Pocket-lint has the goodies on what HP has been up to; at least in Europe. Normally we don’t cover HP products as we have a “lite” boycott on them due to the way they treated us last year; however this product may be too cool to let old grudges get in the way of showing you a neat looking if not inspired gadget.

What they have done is take an HP rx1950 and bundle it with a nifty GPS integrated cradle and pre installed GPS software. GPS software is by ViaMichelin; must be a UK thing as I am not familiar with that brand here in Seattle.

The unit is fully loaded with Windows Mobile 5.0 and WiFi. The only real problem is that for GPS use you will need an SD GPS card unless you want to schlep the cradle around with you.

The HP iPaq rx1950 with the ViaMichelin GPS navigation setup will be packaged for select Uk retailers and online shops for about $450 US or £299.

More: http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news.php?newsId=2364

We see a lot of Bluetooth headsets come our way for review here at PDAToday. Most are not very sexy and with the proliferation of these types of headsets recently they can tend to be a ho-hum accessory that gets ignored by the larger gadget websites who focus on trendy MP3 players and the like. We gladly pick up the slack to cover even daily use consumer electronics because when you spend that hard earned money it’s nice to know what’s of value and what’s not; besides who likes to sit in the return line at (insert favorite shopping place) all day.

In this review we will look at the Bluetake BT400 G5, their new flagship offering Bluetooth headset. Bluetake has managed to package a headset that borders on exciting and creative in the world of boring Bluetooth headsets. The BT400 G5 Bluetooth headset is stylish and is finished in a very nice tactile rubber coating surrounded with a snazzy plastic shell. They have opted to go with a marine theme to this line of products...mmm fish. The front is adorned by rubber ridges that disguise the two front buttons to create a scaled look. Weighing in at a scant minnow like 20 grams its light on the ear and features a moldable turntable ear hook. Bluetake uses a hard molded ear bud that rests in your ear canal. If you have abnormally small or large ear canals this may pose a potential problem. I found the unit to fit comfortably and to be easily adjustable. Volume was never a problem.

Read our full review of the Bluetake BT500 G5 Bluetooth Headset...

About the size of a camcorder and weighing less than 16 ounces, the Celestron SkyScout utilizes a consumer-friendly “point and shoot” GPS technology that enables stargazers to instantly identify and/or locate over 6,000 celestial objects in the sky.  Yeah I think even I can do that. With a press of a button you can listen to commentary on the object and its history told by a real life star...ok maybe not an actual star.

The SkyScout also has a “locate” feature that allows you to select an object they wish to view (i.e. Uranus...hint: you point it at the sky) and the SkyScout, using illuminated arrows in the viewfinder, will point the user to the object.  A totally unique, one-of-a-kind product, SkyScout utilizes patented technology that combines data from sensors measuring both the magnetic and gravitational fields of the Earth, along with internal GPS and a substantial celestial database to dramatically improve how people learn about astronomy, making it much easier and more entertaining.

Unveiled at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show, yes we missed it while we were there, in January, Celestron’s SkyScout has a suggested retail price of $399.00 and will be available as a personal planetarium for stargazers, families, students and astronomers alike in March 2006.  Visit http://www.celestron.com/skyscout for more information on availability and for a list of retailers taking pre-orders.

Bluetooth headset are great for giving a wireless, hands-free connection to your mobile phone, but when I am in the car or office I want a speakerphone.  I want the ability to talk without something in my ear.  I want to talk comfortably without any physical obstruction to my work or driving.  A few mobile phones offer a speakerphone feature, but they almost always have poor performance, weak speaker volume, and poor microphones.  Jabra’s latest SP500 Bluetooth Speakerphone brings true hands-free functionality to your car, office, or home.

The SP500 is the latest update of the original SP100 product.  The SP500 is a 6 ounce, 4.9” x 2.9” x 1.3”, rechargeable Bluetooth speakerphone with a pivoting microphone that gives excellent audio quality and voice pickup.  Most people that I have talked to with the SP500 said that they could hear me clearly.  A couple of people complained about not hearing me clearly or hearing static.  Moving the microphone seemed to fix the problem.  The SP500 now features a noise canceling microphone, which was not available in the original model.  The volume levels from the 2 Watt, 96 db speaker are good, but I wish it had more amplification since I drive a noisy sports car.  The volume levels should be fine for most cars and environments.  The microphone pivots on a soft, flexible arm for optimum voice pickup.

Read our full review of the Jabra SP500 Bluetooth Speakerphone

When Bluetooth (short range, radio frequency communication standard for wireless connectivity) first became available, one of the first devices to take advantage of this new protocol was the cellular phone.  The protocol was perfect for short range use such as synchronizing the phone to your computer, using the phone as a modem, or wireless, hands-free headsets.  I have always been a fan of hands-free headsets.  You could talk on the phone while keeping both hands on the car steering wheel and the earpiece made it easier to hear the person you were talking with.  Not to mention reducing the radiation dangers from holding the phone to your head.

