Gadget Flash

Nikon Coolpix S50c: review

2007-08-01T20:56:00.000+02:00

Terry Sullivan has reviewed this wireless digital camera from Nikon. The Coolpix S50c.

Pro's:

- excellent wireless features

- good price for lots of special features

Cons:

- mediocre performance

- shutter lag

Samsung HL-T5687S: review

2007-07-28T11:53:00.000+02:00

David Katzmaier has reviewed this television form Samsung, it's the HL-T5687S. It represent the least-expensive of the company's LED-powered DLP HDTVs.

Pro's:

- excellent primary color accuracy

- produces a deep overall shade of black

- no rainbow effect compared to other DLPs

- comprehensive connectivity with 3 HDMI and one PC input

- numerous picture controls

- compact, stylish cabinet

Cons:

- hot spot visible in dark scenes

- no user-menu color temperature controls

- lacks 2:3 pulldown processing

World's first HD Video walkman from Sony

2007-07-26T17:23:00.000+02:00

Sony today announces the world’s first HD Video WALKMAN – the portable solution for viewing HDV and DV tapes while you’re on the move.

Packed with professional features, the versatile GV-HD700E plays back HDV as well as miniDV tapes (SP and LP). Its ability to record HDV1080i/DV signals from an external source also makes it ideal as a back-up deck for professional videographers covering weddings and other events.

The clear, bright 7-inch widescreen (16:9) LCD offers a resolution of 1,152K (800x480x3[RGB]) dots for monitoring video and still images. An All-scan function ensures that 100% of the recorded frame area is displayed on the LCD monitor for accurate reviewing of shots. Up to six LCD panel setups can be stored and loaded at any time. The on-screen position of displayed timecode can be moved to any of six positions according to user preference. The screen folds down when the GV-HD700E is not in use for maximum portability.

The HD Video WALKMAN is generously equipped with interfaces for recording and playing HDV1080i and Standard Definition DV video from a range of sources. An HDMI output allows HD viewing on any connected HD-ready TV or monitor.

The GV-HD700E HD Video WALKMAN will be available throughout Europe from September 2007.

Creative Zen Stone Plus: review

2007-07-25T21:03:00.000+02:00

Jonathan Bray has reviewed this little mp3-player from Creative, the Zen Stone Plus.

Apple probably won't lose any sleep over the Zen Stone Plus. It may have more capacity, features and slightly better sound quality than the Shuffle, but it's fiddly to use and the screen is more of an adornment than a truly useful addition.

In the end, I can't help being disappointed in what has widely been touted as a Shuffle killer. Those who desperately want more capacity will probably choose the Plus over the Shuffle.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T20: review

2007-07-24T22:16:00.000+02:00

CNET has reviewed this digital camera from Sony, the Cyber-Shot DSC-T20. It's a nice ultracompact, with most of the features that consumers are looking for in a point-and-shoot camera, they said.

Pro's:

- slim

- sleek design

- face detection

- optional HD output

- fast performance

Cons:

- must half-press shutter to ensure focus

- very noisy at ISO 800 and above

Cowon iAudio 7: review

2007-07-22T11:22:00.000+02:00

Martin Plappert has reviewed this iAudia 7. It's a flash based MP3 player. As usual from Cowon it's a player with a lot of quality.

The iAudio 7 is Cowon’s latest flash based MP3 player. Some people might be surprised about the fact that the iAudio 7 is the company’s newest player, simply because the design is not new. Externally the i7 is a near perfect copy of the iAudio 6. Internally there are some quite big changes.

The Sony Bravia Theatre DAV-X10

2007-07-22T10:55:00.000+02:00

The ultimate designer home cinema system for great AV performance combined with minimalist style.

- Stylish glass-topped design with hidden touch-sensitive controls – home cinema without the clutter
- One-button operation with "BRAVIA" High Definition TVs using BRAVIA Theatre Sync
- Fast installation thanks to simple connections and Digital Cinema Auto Calibration
- Two-speaker surround sound via S-Force PRO Front Surround processing

So you want superb surround sound and breathtaking viewing, but don’t want to spoil the clean lines of your room? Sony has the answer in the sleek, chic DAV-X10 system, combining gloss-black understatement with invisible ‘light to the touch’ controls, and delivering amazing sound all around you from just two small speakers and a compact hideaway subwoofer. The DAV-X10 is packed with Sony technology to make set-up and operation as simple as possible, and it’ll even talk to your Sony Ericsson WALKMAN® phone via Bluetooth, allowing you to play your personal mobile music collection with room-filling clarity and power. And if you think even the most stylish home theatre systems mean cables snaking round the room to feed different speakers, the DAV-X10 has another surprise in store: it delivers virtual surround sound from just two compact speakers, thanks to Sony S-Force PRO Front Surround technology.

Home cinema systems should deliver great sound without taking over the room, but because the DAV-X10 is so desirable, it’s likely to become a major talking point. That’s all to do with the sophisticated design of the main unit with its sleek black contours and glass top panel containing hidden controls. Touch the system and the control buttons light up, allowing you to operate the system’s functions; and when you’ve finished, they fade down again, leaving a pure, uncomplicated design you’ll be proud to put on show. Add in the appeal of the small main speakers and subwoofer, plus the magic of surround sound without needing speakers all around the room, and you have a system for the truly design-conscious, without any compromise on performance.

The Sony DAV-X10 is available from September.

New A-GPS service‎from Nokia

2007-07-19T17:37:00.000+02:00

Nokia makes finding yourself faster with new A-GPS service
Technical framework allows service providers to provide their own regional A-GPS services

Espoo, Finland - This Assisted GPS (A-GPS) service helps Nokia Maps users find their current locations faster and get to their desired locations quicker using their Nokia mobile device with built-in GPS.

Nokia intends to equip all of its future devices that have built-in GPS with this service. The first devices to use this service are the Nokia 6110 Navigator, which has begun shipping in select markets, and the most recent software release of the Nokia N95 multimedia computer.

Current owners of the Nokia N95 can take advantage of this free* service by using the Nokia Software Updater. http://www.nokia.com/softwareupdate This will update the firmware on the device to the latest version.

This service has the ability to reduce the time a connected mobile device with built in GPS needs to find its current position, known as time to first fix (TTFF) for most geographical locations worldwide. The reduced fix times can increase and improve the usability for all Nokia location-based experiences.

The service operates in tandem with a technical framework that allows third parties, such as service providers, to provide their own regional A-GPS services, making fix times even faster in certain areas- to the benefit of their subscribers.

BlackBerry 8820 WiFi-enabled

2007-07-18T19:23:00.000+02:00

CNET reported about the WiFi-enabled Blackberry, the 8820.

After getting the green light from the FCC just a couple of weeks ago, Research in Motion today officially took the wraps off the RIM BlackBerry 8820, the company's first smart phone with integrated Wi-Fi. Available through AT&T Wireless later this summer, the 8820 supports 802.11a/b/g standards and is compliant with Wi-Fi security protocols, including WEP and WPA.

Samsung K3: review

2007-07-17T16:51:00.000+02:00

Jenn K. Lee from pocketables.net has reviewed this digital audio player from Samsuung. It's the flash-based K3. (YP-K3). It's a very thin player.

On its own, the player is relatively capable, albeit stripped down and not without a few quirks. Although it's reliance on touch-based controls won't appeal to everyone, the device will still manage to turn more than a few heads . . . but unfortunately only because of its ultra-thin profile and impeccably modern design.

Nokia N800: Internet Tablet

2007-07-16T12:23:00.000+02:00

The N800 is a beautiful and small internet tablet. It has lots of connectivity features, including WiFi and Bluetooth.

The most attractive part of the tablet is the simple interface, you can easily control the device by using its touchscreen.

The Nokia N800 has 128MB memory, which you can expand to 2GB with an SD memory card.

You can buy the Nokia N800 Internet tablet for about 399 EUR.

Gadget Flash update

2007-07-15T11:35:00.000+02:00

I'm going to give Gadget Flash a mini-lay-out-update. I found the head a little simple, so I decided to change it. Using Photoshop and a little html-help from my boyfriend I'm hoping that it is finished this evening.

After a break for a few months Gadget Flash will be updated every day again. I hope you like it and come back every day. Comments are really welcome so I can make Gadget Flash much better and more pretty to read.

HP PhotoSmart M437: review

2007-07-07T11:06:00.000+02:00

CNET has reviewed this 8.2 digital camera from HP, their PhotoSmart M437. It's one of the least expensive cameras out there.

The Pro's:

- extremely simple

- inexpensive

The Cons:

- poor performance and image quality

- no manual controls

HTC S710: review

2007-07-07T10:50:00.000+02:00

DV Hardware has reviewed this new smartphone from HTC, the S710. The phone has lots of capabilities but it still feels pretty "phone-ish", they said.

The Pro's:

- Big, bright and easy to read LCD display

- Lots of features

- WiFi support

- Looks good

- Compact size for a Windows Mobile phone

- Slide-out QWERTY keyboard as well as a normal keypad

- microSD card can be swapped without removing the battery first.

The Cons:

- Short battery life

- Sometimes a bit slow

- Digital camera quality isn't great, but good enough to take some photos on-the-go.

- Camera lens isn't protected

- No 3G support

- The phone is quite heavy (140g), but to be honest this wasn't really a problem for me.

Sony Ericsson Z610i: 3G at its stylish best

2007-02-24T13:00:00.000+01:00

With the Sony Ericsson Z610i, the company have managed well to change the general perception of 'serious' looking 3G phones. The highly fashionable clamshell model is quite an eye-catcher. Its whole case has a glossy finished texture and is available in luster black, airy blue and rose pink, the last solely aimed at the fairer sex.

Importantly, the Sony Ericsson Z610i includes all features you'd expect from a 3G phone and more compared to others in the same price range. The primary internal 262k colour TFT display is one of the best in business. External screen is OLED based and is cleverly disguised by hidden mirror effect. Wrong presses on the Sony Ericsson Z610i is almost nil - thanks to the well differentiated keypad.

3G technology of Sony Ericsson Z610i makes it possible for you to make and receive video calls across UMTS network. The handset supports triband GSM network so is functional across five continents. Data speed can go as high as 384 kbps within 3G network or you can settle for a low speed GPRS (Class 10). Check emails on the move, send Instant messages or browse with highly acclaimed NetFront browser - with the Sony Ericsson Z610i, you're never out of touch.

The primary camera of the Sony Ericsson Z610i is of 2.0 megapixel module. Sadly, absence of autofocus and flash is felt in some pictures, especially in gloom weather. However, its overall performance is satisfactory and comes in very handy in freezing those flash light moments. Other than that, there is a secondary VGA camera with digital zoom for video calling.

Bluetooth technology v2.0 of the Sony Ericsson Z610i supports stereo wireless headsets. Enjoy the high definition sound of the integrated media player on Bluetooth wireless headset while you keep your hands busy on something else. Although the user memory of 16 Mb seem paltry, expandable memory card slot of the Sony Ericsson Z610i lets you carry all your favourite tracks and contents.

by Grace Lewis

Nokia announced Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld

2006-12-01T17:36:00.000+01:00

Nokia today announced its latest Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H) broadcast mobile TV pilot with India's national television broadcaster Doordarshan, using Nokia's open standards based DVB-H solution. The Nokia Mobile Broadcast Solution will be delivered to Doordarshan via SHAF Broadcast Pvt Ltd in early 2007.

During this pilot, Doordarshan will test the reception quality of the broadcast coverage, and explore the myriad of options of supporting different service schemes, such as advertising and interactive services. The pilot will also enable Doordarshan to gauge consumer expectations of the service going forward.

Mr L.D. Mandloi, Director-General of Doordarshan said: "Doordashan has taken a lead in adopting DVB-H standards and this was a logical extension of our DVB-T services. DVB-H over IP based on open standards will provide a discerning mobile broadcast experience to Indian consumer and we are confident of its success in our country which has historically been on the leading edge of broadcast technology and content creation."

"India becomes one of the leading countries in Asia to deploy live broadcast mobile TV bringing Indian consumers a step closer to watching their favorite programmes on their mobile devices," said Jawahar Kanjilal, Director, Multimedia, Nokia Asia Pacific. "We are excited to collaborate with Doordarshan to enable their mobile TV services. This is a great opportunity for the vibrant content industry in India to take advantage of bringing television into the pockets of the Indian consumers."

As the national television broadcaster of India, Doordarshan runs the largest Free to Air Satellite (DTH) services covering the entire country. Its analog territory broadcast network covers more than 92% of India providing free news, sports and entertainment.

