The guys over at Phonedog have got hold of a HTC Hero and have posted a couple of videos of the initial switch on and setup followed by a demo of the mail, messaging and Twitter applications. The original launch date has slipped from this month to early August so if you are patiently waiting to get your hands on one take a look at these great quality videos after the break.
Symbian has been working away quietly on creating an open source platform to rival Android and prevent the Google upstart stealing all its dominant share of the smartphone OS market. It is almost ready to unleash its offerings on the world, hoping to divert some of the limelight from Android, with the beta release of the first open source iteration, Symbian ^2, due within weeks. And it has put flesh behind its previous, vague, hints of entering the content distribution and app store fields, with an initiative called Horizon.
The current version of Symbian OS has 49.3% share of the smartphone market, according to Gartner, and features on 70 handsets in 26 countries, with Europe its heartland. Predictably, Symbian’s first customer for store-related services was Nokia with Ovi Store, and it is also working with Samsung on Application Store and – significantly, given AT&T’s recent shifts towards wide scale Symbian adoption – that operator’s Media Mall.
For the full story head over to Rethink Wireless
Vodafone UK is the first UK network operator to offer the Samsung NC10 ultra-mobile netbook with built-in mobile broadband connectivity.
Free on both a 24 month contract for £25 a month with 1GB of data and a 24 month contract for £30 a month with 3GB of data, the Samsung NC 10 netbook has a Vodafone SIM and mobile broadband software pre-installed meaning customers won’t need to use a USB modem to connect to the web. Commuters, bloggers and those that rule their life from their handbag, briefcase or laptop bag will be able to connect to Vodafone’s fast and reliable mobile broadband network, whether on the road, or on-the-go, while surfing the Web, chatting with friends, or enjoying their favourite online videos and music.
Weighing in at only 1.33kg, the netbook comes in black and includes a built-in webcam, a bright 10.2-inch glossy LED display and a normal-size, PC-style keyboard. It also boasts a 3 in 1 memory card reader for simple file sharing, 1GB memory and Microsoft Windows XP. Users will also appreciate the increased battery life and network reception that integrated mobile broadband offers when compared to using a separate USB modem with a notebook or laptop.
The Samsung NC10 netbook is available at http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile-broadband-devices/samsung-netbook and by calling Vodafone telesales on 08080 408 408.
Also available is this season’s statement accessory, the PPQ for Vodafone Netbook Bag. Sleek, stylish and designed exclusively for Vodafone, the bag is the ultimate fashion item for style conscious urbanites and tech-savvy fashionistas on the go. Inspired by PPQ’s signature Gabriel bag and in deep red croc-print, it’s lightweight and on trend for summer 2009. The ultra-slim case is sized for a netbook and features a padded interior for protection and a pocket for daily essentials. Staying connected on the move has never been so chic.
Customers can purchase The PPQ for Vodafone Netbook Bag for just £40 at vodafone.co.uk/ppq whilst stocks last.
via Press Release
It seems that there are now 2 things in life that make you as a mobile phone manufacturer, the first is having one of your handsets on the Google Android Operating System and the second is now having your very own app store.
LG Electronics Inc, the world’s No. 3 handset maker, is launching an online store for mobile phone applications Tuesday with an initial focus on Asia and aspirations for a more global reach by year-end.
Phone makers and mobile firms worldwide are in a race to match the success of Apple’s App Store, creating their own virtual stores where users can download software and content.
Improving software is key for South Korean mobile phone makers Samsung and LG, which have grown on well-priced handsets but are lagging in the fast-growing smartphowne category.
LG, which trails Nokia and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in mobile phones, said in a statement on Monday that the "LG Application Store" would provide 1,400 applications including 100 free programs, available in 15 languages.
ad_iconThe service will first be offered in Asia-Pacific countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Australia and will reach Europe and the South America by the end of this year, with the number of applications to be offered to increase to more than 2,000 by then, LG said.
LG has not set any firm plan to launch the marketplace in the United States, the stronghold of Apple’s iPhone and Research In Motion’s Blackberry.
What I find really funny though is that this is not a “new concept” and infact “app stores” have been around for a vey long time indeed and you only have to look at the symbian operating system to see that. Whilst not effectively an “app store”, applications have been getting released and sold through my sybian for a number of years.
This however does come as a welcomed move and the limelight should’t be taken away from LG, they are growing faster than ever and striving to put the customers wants first.
Posted by: John
Let’s face it: many users in EU don’t give a monkey about turn-by-turn navigation apps other than TomTom. It looks like everybody in EU is waiting for TomTom to be released to app store at last! However if you can’t wait for TomTom (Made in Netherlands) then you can get Navigon (Made in Germany). And now there is even Navigon Lite that is free and you can try a little bit out before buying…
To calculate route you need to enter your destination, starting with country:
The guys over at Mobilesyrup have a Telus branded version of the HTC Touch Pro2 and what do we see that is different, yes a 3.5mm Headset Jack.
