Gizmos, gadgets and personal technology

Sick and tired of being lost, and don’t want the hassle of flicking through paper street directories?  The latest GPS gadgets will definitely whet your interest then.

Altina A680

This Taiwanese model offers a wide 4-inch 480 x 272 screen, with impressive features such as a FM transmitter to hear voice directions over your car audio system, an AV input jack, MP3 player and MP4 movie player.  If that’s not enough, there is also a 2MP camera and SD card slot for additional storage.

ASUS GPS-enabled P series Phone

Rumour has it that ASUS is working on a GPS-enabled smartphone based on the Windows Mobile 6 platform.  Features include 520MHz PXA27x processor, 256MB of ROM, 128MB of RAM as well as WiFi, Bluetooth and FM transmitters.

Takara GP4

Priced affordably for the European market, the Takara GP4 offers a 3.6-inch screen for £125 or €180, and offers a pedestrian mode as well.  The maps come on an SD card which is preloaded with maps of United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

Lenart Studios Surf Radio

If you can’t bear to be lost while surfing, here’s a gadget with a twist - a GPS enabled surfboard, with a built in radio.  It uses both to “give surfers updated information about their location, rip currents, and building swells”.  It also functions as a walkie talkie between surfers; and in extreme situations, sends out a distress call in emergencies.

ASUS R600

The ASUS R600 boasts an auto light sensor to adjust the backlighting of the LCD panel according to the lighting situation. It offers a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 Pixels display, MP3 playback as well as video and photo viewing, and built in Bluetooth 2.0 handsfree integration with mobile phones.  It also comes with 128mb built in memory with SD card expansion.

LG LN790

Another one to support 4.3″ touchscreen and Bluetooth pairing, the LG LN790 has all the North American maps preloaded, streaming live traffic data from 50 US cities.  It allows playback of MP3s, videos and photos via the SD slot.  Expect in in September at a list price of $699.

Sanyo NVM-4070 and NVM-4050

Two new models from Sanyo offer a 4-inch touchscreen, built-in Bluetooth, MP3/WMA/WAV support, and pre-loaded maps of the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico.  They’re priced at $500 and $400 respectively, with the $100 premium for the benefit of a Traffic Message Channel support for real-time traffic data, as well as music streaming through the built-in FM transmitter.  Nice!

With all these new gadgets for GPS navigation being offered, there’s now really no excuse for being lost when you’re out and about.

Amidst rumours of new iPods Nanos and such, the competition is continuing to churn out new and cool looking music playing devices. I for one can’t complain - let’s take a closer look at some of them:

Sony Network Walkman NWD-B100

This USB-plug type MP3 player is coming to Europe in August (no US release date yet) and the best thing about is that Sony have finally gotten rid of their proprietary ATRAC format, in favour of more conventional MP3 and WMA. Now we can finally ditch the dismal Sonic Stage for transferring songs. The NWD-B100 comes in 1GB and 2GB models, and features a FM tuner, mic/voice recorder, up to 12 hours of battery life.

Microsoft Zune, Take 2

One million units later, the Zune still isn’t doing very well according to the critics. Hoping to address that concern, Microsoft will be releasing a new version in time for the holiday season. The details and features are a little sketchy (read entirely based on rumours and heresay), but one of the cool things planned is upgradable firmware for future-proofing the device in terms of new software features.

Cowon iAudio 7

Engadget has a roundup of reviews of this portable media player, which has supposedly “better audio quality” than the iPod. With 4GB and 8GB versions, and an interesting looking “swing touch” interface, and FLAC and OGG support, there’s a lot to like about this little fella.

Toshiba Gigabeat MET401

Not much here, but the latest Gigabeat portable music player from Toshiba has been filed with the FCC. One noteworthy feature is that it is equipped with Wi-fi, ala Zune, but hopefully not as lame.

Yamaha BODiBEAT

I’m still undecided whether to throw this one in the gimmicky or useful bucket yet, but this music player from Yamaha claims to be “the first music playback device that synchronizes your music to the movement of your workout”. Apparently it monitors your pulse and then selects a song that matches the pace of your exercise.

