Archive for the ‘Handhelds’ Category

It’s only been one short month since the launch of the iTunes App Store adn we’re already seeing that the projected number of downloades (including free and paid apps) have reached over 60 million. That figure also comes with an estimation that Apple has earned over $30 million from the sale of iPhone and iPod Touch apps in this short period of time. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Steve Jobs felt encouraged enough by these figures to say that “[the app store] will be a $1 billion marketplace at some point in time.”.

Jobs has high hopes of future apps being the customization that people need to make their phone unique enough to be their own in the same fashion that newer models and different physical styles had done for past phones. Only time will tell if this theory will catch on.

Talk about getting trumped. The Kodak Zi6 is coming out of the door Daft Punk style with a stronger, better, harder, faster than the FlipVideo Mino for the exact same price.

The Kodak Zi6 shoots at 60fps 720p HD quality and uses whatever sized SDHC card you decide to load into the device, giving you the option to record directly onto that shiny new 32GB flash memory card you had no real reason to buy.

Whereas the Mino requires regular batteries, this nifty little device actually uses it’s own rechargables or regular batteries, leaving the choice completely up to you. This can be really nice when you’ve got a plug, or even when you don’t.

At $180, matching the price of the Mino, this device may win it for the tiny hand cams, except for the lack of bad ass usb switch blade that the Mino and the rest of the FlipVideo family has.

If using dotted paper has turned you away from purchasing a bluetooth pen in the past, you may want to check out SMK Corp’s new Wireless Input Pen. Capable of transfering your writing directly on to the screen from any surface or even mid air, this bluetooth pen is a step forward for an industry that’s had no real appeal since tablet pc’s took off.

The potential for this type of device to replace laser points is valid, but trying to get people to abandon a LASER for something that looks like a novelty pen is going to be very difficult. We’ll see what happens once they’ve actually filed their patent.

 Sharp-Willcom’s new D4 WS016SH UMPC is the first device to hit the shelves with an Intel Atom Processor in it. By shelves, I mean Japan. And by Japan, I mean, no intended release date in the United States. The D4 WS016SH UMPC has a fairly decent spec layout for its size, including the 1.3GHz Atom Z520 processor. Other features include a five-inch backlit touch screen LED running in 1024 x 600, 1GB memory, 40GB HD, 2 megapixel camera, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.0 EDR.

Apparently Sharp-Willcom hasn’t heard the good news that XP has been extended specifically for devices like this, as they’ve decided to load it with Windows Vista Home Edition. What a shame.

Rumors surrounding the next generation of iPhones to hit the shelves this year, have been flying around like crazy. Unfortunately,the only solid evidence anyone can confirm as of yet is that the new model will in fact be a 3G iPhone. Many individuals within the business world have publicly weighed in on their opinion on what else the phone will carry, the price, sizes, and additional features, but none have any solid evidence.

It does seem reasonable, however, that the new 3G iPhone will launch around the same time that the original did, and that the EDGE iPhones will receive a permanent price cut before being phased out. Looks like we’ll have to wait and find out.

Source: ArsTechnica

Although this UMPC has one of the most uncreative names, it definitely offers a lot. This 7 inch laptop boldly goes where no mini laptop has gone before by including an optical drive (DVD burner). It’s also sporting a 1024 x 600 touchscreen display, 60 GB hard drive, and 802.11 b/g wireless card.

Supposedly, the Kohijinsha SR8KPO6S’s battery will last up to three hours and the device is only 2.4 lbs (0.2 more than the Asus Eee PC). With all the features it boasts, I’m sure that this device will cost users a pretty penny.

Source: Engadget 

Some where between your cell phone video camera and your average video camera stands the Flip Video. This little device has the standard design of a regular digital camera but offers a very simple and easy user interface so that almost anyone could pick it up and get rolling.

I had some hands on time when I was down in New York with Zipvo Real Estate Video Network and that’s really the field that I think this device is going to take off in the most. The two models, 60min for $179,99 and 30min for $149.99 made it so easy for us to record a property video and upload it through it’s built in USB. The only draw back is that their software is only easy for the third parties they’re working with instead of making it open source. Opening up their platform would be the smartest moves they could possibly make.

Stretching the definition of PC, Chicago-based non-profit Innovations for Learning is working on a small portable device for elementary school students. The Teachermater PC as they call it comes with 256MB of RAM and a 200MHz ARM processor meaning that it is seriously lacking in power. It has a small 2.5-inch screen and just a few buttons (not a full keyboard more like a Nintendo GameBoy.) This explains why each of the devices will cost only $50 while Innovations for Learning plans to put one Teachermater in the hands of every schoolchild in 500 Chicago area schools. The mini-PC will not be a contender to OLPC’s XO or Intel’s Classmate but it is trying considering that it costs much less. I get the feeling, however, that the money would be better invested in establishing good computer labs with some more recent technology workstations rather than these silly devices.

Nokia has reduced the price for their N810 Internet Tablet by $90 which means that you can now own one of these slick tablet computers for $390. If you are not familiar with Nokia’s N810, it has a 4.13-inch touch display and 2GB of storage. Its large display allows users to experience the Internet in its full glory; Wi-Fi connectivity gives this device true mobility making it usable pretty much anywhere you go. Other than being a great Internet Tablet, the Nokia N810 also functions as an MP3 players capable of storing 10 hours of digital music. Finally, the built-in GPS makes it easy to find your way around navigating an unknown area.

Hewlett-Packard has finally started shipping the much anticipated iPAQ 210 Enterprise handheld computer. The device sports a 4-inch TFT touch screen with VGA resolution up to 480 x 640. Input to the device can be both using touch and using a stylus. The guts of the iPAQ 210 are the Marvell PXA310 processor operating at 624 Mhz. HP’s operating system of choice is Microsoft Windows mobile 6 classic. The device has a large number of data ports supporting USB 2.0, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi data transfers. The only problem with it is the high price which according to the official web site comes close to $450.