Haptic feedback - gets physical

 Tactus Technology

 Guess it was about time for something like this to "surface" :) What's it about? Well let me tell ya one or few things 'bout it. It's a new way to interact with your smartphone, tablet or any smart appliances you may plan to upgrade to.

 If you ever wrote an e-mail using your tablet's touchscreen and then used your qwerty feature phone to type a text message, you might have wondered how it would be to use that physical keyboard instead of the virtual one displayed on-screen.

 Today all that's about to change thanks to the Tactus Technology and its "appearing and disappearing" haptic user interface that translates into a "physical keyboard that rises from a flat touchscreen". Some of you may wonder: "What kind of sorcery is this?" :) It's as real as it gets, so now sit back and relax cause it's "welcome to the future" time.

 Link: Tactus

Progresso urbano

 Kyocera's Urbano Progresso

 What's up? This right here is a smartphone that's about to launch in Japan only. What's so special about it is the "smart sonic receiver" - a technology that allows the transmition of clear voice reception via the vibration of the display screen - all this based on Kyocera’s proprietary advanced ceramic technology.

 Here are the specs for y'all geeks out there :)
 -  Dual core Snapdragon S2 running @1.4GHz
 -  4GB internal memory with support for microSD card to up to 32GB
 -  4.0 inch OLED Display
 -  8.1 MP camera
 -  japanese specific features like infrared and FeliCa for mobile payments
 -  support for GSM, UMTS, GPRS and CDMA networks
 -  Android 4.0

 It seems that this one delivers - it has both "brians and looks", add innovation in the mix and here we are: a class A smartphone. Too bad this one's for Japan only... for now :)

 Link:  Urbano Progresso

One's spare

 The SpareOne phone

 What's up everyone? All this tech running in the wild getting in on a collision course with our own very lives... Have you ever tried to teach someone how to use their smartphone or tablet when they don't have even the slightest ideea? If the answer's a "yes" with a capital Y then you know what I'm talking about, if not I can recommend this to improve one's anger management :) 

 Fast forward to today: How many times your smartphone got its battery drained when you need it the most? Guess the answer would be "countless". Sometimes you can blame it on the likes of "Angry Birds" or on streaming YouTube videos. However you can also get a backup dumbphone like the SpareOne phone.

 The SpareOne phone was featured at CES 2012 and it can last for 15 years (no typo) on a single AA battery and all you can do with it is make and receive phone calls. Emergency calls can be made with or without a SIM card installed. The 10 hour talk time is a significant drop from 15 years, but if you are going to use it for emergencies only then the talk time is more than acceptable. The SpareOne has no display at all and looks almost like a remote control, the volume button is on the left, standard keys to accept or deny calls, number keys, power button, and it also features a lock/unlock key.
 Alan Cymberknoh the designer of this device says it uses the SpareOne as a backup phone for when his iPhone runs out of juice: “I have pre-set my important numbers on it - home, office, family - so when people call me, I pick up on my SpareOne.” All this seems usefull, don't you think? See ya!

 Link: The SpareOne phone

Gingerbread on Atom

 Xolo X900

 And here we are ladies and gents, we’ll be witnessing yet another milestone in the mobile industry. Lava (an Indian mobile phones company) is preparing to launch the Xolo smartphone which, hardware wise, runs on an Atom platform. As the OS is concerned the weapon of choice would be Android Gingerbread at launch with an update to ICS following up shortly.

 I know y’all geeks are eager for some specs so here they are: 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Z2460 processor, 1 GB of ram, 16GB of internal memory, screen size of 4.3”@1024x600 pixels resolution, 8MP main camera with Flash, a front camera of 1.3MP, micro HDMI out. The handset is also NFC (near field comm.) ready. All those goodies are packed in a form factor that measures a mere 123x63x10.99 mm.

 At first glance the specs are on par with the last year’s high end devices but do keep in mind that this is an Atom processor on which a PC version of Windows might work just fine. 

 From now on we should get used to see the “intel inside” logo on smartphones as well. But how soon is now and how’s that Xolo for a change? See ya!  

 Links: Xolo X900
            Lava Mobile Phones

The (S)martphone

 Sony Xperia S

 Innovation is scarce and mere upgrades are paramount… The Xperia S is in between but has everything it takes to take on the top dogs.
 So, let’s see what the S has onboard: Snapdragon platform with a 1.5Ghz dual core processor, 1GB of ram, Adreno 220 GPU, 32GB of storage, 4.3 inch display of HD resolution @1280x720 pixels, 12MP camera with autofocus and Exmor R sensor for low light conditions along with 1080p video recording.

 Connectivity-wise there’s WiFi(b/g/n), Bluetooth, NFC(near field communication), DLNA, USB on the go, micro-USB and HDMI 2.0. All this in a slim form factor measuring only 10.6 mm in depth.

 The Xperia S is running on Android 2.3 with the ICS update coming up soon. Anyway the Sony’s Timescape user interface offers enough functionality and eye-candy for the average user :)  On the gaming side the “PlayStation Certified” feature allows for playing PlayStation Suite games.

 The device’s design mixes the classic form factor with a transparent strip which cuts through the base of the device in which the antenna is embedded - it also illuminates and indicates where the on-screen buttons are placed.

 Sony really nails it with this product, it really adds the “S” letter back into the “Smartphone” wor(l)d.

