Mobilityfeeds

Panasonic J9 netbook made for heavyweight users

This ultralight (990g) Panasonic J9 netbook is a piece of work:
It’s small 251.9×171.7×27.3-35.1mm. It is powerful, with 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU, up to 6GB of DDR3 RAM (with 2GB coming standard), and a 128GB or 160GB SSD. 10" display with 1366 × 768 resolution, 3 USB ports, HDMI out and a 3G module, WiFi ABGN, SDXC, WiMAX.

Battery life is impressive 6 hours standard, 12 hours in enhanced mode.
Panasonic will also offer its J9 with a i7-640M CPU, a 256GB SSD and 3G Foma (NTT DoCoMo)

This handy netbook is almost indestructible.
It can handle fall from 30cm height, or 76cm height if it’s fitted with Panther Black Jacket and 100kg of pressure.

Man, finally a notebook I can sit on… dough!

 

 

Source:  GadgetMix

HTC is readying for Windows Phone 7 launch

German site BestBoyZ has delivered a string of HTC leaks in recent weeks, and the latest is a fairly legit-looking handful of alleged press shots of the HTC  Mondrian.

As a refresher, the Mondrian seems to be one of the many code and commercial names floating around for Windows Phone 7-based devices HTC is looking to ship at or very near to the platform's retail launch, a higher-end unit (possibly equipped with a 1.3GHz Snapdragon) that would probably hang in the same space as the rumored HD7 and Trophy.

Interestingly, the shots -- which show a unit with a German ROM -- have HTC Hub listed on the home screen, despite some recent talk by CEO Peter Chou that his company's first-gen WinPho 7 products would lack serious software customization.

Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing depends on how much you appreciate HTC's design team, we suppose.

 

Source: Engadget

Archos presents its new line of Android tablets

We all knew it was coming because of everything from the first mention of Archos' Gen 8 Series of internet tablets to the recent announcement of the company's plans at this year's IFA.
We even got a sneak peak at two of the devices, in the form of the Archos 32 and A28, but now the whole long-awaited line-up has been revealed with all the details.

Made up of five devices, Archos' new internet tablet series includes the aforementioned 32 and A28, as well as the larger variants christened the Archos 43, 70, and 101.
The model numbers are directly linked to the screen sizes of the devices ranging from the 2.8" A28 to the 7" 70 and the 10.1" 101.
This curiously means that there isn't a new 5" model to directly replace the Archos 5 Android, with the closest being the 4.3" Archos 43.  

Onkyo to launch three new Windows 7 tablets

We do not often see more then one tablet PC issued from a company, but Japanese company Onkyo is soon unveiling three little dandy’s that all run Windows 7!

Although these tablets do not have slick marketing names such as the “Tablet of Doom” or “The Superman Tablet” they instead are known as the Onkyo TW117A4, TW217A5 and TW317A5.
We know... endearing, right?

The TW117A4 and TW317A5 both feature a 10.1" full color touch screen model and have the Intel’s Atom N450 processor and GMA 3150 graphics.
They also feature HDMI and the A4 model has a 160 GB internal hard drive, while the A5 has a 32 GB SD Card.  

Kobo launches a new WiFi eReader

Having trouble keeping track of all of these eBook readers?
Can't say we blame you--and let's be honest, manufacturers aren't make life any easier.
Kobo--that's the Borders-aligned eReader manufacturer (not to be confused with the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook)--announced a new model today.

The Kobo Wireless eReader features, as the name implies, WiFi connectivity.
Also upgraded in this version are a sharper screen, faster hardware, and improved battery life.
A built-in Shop button lets users choose from among the 2.2 million titles in the Kobo bookstore.

The new Kindle is priced the same as the entry-level Kindle:  US$139 (102 euros).
That's US$10 less than the low-end Nook.

Pre-orders on the reader start now through Kobo' dedicated Web site.
It'll begin shipping this October.
Once released, you'll be able to pick it up at Borders in the US and Indigo and Wal-Mart in Canada.

The device comes in one of three colors--onyx, porcelain with a silver back, and porcelain with a lilac back.
It comes pre-loaded with Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay and When My World was Very Small by Ruth Rakoff.