The pilot will use DVB-H technology, a robust broadcast technology now used to support several extensive field pilots globally, chosen based on its merit to support mobility, small screens, indoor coverage, optimised use of battery and in-built antenna that are specific to handheld devices such as mobile devices.

What is Mobile TV Broadcasting?
Mobile TV broadcasting allows the user to watch their favourite TV programmes such as dramas, news, music, sports and documentaries on their mobile device. The service works by receiving a digital TV broadcast signal optimized for mobile devices from the air in much the same way as televisions at home do. Channel guides will also be broadcast allowing users to keep abreast of the latest programmes on air. Broadcast mobile TV is not the same as a streaming video service over 3G or GPRS where each recipient gets a separate copy of the program stream. Rather, one simultaneous TV stream can be received at any time by any number of users enjoying high picture quality and low battery power consumption.

More information about mobile TV can be obtained from www.nokia.com/mobiletv.

Nokia 5500 Sport Music Edition

2006-10-05T18:30:00.000+02:00

Nokia today announced the latest addition to its family of "Active" phones with the introduction of the Nokia 5500 Sport Music Edition. Adding to the well-received concept of the Nokia 5500 Sport, the Music Edition is enhanced with a 512 MB microSD card for enjoying up to 375 songs, as well as a fitness carrying strap, bicycle holder and sports headset packed in a new energetic color.

"Music is a great source of energy and inspiration for many - during a workout, a fitness routine, or just relaxing," says Antti Koivula, Director of Lifestyle Products at Nokia. "To complement its sporty and fitness-inspired design, the Nokia 5500 Sport Music Edition offers an expanded range of music features and bears the Nokia XpressMusic feature brand which guarantees an outstanding mobile music experience."

The innovative carrying strap of the Nokia 5500 Sport Music Edition allows it to be worn around the waist or strapped around an arm to ensure that the handset stays in place, even during vigorous exercise. The sports headset also offers handsfree convenience for music and conversation with an anatomically engineered, over-the-ear design. For a complete music experience, the Nokia Music Manager application makes music transfer in multitude of different digital music formats from your PC easy and convenient.

As a sports companion, the Nokia 5500 Sport Music Edition packs a lot more than just music.
Featuring an integrated pedometer, this "smartphone with a six-pack" lets users know the distance travelled and calories burned during a run. Other activities, such as a bicycle tour or cross-country skiing can also monitor distance and calories with an optional GPS module. Results of workout routines can then be transferred from the Nokia 5500 Sport Music Edition to a PC to follow individual progress.

When it comes to messaging features, the Nokia 5500 Sport Music Edition is as versatile as a decathlete. With the press of a single button to activate three dedicated "modes", the Nokia 5500 Sport Music Edition can switch from a phone mode to stay in touch, a music mode to relax or energize, and a sports mode to help users go the extra mile. With a high-powered smartphone at heart, the handset can even support text-to-speech technology. With two taps, the Nokia 5500 Sport Music Edition reads an SMS aloud. A 2 megapixel camera completes the well-rounded feature set of the Nokia 5500 Music Edition.

The triband Nokia 5500 Sport Music Edition (GSM 900/1800/1900) is now available in select shops around Europe. The expected retail price before taxes and subsidies is approximately 350 EUR.

Nokia introduces Wibree technology as open industry initiative

2006-10-04T22:31:00.000+02:00

Nokia today introduced Wibree technology as an open industry initiative extending local connectivity to small devices. This new radio technology developed by Nokia Research Center complements other local connectivity technologies, consuming only a fraction of the power compared to other such radio technologies, enabling smaller and less costly implementations and being easy to integrate with Bluetooth solutions. Wibree is the first open technology offering connectivity between mobile devices or Personal Computers, and small, button cell battery power devices such as watches, wireless keyboards, toys and sports sensors. By extending the role mobile devices can play in consumers' lives, this technology increases the growth potential in these market segments.

The goal being to have the new technology available to the market as fast as possible, Nokia is defining the Wibree interoperability specification together with a group of leading companies representing semiconductor manufacturers, device vendors and qualification service providers. The technology will be made broadly available to the industry through an open and preferably existing forum enabling wide adoption of the technology. The forum solution is under evaluation and will be defined by the time the specification is finalized. According to the current estimate the first commercial version of the interoperability specification will be available during second quarter of 2007.

The current members of the group defining the specification are: Broadcom Corporation, CSR, Epson and Nordic Semiconductor having licensed the Wibree technology for commercial chip implementation and Suunto and Taiyo Yuden, contributing to the interoperability specification in their respective areas of expertise.

"Wibree technology is an important development that opens up new market opportunities and a whole new range of possibilities for mobile users," says Dr. Bob Iannucci, head of Nokia Research Center. "Our aim is to establish an industry standard faster than ever before by offering an interoperable solution that can be commercialized and incorporated into products quickly."

Technical details:
Wibree technology complements close range communication with Bluetooth like performance within 0-10 m range and data rate of 1 Mbps. Wibree is optimized for applications requiring extremely low power consumption, small size and low cost. Wibree is implemented either as stand-alone chip or as Bluetooth-Wibree dual-mode chip. The small devices like watches and sports sensors will be based on stand-alone chip whereas Bluetooth devices will take benefit of the dual-mode solution, extending Bluetooth device connectivity to new range of smallest devices.

For more information on Wibree see the website www.wibree.com

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T50: review

2006-09-30T10:10:00.000+02:00

Imaging-resource has reviewed this digital camera from Sony, the Cyber-shot DSC-T50.

Pro's:

Slim form factor, literally shirt-pocket sized
Touch-screen interface is popular with many users
Excellent feature set for a subcompact
Very effective image stabilization for steady photos even in
limited lighting
Excellent lens, very sharp, softens only in extreme corners,
chromatic aberration is lower than average.
Excellent shutter response, much faster than average autofocus
performance, especially for a subcompact model
Good flash range for a compact camera, noticeably better than
that of the T10
Bright color will appeal to many consumers
Very large LCD screen, usable (but a little hard to see) in full
sun and in surprisingly dim lighting too
Excellent video capability (with sound), surprising in such a
tiny camera
Good, bright AF-Assist lamp
Very fast USB 2.0 computer connection
Excellent battery life for a subcompact
Excellent print quality, very nice looking 13x19 inch print

Cons:

High-ISO shots are very noisy, particularly under limited-light conditions
Short exposure times limit low-light shooting somewhat (still
more than adequate for typical city night scenes though)
Continuous-mode cycle times are on the slow side
Below-average white balance performance under household
incandescent lighting
Bright color is nice, but strong blues are oversaturated, may be
a bit much for some users
An excellent lens overall, but pincushion distortion at telephoto
focal lengths is higher than average
Touch screen interface can be awkward to use, requires more
touches for many settings than does conventional button-based interface
(reviewer's personal bias, you may feel differently

Nokia N75: Smallest Nokia Nseries Multimedia Computer

2006-09-26T21:15:00.000+02:00

Nokia today introduced the Nokia N75, its smallest multimedia computer, offering digital music playback, quality photography, telephony and rich internet communication. The Nokia N75 provides a complete multimedia experience in a thin and elegant clamshell, while utilizing Nokia's renowned ease of use.

"By combining people's entertainment and leisure needs into the Nokia N75, Nokia is affecting the lifestyles of mobile device users in a positive way. With all its features and beautiful design, the Nokia N75 keeps your life connected and it's far easier and more enjoyable to just have one device to carry around, and still keep ahead of the game!" said Nigel Rundstrom, vice president of Multimedia Sales for Nokia in North America.

Soundtrack to your life
The Nokia N75 music experience excels even with the device closed. The digital music player has easy controls on the cover of the device, and the reflective 1.36" color cover display guides you to your music, which is always just a button press away. Supporting a multitude of different formats, including MP3, M4A, AAC, eAAC+ and WMA, the advanced digital music player includes an equalizer, playlist, shuffle and repeat features for a direct connection to compatible online music services. When you connect the Nokia N75 to your compatible PC, a mere tap on the music key acts as an instant link to music stored. The PC-mobile synchronization redirects your favorite tunes straight to the Nokia N75, which can store up to 1,500* individual tracks on an optional 2GB microSD card. In addition to playing downloaded music and ripped cds, the Nokia N75 also includes a stereo FM radio, allowing you to listen to your favorite talk or music radio stations through your compatible headphones or through the integrated 3D stereo speakers.**

Show me what you got
A mere click of the dedicated camera key on the Nokia N75 results in a sharp, ready to print 2-megapixel (1600 x 1200 pixels) photos - select the best pictures by previewing them as a slideshow through the 2.4'' screen with up to 16 million colors. With up to 16x digital zoom, an integrated flash LED, and the files in JPEG/EXIF format, you can expect excellent quality for the photos taken. This entertainment device doubles as a mini TV screen, for optimized viewing of streaming and downloaded video clips. Featuring MPEG-4 video capture and playback in landscape mode, the Nokia N75 delivers an instant video experience with audio recording. With internal memory of up to 40 MB, which can be further expanded with an optional microSD card of up to 2 GB, the N75 allows users to capture up to 500 minutes of high quality video or close to 2500 2-megapixel photos.

The world in your hand
The highly intuitive Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map delivers desired Web pages with their original design directly to the high-resolution color display (320 x 240 pixels, up to 16 million colors). Furthermore, the browser enables RSS feeds, so users can subscribe to their favorite Web sites and receive regular updates. Keeping in touch with friends is just as easy as from your home computer, but the Nokia N75 is always with you - just follow simple set up prompts to access an existing compatible email account or standard SMS and MMS features. Part of the Nokia Nseries multimedia computers, the Nokia N75 offers great functionality in one beautifully shaped connected device. Designed to work on 3G (WCDMA 850/1900 MHz), EDGE and GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) networks, the Nokia N75 provides a fantastic Web browsing experience.

The Nokia N75 is expected to be available initially in the US during the fourth quarter of 2006.

Nokia N93: review

2006-09-25T20:46:00.000+02:00

Sandra Vogel has reviewed this mobile phone from Nokia, The N93.

Video and stills shooting are clearly the N93’s main selling points, but there is a lot more going on here thanks to Symbian S60 v3. It is a great shame the N93 is such a beast for the pocket and has so little internal and provided memory. If Nokia could squeeze the overall hardware size down, the N93 would be very desirable indeed. As it is, it is just too bulky to be a main handset and too expensive to be a second one.

Read more at Trustedreview

3D TV could be three years away

2006-09-24T11:14:00.000+02:00

3D television could be in homes within three years, according to a European research consortium.
Levent Onural, co-ordinator of the multinational 3DTV network, said the technology was already in place for 3D TV and cinema to become commonplace.

The consortium, funded by the European Commission, consists of about 200 researchers in seven countries, and is halfway through its four-year duration.

However, Prof Onural said holographic television was at least 10 years away.

He said: "We do think holographic 3D TV is feasible, but the technology is not in place yet.

"If you ask my opinion, it will take another 10 years to get there, but some say it will take 14 to 20 years."

However, he said that it would offer the "ultimate viewing experience".

"For example, take a football game. Viewers would be able to look at a TV that will be like a coffee table and see small-scale real football players made up from light running around on that table."

Lower-end technologies

The research consortium is looking into all aspects of 3D technology, such as capturing 3D motion scenes, computerised representation, transmission and display.

Professor Onural, who is based at Bilkent University, Turkey, said: "Lower-end technologies, such as stereoscopic 3D (a method of displaying an image that gives the impression of depth) will be commonplace in homes and cinemas in about three years."

He said the technology had been present for many years, but recent advances would mean the motion sickness that has made 3D films an unpleasant viewing experience in the past could be reduced.

The research consortium has also developed and tested 3D stereoscopic displays where the viewer can look at 3D images without special glasses.

Professor Onural said: "With stereoscopic cinema, we think that there will be huge interest from the movie-goers, and we think it will be available in regular movie houses in three years.

"We think that some people might want to purchase 3D television sets for home viewing. "

However, he admitted that he did not "yet know how the consumers will behave and what the commercial success of that project will be".

Source

Creative Zen Vision:W review

2006-09-24T11:00:00.000+02:00

James Kim has reviewed this media player from Creative, the Zen Vision:W.

