Nokia’s next step…

After the birth of the Apple iPhone, a new dawn is coming. One of the first to jump on this is the leading mobile phone manufacturer Nokia.

Nokia is planning to update their smartphone’s OS – Symbian:

S60 smartphone software evolves to enrich the user experience.

Here is part of the Press Release by Nokia as issued on Oct 16, 2007:

Expanding the platform with intuitive touch user interface, sensor technologies and complete web video experience.

Symbian Smartphone Show, London, UK – As Internet is
entering into the core of mobile experiences, Nokia continues to
implement new innovations for S60 on Symbian OS(TM), the market leading
smartphone software, to develop the best possible mobile experiences
for people.
S60 will
introduce new features that enhance the user experience and enable
manufacturers, developers and operators to design new types of mobile
devices, applications and services. 
The
touch user interface in S60 smartphone software offers licensees the
opportunity to develop devices with a variety of input methods, whether
it is a touch screen with a traditional keypad, touch screen with a
qwerty keyboard or touch screen alone, supporting both finger or stylus
optimized input, in addition to the range of access options that
already exist today.

You can read the rest of the Press Release here.

Technorati Tags: Nokia, S60, smartphones, Symbian, touch screen

Holographic Memory in your pocket

Soon you could be able to store more mp3s and podcasts in your pocket than you’ll ever have time to listen to. Fujifilm is working on a terabyte (1000 gigabyte) holographic memory, which it expects to launch in 2009. The terabyte holo-memory drive would be no bigger than a sugar cube and could access data much faster than existing memory technologies.

Holographic memory devices store binary bits of data by generating a 3D pattern of light interference inside a crystal or photopolymer, using lasers. Multiple bits can be written and read simultaneously, making the technique potentially very speedy.

Fujifilm has already developed a holographic memory disc capable of holding 300 gigabytes of data. Other companies currently working on holographic memory include IBM, Bell Labs and InPhase.

From NewScientist

Tags: holographic memory, FujiFilm, storage, terabyte

Bluetooth Digital Watch

Seiko Instruments Inc announced their first Bluetooth watch yesterday, the BT Watch or CPC TR-006 ver.1.0. This hi-tech watch is packed into a very stylish casing and this watch will be released onto the market at the end of this year or beginning 2007. This watch is in fact an extension of your phone, and you’ll be able (at first) to play around with the volume of the ringtone of your phone. It can also alert you when you have an SMS or email, and it can display the number and the name of the person that is calling you. Finally, it will also alert you when the Bluetooth connection between the watch and phone is broken, so you won’t forget your phone anymore. This is a product that might change our lives a bit, the way we use a phone and even appeal to the technophobes. As this watch is not yet released, we really hope that Seiko Instruments Inc will add more functions in the final version.

A demo video is available on WBS TV Tokyo’s website

Tags: Seiko, watch, bluetooth, mobile phone

New SD Memory Card Speed Class Ratings

Another year, another memory card specification. Though I have to admit, it certainly isn’t a bad thing that the SD Card Association (SDA) has announced that they’re finalizing specifications to expand SD card capacity beyond 2GB, to a new card called the SDHC Memory Card. The new specification is promising a minimum SD Speed Class Rating, which for video products, is equivalent to MPEG-2 video, as well as the expanded capacity needed to help deliver new applications made possible by three other SD specifications: SD-Audio, SD-Video and SD-Binding.

SD-Audio will allow users to easily move music libraries between a variety of SD-enabled devices, to include cell phones, portable audio players, computers, car stereos and other mobile devices. The SD-Audio specification provides content protection via CPRM which is built into each SD card, to prevent theft of data.

Similarly, the SD-Video specification allows consumers to capture video, even MPEG-2 quality, and move it to an SD-Video enabled product securely. SD-Video will soon allow users to record and watch h.264 digital TV programs from their SD-Video enabled cell phones.

And finally, the SD-Binding specification allows carriers/cell phone operators to provide security for content downloaded to their specific network mobile phones. The content is bound to the cell phone device and prevents unauthorized copying to other devices or computers.

Source.

Technorati Tags: SD Cards, SD-Audio, SD-Video, SD-Binding, flash memory

PlaysForSure

There seems to be another ‘format’ out for digital music and videos. It’s not a format as in mp3, ogg, or wma/wmv but an assurance that the digital content you buy will play for sure on your digital device of your choice.

