Mio's A501 GPS PDA phone

By

Dave Walker

on August 1, 2007

Mio is covering all bases with its newly-launched A501, offering a mobile phone, GPS and a PDA powered by Windows Mobile 5.0.

The A501 packs a SiRFstar III GPS receiver and all the features you would expect from a decent sat nav unit - points of interest, speed camera alerts and mapping for 22 countries. And there's the PDA, which is your typical Windows Mobile 5.0 device, so stripped-down versions of Office products essentially. You can also add in the phone, which is quad-band GSM/GPRS with EDGE compatibility, a two megapixel camera and up to 2GB of storage via card.

The only downside is the price - a rather hefty £339.99.

Mio website

Orange first with the BlackBerry 8820 in the UK

By

Dave Walker

on July 24, 2007

RIM's first Wi-Fi smartphone, the BlackBerry 8820 was officially unveiled a week ago. And now it's in the UK, courtesy of Orange.

The BlackBerry 8820 smartphone is RIM's thinnest handset design, packing a full QWERTY keyboard, landscape display, trackball navigation, built-in GPS, a media player and a microSD / microSDHC memory slot to boost storage. No 3G, but it does have EDGE compatibility as well as that Wi-Fi.

Price will be dependent on contract, so check with your Orange dealer for specifics.

Orange website

Trimble's fugly Nomad PDA comes with optional GPS

By

Stuart Dredge

on July 18, 2007

Okay, so it's a bit harsh to cast a slur on the Trimble Nomad's looks, seeing as it's designed for industries like engineering, construction and land surveying. In other words, it's not meant to win beauty contests.

Instead, it's a rugged Windows Mobile PDA boasting an 806MHz processor, 128MB of memory and built-in Bluetooth, with a range of add-on options such as a GPS receiver, digital camera, Wi-Fi and a barcode scanner.

You'll get 15 hours use out of a single battery charge, and it's about as drop-proof as these devices come, with the added bonus that it can survive being dunked in up to a metre of water for half an hour. Great for geotagging starfish photos taken at your local coral reef. Probably.

Trimble Nomad (via NaviGadget)

RIM announces BlackBerry 8820 with Wi-Fi

By

Dave Walker

on July 18, 2007

As we predicted some time back, RIM has updated the BlackBerry 8800 and added Wi-Fi, renaming the new handset as the BlackBerry 8820.

In terms of functionality, this is essentially the same smartphone as its predecessor, with media player, bundled GPS, microSD/microSDHC and Bluetooth stereo. Except this time, RIM has added Wi-Fi alongside EDGE/GPRS/GSM connectivity.

No firm news of when it will be available or through which carriers for the UK. But in the US, it's heading to AT&T in the coming weeks.

RIM website

Skype now available for the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet

By

Dave Walker

on July 11, 2007

If you have bought (or perhaps are still considering buying) the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet, here's something that could ease your running costs a little - Skype is now available on the device via a Wi-Fi network.

Skype for the Nokia N800 will be available for download for new and existing users. "Skype is the recognised leader in internet calling, with more than 196 million registered users worldwide. The Nokia N800 gives people easy access to the internet and it's a natural step that they will want to make Skype calls away from their desktop." said Ari Virtanen, Vice President, Convergence Products, Nokia. "Consumers can now start enjoying the benefits of Skype on the Nokia N800 and experience a free and easy way to stay in touch with friends, family and business colleagues around the world."

Support for Skype for the Nokia N800 is available with the feature upgrade release to the latest OS 2007 edition. The feature upgrade also adds a Flash 9 browser plug-in, support for larger capacity memory cards and enhanced online use-times among other improvements.

Find out more

Japanese Slate DT Felicia - simple tablet PC for internet deniers

By

Gary Cutlack

on July 5, 2007

The new Slate DT is a super-simple tablet PC aimed at people afraid of buttons and worried about online rip-offs.

Its big selling point in Japan is the inclusion of a card reader, which lets users shop online using pre-paid cash cards - not their valuable credit cards.

One thing that's not dumbed-down is the power - a Core 2 Duo at 1.83GHz runs the thing, plus there's 1GB of RAM inside to make sure it can cope with its version of Windows Vista Business.

The big 12.1" touch screen should be easy for everyone to master, plus there's the usual connection options for making it work - Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, FireWire and even a built-in modem, for those old fashioned sorts still defiantly dialling-up the internet at 1p a minute.

Via (Digital World Tokyo)

BlackBerry users save 60 minutes every day says survey

By

Dave Walker

on July 4, 2007 Comments (1)

There I was thinking that the BlackBerry extended the working day by creating an addiction to check your emails almost every minute of the day. But apparently, that's not so - they save you 60 minutes every day according a new survey, albeit one commissioned by BlackBerry.

