This set of headphones offers what they’re calling “True-to-Life Sound” which BlueAnt notes is not artificially manipulated. While you are able to adjust EQ setting to match your own personal preferences, you’re getting as simple a transfer as you’re going to get from a pair of over-the-ears. You’ve got sealed-leather pads to keep the noise out that you down want to hear while your sweet iDevice transferred music is kept in. You’ve got 40mm custom tuned high performance drivers for a full range of sound and precision manufactured earpads to keep that sound as comfortable for your head as possible.

You’ll notice that the design of the headphones has changed ever so slightly, with a new brand placement, a simplified look and a whole new box to keep them in. Luxury finish on both the metal and the supple leather will keep you in smooth fashion the whole album through.

You’ll get a frequency range between 20 Hz and 20 kHz, sensitivity at 103 dB, and impedance at 24 Ω. Your max power is at 15mW, drive diameter at 40mm, and the box contains both a cable with Apple remote and an OMTP adapter. Straight through cable, a cool folding design, and an included carry case will keep you satisfied well beyond the 1-year warrantee. You can pick these smooth mothers up at your local music shop or straight from BlueAnt for $199.99 – high class! Go grab em!

The S4, much like the S3, is a voice-activated device that makes it easier for drivers to focus on driving, instead of having to worry about their phone. The S4 will also be able to call out who is calling, along with being able to read out text messages aloud. You will be able to listen to music, podcasts, or even turn-by-turn navigation from a GPS application.

What separates the two devices is the S4′s Microsoft BING integration, which gives the speakerphone a leg up with the ability to read out information. Bluetooth connectivity makes it easy for users to connect the S4 to an appropriate device.

R3 Media Network

Editor’s Choice
Scout PS‐Series Thermal Camera by FLIR Hands-On [NEATOID]
Motorola XOOM Named Best in Show [HUGE]
NOOKcolor Hacked and Given Ubuntu [OOOOBUNTOOO]
Android 2.3 Gingerbread Ported to iPhone 3G [Video] [KEWL BEENZ]
Gold-Plated Xbox 360 Up for Grabs in Tournament of Champions by The Behemoth [SHINY]
aLOKSAK and OPSAK Bringing Military-Grade Water Protection to Consumers [AS SEEN IN IMAGE ABOVE]

SlashPhone
Windows Phone 7 Heading to Verizon & Sprint On June 30
TeleFingers Glove Comes With Capacitive of TouchScreen
PlayStation Phone to Feature “PlayStation Pocket” Game Store?

Android Community
AppMakr Works for Amateur and Pro Mobile App Designers, Available for Android SOON
BOOX Android eReader Hands-On at CES 2011 from SlashGear
Zombies, NOOO!!!
NOOKcolor Hacked and Given Ubuntu
Hanvon HPad A116 Android Tablet Hands-On via SlashGear
Motorola XOOM Tablet Named Best in Show at CES 2011 [BOSS!]
Android Market now on Logitech Revue via Brute Force Hack
Viliv X7 and X10: Hands On
Android 2.3 Gingerbread Ported to iPhone 3G [Video]
HTC Battery in Android Phone Blocks Bullet!