However, I hated the design of the older wired headsets.  I would have to wrap it up after using it, unwrap it while a call is waiting, and it would get tangled up with the keys in my pocket.  When Jabra released their EarGel products, I immediately bought one.  The comfortable EarGels made the headset easier to use for long periods of time, but there was still the issue of keeping it untangled in my pocket.  When they released the EarBoom Winder, I bought it and it became my standard headset.  It was small, compact and the cord auto-winds when I am not using it.  But it still had a cord.

Bluetooth headsets promised to be the ultimate answer to the hassle of using a wired headset with a cellular phone.  But would it be everything that we could hope for?  One of the first companies to produce a Bluetooth headset was Jabra.  By combining a sleek headset design with their comfortable EarGel technology, Jabra introduced the FreeSpeak Bluetooth headset.  Now Jabra has updated the former “FreeSpeak” product line with the new BT500, the latest model in their original line of Bluetooth headsets.

Read our full review of the Jabra BT500 Bluetooth Headset...

Now we step into some high end HiFi goodness with Cambridge Audio. We have been talking a lot about streaming audio and portable media devices, now lets look at something to play all that media on. I am in the no compromise camp, if I am going to the trouble of setting up a media server or using a portable media device for listening to my music I am not going to settle for less than perfect reproduction of that audio.

The Azur 840A is in a whole new class of amplifiers using Cambridge’s patented Class XD technology...basically giving you Class A amplification quality at a Class B price and avoiding Class AB limitations. They use their XD tech, oversized low flux transformers, completely separate pre-amp and power amp toroidal transformers...mmmm toroidal.  The unit can push up to 200W per channel into 4 ohms.

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/global.php

MobileTechReview has published an in-depth review of the Verizon XV6700 Pocket PC Phone. We have the Sprint version and out review should be up shortly. Lisa Gade of Mobile Tech Review really liked the Verizon XV6700 EV-DO speed and the units slide out keyboard, we would have to agree.

“Windows Mobile Pocket PC phones have come a long way, as has Verizon. The phone is compact, has a great slide-out keyboard, a fast cpu and plenty of RAM. EVDO makes this device sing, and once you try it, you’ll be addicted to fast email downloads and zippy web browsing. Though not a true desktop experience, Internet Explorer Mobile beats feature phone browsers hands down and is faster than the Palm OS Blazer web browser used on the Treo. Third party alternatives such as NetFront 3.3 and Opera 8.5 (both tested in beta versions on the XV6700) work well too… web browser choice is a good thing. Messaging does a great job with POP, IMAP and Exchange email and it can check mail on a schedule if you like. WiFi is great for those not in an EVDO area and for those who don’t wish to spend the money on a data plan. Bluetooth range and reliability are good, something that we couldn’t say of 1st and 2nd generation Pocket PC phones. If you’re a power user, this phone is a great choice.”

Read the review at: http://www.mobiletechreview.com/Verizon-XV6700.htm

DDH Software announced that a new version of its HanDBase relational database application is now available to owners of Windows Mobile-based Smartphones, such as the popular i-mate SP3, Motorola MPX220 and Q phone, and the Samsung i600.

With the HanDBase Desktop application, you can make databases from scratch or use one of the thousands of free applets available at ddhsoftware.com created and submitted by HanDBase users.  Then transfer the database to the Smartphone bada bing bada boom.

Beyond its full-featured editing and design capabilities, HanDBase Desktop allows users to export files in Excel, Word, CSV, HTML or XML formats.

Another feature of HanDBase Desktop that increases its user-friendliness is its “plug-in architecture” for third party add-on applications. For example, a user can automate repetitive tasks such as exporting, importing, running external programs, or seamlessly moving data between HanDBase and other formats such as Microsoft Access, and other ODBC sources.

Check it out at: HanDBase for Smartphone

Vangard Voice Systems maker of software for integrating speech into mobile device applications, released a middleware solution that enables speech for entering and accessing data on electronic forms in mobile environments called AccuSPEECH.

The AccuSPEECH product suite is platform agnostic and compatible with major voice engine products that run on WinCE, Web-based, or Java applications residing on a PDA, Smartphone, laptop, desktop or tablet PC.

They have a Client that for PDA, tablet, laptop or desktop PC that captures speech entry for eForms. A Server administering devices that are speech-enabled via the AccuSPEECH Client. And a Studio for providing a platform for voice enabling eForm applications, adding voice features and optimizing audio processing.

http://www.vangardvoice.com

Gadget illuminati over at Designtechnica have a review up on the Palm LifeDrive. The Palm LifeDrive has been out for a while but for those of you who have been off world for the past year its Palm’s first stab at the PDA-Media Manager hybrid concept.

Designtechnica liked the easy navigation, storage space (4 gigs) and the integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth while eschewing said hard drives slow performance and units dim screen and aging PalmOS 5.4.

Excerpt: “The Palm LifeDrive is the first of what we hope will be many “Mobile Managers” by the once king of PDAs. The heart of the LifeDrive concept is integrating a micro hard drive into the PDA. If you ever thought it would be nice to have your essential PIM information in the same device as your pictures and music, all rolled up in a clean interface, your answer may have arrived.”