Pro's:
- beautiful wide-screen display
- durable design
- intuitive interface
- holds up to 60GB
- supports wide array of video formats
- plays FM radio
- supports TiVo To Go and limited movie downloads
- syncs with Outlook
- removable battery
- CompactFlash slot is nice for photographers
- good value for a widescreen PVP

Cons:
- bulky body that's just a tad heavy
- no line-in audio or video recording
- no kickstand
- TiVo To Go requires file conversion and third-party MPEG-2 decoder
- mediocre rated audio battery life

Read more at cnet

How to Find the Best Digital Cameras

2006-09-23T14:04:00.000+02:00

The high tech digital world of today has brought us millions of fascinating gadgets that can help make our daily lives easier and more livable. From simple items like the compact disc or the DVD to more complex products like digital cell phones and laptops, products bursting with the latest in technology surround us wherever we go. For those of us who enjoy photography, however, some of the absolute best inventions of the digital age have got to be digital cameras. With their humble beginnings, digital cameras have blossomed into an amazing product, so incredible in fact that just about anyone who enjoys taking pictures already has at least one of the hundreds of digital cameras now available. However, with so much diversity in the world of digital cameras, it can be a difficult task to figure out which one is right for you.

To figure out which digital cameras are right for you, you have to figure out a few criteria first. To begin with, you have to decide what your price range for digital cameras is. Amazingly enough, you can purchase a digital camera for less than a hundred bucks or for more than thirty thousand, the choice is up to you. Also, you should decide how many megapixels you want in a digital camera. More megapixels will allow you to take larger, clearer pictures, but the camera itself will cost a few hundred dollars more than a comparable camera with less megapixels. Finally, you need to figure out what other features you want your possible digital cameras to have. Important things to consider include whether or not your camera can take short movies, how long the battery lasts and what type of lens the camera uses.

If you are highly passionate about photography, you really need to consider one of the prosumer digital cameras or a digital SLR (DSLR). DSLRs are highly similar to their film based cousins except they are fully digital. This means that these types of digital cameras require you to look through the viewfinder instead of at the screen when you take your pictures. However, you can always change lenses and check the pictures after you have taken them, making it a highly versatile camera. On the other hand, prosumer digital cameras offer much of the same quality as a DSLR, except you are able to sight your picture through the LCD screen. Unfortunately, prosumer digital cameras do not allow you to switch out your lens.

Aside from photography lovers, the majority of the population should stick with compact and subcompact digital cameras. These cameras offer a great image quality in a body size that is usually no larger than a pack of cigarettes. Great for carrying around with you on your travels, compact cameras can certainly be taken anywhere you go, as they can easily slip into a pocket on even your tightest jeans. One drawback of these small digital cameras, however, is that they lack many of the functions and settings of the prosumer and DSLR varieties.

By Bill Urell

Nokia 6215i: review

2006-09-23T12:44:00.000+02:00

Nicole Lee has reviewed this mobile phone from Nokia, the 6215i.

Pro's:
- cute and compact flip phone with a VGA camera
- a speakerphone
- voice dialing
- a wireless Web browser
- OLED display is quite pleasing to the eye

Cons:
- keypad is a little too flush to the surface
- the internal display is rather small
- the pictures taken were disappointingly blurry and grainy

Read more at cnet

Sony KDL-40XBRZ: review

2006-09-21T19:28:00.000+02:00

David Katzmaier has reviewed this television from Sony, the KDL-40XBRZ.

Pro's:
- reproduces deep blacks with excellent shadow detail
- picture stays true from off-angle compared to other LCDs
- myriad picture controls
- resolves every detail of 1080p-resolution sources
- superb connectivity with 3 HDMI inputs and a PC input
- unique, eye-catching styling
- optional designer-colored bezels

Cons:
- expensive
- subpar picture via standard-def inputs
- wider than many LCDs
- no picture-in-picture

Read more at cnet

Sennheiser HD 201: review

2006-09-19T19:35:00.000+02:00

Thomas has reviewed this headphone from Sennheiser, the HD 201.

Pro's:
- Cheap- Sound well
- Comfortable
- Long cable (3m)
- Don't leak much sound

Cons:
I couldn't really find something bad about the HD 201

Read more at DV Hardware

LG.Philips Develops Industry-First TFT-LCD Panel for Next-Generation Mobile Phones

2006-09-17T11:11:00.000+02:00

LG.Philips LCD announced that it has developed the industry’s first TFT-LCD panel for next-generation mobile phones.

This 2-inch LCD panel has a faster response time than existing mobile phone displays, allowing it to play back sharp high-quality video from next-generation digital broadcasts and mobile communication technology, including DVB-H and WiBro. The display’s 16ms response time is 36% faster than the fastest TFT-LCD panels currently used for mobile phones. LG.Philips LCD’s new display opens the door to exciting mobile entertainment possibilities.Most TFT-LCD panels used in phones today have response times of 25ms, causing afterimages and ghosting, which reduce the picture quality for high-definition video. However, the high speed response LCD panel developed by LG.Philips LCD shows videos clearly and without any afterimages.To create high-speed displays that meet the low power consumption requirements of mobile phones, LG.Philips LCD developed different technology than is used in its large-area panels. This new product boasts a response time similar to LCD panels for notebook computers and is also easy to mass produce.LG.Philips LCD’s Vice President and head of the Small and Medium Displays Business Unit, Mr. Hyun He Ha, said, “This product breaks the 20ms response time barrier, which was thought to be the limit for mobile phone TFT-LCD panels. As the first such TFT-LCD product with a response time in the teens, we will be able to fill demand in the mobile display market for displays that can display high-resolution video and consume little power. We plan to start mass producing these panels this year.”LG.Philips LCD launched its Small and Medium Displays Business Unit in January 2006 to strengthen its cutting edge technology, product development skills and sales and marketing capabilities. This has allowed the company to further penetrate the attractive small to mid-sized market. The company has now set its sights on developing a product with both a fast response time and a wide-viewing angle based on in-plane switching (IPS) technology.

Toshiba announces second generation HD-DVD player

2006-09-17T11:02:00.000+02:00

Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. ("Toshiba") announced at CEDIA its second generation HD DVD players for the U.S. market. Building upon the success of its first generation units and the market's increased demand for high definition content, Toshiba will introduce two new HD DVD players - the HD-A2 entry level model and the top of the line HD-XA2 model.

Featuring the superior video and audio capabilities of the first generation models and implementing key enhancements to further improve product performance, Toshiba's HD DVD players set the new standard in high definition technology.

The new high end Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD player is designed to output 1920 x 1080p, the highest HD signal currently available, via High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI™) 1.3. HDMI version 1.3 is the most current, major enhancement of the HDMI specification, which adds support for Deep Color technology. The HD-XA2 also incorporates a 297MHz / 12 bit Video DAC with high-quality, 4x oversampling for increased bandwidth for true playback of an HD picture to a video source. The HD-XA2 comes with a picture setting function allowing customers to optimize picture quality with user adjustable settings for color, contrast, brightness, edge enhancement and block noise, among others. The new HD-XA2 HD DVD player's 1080p output capability complements Toshiba's new Cinema Series® Pro LCD TVs which provide true HD 1080p input capability via HDMI.

The HD-XA2 will be one of the first next generation players to support the video portion of HDMI version 1.3. HDMI 1.3 supports the demands of future high definition display devices, such as Deep Color enabling 36-bit (RGB or YCbCr) color depths, up from the 24-bit depths in previous versions of the HDMI specification. This allows Deep Color compatible display devices to deliver outstanding video quality.

HD DVD's Video Performance- The Look of Perfect
HD DVD players support leading-edge efficient video compression standards including MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1, as well as MPEG2. To meet the latest advancements in Audio/Video interfaces, both models connect to HDTV sets via HDMI - the multi- industry-supported, all digital A/V connection capable of providing the transmission of uncompressed digital video and multi-channel audio on a single cable.

HD DVD players output HD DVD content through the HDMI interface in 720p or 1080i for the HD-A2 and 720p, 1080i or 1080p for the HD-XA2. Through the HDMI interface, standard definition DVDs can also be upconverted to match the resolution of HD displays. As the conversion takes place in the player, the signal remains free from digital-to-analog conversion artifacts. Like the current HD DVD players, the HD-XA2 and HD-A2 are backward compatible, so users can continue to enjoy their libraries of current DVD and CD software.

HD DVD's Audio Performance- The Sound of Perfect
Toshiba's HD DVD players support a variety of HD audio options to complement its HD video offerings. The mandatory audio formats for HD DVD include both lossy and lossless formats from Dolby Labs and DTS® - including the Dolby® Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD.

The lossless mandatory formats include Linear PCM and Dolby TrueHD. The Dolby TrueHD format supports audio tracks that are bit-for-bit identical to the high resolution studio masters and in the new models can support up to 5.1 channels of 24-bit/96kHz audio. Both new models feature built-in multi-channel decoders for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD (5.1 channel), DTS and DTS-HD (core only).

HD DVD Cosmetics
With a high gloss, black acrylic face plate and a slim chassis design, the new HD DVD players have a refined, sleek appearance which complements Toshiba's extensive flat panel TV line-up.

Expected Pricing and Expected Availability:
HD-A2 ($499.99, October 2006); HD-XA2 ($999.99, December 2006)

Canon released three new digital cameras

2006-09-17T10:56:00.000+02:00

Canon released three new digital cameras: the 10 megapixel PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH, the 7.1 megapixel PowerShot SD800 IS and the 7.1 megapixel PowerShot SD40 Digital ELPH. They will all be available in October.

The PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH: Titanium Body and Ten Megapixels Too
The flagship of the Digital ELPH camera line, the 10-megapixel PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH takes the attractive and comfortable feel of the "perpetual curve design" and for the first time ever, renders that body in strong and durable yet lightweight Titanium. The result is a high-res digital camera with smooth lines, an elegant satin finish, and an impressive (though petite) package of top-tier photo features. About the size of a deck of playing cards, the SD900 Digital ELPH camera measures fractionally more than an inch thick with its 3x (37-111 mm equivalent) optical zoom lens retracted safely into the case; a mere 2.35 inches high and less than 3.6 inches long.

The successor to Canon's popular SD550 Digital ELPH camera, the SD900 also features a brilliantly enhanced, 2.5- inch, 230,000-pixel, color TFT LCD screen with a wide viewing angle making images easier to preview and review, and camera menus easier to read in a wide range of lighting conditions. For still more flexible digital imaging power, the SD900 Digital ELPH camera also includes a new 1.4x/2.3x digital tele-converter for extended shooting capabilities. Finally, for those who wish to shoot dramatically higher resolution video sequences, the camera's XGA 15fps movie mode is just the ticket. When combined with the new optionally available high capacity 4GB SDHC memory cards, this digital dynamo can capture action for up to 33 minutes per clip. The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH carries an estimated selling price of $499.99.

The PowerShot SD800 IS Digital ELPH: Simple, Sophisticated and Image Stabilized
The 7.1 megapixel SD800 IS Digital ELPH camera is the second and newest Optical Image Stabilized Digital ELPH model in the PowerShot line, and is now the top-of-the-line Digital ELPH IS entry. Canon based the optical image stabilization system on advancements made in the development of the company's EF and video lenses, and then scaled it down to fit the diminutive Digital ELPH camera profile. Unlike electronic or "digital image stabilization systems" that typically degrade image quality, Canon's lens shift-type stabilization system preserves maximum optical quality while providing up to three stops of shake correction in shutter speed equivalent.

This new SD800 IS model features a number of significant advancements, including improved low-light performance due to the combination of optical IS and a top ISO speed of 1600, and for the first time in the Digital ELPH series, an optical 3.8x wide range zoom lens (28-105mm equivalent), which employs Canon's UA lens technology that permits a longer zoom capability in a smaller amount of space.

The camera's large, 2.5-inch high resolution LCD screen has been enhanced to approximately 207,000 pixels with a bright, wide, easy to read viewing area and is set attractively into the Digital ELPH's rugged, stainless steel shell with its iconic perpetual curve design. In keeping with a decade of ELPH philosophy that proclaims, "great things come in small packages," this pocket-sized photo powerhouse measures just under an inch thick with lens retracted, 2.28 inches high and 3.52 inches long. The Canon PowerShot SD800 IS Digital ELPH carries an estimated selling price of $399.99.

The PowerShot SD40 Digital ELPH: Elegant, Economical and Easy-to-Use
The fashion plate of the Digital ELPH line of cameras, Canon's new SD40 Digital ELPH packs 7.1 megapixels of righteous resolution into a color-keyed, stainless steel case that bespeaks luxury and is a must have accessory for a memory-making night on the town. Similar in design to its 5.0 megapixel predecessor (SD30 Digital ELPH model), the SD40 Digital ELPH series offers four new elegant shell tones in Twilight Sepia, a dark rich brown with gold accents; Precious Rose, a blushing pink attention-getter; Noble Blue, a shade worthy of the finest designer navy suit and, the soft yet solid sophistication of Olive Grey.

