SlashGear » Bluetooth

Native Union Moshi Moshi want to give your cellphone a handset

Chris Davies — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:39:13 +0000

While full-sized handsets for cellphones and VoIP aren’t new – we’ve seen several companies offering unusual or retro ways to pretend your smartphone is something else – it’s taken Native Union to attempt to make it all serious. Their Moshi Moshi line of wired and wireless handsets and speakerphones not only look pretty darn good, but they offer features like dual-pairing (with, say, your phone and your laptop), streaming audio and more.

There are five designs in the line-up initially, the wired MM01h, MM01 and MM02 and the Bluetooth-enabled MM03 and MM04i. The first four are shaped like traditional handsets, the latter is a standalone speakerphone, and all but the MM01h come with a base station (that also recharges the MM04).

Various adapters are available for different models of phone, including a regular 3.5mm jack and an iPhone adapter, plus there’s a USB connection for VoIP. The MM03 supports Bluetooth 2.1 with multipoint for dual simultaneous connections. Native Union reckon that 42-percent of cellphone calls happen at home and 30-percent in the office, so people should consider using a more comfortable handset during that time. Whether you agree will probably depend on how happy you are spending upward of $59.99 (for the wired sets) or $129.99 (for the Bluetooth models).

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Cowon J3 AMOLED PMP spotted; launches this month

Chris Davies — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:25:27 +0000

Having been spotted in little more than sketch form back in January, we now have some firmer information on Cowon’s upcoming J3 media player. Set to launch this month, apparently, the Cowon J3 has a 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen running at 480 x 272, complete with up to 16GB of storage and Bluetooth connectivity.

Three versions of the J3 will be available initially, with the PMP coming in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB SKUs. All will have an accelerometer for automatic screen-orientation flips, a TV output for displaying content on a bigger screen, and Cowon’s own JetEffects effects 3.0 technology for improving audio performance.

Previous rumors suggested that the J3 would also get integrated WiFi, though there’s no mention of that which we can find. However, given the company’s well-respected audio quality, this could be a popular PMP among audiophiles assuming Cowon price it reasonably.

[via OLED-Info and via PlayerBites; image via MovePlayer]

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Sony PlayStation Move no memory hog but has controller limitations

Chris Davies — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:14:58 +0000

So, we already know the Sony PlayStation Move controller is coming Fall 2010 and should be priced – in “starter kit” form – at under $100, but we’re still seeing more tidbits about the motion-control system drip out GDC this week. There’s good news and bad, unfortunately, including a limitation on multiplayer support in part thanks to the PS3’s own Bluetooth connectivity capabilities. Turns out, while up to four-player gaming is possible, that’s not if everyone wants to use both the Move controller and a sub-controller.

Sony have confirmed to Gizmodo that the PS3 will either support four Move controllers on their own, or a pair of them with sub-controllers. That means that motion-only games will be suitable for up to four players, but anything requiring extra degrees of control that a sub-controller would bring will only be usable by two gamers at a time.

Four PlayStation Move controllers can connect to a PS3 at one time (or two PlayStation Move Controllers and 2 PlayStation Move sub-controllers).

It’s unclear to what extent this is a system limitation and what Sony themselves have coded in; apparently the PS3’s Bluetooth connectivity can only deal with up to seven connections at a time. Still, Sony have done good work slimming down the Move system elsewhere; according to Joystiq it’ll only demand 1-2MB of system memory.

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Bluetooth 4.0 devices on sale Q4 2010

Chris Davies — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:48:56 +0000

If you go out shopping for Bluetooth 3.0 devices today you’ll have trouble filling a cart, but according to the Bluetooth SIG as of Q4 2010 devices packing version 4.0 of the wireless technology should be on shelves. Michael Foley, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG, says devices such as smartphones, headsets and computers will start to feature Bluetooth 4.0 by the end of the year, with the most notable improvement over 3.0 being a new low-energy specification that will make it more suitable for watches and other frugal gadgets.

However all the rest of the Bluetooth functionality will be present, including the ability to hybridize a WiFi connection initiated with a Bluetooth link for higher-speed transfers. Says Foley, users shouldn’t necessarily expect significant power savings over previous versions when moving to Bluetooth 4.0; beyond the low-energy mode the rest of the profiles will use around the same amount of battery.

[via Slashdot]

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Novero unveils TheTalkyOne, TheTravelOne, and TheCarOne

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:53:18 +0000

Novero has several products that are for Bluetooth mobile phones. The last new product from the company was the Lexington headset unveiled in February. Novero is unveiling three new products this week called TheTalkyOne, TheTravelOne, and TheCarOne.

Strange product names aside, the gear is interesting. TheTalkyOne is a Bluetooth speakerphone designed to be used in the car or in the office. The device has text-to-speech feature and can read the names of callers aloud from caller ID and can read text messages to you while you drive. The device can pair with two phones at once and has DSP noise reduction and echo cancellation features. The battery is good for 180 hours on standby and 15 hours of talk time.

TheTravelOne is a charger that can be used all around the world with adapter plugs for the US, UK, EU, and NZ sockets. The device is offered in black or white colors and has a microUSB cable for charging from a computer. TheCarOne is a microUSB cable charger that plugs into the DC outlet in your car. All the gear is available on Amazon with TheTalkyOne at $139, TheTravelOne for $39.95, and TheCarOne for $29.95.

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Gigabyte TouchNote T1000 netbook-tablet packs new Atom N470

Chris Davies — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:05:07 +0000

After Intel prematurely pulled the trigger on their Atom N470 announcement yesterday, we’ve now got official confirmation about one of the first netbooks to use the new, 1.86GHz processor. The Gigabyte TouchNote T1000 is, as the image suggests, another of the company’s convertible netbook-tablets, with a 10.1-inch 1,366 x 768 touchscreen and a choice of the N450 or N470 CPUs.

Two versions of the T1000 will be offered, the T1000X with a 4-cell, 4,500mAh battery and the T1000P with a 6-cell, 7,650mAh battery. Both netbooks will have 1GB of RAM, a 250GB HDD and Intel GMA 3150 graphics, along with WiFi b/g/n, 10/100 ethernet and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR.

Ports include two USB 2.0, an eSATA/USB combo, audio in/out, VGA, ExpressCard and a multiformat memory card reader; there’s also a 1.3-megapixel webcam, microphone and 1.5W stereo speakers. No word on pricing, but we’re guessing this won’t be an especially cheap netbook – Gigabyte will probably tell us more at CeBIT 2010 this coming week.

[via Xataka]

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Twitter LED table project mixes Bluetooth, IKEA & awesome

Chris Davies — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:24:34 +0000

We’ve a soft-spot for odd Twitter-enabled devices – anything that lets us follow the SlashGear tweets in unusual ways has to be a good thing – and so Macetech’s Twitter end-table, which also throws in some multi-color LED action, is proving particularly appealing. The project builds on their previous LED table, an IKEA coffee table wired up with 81 RGB lights in a 9×9 grid, adding in a Bluetooth Arduino shield for wireless connection to a nearby MacBook Pro.

The MBP has some custom code that uses the Twitter API to pull in anything tagged #ledtable, squirting those messages over to the table. The tweet then scrolls across the LED array, while the app waits 30 seconds before searching again.

