Samsung has finally rolled out its SCH-W760 cellphone in South Korea, making it the first handset in the world to come with an infrared camera, letting you hold video calls even in low-light situations like a club, where such a situation would best go with a bone conduction Bluetooth headset. In addition, you will still be able to snap much clearer images with the 3-megapixel camera behind, viewing the results on a 2.8" AMOLED display with 240 x 400 resolution. Other features of the SCH-W760 include 8GB of internal memory, a microSD memory card slot, S-DMB TV support and high speed 3G connectivity. Folks in South Korea can expect to pick up this handset for approximately $457, and it remains to be seen whether Samsung will make available this handset in other markets.
Samsung SCH-W760 Released
Archos 9 Heading for US
Archos 9 will be one of the next device that will hit the US later this month, where this Windows 7-powered device will come with a 9" touchscreen alongside a virtual keyboard. Folks who are more used to navigation with a mouse, the right side of the device contains an optical trackball and buttons. The Archos 9 will resemble a Mobile Internet Device more than a netbook, where it will run on an Intel Z515 Atom processor, 1GB RAM, Wi-fi connectivity and a 120GB hard drive. There is no word on pricing, but it will arrive later this fall between the $500 to $700 price range.
iPhone 3GS Jailbreak Purplera1n Released
If the hacking group called iPhone Dev-Team won't release their Jailbreak, it seems like someone else will. Developer George Hotz has released the Purplera1n jailbreak software for iPhone 3GS and by all accounts, it seems to work.
This one runs on Windows XP and Vista (Windows 7 and Mac OS aren't supported, apparently - it's weird for Windows 7). The jailbreak assumes that your iPhone runs with OS 3.0 (for a 3GS, that should be the case) and that you have the latest version of iTunes (may be do an update check?). The author warns that the Jailbreak is a beta, so do a full backup before running it just to be safe. Obviously, do this at your own peril, as this is clearly not supported by Apple. Good luck.
Maximum PSP Go Processor 44% Faster Than the PSP
We knew that the PSP Go was faster than the PSP-3000, but “by how much” was still a subject of speculation. It is not anymore as an FCC filing makes the PSP Go speed official. With a 480Mhz frequency, it is 44% faster than the previous 333Mhz PSP chip.
At first, most developers will make sure that their games are compatible with the PSP, so it's unlikely that they will use the added power for anything affecting the gameplay. However, it's not impossible to think that some eye-candy could be added when running on the PSP Go. Physics, particles, lighting or reflections would be high on the list... As the user base grows, the PSP Go could become a platform in itself as Sony will want to push their highest margin product. Sony could also subsidize Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker to be a “PSP Go only” title for that reason.
MiLi Pro, Projector for iPhone
The iPhone might come with a generally large display, but sometimes you want to view movies on the big screen even when alone. Guess this is where devices like the MiLi Pro LCOS, LED-driven projector comes in, playing nice with both the iPhone and iPod touch. All you need to do is plonk the device of your choice into it and it will throw the image/movie from your phone onto a screen (or just the wall if you can't be bothered with the screen). Resolution isn't anything to shout about compared to home projectors, but 640 x 480 pixels ought to be good enough at smaller screen sizes, while looking rather horrid when blown up to its maximum 70" size. Good thing they recommend a maximum 40" screen size to avoid disappointments. No word on pricing, but the MiLi Pro is tipped to arrive this September.
Intelligent Hose That Save Planet
Water consumption can be quite tricky when it comes to different households that have their own priorities. Some people can't be bothered to fix a leaking faucet, while others will look for every opportunity to recycle water. The Measuring Consumption water sprayer targets those who love spending their time in the garden, as it will keep a reading of just how much water you have consumed each time the water sprayer is used in order to toe the line when you've passed the average 80 gallon mark for each day. Hopefully designer Tobin Spann will be able to turn his idea into reality in due time.
Elevating Wheelchair Concept
Now here's a design that will definitely go down well with those who are less able-bodied in getting around - the Elevating Wheelchair concept that is smart enough to alternate between sitting and standing modes. This electric-powered wheelchair could also turn into a vehicular concept in the far future, but in the meantime we hope that some medical firm will take a look into its schematics and conjure a real-life prototype, giving greater mobility and freedom of movement to the physically disabled.
Hitachi Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Woo
With a name like Hitachi Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Woo, we can't help but be interested with what this can offer you. It does record video in 720p resolution (although it isn't the first), and also packs in a 5-megapixel sensor, HDMI interface and a microSDHC memory card slot that ought to last you some ways before it runs out of memory (or battery). Apparently, the Hitachi Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Woo will be out in Japan this Monday on KDDI, although we're willing to bet our bottom dollar that this will never make its way across the Pacific.
Apple Tablet Coming in Early 2010: a Kindle Killer?
We've seen the Apple tablet rumor go by, and we've been following this since the patent was filed, including the recent rumors. However, some are saying that Apple’s tablet could be a "kindle" (or kindle dx) killer, and that's a little bit more curious. For sure, a tablet computer would have many advantages over an eBook and Apple can probably put up a good fight on the distribution side, but the real question is the battery life and the display.
Such a tablet probably won't last for more than 3-4 hours of continuous use, so one has to wonder if that's good enough to act as an efficient eBook. For some users, naybe, but for hardcore readers it is not so certain. Also, reading on an LCD display arguably strains the eyes more than reading on an eBook.
We think that it will take an eBook (with color e-Ink) and a great distribution system to Kill the Kindle.
Nokia Ovi Store
With Nokia's Ovi Store about to be launched, it looks like Nokia is going to make an effort to take down Apple's App Store. While Google's Android Market had 50 selections when it was launched, Nokia says the Ovi Store will have over 20,000 items ready for download, which is a good start, especially since Apple has about 40,000 apps in the App Store. The questions that people are asking is that whether said "items" include ringtones and songs. Obviously that number includes custom apps and WidSets, possibly even N-Gage games. After all, it's about quality, not so much quantity.