 

 

Source: Gearlog

 

Jabra Go 660 Extreme bluetooth headset now available

Jabra certainly loves to trumpet the noise cancellation abilities of its Bluetooth headsets, and while our own experiences haven't quite lived up to the hype, we always look forward to the company's latest name for its noise cancellation tech.

Disappointing, then, that the new Jabra Go 660 "headset solution" (with its Extreme ear jewelry) is said to be the company's "first Bluetooth headset with Noise Blackout Extreme."

That's despite the Jabra Stone shipping with tech that went by the same name this time last year. Hopefully that system has been improved since then and will now actually live up to its name, putting background noise in a headlock and rendering it completely unconscious.

In addition to the headset you get a USB Bluetooth adapter for a computer so that you can quickly go from VOIP to voicemail.
The Go 660 is available now for US$110 (81 euros), including the adapter -- which of course you won't need if your system is already down with Bluetooth. 

 

 

Source: Engadget

Blio eReader now available for download

It has been months since the Blio eReading application was first announced, but the wait to download the interactive program is finally over.

Just as previously announced, the Blio eReader app was launched today for Windows-based devices.

The app brings with it access to a library filled with over a million paid and free titles. The program supports English, French and Spanish currently, but there is a plan to add support for Italian, German and Asian-language options later.

 In case you’ve forgotten, what makes this digital reading application special are the graphics:

Blio is a color and image-filled program that can also include hyperlinks and video clips within content.
Maybe this will help eTextbooks (and eCookbooks, like the one pictured above) more mainstream too.

The Blio application can be downloaded from the Blio eReader site now for free

 

 

Source: ZDnet

 

Things you need to know before buying a Libretto

The Toshiba Libretto W100 and I are about 3 weeks into our relationship, and I'm quite sure we'll spend the rest of its life together.

Although that makes my feelings about the dual-screened UMPC quite clear, it doesn't mean that I'm blinded by infatuation and unable to see its shortcomings.
On the contrary, despite my personal feelings about the unit, it isn't something I would recommend to everyone.

The W100 is an expensive device (US$1100 - 810 euros - for the US version, ~US$1450 - 1,068 euros - for the Japanese version that comes with WiMAX and two batteries), which means consumers are generally less willing to tolerate flaws they might tolerate on a cheaper gadget. And of course! When you pay over a grand for something, you want to feel like you got your money's worth.

So before you buy the Libretto W100, here are some important things you should know that could affect your purchasing decision:  

BlackBerry presents the PlayBook tablet

At the Devcon convention today in Waterloo, Canada based Research in Motion (RIM)  finally revealed their BlackBerry Tablet, officially called “PlayBook.”

RIM co-chief executive Mike Lazaridis said the PlayBook would become the “enterprise standard” for tablet computers, and the device would integrate seamlessly with the company’s existing business offerings. He went on to say the “PlayBook delivers a no-compromises web experience.”

The Device features a 1GHZ Processor and 1GB of internal RAM and a 7" screen with a resolution of 1024×600 pixels.
You will be able to interact with the device via swipes and gestures with its capacitive multi-touch screen. It will feature the new Blackberry OS6 which debuted on the Blackberry Torch Smartphone earlier this month.  

Lenovo launches its Android mobile

We first spotted Lenovo's Le Phone at CES.
The Chinese company behind the ThinkPad threw an evening event with prototypes of the handset scattered throughout. We got a little hands-on time with the phone and were suitable impressed. It was slick, slim, and featured a stunning AMOLED screen.

Perhaps the most compelling thing about the Android handset was actually its dock, which features a full keyboard, stereo speakers, and a built-in battery, which doubles the thing's life. It's an clever solution that caters to both elegance and features.

And then the bad news: the thing was only set for release in China. There was a collective groan when Lenovo let out that little bit of information.  

