Cellular phones have been a major part of people’s lives for just over a decade now, and we are now at the point where landline phones are rarely used. A large portion of the rationale behind this is that, if there is even a landline in the house, we have all of our contact numbers in the cell phone, why go through the extra step of programming it into the phone? Well, Panasonic has a solution.
In a press release last week, Panasonic announced the KX-TG9382T, a first of its kind system that can transfer contacts from your cell phone to its own phonebook quickly and easily. Just follow the instructions down through the menu options and watch the progress as each entry flashes on the phone’s screen when it transfers.
If you are still paying for landline service, which I hope you are in case of your provider’s unexpected temporary failures, this system is a convenient way to keep your contacts handy, and a great back up should the battery on your phone die suddenly. Having a back-up plan is always important.
The KX-TG9382T is also equipped with the standard Panasonic motley of features like DECT 6.0 performance, Energy Star certification, 40-minute digital answering machine, etc. For full manufacturer details click here.
The unit will be available from Amazon and general retailers in early October in one (KX-TG9381T) or two (KX-TG9382T) headset bundles with SRPs of $169.95 and $229.95 respectively.
To browse Etronics’ selection of corded and cordless phones, check them out here.
Read more!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Bridging the gap between cellular and landline.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Asus competes for business users.
The Asus company announced via a press release on Friday, their newest bid to gain a piece of the business technology pie, the P565.
This entry into the ever-filling market of cell phones that do everything, delivers speed and quality to the consumer. Utilizing Asus’ exclusive touch-responsive user interface, Glide, multi-tasking has never been easier. Quickly switch between applications without cumbersome click wheels, closely grouped controls, or a complex button combination; all that is needed, is to move a finger.
Boasting the fastest processor at present, 800MHz, the P565 is equipped to handle your photo and spreadsheet needs, as well as the e-mail and instant messaging, text documents, and web browsing… all at the same time without slowing down.
Now, speed is great, but means little to nothing if you are unable to see any of it. That is why this PDA has a 2.8”VGA High-resolution (480 x 640-pixel) touch screen. With such a clear and brilliant display, you will not have to worry about eyestrain and fatigue.
No release dates or pricing have been mentioned yet. View further details, and the official press release here
Read more!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Google Phone to Launch on T-Mobile
October 1st is the alleged launch date of T-Mobile’s own 3G network. Coinciding with TMo’s 3G launch is the first Google phone, the HTC’s Dream, which has been running Android for months. Dream is a top contender to dethrone the iPhone.
When TMo's network goes live, it will be the only competing network to AT&T’s HSPA network, but the high might be short lived - as many other Google partners have similar phones and launch dates in mind.
Considering the apparent consumer appetite for new phone technology seems even this slight edge on the competition could translate into huge numbers for T-Mobile. I couldn’t tell you if they’ll be a run on these phones, Apple fans are a special breed, but I think there are many more people anticipating a Google phone then had anticipated the iPhone release. How willing they will be to go for a relatively unknown brand, HTC, remains to be seen.
Latest Demo Vid after the break...
Read more!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Samsung SCH-W510 Corn Phone Has User-facing Camera
Everyone seems to be excited by the phone’s use of more biodegradable plant based plastics. But what about all the nasty head penetrating radiation? Of course, the FCC's consensus is that a little Radio Frequency (RF) radiation doesn’t harm the ‘ol noggin. However, some folks like being more safe, than free (read vegans).
Good thing Samsung has equipped the W510 with a user–facing camera, for all our mobile videoconferencing needs, so we won’t have to hold this handset to our heads at all. Nice.
Wait, is a person walking around a busy area videoconferencing really any safer?
Read more!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Chinese iPhone Wannabe Sports Embedded Projector
This latest discovery from the Orient serves to reiterate the fact that tiny embedded projectors are coming to a cellphone near you. This is the first cell phone slated to go into production that includes a embedded LED projector. This not so subtle addition, can project up to a 30" screen at 640x480 resolution.
The battery life, while projecting, is said to be two hours. My guess is the spokesperson at the trade show, where this was introduced, made up this answer. But, I'm a bit cynical. The battery could really last that long. Either way it's going to be interesting to read some user reviews of this model and their suggestions on improvements.
