technabob » mobile phone

cool gtw18 mobile phone gets crappy built-in projector, useless analog tv and dvr – not cool at all

technabob — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:30:15 +0000

This new mobile phone out of China may look like your average smartphone, but under the hood it’s actually packing a tiny little projector. Too bad the images it produces look pretty horrendous.

The inappropriately named COOL GTW18 features a 3.2-inch 240 x 400 touchscreen display, and touts a built in LED mini-projector for playing back digital video files in MP4 format. On the inside, the camera projector (camjector?) has dual SIM slots and a pair of MicroSD memory card slots for storing your media files as well.

And while the device is clearly labeled “HD 1080P”, the guys at M8Cool say they couldn’t get the GTW18 to play back files at higher resolutions than 640×480. And it’s clear from this projected image, that the resolution is way less than 1080p anyhow. Maybe it’s VGA? But even that could be a stretch from the looks of it.

At least the image looks a little bit better when the phone is turned on its side (duh), and viewed up close. But the fact that you really need a dark room to view projected images, and they’re not much bigger than the screen itself sorta defeats the purpose. And battery life is only about 30 to 40 minutes with the projector turned on and playing back video.

In addition to the projector, the GTW18 has Wi-Fi connectivity, and a no-name web browser built in. Oh yeah, and it can tune in television stations and has a DVR. Analog TV, that is, not digital. So get ready to stare at lots and lots of static. At least you can record it for later, right?

If you’ve got any inkling to send off your hard earned money to China to order one of these things, you owe it to yourself to at least check out the video clip below to see the GTW18 showing off its postage-stamp sized projection capability, while listening to some completely inappropriate elevator music in the background.

If this is really what they mean when they say “device convergence,” please keep my gadgets separate.

[via M8Cool]

golden coffin comes with cellphone

lambert v. — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:55:17 +0000

Good luck getting a signal in heaven, or wherever you think when your earthly hardware goes after death.

Showcased at the Verona Luxury Fair in Italy – like its name implies, the fair is a billionaires’ flea market – the coffin costs $381,000 (USD). For that amount of money I won’t settle for just a phone. I want my coffin to have a big ass TV, all gaming consoles, Internet access, an indoor pool, four-car garage…

[via BornRich]

google nexus one hands-on at engadget: “not blow you away good looking”

lambert v. — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 13:42:15 +0000

Man, the Internet and blogs sure have changed the media landscape. Ten years ago no one would expect an exclusive scoop as big as this to be found in a blog. Of course engadget isn’t just another gadget blog, but still. Now on to the meat of things: Joshua Topolsky, the turqoise e’s boss man, who I suspect doesn’t like his blog being called the “turqoise e”, just wrote about his hands-on with the unofficially announced but heavily publicized Google Nexus One.

Also of note is the lack of multitouch, although I don’t know if it’s just on the phone that engadget has. Topolsky says that the “The HTC-built and (soon to be) Google-sold device runs Android 2.1 atop a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 3.7-inch, 480 x 800 display, has 512MB of ROM, 512MB of RAM, and a 4GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB).” It also has a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash. Also, Topolsky says that the Nexus One is “very handsome, but not blow-you-away good looking.” So it’s like the…um, Jake Gyllenhaal of smartphones?

The phone is said to be slightly thinner than the iPhone and is also, quite literally, a smooth operator: “opening applications and moving between them was super speedy, as was Google maps, and any area of the phone where you’ve got to get through long lists.” Still, Topolsky maintains that the phone is not that different from previous Android HTC phones. Unlike the iPhone, which is very different from all the other smartphones that came before, in that it’s a good computer, but a sub-par telephone.

I think that any major electronics company now has what it takes to build a phone that’s at least on equal footing with Apple’s hardware-wise, but if you ask me it’s the UI and the apps that still give the iPhone a colossal edge over the competition. Check out the full post at engadget for more details, unboxing pics as well as a video.

zomm: wireless leash keeps you from losing your cell phone (again)

technabob — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:39:06 +0000

Do you lose your cell phone all the time? This new device called The ZOMM is supposed to help you from misplacing your mobile phone, and lets you make calls even if your phone is hidden in your pocket or purse.

The makers of the ZOMM are calling it the “world’s first wireless leash” for mobile phones. From the images on the teaser video on the ZOMM website, the device looks like a keychain Bluetooth dongle that will let you use your phone even if you can’t find it. The puck-shaped device is supposed to work as a wireless speakerphone for incoming calls, and provides a panic button and one-touch emergency dialing if your phone is stuck inside a briefcase or bag when you need to make that 911 call. And in the interest of preventing you from losing your phone entirely, it can automatically trigger an alarm if you walk too far away from your mobile phone.