Finally, if all that hasn’t satisfied your appetite for the latest portable music players, here’s a roundup review article from Wired of the latest flash players. Enjoy!

The more I think about it, the more our technology is straying into the realm of Star Trek. Thankfully we’re not all donning skin-tight spandex suits yet, but when we start wearing our technology, someone has to make the hard calls on what’s fashionable and sexy. Hot or not? Read on for our verdicts!

NEC Leather Belt Phone

This concept phone from NEC doubles as a leather belt, I’m hoping you can answer the phone without taking your belt off each time. Just try not to check your phone screen too often though, otherwise people might start thinking that you have an unhealthy obsession about your crotch.

Verdict: HOT in a not-so practical kinda way

Arriva/iPod Shuffle Wireless Headphones

The designers at Arriva probably thought they were onto something when they combined a neckband type headphone unit with a 2nd-gen iPod shuffle, thus making it “wireless”. Kudos for simplicity, not so for coolness. Hey buddy, is that a iPod Shuffle stuck to that back of your head?

Verdict: Definitely NOT, unless you’re intending to be the target for schoolyard bullies.

Lord of the GPS Rings

A British Royal College of Art designer dreamt this up, no doubt after a marathon session of watching A.I. and Men In Black I and II. This GPS navigation unit has two rings that you wear on both hands, and they vibrate to tell whether to turn left or right. No, E.T. you can keep your ugly alien tech, thank you very much.

Verdict: NOT in a million years!

THiX RE Dual LCD Watch

This one doesn’t do much other than tell the time and sit on your wrist and look pretty, but oh how very pretty it is. It has a dual backlit LCD that can be set to different time zones, functions (day/date), and has other cool features such as a stopwatch, multiple alarm settings, and being water-resistant up to 100 feet.

Verdict: H-O-T, with a capital-H!

Well there you have it folks, the latest from the world of wearable technology, complete with our recommendations on whether to match these with your Armani suits, or whether you’d be sitting ducks for the fashion police. Don’t say we didn’t warn you…

Our cousins in England will be able to enjoy mobile internet surfing through the PocketSurfer2 from Datawind, which is an “ultra-thin, portable internet communications device”.  With an interesting business model, Datawind offers no activation or usage charges for the first 12 months (up to 20 hours per month) even though the devices uses GPRS to connect to the internet.  If you think that is a bit measly, you can opt for an additional GBP 5.99 per month plan for unlimited surfing.

Specification wise, the PocketSurfer2 has a 640 x 240 pixel full colour screen, a backlit QWERTY thumboard and integrated mouse pointer. Battery life is five hours of active usage and five days on standby and supports displaying full HTML layout with graphics and java support.

This sounds like a really good concept - more like a thin client as opposed to the do-it-all PDAs that weigh our pockets down.  With an always-on internet connection that is accessible practically anywhere, everything you need (calendar, email, wikipedia) is literally at your fingertips.

What better way to kill time on the move, than by indulging in your favourite TV programs. Here are the latest PMP and Mobile TV device announcements, but here’s the catch - these are for the Chinese/Japanese market and we will probably never get our grubby little paws on them.

Prrasio 035A 1Seg

The Japanese are at it again, this time producing a 1cm thick Digital TV device, featuring a 320×180 resolution (H.264 compatible) screen and 100gm weight. Sweet!

Aigo DT5200 PMP

This nice little device sports a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 pixel display, with two-megapixel camera, rechargeable Li-ion, USB 2.0 connectivity, video out and get this - and an integrated DAB TV tuner. On the media player side, H.264, AAC, MP3, JPEG, and MPEG4 files are supported. The downside - only 256mb of onboard memory, but relax, there’s an SD expansion slot.

