Motorola A45Eco Slider Phone
Motorola introduced a new eco-friendly mobile phone called Motorola A45Eco which is made from recycled plastic bottles. It’s adopting a QWERTY keyboard and 2M pixel camera. The Motorola A45Eco slider phone featuring bluetooth, FM radio, music player, preloaded games(Spore & Sudoku), 8.5 hours of talk and 250 hours of standby time. It’s introduce during Mobile World Congress 2010 and the price is not available yet.
LG Arena officially lands on AT&T for $199
No surprise the LG Arena has finally arrived on AT&T after we saw those spyshots earlier this year — although it is packing AT&T Mobile TV, so that’s a nice touch. Everything else is as predicted: 3-inch WVGA screen, 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, GPS, and WiFi. Of course, you will be spending $199 on a two-year contract for a poorly-reviewed year-old featurephone when this hits on February 26, so that’s probably a mistake, but at least the gratuitous spinny-cube effects of LG’s S-Class UI will keep you distracted as you wander aimlessly through the wreckage of our once-proud civilization. There is also a web browser.
Windows 7’s European browser ballot screen revealed, rolling out next week
ThinkPad W701 and W701ds specs emerge from a leaky faucet
Time to update you on another forthcoming update in the laptop world, this time concerning Lenovo’s premier widescreen workstation range. Purported internal Lenovo slides from earlier this year show the new W701 and W701ds ThinkPads nonchalantly hanging out next to some pretty beefy spec sheets. The W701, which we saw passing through the FCC, is again listed alongside an Intel Extreme series CPU and a Wacom Digitizer, while its display quality has been upgraded all the way to 100 percent of the NTSC color gamut and 280 nits of brightness. Going stride for stride with it is the dual-screen W701ds, with both machines offering up to 16GB of RAM, SSD options up to a quarter of a terabyte, and Ultrabay expandability. DisplayLink ports and the like are just glazing on the cake, but we can’t help noticing the frankly silly two-hour battery rating on the 701ds — guess that CPU is going to live up to its Extreme name in every way imaginable. The announcement date listed for these machines is February 23, which is when we’ll be better able to gauge the veracity of the specs before us.
LG not interested in proprietary smartphone OS, likes Android and Windows Phone 7
LG has told the press at MWC that it will not be developing its own smartphone platform “at least for the next two to three years.” We think companies should focus on what they do well, and given our ambivalence toward the S-Class UI, it’s probably a good thing that LG will narrow its operation down to churning out delectable slabs of electronics and leaving the software side to the geeks over at Google and Microsoft. The head of the company’s handset unit, Skott Ahn, has indicated that the future of LG smartphones will be shared between Android and Windows Phone 7 (sorry, Symbian lovers). It will have taken plenty of restraint to not respond to local nemesis Samsung — who has just introduced its first Bada handset — but LG appears to be of the opinion (which we share) that the smartphone OS sector is already overcrowded, and its expectation is that over the next couple of years the market will distill itself down to just three predominant operating systems.
Sprint promises its first WiMAX handset by this summer, could be the Supersonic
The life of a gadget lover tends to involve a lot of waiting, so it’s always nice to be surprised by a roadmap getting shorter rather than longer. Sprint has told Forbes that its very first WiMAX phone will be arriving in the first half of this year, which will be somewhat earlier than many had expected. We’re likely talking about that A9292 “bar handset” from HTC that was spotted in January, as Forbes goes on to note that it’s likely to be a HTC-built Android device. The aptly-titled Supersonic seems like the obvious, albeit unconfirmed, prime candidate here. Further word from Paget Alves, Sprint’s president of Business Markets, indicates that businesses and government agencies might be the first adopters, which must mean whatever handset’s being discussed will be at least somewhat business-friendly. Finally, CEO Dan Hesse himself is cited as saying Sprint will be bringing out “dozens of devices” with embedded WiMAX this year, so even if you don’t like the first one, there should be plenty of options come the holidays. [Thanks, Douglas]
Ask Engadget: Best USB / secondary monitor?
We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Corey, who needs a secondary display to run widgets, IM boxes and squashed YouTube clips while the real work goes down on the main screen. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com . “My laptop’s screen is feeling cramped these days, but since I mostly use it at a desk, I’m thinking of getting a USB monitor instead of a whole new rig. I know Mimo has a bunch of options, but has anyone used them? Are there any other companies out there making these USB-connected secondary displays? I know it’s a new industry, but hopefully someone has a first-hand perspective to share. Thanks!” No worries Corey — we’ll point you to our own Mimo impressions, and then we’ll ask the readers to contribute from there. Any tips on which USB monitor is best? Any horror stories that we should all be aware of? Chime in below!
James Cameron sees Avatar on Blu-ray 3D in November, HDTV manufacturers mark their calendars
Fox has been slow to show its hand concerning the Avatar home video release schedule, but that didn’t stop director James Cameron from spilling assorted dates and SKUs in a Wall Street Journal interview. He’s pegged a standard DVD & Blu-ray release for April 22, with a special edition DVD and Blu-ray 3D version arriving in November. Considering how much electronics companies have invested in bringing 3D to market this year and specifically Panasonic’s push to make Avatar a box office smash the timing seems right on target. Whether you love the Na’Vi just a little or far, far too much, budgeting for a 3D related Black Friday upgrade to go along with blue body paint for Halloween is seeming like a more sensible option every day.
