Pentax preps budget, wide-angle Optio E60

Pentax tonight gave entry-level photographers an extra option through the 10.1-megapixel Optio E60. Its standout addition is a 32-96mm equivalent wide-angle lens that helps frame wide portrait shots, scenery, or other very horizontal subjects. Its beginner focus includes a fully automatic mode that changes all settings itself, though the camera adds face detection and ISO-based blur correction that also help more experienced owners.

The camera's simpler nature also surfaces in its 3X zoom factor and its use of AA batteries rather than a lithium-ion pack for power. Pentax will offer the E60 in just a single black color when it ships in October for $140.

Dell intros $700 Inspiron 13 notebook, 518 tower

Dell tonight is continuing a string of major PC updates with both a new Inspiron notebook as well as a desktop. The Inspiron 13 promises to challenge the MacBook and other 13-inch portables by pushing the cost well below others while also providing dimensions and features that aren't always carried over into budget notebooks. The system weighs a relatively light 4.5 pounds but still finds room for a slot-load DVD drive, touch-sensitive media controls, and a sturdier, one-piece "barrel" hinge versus the two-hinge design of larger Inspirons.

Full specifications aren't immediately available, though the system is known to add an 8-in-1 card reader; better Wi-Fi, a webcam, and Bluetooth are options. The system will be priced at as little as $699 with a unique model tailored for Wal-Mart that ships on August 3rd, while higher-priced specifications ship later the same month from Dell's online store.

A similar move upscale takes place with the Inspiron 518 mini tower. It has a more ornate appearance than the silver of the Inspiron 530 with a glossy black case and chrome trim, but also brings quad-core speed to a relatively low price level with the options of 2.4GHz or 2.5GHz Core 2 Quad processors. A top-mounted two-port USB hub is in place to help users attach peripherals when the tower sits on the floor instead of a desk. The system will hold up to a 500GB hard drive and should be ready as of Tuesday, starting at $349 with 1GB of memory, a 2GHz Intel chip, and a 160GB hard drive.

Fujitsu's Lifebook U2010

We've caught a few glimpses of Fujitsu's Lifebook U2010 in the past, but now we've got a whole handful of new shots of the crazy-versatile device, plus some fresh video and actual, honest-to-goodness specs. According to a Vietnamese forum, the miniature laptop / tablet will feature an Intel Atom CPU (at 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz), a 5.6-inch 1024 x 768 display, an 80GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, a 3G radio, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, and will weigh 680 grams (about 1.5 lbs). No word on a street date or regions for the device right now, but the price is said to clock in around a hefty $1300.

Dell explains NVIDIA GPU issues, throws out BIOS updates to help

So yeah, quite a few NVIDIA GPUs have been acting up. Nothing new there. However, Dell's attempting to help its laptop owners out by making a few notable BIOS updates readily available for download. Apparently the issue "is a weak die / packaging material set, which may fail with GPU temperature fluctuations." In order to combat the problem, Dell's BIOS flashes "modify the fan profile to help regulate GPU temperature fluctuations," though the Round Rock powerhouse only promises that the updates will "help reduce the likelihood of GPU issues." Hit the read link and give it a go -- it can't hurt... we hope.

Nokia 5800 gets touched in the wild -- again

At this point, we've seen the Tube from everyone but Nokia -- heck, even Morgan Freeman got a chance to show it off -- and it looks like that trend isn't going to abate any time soon. Another round of in-the-wild shots of the supposed XpressMusic 5800 have popped up (yes, the latest prototype seems to have dropped the "XpressMedia" badge), showing off a pretty uninspiring keyboard that we can only hope has no bearing on the final product. Guess that's why they haven't announced this sucker yet, eh? We hope?

Nikon D700 full-frame DSLR

It's easy enough to drool over the press shots of Nikon's luscious D700. Seeing someone unbox this full-frame beast on video is another experience entirely (bordering on spiritual, really). Unfortunately, the vid waiting after the break is just two minutes long and doesn't show any clicks being depressed, but those looking to get a better idea of the size and build have plenty of reason to click through.

Nokia launches E66 and E71

Nokia is trying to retain its lead in the mobile phone market. The strategy of launching new products at regular intervals has worked well for Nokia. In order to consolidate the Business phone segment, Nokia has launched two handsets in the E Series, E71 and E66.