Future developments include two-way feedback from the table itself, potentially adding sensors that could allow it to send its own messages to a Twitter account. Alternatively, you could hook up several different devices via Bluetooth and have them each display different kinds of status updates: server status in the office, say, and personal messages in the bedroom. The whole thing cost around $600 to make; more details here.

[via MAKE]

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Bluetrek Crescendo Bluetooth headset is world’s first to support apps

Shane McGlaun — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:45:48 +0000

We are all familiar with apps for our smartphones and with Bluetooth headsets for hands free talking separately. What we are not very familiar with is a Bluetooth headset that has its own app store. Bluetrek has unveiled a new headset called the Crescendo that is the world’s first to support online app store uploads.

The headset has apps that can be accessed free via the Talk2Me App Store. The Talk2Me store offers apps for the headset to increase its functionality with things like the Personal Handsfree Assistant Dial2Do service that lets the user listen to their emails and speak a reply to be sent back out. The service can also read text messages to you and lets you reply to a text with your voice.

A search app called bing411 lets you search for information online using your voice too. The headset itself uses voice commands for operation and has NoiseLock technology. NoiseLock promises to block as much as 85dB of external sound like wind and traffic noise. It’s not clear if the apps the headset works with are actually stored on the headset, uploaded to the mobile phone, or accessed via a dial-in number. The headset is good for five hours of talk and seven days on standby per charge.

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Bluetooth SIG working to get low-power BT tech into Smart Grids

Shane McGlaun — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:18:16 +0000

Bluetooth technology is in a wide array of technology products on the market today. Millions of Americans use Bluetooth every day and rely on it for entertainment, productivity, and safety. The Bluetooth SIG is looking to get Bluetooth tech embedded into the new Smart Grid devices set to be deployed in homes around the country.

A Smart Grid is a network inside a home that connects new smart electric meters with other meters and devices. The goal is to allow the homeowner to see how much power they are using and reduce that usage via monitoring. The Bluetooth SIG is specifically eyeing low energy Bluetooth for the Smart Grids because the tech can run in devices powered by small coin cell batteries for a long time.

Another big benefit of integrating Bluetooth into the Smart Grid in homes is that almost all of us already have devices in our house, including smartphones and computers, that work with Bluetooth. That means monitoring the electrical usage inside the home could be done right on your phone rather than having to invest in new gear.

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Philips GoGear Connect Android 2.1 PMP/PND

Chris Davies — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:10:58 +0000

Philips have revealed their plans to take on the PMP and PND markets in one fell swoop, with the upcoming Philips GoGear Connect. An Android 2.1 based device, with a touchscreen and trackball, the GoGear Connect will not have integrated cellular connectivity – it won’t replace your smartphone – but it will be able to tether via Bluetooth or hook up to a WiFi hotspot.

Video demo after the cut

VoIP use will be aided by a speaker and microphone, and there’s also GPS for using the GoGear Connect as a sat-nav handheld. Also tipped is haptic feedback for the display, a memory card slot, rear-facing camera (no word on the resolution) and a range of internal storage kicking off at 8GB and rising to 64GB.

Philips have developed their own custom UI for the PMP – which you can see in the video below – which unsurprisingly prioritizes media playback. No word on pricing or specific release dates, though a Q3 2010 period has been tipped.

[via Android Community]

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Jaybird SB1 Sportsband Bluetooth Headphones review

Chris Davies — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:26:37 +0000

Announced last month, Jaybird’s SB1 Sportsband Bluetooth Headphones may be intended for gym-goers – in fact they come with a lifetime guarantee against sweat – but with discrete styling and a reasonably budget $89 MRSP are likely to appeal to those nowhere near the treadmills. Are the Jaybird’s cheap and cheerful, or does audio quality let them down? Check out the SlashGear review after the cut.

The packaging is nicely designed, but not exactly stuffed full. Inside the flocked-plastic insert sits the SB1 headset itself, along with a small printed “Quick Start” guide and a USB charging cable that ends with a non-standard plug. Jaybird rate the – non-removable – battery as good for up to 8hrs music or 11hrs talktime, and a full charge takes 2.5hrs. The battery indicator – which is on the outside, rather than discretely tucked on the inside edge as we prefer – lights red when charging and turns off when complete.

Controls are all clustered on the left-hand earpiece, with a central power switch/multifunction button – that, held down, kicks the SB1 into Bluetooth pairing mode – surrounded by track skip and volume keys. Underneath is the power port and a microphone for using the SB1 as a hands-free headset. The multifunction button operates play/pause during music playback, answers or rejects an incoming call, or triggers voice-dialing when held down for two seconds.

The regular 0000 Bluetooth PIN is used, and we were readily able to hook up the SB1 headphones to a number of different test devices. Each earpiece extends out by around an inch, and the flexible headband – which is rubber coated on the inner surface – is sufficiently tight in its grip that even when jogging we didn’t feel the headphones would fall off. We wouldn’t argue with a little extra padding on the earpieces, though, since it’s your ears they’re gripping to stay on your head. Once you’re familiar with the button layout, they fall easily to hand and don’t require too firm or precise a jab in order to press.

Audio quality is decent, given the constraints of Bluetooth technology with surprising amounts of bass and only relatively muddy mid-ranges and slightly underwhelming treble to contend with; we always prefer more high-fidelity options like Kleer, but there’s no arguing with the flexibility of use that Bluetooth brings. Even Apple now support A2DP in various iPhone and iPod touch models, though since they don’t comply with the AVRCP profile you won’t be able to use the track skip and play/pause controls to remotely operate your Apple PMP. The same functionality worked with no problems on a number of cellphones, however, and the SB1 headset paused media playback on an incoming call.

Our one criticism would be on outgoing audio quality, which seems particularly susceptible to background noise. We wish Jaybird had implemented one of the DSP noise cancellation systems found on some of the newer mono Bluetooth headsets we’ve tested lately, seeing as their own “Clear Voice Capture” doesn’t hold up to that competition, but given those earpieces generally cost more than the SB1’s $89 price tag we can’t complain too much.

Those other headsets don’t get a lifetime sweat guarantee, either, something Jaybird are confident enough in the SB1’s to offer; in fact, they even say you can run in the rain without problems. Bluetooth range is quoted at 10m, and as is typical for the technology we found it’s pretty dependent on where your PMP is. Trying to make a connection with your body in the way can lead to occasionally patchy audio, but it’s not so fickle as other headphones we’ve tried.

Jaybird’s obvious rival is the Jabra HALO, which we reviewed back in September last year. At $129, the HALO headphones are almost 50-percent more expensive than the SB1’s, and while the Jabra controls – which are all touch sensitive – are certainly discrete, the tactile buttons on the Jaybird are arguably easier to use. There’s no wired option (for when the battery runs out) on the Jaybirds, but the SB1’s talktime rating is higher: 11hrs compared to the HALO’s 8hrs. Practically, we found the SB1’s good for over 8hrs of solid stereo audio, particularly handy when paired with a laptop for watching video. Jaybird also make a reasonably big deal of the SB1’s Skype and VoIP compatibility, though we wish you could fold them down to more easily slot into a laptop bag.

Still, $89 (or cheaper if you shop around online) is an impressively low price, and the Jaybird’s styling doesn’t instantly mark you out as a complete geek. Those looking for pristine audio quality already know to stay away from Bluetooth, but users looking for gym-friendly, sturdy and affordable headphones – with a fair bass kick to them – should definitely take a look at the Jaybird SB1 Sportsband Bluetooth Headphones.

