Gear Lover - by Craig Hill

Cellphones - Gear Lover

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HTC Touch Diamond - iPhone killer?

June 27th 2008 23:45

The success of Apple's iPhone has spawned a batch of touch-screen smart phone competitors but none have managed to come close in terms of both form and function - until now.

The HTC Touch Diamond, "a new benchmark for phone sophistication," is a brilliant touch-screen phone by Taiwanese manufacturer HTC featuring a 2.8" touch screen housed in brushed steel and faceted edges. The vibrant TouchFLO 3D user interface responds well to finger gestures when scrolling through a menu which includes contacts, web browser, and launching media and is powered by a 3D graphics processor which can vividly display crystal clear photos and artwork.

Other highlights includes: HTC Weather (providing a constant view of weather at home and abroad), HSDPA internet connectivity, a 3.2 megapixel auto-focus camera, 4GB of memory and integrated GPS.

Powered by Windows Mobile 6.1, all these features are packed into a sleek and elegant design which measures just 102 x 51 x 11.5mm and weighs 110g, putting it amongst the most compact PocketPCs on the market today.

Killer combo: the HTC Touch Diamond with PR model

As an overall package, the HTC Touch Diamond is really hard to beat so unless you hell-bent on being one of the first to own a Apple iPhone 3G when it is released worldwide on July 11, you really should also consider the HTC Touch Diamond and see which one really is the best for you.

The HTC Touch Diamond will be available in Australia from the end of July/early August exclusively through Telstra, with a recommended retail price of AU$999, or at no upfront cost on an $80 Telstra phone plan for 24 months.[htc.com]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cellphones

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Sony Ericsson's 8 megapixel camera phone

June 20th 2008 02:45

Sony Ericsson has unveiled a new mobile phone with a whopping 8.1 megapixel camera!

The Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot will become the flagship handset of the SE range and its most advanced camera phone yet. The biggest talking point is the 8.1 megapixel camera with xenon flash, which allows crystal clear images courtesy of the phone's face detection auto-focus, smart contrast and image stabiliser functions.

You could even say that the SE C905 is essentially a digital camera with a phone rather than the other way around! Obviously, an 8.1 megapixel camera requires quite a large storage space for images and the C905 doesn't disappoint with a 2GB Memory Stick Micro included in the package.

There are a number of ways you can view the images taken with the C905 - the phone itself on its large 2.4" screen, on the PC via USB-transfer or send wirelessly to TV via Wi-Fi.

The SE C905 also comes equipped with GPS for geo-tagging of photos and navigation support, music and media player, while battery life offers up to 9 hrs of talk time and 380 hrs of standby time.

The colours available are: Night Black, Ice Silver, and Copper Gold. Australian release is scheduled for later this year.[sonyericsson.com]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cellphones

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All new Apple iPhone 3G

June 10th 2008 08:20

The much awaited iPhone 2.0 is thinner, cheaper and much faster version of the original and will hit Australian stores on July 11.

The new generation iPhone runs on the 3G network and provides users with fast access to the Internet and email over cellular networks around the world thus you can surf the web, download email, get directions, and watch video even during a call.

Other new features include Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support which allows business users to connect their iPhones to corporate resources with Cisco IPSec VPN and wireless network services with WPA2 Enterprise and 802.1X authentication. Together with iWork which supports Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, viewing email have never been easier. There is also GPS and maps on iPhone 3G which lets you find your location via GPS or by triangulating your position using Wi-Fi.

The iPhone 3G is slightly thinner than its predecessor at 12.3mm but still receives an improved battery life with up to 5 hours talk time and standby time of up to 300 hours. While it retains the 2 mega-pixel camera and 8GB or 16GB capacities, the 16GB version is now available in either black or white.

The base model 3G iPhone (8GB) will retail for US$199 (AUD$210) while the 16GB model will retail for US$299 (AUD$314).

Full Apple iPhone 3G specs here.

