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Gadget size comparisons are pretty common around here and since this is probably the last time I'll be able to put one together this year, I've gathered more of my mobile devices than usual to pose with the newly unboxed Kohjinsha PA series. Have a look below.
Mark it down, Maemo fans: November 10th, 2009. The day that we finally can see the light at the end of the tunnel and start to envision our very own Nokia N900 in our hands very soon, thanks to Nokia officially announcing the shipping of their long-awaited smartphone. It seems that we have been writing about this device forever, and while we have been waiting, the iPhone and Android juggernauts just keep gaining steam.
Of course, there are about 300 lucky users out there who have been running early-release versions of the hardware in order to help Nokia iron out the last few kinks in the all-new Maemo 5 software, but now it is finally time for the rest of us.
Myself, I have been eagerly anticipating the N900 since it was first announced, paying little attention to the fact that it will operate only on the T-Mobile 3G band here in the US, even though I currently use AT&T. No matter, the device is unlocked and will work fine without 3G for me, since this will be the replacement for my beloved Nokia N800 and Nokia N810WE internet tablets that have served me well over the last few years.
Who is with me on the N900 and will be buying one as soon as possible? Or have the announcements of the HTC HD2 and Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 caused some hesitation on your part?
The search for a new writer to cover the daily news while I'm on maternity leave ended very well a few weeks ago, and I'm pleased to introduce Jeremy To as the newest addition to Pocketables.
Currently based in Hong Kong, Jeremy has roots in the UK, works as a graphic designer, and has a long-standing relationship with technology and portable gadgets. The Nokia N900, Palm Pre, HTC Hero, and Motorola Droid are among the devices that currently haunt him, though he handles the torment well by balancing his gadget obsession with an interest in photography, art, music, outdoor sports, and gaming.
You'll start seeing Jeremy's posts tomorrow and will continue to be treated to Chris King's contributions for the rest of the year as well (be sure to check the byline to find out who's writing what).
As for me, this is actually my last full week on the site until at least mid-January 2010. I'll try to drop in here, in the forum, and on Twitter when possible before then, but being a first-time mom to a baby girl will of course be my top priority. I'll probably be too delirious from sleep deprivation to write anything coherent, anyway. And besides, with Chris and Jeremy at the helm, Pocketables will be left in good hands.
Thanks for your continued support!
It isn't a stylish device by any means, but the new Atom-powered Kohjinsha PA series is now available and shipping worldwide from Conics to anyone who can overlook aesthetics in favor of versatility and function. Yes, the bezel surrounding the unit's 4.8-inch touchscreen is too thick and cluttered with buttons/controls, but its convertible form factor, 32GB SSD, optical mouse, and standard ports make it an interesting alternative to the UMID mbook M1 and a compelling choice for a Windows XP-based MID/UMPC.
But before I can get into any device comparisons, general impressions, and other usage notes, I need to get the PA series out of the box first.
It's now been a few months since the Zune HD starting popping up in our favorite electronics retailers, but for those of us who actually took the plunge, we have now been rewarded. Over the weekend, Microsoft released a new firmware update for the challenger from Redmond, bringing the version to 4.3, more speed to the browser, and a fix for a playcount bug that had been plaguing many users.
In addition to those improvements, there are quite a number of other tweaks and fixes. Some of the more notable ones are predictive text entry, full-width landscape keyboard, and faster startup along with faster app launching and closing. Also making the cut is an improved tap-to-zoom feature in the browser and a setting to choose either a mobile or desktop version of a website.
Since we reviewed the Zune HD back in September, I have used mine sparingly due only to the fact that I simply juggle too many devices. However, this new update fixes many of the issues I had, like the browser speed and the small landscape keyboard, so now I'm looking forward to bringing my Zune out of semi-retirement.
[zune.net]
With CES 2010 looming in the next few months, I just had a random flashback to last year's show and the "hot" product that everyone seemed to be showing off. Pico projectors were supposed to be the next big thing and they were going to be everywhere and affordable, but so far the jury is still out on both fronts.
Nearly a year later, there are a few devices available to purchase, like the MPro110 and MPro120 from 3M and the Pico PK100-series from Optoma. Also, the promise of integrated modules has been seen in various prototype cell phones and media players, as well as the Nikon Coolpix S1000pj digital camera.