With any of these four fashion finishes, the SD40 Digital ELPH camera is a formidable, fine and fun to use camera. From the virtuosity of its 7.1 megapixel CCD and its retractable 2.4x optical zoom lens (38-90 mm equivalent) to its easy-to-read 1.8-inch backlit LCD monitor with 15 brightness settings the SD40 Digital ELPH camera is Canon to the core.

Canon supplied the PowerShot SD40 Digital ELPH camera with an easy to use camera station that serves as a charger, enables Hi-Speed USB 2.0 for direct printing and image transfer to a PC, and is even supplied with a wireless remote to facilitate slide show displays when sharing images on a television screen. A mere 0.94-inches thick with the lens retracted, 1.78-inches high and 3.78 inches long, the camera body weighs in at a very modest 3.7 ounces. The Canon PowerShot SD40 Digital ELPH camera carries an estimated selling price of $349.99.

New Apple iPod nano (8GB): review

2006-09-16T12:57:00.000+02:00

Mike Kobrin has reviewed this media player from Apple, the new iPod nano with 8GB.

Pro's:
- sturdy metal casing
- very slim
- bright screen
- supports Audible and lossless compression
- very good sound quality
- cool new search feature
- excellent software integration
- gapless playback
- long battery life

Cons:
- There's a glitch in the time indicator when you scrub through longer MP3 files encoded at variable bit rates.
- no integrated FM tuner, voice recorder, or video playback
- nonremovable battery

Read more at PC Mag

Aplle introduces the new iPod, the new iPod Nano, and the new iPod Shuffle

2006-09-13T18:49:00.000+02:00

iPod

Apple today introduced the new iPod, the best digital music player and most popular portable video player in the world. The new iPod features a 60 percent brighter and more vibrant 2.5-inch color display perfect for watching TV shows and now Hollywood movies right in the palm of your hand.

Nano

Apple today introduced the all-new iPod nano with a new aluminum body, 24 hours of battery life and more than twice the music capacity for the same price as the previous generation. The new iPod nano features Apple’s innovative Click Wheel and an even smaller, thinner and lighter design and is available in silver, pink, green, blue and black.

Shuffle

Apple today introduced the new iPod shuffle, now the world’s smallest digital music player. Nearly half the size of the original, the new iPod shuffle measures just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce and features a stunning all-new aluminum design and a built-in clip, which makes it the most wearable iPod ever.

CyberShot N2 breaks 10 MP barrier with touch-screen

2006-09-13T18:38:00.000+02:00

- 10.1 effective Megapixel Super HAD CCD sensor
- High sensitivity 1600 ISO plus new High Sensitivity Mode
- Large 3.0-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus Touch-Screen
- Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 3x Optical Zoom

The stylish new Sony Cyber-shot N2 offers the highest ever resolution and sensitivity from a compact Cyber-shot camera. Complementing its Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x Optical Zoom lens, the 10.1 effective Megapixel Super HAD CCD ensures superb, sparkling pictures with unrivalled clarity and detail. With an improved sensitivity of ISO 1600 and special high sensitivity mode, the Cyber-shot N2 captures beautiful, blur-free images – even in low-light situations where other compact cameras struggle. High resolution images can be viewed on the large 3.0-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus screen that features handy Touch-Screen access to shooting and playback functions. The Cyber-shot N2 also packs a wide range of other functions into its slim (22.7mm) brushed gold-tinted aluminium body, including Pocket Album and Slideshow with Music to get even more out of shooting and sharing your photos.

High resolution 1/1.7-inch 10.1 effective Megapixel Super HAD CCD
Breaking the 10 Megapixel barrier for the first time in a compact Cyber-shot camera, the Cyber-shot N2 uses a Sony-developed Super HAD CCD sensor with an extremely high resolution of 10.3 Megapixels (gross), equating to 10.1 effective Megapixel resolution. The 1/1.7 inch size sensor is larger than the CCD found in the Cyber-shot N2’s predecessor, the Cyber-shot N1. This boosts dynamic range, reducing the causes of “washed out” overexposed images – a common problem with cameras that pack a high pixel count into a small sensor size by reducing pixel pitch.

Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x Optical Zoom lens
The high-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens features a 3x Optical Zoom range. 6x Precision Digital Zoom and 17x VGA Smart Zoom modes provide even greater magnification of distant objects.

ISO 1600 sensitivity plus new High Sensitivity Mode
The Cyber-shot N2 boosts sensitivity to ISO 1600 – even higher than the ISO 800 of its predecessor. In addition, a new High Sensitivity Mode selects optimum ISO settings while reducing colour noise and luminance noise for clear, natural images – even when shooting without flash indoors or at dusk.

Large 3.0-inch 230k pixel Clear Photo LCD Plus touch-screen
The hybrid 3.0-inch touch-sensitive screen features Clear Photo LCD Plus technology for clear, vivid image reproduction. The screen’s smooth anti-reflection layer improves image quality while suppressing reflections for increased contrast, especially outside in bright sunlight. Simplicity and ease of operation is a keynote of the Cyber-shot N2’s design. A wide range of shooting and playback functions can be accessed directly via the touch-screen. The paint function allows artistic additions to photos using the touch-screen and supplied Paint Pen stylus.

Pocket Album
The Cyber-shot N2 offers 25MB of internal memory, plus an additional separate memory capable of storing up to 500 images that are automatically saved as thumbnail-sized VGA copies and organised for quick browsing and sharing in Pocket Album mode on the 3.0-inch screen. Thumbnails remain saved in the camera even when original images are transferred to a PC or Memory Stick media is removed.

Slideshow with Music
Images can be viewed on the camera’s LCD screen as a slideshow. Slideshows can be customised further with the additional effects (simple, nostalgic, stylish, active) and optional music accompaniment (4 preset tunes). Bundled Music Transfer software allows this preset music to be replaced with favourite songs stored on your PC.

Picture Motion Browser software
It’s easy to transfer and manage photos with any PC using the supplied Picture Motion Browser software. The easy-to-use package automatically organises images uploaded from the Cyber-shot N2 that can be browsed in calendar format. In conjunction with Sony GPS-CS1, images can also be displayed in Picture Motion Browser’s “map view” mode, indicating where as well as when they were taken.

Stylish, fuss-free shooting on the go
Weighing just 151g*, the Cyber-shot N2 is the perfect go-anywhere accompaniment for going out, holidays, family occasions and more. Eight pre-set Scene Selection modes adjust optimum shutter speed and exposure values for spontaneous, worry-free shooting. In addition, five colour modes are available to suit any shooting conditions. Manual exposure allows greater creative control over camera settings for more ambitious photographers.

STAMINA battery technology delivers 300 shots from single charge
The supplied Lithium Ion battery features improved Sony STAMINA technology, to deliver up to 300** shots on a single charge. This equates to around 2.5 hours continuous shooting time.

Nokia introduce Nokia E62

2006-09-12T18:23:00.000+02:00

Cingular Wireless and Nokia today introduced the Nokia E62 device, a robust, sleek device built specifically for wireless email whose attractive price promises to take superior mobile email access beyond the executive suite and into the hands of the everyday wireless user.

The Nokia E62 device will be available exclusively from Cingular in the U.S. for as low as $149.99. Measuring barely half an inch thick, it features a full QWERTY keyboard with large backlit keys for easy typing, and a sizeable, high-resolution 16 million color screen measuring 320 x 240 pixels. Whether they're business people or consumers, Nokia E62 device users will have a variety of popular secure email platforms from which to choose. These include Good Mobile Messaging, Cingular Xpress Mail, BlackBerry Connect, Mail for Exchange (direct push corporate email from Microsoft Exchange), the Nokia push solution via Intellisync Mobile Suite from Nokia, and standard clients such as POP3, IMAP and SMTP. In addition, the device includes a pre-loaded instant messaging application.

Beyond email, customers can view, edit and create documents, spreadsheets and presentations. They also can surf the Internet with ease using the device's robust S60 browser, developed by Nokia. This gives them access to a treasure trove of Web content via Cingular's MEdia Net(SM).

The Nokia E62 device boasts exceptional Nokia voice quality with approximately five hours talk time. In addition to a crystal-clear connection, users get such features as speakerphone, six-way conference calling, voice dialing, voice commands for menu shortcuts, and a dedicated voice key for easy use of voice recording.

Cingular customers can use the Nokia E62 device whether they are taking it to the other side of town, across the country or halfway around the world. In the United States, Nokia E62 is powered by Cingular's ALLOVER(TM) network, the nation's largest digital wireless voice and data network that has the fewest dropped calls of any national carrier. The nationwide* ALLOVER wireless data network, powered by EDGE, is the largest national high-speed wireless data network in the United States with availability in 13,000 cities and towns and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. When abroad, customers can use the Nokia E62 device in more than 180 countries for voice and over 100 countries for data.

"With Nokia E62, Cingular and Nokia have brought everything together - applications, sleek design, and price all on the nation's largest national high speed wireless data network - to make it even easier for consumers and business customers to experience what is today the key application in wireless data, namely, email," Mathy said. "Once customers experience the power and convenience of wireless email, they are naturally inclined to try and use the broad array of other wireless data capabilities we make available."

Nokia E62 will be available beginning September 29, 2006 in Cingular Wireless retail stores nationwide, select national retailers, on www.cingular.com and through Cingular's B2B direct sales organization.

Samsung SPH-A640: review

2006-09-11T19:44:00.000+02:00

Jacob Lumetta has reviewed this mobile phone from Samsung, the SPH-A640.

Overall the A640 is a solid phone but certainly isn't cutting edge technology wise. It does however encompass a wide array of features like a basic camera, internet browsing, walkie-talkie (Ready Link) communication, and voice recording and recognition. The A640 does stand out with it's slick design and seemless external display integration.

Read more at bonafiderereviews

Samsung SGH-X820: review

2006-09-06T19:48:00.001+02:00

Kent German has reviewed this mobile phone from Samsung, the SGH-X820.

Pro's:
- attractive, thin design
- admirable feature set that includes Bluetooth, a speakerphone, and a 2-megapixel camera
- good performer

Cons:
- rather small
- it lacks hands-free dialing capability
- picture quality and call volume level could be better

Read more at cnet

Samsung SGH-X820: review

2006-09-06T19:48:00.000+02:00

Samsung YP-K5: review

2006-09-02T14:20:00.000+02:00

Mike Kobrin has reviewed this MP3-player from Samsung, the YP-K5.

Pro's:
- The built-in speaker is louder than you'd expect
- Very good sound quality

Cons:
- Bulky for an MP3 player
- Earbuds are oddly shaped
- No PlaysForSure support

Read more at Pc Magazine

Marware iPod nano Docking Stand

2006-08-29T18:57:00.000+02:00

Riyad Emeran has reviewed this Marware for iPod nano.

If you like the idea of being able to dock your nano in a stand that looks almost as good as it does, the Marware will definitely appeal. The line-out is great for hooking your nano up to a set of active speakers, but the headphone socket is close to pointless without any control over the volume.

Read more at Trusted Reviews

Canon released 10MP PowerShot camera

2006-08-27T11:51:00.000+02:00

TG Daily reported about Canons new release: the 10 MP PowerShot, AA-battery powered.

Lake Success (NY) - Three years ago, Canon introduced its Powershot A-series digital cameras, with the idea of introducing creative photographers' features into the consumer market. Today, the company announced some boosts to that product line, replacing the A700 introduced just last February with the A710 IS, boosting image size from 6.0 to 7.1 Mp; and bolstering the A600 line with two new models, of which one will boost the image size to from 7.1 to 10 Mp.

Read more at TG Daily

Olympus Stylus 750: review

2006-08-25T11:16:00.000+02:00

Steve's digicams has reviewed this digital camera from Olympus, the Stylus 750.

The Stylus 750 digital is a point-and-shoot model offering a number of pioneering technologies such as Dual Image Stabilization, Bright Capture Technology and TruePic TURBO™ as well as a powerful 5x Optical Zoom that tucks away into a streamlined metal, All-Weather body design.

Read more at steves-digicams

Sony Ericsson K750i: review

2006-08-22T15:53:00.000+02:00

Introduction/design
Today we’ll take a look at the Sony Ericsson K750i. This mobile phone, with a 2MP camera, steals the show with his nice design.

In the box you find the mobile phone, a manual, an extra memory stick duo card, an USB-cable and software.