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cellphones

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Samsung U800 Soul b

June 2nd 2008 23:38

Samsung Electronics has unveiled the U800 Soul b, a bar type handset to supplement the rest of the 'Soul' range of mobile phones.

Due for release in Germany this month followed by other markets such as Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia (China), Southwest Asia, Southeast Asia, and South America, the Soul b is fully encased in a metallic body with a softly brushed hairline pattern that is just a mere 9.9mm thick.

While the images of the Soul b shows a minimalistic design, it's certainly not short on features with a 3-megapixel camera with Power LED, office document viewer and editor, full speed internet browser and Bluetooth v.2.0. 1GB internal memory and microSD slot provides sufficient space for users to store all the music for the inbuilt music player (MP3, AAC, AAC , e-AAC , WMA, RA) plus FM radio with RDS.

The Soul b is available in a range of luscious colours - Soul Grey, Platinum Silver, Metallic Black, Soul Pink and Amethyst Violet - which is rather delightful compared to the small number of colour choices from other phone makers. [samsung.com]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cellphones

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Samsung F480 - TouchWiz - Tocco

May 24th 2008 00:02

The newest touchscreen mobile phone from Samsung will be known as the F480, TouchWiz or Tocco depending on the region where the phone is released - no word from Samsung Australia on what it will be called over here.

Some say the new Samsung F480 is knock off of LG's Prada phone while others say it puts the much hyped Apple iPhone to shame in a head to head comparison but whichever way you look at it, one thing is for sure and that is it comes jam-packed with top notch features.

The phone is tri-band (GSM 900, GSM 1800 & GSM 1900) with 3G HSDPA 7.2Mbps support, and a sizeable 2.8 inch touchscreen QVGA display. The camera is an impressive 5 megapixels with autofocus, LED flash, and picture and video stabiliser for crystal clear images.

The all important music player supports MP3, AAC and AAC music formats and a FM radio complete with RDS feature which is accessible from the main menu while the video player supports H264, H263 and MPEG4 formats. Other features include video messaging, mobile blogging, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, and e-mail.

Weighing in at 91g, GSMarena.com says the battery of the handset (1000 mAh of capacity) is good for 3 hours of talk time and 300 hours of stand-by time.

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cellphones

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Apple iPhone to be released on Optus and Vodafone

May 15th 2008 23:00

The highly anticipated Australian launch of the much-hyped Apple iPhone has gathered some extra momentum in the past week or two with Vodafone and Optus releasing statements that they will be carriers for the popular mobile phone.

Not only does this confirm the iPhone does not have an exclusive deal in Australia (due to breach of local competition laws), it also hints at the possibility of unlocked handsets allowing its use on other mobile networks.

While both carriers have yet to confirm when the iPhone will be launched locally, rumours persist that the launch will take place after the Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) in June where Apple CEO Steve Jobs is widely tipped to introduce the second generation iPhone with 3G compatibility.

If these rumours of a 3G iPhone are correct, it will likely be available in 8GB and 16GB versions just like the current model giving customers a total of four different models to choose from - if they all make it to Australia.

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cellphones

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The new Nokia 6600 fold

April 29th 2008 07:34

Nokia has unveiled a trio of new phones - Nokia 6600 fold, Nokia 6600 slide and Nokia 3600 slide - with a unique blend of elegant looks, functionality and craftsmanship.

The standout of the new range is the Nokia 6600 fold which features a smooth and silent electromagnetic opening mechanism with a conveniently placed key for one-handed activation. This is a very neat and useful function as some clamshell phones can be quite awkward to open with one hand.

The minimalist approach to the phone's design is quite evident with a hidden outer display showing clock, incoming calls, missed calls, message waiting, and more. There are no visible buttons and illumination of the outer display, activating alarm snooze, call silencing, and call rejecting will require tap commands - two taps of the high-gloss surface and the 6600 will come to life!