The E66 is a slider phone and a follow up of Nokia E65. It sports advanced integrated features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, GPS and 3G support. It runs on the Symbian operating system. It is priced at Rs 23,689. The Nokia E71 is the successor of E61 and E61i. It can handle MS Office applications with ease. It has advanced network connectivity in terms of HSDPA, wireless LAN and 3G. GPS along with Nokia Maps are included. It also sports a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera, FM radio, music player along with 110 MB internal dynamic memory and 8 GB external memory. It is priced at Rs 23,689.
Devinder Kishore, Nokia’s Director (Marketing), stated, “The launch of two stylish email-optimised devices from the E-series product range reiterates the potential of business mobility in India. The two handsets deliver an unmatched combination of advanced technologies, network connectivity options and stylish design.”

Sony-Ericsson launches 5 megapixel Cyber Shot phone

The 5 megapixel camera has become the defacto standard for high end Camera Phones. Following LG and Nokia, Sony-Ericsson too has launched a phone with a 5 megapixel camera. Its latest offering is the Cyber Shot C902.

C902 sports of a 16 x zoom with auto focus and face detection. Eight keys facilitate selection of various modes of the camera. The photo flash can adjust for low light conditions. There are facilities to click nine photos one after the other in quick succession.

Mr Sudhin Mathur, General Manager Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, India remarked “There is a change in the trend of more and more people replacing the camera with the camera phones. The Cyber-shot C902 is a perfect combination of style with superb camera features. Its unique camera features lets you capture your beautiful moments with the perfect shot”

C902 has a talk time of 9 hrs and a standby time GSM of up to 400 hours. It has a blue tooth headset and is GPS enabled. The carrying case is attractive too. For Rs 20,995 it is going to provide a stiff competition to its challengers.

IPhone to face stiff competition in India

Moblile Handset manufacturing companies are all set to face the onslaught of the iPhone in India. The iPhone is expected to be launched in September. The big three in the business, Nokia, Motorola and Sony Ericsson have already launched a slew of products that include music phones and touch screen products to face the iPhone.

Experts in the field are of the opinion that Nokia will still maintain its leadership with a 40 percent market share globally. Nokia leads in virtually all the categories except the Internet Mobile Devices. The major device that challenges them in this category is the iPhone. Nokia has its N and E series of converged mobile devices to take on this challenge. This time around the Apple threat is more pronounced as the new iPhone is 3G and is being marketed in Asia as well as Europe.

According to a Nokia spokesperson, “The iPhone is an interesting device and it is great to see other companies share our vision of connected multimedia devices. We strongly believe that traditional single-purpose, non-connected devices such as MP3 players and cameras will be marginalised and overtaken by converged multimedia devices in the future”.

There are very exciting days for the mobile handset manufacturers ahead.

Sony launches World’s First 16.4-Inch Wide Multimedia Notebook

Sony has introduced a notebook which can play Blu-Ray discs. VAIO FW notebook will be capable of displaying HD movies. The notebook is being marketed in the standard and the premium models.

The LCD is extra wide which permits unhindered watching of Blu-ray discs. The extra width of 16.4 inches eliminates the black bars which are a typical distraction otherwise. The notebook uses Sony’s patented XBRITE-HiColor LCD technology which enables glare free viewing with absolute picture quality.

The VAIO FW notebook is powered by a new Intel Centrino 2 technology that makes it more responsive and energy efficient. It uses the Windows Vista Ultimate operating system. The software bundled with the notebook includes VAIO Movie Story software, VAIO MusicBox software and the Disc/Editor software for creating DVD/BD video. It permits you to use the lap top in a wireless mode throughout your house.

Samsung's 8 megapixel Innov8

Samsung has launched a 8 megapixel camera phone, the innov8. This phone is a substantial upgrade to the 5 megapixel phone and takes the mobile handset photography and multimedia experience to a greater degree.

The innov8 offers surround sound cinematic video and latest games. It runs on the Symbian OS V9-3, S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2. The GPS is integrated for navigation. The display is 2.8 inches 16 M colors. It supports formats of DivX,WMV,Real Player and MPEG-4. It has an optical mouse, 4-way navigation keys Wi-Fi and HSDPA connectivity.

A unique feature of the innov8 is that it can be used as a digital frame too. You can edit and personalize your photos and videos using the Movie Maker and Story Board. It has been chosen as the official phone for the World Cyber Games 2008.

