by Jonathan Ive was most original to me--I didn't liked the Shuffle, Mini and Nano so much.