I'd never heard of the phone's manufacturer ChinaKing, but a quick look at their site uncovers a slew of somewhat unorthodox phone offerings.
via ...OhGizmo!.., Engadget..
Read more!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Omnivision's vision of CMOS sensor
Competition is the engine of innovation, and Omnivision, seemingly right on cue, has announced their latest innovation that promises to bring an smaller 8MP CMOS camera to our 3G phones.
While Sharp was looking for ways to slim a larger, denser, CMOS camera phone sensor. Omnivision was developing a new way of producing the same size sensor while doubling the image resolution.
Their approach, as simple as it sounds...
was to turn the sensor over. Dubbed OmniBSI, this changed the order of things a bit, making the silicon the first thing the light hits. This subtle switch up optimizes the silicon’s light absorption, giving the sensor better low-light sensitivity, while allowing for larger apertures and thinner cameras.
This isn’t the first time we seen this type of tech in phones, but Omnivision is one of the largest supplier of camera modules to phone makers. Previously, only one or two brands were making these higher resolution modules, and putting them into their own phones. Now with Omnivision no one company will have “the” high resolution camera phone... unless it's huge. Either way, this will certainly level the playing field when it comes to pricing.
Manufactures will get to fool around with these buggers starting in June.
Read more!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Sharp Introduces World's Thinnest 5MP Cam
Thursday Sharp announced their tiny CMOS camera module, an autofocus five megapixel camera with an improved signal-noise ratio and the world's thinnest lens element. Meant to be embedded in the next generation of smartphones, these will boost their image quality to something a bit more presentable.
3G phones promise many functions, but adding a camera that produces high quality images and video has been on the wishlist of many gadget freaks for years. Guess we'll have to wait and see if phone manufactures are impressed by the new component option; Sharp is set to ship a prototype form of the cam at the end of the month.
Read more!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Jabra BT3013 Stereo Dog Tag Bluetooth Headset
Ever wanted to play army man when you’re answering your phone calls? Most of us could answer definitively, no. But back in the day I had dog tags, my Dad’s. I would proudly wear them confident that one day I would be saving Mainframe and Lady Jane from the evils of Cobra or Serpentor.
Well, we all grow up, and into new fantasies. But for those that still fantasize about the about blue and red lasers streaking across the battlefield, Jabra has broken with the traditional form that Bluetooth headset regularly take and released the Jabra Bt3030 Dog Tag.
Now I hate regular Bluetooth headsets, that people with no reason to have one wear all day, because they make you look like a tool, for one, and secondly, when Skynet goes live and the robots take over you’re not going to fool them into thinking you’re a robot too, with your Bluetooth headset.
So I was thinking this would be a nice alternative as long as I kept it hidden under my shirt. But for the urban commando, this could rock their world. Think about it, tims, check, du rag, check, white owl, check, oversized dungarees and white tee, check, dog tag Bluetooth headset, check. It’s a match made in China.
Read more!
Monday, March 17, 2008
iPhone 2.0 Patent...Finally, a Flip iPhone
Apple devotees aren't the type to sit on a technology for very long, and even though the iPhone is hardly old news, the patent office has received an application and drawing from Apple of their latest incarnation of the iPhone, 2.0 styles.
The concept is a flip phone where the flip is a clear dual-sided multi-touch trackpad. When closed, the clear multi-touch flip lays over top the phone's display, and controls the device in the same way as the present iPhone. When open the underside of the flip turns into a keypad for dialing. Of course, being that it's an Apple, they had to get 'cute' with it. In addition to the standard phone pad layout, this new concept calls for a mock up of an old school rotary phone, and the ability to just draw the shape of your numbers individually.
Despite my tagline, this concept seems more about providing choice in the iPhone's form rather than replacing the current iPhone. The clamshell phone design has deeply embedded itself into the culture of technology, starting with "Star Trek", but continue on through to the iconic Razr, and beyond. Plus, it's smaller. It only makes sense for Apple to diversify their product offerings; no phone manufacturer has gained a disproportionate share of the market through just one phone, not even Apple.
The video below is a concept video produced by Christopher DeSantis that has gained some attention recently due to Apple's patent news. The concept presented in this video, if brought to fruition, would bring a new form factor into play. One I think would succeed.
..via unwiredview..
Read more!