Mr Geesung Choi, President of Samsung Telecommunication Business said “Samsung innov8 is made for tech-savvy users who want to enjoy the best possible multimedia entertainment with their mobile phone. With the 8 megapixel camera, pre-embedded 3D games, high speed data connections and much more other features will help users gain the true benefits of mobile entertainment”

Nokia - N96 - Specification

t

Third quarter of 2008. It will be the upgrade to the excellent n95.

Let’s have a look at the specs of this impressive beast:-
General

Operating Frequency

* WCDMA2100/900 (HSDPA) / EGSM900, GSM850/1800/1900 MHz (EGPRS)
* Automatic switching between bands and modes
* DVB-H Class C, 470-750 MHz

Dimensions

* Volume: 92 cc
* Weight: 125 g
* Length: 103 mm
* Width: 55 mm
* Depth: 18 mm, locally up to 20 mm

Memory Functions*

* 16GB internal flash memory, plus microSD memory card slot (hot swappable) for expandability and flexibility
* Approximate dynamic memory capacity indication with 16GB storage:
o Video: 40 hours**
o Music: 12,000 tracks***
* 128MB RAM, 256MB system memory (operating system plus dynamic user data area)

*Changes to product details are possible without prior notice. Application offering may vary. Dynamic memory means that the available memory is shared between dynamic memory functions. When any of these functions is used, there is less available memory for other functions which are also dependent on dynamic memory.

** Video capacity is based on H.264 768-kbps video at 320-by-240 resolution, combined with 96-kbps AAC audio. Music capacity is based on 3:45 min per track and 48 kbps eAAC+ encoding.

*** Capacity based on 3:45 per song with 48 kbps eAAC+ (M4A) encoding on the Nokia Audio Manager. Capacity with 128 kbps AAC encoding is up to [12,000] songs.

Power Management*

* Battery: Nokia Battery BL-5F, 950 mAh
* Talk time: up to 150 / 220 minutes (WCDMA / GSM)
* Standby: up to 200 / 220 hours (WCDMA / GSM)
* Video playback: up to 5 hours (offline mode)
* Music playback: up to 14 hours (offline mode)
* TV playback: up to 4 hours (DVB-H)

* Operation times may vary depending on radio access technology used, operator network configuration and usage.

Display and User Interface

* 2.8″ QVGA (240 x 320 pixels) LCD TFT display with up to 16 million colors
* User Interface: S60 3rd edition, feature pack 2
* Active standby screen, Multimedia menu

Data Transfer*

* WCDMA HSDPA 900/2100 MHz with simultaneous voice and packet data (PS max speed DL/UL= 3.6Mbps/384kbps, CS max speed 64kbps)
* Dual Transfer Mode (DTM) support for simultaneous voice and packet data connection in GSM/EDGE networks. Simple class A, multi slot class 11, max speed DL/UL: 177.6/118.4kbps
* EGPRS class B, multi slot class 32, max speed DL/UL= 296/177.6kbps
* GPRS class B, multi slot class 32, max speed DL/UL= 107/64.2kbps

* Actual achieved speeds may vary depending on network support.

Video & TV

Video center

• Video center: central hub for video experiences
• Access to last played video and easy resume
• My videos: collection of stored videos
• Access to Internet Videos, compatible with RSS feeds and video podcasts, with direct wireless updates and downloads
• Service catalog to discover new Internet Videos

Video Codecs and Formats

• MPEG-4 Part 2 (H.263/SP), up to VGA 30 fps, hardware-accelerated codec, scaled to max QVGA on device screen, or max SDTV on TV-out
• MPEG-4 Part 10 (H.264/AVC), up to VGA 30 fps, hardware-accelerated codec, scaled to max QVGA on device screen, or SDTV on TV-out
• Windows Media Video (WMV9), up to CIF/QVGA 30 fps, hardware-accelerated codec, scaled to max QVGA on device screen, or SDTV on TV-out
• RealVideo QCIF at 30 fps
• Flash video support in browser
• DRM support: OMA DRM 1, OMA DRM 2, WM DRM

Live TV

• Broadcast Television (DVB-H) capable
  • DVB-H based mobile TV with internal antenna
  • DVB-H Class C, 470-750 MHz

Browser-based video access

• Support for download, streaming and progressive download
• Support for Flash video

Music Music Features*

• Digital music player - supports MP3, AAC, eAAC+, WMA, album art
• Playlist editing and sharing
• Equalizer and visualization
• Search, browse and purchase songs online in Nokia Music Store - with support for Windows Media DRM protected files

* Nokia Music Store availability varies by country.

