News about Mobile Phones:
Google Wallet introduced, and PayPal is upset
Google has recently announced their new mobile payment system with Google Wallet. It is a free Android Android App that will arrive sometime this summer that will allow users to make payments for products and/or services.
PowerSkin battery case for the Motorola Droid X and X2
PowerSkin should be a familiar name for those who love flipping through catalogues and magazines about cases for smartphones, especially the iPhone that has made plenty of third party manufacturers a lot of money over the years due to its popularity amongst users. Today PowerSkin will look at what Motorola has to offer in the form of the Droid X and Droid X2 battery boosting case.
WP7 Mango to Get “Seamless” Windows Live Messenger Integration
When you have an Android smartphone, connecting with your friends via GChat is a pretty straightforward and seamless process. Microsoft wants to offer the same kind of idea, but within its Windows environment. That’s why they’re promising a “seamless, built-in texting and IM experience powered by Windows Live Messenger” on Windows Phone 7.
Nokia Oro for that Midas touch look
Love gold? After all, that is the place where investors flock to if they are looking for a safe haven from all the uncertainties that are going on in the world where their investments are concerned. The failing US dollar and Euro have nudged more people to purchase gold over the past year, bringing it to new highs more frequently than ever before.
Microsoft’s “Mango” – Making Smartphones Smarter
Wow, we do a lot with our phones these days, I often have so much going on all at once It can be a bit frustrating, the phone can only do so much… I’m not sure a smartphone is really as SMART, as it sounds, The smartphone experience is complicated by tons of different apps and accounts that folks like us need to try and keep up with — from making calls, texts, emails and instant messages and then, status updates, Tweets, check-ins, photo posting and tagging. Its all too much, isn’t it?
lightRadio – There’s a lot of Jack in this Box
I’m probably dating myself, but I actually owned one of the first cell phones, admit it, some of you remember… It came attached to a darn suitcase, and seemed to weigh about 5 pounds. I was pretty proud of it, and come to think of it, the reception was pretty good too! But look how far we’ve come…
The Invisible iPhone prototype
Here’s some interesting App developed by Patrick Baudisch and his team of researchers at the Hasso-Lattner Institute.
As you can see from the video, they have figured out a way to make the iPhone invisible. Actually, they just figured out a way for the user to put the interface on a hand thanks to “an Xbox-like camera”. Special software is able to determine where the fingers are on the palm, and transmit the commands via WiFi radio.
Sharp AQUOS smartphone doesn’t look like one
When you talk about smartphones, most of us would think that they involve a rather generous touchscreen of sorts, not to mention a candybar form factor (with the exception of a rare few which comes with a slider QWERTY keyboard) as well as all the trappings like Wi-Fi connectivity, 3G support at the very least, and a microUSB memory card slot amidst others.
Wet Smartphone Emergency Kit – CPR for your iPhone?
Here’s a story thats hard to believe, a few years ago, I left my cell phone out by the pool and that afternoon there was a horrible rainstorm that fried it. That same evening, as I lamented the loss of my phone, a band of thugs kicked in the front door of our home and robbed the house while I hid behind a clothing rack, with my fried phone in hand. While most of us have dropped a phone in a sink, toilet or tub, I doubt too many folks have wished for this next product as much as I did…
mophie announces juice pack plus that plays nice with the iPhone 4
The iPhone 4 camp is divided into two – one that bats for AT&T, while the other are clearly comfortable being part of the CDMA iPhone group from Verizon Wireless. That might mean there are even more iPhone 4 owners in the US than originally thought, but it poses a connundrum for accessories manufacturers, as they will now have to release two versions for the iPhone 4 for most of the time (due to the slight hardware difference).
Boost Mobile announces Sanyo Innuendo
Hmmm – the Sanyo Innuendo is by Kyocera? OK, perhaps that sounds rather foreign to me since it would be somewhat akin to saying the Nokia smartphone by Motorola – if you get my drift. But I digress – Boost Mobile has just announced that they will be offering their latest device to the masses (at least those who jive well with Boost Mobile) in the form of the Sanyo Innuendo by Kyocera.
ITTM Outlimits DSS – a rugged phone for the adventurous
If you tend to drop your handset simply because you are naturally clumsy, then might we suggest you take a gander at the ITTM Outlimits DSS? Don’t be frightened by the uber long name that you read – it not only makes you sound cooler, it will also give you more peace of mind whenever you tote this £179.99 handset around. Why do we say that? Well, this handset is more or less impossible to destroy during everyday use, and is more than capable of taking all kinds of punishment you throw at it.
wEASEL Smartphone Stand
While I was at CTIA 2011 in Orlando about a month ago, I stopped by the wEASEL booth. As you can probably tell by the weird capitalization, this was not a booth with weasels.
Charge your Cell Phone – With Sound
It happened again, I was 50 miles from home with a million things that needed to be done, when I got a flat tire, and my cell phone was dead. I didn’t have a charger, I was in the middle of nowhere, and I had to get to a dentist appointment AND I pick my daughter up at school. Why is it the phone never goes dead while I’m texting nonsense to my best friend in Minnesota?
