http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/index/ News and reviews of your favorite PDA's, mobile gear and consumer electronics en bill@pdatoday.com 2009-04-24T22:56:57+00:00 http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/site_updates_in_progress/ Greetings! We are in the process of updating our site. We will have fresh new articles and look early next week. Thanks for your patience! General_Interest Bill Landon 2009-04-24T22:56:57+00:00 http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/mobileread_has_a_boox_ebook_reader_update_with_new_information_youtube_vide/ Quote: Onyx has product listings on Alibaba. They have 10 different case designs ready to manufacture. They range from nice but bland to a couple very pretty ones. I also just got an email from Onyx telling me that we had incorrect information yesterday. The default CPU speed is 532MHz, and the BOOX does support EPUB. (I don’t know about you, but this makes the device even more tempting.) There is also a Youtube video. You gotta see the video. It shows how to use the touch screen to use the menu, write and erase notes, and swipe to turn the page. It also shows the web browser. Join the discussion over at MobileRead: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40424 Consumer_Electronics, Consumer_Electronic_News, General_Interest, Books, General_PDA, General_PDA_News Bill Landon 2009-03-04T15:23:43+00:00 http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/nautiz_x5_smartphone_packed_for_performance_and_abuse-941/ First of all, the Nautiz X5 is fast and powerful. Its 806 MHz Xscale processor, 256 MB RAM and 512 MB Flash memory is just wow. With Windows Mobile 6.1, a full VGA screen, and a battery that lasts more than a full workday on a single charge this handheld takes no prisoners. The Nautiz X5 has an integrated 3 megapixel autofocus camera, and it also includes integrated 1-D laser barcode scanning or an optional 2-D imager. It offers a standard GSM/UMTS voice and high speed HSDPA data connectivity with lightning-fast, 3G communication. The Nautiz X5 has integrated Bluetooth and 802.11b/g, with WPA2 encryption for improved security and CCX certification for better interoperability. And with state-of-the-art SIRF Instant Fix II technology, the Nautiz X5’s GPS computes positions in seconds. Did I mention abuse in the title? An IP65 rating means the Nautiz X5 is impervious to dust and highly water-resistant, and it can withstand drops from 1.8 meters and operate in a wide range of temperatures. It weights only 410 g (14.46 ounces) including rechargeable battery and fits comfortably in anyone’s hand, 160mm (6.3”) x 80 mm (3.15”) x 35.5mm (1.4”). More specs: Connections:  USB host/client, Serial (ttl), Audio jack, IrDA, Ethernet (via desktop cradle), MicroSD slot. Communication:  PAN: Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, WLAN*: integrated 802.11b/g, WITH WEP, WPA, WPA2, CCX Cisco Compatible extensions, Integrated GPS Sirf III with Instant Fix II, GSM/UMTS (HSDPA/EDGE), Integrated speaker & microphone. More: http://www.nautiz.com/default.asp Source: Engadget Consumer_Electronics, Consumer_Electronic_News, General_PDA, General_PDA_News, Mobile_Phones, Mobile_Phone_News, Windows_Mobile, Windows_Mobile_News Bill Landon 2009-03-04T15:08:46+00:00 http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/hp_mini_1000_3g_set_up_and_initial_impressions/ For this article I will be focusing on the 3G set-up and my initial thoughts about the HP Mini 1000. Stalking the HP Mini 1000 I have been watching the netbook market with some varied interest over the past year.  I had only a few criteria for purchasing a netbook; it had to comfortably run Windows OS software, weigh less than 2 1/2 pounds, have internal 3G, and a semi competent keyboard. The HP Mini 1000 seemed to fit all of my needs out of the box. After watching the HP site for the last couple of months I decided to take advantage of their $100 3G upgrade offer and order a custom unit. To the basic configuration I added Bluetooth, the 3G upgrade offer, 1 GB ram upgrade offer. This brought me to just under $550 shipped with a coupon. With my order placed my next question was how to get the 3G activated. The HP site said I could use Verizon or AT&T. OK, great except they never asked me which one I wanted; in the past I would have had to pick one or the other. I saw no place to select an EVDO 3G card or a HSDPA/UMTS 3G card on my order. I kept expecting HP to call or email me asking what card to install into the HP Mini 1000. About a week and half later a curiously small box arrived from Asia; the HP Mini 1000 had arrived. Continue reading: HP Mini 1000 3G Set-up and Initial Impressions Consumer_Electronics, Consumer_Electronic_Reviews, General_PDA, General_PDA_Reviews, Personal_Computer, Personal_Computer_Reviews, Personal_Computer_Hardware Bill Landon 2009-02-03T17:26:35+00:00 http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/super_talent_releases_ssd_upgrade_for_asus_s101_eee_pc/ Super Talent Technology today launched an SSD upgrade for the Asus S101 Eee PC in capacities up to 64GB. This is a nice upgrade to the Windows model of the S101 which includes only 16GB SSD local storage. Models and size: FPM16RSE / 16GB FPM32RSE / 32GB FPM64RSE / 64GB This new SSD has been rigorously tested in Super Talent’s compatibility labs for both performance and functionality to ensure it meets Super Talent’s high quality standards. According to their testing the new kits deliver 90 MB/sec max sequential read speeds and up to 55 MB/sec write speeds. All three models are shipping now. The 64GB model will retail for approximately $169. http://www.supertalent.com/products/ssd_detail.php?type=SATA%20Mini%20PCIe Consumer_Electronics, Consumer_Electronic_News, General_PDA, General_PDA_News, Personal_Computer, Personal_Computer_News Bill Landon 2009-01-28T00:20:58+00:00 http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/general_mobile_to_be_rocking_dual_sim_dstl1_android_phone_at_mobile_world_c/ Quoted from AndroidAuthority.com: The phone, called the DSTL1, is shown in a few renderings in the gallery below.  