So it looks like HTC are starting to see the light and bring the 3.5mm standard jack connector to their devices, not sure if this will be updated around all the HTC Touch Pro2 incarnations or if it is just a special for Telus but at least it’s a step in the right direction and also puts firmly to bed the argument of space in the device as a reason for it’s continued omission.
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eXpansys Friday Deals: Selected deals between 11am and 4pm, 17th July 2009 |
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Posted by: Matt
[ Post Tags: expansys, deals, special offers, tracyandmatt.co.uk ]
After a successful early access program, Palm’s Mojo Software Development Kit is available to all interested app developers. The SDK can be downloaded from a new developer portal — Palm webOSdev — at developer.palm.com. Any interested developer with a valid email address can access the SDK, its associated documentation, and new Mojo developer forums.
The initial response to Palm webOS apps — from both developers and customers — has been enthusiastic. Even in its initial beta stage, over 1.8 million apps have been downloaded from the beta App Catalog since Palm Pre was released less than six weeks ago. Thousands of developers have participated in the Mojo SDK early access program since it began in early April. New applications are in the pipeline for the Palm App Catalog, and the App Catalog submission process will be opened to all developers beginning this fall.
Developers interested in exploring Palm webOS and the Mojo SDK further may be interested in these upcoming events:
I really enjoyed reviewing the Sanyo Xacti HD2000 so of course I was excited when Matt sent me the Xacti WH1. It’s a quite affordable camera and its main feature or selling point is that it is waterproof (up to 3m) with an IPX8 (full water submersion) certificate. Let’s see how it measures up.
The Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1
What’s in the box?
- Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1
- Battery
- Hand strap
- Mains charger (UK 3 pin and European 2 pin connections)
- USB cable (proprietary connection to the camera)
- Composite audio and av cable (connects to the proprietary socket on the camera)
- Manuals
- CD with Xacti software, instruction manual and ArcSoft Panorama Maker 4
Check out Matt’s unboxing video for more information.
Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1 specification:
- Effective Pixel Count
Photo : Approx. 1.10 megapixels // Video :Approx. 0.97 megapixels (in HD), Approx. 1.10 megapixels (in SD) - Sensor
C-MOS sensor, 1/6 inch, approx. 1.10 megapixels - Recording media
SD Memory Card (Up to 32GB SDHC Memory Card) Internal memory approx. 43MB - Recording file formats
JPEG (DCF 1, DPOF2, Exif Ver2.2 3standard) - Resolution (Pixels) – Still
2M: 1600 × 1200 (Pictrise) 1.1M: 1184× 888 0.9M (16:9): 1280 × 720 (16:9) 0.3M: 640 × 480 - Resolution – Continuous Shots
2M: 1600 × 1200 1.1M: 1184 × 888 - Resolution – Movie Clips
HD-SHQ: 1280 × 720 (30fps 9Mbps) TV-HR: 640 × 480 (60fps 6Mbps) TV-SHQ: 640 × 480 (30fps 3Mbps) - Lens
Focus distance:f=2.5 – 75.0 mm F=1.8(W) – 4.3(T) Auto Focus 7 groups, 10 elements(2 aspheric elements, 3 aspheric surfaces) - Photo range
Standard: 50cm – ?(wide), 1.0m – ?(tele)Super macro: 1cm – 100cm (wide) - Shutter speed
Photo:f=43 – 1290mm x30 Video: f=43 – 1290mm x301/2 – 1/1000 sec.(Flash: 1/30 – 1/1500 sec., Lamp mode : Max. 2 sec.) - Digital zoom
1/30 – 1/10000 sec. (High-sensitivity mode and Lamp mode: Max.1/15sec.) - Focus
Auto (Photo:9-point AF/Spot AF, Video:Continuous area AF) Manual 22 step - Sensitivity
Auto(ISO 50~200)Manual ISO 50/100/200/400/800/1600/3200, Switching System) - Exposure correction
±1.8EV (in 0.3EV steps) - Digital Image Stabilizer
Multi-calculation electric image stabilizer - Other functions
Red-eye correction in Photos/Contrast correction in photos/Wind noise reduction - Self timer
2 sec./10 sec. - White balance
Auto : Full auto TTL / Manual : Sunny, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, One-push - LCD monitor
2.5 inch Low-temperature polysilicon TFT colour wide screen LCD Approx. 150,000 pixels (7-level brightness, 285-degree rotation) - Interface
AV output (Video:HDMI/Composite Video, NTSC/PAL; Audio:Stereo) USB2.0 (high-speed mode) - Dimensions/Volume
58.7(W)×62.8(H)×112.4(D)mm (maximum dimensions, excluding protruding parts), Approx. 327cc
General:
Front – The lens can be seen here which is contained within a waterproof cover. The flash can be seen here below the lens as well as the microphone holes on both sides (as it’s a stereo microphone)
Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1 – front view
Side – From the left you can see the latched cover which houses the AC adaptor socket for charging the camera. Next to this is the loud speaker and then there is a start/stop recording button. You can also see the zoom rocker button on the top of the camera here.
Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1 – side view
Screen – The screen is a 2.5 inch low-temperature polysilicon TFT colour wide screen LCD Approx. 150,000 pixels (7-level brightness, 285-degree rotation)
Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1 – screen view
Bottom – The enclosure for the battery can be seen here on the bottom of the camera. As expected, the cover has a rubber seal around it to keep the enclosure waterproof.
Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1 – bottom view
Connections – The SD card compartment, USB and HDMI connections are sealed under a cover. The latch at the top shows when the cover is closed properly as there is a red strip that shows if it is not sealed properly.
Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1 – connections view
Controls – At the back of the camera are all the controls. The still photo capture button is on the left, then the video start/stop recording button, the record/play mode button is in the middle, and you can also see the menu and set/select button. There is also the up/down/left/right button surrounding the set/ok button.
Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1 – controls view
Highlights:
- Solid/sturdy build
- Affordable price
- Compact size
- Controls easy to use
- Good battery life
- Stereo microphone
- Face chaser
Lowlights:
- Video quality underwater is poor
- Not full HD
- Only 2MP quality stills
- No video light
Review:
The Sanyo Xacti range seem to have been a hit and the reviews that you read reflect this. The WH1 is another member of the Xacti range so it does seem a little strange that it’s not got the typical pistol grip. There is a reason for this, and this is that the WH1 has been designed for sports (of the wet variety!). The hand strap which attached to the camera keeps the WH1 quite securely on your hand whereas the pistol grip design relied on, well. your grip!
As you can see from the pictures, the model have been given to review is a very bright and shocking yellow colour! Mind you, after thinking about it, it’s a sports camera which can be used under water. then it seems quite fitting. Ok, it’s still bright! But there are also two other colour options – Silver or blue and black.
The Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1
The built of the Xacti WH1 is robust and nicely compact. Seems quite a durable piece of kit that would withstand a few bumps.
The controls on the WH1 are even more straight forward than previous Xacti cameras. The buttons are big and spaced out enough so there is much less chance of pressing the wrong button. This is idea when in an active situation as you don’t have to concentrate too much on the controls. There is also the start/stop recording button on the side of the camera which I guess is for ease is you are holding the camera in a different position.
The video quality settings offered are HD-SHQ: 1280 × 720 (30fps 9Mbps) TV-HR: 640 × 480 (60fps 6Mbps) TV-SHQ: 640 × 480 (30fps 3Mbps). Unfortunately it doesn’t offer full HD of 1080p but the 720p generally gives a decent quality of footage. In good lighting the video quality is very good, and with the 30x optical zoom you can get some great footage. In low lighting the quality struggles. the camera could really do with video light.
As mentioned, the WH1 is waterproof. So of course I had to try out the camera under water. and that’s what paddling pools are for. aren’t they? I tried taking footage when it was nice and sunny and then when it was overcast. When it was bright and sunny the footage was quite impressive and clear, but the overcast footage (which I thought would be more realistic if you were using it for something like snorkelling in the sea as the light is generally dimmer) was pretty disappointing. The quality seemed to be lost in lower light.
The inbuilt microphone is a stereo one. This picks up sound clearly but not underwater. But of course, you can expect sounds underwater to sound quite muffled.
As with previous Xacti cameras you are able to take still pictures whilst recording video by just pressing the still capture button. This is definitely a function that still impresses me.
This leads me onto the still image quality. Quiet disappointingly the Xacti WH1 only offers a 2MP resolution which is even lower than the average camera on a phone. You can still get good clear pictures with it (but again, not in low lighting although there is a flash) but don’t expect to get any large prints from it. On the plus side, the WH1 is quite affordable and the lower MP camera may be the reason for this.
One feature that stands out is the great battery life. From a full charge the camera lasts over 3 hours
Conclusion:
Although I was somewhat disappointed with the still shot quality I think that Sanyo have made a durable and reliable video camera that you would feel confident taking up the ski slopes, going snorkelling, or even just being able to take great holiday footage by the pool without worrying that it’s going to get wet and break. The fact that it takes an SD card means that there are no moving parts on the data storage side of things, so a lot of movement won’t damage your precious footage.
It’s compact size and simple controls layout makes it extremely easy to use. I have no complaints about the LCD display. It’s clear and bright and the size of it is fine.
I guess you would just have to take into consideration what scenarios you would want to use your video camera in as this is definitely one of the the most affordable waterproof cameras on the market but there are many higher quality and affordable normal video cameras out there.
Reviewed by: Emma
What is going on? Dutch company TomTom offers navigation software that belongs to the most popular in the world and certainly most popular in Europe. They make not only software for smartphones but also plenty of navigation devices too and also plenty of accessories (like the holder for iPhone pictured above).
However until now, still TomTom for iPhone has not been released, despite the fact that it has been officially announced! Why?
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