Besides price, which usually is in the $250-$450 range, the other shortcoming that hasn't helped the adoption of these tiny projectors is the dismal performance from the LED lightsource. They are supposed to be convenient, but when you need to hunt around for a pitch black room to use them, it defeats the purpose somewhat.
I have a Toshiba TDP-FF1AU that I purchased a few years back; it suffers from the same brightness problems and is larger than the latest generation, but it's definitely still useful to me. I'm glad to see them getting smaller, and hopefully both the light and battery technology can keep improving.
So is anyone using one of these regularly, and are you satisfied with the performance? Chime in with your comments or experiences.
The UMID mbook M1 may not please everyone with its limited amount of RAM, non-standard ports, and lack of a pointing device, but something about its compact clamshell design is obviously compelling enough for other companies to rebrand the unit as their own.
First it was Kohjinsha, who chose one of the lower configurations and called it the PM series. And now it's French technology group Sagemcom, who hopes to begin selling the Spiga PocketBook, which is basically the 3G-enabled UMID with an 8GB SSD and 1.1GHz Intel Atom CPU, this month for €499 (~$742). If mobile operators and their data contracts become involved, the price of the device will of course be lower.
Whether you consider yourself either an Apple apologist or someone who can't stand the mere mention of anything associated with the iPhone, there is no denying that Apple has dramatically changed the way we use our smartphones and they have also pushed other companies to think outside the box. Without the App Store, there would probably not be an Android Market or a Windows Marketplace for Mobile, so to say that Apple has reinvented things is a bit of an understatement.
Today, the App Store further entrenches itself in the driver's seat, with there now being over 100,000 apps available for download to your iPhone or iPod touch. Games, productivity tools, news readers, music and video players, and even a basic version of Photoshop are all available, many for free.
It's hard to believe that the iPhone originally did not have the ability to officially download apps, and it seems so long ago, even though it has been less than two years. I couldn't imagine using my iPhone without many of the useful apps I have downloaded, so here's to a bright future and the next 100,000 apps.
If you've been waiting for SmartDevices to release the SmartQ V7, then you'll be happy to hear that it is now available in China for 1500 yuan (~$220). Though cosmetically identical to the SmartQ 7, the V7 is actually the big brother of the SmartQ V5 and classified as an HD MID. The tablet is capable of playing back full HD 1080p video and outputting the signal to a TV/monitor via an HDMI or analogue composite connection. Like the V5, the SmartQ V7 can also run Ubuntu, Windows CE, and Android with all three operating systems pre-installed from the factory.
Other features include a 7-inch WVGA touchscreen, 600MHz ARM11 CPU, WiFi (802.11 b/g) and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR connectivity, 4500mAH li-polymer battery, 256MB RAM, 2GB of inbuilt storage, and a microSD slot supporting up to 32GB. The HD MID can also receive the PPS Network TV-on-demand service, streaming a large variety of news, movies, sports, and other television programs for users to enjoy.
The choice of operating systems and HD video playback/output capabilities of the SmartQ V7 makes it a very versatile internet tablet and PMP. There currently is no news on availability outside of China, although there appears to be a few units available on eBay for inflated prices of over $400. Any takers?
At its Annual General Meeting a few days ago, Creative surprisingly announced its intention to enter the growing e-reader market with a new product currently designated as the Zii MediaBook (mock-up at left). Unlike other e-readers from companies such as Amazon and Sony that feature electronic paper displays and limited additional functionality beyond e-books, the MediaBook will be positioned as more of a complete media device with full multimedia and internet functionality.
There currently are no finalized specifications, but early reports suggest the device will sport a large full-color LCD touchscreen (around 7 inches), a text-to-speech function, and an SD card slot; it is also rumored to use Creative's Zii Technology, specifically the ZiiLABS ZMS-05 processor. This indicates some impressive capabilities including multitouch support, decoding for most audio and video formats, HD (720/1080p) video output, and support for Creative's Plaszma OS and/or Google's Android OS. With the promised online functions, we can also assume the MediaBook includes WiFi and maybe even 3G connectivity. Creative is currently negotiating with 10 international and local (Singaporean) publishers to provide content for the Zii MediaBook.
Unfortunately there are no further details concerning price and launch dates, but epiZENter found a leaked video taken at Creative's AGM event showing the Zii MediaBook's prospective design and UI. Check it out below.
