Pocketables

Romo Kickstarter project turns your mobile device into a robot

At this point in time I think we're past the point where we're wondering if Skynet is going to happen and are instead wondering what product will eventually make the leap. Maybe it'll be a mixture; Siri's voice recognition, Google's information access, and Facebook's personal information database. If that's the case, I think I just found the thing that'll give Skynet mobility - the Romo. It's a Kickstarter (crowd funding site) project that aims to mass produce a robotic base that will host a mobile device to act as its brain and allow it to move around and perform various tasks. 

Most of the magic of the Romo happens in software. The base is basically just a pair of motorized belts that are controlled with audio signals from a host device. Since you only need some very simple commands to controlt he motors, such an audio interface is both simple and very universal. While the project creators initially aim for Android and iOS apps, there's nothing hardware-wise stopping this from working on anything that can fit on the base, emit audio signals, and run apps. 

Three apps are planned initially. The first lets you remote control the Romo using another mobile device and also interface with the camera to give the robot eyes. The second app is essentially a real life version of Mario Kart, where you race against your friend and gain virtual power ups which can disable the other players' Romos if used correctly. The third is a programmable mode that uses drag and drop programming elements to allow anyone to program the Romo to do things like walk your...eh...hamster, bring you a soda or take over the world navigate a maze.

The project is looking for $32000 in funding and have already reached that goal with 41 days to go. To get your own Romo sometime around February of next your you'll have to pledge $78, with additional options available including one that will get a limited edition Romo into your hands by Christmas. 

[Kickstarter] 

KT Spider phone 1-ups the Motorola Atrix with laptop, tablet, and gaming docks

If you were impressed with the Motorola Atrix's laptop dock or a fan of the Asus PadFone and its tablet dock, then I have what should be exciting news for you. A new device from Korean manufacturer KT is going to have not one but three different Atrix-like accessories designed to extend its functionality.

Called the Spider, the phone itself is no slouch in the hardware department. It packs a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and a 4.5-inch 1280 x 800 display. All this power is crammed into a case only 0.37 inches thick, so the Gingerbread device shouldn't be bulky. 

Still, the real excitement about this product comes from the accessories. The first is a Bluetooth gamepad, which allows the phone to dock between the two sets of buttons. It looks like an awkwardly sized PSP, but it should still provide a better gaming experience than a touchscreen.

When you want a larger screen, you can dock the phone into a 10.1-inch tablet, which in the pictures looks pretty sleek (considering the phone docked in it). When using the tablet, the device's Gingerbread UI will be tweaked for the larger screen.

Lastly, when you need to use a real keyboard and get work done, you can use the laptop dock. The phone integrates as the laptop's touchpad, instead of docking in the back like the Atrix. 1GB of RAM and a dual-core processor should be sufficient for most tasks, and yet again the UI has been optimized for a desktop experience. Both the laptop and tablet docks have their own batteries, so you don't need to worry about draining your phone when using them.

No pricing for the device was announced at the event today, and the company is so far only planning a release in Korea. However, if the Spider does make it to the US with its numerous accessories, it could change what people mean by having a smartphone as the center of your digital life.

[Android Pit]

Video review: Blurex leather case for the HTC Flyer

 

Since the release of the HTC Flyer, there hasn’t been too many slim cases out there to choose from. I wanted something as slim as possible and found this Bluerex leather case on Amazon. And what better way to show it to you than to do a quick video review while I'm still on vacation?

Going mobile with HTC Flyer and the Executive Nook case

 

For those who have purchased the HTC Flyer (or EVO View) and have been looking for a non-staining case to protect it, Best Buy has the Executive Jacket for the B&N Nook on sale for just $14.99. The regular price is listed at $39.99 so you would be saving $25.00.

It looks like Best Buy might be clearing out this model, as I noticed that they also carry an Executive Jacket that is slightly different than the one I picked up. But for the price I couldn't pass up on the deal.

Air Guitar Move turns iPhone into air guitar that works

Kickstarter is one of my favorite websites. It's a site where people who have an idea can show it to the public and get funding directly from consumers who "pledge" their project, normally by preordering a product at the same time. One such idea comes from a pair of young inventors who both have related products under their belt already, and it's called the Air Guitar Move.