Amazon may launch its own Android App store

This sounds like madness to us, but take it for what you will:
TechCrunch is reporting via some tipsters that Amazon is preparing to launch its own Android app store, of all things.
Revenue split is rumored to be "the greater of 70% of the purchase price or 20% of the List Price as of the purchase date," which is pretty strange wording -- this "List Price" concept is apparently designed to prevent you from undercutting pricing with other services -- and there'll be a US$99 (73 euros) fee to gain entry, which is pretty standard.

Apps will be required to use Amazon DRM and could be featured on Amazon's site, which is potentially a pretty big upside considering the kind of traffic that bad boy gets.  

Kindle laughs at the iPad

Amazon has released a new shot ad for the Kindle - and they laugh at the iPad's poor sunlight visibility (and high price):

 

 

Bookeen launches a new eReader: Interview

Bookeen are a France-based e-reader maker, that currently offer two models (the Cybook Gen3, available now for €249.99 (US$350), and the Opus, available now for €179.99 (US$215) and are set to release a new one, the Orizon for  €229.99 (US$249).
Michael Dahan, Bookeen's co-founder and CEO has agreed to answer few questions:

Q: Michael - First of all, thank you for this interview. Currently you are offering two e-readers, the Cybook Gen3 and the Cybook Opus. Can you tell us how are the sales of these models?

The sales are very good. We are sold mainly throughout Europe and have started more actively in the US. We evaluate our market share in Europe to be 25-30%. We are sold in large retail networks like FNAC or Mediamarket and have a strong presence in Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. UK remains a stronghold for us, but we plan to crack it.

The Cybook Gen3 has started its carrier in October 2007, two weeks before Kindle. Since this date, It has known several enhancements through different versions. It has been released in its last version (Gold Edition) last September. It’s a 6" e-Ink screen with 8-levels grayscale 170dpi/1GB/Audio/SD card slot/3 weeks battery lifetime with native support of Adobe EPUB/PDF. In this version it is delivered with a protective cover, USB charger and earphones.

The Cybook Opus is its little brother and has been launched in August 2009. It’s a 5" e-Ink screen with an amazing 200dpi resolution, 1GB of storage memory with possibility of extension with microSD. It has an accelerometer which enables you to switch from portrait to landscape with a flip. It is delivered with an acclaimed protective sleeve.

3G Toshiba Libretto available in Europe and Middle East

As one of the most exciting UMPC products so far this year, the Toshiba Libretto W100 has made quite a splash.

Connectivity options for the exclusive device have so far been limited to WiFi, Bluetooth, and WiMAX for the Japanese version and only WiFi and Bluetooth for the model sold in the US.
But with the dual-screened machine now also being sold in Europe, it has come to the attention of Netbook Italia that a model with built-in HSDPA 7.2Mbps/HSUPA 2Mbps 3G connectivity is also now available.

As expected, the W100-10D with the 3G modem commands an even higher premium over its already expensive WWAN-less W100-10C sibling, costing an extra €200 which works out to around US$268  (€199).

The new 3G-equipped model has also appeared on Toshiba's Middle East page indicating the possibility of a wider launch, although there hasn't been any news of it reaching American shores as of yet.

 

 

 

Source: Pocketables

 

Sharp unveils an Android Tablet/eBook reader

Another major electronics manufacturer is throwing its hat into what's setting up to be a gigantic year for Android-based tablets.

Sharp this week introduced two new tablets set for a Japanese release early next year. Both devices bear the name Galapagos, inspired by the islands that Charles Darwin helped make famous--a nod to technological evolution, no doubt.

The company introduced a 5.5 inch mobile device and less portable 10.8 inch device, which dwarfs the 9.7 inch iPad.
Both devices will be compatible with the eBookstore the company is set to launch in December of this year. As it grows, the service will begin to offer a more iTunes-like selection, offering up movies, music, and games for the devices.

The device will also offer newspapers and magazines for paid download. 

Quick look at Acer Aspire One D255

Let’s take a close look under the hood of Acer Aspire One D255 netbook.

What makes this new model special?
Well, it’s one of the few 10″ models with dual core 1.5GHz Intel Atom N550 processor. Now, this makes it special!!