Link: http://reviews.designtechnica.com/review2603.html

muvee Technologies teamed up with Orb Networks to enable users to spontaneously share muvees from any location using any Web-connected device such as PDAs, mobile phones, or laptop computers.

Mohamed Reezan, muvee’s strategic marketer, said, “Our users often get so excited after making their muvees that they want to show them off right away. Orb is a great media-sharing technology partner that creates an avenue for muvee users to immediately show their muvees, regardless of where they may be. There’s no struggling with large email attachments or waiting to burn DVDs.”

If you haven’t tried Orb yet it’s a must have on your computer. I have a Media Center PC and record Battlestar Galactica every week. Last week while at a friends house I “Orbed” into my home PC and streamed the season opener just in time for me to watch the second episode that night. It was very handy and it works from Pocket PC and Smartphone.

http://www.orb.com and http://www.muvee.com

Hiroshi Tanaka, president of Innovative Design and Technology claims that his machine that can transform a bottle of just-fermented Beaujolais Nouveau into a fine, mellow wine in seconds, all by zapping it with a few volts of electricity.

Supposedly to the untrained palate, a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau 2005 strained through the machine became a more full-bodied, complex wine. Similar treatment to a Sauvignon Blanc 2004 resulted in a drier aftertaste.

In 2002 the firm took a prototype of the device to a wine producer in Italy. “We were told to leave the room, leave the country,” he recalled. “And never come back.”

Wow, they didnt get tar and feathered? It looks neat and Tanaka says it will work for more than just wine such as sake, vodka, baijiu and more.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/breaking/fast-track-to-a-fine-vintage/2006/01/21/1137734189171.html

MobileTechReview.com has their review of the Palm Treo 700w posted. The Palm Treo 700w is Palm’s Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone swathed in a Palm Treo housing resembling its near identical twin the Palm Treo 650.

From the article "The Treo 700w was announced at CES in Las Vegas by Verizon Wireless and Palm on Jan. 4th, 2006 and the phone is available in Verizon stores beginning Jan. 5th. It costs $499 with a two year contract and you’ll get $100 off if you get both a voice plan costing $39.99 or more and Verizon’s unlimited data plan ($40 to $45/month). Verizon’s data plan entitles you to use their 3G EVDO high speed network as well as 1xRTT. EVDO gets between 400 to 700k and 1xRTT gets around 100k/sec. We’re using the Treo 700w in an EVDO market and page loading and email download speeds are superb. It feels like WiFi, yet you need not be in range of an access point."

I think we may need to get one of these guys to play with, MobileTechReviews only real complaint is the Treo’s limited 32/64 megs of memory and 240x240 screen

Link: http://www.mobiletechreview.com/Treo-700w.htm

Excerpt: “At times, it helps to have curious friends with deep pockets. After reading about the Olive Symphony, I was salivating to try it. But at $899 ($1099 for the Musica with a 160GB hard drive), it was well beyond my limited budget. However, a friend of mine with adventurous spirit and money invested in one, and while staying with him, I persuaded him to let me test drive the machine.

As the name implies, it’s aimed at classical music fans who want to fully embrace the digital age. However, it works for everyone, whether your tastes are for Wagner or Weezer,. Standing as a piece of hi-fi equipment, it’s the kind of thing music aficionados put together in their minds during long, sleepless nights. From playing CDs to ripping and burning them, to hooking up with your portable player, the Symphony can do it alland more. Granted, it’s not the first piece of stereo equipment with a hard drive (80 GB on the Symphony), it’s undoubtedly the best and easiest to use, packed into a single component that will look right at home with the rest of your stereo equipment.”

Link: http://reviews.designtechnica.com/review3374.html

A significant engineering feat, the AVN7000 manages to fit all the technology required for audio, visual and navigation functions into a single DIN enclosure. The AVN7000’s product concept precluded any additional hideaway components, so “specialized proximity layout construction techniques” (buzzword alert) were adapted to manufacture space-saving circuit boards that were then densely packed with modules comprised of DAC, memory and flash memory integrated circuits. So it’s like digital sardines on holiday, i can snack on that.

The use of a 20 gb 1.8’ HDD and thin DVD/CD mechanism also helped fit all this into an automotive environment in the limited space of a single DIN unit.

The AVN7000 is compatible with CD/CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA, DVD-Video, DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/+RW. Audio performance should be fgreat with the the all-digital AVN7000 as they incorporate “audiophile grade” circuits and components, like the built-in high-quality 4-channel MOSFET amplifier.

It includes Dolby Digital 5.1 ch., dts 5.1 ch. and Dolby Pro Logic II processing for correctly decoding various source material as well as upmixing 2 channel material to 5.1 channels.  Using the DCU105 with the AVN7000 allows different program sources to be viewed at the same time in two zones of operation, for instance, the front of the car and the rear.

more info: http://www.eclipse-web.com/avn7000/index.html