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BYD Snaptop tablet hands-on

Chris Davies — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:42:44 +0000

You might recognize BYD’s Snaptop prototype from back in November 2009, when we grabbed some hands-on time at a Qualcomm press event. The difference at MWC 2010 this week was that the Snaptop is now functional, rather than a mockup; you still get a touchscreen, flip-out kick-stand and a wireless Bluetooth keyboard which docks into the back of the tablet for storage and portability, but now the whole thing actually works.

Video demo after the cut

The OS is a customized version of Android 1.6 Donut, with various desktop widgets and other enhancements that basically take advantage of the extra screen size over and above a smartphone. Digital picture frame duties are an obvious possibility, and there’s a great finger-friendly interface (albeit in Spanish at the moment) for navigating through slideshows and galleries.

Keeping things ticking over is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon QSD8250 chipset, though we’re not sure on other specifications; Bluetooth is obviously a given, since the keyboard requires it to connect, and we’re guessing there’ll be WiFi and possibly even 3G in there too since that fits the smartbook mould. Sadly no talk of a production version, though we’re sure if we all pester BYD enough they might consider it.

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Novero offers new Lexington Bluetooth headset aimed at men

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:05:25 +0000

Novero has been around for a while and has a Bluetooth that it offered last year that was its first offering dubbed The First One. I played with the handset a bit and it worked quite well. The company has now unveiled its next Bluetooth headset called the Lexington, which is a better name than The Second One.

The Lexington has a design that is aimed at men looking for a high-tech and understated headset. I don’t see why women wouldn’t like the headset too though, assuming they don’t want pink like my wife. The headset has brushed steel and piano black accents. Novero promises the headset will last for 20 hours of talk time when used with the included charging case.

The case has its own internal battery and can charge the headset fully four times. The case is covered in Italian leather. A brushed steel clip lets the user attach the headset to their clothing and the Lexington uses dual mics for noise reduction. The Lexington headset includes a car charger, car mount, wall charger, USB cable, and eight interchangeable ear loops. It will ship in April at an undisclosed price.

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iTech VoiceClip 604 Bluetooth headset breaks cover

Shane McGlaun — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:13:23 +0000

More and more states and cities are putting hands free laws on the books making for quite a demand in Bluetooth hands free kits. We are sure to see lots of new Bluetooth gear turn up at MWC 2010 this month. iTech is unveiling its new VoiceClip 604 Bluetooth headset today.

The device has an inline-mic and a multifunction button for control. The way the device works is that the base unit is clipped to the clothes of the user rather than wearing it in your ear. A cord connects to the 604 with an inline mic that sits close to the mouth of the user for sound quality.

The button on the case turns the device on and off, pairs the handset, and answers/ends calls. The clip style is perfect for users who don’t like Bluetooth headsets that are worn in the ear. The device supports Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR Class 2 and has a wireless range of up to 33 feet. Talk time is up to 8 hours and standby time is up to 160 hours. The device will ship in Q2 for 49,00 €.

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Acer E110 Android and P300 WinMo phones revealed

Chris Davies — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:33:10 +0000

Details of two new Acer smartphones have emerged, courtesy of the Bluetooth SIG. The handsets – the Acer E110, running Android, and the Acer P300, running Windows Mobile – both have touchscreens, quadband GSM and UMTS/HSDPA, with the E110 seemingly confirmed in both 900/2100MHz and 850/1900MHz versions suggesting US AT&T availability.

Each smartphone also has Bluetooth (with A2DP support), while the Bluetooth SIG go on to confirm that the E110 has GPS and AGPS.

Those features aren’t mentioned for the P300, but that gets specified with USB 2.0 and WiFi b/g. We’re assuming both have cameras, but there’s no mention of megapixels, autofocus or flash; after all, the Bluetooth SIG is really just interested in Bluetooth, so we’re lucky to get whatever scraps they give us.

According to the listings, the E110 will see a launch in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America, while the P300 will only be released in Asia, Australia and Europe. There’s no indication of when that might happen, though with Mobile World Congress 2010 only days away there’s a possibility Acer might announce one or both devices there.

[via Unwired View]

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TI WiLink 7.0 packs WiFi-N, Bluetooth 3.0, FM & GPS onto single chip

Chris Davies — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:56:34 +0000

While we focused more on Texas Instruments’ eye-catching OMAP4 development device when we visited the company a few weeks ago, we also had a chance to talk to their wireless chipset team. TI’s combo chipsets – which pack various mixtures of WiFi, Bluetooth, FM and GPS onto a single component – get a new sibling today, in the shape of the WiLink 7.0, an integrated chip that combines all four of those wireless technologies.

The TI WiLink 7.0 squeezes WiFi a/b/g/n, FM transmit/receive, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS onto a chip that’s 50-percent smaller than current alternatives and – perhaps more importantly – uses 30-percent less power. That adds up to smaller, longer lasting mobile devices, and devices that have better use of their wireless connectivity. As TI explained to us, when you’re using separate components there’s a limit to the amount of interconnectivity between them; if you combine them into one chip, meanwhile, things like power-management and intelligent usage profiles become possible.

We’ll have to wait a while to see the first commercial products using the Texas Instruments WiLink 7.0, however; while the chip is sampling now to OEMs, products aren’t expected until the end of the year.

Press Release:

Texas Instruments delivers industry’s first quad-radio single chip

TI raises the bar with WiLink™ 7.0 solution, integrating WLAN, GPS, Bluetooth® and FM transmit/receive technologies on a true single-chip

DALLAS (February 9, 2010) – Demonstrating its leadership in the wireless connectivity market, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today unveiled its WiLink™ 7.0 single-chip solution, the industry’s first offering to integrate WLAN 802.11n, GPS, FM transmit/receive and Bluetooth® technologies. Integrating these capabilities on a true single chip, the 65-nanomenter WiLink 7.0 solution reduces costs by 30 percent, reduces size by 50 percent and delivers superior coexistence performance as compared to today’s existing solutions. Built on seven generations of proven technologies and legacy software, this single-chip solution further extends TI’s heritage of bringing technologies previously seen in high-end devices to the broad mobile market. The WiLink 7.0 solution will be showcased during Mobile World Congress 2010 in the TI booth (8A84, Hall 8). For more information, visit www.ti.com/wilink7pr.

“TI’s announcement that its Bluetooth/FM/GPS/WLAN combination IC is sampling to major OEMs marks the first of its kind, demonstrating the strong future for combination ICs that enable device manufacturers to offer multiple radios without sacrificing performance, space requirements or profit margins,” said Lisa Arrowsmith, analyst, IMS Research. “IMS Research forecasts that by 2013, more than 4.5 billion combination ICs featuring a variety of radios will have been shipped.”