SlashGear
T1 Rugged Bluetooth Headset by BlueAnt Hands-On
BlueAnt Stereo Headphones Hands On
BlueAnt Q2 Bluetooth Voice Controlled Headset Hands-On
BlueAnt S3 Compact Voice Answer Car Speakerphone Hands On
GOSCAM Explorer Premium Wireless Inspection Camera Hands On
Garmin Nuvi 3760T Hands On
Gold-Plated Xbox 360 Up for Grabs in Tournament of Champions by The Behemoth
Soultra Solar Powered Sound System Hands-On
BOOX eReader Hands On
Scout PS‐Series Thermal Camera by FLIR Hands-On
MultiTouch Shows Off 32- and 46-Inch Multitouch Displays at CES 2011
CES 2011: One of the Best [ON TIME ANALYSIS]
Sonic Emotion 3D Sound Line Hands-On
Haier Unveils Line of New WiFi-Enabled TVs at CES 2011
Cyber1 MasterPad Hands On
Kodak PlaySport 2 Video Camera Hands-On
Hanvon HPad A116 Hands On
Hanvon TouchPad B20 Hands On
50 Cent Platinum Headphones by Sleek Audio Hands-On
aLOKSAK and OPSAK Bringing Military-Grade Water Protection to Consumers
iTam Tam Trendy Docking Station Hands-On
freedomMIC Bluetooth Mic for iPhone 4 and Flip Video Hands-On
Motorola XOOM Named Best in Show
Samsung’s HMX-H300 Consumer HD Camcorder Hands-On
Sound Egg Bringing HD Surround Sound to Modern Furniture
Samsung’s RF4289 Internet Connected Refrigerator Hands-On
Flir i3 Thermal Camera Hands-On
Energizer Portable Power Travel Kit
Samsung’s 3D Surround Sound Demoed
Samsung Central Station Hands-On
Samsung 9 Series Ultra-Thin Notebook Hands-On
Samsung Sliding PC 7 Series is Not A Tablet, Not Quite A PC
OWC Mercury Aura Pro SSD Unveiled for Earlier MacBook Air Models at CES 2011
Video Games Deserve As Much Respect As Movies
World’s Largest Full HD 3D LED TV Showcased by Samsung
Samsung 3D Glasses Hands On
Viliv Announces X7 and X10 Android Tablets: Hands On
Actiontec MyWirelessTV HDMI Adapters Feature Cavium’s PureVu Processors at CES 2011
Samsung Unveils “Worlds Thinnest 3D Blu-ray Player”
Kingston Outlines USB 3.0 Product Roadmap at CES 2011
Samsung Professional External Hard Drives Offer Up USB 3.0 Connectivity
Verizon iPhone: Why do we care? [COLUMN]
Apple pulls VLC from App Store over open-source DRM dispute
Nintendo 3DS battery only good for 3-5hrs of 3DS titles
JVC 4k2k consumer camcorder “just around the corner”
JVC GS-TD1 Full HD 3D Camcorder hands-on
OCOSMOS OSC9 Tablet PC hands-on
Samsung NX11 Unveiled at CES 2011

To see more Daily Slash posts, click here: [The Daily Slash] or here: [SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up]

The device sports dual microphones allowing for the selective audio cancellation that allows it to reduce background noise. Sporting a rugged design the T1 comes with many features as the Q2 such as the ability to read out text messages if your device supports it, listening to music, GPS turn-by-turn directions and podcasts, and has caller name announcing.

Available now, the BlueAnt T1 is on sale for $79.99.

The Bluetooth stereo headphones feature technology that, when we asked, went nameless that brings some pretty amazing “true to life” audio. The headphones are remarkably lightweight, thanks to the aluminum hardware. The ear-pads are made from leather, which helps with the comfort. The connectors inside the headphones are gold-plated, making sure that you always get high-fidelity sound.

The stereo headphones are designed specifically for Apple’s iPod line-up, as well as the iPhone. They feature a folding design as well, making it easy to carry. The two year replacement warranty is in full swing as well.

The headset was very durable and had an adequate amount of weight to it, without being too heavy, of course. The audio was crystal clear, and even on the showroom floor we could hear the other end of the conversation. Features include the ability to read out text messages if your device is supported, caller name announcement, and wind suppression up to 22mph with Wind Armour Technology.

The headsets are not only for calling. They will allow you to listen to audio from music, podcasts and mobile GPS turn-by-turn directions proving them to be an ultra-versitile headset. Available now, the Q2 retails for around $69.99.

With our hands-on time, the S3 device was pleasantly surprising in its construction. The device will still give you the ability to answer or reject phone calls with just your voice, and it has a simple, one-touch operation that will mean you’ll be able to keep your eyes where it’s important: the road.

It also comes packed with an advanced EQ, which delivers rich audio. When you receive a phone call, the little device announces who is calling, and there’s even a vibration sensor that will automatically connect your BlueAnt S3 Compact with your phone when you get into your car. The company pointed out their two year replacement warranty as well.

For that price, you get easy to use tech with audio guides stored on the device to walk users thought the paring process. It will announce the incoming name or caller ID of the number and allow the user to answer or reject using their voice. You can place calls with your voice if the phone you use supports voice dialing. The device has a sensor that will connect automatically as soon as you enter the car.

