10:58 AM by Alexander Turcic in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

I recommend you visit Brighthand who gives some details on the upcoming iPAQs for 2004. According to Brighthand, HP isn't planning to release any new handhelds for more than two months. And long-time iPAQ users will be disappointed to learn that the company is phasing out the use of expansion packs, which won't be necessary anymore with all the built-in functionality and the availability of CompactFlash or SDIO cards.

One new iPAQ on the list will be a new hx4700 model with 128MB of RAM, plus more than 20MB in a File Store. Another device, the hx2700, a replacement for the h5550, will include a fingerprint scanner, which could be useful for security protection in larger cooperations.

10:14 AM by Alexander Turcic in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

MaxiumPDA features a mini review on the new Dell Axim X3i (Dell's first PPC to include both Bluetooth and WiFi).

Technical details at a glance
- 64 MB RAM / 64 MB ROM
- Intel PXA 263 CPU running at 400 MHZ
- integrated Bluetooth
- integrated WLAN 802.11b
- Windows Mobile 2003 Software
- SDIO-Slot
- small and handy formfacot

Summery of the review: "The Dell Axim X3i is a great device at a moderate price. If you are a power user, don't forget to order the larger battery."

05:09 AM by Colin Dunstan in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

Imagine a world where the news and information you want to see is available in non-traditional ways -- you can find the weather and the latest stock quotes from the ultimate handheld communication device -- the size of a pen.

Universal Display Corporation (NASDAQ:PANL, PHLX: PNL), who is a leading developer of organic light emitting devices (OLED), wants to make this possible. The company will present a collection of new design concepts for 'Portable Light' at Wired's NextFest in San Francisco, May 14th to 16th . This exhibit will show the work of students from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design who participated in the Soft Design Studio, taught by Professor Sheila Kennedy and sponsored by Universal Display.

The company is still losing money, but it could be one of the rising stars among small caps companies in near future.

04:53 AM by Colin Dunstan in Archive | Portable Audio/Video

Some pooh-poohed the assorted colors of Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod mini as frivolous, but the digital music players are a smash hit and have become fashion accessories in and of themselves, says Duncan Martell from Reuters.

Too bad those sleek gadgets still take more than six weeks to be shipped (from the time the order was placed). And on EBay Inc., iPod minis -- sealed and in the box -- were listed for auction with multiple bids topping $300 (regular price is around $250).

Only time will tell if the iPod mini has indeed "resonated with the digerati", as industry analysts like to predict.

05:50 PM by TadW in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

The update is initially only for those who own a Sprint version of the phone, with other carriers still in the process of testing the update on their networks.

The Sprint update is downloadable now, while updates for other carriers such as Cingular, AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile are listed as "coming soon."

Among the issues addressed with the Sprint release are enhancements to the browser and e-mail program as well as enhancements designed to improve the device's audio-quality reliability.

05:15 PM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Announcements

I enhanced our RSS feed support. If your RSS Reader supports RSS2.0, use the following feed in future:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/external.php?type=rss2

or, if you only want to be updated on frontpage articles, use:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/ext...forumids=front

New: Article content, links, images, etc. are preserved.

If you don't have a RSS Reader yet, I heartly recommend FeedDemon (MS Windows), which costs $29.95, and is the best Reader I've seen so far. If you run Mac OS, NetNewsWire is your choice!

08:06 AM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Lounge

A Polish-Egyptian team has found what it believes to be the site of the Library of Alexandria, often described as the world's first major seat of learning.

This is not just any library: Two thousand years ago, the library housed works by the greatest thinkers and writers of the ancient world.

It was at the library that Archimedes invented the screw-shaped water pump that is still in use today. At Alexandria Eratosthenes measured the diameter of the Earth, and Euclid discovered the rules of geometry. Ptolemy wrote the Almagest at Alexandria. It was the most influential scientific book about the nature of the Universe for 1,500 years.

The library was later destroyed, possibly by Julius Caesar who had it burned as part of his campaign to conquer the city.

Makes me wonder what researchers will find in 2000 years from today: a moldered computer labelled 'New York Public Library'?

03:59 PM by Colin Dunstan in Archive | Portable Audio/Video

My second post on a new Sony gadget today. Sony deserves my respect, therefore I decide to name it the most innovative company of the day
The VGF-AP1 features a 20Gb harddrive and is capable of displaying digital photos through its 2.2 inch 320x256 color LCD display. Digital cameras may connect via USB to the player's cradle to transfer images.

With its body of features, the Sony VAIO Pocket VGF-AP1 weighs in at 195g with a USB 2.0 interface. Sony claims maximum of 20 hours of battery life.

Sony has developed a unique input button grid dubbed "G-Sense." G-Sense offers up touchpad navigation where users scroll through a list of files simply by gesturing their finger toward their selection. The selected song is played by the click of a button.

The VAIO Pocket VGF-AP1 is capable of playing MP3, WMA and WAV audio, but, alas, first converts the formats to ATRAC3.

To me the VGF-AP1 doesn't look that hot with the dark grey case, but who knows, maybe Sony will offer other designs as well.