This laptop is about 15% more efficient than single core netbook. Battery still lasts up to 8 hours. Last pro we mention is that it can handle 720p HD Flash video nicely. In some parts of the world this netbook is offered with Android dual boot option but not here in the United States.

Now, let’s take a look at cons.
Acer Aspire One D255 screams under pressure of HD QuickTime files and the cursor doesn’t respond well to the touchpad.

Acer Aspire One D255 will cost you about $349 (259 euros).
Similar machine we should mention is Acer Aspire One 521 for about the same money, but with significantly better CPU and graphics performance, but you won’t get 8 hours on a charge.
Maybe 5 tops.

 

 

Source: GadgetMix

Press conference on Windows Phone 7 announced

If you had any doubts about the most important date in your Windows Phone 7 calendar, you can now dismiss them.

Microsoft has just gotten in touch to ask us very kindly to "save the date" October 11 for a 2PM London press conference (9AM ET for Americans) that will last all the way until 5.30PM.
Unless Steve Ballmer's planning on reading the Iliad all that time, that sounds like there'll be hands-on opportunities with Windows Phone 7 devices to us.

Of course, there's nary a mention of any phones in the brief invite, but given the multiple sources nailing that exact date as Microsoft's European launch, we'd be shocked to see anything else. 

 

Source: Engadget

Play Scrabble on your Kindle

With SCRABBLE for Kindle play the game you know and love - anytime, anywhere!

Simple controls make it easy to play any way you want, whether you're a casual or experienced SCRABBLE player.

Pass N' Play with a friend, challenge the Kindle, or play a solo game. If you need help, use the Best Word feature to create the highest scoring word possible. You can even pause the game anytime and pick it up later.

Follow your progress game by game with instant statistics tracking. As your game-play and strategy improves, you'll find more ways to rack up double and triple word scores.

Enjoy the number one name in crossword games, and sharpen your vocabulary in a fun new way.

Garmin/Asus launch the Nüvifone M10 - forget it!

GPS manufacturer Garmin has teamed up with Asus to bring out the nüvifone M10, a large-screened smartphone running Windows Mobile that comes with Garmin's satnav software plus a car cradle and charger.
It's quite a chunky phone, being 14mm thick and weighing slightly more than the iPhone or HTC Desire, plus its rubberised casing makes it feel sturdy.

The 3.5inch, 800x480 display uses a resistive touch interface, so it relies on pressure rather than the conductive nature of your skin.
It's reasonably responsive for a resistive interface, but the inclusion of a stylus speaks volumes about the touch interface.
The manufacturers have made some modifications such as adding larger buttons for common tasks, but inevitably at some point you'll find yourself trying to choose an option on a tiny drop-down menu that really requires the precision of a stylus.

Windows Mobile 6.5 is a poor choice for a new device, Windows Phone 7 is due out soon, and the old operating system suffers terribly in comparison to its competitors.
Its interface wasn’t originally designed for fingertip use, hence Garmin Asus' bolted-on modifications.
It has some advantages - native Exchange support, the inclusion of Office Mobile and access to the slowly-improving Windows Marketplace - but overall it's not a patch on the dedicated touch interfaces of Android and iOS. 

US network operators favor Android before iPhone

Google. Apple. Research In Motion (RIM, maker of BlackBerry). Microsoft. Nokia.
Who is in the best position to control the mobile ecosystem of the future? That was one of the recurring discussion points yesterday as leaders from wireless companies both big and small converged on Seattle for the Mobile Future Forward conference, a one-day confab led by industry guru Chetan Sharma.

The opportunity in front of all of these companies was spelled out clearly by Mike Sievert, chief commercial officer at Kirkland-based Clearwire.

"Mobile broadband brings together the two biggest trends, in some sense, in the history of technology," Sievert said. "And I don't think it is an exaggeration to assert that. To think that the two biggest trends in the history of technology probably are the Internet -- broadband Internet in particular --and the whole idea of mobility. And they have lived in separate worlds up until now."

There was no consensus on who would come out on top of what is shaping up to be an epic technology battle.
But industry leaders certainly voiced their opinions throughout the day, with most of the nods going to Google's Android and Apple's iPhone platforms.