The K750i has a typical Sony Ericsson design with the numerical keys at the bottom of the mobile and the joystick in the middle of the other service keys. Within the 2 function keys you find a new key: the ‘event’-key. There you can find the latest events, quick keys, light, … The front is the mobile phone and on the backside you have the digital camera and the light. The dimensions of the phone are so that it lays comfortable in your hand: 100x46x19,5mm and 99gram. The keys from the numerical part are very close together so they are more difficult to use. You can’t feel them very well. Some habituation is required. On the left side there’s the play-/pause button for the media-player and the memory slot. On the bottom you find the USB-connector which is also to connect the charger to.

On the right-hand side you find the shutter button from the camera which is well positioned over there. The volume/zoom buttons are also there. At the top you see the on-/off button and the infrared sensor.

Ease of use/sound
Because the numerical keys are so close together, it’s hard to send a text message (SMS) with this mobile phone. Especially fast texting seems to be difficult. For example: you need a 2nd or 3rd letter from a button, you sometimes need to try again 2 or 3 times, because the phone takes the first letter everytime. When you do it more slowly you have less troubles.

As well as to call or to listen to music the K750i delivers a very good sound quality. With or without the earphones, with or without handsfree, the sound is very clear and sharp. With the buttons on the right side you can change the volume.

The phone contains 34MB built-in memory and ships with a 64MB memory stick duo memory card.

Functionality/entertainment
Besides the 2MP camera this thing also contains a very good FM-Radio and MP3-player. You always have to plug in the stereo-earphones because it acts as the antenna. The FM-Radio is clear. When listening to the radio it is also possible to send messages, play games, … The telephone offers enough space for 20 prefixes. With the MP3-player it’s possible to build a playlist and listen to it.

Need to stand in a queue for a while? Start one of the three standard Java games: Aero Mission 3D, Puzzle Slider or Super Real Tennis. Especially the last one has a superb graphics quality.

There is also a full calendar/task function on-board. Here you can import different reminders or tasks. This function is mainly used to remind you of important dates and call reminds. Which I found personally a disadvantage and a missing element is the lack of a return reminder. For example a birthday reminder which returns every year. In the calendar function there’s also an alarm clock. You can let yourself wake up by the FM-Radio (plug-in the earphones!). The phone choses one of the radio stations from your list. An other possibility is to let you wake up by an MP3 or another sound.

Camera
The camera on this SE K750i contains a 2MP sensor and has 4x digital zoom. The quality from these photos are really good for a 2 megapixel camera phone. This is definitely one of the best cameras in its class. The lens doesn’t become dirty because there’s a cover to protect it. As soon as you open it, you can use the camera, also when he’s in sleepmode. The camera is easy to use, just turn it on its side and operate. The biggest photo’s which you can take are 1632x1224 pixels, with this size you can’t zoom. Reduce the format to 640x480 pixels or 160x120 pixels and then you can digitally zoom. Also a funny function is that you can adjust the camera to evening mode, day mode, close-up,… just like a real digital camera. You can also take panorama pictures and pictures with a frame. To take a self-portret you have to look in the mini mirror just under the lens, a handy thing so you are at least in the middle of the picture. One disadvantage is the reactionspeed of the shutter, it’s a bit slow.

The photo on the left is taken in a train trough glass on format 640x480. The photo on the right is taken on format 1632x1224.

Data transfer
Sending data to the phone or to your PC is done with the USB-cable, Bluetooth or infrared. GPRS connection is also possible. Loading pages is fast.

Battery
With a normal usage, the battery goes on for about 8 days. Charging takes about 2-3 hours.

The K750i is also somewhat water resistant. My phone accidentally slipped into the water and after letting it dry for two days with the battery removed he works again!
Positive
- FM Radio
- Great sound quality
- 2 MP camera with cover
- World clock
- Light
- Memory Slot
- Bluetooth

Negative
- No birthday-feature or return reminder function
- Hard to send text messages
- Numerical keys are to close together
- Screens gets dirty quick

Conclusion
This Sony Ericsson K750i is a nice, useful mobile phone with a lot of good features. It’s a successful combination of a mobile phone and a digital camera. As well as use and quality as design. It gets a beautiful 8/10

This is my first mobile phone review, comments are very welcome.
© Gadget Flash 2005-2007

LG Chocolate: review

2006-08-14T13:11:00.000+02:00

Melissa J. Perenson has reviewed this mobile phone from LG, the tasty Chocolate.

LG's Chocolate cell phone will draw your attention as much for its high-concept name as for its rich looks. Also known as the LG VX85000, the Chocolate--distinguished by a slick design, a bright screen, and amazing sound quality--is now available through Verizon Wireless for $150 with a new account and a two-year contract. While I admired the phone's sleek appearance and excellent sound, I found its navigational controls and convoluted menus frustrating.

Read more at PC World

Nokia 6126: review

2006-08-13T22:09:00.000+02:00

Kent German has reviewed this mobile phone from Nokia, the 6126.

Pro's:
- appealing design with a superior internal display
- good performance and a well-rounded feature set that includes Bluetooth
- a 1.3-megapixel camera
- a speakerphone
- world phone support

Cons:
- slippery keys and a poorly located MicroSD card slo
- some sound quality was unimpressive

Read more at cnet

Samsung SGH-E900: review

2006-08-09T20:28:00.000+02:00

Francis Yeo has reviewed this mobile phone from Samsung, the SGH-E900.

Elegance and functionality rarely stand shoulder to shoulder; it's virtually always either or in most situations. In fact, they are almost exclusive of one another, especially when applied to the engineering of mobile phones. Samsung however, might have hit the sweet spot between these two glaring polarities with the SGH-E900 slider phone.

Read more at HardwareZone

Sony Cyber Shot DSC-T30: review

2006-08-06T18:15:00.000+02:00

Philip Ryan has reviewed this digital camera from Sony, the CyberShot DSC-T30.

Pro's:
- attractive, functional design
- optical image stabilization
- solid image quality
- 58MB of internal memory

Cons:
- slow f/3.5 maximum aperture
- spotty red-eye reduction

Read more at cnet

Motorola KRZR K1: review

2006-08-03T17:56:00.000+02:00

Grundeep Hora has reviewed this mobile phone from Motorola, the KRZR K1.

Now that Motorola has had just as much success with its RAZR line as Apple did with its iPod, Motorola is determined to take the product line one step further with a slew of new crazily named cell phones. These new models include two versions of KRZR, RAZR, and one model of RIZR. The KRZR is a thinner, possibly slimmer version of the RAZR measuring and weighing at 42x103x17mm and 103g, respectively.

Read more at cooltechzone

Motorola SLVR Red: review

2006-08-01T20:17:00.000+02:00

Sandra Vogel has reviewed this mobile phone from Motorola, the SLVR Red.

The Motorola SLVR L7 Red is a decidedly average handset, though, and as such it may not have the broadest possible appeal. What I’d really like to see is Motorola take its affiliation with (RED) further, and put more of its handsets into the scheme. There are lots of incarnations of the PEBL, for example, so how about a (RED) one, as well as a (RED) RAZR? That’ll do for starters.

Read more at TrustedReviews

Kodak Easyshare P712: review

2006-07-29T10:37:00.000+02:00

Ben from digitalcamerareview has reviewed this digital camera from Kodak, the easyshare P712.

The Kodak Easyshare P712 is a new addition to Kodak's "Performance" line of digital cameras. Announced last month, the P712 features a 7.1 megapixel capture resolution, a stabilized 12x optical zoom, a 2.5 inch LCD, and plenty of features to appeal to someone ready to expand their digital photography horizons.

Read more at digitalcamerareview

Sneaky goes on holiday

2006-07-17T11:07:00.000+02:00

Yesyesyes, the most beautiful time of the year... It's time for me to take a break and go on holiday!
So this week there will be no news added at Gadget Flash

I'll be back at 25 July.

See you soon and happy holiday.

Sneakytje

Casio Exilim EX-Z1000: review

2006-07-17T10:48:00.000+02:00

Will Greenwald has reviewed this digital camera from Casio, the Exilim EX-Z1000.

Pro's:
- great interface
- responsive shutter

Cons:
- overprocessed images
- poor low-light shots

Read more at cnet

Samsung SPH-A420: review

2006-07-16T12:01:00.000+02:00

Kent German has reviewed this mobile phone from Samsung, the SPH-A420.

Pro's:
- easy to use
- offers a speakerphone
- analog roaming
- acceptable call quality

Cons:
- dull, uninspiring design
- lacks such basic features as an external display and a wireless Web browser

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W70: review

2006-07-15T12:03:00.000+02:00

Stephanie Boozer and Dave Etchells have reviewed this digital camera from Sony, the Cyber-shot DSC-W70.

Pro's:

Fast, excellent shutter response, excellent shot to shot speed
Fast startup/shutdown time
Good color accuracy
Very capable movie mode
Very fast multi-burst (reduced resolution) mode, great for analyzing
golf/tennis swings
LCD is usable in very bright light
Bright AF-assist light
Design is compact but usable, fits the hand well
Very good battery life
Extremely fast file downloads via high-speed USB 2.0 port
Wide range of accessories available, including underwater case, conversion
lenses, and filters

Cons:

Macro mode shows significant curvature of field/blurry corners
So-so handling of household incandescent lighting
A tendency toward slight warm casts in many shots
No custom/manual white balance option
Slightly limited low-light capability
High noise at high sensitivity settings
Rather contrasty default tone curve
Anti-noise processing trades away a fair bit of subtle subject detail to
hold the noise in check at high ISOs

Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W100: review

2006-07-14T10:57:00.000+02:00

Lori Grunin has reviewed this digital camera from Sony, the CyberShot DSC-W100.

Pro's:
- acceptable snapshots
- compact
- easy to use
- decent performance
- better-than-average movie quality

Cons:
- beyond ISO 80
- photos look soft and smeary due to processing artifacts and noise

Read more at cnet

SanDisk e250: review

2006-07-14T10:18:00.000+02:00

Lars-Göran Nilsson has reviewed this hard-disk based MP3-player from SanDisk, the Sansa e250.

The SanDisk Sansa e200 series might not be quite as stylish or as slim as the iPod Nano, but if you're after a Windows-friendly Flash-based MP3 player, it's one of the better ones out there. It's competitively priced, offers a wide range of functionality and the overall sound quality is very good.

Read more at reghardware

Nokia E61: review

2006-07-13T19:23:00.000+02:00

Michael Oryl has reviewed this mobile phone, the WiFi E61.

With the exception of my sometimes weird experiences when using IMAP email with the automatic retrieval turned on, the occasional unwanted pause in the UI experience, and the annoyingly easy to activate voice memo button, the Nokia E61 performed fantastically. The device does most everything, save take a photo, and does it exceptionally well. From the business user's perspective, the vast push email support and full functionality that comes from a fine web browser backed by EDGE, UMTS, and WiFi network connections means that the E61 can take care of some serious work.

Read more at mobileburn

Creative Zen V: review

2006-07-12T19:45:00.000+02:00

Jasmine France has reviewed this MP3-player from Creative, it's the Zen V.

Pro's:
- offers a cute, pocket-friendly design without sacrificing screen real estate
- the vivid OLED display is viewable from any angle
- nice features, such as voice and line-in recording, photo playback, and compatibility with subscription WMA tracks
- the sound quality is great

Cons:
- really small and has a cheap feel to it
- we wish Creative had included all the buttons found on the Vision:M
- the screen is difficult to see in bright sunlight, and there's no UMS support
- you don't get the FM radio and video playback found on the Plus version

Read more at cnet

Philips Pet320: review

2006-07-12T17:31:00.000+02:00

Scott Jones has reviewed this portable DVD player from Philips, the Pet320, which is only slightly larger and heavier than our ancient CD-playing Walkman, he says.

Pro's:
• CD-player size with DVD functionality
• Rechargeable battery
• Easy-access menu screen

Cons:
• Short battery life
• Needs better headphones
• Difficulty reading discs when propped upright with stand

Read more at Laptopmag

Samsung SPH-A640: review

2006-07-11T19:05:00.000+02:00

Kent German has reviewed this mobile phone from Samsung, the SPH-A640.

Pro's:
- offers clear call quality and a useful range of features
- including a VGA camera with sharp photos
- Bluetooth
- speakerphone

Cons:
- dull design, with a monochrome external display
- the speakerphone call quality is variable

Read more at cnet

Kodak EasyShare P712: review

2006-07-10T20:21:00.000+02:00

Philip Ryan reviewed this digital camera from Kodak, the EasyShare P712.