No word on pricing yet, but word on the street is a retail price around $79 (USD). The ZOMM will officially be revealed at next week’s CES show.

shave mobile: the iphone’s got nothing on this

lambert v. — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:04:38 +0000

Six years ago Motorola released the RAZR series of mobile phones. Now a Chinese company has pwned Motorola – and all other phone manufacturers really – by coming up with a literal razor phone, the Shave Mobile. At one point, the Google-translated version of the CNET Japan write-up on the Shave Mobile says: “Chinese people are not crazy ideas”. That may be the case, but this Chinese idea is definitely a crazy one. As you may have guessed by now, the Shave Mobile integrates a razor into a mobile phone.

The translation of the CNET article is too hilarious for me to try and find out what it’s really saying, so I don’t have any more details about the Shave Mobile. And oh right, as if to rub it in to Motorola’s figurative face, it seems like they got David Beckham to model for the phone’s ad.

Yeah… I think that that’s Photoshopped. But you just read about a phone with a built-in razor, so what the hell, anything’s possible. Check out Yamane Yasuhiro’s article at CNET Japan for videos and more pics. Or check out the translated version of the article for tons of Engrish fun.

[via Gearfuse]

kingk n99 phone has a round screen and random logos

technabob — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:13:55 +0000

This mobile phone from China features an unusual visual touch – and no, I’m not talking about that Transformers logo on the front. I’m talking about that funky round LCD screen.

The KINGK N99 has a screen that’s unlike most phones I’ve come across in my travels. While it’s definitely not ideal for watching conventional 4:3 or 16:9 video content, it’s enough of a novelty that I thought I’d at least give it a mention. In addition to its offbeat screen, the N99 has a shiny steel body which conceals its keypad beneath a sliding metal door.

Plus – in appropriately Engrish form – it’s got a 1.3 MAGAPIXEL digital camera. Sweet. I wonder how many megapixels there are in a magapixel. And if you’re really lucky you might get this special version I found floating around on the web, complete with misappropriated Nokia logo…

So the one thing to keep in mind if you decide to plunk down your hard earned cash on one of these is that this is a GSM 900/1800MHz phone, which means that it works in most parts of the world other than the Americas. But if you live anywhere where you can use it (and read the Chinese interface), you can order one over at importer SZprice for $158.99 (USD), less in wholesale quantities.

nexus one, the real google phone

p. blandino — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:59:42 +0000

What do I mean by the “real Google phone”? Google has finally confirmed their own phone – the Nexus One. It’s not an AT&T/T-mobile branded Android 2.1 phone. Its an unlocked GSM phone that you can use on any GSM carrier and sold directly by retailers to you! The Nexus One can be a big game changer for the consumer. Unlocked and contract-free phone sounds really tempting. If they sell this phone at a $300(USD) or lower price point, Google can make a killing and take a lot of market share. I’m fully aware that an unlocked smart phone can costs you anywhere from $500-800(USD), but if any company can find a way to drop that current price trend, it’s Google.

Now for some confirmed features of the phone! The phone is being build by HTC for Google, but it will not have any HTC branding on the phone. It sports a high-resolution OLED touchscreen and has a Snapdragon chipset, and some early users claim the phone is very fast. Sadly, it has no physical keyboard, but it has a built-in camera and two microphones, one to help eliminate background sounds. The phone is thinner than the current iPhone 3GS.

TechCrunch claims the Nexus One is going to be released next month. More news then – and hopefully I’ll get my hands on one. I need a new smart phone.

[via TechCrunch]

giant button cell phone for seniors (and simpletons)

technabob — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:19:57 +0000

Whether you have bad eyesight, an aversion to technology, or are just an imbecile, have I got a cell phone for you!

This generic-brand mobile phone offers oversize numeric buttons (1-cm wide) that you can read from several feet away – making phone calls nearly fool-proof. The phone was mainly designed for seniors with limited tech savvy, but it’s fine if you’re just looking for a really simple cell phone too. Let me go on the record now by saying If I lose my ability to use the latest high-tech gadgets when I’m an old man, please just put me out of my misery.

The 6380 Senior Mobile Phone ($75 USD) does actually have a few handy features, including a built in flashlight, and a giant “SOS” button on the back that can automatically dial a pre-set emergency number, and emit a loud warning alarm. It’s also got a minimal display with large on-screen fonts, and a whopping 128×60 screen resolution. Sign me up now!

Actually, the 6380 does hide a couple of modern features under the hood, including a digital phone book, SMS messaging, a calendar, alarm clock, games (I can only imagine how much fun those are on that screen), and an FM radio. FM? I wanted an AM crystal radio set and a Victrola built-in.

Oh, and I forgot to mention one thing. The 6380 phone only works on GSM 900/1800 bands, so it works everywhere in the world except the U.S. and Canada. Oh well, I didn’t want one anyway.

street fighter 4 cell phone strapya joystick: combo moves on the go

technabob — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:44:24 +0000

The Japanese have managed to create an entire cottage industry out of selling crap you can hang off of your cell phone known as “Strapya”. The latest Strapya: this Street Fighter IV mini arcade joystick.

