Archive for September, 2008

Cell phones are the Mother of All Convergence Devices. In the past 10 years, bland, single-purpose cell phones have assimilated digital cameras, media players, PDAs, GPS devices, camcorders and much more. Phones are great for convergence considering we always carry them. Stand-alone digital cameras, GPS devices and others might be left at home most of the duration, but anything built into the camera goes everywhere. But phones aren’t the only objects carried everywhere. SUNGLASSES, WRISTWATCHES AND PENS go, too — and that’s why they’re getting the convergence treatment.

Orginal post by Mike

Honda will start selling gas-electric HYBRID MOTORCYCLES in two years, and all-electric motorcycles in three, according to a report in Japan’s Mainichi newspaper. The hybrid hog will use the same technology as Honda’s hybrid cars, but miniaturized. The conventional wisdom has been that building hybrid motorcycles would be impossible, but Honda says they can do it.

Orginal post by Mike

I told you in November about how Chinese farmer Zhou Zhenglong faked a photo of a tiger thought to be extinct. (He took a picture of another picture in a popular calendar, soon after Photoshopped it (probably with a counterfeit copy of Photoshop…) to look like the extinct tiger.) Authorities accepted his claim, and actually gave him a smaller reward, but once his pictures were posted online, hundreds of society exposed the pictures as fake by putting them side-by-side with the calendar photos. Zhenglong was apparently trying to gather a $146,000 reward offered for anyone who could prove the tiger was still around. But now, he’s been SENTENCED to two and a half years in prison.

Orginal post by Mike

Here is Sony Ericsson’s latest Cybershot camera phone dubbed as the Kate. It is said that that handset offers a 5MP camera with Xenon flash and auto focus, Smile Shutter, supports EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA and Java Platform 8.4. Unfortunately, that camera phone doesn’t have a front camera for video calling capability and GPS navigation. The Sony Ericsson Kate will be released in October for around $450. [CellPhoneSail]

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Orginal post by Joe Gadget

Measuring at 96mm x 51mm x 19mm, the Samsung Knack is a basic phone that features a Emergency 911 button and 2.5mm headphone jack. The phone is specially designed for those who want a basic cellphone with the ability only to prepare and receive calls and send SMS. Video after the jump. [PhoneArena]

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Orginal post by Joe Gadget

Samsung Haptic 2 mobile phone is currently available in 4GB (SCH-W550 or SPH-W5500) and 16GB (SCH-W555) models. The mobile phone features a 3.2-Inch LCD touch screen, DMB, e-dictionary, Bluetooth, and 5MP shooter. The handset plus comes with a new UI that allows users to create their own vibration mode and create more various screen design with 50 icons. The Samsung Haptic 2 is priced at amidst €480 and €550. [Akihabara]

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Orginal post by Joe Gadget

The iPhone 3G is now available for sale in Hong Kong. Funnily suitable, there wasn’t any fanfare, but one interesting thing is that the phone will be unlocked.  

 
The unlocked prices are, as you might have expected, rather high with the 8GB iPhone 3G selling for $5,400 HK, which is about $692 and the 16GB costs $6,200 HK, which is about $794. Users can activate their phones with any wireless carrier and Apple is allowing it so faraway as a SIM card is installed before you try to sync it with iTunes 8.

Interesting stuff, really. And to think just today China Mobile decided to sell an iPhone 3G without, well 3G, or even WiFi considering China would prefer a local 3G protocol like the TD-SCDMA instead of HSPA.

[via MacNN]

Orginal post by Brenda Stokes