Pro's:
- 12X optical zoom
- full manual controls
- optical image stabilization

Cons:
- noisy at ISO 200 and above
- ISO 800 only at 1.2 megapixels

Read more at cnet

Dell XPS M1210: review

2006-07-10T17:31:00.000+02:00

Biosmagazine has reviewed this laptop ftom Dell, it's the Dell XPS.

Pro's:
- Attractive
- robust
- fast
- great battery
- integrated 3G
- web camera

Cons:
- runs hot

Sanyo 6600 Katana: review

2006-07-09T12:05:00.000+02:00

Nicole Lee has reviewed this mobile phone from Sanyo, the 6600 Katana. It's a pretty good midtier phone, she says.

Pro's:
- has a slim silhouette and offers a VGA camera,
- Bluetooth, speakerphone, text messaging, voice dialing, a voice recorder, and a wireless Web browser
- large external screen

Cons:
- feature set is rather underwhelming and doesn't have 3G support like many of its slim counterparts
- suffers from flat keys that are slippery and difficult to dial by feel

Read more at cnet

Canon PowerShot SD700 IS: review

2006-07-03T17:31:00.000+02:00

Photoxels has reviewed this digital camera from Canon, the PowerShot SD700 IS.

The Canon PowerShot SD700 IS is Canon's first Digital ELPH equipped with image stabilization, which helps reduce camera shake and blurred images.
Following the "Perpetual Curve" design first seen in the SD500, the Canon SD700 is beautifully and solidly built with an essentially silver body and chrome accents around the F2.8-5.5 lens, plus a practical black surface surrounding the extra large 2.5-in. LCD monitor. Its ultracompact dimensions earn it our JeansPocket™ Certified award, which means you can comfortably carry it in your jeans pocket.

Read more at Photoxels

LG-KG800 Chocolate: review

2006-06-29T19:22:00.000+02:00

Mobile Burn has reviewed this mobile phone from LG, the KG800 Chocolate.

The LG KG800 is somewhat of a mixed blessing. I really wanted to give this phone a Highly Recommended rating, as it is truly one of the best fashion phones I have laid eyes on. Not just because of its killer design, either - functionality wise, this is one of the better-featured fashion phones on the market today. Alas, I cannot give our highest rating to this handset, as it has a few flaws that must be overcome.

Read more at Mobile Burn.

Kodak EasyShare V610: review

2006-06-28T19:41:00.000+02:00

Jeff Keller has reviewed this digital camera from Kodak, the EasyShare V610.

Pro's:

- Ultra zoom power in a compact body
- Generally good photo quality and performance (though see issues below)
- Stylish metal body, well put together
- Large 2.8" LCD has good visibility indoors and out
- AF-assist lamp; good low light focusing
- Bluetooth wireless support
- Redeye not a problem
- Built-in panorama stitching (though see issue below)
- Perfect Touch feature improves photo quality at the push of a button
- EasyShare system makes it easy to "tag" photos for e-mailing and printing
- Tons of scene modes
- Great movie mode; zoom lens can be used during filming; electronic image stabilizer
- Very good software bundle

Cons:
- Above average noise and corner blurriness; white balance system didn't impress in the studio
- Pricey
- 10X zoom range is not continuous: there's a gap between 114 and 130 mm (most noticeable when zooming in movie mode); takes forever to zoom through the full range
- Lens is slow at the wide-angle end compared to other ultra zooms
- Miserable battery life
- No image stabilization
- Four-way controller is too small and stiff; power button is hard to find
- No optical viewfinder
- Flash is on the weak side
- Original images not saved when using panorama scene mode
- Some manual controls would've been nice
- No USB 2.0 High Speed support

Read more at dcresource

Nokia 6682: review

2006-06-28T19:03:00.000+02:00

Steve Horton has reviewed this mobile phone from Nokia, the 6682.

Pro's:
• Tight integration with Yahoo
• Colorful screen
• Sharp 1.3-MP camera
• MP3 player built-in

Cons:
• A little bulky
• Tiny keys
• Weak built-in Web browser

Read more at Laptopmag.com

Sony HDR-HC3E -HD Camcorder: review

2006-06-22T18:49:00.000+02:00

Trustedreviews has reviewed this camcorder from Sony, the HDR-HC3E - HD.

If you’ve used the HDR-HC1E or Sony’s more professional HDV models for any length of time, you can’t help feeling disappointed by the HDR-HC3E’s lack of prosumer features. All that video quality, with so little user control. But then there’s the price. With some e-tailers already listing this model for £800, HDV has clearly arrived in the mainstream, albeit the high-end thereof. ...

Read more at Trusted Reviews

Digital Cowboy water resistant MP3 player

2006-06-22T18:33:00.000+02:00

Fareastgizmos has reported about a water resistant MP3 player from the Japenese company Digital Cowboy.

Digital cowboy Japan has launched a new water resistant JIS 4 (IPX4) class AM/FM radio with MP3 player- DC-SCDP1/256. With 256MB flash memory built in the player has a SD card slot also. With maximum 1GB support the player can play MP3/WMA files with 32~320kbps bit rate.

Read on at Fareastgizmos

Nokia 6708: review

2006-06-21T19:38:00.000+02:00

CoolTechZone has reviewed this mobile phone from Nokia, the 6708.

The 6708 is Nokia's latest attempt at a touchscreen business smartphone. Even though the phone has been released exclusively for the Asian market, we got ourselves one to check out.

Nokia recently hired a new lead designer. If he is the one who did the concept of this phone, they need to replace him. If there is someone else who decided its features, again, they need a new one. Why? We'll get to that in a bit.

Read more at CoolTechZone.

MusicGremlin: review

2006-06-15T18:40:00.000+02:00

Troy Dreier has reviewed the MusicGremlin. This MP3 Player/ digital music service uses a direct wireless link to a music store to cut out your P.C, he says.

Pro's:
- lets you download new songs to your portable without a PC
- music store has about 2 million tracks
- can connect to other MusicGremlins through Wi-Fi or ad-hoc connections and share music
- includes an FM radio

Cons:
- music subscriptions cost $14.99 per month (otherwise, songs are 99 cents per track)
- only subscribers can share songs
- poor battery life
- merely 8GB of storage for $299
- requires open Wi-Fi connection to download songs
- FM radio can't remember presets
- doesn't work with Macs

Read more at CNET

iRiver U10: review

2006-06-13T18:21:00.000+02:00

Thinkcomputer has reviewed this 1GB Portable Media Player from iRiver, the iRiver U10.

Pro's:
- Small and compact
- Vivid 2.2-inch color screen
- Supports music, videos, games, and text
- FM Radio and Voice recorder
- Nice ear buds and carrying case
- Easy to use
- Price

Cons:
- Connectivity Issues
- Screen could be back-lit better

Sanyo Xacti HD1: review

2006-06-06T18:55:00.000+02:00

Russ Fischer has reviewed this camcorder from Sanyo, the Xacti HD1.

Sanyo's Xacti HD1 camcorder was designed to capture high-definition MPEG-4 video and 5.1-megapixel stills. It packs in a 10X optical zoom, image stabilization, and noise reduction—all in a lightweight package for less than $800. If the resulting video weren't laced with compression artifacts, we'd be head over heels.

Read on at Laptopmag

Motorola Q

2006-06-05T11:02:00.000+02:00

Boston Herald has reviewed this pda from Motorola, the Motorola Q.

Physically, the Q has a lot going for it. It’s thin and light enough to be only slightly uncomfortable carried in a shirt pocket, unlike the heavier Treo. At the same time, the Q is wider than a Treo (though not quite as wide as some BlackBerries), providing the space for a QWERTY keyboard with comfortably spaced keys.

Read on at Boston Herald

Palm Treo 700p: review

2006-06-05T10:55:00.000+02:00

James Turner has reviewed the Palm Treo 700p.

The 700p is nearly identical to the 700w, the only difference is a 320x320 screen instead of the 700w's 240x240 screen, and some minor differences in key labeling to accommodate the different OS requirements. It is also almost identical to the Treo 650, with a few major improvements. Chief among those is the upgrade of the 650's 0.3 MP camera to a 1.3 MP version (the same as the 700w's) -- which takes 1280x1024 resolution pictures -- and a bump from 32MB of memory to 128MB (again, matching the 700w.)

Read on at Unstrung

Olympus FE-130: review

2006-06-04T11:33:00.000+02:00

Will Greenwald has reviewed this digital camera from Olympus, the FE-130.

Pro's:
- attractive images
- automatic white-balance setting produces a relatively neutral picture under incandescent lights
- simple to use
- handy Guide feature

Cons:
- no manual settings
- sluggish performance

Read more at cnet

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-w100: review

2006-06-04T11:24:00.000+02:00

Stephanie Boozer has reviewed this digital camera from Sony, the Cyber-shot DSC-w100.

Pro's:
- Fast, excellent shutter response, very good shot to shot speed
- Fast startup/shutdown time
- Good color accuracy
- Very high resolution
- Great low-light capabilities
- Very capable movie mode
- Very fast multi-burst mode, great for analyzing golf/tennis swings
- Large 2.5" LCD display
- LCD is usable in very bright light
- Bright AF-assist light
- Design is compact but usable, fits the hand well
- Very good battery life
- Impressive printed output, even up to ISO 800

Cons:
- Some trouble with household incandescent lighting
- Rather contrasty default tone curve
- Anti-noise processing trades some subtle subject detail to hold the noise in check
- Significant chromatic aberration at wide angle
- Soft corners at telephoto
- Warm incandescent color balance

Read more at imaging-resource

Nokia N72 Starts Shipping

2006-06-01T19:14:00.000+02:00

Nokia today announced that it has started shipments of the Nokia N72, a sleek and stylish multimedia computer. In pearl pink or gloss black, this compact package has high-perfomance multimedia at its core, wrapped in a beautiful design. The Nokia N72 offers the benefits of versatile photography, entertainment and personal productivity to people who value style as much as high performance. A powerful yet stylish multimedia device, the Nokia N72 is equipped with a 2-megapixel camera and integrated digital music player, with dedicated capture key, music player key, an integrated browser, FM radio and support for Visual Radio.

Walk, Talk and Rock
Personalize your Nokia N72 with a choice of digital music tracks, and enjoy music on the go with the integrated digital music player. Press the music player key for direct access to your music tracks. Rip music from your CDs, create playlists and transfer your music onto your Nokia N72 with the Nokia Music Manager, a part of Nokia PC Suite.

Slide and Shoot
Morph your Nokia N72 into a digital camera by sliding open the active lens cover and compose your shot using the high definition 2.1 inch colour display. The 2 megapixel (1600 x 1200 pixels) camera includes an integrated flash, which will make it easy to capture images even in low light conditions. Capture photos or video clips with just one click, and later personalize your gallery image collection with the integrated photo and video editor. Choose your favorites to print or transfer them onto a compatible PC, with the option of online sharing on select Internet communities.

Matching themed headset and wrist strap are included in sales packs of the Nokia N72.

The Nokia N72 has started shipments to key markets worldwide, including the Middle East and Africa, Russia, Eastern Europe, mainland China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Nokia E50 announced

2006-05-18T18:44:00.000+02:00

Nokia today announced the latest addition to the Nokia Eseries family of business devices, the Nokia E50. With excellent voice, email and data capabilities, the Nokia E50 offers enterprises a cost-efficient way to extend mobility to a broader range of employees, enabling them to access company telephony and business applications whenever required. Just as importantly the globally-viable Nokia E50 device is easily and securely managed by a company's IT department through Intellisync Device Management solution.

With classic Nokia design, the small, sleek, and stylish Nokia E50 is also designed for people who want a single phone for both business and leisure use. For example, the device comes equipped with pre-installed business applications, exceptional voice and calling functionality, and the ability to have two phone numbers in one phone, while lifestyle features include an MP3 player and optionally a 1.3 mega pixel camera all packaged in a discreet glossy metallic case with a touch of color.

Built on S60 3rd edition smartphone platform and Symbian OS for enhanced security features and device control, the Nokia E50 supports popular corporate mobile email solutions, including Intellisync Wireless Email by Nokia, BlackBerry Connect, Visto Mobile, Altexia, and Microsoft ActiveSync. The thinnest Nokia Eseries quad-band phone (EGSM 850/900/1800/1900), the Nokia E50 supports GSM networks worldwide, offering clear phone calls and rich voice and calling functionalities. With up to six hours of talk time, the Nokia E50 offers significantly high battery performance for such a small phone.

