Tech News and Reviews
Archive for July, 2010
Cool gadgets : Apple Peel 520 – Turn iPod Touch Into iPhone
1662 days
Product page: http://www.ownta.com/apple-peel-520-turn-ipod-touch-into-iphone-pre-order.html
Apple peel is actually a Communication Module, comes with SIM card slot and battery built in. Made from soft material, the antenna locate at iPod Touch earphone jack. Powered by an Infineon baseband chip, this adapter not only offers voice calling and text messaging (GPRS not possible yet), but it also doubles up as an 800mAh battery and provides 4.5 hours of call time or 120 hours of standby juice.
Apple Peel 520 – Turn iPod Touch Into iPhone Features:
- Made from soft material, the antenna locate at iPod Touch earphone jack
- Dimension: 121×65×12.5mm
- Baseband: Infineon
- Battery: 800mAh
- Standby time:120 hours
- Talk time: 4.5 hours
We also have some cool products for iPad, please check here: http://www.ownta.com/wholesale-dropship-cell-phones/ipad-accessory/
HTC makes Super LCD screens for Desire and Nexus One official
0663 days
by Arlene.L
in Cellphones
Welcome back to our “worst kept secrets” hour, where HTC has seen fit to release a PR blast informing the world of what it already knew: the Desire and Nexus One are getting Super (duper) LCD displays to fill demand that Samsung’s AMOLED division cannot. Interestingly, HTC’s statement says nothing of the Droid Incredible, a close sibling to these 3.7-inch devices, but the global Nexus One and Desire are getting hooked up “later this summer.” CEO Peter Chou has also helpfully explained that the visual experience on the new SLCD screens is “comparable” to AMOLED, but offers better battery performance. Color us curious to see and hear more.
MeeGo becomes infotainment operating system of choice for BMW, GM, Hyundai and more
0
It’s getting to the point where it’s not terribly easy to keep track of all the in-car entertainment initiatives our wondrous connected future has in store, but here’s two names you’ll want to remember: GENIVI and MeeGo. The former is an industry alliance that now includes automakers GM, BMW, Hyundai and Peugeot Citroen alongside the likes of ARM, NVIDIA, Nokia and Intel, and MeeGo is the Linux-based OS that they’ve just decided will soon be powering our cars. Don’t expect this to affect your daily drive anytime soon, but in the long run we wouldn’t be surprised to hear that the Moblin-Maemo base underpins future revisions of Terminal Mode and OnStar.
Acer’s Android-powered Stream confirmed for Expansys-exclusive August 9th launch
0663 days
by Arlene.L
in Cellphones
Acer’s Android-powered Stream phone already got official way back in May — and we got our hands on it at Computex in June — but the company has only just now confirmed a launch date. According to Acer, the Stream will be rolling out on August 9th, and it’ll be exclusive to UK-based online retailer Expansys, at least initially. As for the phone itself, you can expect a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a 3.7-inch AMOLED screen, Android 2.1 for an OS, a 5-megapixel camera with 720p video recording (no flash, though), an HDMI out port, and full DLNA / UPnP support for media streaming (hence the name). Of course, being exclusive to Expansys also means you won’t be getting a subsidized price — look for this one to set you back £399, or just over $600. Full press release is after the break.
Update: And it looks like we’ve got our first unboxing with the final retail packaging. Video’s after the break.
HTC starts selling phones in China under its own name
0663 days
by Arlene.L
in Cellphones
It’s long been the case that if you wanted a HTC handset over in the world’s most populous nation, you’d have had to look for its rebadged variant under the Dopod brand. But, as of today, that is no more. The prolific Taiwanese phone maker has decided that its name is now recognizable and valuable enough in China to be put on its own hardware and is kicking off a campaign with four own-branded phones. The Wildfire and Desire we’re all familiar with already, while the Tianxi looks like a mildly tweaked HD2 and the Tianyi is a mix-and-match of design elements from the rest of HTC’s portfolio. The company’s also announcing a partnership with China Mobile to bring these puppies to market, so it’s looking like smooth sailing ahead. Full PR after the break.