 Links: Sony Xperia S
            Where to buy

XT311 - Moto's Fire

 Motorola Fire XT311

 Let's take the word "phone" as an example, how many of you think of "smartphones" when you hear it? And the answer would be - many :)
 Nowadays smartphones come in all kind of "flavors": iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7, meeGo, Symbian and others. It wasn't long ago that "cheap" was similar to low quality products. The game has changed - this time in the buyer's interest. Now let's "light" this "Fire" up. Steady, ready and go :)

 Specs wise, under the hood there's the most typical hardware available: an ARM 11 clocked at 600 mhz, 256mb of RAM, WiFi b/g/n, and bluetooth 2.1. OS wise - Gingerbread (Android 2.3) runs the show and adds value to the "Fire". The reception is good - no dropped calls, messaging is a breeze thanks to the hardware qwerty keyboard (Blackberry styled) although the user can opt for the software one as well. The overall built quality is above average and the handset feels good in hand.

 The 3MP camera takes some good snapshots given the proper lighting conditions are provided - no autofocus or flash for this price tag though. The battery backup is not the best there is out there but it can get you through the day and the "People centric" widget by Moto along with the low ram (only 256mb) can lead to occasional lags in the user interface.

 To sum it up - the Fire delivers the "bang for the buck".

 Links: Motorola Fire XT311
            Where to buy

Galaxy Mini - for the minimalist

Samsung Galaxy Mini

 Hey, what's up? Guess this guy likes gadgets... the minimalist way, at least for today :)
 If you haven't lived in a cave for the last year or so, you might have heard about Samsung's line of Galaxy products. High end smartphones and tablets waiting to be snatched off the shelf. The mini has all the features of a complete smartphone but at the cost of a low-res screen and a mediocre camera. The build quality is quite good for a device with this kind of price tag. The best thing about it it's that it runs Android 2.2 Froyo so the users can enrich their experience by installing apps and games from the Android Market or from other sources :D
 If you are looking to buy cheap look no other way - the Mini is the answer but it won't help you save earthrealm from evil. If you're after all the bells and whistles go for its bigger bros like Galaxy S and S II. That's it for today folks, don't forget to post your opinions... as usual :))
 Have a good one!

 Link: Samsung Galaxy Mini

I Padfone? This time Honeycomb flavored :)

Asus Padfone

 Have you ever wondered, what should you use? A full featured smartphone, a tablet, a netbook? Well, Asus seems to have the answer - the Padfone. The concept it's simple and ingenious at the same time. Wanna relax and watch a movie? Or maybe edit some docs? The phone's screen is too small for that, just place it inside the tablet form dock and you're set to go. The Padfone is yet to be released, an interesting concept though. So, what's your game: smartphone, tablet or both?

 Link: Asus Padfone

Do you want to know what the Atrix is? :)

Motorola Atrix

 "Welcome, to the real world!" this is how Morpheus from The Matrix would great you. Today I'm gonna tell you about a device that's worthy of 21'st century. This is a powerful smartphone that can be easily transformed into a netbook with the help of a docking station that includes a 11.6 inch LCD display, a qwerty keyboard and usb ports among other things. The hardware powered by an nVidia Tegra 2 system on a chip can easily handle most of everyday tasks whether you are editing docs, browse the net or watch HD movies. This device might be a good choice for those who are annoyed by the multitude of devices to choose from when up to a task. Should I use the desktop pc, the notebook, the tablet, or the smartphone? Motorola seems to get back in the game with a device that has multiple uses for the consumer. It's not everyday that innovation strikes and gives us a glimpse of the future, it seems Moto has challenged another "Milestone". Be sure to post your opinions on this. See you around!

Link: Complete review





                                                 

Smartbooks - to be ola or not to be ola *(ola - online always)

 So, here we are ladies and gents almost mid 2011. The tablet-hype reached it's peak. Nowadays even grandma wants to read the news online or check the e-mail  - most of which could be spam anyway. You can find touchscreen tablets everywhere, ranging from dirt cheap to the full price of a Core i5 powered Notebook. I won't get into much details cause stirring up an Apple fanboys rebellion it's not my cup of tea, at least not today.
 So let's take a look at the big picture: Smartphones, Netbooks, Touchscreen Tablets - they all fit in the MID (mobile internet devices) bucket. What about smartbooks? First time I heard about 'em I was like wtf? A mobile OS designed for touchscreen usability transferred to a netbook form factor? As I got the chance to experience Android 2.2 on a Asus Eee PC 900 (fresh OS install by me) I had a sudden change of heart. Everything fell on place just like a 3 year old puzzle. Using keyboard and mouse with the Android OS it's not a bad user experience after all.
 Nowadays I'm eager to get my hands on a Toshiba AC100 Smartbook. It's powered by a nVidia SOC (system on a chip) Tegra 250 with dual core cpu, full HD capabilities and it runs Android 2.2 Froyo. Don't know if an update to Android 3.0 Honeycomb would be available but still, hardware wise it's more than a match for most Netbooks out there powered by Intel's Atom cpu's. So I'd like to hear from you, don't be shy and post your own opinions/comments on the matter. To be continued...

Links you might be interested in:

Porting Android OS to x86
Smartbook - Wikipedia
Toshiba AC100 Smartbook