Other features include full-duplex audio, superior wind and noise filtration, and a hardware power on and off switch. It has a phonebook inside that can transfer 200 contacts per device. Multipoint tech allows the device to connect to two phones at one time. It also supports A2DP streaming ands has 20 hours of talk per charge with 600 hours of standby.

SlashVERIZON’D
Looks like blogger “Marley” of ShutterMug found a simple way to prove Verizon to be amongst those evil companies who sell your information unless you tell them specifically you’d like them not to do that. Upon signing up with a friend to FiOs with Verizon recently, Marley was asked if they’d like to use “an alias for [their] listing.” Not soon after signing up, a common bit of snail-mail spam came through the mail with none other than that alias printed quite clearly. Shucks.

[Via ShutterMug]

R3 Media Network

SlashPhone
HTC Merge Accessories Spotted in Wild
AT&T Announces Olympus Availabile December/January Via Facebook
BlackBerry Empathy Concept Made to Detect its Users Mood
Microsoft Retail Stores Offer Windows Phone 7 Devices For Free With Contract

Android Community
University of Missouri to offer goMizzou app on Android
Angry Birds on Android Downloads 7M copies
LG P990 Star smartphone surfaces with new UI pics
DROID 2 Global hits Wirefly for just $80
HTC considering E Ink and 3D displays/imaging for future devices?
Show off your Allegiance to the almighty Android in Call of Duty: Black Ops [LOLS]
AT&T and T-Mobile to possibly get Acer Liquid Metal?
NOOKcolor Rooted! [HOLY CRAP]
New LG Star Pictures and Details Leaked
Samsung GT-i9200 snapshots caught on Picasa
T-Mobile G2 hardware security hacked completely!
WiFi Syncing coming to Android via Winamp
HTC Merge Spotted Entrepreneur Magazine
Android 2.2 Froyo Now Available On Archos Array of Internet Tablets
Android Market Content Ratings Now Live
Samsung Posts GPS Fix Guide for Captivate and Vibrant
Verizon Offers Up Entire DROID Lineup BOGA through Christmas
Android Tablets in 5-inch and 8-inch Sizes Offered Up by View Quest in the UK
Verizon Pastes iPhone Maps App into Droid X Ad
RPG Zenonia 3 Available in Android Market in Korea [IN MAIN PICTURE ABOVE]

SlashGear
Barnes & Noble finances released: saved by NOOK
A Week with NOOKcolor: The Missing Link – Viewing Manually Loaded Books and What a Root Means for the Future [FEATURED]
FarmVille credit & exclusive items added to American Express reward scheme
Verizon 4G LTE event on December 1 will detail US roll-out
Windows Phone 7 update “took 3 months to do what Apple did in 3 years” tips developer
Google Earth 6 adds full Street View, 3D trees & more [Video] [MAP AS BIG AS WHATS MAPPED]
LG Optimus 7 uses NAND flash for storage
Project iPad magazine arrives in App Store [PROJECT]
NASA holding press conference Thursday, has it found extraterrestrial life? [NEATO]
Linutop 3 fanless Atom-powered PC surfaces
Microsoft takes i4i case to Supreme Court
135k Windows Phone 7 sales tip Facebook stat watchers
Microsoft Kinect sells 2.5 million units in 25 days
Buy.com blows up on Cyber Monday
BlueAnt unveils new Q2 Platinum Bluetooth headset
HTC E Ink plus 3D displays & cameras in consideration tips job spec
SiliconPower unveils speedy E20 SSD
Comcast accused of internet abuse in latest net neutrality spat [NET NEUTRALITY NOW!]
Sanyo Pedal Juice box gives guitarists staying-power
High-Speed 500MB/sec CompactFlash next-gen standard proposed by Sony, Nikon & SanDisk
iPad goes free in Japan with Softbank deal
Google social networking drive delayed until Spring 2011?
Apple block PhotoFast MacBook Air SSD kit production?
Dell Vostro V130 adds HDMI & Hyperbaric Cooling, keeps ultraportable style
LG Star leaks, blows benchmarking out the water with Tegra 2
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm to be Released Midnight, December 6th 2010 at (all?) Hastings Entertainment Locations
DIY Death Star Holiday Tree Ornament
ASUS and Lamborghini Present Backpack, Laptop Cases, Mouse, and HDD
Gifts for Smartphone Owners? Try Smartphone Accessories
Asetek Liquid Cooling for Small Gaming PCs, 3U Servers, and Workstations
Project Magazine for iPad Gets Hands-on, Takes a Swing at The Daily [PROJECT]
Happy Birthday To You Who Won’t Read This [COLUMN]
Google Sends out Holiday Media Party Invites to Publishers
Panasonic Jungle Being Tested in the United States
Samsung Mobile Display Shows Off Flexible 3D OLED Concept at FPD International
PlayStation Move Sells 4.1 Million Worldwide
LMP Keypad Bluetooth numeric pad for Mac hits FCC
Google under antitrust investigation over allegations it squeezed out search rivals