Sony Ericsson Xperia acro announced
Sony Ericsson has recently lifted the curtain for the Xperia acro, making it the latest addition to the Xperia range as it was specially designed for users who live in the Land of the Rising Sun. Sounds familiar? Some of our dear readers might just be confused with it being the Xperia Arc, but that is another story for a different day. The Xperia acro will continue to carry the success (hopefully) of the Xperia line, spearheading the challenge with a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.
Motorola Titanium steels up Android line of smartphones
The world of Android smartphones have certainly grown by a large number over the years, and it makes perfect sense, too – after all, the operating system is free, so why not as a handset manufacturer, you jump straight into the action and deliver better hardware compared to other smartphones that run on a different OS with the money saved in the first place? Well, there is a new Android handset to hit the market from Motorola, known as the Motorola Titanium.
Dropcam – Watch your World from Anywhere
Every time I come home from work, my dog looks so guilty, I try to touch the pillows on the couch to see if they’re still warm, I check for tell tale signs of dog hair in the middle of my nice clean bed, all while he slinks around knowing he’s done something. I don’t know what he’s up to, but I’m just about to find out…
Sony Ericsson unveils Xperia mini and Xperia mini pro
Sony Ericsson intends to grab its fair share of limelight where Android-powered smartphones are concerned with a couple more models to tickle your fancy – and perhaps even have you part with your hard earned money to enjoy some Android goodness. The two handsets in question would be the Sony Ericsson xperia mini and Xperia mini pro, where the former is touted to be the smallest smartphone in the world that has HD video recording capability, while the latter boasts of intuitive fast messaging in a compact smartphone form factor.
Motorola XPRT from Sprint is an Android world phone
Forget about the Geek Squad – bring on the experts! Or at least, the Motorola XPRT if you are looking out for the first Android world phone from Sprint. Just what does the Motorola XPRT bring to the table, considering the dozens of Android-powered phones out there that frankly, start to look the same after a while?
Pepsi unveils its new Social Vending program
Pepsi has figured out a way to tie-in social networking with their product once again with their Social Vending program.
I believe that this idea actually requires some special soda vending machines that have touchscreens and have to be connected to the Internet or a phone line of some type. Not only will these new machines let you buy a Pepsi product, but you will be able to send one to another location.
Verizon Wireless announces HTC DROID Incredible 2
Another day, another smartphone is being prepared to hit the market. Of course, HTC has become quite the tour de force to be reckoned with where smartphones are concerned, delivering stunning hardware with their vaunted HTC Sense user interface skin to make it the best Android experience out there to date – even Samsung’s TouchWiz cannot come close. Well, there are also Windows Phone 7 handsets from HTC, but that is a different story for another day. For now, we will concentrate on Verizon Wireless and its announcement for the HTC DROID Incredible 2.
Tout.com – Share the Moment
First there was Twitter for instantly gratifying text-based communication, but now there is Tout… delivering the same instant gratification, only this time, via video, So let’s call it “instant visual communication.” The ability to update your Facebook friends and Twitter followers with short video status updates that can be captured with your smartphone.
PhoneSheriff – Know Where your Kids are, and What they’re Doing
Retina-X Studios just announced the availability of PhoneSheriff for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows smartphones. This parental control service for mobile phones allows parents to monitor, filter, and restrict their children’s smartphone activities. The parent sets the software to record and block activities associated with specific numbers and it can also track locations via GPS.
Scosche switchBACK surge g4 for the iPhone 4
Accessories for the iPhone range has long been a money making machine for many companies, especially with third party manufacturers, and this is one trend that does not look like it is going to stop anytime soon. The iPhone 4, with millions of owners, is certainly a cash cow that deserved to be milked for all it is worth. After all, plenty of people like to accessorize their iPhone 4 to make sure it is different from others that are in the market.
Chargepad wireless charger from Panasonic: Not what you might think
This is the Chargepad from Panasonic, and it is a wireless charger. We have seen wireless chargers like the Wildcharger and Powermat before, and I’m sure you probably know the drill.
Kyocera Echo launched across Sprint’s retail channels
They say that two is better than one, although some of us in troubled marriages might beg to disagree (vehemently, I might add) with that statement. Of course, the advent of touchscreen technology has gone some ways in changing the way we use our cell phones and smartphones, so what happens when Kyocera decides to take a page out of Nintendo’s book by introducing a second screen which is just as large as the first, in its latest smartphone which is known as the Kyocera Echo? You’ll just have to find out in the extended post, that’s what.
Sony Ericsson’s MW600 Stereo Bluetooth Headset, and a Radio too
Sony Ericsson introduces the MW600 Stereo Bluetooth Headset with both amazing sound quality and a built in FM Radio. You can access FM radio stations directly from the headset. It is quick and easy to tune in your favorite stations with the new integrated FM, which also features RDS to display radio station information like the artist and song names.
Nokia X7 set to rock and roll
Nokia’s market share when it comes to cell phones and smartphones might be declining at an alarming rate (the huge war over the smartphone arena has certainly heated up, with so many players entering the fray, and nobody giving Symbian any love), but that doesn’t mean the Finnish cell phone manufacturer is throwing in the towel. No sir, in fact, they have just announced their every intention of staying till the end with the Nokia X7′s announcement.