Key feature Benefits
————————————————————————
Unique — Hardware mechanisms cancel out board- and
coexistence chip-level RF interference at the source to
capabilities simplify design process

– Enhanced WiFi/Bluetooth/Bluetooth Low Energy
inter-core communication prioritizes packet
scheduling, supports more connections in parallel
————————————————————————
High-performance
GPS core — Best-in-class 3GPP test performance

– Multi-path resolution engine coupled with
advanced algorithms reduces interference impact
for more accurate positioning in urban canyons

– On-chip position engine simplifies
integration with device host processor

– Supports reduced power consumption during
tracking

– Host-independent location buffering and geo-
fencing features further reduce host loading and
power consumption
————————————————————————
Powerful
Bluetooth core — Best-in-class RF performance

– Dedicated audio processor system-on-chip

– Supports latest Bluetooth low-energy and
Bluetooth 3.0 specifications

– Extensible to support additional protocols
————————————————————————
Robust Wi-Fi core — Supports the soon-to be ratified WiFi Direct™
and Soft AP mode capabilities, extensible to
support additional protocols

– Supports 802.11 a/b/g/n capabilities
————————————————————————
FM core — Increased output power for FM transmit combined
with highly sensitive FM receive delivers cleaner
FM experience

– Supports internal antenna
————————————————————————

“As the first company to put the power of GPS, WLAN, Bluetooth and FM technologies on a single chip, we are excited to have solved some of the market’s most complex coexistence challenges,” said Haviv Ilan, vice president and general manager, wireless connectivity solutions, TI. “This type of innovation builds on our strong heritage in the wireless market and commitment to spearhead next-generation advancements. With its ability to support simultaneous use of all four radios, the WiLink 7.0 solution will truly revolutionize the way people interact with their devices and connect to the larger world.”

Availability

The WiLink 7.0 solution is sampling to major OEMs today. Devices using the WiLink 7.0 solution are expected to enter the market by the end of 2010.

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GuruPlug Server Plus boosts Sheevaplug, adds eSATA & more

Chris Davies — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:29:00 +0000

Remember Marvell’s third-gen Sheevaplug? The newest server-in-a-wall-wart made its debut at CES 2010 last month, adding WiFi and Bluetooth along with a faster, more capable chipset. As we saw before, the core Sheevaplug design often prompts some interesting third-party versions, and one such mini-server is Globalscale’s GuruPlug Server Plus. It takes the basics of the Sheevaplug and throws in an eSATA port, a second gigabit ethernet port and a microSD card slot.

It’s the more comprehensive sibling to the standard GuruPlug Server, which gets two USB 2.0 ports and a single ethernet connection, as well as no memory card slot. Both have a 1.2GHz processor with 512MB of RAM and various tinker-friendly ports.

The Globalscale GuruPlug Server Plus is available for preorder now, at $129, with deliveries expected to take place from April 2010. As for the basic GuruPlug Server, that’s $99 and will also begin shipping in April.

[via Hack a Day]

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Tokyoflash Kisai Escape C Bluetooth hands-free confuses

Chris Davies — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:31:50 +0000

Back in March 2009 bizarre watch manufacturer Tokyoflash asked for some consumer feedback on a potential range of Bluetooth gizmos; now we get to see the fruits of that research. The Japanese company have unveiled the Tokyoflash Kisai Escape C, a neck-pendant Bluetooth hands-free kit with remote buttons for controlling media playback.

The Escape C has controls for play/stop, volume, track skip and an answer-call key in the center, and it also tells the time. Like other Tokyoflash timepieces, however, you’ll have to do a little deciphering in order to figure it out; it’s all shown cryptically with a series of blue LEDs embedded in the fascia.

No word on battery life (we’re guessing it recharges via the USB port) and the Kisai Escape C is yet to make an appearance on the Tokyoflash site. It’ll apparently arrive this quarter for between $150 and $180.

[via technabob]

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Scala rider G4 intercom for motorcyclists allows four riders to talk

Shane McGlaun — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:37:22 +0000

When I was younger, my brother and some friends spent lots of time riding motorcycles. If you needed to get someone to stop so you could talk to them, you had to wave your hands until you caught their attention. Thankfully, today you don’t have to rely on hand signals with devices like the new scala rider G4 from Cardo Systems.

The G4 is a Bluetooth intercom system that has something different from other systems on the market. It will allow up to four riders to communicate over the intercom with a range of up to a mile. The devices are full duplex allowing for talking and listening at the same time.

The device can also connect to Bluetooth phones and supports VOX activation, A2DP stereo music and more. The system has a built-in FM radio tuner and can be updated with new firmware via USB. Power for the system comes from a rechargeable Li-Po battery good for ten hours of use. The system fits most 3/4 and full-face helmets and is available for $279.95.

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Sony Ericsson Aspen packs Windows Mobile 6.5.3

Chris Davies — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:58:26 +0000

Sony Ericsson have begun their MWC 2010 assault early with the launch of their first new smartphone, the Sony Ericsson Aspen, and – incidentally – the first official Windows Mobile 6.5.3 device. The Aspen has a 2.4-inch QVGA touchscreen, full QWERTY keyboard, UMTS/HSPA (dual or triband, depending on region), WiFi and Bluetooth, along with a 3.2-megapixel camera.

There’s also A-GPS, a microSD card slot and stereo speakers, an FM radio with RDS and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The whole thing measures 117 x 60 x 12.45 mm, and Sony Ericsson have packed it full of earth-friendly features such as a power saving mode, using easily-recycled materials, and releasing the manual as an electronic download rather than as a printed document.

As for Windows Mobile 6.5.3, that’s apparently even more finger-friendly than before, and though there’s no confirmation as to what sort of touchscreen the Aspen uses, 6.5.3 includes native support for capacitive panels:

Ease of Use

Capacitive touchscreen support
Platform to enable multi-touch
Touch controls throughout system (no need for stylus)
Consistent Navigation
Horizontal scroll bar replaces tabs (think settings>system>about screen)
Magnifier brings touch support to legacy applications
Simplified out-of-box experience with fewer steps
Drag and drop icons on Start Screen

Browser Performance

Page load time decreased
Memory management improved
Pan & flick gestures smoothed
Zoom & rotation speed increased

Quality and Customer Satisfaction

Updated runtime tools (.NET CF 3.5, SQL CE 3.1)
Arabic read/write document support
Watson (error reporting) improvements and bug fixes

Sony Ericsson reckon the Aspen will arrive in unspecified select markets in Q2 2010; no word on pricing at this stage.

Press Release:

Sony Ericsson Aspen™ – Business Partner with a Conscience

· Latest addition to GreenHeart™ portfolio now allows consumers and companies to make a green choice on their Windows Phone
· Office at your fingertips with the latest version of Windows Phone
· Maximised message experience with QWERTY keyboard and finger friendly touch
· Have fun with Media Browser and PlayNow™

February 2, London, UK – Today sees the announcement of Sony Ericsson Aspen™, the business mobile phone with green credentials at its core. The newest edition to the successful Sony Ericsson GreenHeart™ portfolio, Sony Ericsson Aspen™, allows easy multi-tasking combining the touch experience and a real QWERTY keyboard. Organise and adapt panels to change during the day and use Slide View for quick access to common features.

With Sony Ericsson Aspen™, view and edit office files easily and comfortably with one touch operation, or just access the internet in one click. The QWERTY keyboard is made for fast and easy typing. Simple email set up allows for a maximized messaging experience on the go. Secure the phone’s contents through the Microsoft MyPhone service, which remotely erases phone data when the handset is lost or stolen.

“Sony Ericsson Aspen™ is the business phone with a conscience, perfect for any consumer or company who want to make a green choice in their daily work life.” Said Quentin Cordier, Global Marketing Manager, Sony Ericsson. “An affordable GreenHeart™ phone with the latest version of Windows Phone, the Sony Ericsson Aspen™ has a rich user interface and powerful productivity tools. But it’s not all about work, stay in touch with the fun parts of life with Media Browser and PlayNow ™, with simple access to social networks and quick and easy access to media files. Find the fun with a-GPS, Google Maps™ and snap pictures with the 3.2megapixel camera.”