The tiny controller actually yells out samples of your favorite character’s voices when you pull of their combo moves using the mini joystick and game buttons.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Here’s a handy guide so you can practice. I’m sure it’ll be really easy to perfect your combo moves on that tiny little joystick…

The SFIV Strapya are available in Chun-Li, Dhalsim, Ken and Ryu versions and can be pre-ordered for September delivery over on Strapya World for ¥1260 (appx. $13 USD) each. And if you have don’t have a cell phone with a little loop for attaching one, that’s okay. Any keychain should do just fine too.

quantum touchscreen dual sim media phone wants to be an iphone

technabob — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 02:53:10 +0000

The Quantum CVFD-M46 crams in all the features you’d expect in a multimedia mobile phone, and it sells for under $100, fully unlocked.

The Quantum offers a 3-inch touchscreen display, and is loaded up with a variety of mobile applications, including a calculator, contact manager, clock, FM radio, games, MP4 video player and voice recorder among other things. The quad-band phone works on all GSM networks worldwide, and has dual SIM slots so you can switch between two mobile accounts with the flip of a switch. The phone also supports Bluetooth connectivity, including A2DP and AVRCP so you can play music or even operate remote-controlled devices over Bluetooth.

There’s also a built-in video/still video camera, but it maxes out at a paltry 640×480 resolution. And just like the iPhone that it so desperately wishes it were, it even has a motion sensor which detects when you switch from landscape to portrait modes. And unlike the iPhone, it already has MMS support out of the box. Did I happen to mention that it has a built-in TV too? Too bad it’s analog, so it probably doesn’t receive anything in the US now that analog broadcasts are done. For those of you in other countries where analog TV still works, you can tell us how well it works.

You can find the Quantum CVFD-M46 over at Chinavasion for just $94 (USD). The price drops to just $90 bucks if you buy 3 or more.

No App Store, though

pheonix freeze: empowering lazy-ass computer users all over the world.

lambert v. — Sun, 31 May 2009 13:20:22 +0000

Currently in beta, Phoenix Freeze is a program that allows users to use thie Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones as “keys” to their computers. After pairing your computer with your phone, Phoenix Freeze will automatically lock the computer as you go away from the computer, and it will unlock the computer as you go nearer. That is of course assuming that you have your phone with you.

And that’s why I’m not impressed by the software. First of all, just how hard is it to manually log out or lock your computer? If you have sensitive data then it should be worth the ” annoying effort required to constantly lock and unlock your PC with passwords or finger swipes.” Second, if you want to protect your data, why give potential thieves another way to steal it? If your phone is stolen then your data’s security is also compromised.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

In a way, it’s cool because it’s like your computer can detect your presence. Unfortunately it’s just like that, but not really. If you have sensitive data then by all means take measures to protect it. Make a hard-to-guess password and don’t give it away. If you want to check out Phoenix Freeze, you can download a trial version on Phoenix Technologies’ website. Just make sure your phone doesn’t get lost or stolen.

samsung’s blue earth phone hopes that your pockets let the sun shine in

lambert v. — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:35:32 +0000

Samsung is set to unveil an eco-friendly cellular phone at the 2009 Mobile World Congress. Called “Blue Earth”, the phone packs a number of environment friendly features, such as a solar panel on the back of the phone and an app called eco walk that tells you how many trees you’ll save if you walk to your destination instead of driving or riding a vehicle.

Maybe Greenpeace can host competitions for the most number of trees saved based on that app, something like “Eco Walk Around The World: Winner gets a Hummer” . Maybe not. Other features of the Blue Earth include the phones’ shell which is made out of recycled plastic, and an “eco-mode” or low-power consumption mode.

I’m pretty sure that the phone will also have a charger like all other phones, unless Samsung expects us to put the phone on top of our heads or have it face down on our palms while we’re walking around, aiming for the top score on eco walk.

[via Pocket-lint]

sega hitokara karaoke disco ball: just add off-key vocals

technabob — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:00:26 +0000

You’ve gotta hand it to the Japanese. They managed to take the strains of howling, tone deaf, drunken business executives and turn them into a multi-billion dollar yen industry. Now you can bring the Karaoke experience to your living room, complete with a cheezy disco light show. (Minus the drunk business executives).

While it’s far from the only Karaoke system out there, what sets Segatoys’ new Hitokara Home Karaoke system apart from the crowd is the mirrored disco ball that spins and shines as you screech along to your favorite bubble gum pop tunes.

