06:17 PM by MishaS in E-Book Software | Reading and Management

A new version of FBReader is available. Changes:

• Added package for Nokia 770.
• Fixed bug with file opening on reiserfs.
• Added support for iconv (this makes it possible to use system encodings and in general speeds up the conversion).

So finally a package for Nokia 770 is available. And if you are lucky owner, I'd appreciate if you tried the package and share your experience

I'd like to thank Nikolay Pultsin who created FBReader for his Zaurus (a Linux based computer as well) and then helped me with porting to Maemo.

09:39 AM by Colin Dunstan in E-Book General | News

Cambridge (UK)-based Plastic Logic raised another round worth USD $24m which will be used to commercialize the company's flexible 100ppi 800x600 active-matrix displays. Among the new investors are: BASF Venture Capital, Intel Capital, Morningside Technology Ventures and Quest for Growth.

Stuart Evans, CEO, said "We are excited to have reached this milestone as a company and receive this investment from both new and existing shareholders. These funds will accelerate Plastic Logic's move to commercial testing of prototype products and to finalise our manufacturing process for transfer to mass production. We are pleased that Morningside group, with its deep and broad experience in China's technology and media sectors, will help Plastic Logic develop its China business." "Materials will play a major role in the further development of the printable electronics market, and BASF is pleased to be associated with a leading edge company in this field like Plastic Logic," said Darren Budd, BASF Venture Capital's investment manager.

Related: Next generation E-Ink displays in the works!, Signs of the first e-newspaper device

05:55 AM by Colin Dunstan in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

According to a report by Telecoms Korea, Samsung has developed a technology aimed at improving the quality of LCD displays on mobile devices.

Samsung's MIE technology has a built-in algorithm for smooth video image conversion. By greatly improving the image quality in small size screens, this technology is expected to raise the quality of video content as well as digital multimedia broadcasts received via handheld terminals.

Furthermore, the technology is said to reduce power consumption of the screen by 30 percent. Samples of the display driver IC ship this month.

05:46 AM by Colin Dunstan in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

Palm has partnered with CEC Telecom (a subsidiary of Qiao Xing Universal Telephone) to launch Palm Treo 650 smartphones in China, accompanied with a large-scale marketing campaign. The Treo 650 will sell for 5,500 Yuan.

More over at PalmAddicts.

05:32 AM by Colin Dunstan in Miscellaneous | Lounge

Handheld video is the next thing. Need more proof? Check out this article appearing in the Dallas Morning News today.

As legitimate video download services proliferate, and such companies as Diversified make it easier to transfer your own video files to any portable player, experts say, demand for players is set to take off... Peter Winkler, global director in the entertainment and media practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said that Apple's splashy entrance into the portable video market will probably accelerate adoption of the devices. "Apple launched their video iPod with a deal already in place, which was a significant step," Winkler said. "Once multiple content owners see that and they see that there is a commercial viability for this model, they're going to want to get in on the action."

Related posts:
Mobile video about to explode, Mobile TV is gaining viewers, And the Emmy for best movie on iPod goes to...

05:19 AM by Colin Dunstan in Miscellaneous | Lounge

Interesting thought by Roland and I cannot agree more:

RSS is the real convergence medium; it's already the transport for multi-media on the web. If you want your audio, video or whatever to get circulated and noticed, the best way to to do this is to put a link to it in an RSS feed with enclosures!

Check out his full post.

05:14 AM by Colin Dunstan in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

Check out this Engadget post - in particular the comments part! - for a bunch of tips and tricks related to Palm OS and to the Palm Treo in particular. Examples:

• A must have for every Treo owner: "The Core Pocket Media Player" (TCPMP).. Fantastic way to watch video on your device. I regularly watch full movies or episodes of tv shows:
  http://tcpmp.corecodec.org/about
• Unlocking Bluetooth Dial-Up Networking:
  http://www.shadowmite.com
  Best trick if you have bluetooth on your laptop and no wi-fi connection.
• KeyCaps650 is THE most essential hack for the Treo 650. It enables hold-to-capitalize and double-tap-for-symbols functionality, which makes for a very FAST keyboard interface on this marvelous device.
  http://www.geekandproud.net/software/keycaps650.php

05:08 AM by Colin Dunstan in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

Research In Motion's Blackberry E-mail pager service came closer to being blocked in the U.S. after the company lost two rounds in the long-running patent lawsuit. US District Judge James R. Spencer yesterday rejected RIM's argument that a March draft settlement with patent-holder NTP was final. He also refused to delay the suit and told lawyers to prepare arguments on blocking U.S. BlackBerry service and on how much Research In Motion should pay NTP for infringing its patents.

We know Christmas should be a time of love, but it seems unlikely anyone at RIM feels like celebrating this year.

More over at ZDNet