To see more Daily Slash posts, click here: [The Daily Slash] or here: [SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up]

R3 Media Network

SlashPhone
HTC Merge Accessories Spotted in Wild
AT&T Announces Olympus Availabile December/January Via Facebook
BlackBerry Empathy Concept Made to Detect its Users Mood
Microsoft Retail Stores Offer Windows Phone 7 Devices For Free With Contract

Android Community
University of Missouri to offer goMizzou app on Android
Angry Birds on Android Downloads 7M copies
LG P990 Star smartphone surfaces with new UI pics
DROID 2 Global hits Wirefly for just $80
HTC considering E Ink and 3D displays/imaging for future devices?
Show off your Allegiance to the almighty Android in Call of Duty: Black Ops [LOLS]
AT&T and T-Mobile to possibly get Acer Liquid Metal?
NOOKcolor Rooted! [HOLY CRAP]
New LG Star Pictures and Details Leaked
Samsung GT-i9200 snapshots caught on Picasa

SlashGear
Barnes & Noble finances released: saved by NOOK
A Week with NOOKcolor: The Missing Link – Viewing Manually Loaded Books and What a Root Means for the Future [FEATURED]
FarmVille credit & exclusive items added to American Express reward scheme
Verizon 4G LTE event on December 1 will detail US roll-out
Windows Phone 7 update “took 3 months to do what Apple did in 3 years” tips developer
Google Earth 6 adds full Street View, 3D trees & more [Video] [MAP AS BIG AS WHATS MAPPED]
LG Optimus 7 uses NAND flash for storage
Project iPad magazine arrives in App Store
NASA holding press conference Thursday, has it found extraterrestrial life? [NEATO]
Linutop 3 fanless Atom-powered PC surfaces
Microsoft takes i4i case to Supreme Court
135k Windows Phone 7 sales tip Facebook stat watchers
Microsoft Kinect sells 2.5 million units in 25 days
Buy.com blows up on Cyber Monday
BlueAnt unveils new Q2 Platinum Bluetooth headset
HTC E Ink plus 3D displays & cameras in consideration tips job spec
SiliconPower unveils speedy E20 SSD
Comcast accused of internet abuse in latest net neutrality spat [NET NEUTRALITY NOW!]
Sanyo Pedal Juice box gives guitarists staying-power
High-Speed 500MB/sec CompactFlash next-gen standard proposed by Sony, Nikon & SanDisk
iPad goes free in Japan with Softbank deal
Google social networking drive delayed until Spring 2011?
Apple block PhotoFast MacBook Air SSD kit production?
Dell Vostro V130 adds HDMI & Hyperbaric Cooling, keeps ultraportable style
LG Star leaks, blows benchmarking out the water with Tegra 2

To see more wrap-up posts, follow the following tags: [The Daily Slash] or [SlashGear Morning Wrap-up]

BlueAnt claims that the new headset is the best sounding BT headset ever. That is certainly a lofty claim, but the thing has some nice features. It offers voice control with a smooth voice and loud audio. If you have ever used one of those headsets with a voice that sounds like an old Speak and Spell, you know that a smooth voice makes using the things easier.

The headset can announce a caller name and has dual mics with voice isolation tech and Special Wind Armor Technology. Other features include SMS readout on compatible handsets, A2DP audio streaming, the ability to connect to two mobile devices at one time and upgradable firmware. BlueAnt claims the headset is good for five hours of talk time and 100 hours on standby. The device will ship soon for $129.99.