Sony’s PMX-M70

This sexy looking device from Sony has a 4.3 inch TFT screen too, and comes in 2, 4 and 8 GB flash capacities. It supports MP3, WMA, and AAC audio formats; and MPEG-4 , AVC (H.264/AVC), and AVI video formats. If grow tired of listening to your music files, you can use the onboard FM Tuner and Recorder/Voice Recorder to entertain yourself. There is also a built-in speaker and Memory Stick expansion slot, and reportedly has a 20 hour battery life for audio.

Now, let’s all go have a quick cry and mutter things about conspiracies under our breath.

For those tired of the standard iPhone look, you can deck out your iPhone in 29 different colours, courtesy of Colorware. Price? $150 if you send yours in, or $650 / $750 if you buy a 4GB / 8GB new from them. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can do it yourself, but be prepared to void your warranty.

I still think retro is the way to go though, which is why I think this Apple concept phone from 1983 rocks! Check out the black and white touchscreen in all its 8-bit glory!

While we’re on the topic of bling, someone should take a leaf out of these guys’ books and offer an iPhone with some of these sexy studs. But please, for the love of God, don’t go here - an 18-carat gold 2GB iPod shuffle, for 14,000 Euros. Sacrilege!

It is undeniable - small is cool, and so is this slideshow of 11 of the world’s tiniest PCs. These small PCs may not be the most powerful, but you have to give some of these kudos for literally squeezing PC functionality into the palm of your hand.

My favourite would have to be these ones from Calao - a fully functional computer built into a thumb drive, offering 64 MB of RAM and ports for ethernet, VGA out and USB, and powered by a 190-MHz ARM CPU. Nice!

Rumours of a new iPhone model have been making tracks around the blogosphere - that a iPod Nano based model sporting a circular touch pad as opposed to a touch screen, will be arriving by the end of the year, with a price tag of around $249 to $299 US. Some say that the iPod platform is due for a major upgrade too, that each successive model has just been an evolutionary upgrade in terms of functionality, instead of a something revolutionary.

I sure hope though, that they won’t be combining the two products into one, and that the iPod Nano as a music player will continue to exist. Why? Well firstly, in terms of sheer size and portability, an iPod Nano simply can’t be beat - it’s hard to imagine anything smaller or sexier, yet having the same functionality. Turn it into an iPhone though, and I’m sure the touchscreen and phone hardware will add bulk.

Secondly, the iPod Nano is an excellent music player and I would like it to remain that way. The problem with convergent devices is that the added functionality often adds complexity, at the expense of usability. Take the current slate of Windows Mobile phones for example - if I were to be brutally honest, yes they can do everything and then some, but they don’t excel at any one particular function. There are even reports that the current iPhone isn’t that good as a phone.  As the old adage goes - jack of all trades, but master of none.

By all means, improve it, give it a touchscreen with cool gestures and such.  But please, Apple, please let my iPod Nano remain an iPod Nano. What’s your view?

Yes, iPhone fever is everywhere, and probably will be around for some time to come. One thing for certain is that there will be no shortage of Asian knock-offs, hoping to capitalise on the success of the gadget. This latest contender comes from Sophia Mobile, with the touchscreen-enabled Nani (literally, “What?” in Japanese) . It boasts a “4.3-inch touchscreen, video playback at 800 x 400 pixels, a MicroSD card slot, Wi-Fi capability, a camera and a TV tuner”. Mobile TV sounds particularly juicy - it would be a great way to catch up on news and shows while commuting.

You never know - it could be the next iPhone killer, or maybe it could be just a stopgap for those outside the US still waiting to get their hands on an iPhone.

Magellan has announced the rugged, water-resistant Magellan eXplorist 600 GPS receiver, with three-meter accuracy, built-in maps, a 3-axis electronic compass, a barometric pressure altimeter, barometer, and thermometer, plus add more maps via a high-speed USB data port and unlimited secure digital (SD) card memory storage.

Other useful features include the eXplorist 600’s unique ability to calculate both an area and a perimeter, and its ability to deliver vertical profiles to simplify route planning. The eXplorist 600 operates on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that last up to 17 hours, or with an optional AAA-battery-backup clip, which will be available this summer. The eXplorist 600 is available at US$449.99(USD).

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