Astute readers will note that the button configuration on the phone, as shown, won’t fly for Android.  Android phones currently need 5 hardware buttons in order to work (home, back, menu, call send, call end).  General Mobile says that the front of the phone will change from what is shown in the renderings in order to accommodate Android.  But I’m also a bit worried about the display, which is said to be a 400x240 pixel unit manufactured by Sharp. The specs as they stand today are as follows: Dual-SIM cards with dual-Standby mode 624MHz Marvell PXA 310 processor Tri-band GSM/EDGE support (900/1800/1900MHz) 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen display, 260k colors 802.11b/g WiFi support Bluetooth 135g (4.75oz), 112 x 54 x 16mm (4.4 x 2.1 x .6 inches) 5 megapixel autofocus camera with flash (made by Sharp) Source: Engadget.com Consumer_Electronics, Consumer_Electronic_News, General_Interest, General_PDA, General_PDA_News, Mobile_Phones, Mobile_Phone_News Bill Landon 2009-01-27T18:51:32+00:00 http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/seattle_is_americas_most_wired_cityyea_for_us/ I spotted this on Engadget this morning. It appears our home location is listed as America’s most wired city, edging out Atlanta for the first time. Since we are located about two blocks from Microsoft and AT&T, i am not supprised by this development. Quote: Move over, Atlanta. Seattle, Microsoft and Amazon.com’s home base, is now the country’s most wired city. While these marquee names have long lent the Emerald City tech-y cachet, it was Seattle’s increased use of broadband that powered it up Forbes’ annual list of the 30 most broadband-connected cities in the U.S. High marks in two other wired city categories—broadband access and wi-fi hot spots—helped Seattle clinch the top spot. http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/22/wired-cities-2009-tech-wire-cx_ew_0122wiredcities.html Consumer_Electronics, Consumer_Electronic_News, General_Interest, General_PDA, General_PDA_News, Mobile_Phones, Mobile_Phone_News Bill Landon 2009-01-26T18:49:40+00:00 http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/htc_touch_cruise_makes_geotagging_a_snap_with_htc_footprints/ The new HTC Touch Cruise, an update to 2008’s HTC GPS device of the same name, sports a new, more compact design and new capabilities. With HTC Footprints you have the ability to take notes and an audio clip of that favourite restaurant or special place while identifying its specific geographical location. In addition to identifying each postcard with its specific GPS co-ordinates, Footprints also auto-names each postcard with its general location or area. When placed into its accompanying car cradle, the HTC Touch Cruise automatically kicks in its one-touch interface that provides seamless turn-by-turn directions for in car navagation. Key HTC Touch Cruise Specifications Size: 102 x 53.5 x 14.5mm Weight: 103 grams Connectivity: WCDMA/HSPA: 900/2100MHz. HSDPA 7.2 Mbps Operating system: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional Display: 2.8-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with QVGA resolution Control panel: HTC TouchFLO, 4-Way navigation wheel with Enter and HTC Footprints buttons Camera: 3.2 MP, with fixed focus Internal memory: 512 MB flash ROM, 256 MB RAM Expansion Slot: microSD memory card (SD 2.0 compatible) Bluetooth: 2.0 with EDR Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g GPS: GPS/A-GPS Interface: HTC ExtUSB (mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one) Battery: 1100 mAh Talk time: GSM: up to 400 minutes Standby time: GSM: up to two weeks Chipset: Qualcomm MSM7225, 528 MHz The new HTC Touch Cruise will be available to customers across all major global markets in spring 2009. http://www.htc.com/www/press.aspx?id=81678 Consumer_Electronics, Consumer_Electronic_News, General_PDA, General_PDA_News, Mobile_Phones, Mobile_Phone_News, Windows_Mobile, Windows_Mobile_News Bill Landon 2009-01-22T19:49:39+00:00 http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/change_has_come_to_america/ Congratulations to our 44th President of the United States of America; Barack H. Obama! http://www.whitehouse.gov/ Consumer_Electronics, Consumer_Electronic_News, Events, Event_News, General_Interest, General_PDA, General_PDA_News Bill Landon 2009-01-20T17:09:15+00:00 http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/compulab_introduces_the_exeda_android_winmo_handheld/ We missed this during CES, a pitfall of a small staff. However Engadget caught wind of it. The design is interesting and is squarely aimed at the enterpriser market or uber phone geek. The device is not exclusive to WinMo as it is built around an open platform with an open source u-boot bootloader and the usual toolset to bake your own ROM’s for WinMo, android, and Angstrom Linux. The Exeda has a 3.5” VGA touch screen, a five row full QWERTY keypad with backlight and a capacitive touchpad acting as a mouse. More Specs: - Marvell PXA270 520MB CPU - 128MB RAM - 2 banks of internal FLASH, 512MB each - 2MP camera with flash - GPS with built-in and external antennas - MicroSD socket with SDHC support - Built-in microphone and speaker + 3.5mm stereo jack - High capacity 3000mAh battery The Exeda will be available for purchase in March ‘09 pricing to be released at that time. http://www.exedamobile.com/web/?gclid=CMrT-cH4i5gCFQFqxwod2HPLkQ More pics after the break… Consumer_Electronics, Consumer_Electronic_News, Events, CES 2009, General_PDA, General_PDA_News, Mobile_Phones, Mobile_Phone_News, Windows_Mobile, Windows_Mobile_News Bill Landon 2009-01-13T17:55:53+00:00