The Q2 has next-gen voice control and text-to-speech technology inside. The headset also integrates with Microsoft Bing 411 for instant news, weather, sports, and other info. The Q2 also has BlueAnt Wind Armour technology to reduce wind noise for better call quality.

The headset can respond to multiple voice commands like “answer” or “ignore”. Users can say “phone commands” to activate the voice calling features. The headset can also read the name of the person calling using a new caller name announce feature that reads from a database of up to 2000 mobile contacts. Talk time is up to five hours and standby is up to 100 hours. The headset is available now for $129 at AT&T stores.

The Best of R3 Media

An HTC Hero with Cox Branding: We love when things get sold on eBay, or especially Craig’s List. It’s just a sneaky way to show off something we never thought would happen, in some cases. Like this one. Someone managed to sell a Cox (as in the cable company) branded CDMA HTC Hero. It looks exactly like the Sprint version, but this one had no physical branding on it. There’s plenty of branding on the software side, though, which even includes a boot screen showing the Cox label. Definitely interesting stuff, especially considering Cox wants to launch their own wireless service. Testing in progress, perhaps? [via Android Community]

Samsung Wants You to Make Apps for Bada: Yes. If you’re a developer, and you want to get on yet another platform, then maybe you should start thinking about Samsung’s Bada mobile Operating System (OS). It’s the proprietary one that became famous when the company unveiled the Samsung Wave handset, and sure, it probably won’t make you rich, but perhaps winning this developer’s contest will. You see, if you get to the second round, not only will you get a new Samsung Wave of your own, but you’ll also have a shot at winning upwards of $300,000. A lot of money for you developers out there, so if you’ve got the chops, go for it. And let us know how it goes, yeah? [via SlashPhone]

The Dredge Net

BlueAntS4 Bluetooth Speakerphone Available (soon?): There’s plenty of options out there if you’re in the market for a Bluetooth speakerphone, but this one from BlueAnt is definitely one of the more attractive approaches. Sure, it’s still just a Bluetooth speakerphone, but it has a few features worth mentioning. Like, for example, voice activated features. You can turn it on by saying, “BlueAnt speak to me.” You can also turn on the Vlingo SafeReader application by saying, “Start SafeReader.” (Tricky, right?) That feature will read you your own text messages and emails. It will go for $99 at Best Buy locations, and AT&T stores across the nation. The Vlingo app is currently compatible with BlackBerry devices, and Android-based handsets running Android 2.0 or later. [via Ubergizmo]

iSuppli Says Worldwide Shipments of Cellphones is up 13.8 Percent: Good news all around for the cell phone industry, but perhaps not so much for a few companies out there. For example, Motorola has dropped from the sixth spot to the eight spot in worldwide cellphone sales. They sold 14.7 million handsets in the first quarter of 2009, but managed to only push out 8.5 million in the same period this year. Sony Ericsson was the only other company worth mentioning that didn’t sell as many handsets. Samsung, Nokia, and LG Electronics are all at the top of the list, still. Which, incidentally, isn’t surprising at all. [via Engadget]

This LEGO Contraption Can Lay Down its Own Bridge: You read that title correctly. This LEGO creation of awesomeness is created from LEGO Technic pieces, which means it has a bunch of motorized pieces in there. And, while we aren’t putting the video here, you definitely need to check it out. The vehicle can lay down its own bridge, which takes roughly about a minute, and then move aside to let other LEGO vehicles by. It can then traverse its own bridge, before it reverses, and picks the bridge back up, which folds nicely over its back. The process is slow, but it’s still one of the coolest things to watch, considering the LEGO prowess involved. [via TechnaBob]

The noise reduction is courtesy of BlueAnt’s Wind Armour Technology, and the company reckon it’ll allow for clear audio in up to 22mph wind.  As for the ruggedness, that’s thanks to removable silicon covers that cushion the casing against knocks and bumps.  The T1 can be paired with two devices simultaneously, thanks to Bluetooth Multipoint, and remains connected even during conversations so you can flip between two active calls on different handsets.

Battery life is rated as up to six hours talktime or up to 120 hours standby, and the headset can store up to 2,000 address book entries.  The BlueAnt T1 will go on sale in May, priced at $79.99.