Joby demonstrates brilliance with Gorillapod Magnetic flexible tripod
It’s the ultimate “why didn’t I think of that?” concept, but kudos to Joby for doing more than just keeping a bar story to itself. Following in the footsteps of the magnified Gorillatorch, Joby decided to add a few magnets to the feet of its tried-and-true Gorillapod flexible tripod. The result? The Gorillapod Magnetic, of course! Reportedly, this little bugger supports digital cameras and camcorders weighing up to 11.5 ounces, and it should go on sale worldwide this April for an undisclosed amount. We know you’ve been dreaming of a way to snap group photos while inside those steel prison bars, and at long last, those dreams can be become reality. In related news, the company is also showing its professional side with the April-bound Ballhead X, which is described as a “portable yet sturdy” head that can pan, tilt, and rotate cameras up to 11.1 pounds, and while it’s designed to play nice with the Gorillapod Focus, it should work fine with 3/8- and 1/4-inch threads on other tripods. Full release is after the break. Joby Gorillapod Magnetic and Ballhead X Show full PR text Joby to Unveil Two New Photography Products at PMA Joby highlights commitment to the photo market; announces Gorillapod Magnetic and Ballhead X SAN FRANCISCO, CA – February 18, 2010 – Joby, Inc., the world renowned designer of the Gorillapod™ flexible camera tripod, is pleased to introduce two new additions to the Gorillapod family of products at this year’s Photo Marketing Association International tradeshow, February 21-23 in Anaheim, CA. Joby will showcase its entire suite of products from the Gorillapod, Gorillamobile™ , and Gorillatorch™ lines at the Joby booth (#1436, Anaheim Convention Center), demonstrating its commitment to making thoughtfully-designed, revolutionary products that meet the creative and active needs of the photography community. Inspired by the overwhelmingly positive reception of the Gorillatorch hands-free flashlight, which features powerful magnetic feet in addition to flexible, wrappable legs, Joby is thrilled to introduce the Gorillapod Magnetic flexible tripod. The world’s most versatile tripod is now even more adaptable! With the addition of powerful magnets in the feet, the Gorillapod Magnetic can now be anchored to any magnetic surface, in addition to being secured with its fully-articulating legs. Stick it to a pole, wrap it around a tree-branch, or perch it on a jagged rock – the positioning possibilities are truly endless. The Gorillapod Magnetic supports compact digital cameras and mini video cameras weighing up to 11.5oz, weighs just 2.5 ounces, is 6-inches tall, and will be available globally in April. Joby is also excited to announce the Ballhead X for Gorillapod Focus, the latest addition to its Professional Line of photographic equipment. The portable yet sturdy Ballhead X supports 11.1lbs (5kg) and allows the user to easily and fluidly pan, tilt, and rotate his camera while still enjoying the versatility and reliable support of a Gorillapod on virtually any surface. Built with the serious photographer in mind, the Ballhead X is lightweight and compact, yet still robust enough to support professional SLR cameras with substantial zoom lenses and sizable camera rigs. It further extends the functionality of the Gorillapod Focus by allowing even more creative camera positioning, enabling the user to capture great shots anywhere his travels take him! While it is optimized for use with the Gorillapod Focus, the Ballhead X can accommodate both 3/8″ and ¼” threads, allowing convenient compatibility with any tripod. The Ballhead X will be available both separately and bundled together with the Gorillapod Focus. The Ballhead X for Gorillapod Focus is constructed from precision-machined anodized aluminum, weighs just over 9 ounces, is 3.3-inches tall, and will be available globally in April. All of Joby’s products will be on display at the Joby booth, #1436, Anaheim Convention Center.
WowWee’s Paper Jamz: fake guitars make the jump to 2D, gain some musicality
Just when we thought Guitar Hero had removed every shred of dignity from the once proud profession of “rocking out,” along comes Paper Jamz to do away with all pretense. WowWee, known primarily for its creepy robotic toys, has put some of its technical chops into a new musical line of utterly flat instruments. The “paper” guitar and drum sets use capacitive sensors to pick up on touch, and there’s even a fake amp built of cardboard to complete the ensemble. Surprisingly, it all works. Each $25 guitar is packed with three different songs, and pretend rock stars can strum along in three different modes: a fail-safe mode where all you have to do is keep strumming and you’ll jam out the appropriate guitar part, a rhythm mode where you have to strum at the right intervals, and a freestyle mode. The last of these is where things actually get interesting, since there’s a usable fret board in so-called open E tuning, letting you select actual cords by placing a finger on its respective fret up or down the printed-on fret board. One finger does major, two fingers does minor, and three fingers does a 7th. It’s an approximation, sure, but it actually could teach a kid a lot more about how to play a real guitar than Guitar Hero ever will. Prepare to hear more 12-year-olds playing “Smoke on the Water” than you ever supposed the universe was capable of containing. The modes on drums are similar, and you can pair up drums and guitar to play the same song simultaneously. The $15 amp uses a sonic transducer to vibrate its entire, cheap cardboard mass, and is actually rather loud. The “Series 1″ selection of guitars and drums will be out in early July, and you can check out a video of this stuff in action after the break. WowWee’s Paper Jamz WowWee Paper Jamz press shots
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