Radio*

• Stereo FM radio (87.5-108MHz, 76-90MHz) with support for RDS, Visual RadioT and use of FM radio in offline mode
• Nokia Internet Radio

* The FM radio depends on an antenna other than the wireless device antenna. A compatible headset or enhancement needs to be attached to the device for the FM radio to function properly.

Imaging

Main camera

• Up to 5 megapixel (2592 x 1944 pixels)
• Carl Zeiss Optics: Tessar™ lens
• Auto-focus, auto-exposure
• F-number/aperture: F2.8
• Focal length: 5.2 mm
• Focus range 10 cm to infinity
• Dual-LED camera flash, video light, recording indicator, auto-focus assist light

Secondary camera

• VGA (640 x 480 pixels) sensor

Video Recording

• Video capture in MPEG-4 up to VGA at 30 fps
• Digital Video Stabilization
• Video clip length: limited by storage
• Video file format: .mp4 (default), .3gp (for MMS)
• Settings for scene, video light, white balance, color tone

Photography

• Still Image resolutions: up to 5 Megapixel (2592 x 1944 pixels)
• Still Image file format: JPEG, EXIF
• Location tagging: automatic insertion of location tagging into images
• Settings for scene, flash, sequence, self-timer, color, white balance, contrast, exposure compensation, guides

ExploreMaps and Navigation

• Built-in GPS receiver, with support for assisted GPS (A-GPS)*
• Nokia Maps application
• Free downloadable maps of over 150 countries, millions of locations, location details and satellite imagery**
• Upgrades available for purchase: Multimedia city guides and Navigation services: Drive - voice guided car navigation, or Walk - pedestrian-optimized turn-by turn guidance

* A-GPS is a network dependant feature that requires a data plan. Additional charges may apply.

** Downloading satellite images may involve the transmission of large amounts of data through your service provider’s network. Contact your service provider for information about data transmission charges.

E-mail and Messaging

• Easy-to-use email client with attachment support for images, videos, music and documents
• Support for SMTP, IMAP4, POP3, MMS, SMS. Unified SMS/MMS editor
• Compatible with Nokia Wireless Keyboard SU-8W (sold separately)

Browsing and Internet

• Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map, visual history, HTML and JavaScript support, Flash Lite 3.0 and Flash video support
• RSS reader

Connectivity

• WLAN - IEEE802.11 g/b with UPnP support
• Hi-Speed USB 2.0 with Micro USB type B interface
• 3.5mm stereo headset plug , TV-out support (PAL/NTSC)
• Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP stereo audio and Enhanced Data Rates (EDR)
• Nokia Nseries PC Suite connectivity with USB and Bluetooth wireless technology

Package Contents

Standard Sales Package Contents*

• Nokia N96
• Nokia Battery BL-5F
• Nokia Connectivity Cable CA-101
• Nokia Video-Out Cable CA-75U
• Nokia Stereo Headset and Remote HS-45, AD-54
• Nokia Mobile Charger DC-4 (car charger)
• Nokia Compact Travel Charger AC-5

* Sales package content may vary by region.

Nokia N96 UK Release Date

According to Carphone Warehouse’s website the n96 will be hitting the streets in August (as we predicted) . You can register interest on the site to take advantage of “special” offers.

Great timing for your truly, as my n95 contract is up about this time. Let’s see what they can do for me.

Let’s hope the release date doesn’t slip like the n95!

If you know of any revisions to this please let us know, don’t forget to quote the source and give a link if possible to verify.

Analyst: Zune phone "not likely"

would clash with the very fundamentals of Microsoft's mobile operating system business and with the partners it depends on to succeed, according to early Any attempt by Microsoft to release a Zune-branded phoneobservations by Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg. He warns that the frustrations with success in the market that led to the creation of the Zune media player don't exist with Windows Mobile. While companies selling Windows Media-compatible players and the relevant protect music format had largely struggled before the Zune launched in November 2006, Windows Mobile is still considered successful with 20 million copies sold for various devices in the company's fiscal 2008.

"Zune worked to some extent since the technology Microsoft was licensing wasn't getting them anywhere," Gartenberg says, referring to the PlaysForSure program for protected music. "The phone is different. [Windows Mobile] is a core platform and OS. No one has ever been successful licensing technology platforms to others and then competing with a device of their own."