Sony Ericsson Aspen™
· Modern office at your fingertips – latest version of Windows Phone
· Easy multi-tasking – Sony Ericsson Slide View and customisable panels
· Maximised message experience – QWERTY keyboard and finger friendly touch experience
· GreenHeart™ – for a greener choice
· Stay in touch with the fun parts of life – access fun applications at PlayNow™ such as games and new music
· Media browser – access music, photos and videos
· Social network tool (Windows Live™ Messenger, Facebook™)
· Human curvature design – fits into the palm of the hand

Sony Ericsson Aspen™ supports HSPA 900/2100 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, HSPA 850/900/2100 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900.

Sony Ericsson Aspen™ will be available in selected markets from Q2 in the colours Iconic Black and White Silver.

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Kindle DX gets Bluetooth terminal hack

Chris Davies — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:51:08 +0000

Amazon’s hiding of serial port connections inside the Kindle isn’t a new discovery, but adding a Bluetooth module to it is. Tinkerer Darron cracked open his Kindle DX and snapped his way through enough plastic to fit in a SparkFun Bluetooth Mate module; that means he can wirelessly connect to the Kindle DX to get a serial terminal on the ereader.

The project builds on previous work getting a telnet connection with the Kindle over a USB connection, but of course this new hack allows for wireless access. Right now there’s no power management or local Bluetooth searching control; when it’s turned on and unpaired, the Bluetooth module is constantly searching for a new connection, which has seen battery life for the Kindle DX drop from over a week to around four days.

Darron has also been working on getting Qt running on the Kindle, and so far he’s managed to compile the platform and throw in support for the E Ink display, the QWERTY keyboard and the 5-way joystick. Just to show it all works, he’s also got a Sudoku app running; who needs Amazon’s Kindle Development Kit, eh?

[via Hack a Day]

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Wacom Intuos4 Wireless Bluetooth graphics tablet debuts

Chris Davies — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:12:55 +0000

Wacom have quietly outed a new active graphics tablet, the Bluetooth-enabled Wacom Intuos4 Wireless. The new model has an 8 x 5 inch active area, slotting in just underneath the regular, wired Intuos4 Medium announced last March, and hooks up to a PC or Mac via Bluetooth; battery life is up to 18 hours (though not of continuous use) and it recharges via USB (and can be used in tethered mode).

Video overview after the cut

Over at CNET they’ve already reviewed the Intuos4 Wireless, and reckon it’s certainly more convenient than the wired model. However they also had some issues with Bluetooth pairing, and expressed concerns about battery life; if left turned on, the tablet can apparently drain the battery to the point where it can no longer be recharged, meaning a replacement (costing between $39 and $49) must be bought.

As with other Intuos4 models, there’s an OLED display, various shortcut buttons and a scroll-wheel, many of which can be user-programmed. The pen supports 2,048 levels of pressure, and comes complete with standard, felt, stroke and flex nibs. The Wacom Intuos4 Wireless is available in the US now, priced at $399; it’ll land in the UK at the end of March, priced at £359.99.

Press Release:

Wacom Intuos4 Wireless provides creative freedom

The ideal pen tablet for on-the-go professional creators of digital content

Monday 1st February 2010: Wacom today announces the Intuos4 Wireless professional pen tablet, a highly-anticipated product featuring Bluetooth wireless technology. The new Intuos4 Wireless is aimed at digital content creators such as photographers, designers and artists who seek the freedom of wireless technology as well as the control and comfort benefits inherent in Wacom’s professional range of pen tablets. The liberating experience of being able to move about the room and work “unattached” from a computer also makes the Intuos4 Wireless an excellent tool for use at a collaborative work session. In addition, the medium-sized Intuos4 Wireless fits easily into most computer laptop bags, offering an ideal input solution for mobile creative professionals.

By combining the successful Intuos4 pen tablet design with Bluetooth wireless technology Wacom is able to provide users with the flexibility and freedom to work in the most comfortable way for drawing, editing, painting, retouching or general computer work. The Intuos4 Wireless meets the intuitive nature and overall experience offered by the Intuos4 brand.

The Intuos4 and Bluetooth
Bluetooth wireless technology is a global communications standard found in millions of computers and mobile devices that allows these devices to communicate reliably over distances of up to 10 metres. Ideal for home, office, or remote-meeting use, the Intuos4 Wireless provides mobility and freedom when working with Bluetooth-enabled desktop or laptop computers. It can be charged directly from the computer via USB.

Breakthrough design improves workflow, boosts productivity
Whether on the road, at home or at work, the slim and ergonomic design of the Intuos4 Wireless pen tablet makes it the ideal creative tool for working with digital content in comfort. Available in one size (medium), the Intuos4 Wireless has an asymmetrical design that puts the Touch Ring and the customisable ExpressKeys on one side of the tablet, making them all available to the user’s non-dominant hand. The ExpressKeys are instrumental in helping improve workflow and boosting productivity by placing commonly-used commands right at the user’s fingertips. Illuminated (OLED) displays provide helpful reminders as to the function of each ExpressKey. These settings are application-specific, and the displays will immediately update as the user changes between applications. To switch the tablet from right-handed to left-handed use, the user simply rotates the tablet 180 degrees and changes the orientation of the illuminated icons within the Wacom tablet driver software.

The Touch Ring on the Intuos4 Wireless is capable of controlling up to four different functions in any application. A button located in the centre of the ring “toggles” the ring between application-specific functions such as zoom, scroll, brush size adjustment or canvas rotation. The position of the illuminated LED located along the perimeter of the Touch Ring indicates the current function.

With all these features, the Intuos4 Wireless provides the perfect tool for an individual, ergonomic style of working, free of any cables.

The Intuos4 Grip Pen
The Grip Pen that comes with the Intuos4 Wireless features Wacom’s proprietary Tip Sensor technology, offering users near-zero (one gramme) starting pressure for the most sensitive Intuos pen tablet performance to-date. The pressure-sensitive support starts with a light touch, emulating the same feel, response and result derived from working with traditional creative tools such as brushes, markers and pens. Additionally, the Intuos4 Wireless pen has 2,048 levels of pressure, doubling the resolution of the pen’s pressure curve to further enhance feedback and expand creative control within software applications that support pressure sensitivity. The Grip Pen also features a pressure-sensitive eraser and two customisable side-switches that can be set for commands such as double-click and right-click. The Intuos4 Wireless ships with a handy clip-on pen holder for securing the pen to the tablet when not being used.

Intuos4 Wireless pen stand
A weighted desktop pen stand not only provides a convenient pen holder, but also functions as a handy twist-off storage compartment for pen nibs and a handy nib extractor. Standard, felt, stroke and flex nibs ship with the Intuos4 Wireless, allowing users to simulate the feel of working with a variety of traditional art and design materials.

Available software
Purchasers of an Intuos4 Wireless pen tablet are entitled to a choice of one application from a selection of three creative applications offered by leading software manufacturers Adobe, Autodesk and Corel. Users select their applications via download. In addition, Intuos4 users will appreciate the significant upgrades to Wacom’s powerful, user-friendly driver software, including precision mode and radial menus for even more precise and accurate work.