This is what they say on their website:

Look for the PlaysForSure logo if you’re shopping for a music or video device and you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time. Match the PlaysForSure logo on a large selection of leading devices and online music stores. If you see the logo you’ll know your digital music will play for sure.

The PlaysForSure logo makes it easy to find digital media stores and devices that work together.

Choose from a large number of digital music and video stores including: CinemaNow, MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, Napster, Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and many more.

Look for the PlaysForSure logo on a wide variety of devices including portable music devices, portable video devices, digital audio receivers, Pocket PC’s and Smartphones.

And these are the logos to look for:

The PlaysForSure audio and video logos
tell you if the device or online store supports the music and/or movies and video.

There’s also a device search and a store search to help you in this.
But what if I already own an mp3 player which does not have that logo on it as I bought it some time ago? Would it support the downloads I purchase?

Technorati Tags: playsforsure, audio, video, download

Cordless Portable Speakerphone

Unlike traditional handsfree car phone devices that require a corded earpiece, this wireless speakerphone unit provides the highest quality hands-free audio using the world-standard Bluetooth wireless connection, and it produces sound more powerful than the weak speakerphones built into many cellular phones. When connected to a Bluetooth-enabled phone, this portable device lets you carry on crystal-clear conversations and boardroom-type group conference calls in the car, at home, or at the office without removing your hands from the steering wheel or other tasks at hand.
Full duplex audio technology allows both parties to speak at once, and the system has echo-and noise-reduction filters. The Bluetooth connection allows the unit to roam up to 30′ from the phone, and a high-capacity, built-in rechargeable battery provides up to five hours of talk time. Has an AC recharging adapter, a vehicle power adapter, a visor clip, and a lanyard. 31/2″ H x 2″ W x 1″ L. (2 oz.)

You can get one from here.

Technorati Tags: Bluetooth, cordless, portable, speakerphone

USB Phone Book Flasher

If you have more than one mobile phone; or change your it frequently; or worse - tend to loose it frequently, but you want your phonebook to be consistent between all your mobile phones, it’s a bit of a headache to update them by hand, if there’s no support of bluetooth or IR. USBGeek has your solution to this tedious problem.

Maintain, backup your cellphone’s phone book.

Features

One touch to SAVE your Phonebook (Phone and SIM) to the Phone Book Flasher

Plug-and-play USB connection to EDIT your Phonebook in the PC

No CD ROM, no Installation, bulit-in PC Editor

One touch to UPLOAD your Phonebook back to the Phone

Convert your Phonebook to other mobile phone formats

Backup over 10,000 phone book records

Supports Windows 98SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000 nd Windows XP

No driver required *(expect Windows 98SE)

Models

Nokia 3100, 3120, 3200, 3220, 5100, 5140, 6020, 6100, 6220, 6610, 6610i, 6800, 6810i, 6820, 7200, 7210, 7250, 7250i, 7260

Sony Ericsson T68, T310, T610, T630, K500, K508, K700i, S700

Samsung(A) S308, V200, D410, E310, E600, E710, E820, X426, X430

Samsung(B) S508, X100, X600, X460, E100, E630, E700, E800

Package Contents

Phone Book Flasher

User Guide

For $21 / €18 you’ll get one of these from here.

Technorati Tags: USBPhoneBookFlasher, phonebook, Nokia, SonyEricsson, Samsung

Make a Movie with your Mobile & Win $5000!

The Idea:

 

The CellFlix Festival is an annual competition dedicated to the development of creative content for mobile delivery. It’s all about imagination, fantasy, and story – created through and presented on the small screen. If you’re a filmmaker, a storyteller and a dreamer of big dreams – and you could use an extra $5,000 to help make those dreams come true – pick up your cellphone/smartphone and get busy. You must shoot the story on your cellphone/smartphone, but you can edit it any way you choose. Produce the best 30-seconds of small-screen cinema, and walk away with the $5,000 grand prize – and the satisfaction of knowing that you’re helping to make the world a smaller and more beautiful place. That’s what the website says, which looks pretty cool and tempting…

 

If you wanna try your luck, read the rules and start shooting!

 

CellFlix Festival Website

Technorati Tags: CellFlixFestival, movie, mobile, win,