HTC Sensation 4G is set to wow
HTC has certainly done quite well for itself over the years, coming up with phones that play to the gallery, supporting different operating systems across multiple handsets just so that their eggs will not be in a single basket. This strategy has served them more than well, and with the inclusion of the HTC Sense user interface over the stock Android UI, it has worked in their favor with Samsung and the rest of the smartphone market being unable to come near HTC in this aspect.
The EyeReader app on your iPhone – Lets you Read the Small Print
First, let me tell you that I have in fact reached an age where I require very subtle vision correction, Okay, I have reached an age where I can’t see the television 6 feet in front of me without my glasses on, let’s face it, being “almost 30” for the 10th time isn’t all its cracked up to be, and when I find myself without my cool librarian glasses, I’m as blind as a bat.
Render lets you do magic tricks on an iPhone
Stage magic is one of those professions where it is good to know a lot about technology. How else you can you fool an audience?
Apparently, a lot of magicians get their tricks from another source, and they don’t make up all their own tricks. For example, Sean Scott is a professional magician who designs and sells illusions to other magicians. One of the tricks that he is selling is Render, which is made for the iPhone.
Control your cell phone with a ring with the Nokia Nenya
When I saw this particular concept product from Finnish cell phone giant Nokia, I thought I was looking at some delayed April Fool’s Joke like the Google Motion. That, or someone really can’t wait for the Green Lantern movie (coming this summer).
Moshi has iVisor AG for iPhone 4 owners
Own an iPhone 4 and are extremely proud of it? Come on now, there is no denying the fact that you got the phone primarily for its looks, not to mention the fact that you have the best application store on earth for mobile devices at the moment, never mind that the Android Market is making noticeable strides, but not quite big ones yet to catch up with the famous App Store.
The IDAPT I4 Universal Charging Station
We have reported on the IDAPT before, like the i2, and I have recently got a chance to try out the i4.
Hasbro My3DNow comes to the iPhone
If you grew up in the seventies, you might remember a toy known as a Viewmaster.
If you don’t remember it, it sort of looked like this My3DNow that you see here, except instead of sticking an iPhone in front of the binocular viewer, you stuck this circular reel, and you could see still images in 3D.
Let Firefox Mobile sync your Bookmarks on your Android phone
I think is it terrific to have an Android phone with access to an Internet Browser, but I don’t have access to the Bookmarks on my laptop.
That is, until now. With Firefox 4, I can sync my bookmarks with my Android phone, and I would like to tell you how after the jump.
Amazon introduces Cloud Drive, Cloud Player for Web and Cloud Player for Android
Amazon thinks that the future of computing lies in cloud storage, and hence has announced a trio of new services – Cloud Drive, Cloud Player for Web and Cloud Player for Android. Basically, any one of the three allows you to buy anywhere, play your tunes anywhere while making sure your digital music collection remains in a centralized place.
Aircell smartphone announced
Making calls while you’re in the air is something that most of us try to avoid – after all, we’re told to turn off our electronic devices especially cell phones since they are said to interrupt with the aircraft’s communication systems, so the other alternative if you have a really desperate call to make would be to swipe your credit card and make taht really, really expensive phone call.
Gogobeans – Sharing your Stuff with a Handshake
Your digital life is constantly changing, and one new way to manage it, is with Gogobeans, a company which allows you to store information in a digital locker in the cloud and then easily share it by “bouncing” a bean to the person you’re looking to share with.
Two companies that specialize in cash for used cell phones
While I was at CTIA Spring 2011 in Orlando, I met two companies that essentially do the same thing: promise cash for used cellular phones.
I say promise because I have not had the chance to try them out for myself. However, if you are like me, you have some used cell phones that do nothing but take up space. You might as well put them to good use and make some cash on it and go to Gazelle or Full Circle Wireless.
How I tested out the Dry Case with my own phone at CTIA Spring 2011
See that phone there at the bottom of the fishtank? It is mine. You might think that that I am worried that this is the last time I will see its beautiful wall paper (that’s a picture of my wife on it), but I am not, because it is in the Dry Case.
Clingo is a new way to store your phone
We have reported on Clingo products before, like the Neklit for the Nano.
LG Wireless Charging Pad
Going wireless and paperless – that has been the dream of many since time immemorial. OK, so perhaps I have stretched the truth by quite a mile, since that dream has not resulted in a full paperless society just yet, and take a peek behind your computer and you will not find any cable-free environment. Of course, there have been some remarkable advancements when it comes to wireless connectivity in the last decade, what with RF as well as Bluetooth being mature in their own right, not to mention the Qi wireless charging pad and Palm’s very own Touchstone Charger technology.
Sprint/HTC announce the EVO 3D and View Tablet at CTIA Spring 2011
Today at CTIA Spring 2011, Sprint’s CEO Dan Hesse (pictured) took the stage with HTC North American president Jason Mackenzie in order to announce two big EVO products.