Once opened, the phone reveals a 2.13-inch QVGA (240 x 320) OLED screen displaying up to 16 million colours for great readability while the large, easy-to-read keys will be appreciated by text-mad users.

The 6600 fold features a 2 megapixel camera (which is quite standard these days) with 8x zoom, double LED flash, VGA video recording at 15fps, and QVGA at 30fps while the music player supports multiple formats, FM radio, and a stereo headset with FM radio and music keys.

The Nokia 6600 fold goes on sale in Europe in the third quarter of 2008 - Australian deliveries should arrive in the last quarter. [nokia]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cellphones

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The “Crab like” USB 2.0 Hub

April 27th 2008 00:07

Plug N play away.

Moving forward instead of sideways

Ever had to plug in a USB jack and find that the angle or position of the machine port is an immovable obstacle? Do you have multiple USB sockets filled you’re your essential gizmos? Well this nifty new invention available from USBFever.com is an affordable solution.

Flexible and designed specifically for most all portable and desktop technologies, the “crab like” design obviously refers to the crustacean like appearance of this neat gizmo. It’s a 6 Port USB hub that comes complete with an additional power supply for charging your device.

Under the microscope

External Hard Drives sometimes demand some extra volts to kick over and according to usbfever.com this solves it. As usual another simple little tool can make life easier in front of the screen or on the move.

Side 2

Costing $13.99 US the Features as listed on usbfever.com are as follows:
- Extra USB Port for extracting power from your PC
- A soft Hub instead of a HARD Hub, more flexible
- extra USB Mini 5pin port of for data upstream
- Plug and Play.
- An innovative design of Cable of USB Hub
- USB 2.0 specification compliant

Supports:
- Windows 2000 / XP / VISTA

Specifications:
- Total length: 26cm approx.

Package Contents:
- USB 2.0 Crab-like 4-Port Cable Hub with additional Power input x 1

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Audio, Cameras, Cellphones, Gadgets

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Meridiist - Tag Heuer's luxurious mobile phone

April 21st 2008 23:33

Luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer's Meridiist will be the name of choice for their first foray into the world of mobile telecommunication devices.

Made of corrosion-resistant, watch-making 316L steel, unscratchable 60.5 carat sapphire crystal displays plus your choice of crocodile, leather or rubber backing, the Meridiist features a 1.9-inch QVGA main display, monochrome OLED screen on top, a 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, MP3/AAC/MPEG-4 playback, and a 7-hour talk time.

The mobile looks superb and supremely crafted and would surely give a Vertu a run for its money, but the specs are absolutely nothing to write home about and quite ordinary compared to some of the mid-to-high end specced phones on the market right now.

Anyway, the fashionistas out there won't care and will be pleased to know that the Tag Heuer Meridiist will go on sale in Tag Heuer boutiques and selected jewellery stores in September 2008 priced from US$5000 and up.
[tagheuer.com]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cellphones

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The World's Slimmest Waterproof Mobile Phone

April 15th 2008 00:18

The Fujitsu 705i G3 Mobile

The Fujitsu 705i in dry dock

How many times have you been sitting and soaking in a bubble bath, your all lathered up and then the mobile rings. You answer it but because of the soap hands it drops in the tub. Or, your sailing and as the boat lists over the mobile ends up sliding into the drink?

Evidently a lot of phones are destroyed every year from water damage. Now the inventive people at Fujitsu have solved the problem, introducing the F705i G3 Mobile Phone, the latest in waterproof communication technology.

Going down without a scuba tank

Super slim at 1.37cm thick, this handset can be dunked in a metre of water for up to 30 minutes without self destructing. Featuring super clear voice and mike abilities this nifty new mobile automatically adjusts its inbound and outbound volume to allow for your voice level and ambient noise.

Armed with a 1.3 megapixel camera and 8 times quick zoom, you can shrink or enlarge text with the touch of button. The battery at full charge facilitates 170 minute of talk time and allows for up to 100 minutes of video calls.

