Scent of a woman… on the phone
If anyone still needs proof that Japan’s cellphones are the most advanced in the world, Sony Ericsson’s line of scented phones should do the job quite nicely. Officially known by their model name: DoCoMo SO703i (NTT DoCoMo is a major Japanese phone service provider), these phones excel in a number of ways besides the somewhat gimmicky scents.
On Monday, we heard that Microsoft would be unexpectedly launching the Zune 2 the next day. Most of Tuesday went by without an official announcement, leaving us with only an FCC filing to consider. Turns out that Bill Gates wanted an evening event, because it wasn’t until pretty late on Tuesday night that his company revealed the second-generation Microsoft Zune. All three versions of it.The biggest model, to be available in black only, will carry 80GB of internal memory and will take on the same role as the iPod Classic in some ways. It’s got a big 3.2-inch color screen for the best mobile movie-watching experience, but both its footprint and thickness have been reduced. This version will retail for $249.The two other models are perhaps more exciting. Ditching the hard drive, the pair of Flash Zunes will offer 4GB or 8GB of internal memory for $149 or $199, respectively. They mimic the appearance of their 80GB brethren in many ways, except being quite a bit smaller, sort of like the 2nd-generation iPod nano. Look for these in red, pink, black and green.
Common to all three models is the new Zune Pad, a touch sensitive control pad that replaces the five-way navigator. Slide your finger to fumble through the user interface. The WiFi has also been unlocked for automatic synchronization in the presence of a wireless home network.
The Gadget: T-Mobile’s Samsung Beat, a music flip-phone with 2GB microSD support, 1.3-megapixel camera, Stereo Bluetooth streaming, Quad-Band GSM, myFaves, IM support, and a round green speaker on the front for impromptu dance-athons.
The Price: $99 with two-year contract.
The Verdict: For $99, this is a pretty decent music phone. The green circular speaker on the front is plenty loud for music on your own—we don’t recommend it on the bus or anything just out of general principle—and the external music control buttons next to it are plenty convenient. The internal music UI isn’t atrocious, which is a step up for music phones not from Sony Ericsson or Apple.
It’s relatively small, which is good, and has good incoming and outgoing sound quality (someone said it made my voice sound deeper. Unconfirmed!). The keypad also has a nice graphite-esque texture, which adds to the overall appeal of this low to mid-range phone. Overall, we’d give it a thumbs up for regular folks who aren’t interested in smartphone functions.
tags:gadget Muci Phones
I was watching Eastern Promises last night and right when things were getting exciting — Viggo Mortensen was about to kick some butt — the cell phone of some idiot in the theatre went off, completely ruining the experience. And it was that bloody Crazy Frog ringtone too. Turn your phones off while at the movies people!
If I had the Brando Portable Palm Phone Jammer with me last night, I wouldn’t have ha
d to sit through that insufferable ringtone from the moviegoer. The handheld device looks like a nondescript black box, but it can block all four bands of GSM reception. If the person was on Telus or Bell, I’d be out of luck anyways.
That said, cell phone signal jamming may not exactly be legal. According to FCC regulations, the jamming of cellular and radio frequencies can only be done by federal agencies. Shucks. If you want to ride on the wild side still, the Brando jammer sells for $166.
http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/340/C13447/
tags:gadget jammer
Marie Claire magazine asked Popgadget founder Mia Kim to come up with the ultimate cell phone for women. But the results did not please Sonia Zjawinski at Wired’s Underwire blog. In fact, they made her gag. The shePhone has pill storage, condom dispenser, vibrator, corkscrew, atomizer for perfume or mace, and a home pregnancy test. Um, peeing on electronics? Really? We kind of like the pill pod, the “voice analyzer” (is your BF where he says he is?) and the universal remote, which overrides other remotes. As for Zjawinski, she writes that what she really wants in a phone is outstanding audio quality, a distress signal (with GPS), an option to block certain numbers from calling or texting and a mini compartment for money and ID.
We’ve been thinking about what we want in a cellphone and we agree with the money/ID compartment. Carrying less is more! Maybe we’re crazy, but we’d actually like a way for our phone to be waterproof and embedded under our skin. Maybe in our hand? Or wrist? It might sound like some scary futuristic nightmare, but just think — it would never get lost, left in a taxi or dropped in a hot, bubbly pedicure bath — fates that proved deadly for our previous cell phones.
tags:Fun stuff gadget On the net shePhone
The Giorgio Armani Samsung handset, unveiled at Milan Fashion Week before the designer’s spring-summer fashion show, uses cutting edge technology to ensure the world’s most safety-conscious mobile. The credit card size designer phone comes with an in-built ‘rape alarm’ function which can be activated from a pocket or even handbag. Described as a ‘ground-breaking’ achievement, the new phone automatically sends an SOS text message to five pre-programmed family or friend phone numbers, alerting them to danger. By pressing an easy-to-locate volume control button four times in quick succession - which can be done through jeans or any heavy material including leather - an automated emergency text is sent. Received within seconds, the recipient can then call the phone, allowing them to gauge the situation and respond accordingly by calling the police. From here, the mobile’s GPS tracker system can be activated to locate the owner’s exact position.
Giorgio Armani Samsung handset also has a tracker system which significantly improves the chances of recovery if the phone is lost or stolen. Once the SIM card is removed and replaced from a stolen handset, a secret SMS is sent to three pre-set numbers containing the new phone number of the unauthorized user and thus helping to track the lost device.
Just 10 millimetres wide, Giorgio Armani Samsung handset weighs less than a Mars bar and comes with a host of other innovative features including a 3-megapixel camera, full internet access and ‘uGo’ - an adaptive interface that automatically responds to the user’s environments. Displaying a landmark picture of the owner’s local city, the picture adjusts to display depending on whether it is day or night. The £375 Giorgio Armani Samsung handset costs approximately $758.
fareastgizmos.com
When we think of premium and expensive phones…we would probably think about the Nokia 8XXX series and Vertu…but we would never think that it could actually be a phone from China. Yes, yes besides all the cheap and crazy clones, ripoffs and ridiculous phones…there is actually a premium phone from there. The phone is made by a Chinese company called VX and they even have a website promoting these expensive phones but the site doesn’t really work and there are some bad spelling mistakes. In the pic above, the phone on the left is the Royal II and on the right is the Royal III. They both feature 1.3 mega pixel cameras, microSD support and a Vertu like design with premium materials. One of the main attractions are the diamonds that are arranged in patterns. The Royal II is the cheaper of the two costing about 1300$ US and the Royal III costs about 1700$ US (costs more because of the gold and more diamonds). A Chinese phone that is premium and expensive is hard for me to accept…
Bluetooth Mini Phone. Hands free cell phone tech gets ugly and kinda weird. Forget about discreet Bluetooth headsets fitting behind your ear, this is a whole new universe. Hang this puppy round your neck and amaze your friends when you have to use one hand to answer your mobile. Oh yes, progress it ain’t… £34.99.
The Bluetooth Mini Phone is a handy handset that pairs up with your mobile, so that you can carry it around your neck on a convenient lanyard. When your mobile rings, you can answer the call by picking up the phone and pressing the call button. With crystal clear sound, cute looks and simple setup, the Bluetooth Mini Phone is the perfect antidote to having a piece of uncomfortable, unsightly plastic stuck to your head!
tags:bluetooth gadget
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