Enhancing mobile employees' productivity and tangibly reducing costs

With the addition of the Nokia E50 to its portfolio of business class devices, Nokia is continuing to expand workforce mobility by offering advanced call features. The add-on business voice solution enables easy integration with an existing business voice infrastructure (PBX). For example, mobile least cost routing helps companies save on long distance and international calls by routing mobile phone calls through the corporate PBX, thereby removing cost barriers associated with business mobility. Companies with Avaya Communication Manager can already connect the Nokia E50 directly to their company phone networks, using the Avaya one-X Mobile Edition client preloaded on their phones. With Avaya client, the Nokia E50 works like a traditional office phone enabling services such as short number usage, call forwarding, one-touch voice mail and extension dialing. In addition, the phone will include a CD featuring a demonstration of the Avaya one-X Mobile Edition, as well as a client installer.

The Nokia E50 comes with a set of pre-installed business applications that help increase the productivity of mobile professionals. The Nokia Team Suite, part of the Nokia Office Tools offering, helps to facilitate conference calls and to initiate push-to-talk sessions with selected team members easily and fast, through a built-in speakerphone. The Nokia E50 also includes a search function enabling fast queries into critical data such as, contacts, emails and messages. Important business attachments received via email, such as documents, presentations, and spreadsheets, can be swiftly accessed via the Quickoffice viewer.

Ease of managing enterprise mobility

The Intellisync Device Management offered by Nokia enables remote enterprise grade device management, without additional client software installation, on OMA DM capable devices such as the Nokia Eseries. For IT administrators, an easy-to-use administrative web-interface allows remote management of OMA DM compliant business devices, with access to a device management server located either within a company's own premises or at a service provider's facilities.

Nokia 5500 Sport: review

2006-05-17T19:29:00.000+02:00

GSM Arena has reviewed this new mobila phone from Nokia, the 5500 Sport.

Now we present you the first and only Nokia sport smartphone. The 5500 Sport model combines rubber and steel. It also has an uncommon square-shaped display and a bean-shaped body. It pronounces text messages and is prone to fingerprints.

Last Wednesday Nokia introduced a new splash and dust resistant model. It seemed that after the tourists' and climbers' favorite phones, 5140, 5140i and 5210 models, Nokia wouldn't introduce anything suitable for sand, slough and water. Nokia proved us wrong as they offer us the 5500 model running on Symbian 9.1.

Read on at GSM Arena

Philips 32PF5520D 32in LCD TV: review

2006-05-16T18:55:00.000+02:00

Ed Monkton has reviewed this LCD-TV from Philips, the 32PF5520D.

This TV has actually been around for a while now, truth be told. But it’s still widely available and warrants our attention for the very good reason that with its age has come a price cut; having launched at a fairly hefty £1,300, it can now be yours for just £800. So is the 32PF5520D now the LCD world’s biggest bargain, or has its performance started to look dated?

Read on at Trusted Reviews

JSR 232 available for public review

2006-05-16T18:38:00.000+02:00

Java Specification Request (JSR) 232, a specification on the component-based service-oriented platform for the mobile industry is now available for public review. This new platform is based on Java technology by OSGi, and it brings the benefits of component design to the mobile Java industry.

The architecture of JSR 232 allows developers to create, deploy and manage loosely coupled cooperating components into the mobile Java environment. The design center of the platform is similar to that of Java EE(TM) in that it provides a secure, manageable, structured environment for cooperating components. This structure is tuned for the needs, memory and performance characteristics of the mobile device.

As the next generation architecture for the mobile space, JSR 232 updates the simple monolithic environment of CLDC (Connected Limited Device Configuration) to the same fully functional robust Java component environment that developers have come to rely upon in the desktop and server spaces. This new architecture will help insure that compelling applications and services will be available in the mobile environment, and that mobile services can evolve at internet speed to meet the needs of the rapidly changing environment at the network edge.

JSR 232 is also gathering support from many key players in the mobile industry. "Sprint is excited about the services and capabilities that JSR 232 and OSGi will enable in the next generation Java devices," said Paul Reddick, vp of business development and product innovation. "Developers will be able to leverage service oriented architecture in their application development to utilize plug and play components that can be installed or managed as needed on the handset."

Companies who are looking into technologies for mobilizing the enterprise also believe in this technology. "JSR 232 and its OSGi technology underpinnings are significant, they provide the standard approach for composite applications to install and manage new components and services across the enterprise and into mobile devices," said Craig Hayman, vice president of development and technical support, Workplace, Portal and Collaboration Products, IBM. "Our IBM Workplace(TM) family of products, based on OSGi technology, provides customers with an open and dynamic workspace that gives them the information they need to meet their business demands anytime, anywhere."

"The OSGi Alliance is very excited about its cooperation with the Java community on JSR 232. Bringing components and middleware to the mobile device will give Java developers the kind of power and flexibility they have been lacking in the mobile space. The new ecosystem for middleware services on the mobile device will create huge opportunities for the early players," said Stan Moyer, President of the OSGi Alliance.

Kodak EasyShare V610: review

2006-05-14T17:20:00.000+02:00

Doug Harman has reviewed this digital camera from Kodak.

Pro's:
- easy to use
- remarkable size for the zoom range
- image quality, build

Cons:
- noise at higher sensitivities
- lens flare and softness evident on the longer zoom lens
- camera shake can be a problem

Read more at Pocket-lint

Nokia N91: review

2006-05-11T18:36:00.000+02:00

GSM Arena has reviewed this mobile phone from Nokia, the N91.

thought that it would not take me long before I started to feel bored with the bluish glossy plastics on Nokia N91's front panel, but it did not. I must confess that N91 is simply an eye-catching device. People in the city transport media would not turn their eyes from it, while my friends would usually first ask me "What's that thing you have?", instead of "Hi, how are you?"

Read on at GSM Arena

HP Compaq nc2400: review

2006-05-10T19:16:00.000+02:00

Cisco Cheng has reviewed this tiny laptop from HP, the Compaq nc2400.

Pro's:
- Integrated optical drive
- Long battery life
- Full-size keyboard
- Bright screen

Cons:
- Pointing stick is a little stiff
- Low-powered components

Read more at PC Mag

Nokia 5500 Sport

2006-05-10T18:40:00.000+02:00

The Nokia 5500 Sport features all the technology that every active-minded consumer needs, and is specially designed to withstand the daily rigours of work and work-out.

A mode to match your mood

A single button serves to activate three dedicated "modes" - a phone mode to stay in touch, the music mode to unwind or power-up, and the sports mode to help you break a sweat. The Nokia 5500 Sport also offers "text-to-speech" technology. Don't take your eyes off the track or that magazine, just tap the Nokia 5500 Sport and the message is read out to you. In sports mode, the Nokia 5500 Sport reads the status of your workout, allowing you to stay focused on the task, or the excercise, at hand.

When music is on your mind, the Nokia 5500 Sport gives you a jump start. Supporting a multitude of different digital music formats and memory cards of up to 1GB (microSD), the Nokia 5500 Sport can hold approximately 750 songs. With your music collection in hand, every activity has its own soundtrack!

Switched into sports mode, the Nokia 5500 Sport helps you keep track of work or your work-out. The integrated pedometer feature serves to monitor distance walked or calories burnt -during a busy day in the city or that breathtaking cardio session. For extra durability, the Nokia 5500 Sport features an ergonomic stainless steel casing, complemented by a splash and dust resistant shell and rubber grips.The sleek Nokia 5500 Sport is engineered with materials used in the latest high performance running shoes which make it look good on and off the court.

The triband Nokia 5500 Sport (GSM 900/1800/1900) is scheduled to sprint into stores during the summer (3rd quarter) of 2006 and is expected to retail for around 300 EUR before taxes and subsidies.

TIPA chooses Nokia N80 as Best Mobile Imaging Device 2006

2006-05-09T19:00:00.000+02:00

Nokia today revealed that the Nokia N80 multimedia computer has been voted the Best Mobile Imaging Device in Europe 2006 by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), the largest photo and imaging press association in Europe. The award is an endorsement of the Nokia N80's industry-leading feature set, which makes it one of the most high performance devices currently available in the marketplace.

Commenting on the award, TIPA praised the Nokia N80 as "so much more than just a camera phone." The official comment from the TIPA Awards 2006 jury reads: "the Nokia N80 is a multimedia device with a host of superb functions. It combines a 3 megapixel camera, integrated flash, 20x digital zoom, video and MP3 player into one stylish package. As soon as you switch on, the N80 is ready to shoot. Using a 2GB miniSD card you can store nearly 1000 images at up to 2048x1536 (JPEG up to 16.7 million/24-bit color). Printing your images is easy, too. You can take the images off the miniSD card or connect the N80 to your printer via PictBridge or Bluetooth. The WiFi feature also allows you to send your images to any compatible TV or PC, plus you can edit your images, add text and some special effects."

The Nokia N80 is part of the Nokia Nseries, a range of high performance multimedia computers that incorporate multiple functionalities in one beautifully designed device. With Nokia Nseries products, people can use a single device to do everything from snapping print-quality images, reading email, listening to music, browsing the Web, watching TV on the move, and much more. Moreover, multimedia computers can effortlessly be connected to the Internet, enabling people to communicate, create and share experiences, participate in Internet communities and access digital content using available mobile broadband connections such as WLAN and 3G.

"The compact yet feature-rich Nokia N80 has raised the bar for mobile devices, and we are delighted to receive this accolade from consumer electronics magazines across Europe," said Mads Winblad, vice president, Multimedia Sales and Channel Management, EMEA, Nokia. "This award is also an endorsement of the technological leadership of the Nokia Nseries range of multimedia computers. Comprising the functionality of a highly advanced converged mobile device, the Nokia N80 empowers people to pursue professional goals and personal passions with equal fervor."

TIPA was founded in 1991 as an independent, non-profit association of European photo and imaging magazines. With 31 member magazines from twelve countries, it is currently the largest photo and imaging press association in Europe. Once a year, editors from the TIPA member magazines meet to vote for the Best Photo and Imaging Products in Europe. The TIPA Awards Ceremony this year will take place in Cologne, Germany, on the opening day of Photokina 2006.

Samsung SGH-P300: review

2006-05-08T22:06:00.000+02:00

Kent German has reviewed this mobile phone from Samsung, the SGH-P300. The Samsung SGH-P300 can do a lot more than just help you balance your checkbook, he says.

Pro's:
- bluetooth
- an MP3 player
- a megapixel camera
- compact, eye-catching package
- solid performer

Cons:
- button layout takes acclimation
- it saddled by tinny music quality, unintuitive speakerphone access, little memory space, and patchy Bluetooth call quality

Read more at cnet

Canon EOS-5D: review

2006-05-08T18:50:00.000+02:00

Dave Etchells has reviewed this digital camera from Canon.

All things considered, this is the best DSLR, for my own work, that I have ever used. I do primarily three kinds of photography. The first is work that I assign myself and this often takes the form of projects that can last for several years. The best of that work is eventually edited, printed and used for exhibition. Unless I'm working on something where I want to be very close to the subject (macro) or very far from the subject (telephoto) I usually prefer to work with my R-D1 rangefinders.

Read more at imaging-resource

LG Chocolate Phone: review

2006-05-08T18:33:00.000+02:00

TechDigest has reviewed this mobile phone from LG.

If you haven’t heard the hype already, the Chocolate is being sold as the next fashion sensation in the mobile phone world. LG has every right be optimistic having already sold 300,000 Chocolate handsets in Korea, receiving general all-round approval for its slim, black, sliding design complemented by extremely slick, glowing red buttons.

Read more at techdigest

Sony DCR-HC 96: review

2006-05-03T20:07:00.000+02:00

Digital Trends has reviewed this digital camera from Sony, the DCR-HC96.

DVD camcorders get all the buzz in the camcorder world. Poor MiniDV is now the forgotten stepchild—even though the majority of digital camcorders in 2006 are still tape based. But, dear readers, the trend is clearly to disk and HDD camcorders with a sprinkling of SD flash memory editions thrown in for good measure.

Read more at digital trends

Samsung YP-Z5: review

2006-05-02T19:09:00.000+02:00

Stuart Miles has reviewed this MP3 player from Samsung, the Samsung YP-Z5. It is Samsung's attempt at knocking the nano of its perch and stealing the limelight, he says.

Pro's:
- screen size
- menu system
- battery life

Cons:
- controls
- no FM radio
- no on-the-fly playlists

Read more at Pocket Lint

Motorola C290: review

2006-04-30T11:50:00.000+02:00

Kent German has reviewed this mobile phone from Motorola, the C290.