Additional accessories
In order to provide the best pen tablet experience possible, Wacom has created a range of accessories that includes several different types of pens. For example, the Intuos4 Art Pen supports the barrel rotation feature within such applications as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Corel Painter 11, allowing users to create natural brush effects by rotating the pen, much like a calligraphy pen. The Intuos4 Airbrush has a similar form and finger-wheel control as a traditional airbrush and enables users to create and define paint patterns within certain creative programmes.

Pricing and availability
The Intuos4 Wireless is priced at £359.99 (including VAT) and will be available from end of March 2010.

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Toshiba TG02 clears FCC, headed to MWC 2010?

Chris Davies — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:06:33 +0000

It’s been months since we’ve heard anything about the Toshiba TG02, the successor to the mediocre TG01, but with Mobile World Congress 2010 just over a week away there’s some action at the FCC. A device listed as the Toshiba TG02 has cleared through, and while there are no photos of the handset itself, we do now know what sort of connectivity it will deliver.

As well as the usual quadband GSM/EDGE there’s UMTS/HSDPA – though sadly not with US band support, it seems – along with WiFi b/g, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and GPS. There’s also a basic outline drawing to show where the TG02’s approval label will go, that suggests the curvy form-factor we saw in previous leaked photos may still be coming.

Of course, what we don’t know yet is what OS the smartphone will run, whether it will continue to use the 1GHz Snapdragon processor of its predecessor, what screen size and touchscreen technology might be in effect or when, indeed, it could arrive on shelves. Our guess is that Toshiba will stick to Windows Mobile.

[via Engadget]

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Nexus One Desktop Dock arrives: A2DP audio but no PC sync

Chris Davies — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:26:48 +0000

We kept screaming for Nexus One accessories and now, finally, we have one. Google have pushed their Nexus One Desktop Dock out of the door, and as expected it does more than merely charge your smartphone and keep it out of the dust and crumbs on your desk. Dropping a Nexus One into the Desktop Dock automatically kick-starts the Clock app (with time, weather, alarms, photo slideshows and media playback), and there’s also an audio-out connector that allows you to hook the dock up to a speaker system and easily play music from your phone.

Bizarrely, Google make no mention of Bluetooth on the Desktop Dock’s product page, instead burying it in the user guide [pdf link]. As expected, music is funnelled from Nexus One to Desktop Dock via A2DP – you’re prompted to pair them when you first slot in the phone – though there’s no word on whether you can subsequently play music remotely or if the handset always has to be docked.

Even more bizarre, the Desktop Dock doesn’t sync your Nexus One with your computer; in fact there’s no data transfer feature at all. All it’ll do is recharge the phone and play music. Still, that’s a pretty handy thing to have, and we reckon quite a few Nexus One owners will pay $45 for the privilege.

[via Android Community]

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Jawbone ICON Bluetooth Headset Review

Vincent Nguyen — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 04:58:01 +0000

Aliph’s last premium Bluetooth headset, the Jawbone PRIME, hit the market back in April 2009 with a mixture of decent sound quality and distinctive looks, and quickly grabbed a place as our favorite mainstream hands-free kit. Now the company is back with a new, smaller version, the Aliph Jawbone ICON; check out our review after the cut.

Compared to the Jawbone PRIME, the new ICON is obviously shorter in length (though a little broader across). Aliph has made a name for themselves with distinctive finishes, and the ICON is no different: rather than just offering various color variants, the headset is available in six different color/texture pairs. Our review unit (“The Thinker”) has a circular texture and matte silver finish, but the ICON also comes in a more sober, embossed gunmetal all the way through to red-tinted acrylic and satin-finish liquid gold.

Controls are minimal, with a multifunction button well placed along the back edge of the headset, a microUSB port – a first for Aliph – next to it, and a hardware power switch on the inner side. The status LED has also been moved, and now surrounds the Voice Activity Sensor (VAS), the small stud to the front of the ICON that Aliph use to pick up speech vibrations from your cheek and help cut down background noise.

That new software deserves a mention, and in fact Aliph is particularly proud. The company has apparently rebuilt their code from the ground-up – including v2.5 of their NoiseAssassin DSP – and they reckon its made the ICON more responsive than previous Jawbone headsets. It also makes for a more future-proofed headset; Aliph is also launching a companion website (currently in private beta), MyTALK, which will allow ICON owners ((including all future Jawbone headsets) to update their headset’s firmware as new versions are pushed out. The included, USB cable not only plugs into the (also included) AC adapter, but hooks the ICON up to MyTALK.

Once you’re registered and logged in, you can do more than just check for new firmware. From launch Aliph expect users to be able to use MyTALK to customize the so-called AudioApps – the ICON’s voice prompts – not only between different languages (French, German and Spanish) but different personalities such as “flirty”, “sexy” or “fierce”. There’s also DialApps, a more straightforward way to assign a speed dial to the multifunction button; as well as picking from your regular contacts, you can also choose to set one of various directory assistance services together with access to the Jott and Dial2Do subscription-based hands-free assistance services (which offer things like voice-to-SMS and Facebook text-to-speech).

Unlike the Jawbone PRIME, which could still be a little precarious without the ear-loop thanks to the length of its boom-arm, the Jawbone ICON is sufficiently short to be comfortably secure using only the in-ear grips. We wore the ICON on a walking weekend and at no point did it feel precarious or loose. Aliph provide the snap-on ear-loop; together with three “Fit” earbuds (that slot into your ear with a twisting motion) and four regular earbuds. It’s particularly handy if you wear glasses or sunglasses, which can often cause problems with regular ear-hooks. Once in place, unlike some Bluetooth headsets the ICON’s controls can be readily pressed without sending jabbing pains down your ear canal.

That’s partly because Aliph have done away with dedicated volume controls, instead leaving the ICON to manage audio itself. While other headsets have promised similar, the ICON actually normalizes volumes in what the company call “Active Dynamic Range Management”; all that’s important in our experience is that it works surprisingly well, both between calls in differing volume environments, and on conference calls where multiple participants are at distinctly different volumes. In fact audio quality as a whole is excellent, for both wearer and those on the other end of the line, along with similarly strong range. Aliph quote up to 33 feet (10m) range, but we squeezed out 50 feet (with line-of-sight) before some crackling set in. Usually Bluetooth headsets don’t react well to your cellphone being in a pocket on the opposite side of your body, but we had no problems with that, either. The ICON also supports Multipoint, meaning you can pair it with two Bluetooth devices – such as a cellphone and a laptop – simultaneously.

So is it perfect? Not quite. The obvious sacrifice when you shrink a headset down is battery life, and while Aliph quote up to 4.5hrs use from the ICON that’s a couple of hours less than the chunkier Plantronics Voyager Pro. We’d also liked to have seen Aliph slim down the ICON’s thickness: it’s short and narrow, yes, but that makes the amount by which it protrudes from your ear all the more noticeable. A2DP support (combining the stereo channels into mono, obviously) is also notable by its absence, though Aliph promise that will arrive in a user-upgradable firmware update.