Press Release:

RUGGED BLUEANT T1 BLUETOOTH HEADSET DELIVERS SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE

Groundbreaking durability and wind noise reduction the result of years of research and development

Las Vegas, NV – 2010 CTIA Wireless – March 22, 2010 – BlueAnt is proud to launch the T1 headset, a durable, reliable Bluetooth device that has been designed to give high quality audio performance in the most challenging conditions.

The T1 is the first BlueAnt headset to feature Wind Armour TechnologyTM. Developed over the course of years of research into wind noise performance, this solution combines patent-pending design features with BlueAnt’s proprietary noise cancellation software to deliver clear audio in wind speeds up to 22 mph—the best wind noise reduction of any Bluetooth headset on the market.

The T1 has also been designed to be highly durable. In addition to the sturdy earpiece, the T1 features removable and interchangeable patent-pending, soft-touch silicon covers that protect and cushion the headset from minor bumps and accidental impact. This headset can also withstand the onslaught of everyday dust and moisture.

The T1 is also the first and only Bluetooth headset to offer caller name announce, so you will always know who is calling because the T1 will read out the name of the incoming caller. Responding to the call is as easy as saying the words “Answer” or “Ignore”, leaving the user hands free to focus on their task at hand. The Text To Speech engine will store up to 2,000 phone book entries per paired device for caller name announce. The T1 also offers A2DP for streaming audio of podcasts and turn-by-turn directions from GPS applications on your mobile phone.

“We realize our customers have busy, active lives and need to connect in all different kinds of environments, be that commuting to work on a busy city street, taking calls on a construction site, or skiing down the back of a mountain. One of the keys to our success is that our devices are designed to naturally integrate into our customers’ lives; with the T1, this now includes active and mobile lifestyles in a variety of environments,” said Taisen Maddern, Executive Chairman of BlueAnt Wireless.

T1 users will also enjoy the Simply Connect experience that BlueAnt pioneered in mobile headsets. BlueAnt’s Simply Connect technology talks the user through setup and pairing, and automatically connects and reconnects the headset with notification. The T1 also offers true multipoint to connect and conduct calls on two mobile phones simultaneously, and is firmware upgradable through BlueAnt’s free updater software. Available in stores in May, the T1 provides 6 hours of talk time and 120 hours of standby time and has an MSRP of $79.99.

More information on the T1 and other hands-free devices from BlueAnt Wireless can be found at
www.blueantwireless.com.

T1 Feature Summary:
 Superior wind noise performance: clear calls in winds up to 22 mph
 Durable exterior and soft touch silicon cover protect the headset from accidental impact, dust and moisture
 Use your voice to make calls with quick access to phone voice dialing
 Answer calls with your voice just by saying “Answer” or “Ignore”
 Stores up to 2,000 phone book entries for each paired device and uses text to speech technology to read out the name of the incoming caller
 Multipoint: connect to two phones at the same time and answer whichever one rings
 True multipoint: both phones remain connected even during a call, so you can switch between multiple simultaneous calls on both phones without disconnecting from the T1
 Simply Connect technology and embedded audio guides talk you through setup and pairing
 A2DP streaming for playback of music, podcasts and turn-by-turn direction information from a phone GPS application
 Free firmware upgrades available online
 Hardware on/off switch

The T1 incorporates the BlueGenieTM Voice Interface software from Sensory, Inc. BlueGenie is a trademark of Sensory, Inc.

The device allows the rider to answer and make phone calls while driving and is fully weather proof. The device is designed to connect to either open face or full-face helmets. The F4 supports A2DP for streaming music from a Bluetooth device.

The headset also adjusts the volume automatically and BlueAnt promises clear calls at up to 110mph. One cool feature allows the headsets to work as intercoms for riders riding double on a bike or on separate bikes up to 1640 feet apart. The F4 is available now for $225.

The new firmware update is version 8.19 and it is available for download now via this link at no charge. The Q1 had all sorts of features before and performs well, but it lacked the ability to stream audio from A2DP capable handsets, which the new firmware adds. You might be thinking what’s the point of this when you can’t listen in stereo with a mono headset like the Q1.

Well, the big deal is easily noticed by those that use mobile devices like the iPhone for navigation. The speakerphone built into the iPhone lacks the volume to make spoken directions heard in many vehicles. The ability to stream A2DP to the Q1 means that you can hear these spoken directions on your headset. In addition, you can listen to tunes if you can handle mono sound.

