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Although this is still a several months out, I wanted to share with you information and renderings of the proposed case. The OtterBox for iPhone will be a slick, slim fit, semi-rugged design that allows complete user interaction.

The phone in its entirety is protected even during use as all surfaces are covered at all times. Touch interface is completely protected while still being fully useable through a patented touch-screen membrane.

Sleep/Wake, volume and home buttons are all protected and useable via pass through button. Sync/Charge, headphone and silence functions are all usable through plugs.

Case includes a swivel belt clip that provides full impact protection for the screen.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Trimble introduced today the Nomad series of handheld computers. The Nomad comes standard with an 806 MHz processor, 128 MB of memory and integrated Bluetooth technology. In addition, a range of optional configurations are available including an integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a bar code scanner, a digital camera, and 802.11g (WiFi).

Integrated GPS gives users location data for navigation. Users can also collect bar code information with the Nomad’s integrated laser scanner as well as capture color images for inspections and maintenance with the 2-megapixel digital camera. Plus, users can take advantage of the Nomad’s CompactFlash (CF) and Secure Digital (SDIO) slots to add more devices such as memory and RFID.

The Nomad handheld computer is equipped with a 5200 mAh rechargeable lithium ion battery, up to 1 GB of Flash memory and a daylight-visible VGA touch screen display. The battery provides users with 15 hours or more of active use without a recharge. The Nomad’s VGA display is sharp and clear in sunlight, presenting maps and other graphic-intensive files in better detail than a typical QVGA display. It also comes with Windows Mobile 6.

http://www.trimble.com/ps_nomad.shtml

Monday, July 16, 2007

In the 40 years that humans have been traveling into space, the suits they wear have changed very little. The bulky, gas-pressurized outfits give astronauts a bubble of protection, but their significant mass and the pressure itself severely limit mobility.

Dava Newman, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics and engineering systems at MIT, wants to change that.

Newman’s prototype suit is a revolutionary departure from the traditional model. Instead of using gas pressurization, which exerts a force on the astronaut’s body to protect it from the vacuum of space, the suit relies on mechanical counter-pressure, which involves wrapping tight layers of material around the body. The trick is to make a suit that is skintight but stretches with the body, allowing freedom of movement.

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/biosuit-0716.html
Source: http://www.slashdot.org

From ars tecnhica:

The Zune may not be the most popular portable media player, but you wouldn’t know it based on the game of cat and mouse that has been going on for nearly a year between Microsoft and “hackers” who have continually found ways to defeat Microsoft’s DRM.

Ars Technica has been able to confirm that the latest attacks on Microsoft’s Windows Media DRM work as proclaimed. Via an update of the Individualized Blackbox component (IBX), FairUse4WM can now remove DRM for Microsoft IBX versions 11.0.6000.6324 and earlier, on both XP and Vista.

The release of the update was first announced on the Doom9 forums, where user ‘Divine Tao’ indicated that he found a way to update FairUse4WM to support new keys (v1.3 Fix2). It would appear as though ‘Divine Tao’ is not working with the same hacker(s) who broke the Windows Media DRM code last summer, as the user says that access to the FairUse4WM source code is not possible for him or her. (’Divine Tao’ is an anagram of ‘viodentia,’ however, which is suspicious.)

Continue reading on ars technica...

Synchronica announced that Mobile Gateway 3.0 supports over-the-air synchronization between Microsoft Exchange and Apple iPhone. Mobile Gateway uses Microsoft’s secure Outlook Web Access (OWA) to retrieve email from the corporate Exchange server, a service enabled by many enterprises to provide users with access to corporate email from home or while traveling.

Unlike other solutions so far, Mobile Gateway 3.0 delivers emails directly to the built-in email client of the Apple iPhone. Users will be able to benefit from the outstanding user experience of the built-in email client of the iPhone and its tight integration with the phone’s address book.