Finally, we found the user experience differed in some ways quite distinctly depending on which handset you used the headset with. Aliph have obviously designed the Jawbone ICON with the iPhone in mind; when paired with Apple’s smartphone, you even get a battery icon on the iPhone’s status bar, showing how much charge the ICON has left. We also had better results with Aliph’s quick-connect/answer feature with the iPhone: if you have the ICON turned off and receive a call, you can flick the power switch and the headset will automatically connect and answer the call before it hits voicemail. That’s the theory, anyway; with an iPhone 3GS we had no problems, but the experience was far different with Google’s Nexus One; the ICON was never fast enough to catch the call before voicemail kicked in, and in several of our test calls failed to re-connect altogether. Aliph is aware of this issue and they’re actively working towards a swift resolution.

Nonetheless, in general use (i.e. when not racing to answer a call) we had few problems connecting and using the Jawbone ICON with various handsets, and were consistently impressed by the audio quality. We’d say, in fact, it’s pretty much on a par if not better than the already excellent Plantronics Voyager Pro, and with a welcome volume boost over the Jawbone PRIME. At the moment, Aliph intend to put the ICON on sale alongside, rather than instead of, the PRIME, and there’s no talk as yet of a price reduction from the latter’s $129. Given the Jawbone ICON is $99, that it’s audio quality is stronger, its fit more comfortable and it has more flexibility thanks to Aliph’s MyTALK system, it should come as no surprise that – unless pure battery longevity is core requirement – we’d recommend the ICON over the other two headsets. Get Your ICON on at Jawbone.com!

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Official Nexus One Accessories incoming: Car Dock and Desktop Dock

Chris Davies — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:41:23 +0000

Last week we asked where all the Google Nexus One accessories were hiding, and with still no sign of any official peripherals for the handset we’re happy at least to see official confirmation of the upcoming Nexus One Car Dock. Commenter Chris Roberts flagged up mention of the Car Dock in Google’s online documentation for the Nexus One, where it’s tipped to be “coming soon”.

We first heard about the Nexus One Car Dock back in December, when mention of the peripheral was discovered in a leaked ROM for the smartphone. It was then spotted clearing the FCC at the end of the year, complete with some sort of Bluetooth functionality, though Google have released no details as to how that functionality will operate. According to the online documentation the Nexus One will automatically go into Car Home mode when placed into the Car Dock.

Meanwhile an online support question about official Nexus One accessories prompted a Google employee to suggest that “The docking stations for Nexus One are not available at this time. Stay tuned though, they should be available soon.” That implies that not only the Car Dock but the Nexus One Desktop Dock are coming sooner rather than later.

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Sprint Motorola Brute i680 is ultra-rugged

Chris Davies — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:46:17 +0000

Sprint’s latest cellphone, the Motorola Brute i680, is not just a rugged one, it’s ultra-rugged. The Brute i680 – fresh to the Nextel Direct Connect network complete with push-to-talk – meets military spec 810F for not just the regular dust, shock and vibration, but extremes of temperature, low pressure, salt fog, humidity, blowing rain and even solar radiation. We’re guessing that doesn’t mean you could use it while inside the sun (if only because of the lack of coverage) but it probably cuts down on the number of places in the US where the phone can’t go.

Unfortunately like so many ruggedized devices, while you gain toughness you lose functionality. The camera is a mere 2-megapixels (though you do get an LED flash) and there’s GPS and Bluetooth, but otherwise you’re looking at a pretty mainstream clamshell. A microSD card slot can be used to add up to 8GB of storage.

Meanwhile the 1,750mAh battery is good for up to 350 minutes talktime, and the whole thing measures 99.5 x 53 x 26 mm. The Motorola Brute i680 is available from Sprint Nextel now, priced at $119.99 with a new agreement.

Press Release:

Motorola Brute i680 Offers the Best-in-Class Push-to-Talk Services of Nextel Direct Connect in an Ultra-Rugged Clam Shell Design for Communications in Extreme Conditions

Motorola Brute i680 Military Specification810F certified for dust, shock, vibration, low & high temperatures, low pressure, radiation, salt fog, humidity and blowing rain

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Jan 11, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Motorola Brute(TM) i680, which combines ultra-rugged durability with the best-in-class push-to-talk services of Nextel Direct Connect(R), is available from Sprint (NYSE: S).
Motorola Brute i680 meets Military Specification 810F for dust, shock, vibration, low temperature, high temperature, low pressure, solar radiation, salt fog, humidity and blowing rain.

“Motorola Brute combined with the exclusive Public Safety applications only available on Nextel phones from Sprint allows public safety personnel to communicate, even if they are out of network range, an irreplaceable communication tool in times of emergency,” said Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “Motorola Brute is a great device for anyone who works in extreme conditions.”

Motorola Brute i680 has all the features Nextel customers have come to depend on including the best-in-class push-to-talk capabilities of Nextel Direct Connect, support of business applications and Mil Spec durability. This rugged clam shell is the ideal phone for anyone who will encounter extreme conditions and incorporates a 2-megapixel camera with flash, large internal and external display, GPS, large battery for extended talk time, music features and stereo Bluetooth(R)1. It also offers the upgraded ability to switch from an active push-to-talk call to an interconnect voice call at the touch of a button.

“Nextel Direct Connect from Sprint is an invaluable tool for public safety,” said Fire Chief Charles Werner, Charlottesville (Va.), Fire Department. “During an emergency, we depend on rugged devices, like Motorola Brute, that can withstand extreme conditions, and offer instant communications; this combination is the cornerstone of effectively managing a crisis. Individuals who work in various harsh environments, such as construction and manufacturing, will find the durability of the device to be critical as well.”

Motorola Brute is available with Nextel Direct Connect(R) calling plans in all Sprint sales channels, including Sprint retail stores, Business Direct Sales, Telesales (1-800-Nextel-9) and www.sprint.com for just $119.99 (excluding taxes).

About Nextel Direct Connect

With more than 16 years of expertise, Sprint is the undisputed leader and has set the industry standard in push-to-talk with the largest community of users in the world serving millions of Nextel Direct Connect subscribers on the fastest national push-to-talk network.

Nextel Direct Connect enables Sprint customers to get things done faster, at the push of a button. When instant communication is needed between two people or a group of people, next door or in the next state, Sprint provides a solution to get the job done – in less than a second. The Nextel National Network continues to operate at best-ever performance levels for dropped calls and near best-ever for block calls, based on internal metrics as of June 2009.

Powered by the iDEN Network, Nextel Direct Connect is the only push-to-talk service in the industry that offers:

Industry-leading performance with the advantage of instant connection (call set-up times of less than one second)
Connection to the world’s largest community of users, with millions of existing Nextel Direct Connect subscribers
Nationwide and international push-to-talk services
The largest portfolio of push-to-talk phones, including the largest selection of rugged phones
The most expansive portfolio of GPS and productivity solutions for push-to-talk users including applications for inventory and fleet management, dispatch operations and workforce management
Exclusive public safety applications such as Priority Connect(R) providing priority service in times of network congestion
Unique to Sprint, Sprint’s award-winning Emergency Response Team (ERT) provides wireless telecommunications equipment, infrastructure and operations support to federal, state/local public safety, law enforcement, military and private sector entities in times of emergency
Affordable Push-to-Talk Calling Plans

Nextel Direct Connect Custom Plans focus on the services used most by workgroups, which are bundled with unlimited usage, at a low flat monthly rate. Specifically, businesses can choose from the following Nextel Direct Connect Custom Plans:

Unlimited Workgroup Communications – with unlimited Direct Connect and Group Connect(R) plus unlimited text messaging, mobile-to-mobile minutes and night and weekend minutes starting at 9 p.m.
$29.99 per month per line (excluding taxes and Sprint surcharges)
Web & Navigation – includes the above features, plus unlimited data, Web browsing and GPS navigation
$39.99 per month per line for Nextel phones (excluding taxes and Sprint surcharges)
$49.99 per month per line for PowerSource and Nextel Direct Connect capable Sprint phones (excluding taxes and Sprint surcharges)
Pooled voice minutes can be added to either plan for the group to share
500 minutes for $30 per month per line (excluding taxes and Sprint surcharges)
Or 2,000 minutes for $100 per month per line (excluding taxes and Sprint surcharges)
For more details on Nextel Direct Connect Custom plans, visit www.sprint.com/nexteldirectconnect.