Best Concept Phone- docomo Separable Phone

Even though we’ll never see it on U.S. soil, the docomo Seperable Phone was freaking sweet. The device was two pieces, a number pad/remote and a screen, held together by magnets and could be pulled apart. The screen could be placed on the wall to watch television, and the number pad acted as the remote. You could also take the screen and use that as a touchscreen phone separately from the keypad.  Even cooler were the add-ons, like the wrist band for running that displayed all sorts of information relayed to the large display by the keypad that would be in the runner’s pocket.

Best Real Phone-Palm Pre

You saw that one coming, didn’t you? Of course the Pre was going to win that one. Even though we were only allowed to hold it while a Palm rep kept their fingers touching it, and we weren’t really allowed to explore the functionality of the phone past the demos, the Pre was still impressive. The interface was smooth, the features were amazing, the display was stunning, and the applications promising. I can’t wait for this phone to be released, and I know I’m not alone. We had all of our real Palm Pre coverage over at MyPre.com, which you should check out if you haven’t already.

Best New Online Service-RocketVox

We saw RocketVox at ShowStoppers and I was immediately impressed by it. The service creates an aggregate inbox for all of your communication (chat, email, voicemail, IM, fax, etc.) and also provides a phone number for calls to be directed to multiple cell phones if you have them, much like Google Voice. Where RocketVox differs is the ability to control your contacts and create security layers called “orbits” that allow you to assign a specific amount of information that the contact can see or get from you.  It also does voicemail to texting if you miss a call, which is sweet. I’m really looking forward to getting in on the Beta for RocketVox, and this service looks like it’ll be fantastic to use.

Best Peripheral-Hantech’s Siso Tablo

Yes, you saw this one already, but we were so impressed by the abilities of the Tablo that we threw it up here again. The Tablo turns any laptop PC into a tablet PC through a small sensor that is placed on top of the display, and a pen that allows you to write on your screen.  The Tablo works with all MS Office applications, as well as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Corel Paint. There’s even an attachment to turn the pen into a normal ballpoint, and whatever you write on a piece of paper shows up on the screen. We’re getting a unit to review, so we’ll let you know how well the Tablo works in the coming days.

Best New Product Line-Kyocera

We got a chance to sit down with some people from Kyocera and be briefed on their upcoming product line, as well as their recent shift in business strategy since their takeover of Sanyo. Kyocera has some excellent phones that are debuting on Sprint very soon. The low-cost, high-volume full qwerty keyboard phone, is a promising device that targets the teenage texting generation. It was a durable phone, easy to use, and very sturdy with some nice features such as dedicated “Text” and Emoticon buttons. Their new slider phones feature full qwerty keyboards as well, and were a pleasure to use. Kyocera has some big plans for it’s future devices, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw jumps in their marketshare in the coming years.

Best Booth-LG

We were told that it was less extravagant than years prior, but we couldn’t tell. The LG booth was one of the largest and was the first booth you saw walking onto the main floor in the central conference hall. It featured light effects, a live DJ for pounding music, and ridiculously plush carpeting and couches for comfort.  We seriously felt like we were in a new dance club that only invited old dudes in business suits.  They even had a piece of the “All-Spark” from the Transformer’s movie (I found out later that Michael Bay was there and embarrassed himself in front of his LG handlers by pulling out a $39 Samsung phone).

Best Food-Sprint VIP Lounge

We camped out in the Sprint lounge to work, mainly because the Palm Pre was there, and because the people were awesome (and Vincent was hoping he’d get to meet Dan Hesse again). We have to say though, the food rocked. caprese sandwiches, sushi, fruit cocktails, desserts, yogurt parfaits, roast beef, and the list goes on.

Best Cell Phone Accessory-BlueAnt Q1

It was a tough decision between Sound ID’s 200 model and the BlueAnt Q1, but the BlueAnt won out by a hair, only because the integrated speech commands took it beyond the expected capabilities of any other bluetooth device out there.  The Sound ID had the comfort and the style, but the BlueAnt Q1 had the functionality that made us “wow” and realize that all other Bluetooth headsets should incorporate hands-free commands.