Now mobile operators and service providers can offer mobile synchronization to business users and prosumers, enabling them to receive corporate email on their iPhones without having to ask their IT manager to open the firewall or install additional software.

http://www.synchronica.com/

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Engadget posted a great item for the blind and sight-impaired. Check it out:

“Fort Wayne, Indiana based company GW Micro has developed a new type of PDA designed specifically for the blind and sight-impaired, called the VoiceSense. The assistant runs a modified version of Windows CE and features a vocal guidance system, a full function PIM, web browser, MP3 player, Daisy talking book player, FM radio tuner and MSN Messenger—all accessible through its custom Perkins-style Braille keyboard. The device has a 540MHz PXA270 processor, 1GB of RAM, and also boasts 802.11b/g, USB 2.0, audio in and out jacks, SD and CF card support, and runs 12 hours on a full charge. The PDA is available right now for $1,795, though the price goes up to $1,895 after July 15th.”

http://www.gwmicro.com/Voice_Sense/

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Samsung Ultra Messaging SGH-i600 HSDPA/WIFI Smartphone Live photos Review
Posted by Bill Landon in Mobile_Phones | Mobile_Phone_News | (0) Comments |

Hot on the heal of their Nokia review OCW blogs the Samsung Ultra Messaging SGH-i600.

Samsung unveils its 2nd Smartphone, the Ultra Messaging i600. In contrast to the i320N we reviewed last year, the i600 has more to offer.

The i600 is equipped with the latest mobile technology integrated into one piece of hardware. The phone supports HSDPA, WCDMA, WIFI, Bluetooth and a QWERTY keyboard to maximise productivity. On top of that, it supports Podcasting and comes with a RSS Feeder. Now, there is no reason why you can’t be contacted as you can go online on M1 broadband or using Wireless@SG hotspots.

Measuring only 11.8mm and weighing a mere 99g, the Samsung Ultra Messaging i600 is the world’s thinnest 3G smartphone with a full QWERTY key board. The QWERTY keyboard with wheel key allows easy navigation and typing of email. Running on Windows Mobile 5.0 with Direct Push Technology, the Ultra Messaging i600 instantly updates Microsoft Office Outlook’s Email, Calendar, Contacts and Tasks when synchronised with Exchange Server 2003, to ensure that users are always up-to- date while on-the-move. In addition to its push email capability, users can view Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF and image formats including BMP, JPEG and GIF with Picsel Viewer.

In the multimedia department, the phone is equipped with a WMP 10 mobile and Bluetooth Stereo headset. The phone also comes with a 2.3” screen and dual lens for video conferencing via 3G.

Check out their live hands on demo: http://www.ocworkbench.com/2007/samsung/sgh-i600/p1.htm

Nokia E61i Symbian Phone with 3G and WIFI Review
Posted by Bill Landon in Mobile_Phones | Mobile_Phone_News | (0) Comments |

Our peeps at OCW have thier review of the Nokia E61i ready to read. here is a blurb:

“Nokia’s second take on the E61 brings new features to the table, including an upgrade to a 2mpixel camera, refreshed body design with new keyboard and the replacement of that clunky old joystick with a more-user friendly d-pad.

The E61i shares most of its important features with it’s older sibling, including a large full colour screen, web browsing, push email support, Wi-Fi connectivity (including VoIP support) and the now de-facto Bluetooth connectivity. Lacking from the E61i, however, is HSDPA. It would have been provident of Nokia to include support for the new, high speed 3G data standard given this handset’s target audience, and to bring the device in line with the rest of the ‘new’ E-series handsets. “

Read the whole review: http://www.ocworkbench.com/2007/NOKIA/E61i/p1.htm

Made specifically for the 30G, 60G and 80G Apple iPod with video, this myvu system provides iPod lovers an unsurpassed personal experience in portable video watching and that oh so cool cyborg look...LeVar Burton (a.k.a. Geordi Laforge) only wished he could have looked this cool. Anyway they feature:

In-ear noise-reducing earbuds
Pendant for picture and audio controls
Microfiber protective sleeve and lens cloth

Best of all, the expected list price for the Myvu Solo is $199.95, making it one of the least expensive devices of its kind.

The myvu universal is also on its way; simply connect myvu to your mp4 player, laptop, DVD player or camera, sit back and watch all of your favorite videos come to life on myvu’s large virtual screen. No date listed or price, however I suspect it will be about the same price as the Solo.

http://www.myvu.com/Products/ipod_solo/
http://www.myvu.com/Products/universal/

(Via: mobiletechreview)