Now for the bad news, the Fujitsu F705i is only available in Japan at the moment. Don’t hold your breath, searching the net there is no scheduled release for Australia or the U.S at present. One would hope though that such a practical invention will eventually come to the shores of the western world.

A Japanese ad for the waterproof mobile

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Cellphones, Gadgets

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HYmini Wind Charger

April 7th 2008 03:38

The power in the air

Available in a variety of colours

A few weeks ago I did a post on the freeloader 8.0 a solar charger for portable devices that uses the power of the sun to fuel your hand held gadgets. Now the people at Hymini have developed an affordable, environmentally minded alternative that is equally adaptable.

The HYmini wind-charger takes windmill technology that has existed for eons and has refined it to store electricity for your iPod, mobile phones, PDA, mp3 and digital camera.
The minimum gust that can get things happening is 9mph and a maximum velocity of 40mph is optimal for charging power.

The palm of power

According to the HYmini website:
"A Lithium Ion polymer rechargeable battery has around 500 complete charge cycles. If the battery is fully charged every time, it should have at least of 1000mAh of stored capacity for you to transfer this power to other 5V devices up to 500 times. A conventional mobile phone has around 0.4Ah to 0.7 Ah of battery capacity."

As for charge time the site says:
“With conventional 110-220 wall plug, HYmini takes at least 4 hours to fully charge. It depends on the environmental condition and the number of solar battery you have, Solar batteries can potentially fully charge HYmini’s internal battery.
Note: Wind generator is designed as a supplemental source, hence can not fully charge HYmini”

Though it seems that the charger still needs to some help from the traditional power socket this kind of development still seems like a step on the right direction for the greener gadgets revolution that has been growing in the last few years. I wonder what we will see come on the market in the next few years…maybe someday a bit of methane from a fart could end up being all we need to listen to our favourite tunes?

To find more about the HYmini charger please visit hymini.com

Here are some Specifications from HYmini

Here is some video footage discussing the HYmini wind charger

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Audio, Cameras, Cellphones, Gadgets

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Freeloader 8.0 – iPod Solar Battery Charger

March 14th 2008 01:41

Freeloader - The solar powered Charger

Freeloader solar charger available to buy

Over on solartechnology.com they have announced a new range of sun powered charging tools for most portable devices.

An environmentally sound alternative to traditional battery life, the Freeloader is now available to purchase.

An alternate choice

From the site
“Freeloader takes power from its solar panels or via a supplied charge cable that plugs into a computers’ USB. Once charged, Freeloaders internal battery can power an iPod for 18hours, a mobile phone for 44 hours, PSP for 2.5 hours a PDA for 22 hours and much much more.”

“Supplied in a tough but stylish aluminium body, Freeloader can take the knocks of every day life whether on a business trip in New York, back packing in the Andes or chilling on a Caribbean beach.”

Technical Specs:
120mA premium quality crystalline solar cells
1000mAh environmentally friendly Li-ion battery – typical battery life is 2 years.
Freeloaders solar panels can charge its internal battery in as little as 5 hours or 3 hours when using the supplied USB charging cable
Supplied with a computer USB charging cable
Supplied with a power master cable and twelve adaptors to fit the following:

Impact resistant, rust free aluminium body.
Freeloader holds its battery charge for up to 3 months
Supplied with detailed user manual
Size – 123x62x17
Weight – 185g
Supports 80Gig with optional iPod Connector

Here are some of the products it works with:
1. LG Chocolate series phones
2. Motorola V66 series and current V3 series phones
3. All Nokia current and N series phones
4. Samsung A288 and current D800 series phones
5. Sony Ericsson T28 and current K750 series phones
6. 4mm straight jack for Sony PSP, Tom Tom sat nav, digital camera’s, PDA’s and two-way radio’s
7. Mini USB for Blackberry Smart phones, Bluetooth headsets etc
8. USB 2.0 female socket for iPod, iPod Shuffle, MP3 players, smart phones, PDA’s, GPS plus much more
9. Nintendo DS lite connector
10. Supports iPod, iPod shuffle & iPod video up to and including 60Gb*

144

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Audio, Cellphones, Gadgets, PDA

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LG WatchPhone Beaming Soon

March 10th 2008 02:26

LG WatchPhone Beaming Soon

The LG Watchphone - Image courtesy of Aving.net

The idea of a wrist fastened communication device has been around since before the days of the classic Dick Tracy comics. Over the last few years some major manufacturers have been developing technology that combines basic mobile phone functions on a traditional wrist watch.