That means you can take an extra lunch hour - or just leave an hour early. Boss permitting. The survey results also found that the average BlackBerry user gets through 2,500 time sensitive emails and over 1,200 phone calls in a year while they’re on the move - a total of 250 hours per year in recovered time. The equivalent of a 10-day holiday.

Want some ideas on how to spend your 60 minutes? BlackBerry has even offered those too - read on.

DataWind's Pocket Surfer 2 coming to the UK - free mobile internet?

By

Dave Walker

on July 3, 2007 Comments (1)

DataWind's Pocket Surfer 2 device is coming to the UK in July, claiming to offer the internet anywhere for free.

The first generation device is currently for sale in the US and Canada, offering full web access via a 640 pixel wide screen with full QWERTY keyboard. It works via your mobile handset, using a Bluetooth (which means wireless) link-up for connectivity. And it's friendly to your data contract too - server-side compression cutting back on the bandwidth.

What the second generation model (pictured above) offers, apart from a change of look, isn't clear. Hopefully we'll have concrete details of it, as well as the pricing model, after the launch.

Datawind website

Finally! Satnav AND karaoke in one convenient device!

By

Gary Cutlack

on June 29, 2007

If your idea of passing long car journeys is impromptu sing-alongs - and if it isn't, it should be - the iNavi G1 is a gadget sent Recorded Signed For from heaven.

The iNavi G1 is GPS device, one with a beefy processor and spec good enough to draw 3D maps of your travels. It comes with a "geomagnetic sensor" designed to help locate itself and still give you accurate travel tips even in low signal areas.

There's a TV tuner for potentially life-threatening TV watching while driving, plus it supports nice and cheap SD cards for storing music, video and photos, so it can function as a full-power media player.

And it does karaoke. Although holding an imaginary microphone in one hand, squinting at the dash to read the lyrics, singing and controlling an automobile isn't the safest way to cruise down the A30.

EQO Mobile offers BlackBerry users cheap international calls and messaging

By

Dave Walker

on June 28, 2007

More VoiP through your mobile, this time from EQO Mobile, which has extended its cheap international calls and messaging to BlackBerry users.

EQO Mobile launched at the end of May, using a small (free) software application to make International calling, texting and IM significantly cheaper - at local calling and messaging rates. "There are more than seven million BlackBerry users around the world who can now enjoy the many benefits of EQO Mobile," said EQO CEO Bill Tam. "Blackberry users are typically avid communicators and by using EQO they will save a lot of money on international calls to land-line and mobile phone numbers. Add to that the ability to access your IM on MSN, AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, GoogleTalk and Jabber in the same application and you have an appealing option for people using BlackBerrys."

EQO Mobile doesn't require a computer or require any kind of callback. It also lets you auto import contacts and offers free calls and messaging to other EQO users. And it also has the option of free IM on MSN, Yahoo, AIM, GoogleTalk, ICQ and Jabber.

Find out more at the EQO website

ASUS launches A696 GPS PDA

By

Dave Walker

on June 26, 2007

Asus has unveiled the A696, squeezing in both GPS and a fully-featured PDA into a compact stainless steel case with an anti-glare touch screen.

The GPS uses Destinator Technologies’ routing engine and navigation content and features a QuickNav button for a pre-determined address or POI (Point of Interest), a random POI search facility for your surrounding location and a trip planning feature with intermediate stops. It also packs an embedded antenna, anti-glare 3.5-inch colour screen and the latest SiRF Star III chipset.

The PDA offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, media player, integrated microphone and speakers plus 256MB of initial storage. Priced at £199 and due on the shelves in a couple of weeks.

Asus website

How to get an iPhone in the UK - THIS WEEKEND!

By

Gary Cutlack

on June 26, 2007 Comments (1)

You need one. Even if you don't particularly want one or like Apple that much, iPhone is the must-have gadget for at least the rest of June and the best thing to show girls in the pub this summer. So here's how to make sure you get one before the novelty wears off.

iPhone is quad-band GSM so is fully compatible with UK networks. But remember, the iPhone is locked to AT&T in the States so you'll need to get it unlocked upon its arrival. Which means paying some unsavoury back-street merchant about £20 and hoping he doesn't break/steal it or scratch the screen with his big, clumsy fingers and tools.

Or, if you want to guarantee your iPhone works, get it set up in the States first then use it in the UK under a roaming tariff. It'll mean paying a vast amount of money to use the thing here, but if you want the newest Apple products that's sort of what you have to do anyway.

Here are a few other ways to guarantee yourself an iPhone well before the UK launch...

Top sites visited by smartphone users - no prizes for guessing number one

By

Dave Walker

on June 25, 2007

I spend more time on my smartphone than my PC these days - and I'm sure I am not alone with data tariffs falling all the time. But where do smartphone users hang out? Well, pretty much in the same places as desktop users it seems.

