05:34 PM by Bob Russell in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

Ta da... Popabrella. Yep, it's our silly post for the day.

It's really a tiny umbrella made to attach to the tripod mount on cameras and camcorders to keep them safe from the weather, but I'm sure someone could adapt it to be hand-mounted for use with mobile devices! Cute idea.

Via The Gadgeteer.

05:26 PM by Bob Russell in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

I must be out of the loop. I didn't know there was a push email solution for the PalmOS Treos that didn't require a server service. You know, where you hire some remote server to handle the email for you so that you immediately know when "you have mail!"

The program I used in the past was Versamail, and it let you set an interval to check the mail server. So if you set it to check every 10mins, then you would at least know that you would be notified within 10mins of a new email. But that's not push, which is supposed to send the immediate notification to your handheld device without having to go out on the network to check for mail.

Blackberry devices have push email, and Microsoft has announced some push-like solutions for Windows Mobile. And I think there are solutions for push mail on the PalmOS platform with GoodLink (not sure about the name, but that service sticks in my mind). Wasn't there even a Treo site that offered a free service on their server? I don't remember, but I've never been too comfortable sending my email through a third party free service. Well, I guess I do it with Gmail, but that's a pretty well established commodity.

At any rate, I was quite surprised when I saw a Palm Addicts post on Chatter 2.0 with push email capabilities, and no server service. If you have a Treo and want to know exactly when you have an email, this might be worth checking out. Now we just need to figure out how to not be addicted to email so we can still get work done and be productive!

"Version 2.0 of the $39.95 Real Time Email Application Includes Dozens of Enhancements and Support for the Recently Introduced Palm Treo 700pChatterEmail (www.chatteremail.com), a leading developer of real time 'push' email applications for the Palm OS(R) based series of Treo(TM) smartphones, today announced the availability of ChatterEmail 2.0 with new and enhanced features allowing Treo smartphone users to directly access the email in real time without the added complexity and expense of third party servers or desktop redirector. Version 2.0 of ChatterEmail has been tested and is compatible with the recently announced Treo 700P and includes new features to enhance message handling as well as set up wizards for quick configuration. ChatterEmail 2.0 is the perfect Treo upgrade for individuals and business that want real time email communication but do not need the expense and complexity associated with other enterprise solutions."

Via PalmAddict.

05:13 PM by Bob Russell in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

The .mobi domains are now available for trademark owners in a limited registration period until August 22nd. The real fights begin when it's a free-for-all starting August 28th. Find our comprehensive review of the .mobi domains in this previous article.

Related link: The .mobi domain wins ICANN approval

Via The Register.

05:05 PM by Bob Russell in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

An Origami device is supposed to have a 7" diagonal screen, so it sure couldn't be in a cell phone, right? Well that was my first impression, but it turns out that there is a cell phone prototype that kind of turns that logic on it's end.

First of all, I did a little digging and found out that "The mimimum requirements for UMPC are a maximum screen size of 7" diagonally, a touch panel, and a minimum display resolution of 800x480." Note that it says a maximum screen size, not required screen size. Of course the minimum display resolution would make a 7" screen the most obvious choice for UMPC device design.

But what if you could use folding e-paper for the screen? You could really do some amazing things if you can manage the folding correctly and not mess up the touch panel requirements.

But it's hard enough to get out an e-ink e-book reader these days, so I think this is more like a "dream phone" than a "concept phone". As the original article says, "Not so sure of the technical feasibility of this concept - looks more like a very bad Photoshopped effort rather than a serious concept phone."

If you really want to see some neat phone concepts, follow the author's link to these! Or maybe this Windows CE 5.0 WiBro PDA with WLAN!

Via Wireless-Watch.

10:50 AM by Alexander Turcic in More E-Book Readers | iRex

Turn up your Windows Media player to view the following 3:30mins video clip (direct link) on e-paper and the iLiad iRex in particular. It's amazing to watch this guy from Plastic Logic hitting the prototype of a flexible e-paper with his shoe, like, there is nothing better you could do with it. Some screen captures attached for those who cannot play Windows Media files.

Edit: Somehow I must've missed it that our savvy reader masc pointed to the same clip a few days ago.

It could mean a revolution for the publishing business - its called electronic paper - a computer device that can hold one hundred books or receive a newspaper downloaded to it while you sit on the train. But instead of a flickering computer screen to give you a headache, the makers claim its just like reading from normal paper. British consumers get their first chance to buy the product within the next couple of weeks. But are we really ready to say goodbye to the traditional book?

10:17 AM by Alexander Turcic in E-Book General | News

Just about a year after Prime View International (PVI) acquired the electrophoretic display business of Philips, the company is now ready to offer ODM/OEM services to customers who want to develop and low-cost volume produce their own E Ink-based products such as e-book displays, e-reader and e-price labels.

PVI's e-paper business builds upon a solid track record with key clients such as Sony ("Sony LIBRIe") and Jinke Electronics ("Hanlin eBook V2").

Thanks to Richard Anderson for the tip!

08:49 AM by Alexander Turcic in More E-Book Readers | iRex

So for all you naysayers, doubters, and pessimists, guess what? One of our readers received word from an iRex representative claiming that the iLiad device will become available through their webstore before the end of this month.

The price of EURO 549.00 exclusive VAT and shipping costs hasn't changed from what I heard back in March, so whether this is a good thing or not (hey, the longer you wait the more expensive it could get) is up to you.

09:25 PM by Bob Russell in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

Looks like Sony will be coming out with new phone models as early as this summer together with KDDI, Japan's second largets telecoms operator, according to an AFP news article.

The article also reminds us that "Internet and telecoms firm Softbank Corp. is reportedly in talks with Apple Computer Inc. to develop an iPod phone."

Sony Walkman phones are not completely new, and you can see that Sony Ericsson is working to bring some new features to the phone market. One example is the W710 WALKMAN® phone <direct link may not work, so you may have to navigate the site yourself>, which "includes a motion sensor plus new fitness applications that measure your running speed, distance and time, or simply count your steps when walking."

And don't forget that they have the K790a Cyber-shot™ digital still camera and mobile phone.

Could it be that instead of a fight between single-purpose handheld devices and convergent devices, we are going to see various levels of devices fighting it out? Single-purpose, dual-purpose, "gently combined", and "all-in-one" might each have their own niche in the market.

Via Yahoo.