Monday, March 3, 2008
FreeLoader Pocket Solar Charger for iPods and Phones
If you're an 0utdoor adventurer, this compact, foldable, solar charger could come in handy. Quickly juice up your iPod in those clandestine locations (you tend to end up in). The clever Brits, over at the aptly named firm Solar Technology, are offing up this tiny but mighty sun worshipping voltage vat for a pittance. That is, if you get paid in British Pounds. The Freeloader 8.0 will run you ₤29.99 or about $69.99; freeloaders always cost you but seldom pay you back. Luckily, this freeloader pays its own way in the end. Go powered...anywhere; beats having to walk half a day to the charging station.
Read more!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Cell Phone Spy Data Extractor
If you think the cell phone’s delete button is an indiscretions eraser, think again, those bits of incriminating data are there and readable, if you have the right equipment.
New York’s own Brickhouse Security is hoping to profit off your love one’s paranoia. They are now offering a USB SIM card reader to help concerned parties gain access to suspected evidence of infidelity, drug transactions, and any other dirt that can be wrestled off the tiny wafer.
Read more!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Nüvifone Set to Topple Apple's iPhone
Garmin’s latest announcement introduces us to the nüvifone, the company’s ambitious first foray into the mobile phone market. Obviously, any phone carrying the Garmin brand will be heavily skewed towards navigation and geo-tagging functions, and the nüvifone delivers, in theory. Success in this realm, for Garmin, will depend on how well they pull off the integration of the GPS enabled functions with the rest of the phone’s capabilities. On paper, the nüvifone meshes internet browsing, navigating, photographing, messaging and actually carrying on a conversation with style and functionality.
The phone is reportedly 3.5G capable, this basically means with the right network support the nüvifone would have the fastest download speeds ever experienced on a phone. At first glance the 3.5” touch screen and similar overall size makes the nüvifone look like a bootleg iPhone. Looks can be deceiving and in this instance they are. As fundamental to the phone’s operation as music playback on the iPhone, the nüvifone takes navigation seriously, while still remembering it’s mostly a toy at heart.
Some geo-tagging options are all fun and games like the automatic picture position tagging. A photo taken with the built-in camera will be appropriately geo-tagged; you could then send the photo to a friend just to let them know where you’re at. If they happen to have a nüvifone as well, they could then navigate directly to the photo’s position. Presumably you’d stay there to meet up with them. This isn't any better than just telling your mates were you’re at, but loads more fun.
Another, more plausible, example of the seamless navigation integration would be going from walking and talking; to driving, navigating, and conversing hands-free. As soon as the phone snaps into the car mount cradle the audio transfers to the speaker phone and the navigation function automatically activates.
Nüvifone also tags your position as soon as you take the phone off the car mount. This promises to make locating that out of the way parking place much easier. Plus, it took you an hour to find an open spot, you don’t want it take that long or longer to find your way back to it.
Garmin has built a huge database of points of interest, but they also realize that many folks use and trust Google to search points of interest. Using Google, the Garmin accesses all the resources of the web, including user generated ratings, to sort points of interest search results. They’ve also geo-positioned landmarks within the POIs database and linked them with sightseeing photographs from Google’s Panoramio, thereby enhancing those travels to unfamiliar destinations.
Added as more of a side note, the phone also plays movies and music, but I wouldn't throw out your iPod just yet.
If Garmin successfully completes this ambitious undertaking, the big question then becomes which carrier would offer this phone? AT&T would do well to keep their bid in front of the Garmin decision makers; having the two most feature-rich phone offerings would certainly boast profits, and maybe bring plan costs down. Well, one can dream, can't one?
<..via press release..Garmin StreetPilot C340 In-Car GPS Navigation Receiver
Garmin Nuvi 200 Personal Travel Assistant/GPS
Garmin GPSMAP 376C
Nokia E65 Unlocked GSM Quadband Phone
Samsung X830 Unlocked GSM Triband Bluetooth Phone (Black)
Read more!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Casio's Perfect Phone for a Disaster
This phone is marketed as a fitness phone, it has a calorie counter and a pedometer that displays calories burned and distance traveled. It is also sweat/waterproof. I think this disaster preparedness angle would be better, 'guess they don't what to scare us'.
Normally, I’d leave this one alone, we don’t even sell phones anymore, but this standard looking flip is far too impressive to ignore. The big plus of the fetching phone, especially in a survivalist sense, is its disaster coping skills. This Casio could quite literally help save your life.