It’s also unique in the way it gets its songs. Instead of playing from a CD or DVD, the Hitokara interfaces with a handful of special Karaoke capable mobile phones so you can download songs from the Hitokara online collection which currently has a whopping 43,000 free tracks. But unless they have Rock You like a Hurricane on there, I’m not buying one. Lyrics appear on your phone as the sound streams out of the Hitokara’s stereo speakers, and the LED-illuminated disco ball spins.

The Hitokara will ship this December for ¥7140 (appx. $75 USD). I doubt you’ll see these anywhere outside of Japan for a while.

wall charger keeps gadgets organized

technabob — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:40:00 +0000

If your household is anything like mine, you probably have scads of electronic gizmos which need to be kept charged all the time. But who really wants all those unsightly cords and chargers lying around their countertop? This handy box neatly tucks away all your power adapters and cables.

The charging station lets you charge up to three mobile gadgets at once, and can be even be wall mounted with just a couple of screws. It’s got plenty of room for AC adapters, cables and up to a 10-inch power strip (not included) hidden behind its sliding front door.

The box measures 13″L x 3.75″D x 5″H and the slots can hold most mobile phones, PDAs, media players and other small electronic devices. It’s available in solid white, black and dark blue finishes from KangaRoom, and retails for $40.

bluetrek surfacesound speaker for hands-free calling

technabob — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:45:16 +0000

This slick-looking device clips onto your car’s visor, giving you seamless hands-free calling for your mobile phone. Bluetrek’s SurfaceSound Compact uses NXT flat-panel speaker technology to provide plenty of volume and clear calling quality using a Bluetooth connection to your phone.

The flat speaker/microphone is perfect for use with the iPhone or any other phone with Bluetooth wireless headset connectivity. The SurfaceSound Compact has a built-in rechargeable battery which can run for up to 15 hours (or 22 days standby) on a single charge. It can be charged using an included car charger or via a USB cable connected to your computer.

SurfaceSound Compact’s $100 MSRP seems a bit high to me, but I was able to find them for under $70 over on MobilePlanet.

the rotary dial mobile phone

technabob — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 05:54:03 +0000

A while back we showed you the retro bluetooth handset you could use with your mobile phone. Well if you’re one of those people who didn’t think that took the concept far enough, you might want to check out the Portable Rotary Phone from Spark Fun Electronics.

This fully-functional, highly impractical piece of nostalgia is really a tri-band GSM mobile phone. It’s designed to let you make calls using the rotary dial, and rings a real bell when you have an incoming call. Just add your current phone provider’s SIM card, and you’ll be up and running. The phone runs on a built-in rechargeable battery, and costs $399 USD.

I can’t wait to see people walking down the street talking on these.

retro handset goes bluetooth

technabob — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 19:00:27 +0000

While I’ve seen plenty of retro handsets for mobile phones, this is the first one that I’ve seen which features wireless Bluetooth connectivity.

ThinkGeek’s exclusive new retro handset provides wireless connectivity to any Bluetooth enabled mobile phone. It has a 30-foot range, and is rechargeable via a USB connection. A nifty blue LED indicates the current function mode (I’m not sure what that means, though.) It’s just $39.99 and available now.

samsung x838 slick new mp3 phone

technabob — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 03:42:52 +0000

Samsung has shown the sweet looking new X838 mobile phone for release in China.

In addition to being a GSM phone, there’s an onboard MP3 player with an iPod-esque click wheel interface and 1GB of memory for storage of tunes. The phone also features a 1.3 megapixel digital camera.

Let’s hope that Samsung thinks about a North American and European release for this beatifully designed phone.

[via Akihabara News]

best looking pocket pc (ever)

technabob — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 23:32:14 +0000

Switzerland and LA-based Zenum Technologies has been working with industrial designer Jaren Goh to design the most svelte PDA we’ve ever seen.

The Opus Operis will be a Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC featuring GSM/GPRS phone capabilities in one gorgeous package. The PDA will feature 128MB of flash ROM and 64MB of internal RAM. Storage is expandable using a MiniSD card. The device will feature a 2.5-inch (320×240) LCD touch panel and full mini-keyboard for data input. Also on board are full 802.11b/g and bluetooth wireless capabilities, as well as a 2 megapixel digital camera. You’ll also be able to play back midi, mp3, wav, avi, ask, wmv and wma media files.

[via Core77]

izenmobile phone / pocket pc combo

technabob — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 17:26:45 +0000

This new mobile phone incorporates a complete Pocket PC and a cell phone in a single, compact form-factor. Rather than going the route of others by either offering the dumbed-down Windows “Smartphone” interface, or the large size of other Pocket PC phone combos, the izenMobile Krma phone attempts to combine the best of both worlds in a single device.

The phone is expected to offer a 2 megapixel digital camera, a 2.2-inch LCD screen, FM tuner and Bluetooth support. Wi-fi support will also be available as an add-on using a MiniSD card.

[via Smartphone Thoughts via Gizmodo ]