According to the M:Metrics April Rankings for the United States and United Kingdom, Google tops the list for both UK and US users, with Microsoft, eBay and Yahoo also making the list for both sides of the Atlantic. But there are some differences. Google has over 60 per cent of users in the US, dwarfing all other destinations. But in the UK, it's got just 30 per cent, with the likes of the BBC and the major mobile service operators muscling in on the action.

For the full breakdown, see over.

Speed camera warnings for your sat-nav

By

Gary Cutlack

on June 22, 2007

TrafCam is a subscription service that works with your in-car navigation system, letting you know when to furiously apply the brakes in the outside lane to avoid getting a speeding ticket.

Subscribers to TrafCam - which costs £29 a year - can select their own speed camera warning ranges, with on-screen alerts telling drivers the camera type, speed limit and how far away it is. The system's upgradable, with vigilant TrafCam staff constantly on the look out for new hot-spots to add to the database.

TrafCam works with Tom Tom Go, One and Rider mapping systems, plus it's also available for Palm, Pocket PC and Windows Mobile handheld devices, or any mobiles that use the Symbian OS.

A free one month trial is available on the TrafCam site, so there's really no excuse for getting caught out by that nasty bugger on the A30.

TrafCam

Palm offers Treo 680 smartphone in crimson red

By

Dave Walker

on June 15, 2007 Comments (2)

Palm's Treo 680 smartphone has been around in the UK since last November, so what better way to boost flagging sales than a colour makeover - in this case, crimson red.

Yes, a new bold red colour is now available, but with no change to the specification, which includes quad-band phone with 320x320 colour screen, Bluetooth, 64MB of storage (which can be boosted by card), email, web browsing (via Blazer 4.5), music player, VGA camera, photo album and Documents To Go - so you can view, edit and share Word and Excel documents. The operating system is Palm OS.

You can also pick up the smartphone in conjunction with Palm's TomTom GPS package deal, which throws in a plug & go expansion card for the UK, Bluetooth GPS receiver, vehicle device cradle and power adapter - adding up to around £155 of extras.

The Treo 680 itself retails for £299 online.

Find out more

Sharp launches slimline Zero3 smartphone in Japan

By

Dave Walker

on June 7, 2007

When we're talking smartphones, Sharp isn't the first name that springs to mind, probably because most of its efforts don't make it out of Asia. Shame really, because the Zero3 smartphone is a stylish piece of kit.

The slimline smartphone hits the Japanese market at the end of June and features the "Xcrawl" central scrolling wheel for navigation, 3-ich widescreen display, Wi-Fi, Windows Mobile 6, 1.3 megapixel camera, a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, 256MB of flash memory and 128MB of SDRAM, plus a microSD slot. Add-ons for GPS, Bluetooth and digital TV will be available after launch.

You can pick one up in a couple of weeks in Japan for the equivalent of £124.

Sharp website

Via Digital World Tokyo

HTC launches iPhone-like Touch smartphone

By

Dave Walker

on June 5, 2007 Comments (1)

With all the hype surrounding the iPhone, it's no surprise to see others chancing their arms with something similar. Next in this ever-growing queue is HTC, which has just launched its Touch handset.

This Windows Mobile 6-powered device uses TouchFLO technology, which replaces allows you to control everything with a wipe of the finger across the 2.8-inch screen. That leaves a very minimalist handset, with just a solitary button to hang up from your call. Other features include a two megapixel camera, wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, microSD card slot (with 1GB card supplied) and five hours of talk time. Downside is a lack of 3G connectivity.

Review: HTC P4350 smartphone

By

Susi Weaser

on June 4, 2007

HTC have an announcement due tomorrow, which apparently is going to be Big and Quite Exciting. In the meantime though, I thought I'd take a look at the P4350 smartphone.

It runs Windows Mobile 5.0 (that's not the new and exciting 6.0, then). It sports a QWERTY keyboard which flicks out from the right hand side, and a nice brushed rubber feel casing.

Palm Foleo - a smartphone's best friend?

By

Dave Walker

on May 31, 2007

Palm has launched what it calls " a smartphone’s new best friend" - the Palm Foleo - which packs a large laptop-type screen, a normal sized keyboard and access to a Palm Treo's features via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

It's being billed as an all-new product category - but whether it's one that's actually needed is open to question. Isn't the point of a smartphone over a laptop portability? But if you've got room in your bag, the Foleo pairs with your Palm smartphone, staying synchronised throughout the day - so if you edit a document on one, it is edited on the other.

Smartphones going up - PDAs on the way out

By

Dave Walker

on May 24, 2007

The PDA is in decline, with more of us pitching for a smartphone, according to research produced by GfK. The first quarter 2007 saw the volume of PDA sales decline by 35%, and value decline by 43%, year-on-year. Total sales of PDAs came to £7m, compared to £19m spent by UK consumers on smartphones.

It's the acceleration of a steady decline - with smaller and (usually) more stylish mobiles offering functions such as MP3 players, cameras and email and indeed, being subsidised by the mobile operators, it's increasingly hard for the PDA to compete.