For customers that want Sprint’s Simply EverythingSM Plan that offers a truly unlimited experience for only $99.99 per month, and they can save $1,200 over two years vs. a comparable AT&T iPhone(R) plan2. (All price plans exclude surcharges and taxes. Other exclusions apply.)

Sprint is the only wireless carrier to offer Ready Now service with trained retail associates to work one-on-one with customers to personalize their Motorola Brute, set up features and demonstrate how it works before the customer leaves the store. Customers have the choice of sitting down with a Sprint retail associate at the time of purchase or they can schedule an appointment for a later time at www.sprint.com/storelocator.

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LG GT540 Android phone hands-on

Daniel Lim — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:50:36 +0000

LG’s second Android smartphone, the LG GT540, crept out at CES 2010 with less bang, more whimper, which is a shame since we’ve been waiting on the touchscreen handset since its existence first leaked back in November 2009. With scant details buried in a Korean-language press release, we stopped by the LG booth to find out more.

As expected the GT540 is a touchscreen-only device with no physical keyboard (unlike LG’s existing GW640), running at 320 x 480 and using a resistive touch panel. Connectivity includes 3G HSDPA along with WiFi and Bluetooth, plus the usual GPS and microSD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphones jack. Around the back there’s a 3-megapixel camera with face detection and tagging.

LG have slapped their S-Class UI buttons onto the regular Android homescreen, and made some changes to the dialler, but otherwise the install looks relatively stock. However they’ve loaded a new media player app with native DivX support, among other codec types, and their Motion UI software which maps media and speed-dial shortcuts to various physical motions and gestures. Finally there’s their “social media manager”, which gives easier access to Facebook and other networks via a widget.

Availability is apparently set for April 2010 with a global release, though LG aren’t saying anything about specific carriers or pricing. Still, being billed as “your first smartphone” suggests they’re looking at entry-level markets.

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Cowon W2 Windows 7 MID makes it to CES 2010

Chris Davies — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:43:31 +0000

Cowon are best known for their PMPs – which often have tip-top audio quality – but it seems the lure of the MID is just too strong. The company have unveiled a new 4.8-inch 1024 x 600 Atom-based MID at CES 2010, the Cowon W2, running Windows 7 on a 1.33GHz processor with WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 and a brushed aluminum body.

Other specs include two full-sized USB 2.0 ports and a mini USB port, a USB device port (presumably for plugging the W2 into a computer and accessing it as an external drive) and integrated speaker and microphone. Cowon are also supplying adapter cables, one of which adds an ethernet port and monitor connection (we’re guessing VGA), the other which adds component/composite TV output.

The resolution of the display seems a little high – it’s the same as you’d find on a regular 10-inch netbook, despite the panel being half the size – and Cowon haven’t revealed storage or RAM (we’ll take a guess at a roughly 32GB SSD and 1GB memory). No word on availability or pricing, either.

[via DAP Review]

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T-Mobile UK to offer ICD Vega 15-inch Tegra Android tablet in 2010

Chris Davies — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:52:21 +0000

Tablet manufacturer ICD have joined forces with T-Mobile UK to announce the carrier’s “portable family hub tablet”, the new ICD Vega. The 15-inch slate uses NVIDIA’s Tegra 250 chipset and runs what will be a heavily customized build of Android 2.0 tailored to family use: that means shared calendars, internet access and SMS/MMS messaging support, with a T-Mobile SIM preinstalled for wireless connectivity.

WiFi is also supported, and since there’s a regular browser on the Vega you’ll be able to access all the usual sites: Facebook, MySpace and other social networking, along with internet radio and online shopping. There’s also an FM radio, on-demand TV and Full 1080p HD video playback support (though it’s worth noting that the Vega’s 15-inch display only runs at 1366 x 768, not 1080p resolution). The Vega will be able to automatically send out SMS updates for calendar reminders.

We’ll be catching up with the T-Mobile and ICD teams at CES 2010 today to find out more and get some hands-on time with the Vega. Unfortunately neither company has revealed exactly what you can expect to pay for the tablet (we’re guessing there’ll be a monthly subscription involved, which will hopefully help bring the initial sticker price down a bunch) nor when you’ll be able to buy one. More specifications here.

Press Release:

T-Mobile and ICD Reveal First Mobile Connected Tablet Made for Busy Families

Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Las Vegas, January 7, 2010 – Innovative Converged Devices (ICD) and T-Mobile UK today unveiled a new portable family hub tablet which will be available in the UK later this year. Visitors to CES were given a sneak preview of the first Android-based tablet with multiple mobile connections which will be featured in a new T-Mobile family offering.

Exclusive to T-Mobile in the UK, the centrepiece of the family hub is ICD’s new Vega, a 15” touchscreen device designed primarily to sit in the kitchen. The tablet offers one-touch access to a household calendar so families can organise their busy schedules in one place that everyone can always reach. It can be accessed by the whole family, wherever they are, via the web on a mobile, work computer, home PC or other devices with an Internet connection. The calendar automatically sends SMS text reminders to the family’s mobiles, putting an end to scraps of paper and nagging phone calls. And because it comes with a T-Mobile SIM on-board, it’s easy to make a quick hands-free call at the touch of a button. The family hub is a full-featured wireless tablet with Wi-Fi web browsing, on-demand TV, access to social networks, video chat and games, as well as an FM radio for the complete kitchen set-up.

The concept is in the final stages of development by T-Mobile UK and ICD and was created following extensive customer research and close collaboration over the past 18 months. The team wanted the most responsive experience available so the ICD Vega tablet is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 250 mobile web processor to provide uncompromised Internet browsing and full HD 1080p video playback even while the tablet is undocked from its base.

Richard Warmsley, Head of New Proposition Development, T-Mobile said: “We spoke to over 1,000 families who told us they often found it a hassle to organise a busy family life without nagging or forgotten appointments. They said that something simple and affordable to help with this would be invaluable. We took this as a challenge to do something new with technology that would be relevant to a wide range of customers, not just gadget lovers. We’re developing a fantastic package to meet exactly these needs – by creating a family communication network – using ICD’s exciting new Internet and entertainment tablet, with T-Mobile’s award-winning network at its heart. We look forward to bringing it to market later this year.”

“Bringing a high-end, well designed and engineered device to shelves at a mass market price has always been a Holy Grail for the consumer tech industry,” said David Hayes, CEO of ICD. “The close collaboration between T-Mobile UK, ICD and NVIDIA has allowed us to work quickly to integrate insights from consumer research directly into a compelling product with supporting services, solutions and content.”

Pricing and availability will be announced closer to the retail launch.

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