Seiko and Hyundai came out with a model last year and several others have also been released on the Asian market. (It’s worth noting that now in Thailand there is talk of banning them in schools because of rampant exam cheating.)

From aving.net, the latest addition to the WatchPhone market was unveiled by LG at this years CES. Though there has been no official list of options yet we do have some early images of this revolutionary tool.

What is known is that its voice activated and you can dictate SMS messages as well making a regular call. This is yet another gadget that I dreamed of having as a kid but seemed like science fiction. Again proof that the future is now.

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Cellphones, Gadgets

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Introducing the Gravity Light

February 20th 2008 00:05

Greener Gadgets Conference

The Bamboo Kinetic Phone - Crazy but interesting

Over on greenergadgets.com they have just had there annual one day conference that includes a design competition. Directly from the sites press page, the winner was:

The EnerJar DIY Energy Meter Kit
Designed by Matt Meshulam and Zach Dwiel

MacGyver enters the energy race

This little downloadable DIY kit uses household materials to monitor and measure the energy output of a variety of everyday devices, allowing the user to take personal responsibility over energy use.

Not bad, I can see the practical uses but the astounding accomplishment that inspired this post is what came in second prize:

The Gravity Based Kinetic Energy Lamp - Gravia
Designed by Clay Moulton

What goes up must come down

Reminiscent of a grandfather clock, this gorgeous floor lamp uses the weight of a hefty component to kinetically power itself.

A light that works on Newton’s primary principle, is there any fuel supply more readily available? So how does it work you may ask, well an interview with the Gravity lights creator Clay Moulton on newswise.com has a few answers.

“The light output will be 600-800 lumens – roughly equal to a 40 watt incandescent bulb over a period of four hours.
To "turn on" the lamp, the user moves weights from the bottom to the top of the lamp. An hour-glass like mechanism is turned over and the weights are placed in the mass sled near the top of the lamp. The sled begins its gently glide back down and, within a few seconds, the LEDs come on and light the lamp, Moulton said. “It’s more complicated than flipping a switch but can be an acceptable, even enjoyable routine, like winding a beautiful clock or making good coffee,” he said.
Moulton estimates that Gravia’s mechanisms will last more than 200 years, if used eight hours a day, 365 days a year. “The LEDs, which are generally considered long-life devices, become short-life components in comparison to the drive mechanisms,” he said.”

Green Cell Battery Cellphone - Not available in Bamboo

The marvel of nature’s invention, leaving these tools for us to play with. Now with the initiative of that whole climate disaster end of the world scenario looming the human race is again striving forward to develop and discover new energy sources that lie above and below this blue planet.

The cynic in me acknowledges the potential to make big bucks out of the added media hype and corporate greed is an epidemic. Still the ends may justify the means. No matter what your stance on climate change less draining of our natural resources guarantees the future stock for many generations.

To strive for alternate fuel and power is an obvious ambition for the human race. Variety and variation inevitably lead to optimising technology. As a gadget lover the idea of my various components and portable devices being able to run on something as simple and cheap as sunlight or in this case, Kinetic energy or gravity, that's invention.

Please visit greenergadgets.com and newswise.com for more information about Clay Moulton and other revolutionary technology.

Here is some footage of the Green Gadgets Awards Ceremony with some stunning innovations.

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Posted By: Dexter - Category: Cellphones, Gadgets, Home, Video

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