Apple Magic Trackpad first hands-on
1663 days
by Arlene.L
in Peripherals
So it’s real, and… it’s a trackpad. What seemed like it might have been pure rumor and some good Photoshopping just a short while ago has magically (ha ha!) transformed into reality. If you’re wondering what the Magic Trackpad is like to use — get ready for a shock. It feels just like using a slightly larger version of a MacBook or MacBook Pro pad. And we mean exactly, right down to the multitouch gestures and whole-pad click. Yes, it clicks. There’s also a new gesture, if you’re keeping track — a three-finger move that lets you drag windows around (very helpful), though you give up the functionality of being to navigate stuff like iPhoto galleries with a swipe (it’s an option you can toggle in preferences — you have a choice). We’re going to be doing some serious testing with the new peripheral, but for now, feast your eyes on the pics below.
Pour one out: T-Mobile G1 no longer for sale
0663 days
by Arlene.L
in Cellphones
And just like that, the T-Mobile G1 is no more. A quick stock check at T-Mobile USA, Amazon, and a few other retailers confirms that the world’s first Android handset is no longer for sale, marking the end of an era. Of course, it’s been nearly two years since we first saw the G1, and its 528MHz Qualcomm processor and 320 x 480 3.2-inch display have been long since outclassed by the recent crop of high-end Android hardware, but we’re still feeling a little nostalgic. They grow up so fast, don’t they? Take a pause, take a sip, and let’s look back on the original of the species.
Sharp’s Brain PW-AC10 e-dictionary attempts to fool you with its phoney looks
0663 days
by Arlene.L
in Peripherals
We’ve seen Sharp e-dictionaries aplenty here, but with the exception of a couple of models, that same ol’ clamshell form factor’s bound to send you to snoozefest sooner or later. To keep the Japanese bookworms interested, Sharp’s latest offering — dubbed the Brain PW-AC10 — has packaged itself in a BlackBerry-esque candybar, which it claims makes it the industry’s lightest e-dictionary while carrying two AAA batteries that keep it going for 110 hours. You’ll obviously have to make do with a shrunken color LCD (2.4-inch QVGA) and keyboard, but the device still packs the usual English-Japanese translator, flashcard feature, and a seven-language traveling phrase book (with color images). ¥13,000 ($149) and it’s yours early next month.
Google Maps for Android updated to 4.4, adds dedicated ‘Places’ for searching nearby
0663 days
by Arlene.L
in Cellphones
Ready to suck down your sixth Google Maps for Android update in the past six months? Good. Version 4.4 has just been shoved out into the bright, hopeful world that we call home, with this one bringing about an easier way to find places around you. With the update will come an entirely new logo, as a dedicated ‘Places’ icon allows users to quickly look up nearby places in a Yelp-esque manner. If you tend to search for similar things regardless of where you are, you can load up your own personalized categories to make finding frequent searches that much easier (think “gas station” or “In N Out”). There’s also Place Pages, which now shows the operating hours of listed businesses, compass direction and distance from your location. It’s available now for all Android phones using v1.6 or newer, and if you’re rocking a BlackBerry, you can expect the Place Page to head your way soon.
HP crams Fermi-based Quadro 5000M GPU inside 17-inch EliteBook
0
Gotta live up to the name, right HP? NVIDIA’s new pro graphics solution for mobile creatives, the Quadro 5000M, was unsheathed only yesterday but HP appears to have been first in line to get some of that new 40nm goodness. Electronista reports that the world leader in PC shipments is readying a 5000M solution for its 8740w EliteBook, which will bring 320 CUDA cores and a jumbo 2GB of dedicated memory to the party. That comes replete with the latest DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 compatibility, naturally, as well as a bunch of pro-friendly computational enhancements. Dell’s also going to be offering a 5000M-equipped rig, but lest you get too excited, bear in mind that getting the current best Quadro-equipped 17-incher from HP costs north of $3,000, so affordability is clearly not a priority here. Skip past the break for NVIDIA’s joyous press release announcing the new Quadro chips.