The Air Guitar Move is an accessory for the iPhone that's basically a guitar pick-shaped sensor that connects via the dock connector. The guitar pick part has a motion sensor and sends data to the iPhone, where various apps combine the sensor input with on-screen game controls to form the rest of the virtual guitar. You use the pick to strike the imaginary strings, just as you would with an air guitar.

It certainly beats touchscreen-based Guitar Hero games for authenticity, and it's a clever idea that I'm sure will interest many wannabe-guitarists. You can currently preorder the Air Guitar Move for $39 through Kickstarter, and you'll only be charged if the project reaches its $25,000 funding goal within the next 24 days. Alternatively, you can pick up the Elago guitar pick-shaped capacitive stylus for $9.99 and jam out in any of the virtual guitar apps that iOS has plenty of.

[Kickstarter]

Official HTC Flyer dock shows up at Best Buy

Assuming your HTC Flyer isn't stained black, then here's something to complement the Gingerbread tablet's pristine silver and white hardware.

It's the official microUSB desktop docking station that holds the Flyer in portrait mode and supports an MHL adapter via a rear port. It's also got what looks to be a large power button on the back that likely involves an LED ring that glows or blinks in different colors to indicate charging status.

The dock is currently backordered at Best Buy but will cost you $49.99 when it ships either directly to you or to your nearest store for pick-up. I assume the dock will eventually be available in black to match the HTC EVO View 4G (Sprint's version of the Flyer) but if you don't care about the color and just want the functionality, then have at it below.

[Best Buy]

Warning: Rocketfish Mobile leather folio stains HTC Flyer

All photos taken by Sean Lee.

There aren't a whole lot of HTC Flyer accessories out there right now, especially in local stores, so you may be tempted to pay $52.99 for Best Buy's Rocketfish Mobile leather folio. It's a nice-looking case with a slim profile, magnetic closure, and the option to fold it backward for use as a stand.

But don't buy it.

I used it for a few weeks with the Flyer and while I was perfectly happy while doing so, I was oblivious to what was going on inside the case. What I discovered while preparing to send the loaner unit back to HTC was that the black lining had stained the device's white plastic. And based on my cleaning attempts, the stains appear to be permanent.

Where to find HTC Flyer accessories

When I purchased my HTC Flyer, I was hoping to pick up some accessories for it. But as is usual with non-Apple devices, the choices were slim. At the time of purchase the only accessories Best Buy had in stock were Screen Coverage invisibleSHIELDs and Magic Pens. I prefer to cover all of my devices in Full Body Easy to Install invisibleSHIELD. Thankfully, Zagg has these in stock and I just ordered one.

Others of course prefer cases but even as of today neither Best Buy nor Best Buy Business have any available. Expansys USA, however, has the HTC Flyer In-Box Pouch available and ready to ship.

Official BlackBerry PlayBook Bluetooth keyboard coming this summer

 

When the BlackBerry PlayBook training guide was leaked last month, it included a slide showing a Mini Bluetooth Keyboard described as being "perfectly sized to fit the same footprint as the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet," with availability listed as "summer 2011."

Shortly after that, BlackBerry Rocks produced a blurry photo (below) of what seems to be the actual keyboard depicted in the renders. The large palmrest beneath the keys, the size in relation to the hand holding it, and the BlackBerry logo to the right of the spacebar are a dead giveaway, though keep in mind that even if this is the real keyboard, it may not be the final version.

Wacom still likes pens, intros stylus for capacitive screens

Do you remember resistive touch screens? I do, and I also remember that one necessary accessory that made them . . . well, somewhat useful. The stylus. Ever since capacitive screens became the (affordable) norm, however, styli have simply been fading away in the eyes of consumers.

But Wacom, the leading stylus manufacturer for resistive screens and its own Wacom tablets, has decided it wants to bring its most popular product back into the hands of customers.

Today, the company unleashed its latest stylus. And while that's not the sort of accessory we really cover here, it raises an interesting question: are styli still relevant in today's capacitive world?

Personally, I don't think that they are for necessarily everyone, but there are those incredibly talented artists who may find a stylus (or an assortment of styli) better than their assortment of fingers for drawing.  And then there's the HTC Flyer/EVO View 4G to think about. That has a capacitive screen and a capacitive stylus, as well.

Are these two companies on to something? I can't tell for sure, but I hope that if they are, they have some incredibly attractive things to offer with it.

[GottaBeMobile]