Pro's:
- quality performance
- a speakerphone
- analog roaming

Cons:
- irregularly shaped keypad buttons
- limited messaging options
- it also lacks an external display

Read more at cnet

Sony Ericsson Z530: review

2006-04-27T18:12:00.000+02:00

GSM Arena has reviewed the Sony Ericsson Z530.

Sony Ericsson launched Z530, their latest clamshell with music features just as we expect the W300 model to hit the market. At first glance, the two phones look very similar since they have exactly the same dimensions, but the W300 has more features and a better display. The Sony Ericsson Z530 seems to be the first officially released phone working with the new Memory Stick Micro (M2) card type. The advantage of Z530 is the expected lower price.

Read more at GSM arena

Nokia Introduces the Nokia N93

2006-04-25T19:28:00.000+02:00

Nokia today introduced the Nokia N93, the ultimate mobile device for spontaneous video recording. Offering uncompromised digital camcorder, telephony and rich Internet communication functionalities, the Nokia N93 features a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, DVD-like video capture and 3x optical zoom. You can connect the Nokia N93 directly to your TV for a widescreen movie experience or upload your images and video to online albums or blogs. Moreover, you can create high-quality home movies and burn them to DVD with the included Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 software.

Intuitive and Spontaneous Capture
Offering the best mobile video and photography experience, the Nokia N93 is packed with exceptional camera features that enable high-quality photos and DVD-like quality video. Unfold and twist the main display, and the Nokia N93 is ready to shoot video and photos using the color landscape display as a full screen viewfinder. Whether special events or just fun, impromptu everyday life, you can capture moments conveniently and impulsively and share them with others as they happen.

Featuring MPEG-4 VGA video capture at 30 frames per second, the Nokia N93 delivers an unparalleled video experience with stereo audio recording and digital stabilization, enabling smooth and shake-free movies. The Nokia N93 incorporates a 3.2 megapixel (2048 x 1536 pixels) camera with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, 3x optical zoom and up to 20x digital zoom, as well as autofocus and close-up mode for amazing clarity and accuracy. Furthermore, the Nokia N93 has an active camera toolbar which displays all available capture features, from exposure value to color tones and white balance. There are dedicated keys for shutter, zoom and flash and also a camera mode key that enables you to switch quickly and easily between image and video capture.

The Nokia N93 features large internal memory of up to 50 MB, which can be further expanded with a hot swap miniSD card of up to 2 GB, allowing users to capture up to 90 minutes of DVD-like quality video or close to 2500 high-quality photos. Furthermore, you can easily transfer your photos and video from the memory card to a compatible PC for storage, and yet always carry a collection of your favorite resized images on the Nokia N93.

Joy of Sharing
Sharing your photos and video clips captured with the Nokia N93 is a snap. Show off your content on the up to 262,144 color 2.4" QVGA display (240 x 320 pixels) featuring a super-wide 160 degree viewing angle. Share your uncompressed photos and video clips instantly via email, Bluetooth technology or by uploading them directly from the Gallery to compatible blogs. You can even share your captured memories with family and friends on a large compatible TV screen, using either the included TV cable or wirelessly over integrated WLAN and UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) technology. Furthermore, from browsing the web to reading your emails and office documents, you can even play games on the Nokia N93 using the screen of your compatible TV.

Creativity Made Easy
While editing your photos and video clips directly on the Nokia N93 is simple, you can also easily transfer them to your compatible PC, allowing for more creative control over your video output. The standard Nokia N93 sales pack comes bundled with Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0, which makes it easy to import video clips, photos and music and to start experimenting with hundreds of transitions and effects, as well as create professional looking home videos with customizable templates. And to top it off, you can effortlessly burn those great home movies to DVD and export formats for Web streaming and email.

Multifunctional Mobile Computing and Connectivity
Part of the Nokia Nseries multimedia computer range, the Nokia N93 offers great functionality in one beautifully shaped connected device. Designed to work on WLAN, 3G (WCDMA 2100 MHz), EDGE and GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) networks, the Nokia N93 provides broadband Internet access for browsing, uploading content, and sending and receiving emails, allowing you to stay connected on the move. You can also set the device on a surface, flip the display horizontally and use the landscape screen to browse the Web, watch TV* over 3G networks, or make hands-free video calls*.

All Round Entertainment
The Nokia N93 includes a stereo FM radio and a digital music player that offer a fantastic music experience. You can create playlists and enjoy your music hands-free via the speaker or use the stereo headset provided. With the Nokia Music Manager, you can also easily rip your CDs and transfer your music collection to your phone. In addition, you can store up to 1500 songs on your Nokia N93 with a separately available 2 GB miniSD card. You can also enjoy high-quality 3D games with the pre-installed N-Gage franchise System Rush: Evolution.

The Nokia N93, which is based on S60 3rd Edition software on Symbian OS, is expected to become commercially available in July 2006 with an estimated, unsubsidized sales price of approximately 550 euros.

Digitally Divine Nokia N73

2006-04-25T19:13:00.000+02:00

Nokia today unveiled the latest addition to the Nokia Nseries family, the Nokia N73, a stunning multimedia computer in a compact and savvy exterior with exquisite photography features and integrated stereo speakers with 3D sound for optimized audio pleasure. In addition to a large 2.4 inch display, the Nokia N73 includes a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus and support for Internet communities like Flickr - a package ready to challenge any digital camera.

Smile for the Camera
No need to plan for the perfect shot - spontaneous photography is inevitable when using the Nokia N73. A high-quality 3.2 megapixel (2048 x 1536 pixels) camera with Carl Zeiss optics, the Nokia N73 provides 'real' photo quality up to 10" x 8" (25 x 20 cm). Thanks to the mechanical shutter and advanced autofocus, photos are sharper, boasting crisp detail with reduced movement distortion, even in low light conditions. Once you've snapped your photos or videos, viewing them is a simple pleasure on the large, high resolution 2.4 inch full screen landscape viewfinder.

Share the Moment
Scrolling through your images and video clips is like flipping through a photoalbum - and this one is in your pocket. Display photos instantly on the beautiful screen, edge to edge, by simply pressing the dedicated review key. The powerful and intuitive active toolbar interface provides a one-touch selection to effortlessly send photos via email, Bluetooth connectivity or MMS, print or upload them onto an Internet community.

Impress your friends by creating a slideshow, complete with your own soundtrack - simply select your favorite images and digital tunes, and enjoy the 3D sound effects reverberating from the integrated stereo speakers.

Intuitive and Intelligent
Less than 90cc, the high-performing Nokia N73 not only travels with you, but also has intuitive functionality for additional ease-of-use. In fact, every aspect of the Nokia N73 has been designed to make photography easy. The dedicated controls for capture, zoom and review, together with the active toolbar interface provide intuitive and fast control of key camera functions.

With Nokia XpressTransfer, organizing and moving your images and videos onto a compatible PC is simple. Choose your favorites for immediate printing with Nokia XpressPrint, or select them for convenient printing at a later time from the active toolbar.

Need It
The Nokia N73 meets a multitude of the everyday user's needs - in one pocketable device. Available in 3G or quadband EDGE/GSM networks, the Nokia N73 has all the diversity of a powerful multimedia computer enabled with the S60 3rd Edition Software on Symbian OS. Music fans can tap into the Nokia N73's integrated digital music player with playlists and equalizer or tune into the FM radio, or simply enjoy productivity features like email, office applications, organizer, synchronization with a compatible PC and browse the Internet with the Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map. See who you are calling and who calls you with the front VGA camera, enabled for video calling*.

The Nokia N73 is expected be available from July 2006, in three beautifully designed color combinations: silver grey/deep plum, frost white/metallic red and frost white/mocha brown.

Nokia N72

2006-04-25T18:54:00.000+02:00

Nokia today revealed the Nokia N72, a sleek and stylish new addition to the Nokia Nseries range. In pearl pink or gloss black, this compact package has high-perfomance multimedia at its core, wrapped in a beautiful design. The Nokia N72 offers the benefits of versatile photography, entertainment and personal productivity to people who value style as much as high performance. A powerful yet stylish multimedia device, the Nokia N72 is equipped with a 2-megapixel camera and integrated digital music player, with dedicated capture and music player keys, an integrated browser, FM radio and support for Visual Radio.

"The Nokia Nseries promise of high performance technology is at the core of the Nokia N72 design DNA; with this device people will feel like they can express their extrovert nature," said Bill Sermon, vice president of Multimedia Design, Nokia. "The design concept was inspired by what the Nokia N72 means to someone, rather than what it can merely do for that person. We drew on the relationship people have with things that inspire great performances, like the world's finest grand piano or the perfect handcrafted writing pen. We wanted to play with contrast and detail to create drama within the product - and the end result is a beautiful device that creates its own signature at the same time that it draws you in."

The pearl pink and gloss black versions of the Nokia N72 have digital textures on the back, which personalize the device. "The overall design makes a strong statement for the Nokia N72 as a multimedia computer, but the digital textures, or graphics, on the back add a subtlety of personal ownership, that it is my device," Sermon adds.

Walk, Talk and Rock
Personalize your Nokia N72 with a choice of digital music tracks, and enjoy music on the go with the integrated digital music player. Press the music key for direct access to your music tracks. Record music from your CDs, create playlists and transfer your music onto your Nokia N72 with the Nokia Music Manager, a part of Nokia PC Suite.

Slide and Shoot
Morph your Nokia N72 into a digital camera by sliding open the active lens cover and compose your shot using the high definition 2.1 inch colour display. The 2 megapixel (1600 x 1200 pixels) camera includes an integrated flash, which will make it easy to capture images even in low light conditions. Capture photos or video clips with just one click, and later personalize your gallery image collection with the integrated photo and video editor. Choose your favorites to print or transfer them onto a compatible PC, with the option of online sharing on Internet communities.

Matching themed headset and wrist strap are included in sales packs of the Nokia N72. The Nokia N72 is expected to be available from June 2006 in key markets worldwide, including the Middle East and Africa, Russia, Eastern Europe, mainland China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Sony ACID Pro6: review

2006-04-24T20:47:00.000+02:00

Sony's ACID is a popular loop-band music production application.

Pro's:
- powerful & feature rich
- includes Native Instruments’ kompakt

Cons:
- windows only
- ugly interface

Read more at BIOS

Samsung YEPP YP-D1: review

2006-04-20T20:02:00.000+02:00

Jasmine France has reviewed this mp3-player from Samsung, the YEPP YP-D1. It'll make sense for those looking for a multitude of features above all else, this mp3-player isn't for everyone, she says.

Pro's:
- a unique, streamlined design
- an onboard camera
- audio recording
- video-playback capabilities

Cons:
- a proprietary USB port
- all of the buttons are pretty tiny
- limited by its 2GB maximum capacity

Read more at cnet

Samsung Develops 2GB Memory Card for Mobile Phones

2006-04-20T19:07:00.000+02:00

Samsung Electronics Co., announced today that it has developed a 2GByte MultiMediaCard (MMCmicroTM) that combines four 4Gbit NAND flash devices. This is the smallest, fastest and highest capacity memory card for mobile phones, developed only three months after Samsung led the industry by launching a 1GByte MMCmicro.

“The 2GByte high-performance MMC is a powerful indicator of Samsung’s expanding efforts to embrace the widest possible range of multimedia applications including mobile video,” said Don Barnetson, Director, Flash Marketing, Samsung Semiconductor, Inc.

Despite being the size of a fingernail (12mmx14mmx1.1mm), the new MMCmicro will provide the highest transmission speed of any removable memory card, transmitting data 3.5 times faster than other cards. The card can store 12 hours of mobile video and is fast enough to download three hours of it in under two minutes. An adapter allows the card to be plugged into any multimedia card slot.

The 2GB MMC can operate at either 1.8 volts (V) and 3.3V, making it an even more viable solution for mobile phones.

The new MMC, in a format standardized by the MultiMediaCard association (MMCA) and being standardized by JEDEC, can be obtained by manufacturers without royalties or licensing fees.

The 1 GB MMCmicro will be commercially available in 2006.

According to Dataquest, a semiconductor market research firm, as the global memory card market will grow five percent between 2005 and 2010, the multimedia card market will grow 17% and the MMCmicro market by 95 percent during the same period.

Samsung GX-1S: review

2006-04-17T12:11:00.000+02:00

Philip Ryan has reviewed this digital camera from Samsung, the GX-S1. Most people will be happy with the Samsung GX-S1, especially if they are stepping up from a point-and-shoot, he says.

Pro's:
- relatively compact
- beginner-friendly mix of manual and automatic features

Cons:
- poor high-ISO image quality
- slow autofocus in low light

Read more at cnet