Best Use of Capacitive Touch Surfaces-LG GD900

The GD 900 features a transparent keypad that acts as a second capacitive touch surface for controlling the phone.  The main display and the keypad are both capable of multi-touch, so resizing and swiping through photos is easy on either surface.  The phone uses the S-Class user interface, and attempts to mimic the iPhone in photo resizing and simplified menus.  This phone basically dominates the fashion-accessory category too. It’s a gorgeous looking handset, but unfortunately, this GSM device isn’t going to be hitting our shores any time soon. North and South American launch dates are yet to be determined, and Europe is in the coming months.

Best Use of OLED Displays

Samsung had a nice booth, but the best feature was a giant exclamation mark made out of the displays from the Samsung Impression. Hundreds of AMOLED displays flashing different images in bright colors showed off the beauty of AMOLED screens. It looked beautiful, and the best part was that the images were visible from most angles, which really showed the capabilities of the AMOLED displays.

Well, that’s the best stuff that we thought of. Every company there had interesting products and services. If you happen to think we missed something, let us know and why you thought it was so great. We enjoyed bringing the CTIA coverage to you, and we hope you enjoyed reading it! Thanks for following our posts from CTIA!

We took a look at the MSI X-Slim X340 and compared it to the iPhone 3G and Lenovo ThinkPad X301 in terms of size. The MSI X-Slim X340 is an attractive laptop, and the planned sub $1000 price tag makes it even more so.

There are rumors circulating that Apple has ordered 3.2 MP and 5 MP camera sensors, possibly for use in their next revision of the iPhone and possibly another unannounced device.

We had a plethora of Palm Pre coverage from CTIA over at our sister site, MyPre.com and if you missed it all, go check it out. The Pre is set to make some trouble for the iPhone’s, assuming that Palm and Sprint announce the release date and price point for the device. First there was the hands-on video and then the demo of the Pandora and Fandango applications, which are looking pretty slick.

SoundID has some new Bluetooth headsets that we got our hands on at CTIA. We got an interview with the CEO of SoundID and got a demo of the device.

BlueAnt also had some new Bluetooth headsets that we got a demo of at CTIA. They’re featuring voice controls for easy pairing and information such as battery life and pairing status.

And finally, we got a look at the previously announced Motorola Evoke and MOTOROKR headset. The Evoke is a new touchscreen phone meant for users who are new to touchscreens as a whole, and the MOTOROKR’s are some lightweight and quality sounding headsets.

The BlueAnt Q1 also allows multipoint for connecting two phones to the headset, and being able to answer either one when they ring. It can be paired with up to 8 devices. The battery life will give you 4 hours of talk time and 100 hours of standby.

The slick, aluminum headset fits comfortably in the ear, and has a very slim profile. For the time being, the Q1 is available only in the brushed aluminum. Thanks to Taisen Maddern, the Executive Chairmen of BlueAnt, we got a great video of the unboxing, and we’ll have a hands on review of the Q1 for you tomorrow.

Every week, it seems, I point out that we leave the majority of cellphone news to our sibling sites, but we keep having some crossover as key products emerge.  This time it’s Android grabbing headlines, with the T-Mobile G1 (aka HTC Dream) turning up in live photos and the Android Market download store confirmed, while HTC’s S740 tempted lovers of Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard.

We’ve not played with either of them, but I’d wager they’d both work well with BlueAnt’s V1 Voice Control Bluetooth headset, which we reviewed on Tuesday.  Talk about impressive – in fact, just talk to the V1 itself; BlueAnt’s voice recognition pushes the headset just ahead of Aliph’s Jawbone 2.

After weeks of teasing photos and rumored specs, Nikon’s D90 DSLR finally went official.  Check out the live photos and hands-on video here.  Nowhere near official, meanwhile, is Apple’s long-awaited MacBook Tablet, but lovers of touchscreen devices did get a tempting glimpse of the future from a fresh batch of MultiTouch patents.

Finally, given how much I know SlashGear readers love miniature helicopters, I can’t let the review go by without flagging up the Draganfly X6 UAV.  No toy, this one: made from carbon fiber and capable of up to 30mph, there’s a vibration-free mount that can take a HD camera or camcorder.  I can’t see them sending me one to review any time soon, but I can dream.

Monday September 1st is Labor Day in the US, and so we’ll be taking a break here on SlashGear.  See you on Tuesday!