Gadgets Base

Sony Ericsson have trademarked the name Xperia for what the trademark application shows is a range of seriously well equipped mobile phones. Specifically, the trademark lists functions such as:

• camera
• instant messaging
• e-mail
• Internet connectivity
• radio
• record, play, transmit, receive, and/or manage music and video
• play electronic games
• upload photographs and text onto online journals or web logs
• function as a personal digital assistant (PDA)
• function as walkie-talkies
• satellite navigation
• remote control for computers and run multimedia presentations

Now, a lot of these functions have already been squeezed into many of Sony Ericsson’s existing phones. However, by trademarking a new brand name, it does seem as though a new range of high end Sony Ericssons are just around the corner.

[Source: Trademork, via EngadgetMobile]

InfoSync reviews the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 and writes, “The camera on the BlackBerry Pearl has seen a slight upgrade to a 2-megapixel sensor. The lens quality was not very good, but passable. Images were noisy with blurry edges, but colors weren’t exaggerated, and details were available, if not clear. Photo management on the BlackBerry isn’t pretty, but there are plenty of options to send your photo via Bluetooth, e-mail or SMS.”

Read more about the BlackBerry Pearl 8130.

Despite a relatively weak CES 2008 showing, LG has announced that it’s giving up on the low end mobile phone market, leaving it entirely to Nokia and Samsung to slug it out.

LG will be focusing on the mid-range market instead (around the $300 mark), which, not coincidentally, is the price range of its phenomenally high-selling LG Shine and Chocolate phones. These phones have sold a whopping 5 million and 15 million units, respectively, so LG obviously knows which side its bread is buttered.

This could explain why LG’s recent phones (with the exception of the LG Viewty) have all been pretty average. Mid-range phones tend to have mid-range features, making them good enough, but unlikely to set the world on fire.

Let’s hope they also throw in a few high end phones as well, and not concentrate solely on the mid-range.
[Source: Korean Times]

It seems that this would be one of the first images of the upcoming HTC 3470 Pharos. Granted, like many first, spy shot type images the clarity is not the best, but still good enough to give a good understanding of just what the Pharos will look like.

The Pharos will be running Windows Mobile 6 with HTC’s TouchFlo interface. It will feature a 2.8-inch QVGA display, Texas Instrument OMAP 200Mhz CPU processor, 256MB ROM, 128MB RAM, Bluetooth, integrated-GPS and a 2-megapixel camera.

Sadly the Pharos is said to not include Wi-Fi, hopefully that will change before the final release. No word yet on any release date or pricing information.

Via [ubergizmo]

Why do we have to envy European phones?  An Italian website exposed (and promptly removed all reference to) this i900 from Samsung.  Samsung probably concludeds a smoking fast, touchscreen phone with a real camera and access to the business community apps couldn’t do very well in the small US market.  Perhaps my bitterness is showing through?

Looking to the be the next generation Prada/KG80 phone, if its rumored specs are to be paid any attention, this thing kicks:

• 7.2Mbps HSDPA
• a 5mp camera
• Windows 6.1
• 8GB memory

Wishful thinking?  Heck yeah!  I’ll keep my eyes peeled for more info to bring you on this as it develops.

Read [CoolSmartPhone]

Posted Jan 17th 2008 2:57PM by Donald Melanson
Filed under: LaptopsAnother day, another promise of a low-cost computer, this one coming to us from the prolific folks at Gigabyte. According to DigiTimes, Gigabyte will be building its system itself (unlike its UMPCs and MIDs), and it’ll be basing it on Intel’s Basic Platform (otherwise known as Shelton). It’ll also apparently pack a 7 to 9-inch LCD, which would seem to suggest that it’s a laptop (which Shelton is also used for), although DigiTimes only describes the system as a “PC.” Unfortunately, there’s no word on what it’ll cost, or any other details for that matter, but it’ll apparently be ready by June of this year, by which time it’ll likely have an even harder time to stand out from the budget-priced pack.

If you’re wondering what “Duo HD” is, or what a “Duo HD Player” does, quite simply it is a single unit player, much like a traditional DVD player, which can play back both HD disc formats (HD DVD and Blu-ray).

Samsung have been on of the first companies to jump on the dual format HD disc player idea, and are using the term “Duo HD” to describe their players. I believe dual format players are a great idea, as some films are only being released on HD DVD, while others only on Blu-ray, and if you don’t want to be restricted to just one format, and a selection of film, a one unit player which can play both HD formats, as well as your existing DVD collection is very useful.

The first duo HD player from Samsung is the very popular BD-UP5000 (which supports both formats, 24p, 1080p, HDMI 1.3), and is currently avaliable. The second player is the new Samsung BD-UP5500 which will retail for $599 in the second half of 2008.

…you totally dig this Space Invaders jacket that comes emblazoned with hundreds upon hundreds of pixelated aliens from the arcade classic. Thanks to Scandanavian designer Junk de Luxe, you will be able to deck yourself in one of the geekiest clothing ever without looking silly as it is particularly stylish (somehow them Scandanavians seem to be pretty good with design). Unfortunately, it is only available from Trendlovers in Denmark at this point in time.

Source: Technabob

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Posted Jan 17th 2008 10:32AM by Joshua Topolsky
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Researchers at a US laboratory claim to have created the darkest material ever; a carbon nanotube which is one atom thick and rolled into a cylinder. For an object to be completely black, it must absorb all the colors of light over every angle and wavelength while reflecting none back, and scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, may have just gotten one step closer. The team built an array of vertically aligned, low-density nanotubes — rough on the surface to minimize reflections — and then measured the optical properties. They discovered that the objects very good at absorbing light, while downright rotten at reflecting it, thus creating a new standard for “blackness.” In practice, their nanotubes could form a super-black object, leading to the creation of more efficient solar panels or solar cells, or more importantly, a Kuro display that goes beyond absolute black. “They’ve made the blackest material known to science,” Says Professor Sir John Pendry, though Shaft’s representatives have called for a recount.

With Apple’s recent announcement of its mapping service for the iPhone, this is one accessory we’ll need. Griffin’s “WindowSeat” mounts onto your car’s windshield so your device is at eye level for checking street maps, directions, how lost you really are.

WindowSeat’s mounting bracket holds your iPhone securely, while its corner-release tab lets you easily remove your device when you arrive at your destination, leaving WindowSeat locked in position for the next time you use it.

It won’t be available until March, but then it will only cost you $19.99, a small price to pay for such convenience