Disaster preparedness is a real concern for most city dwellers, think less “Escape from New York” and more hurricane induced floods. Unless your private road to Ohio is well under construction you might want to pick up one of these Casio W61CAs if they ever make the jump across the sea from the Asian.
Earthquake alert, which presumably could be modified for region (typhoon, hurricane, volcano, tsunami, etc.), provides you with valuable predictive information. This information alone could help save you, but what’s the good of knowing of an impending disaster if you don’t know where to go?
'Nabi' disaster, Casio W61CA's built-in disaster evacuation tool, aims to keep you up-to-date on evacuation route and traffic conditions via DMB; while directing you, thru GPS, to the quickest route to safety. Now, these systems are all dependent on the quality of information they are given but I’d rather have the Casio W61CA to depend on than my battery operated handheld radio.
A slew of other fine features make this Casio an awesome upgrade from their calculator watch days. ..via Gizmodo..
Sony ICF-SW7600GR FM Stereo Multi-Band World Band Receiver Radio
Garmin GPSMAP 376C
Oregon Scientific BAR636 Weather Forecaster with Temperature
Read more!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Motorola Ming 2
This new sequel from Motorola is a bit of a mystery. Their machete of mass communications is also a multimedia assassin, rumored to have an impressive array of gadgetry. Ming 2 is a…3.2 MP camera, LED Flashlight (to aid autofocus), GPS, Wi-Fi enabled, talking dictionary, Linux based…phone. These images are mock ups of the proposed phone design. The rendering shows the large screen and clear plastic flip, same as its older sibling. Supposedly, these will hit selves in Asian sometime around February next year.
..gizmodo..
Read more!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
GE Cell Fusion Cordless Phone
Gift Ideas
These days, landlines get no love. Cordless phones are about as hip as a hip replacement. Most likely, your cordless phone got shoved to the side, along with your 56k modem, sometime around the turn of the Millennium. Despite the cordless phone's battered image they've improved quite a bit over the years. Rapid developments in the telecommunications industry have forced cordless phone makers, like GE, to come up with more creative and integrative solutions. GE Cell Fusion is one of these. Cell Fusion uses a dedicated, less congested, radio frequency (1.9GHz) known as Digitally Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication or DECT, which avoids interference from other wireless devices. DECT, in and of itself, doesn’t warrant any special praise, but Cell Fusion also uses Link to Cell technology.
This allows GE’s cordless handsets to sync with up to two Bluetooth enabled cell phones at once. Link to Cell, gives you all the stability of landlines, with the free long-distance of your cellular plan. Your phonebook is synced up too. Not only do you have the added convenience of managing your cell and landline calls on one handset, you get fancy cordless phone features too, like battery back up and push to talk between handsets. GE’s Cell Fusion is not a bad gift idea for those landline users on your list, if there are any left.
Read more!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Motorola Hopes the RAZR2, Raises their Stock
posted by Andrew Harris
The once best selling RAZR, was badly in need of a makeover. Enter RAZR2. The RAZR slim phone's popularity seemed to coincide directly with the resurgence of skinny pants. I bet someone at Motorola overheard “With this bulky phone in my pocket...my silhouette will just be ruined”, or a comment similar to this. This in turn may have helped initiate the creation of the RAZR (it most likely was market research but this is more romantic). Cell phones are fashion accessories. It only makes sense that one inspired the other. This phone allows its users to make a unique fashion statement and download a ring tone that lets everyone know their musical taste. Thus, successfully appeasing ones desire to express individuality. Well, as much as one can with a phone. The RAZR2 has been upgraded not only in looks but in functionality as well with the larger external display, 2GB storage (1000 songs), 2.0-megapixal camera, Window Media Player 11(200 online music stores), along with an upgraded mobile browser. The RAZR2 styling is eye catching and elegant and feels great in you hand while talking on it. It is a slick piece, a little too slick. My only gripe is the grip, it's the diamond cut pattern sideband. I would like to have a rubber grip just for peace of mind. I can envision getting one of those stress inducing calls my palms start to sweat and the next thing I know I'm picking up my dented or scratched RAZR2 from the ground. Though, I've dropped every phone I have ever owed...so these fears stem from that more than the RAZR2's design.
Back to Blog!
Read more!
Posts