Apple and Palm are cited as examples of this, with Apple having seen substantial losses while it licensed out the desktop Mac OS to third parties in the mid 1990s only to regain its footing after canceling the program. Palm in turn licensed out the PalmOS to Japan-based ACCESS but has had little success encouraging the spread of the software beyond its own phones.

Many Windows Mobile partners would also likely revolt, the analyst suggests, particularly if Microsoft decided to follow the same one-carrier strategy as Apple did with the initial iPhone. The move would force Microsoft to compete against close dependents and also create conflicts with licensees that would see Microsoft favoring certain providers and services over others. The company is unlikely to see much success should it follow Nokia's route and sell a high-end phone only as an unlocked model, according to the researcher.

Apple for its part has allowed a multi-carrier strategy for the iPhone 3G and in multiple countries offers the device through two or three carriers in non-exclusive agreements.

Gartenberg however suggests that any theoretical Microsoft change would most likely to work the Zune's media playback features into an update to Windows Mobile and let third-party manufacturers develop suitable phones if they so choose. Windows Mobile 7 is the next earliest opportunity for this and is planned for a launch in the second half of 2009.

Dell names, fixes notebooks hit by NVIDIA video bug

Dell this afternoon provided a list of its notebooks affected by a chronic graphics chip flaw as well as a firmware fix that should reduce the risk of the problem. The company is the first known PC vendor to do so and says that its new updates modify the fan behavior on each of the notebooks to make sure they remain cooler than normal and thus prevent the heat problems that trigger the failures. The sheet reveals systems that are largely using NVIDIA's GeForce 8400M and related video chipsets. Most are business systems and include the 13-inch through 17-inch Vostro business notebooks as well as the Latitude D630/D630c and Precision M2300 workstation. Three home systems are affected and include both the XPS M1330 and M1530 gaming notebooks in addition to the 14-inch Inspiron 1420.

Dell warns that the fix isn't guaranteed to prevent a breakdown and that anyone already experiencing signs of the problem, including patterns and other artifacts on the screen as well as an outright video failure, has to be taken care of under Dell's normal support program.

Revo intros FM, DAB, Internet radio, iPod dock

UK-based Revo Technologies recently announced it will launch the first product to combine Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), Internet and FM radio reception, along with iPod docking capabilities. The iBLIK RadioStation also supports Wi-Fi Internet radio, RDS text data for FM stations and MP3 media streaming capability from Mac or PC computers. The unit also has a built-in alarm clock.

The DAB/DAB+ tuner allows users to find one of the 11,000 supported worldwide stations by name, and delivers interference-free digital audio signals complete with scrolling text information. The iBLIK RadioStation is certified for compatibility with Apple's iPod, and will charge and allow control over dockable iPods' contents via the unit's buttons or the included remote control. An included M-Port cable allows MP3 players to connect to the iBLIK.

The alarm clock options include four separate settings, allowing users to wake up to any source apart from a docked iPod, or a traditional buzzer. A customizable Sleep setting is also included.

The iBLIK RadioStation will be available on the UK market starting on August 18, priced at £180 (about $360) via Apple stores and online, as well as on Revo's web store. [

HTC Touch Diamond update adds GSM 850 band, more

A ROM update for the HTC Touch Diamond was released on Wednesday, giving the phone a few added capabilities, with the addition of the 850MHz GSM band for calling -- but not 850MHz 3G over HSPA for data -- and a quicker response from the TouchFLO 3D touchscreen interface chief among them. Users who perform the upgrade will also be able to use the EDGE data network. With the update, HTC will more specificially speed up the tab switching function along with the movement of the TouchFLO 3D interface. Eight other smaller fixes are part of the new software, including the occasional lack of signal, the sound alert delay after the arrival of SMS messages and speeding up the loading times of the home page.

Smaller quirks such as disabling the tendency of the screen shutting off again five seconds after users wake it up during a phone call and improving the audio quality when the audio booster is enabled were also addressed.

Rounding off the changes users are likely to notice are making the navigator control responsive in camera mode, and a new random access bar on the screen that allows selecting weather information in various countries and cities. [via Gizmodo]

Toshiba shows off 5.6-inch minibook prototype

Toshiba may soon launch a small portable computer that would straddle the line between UMPCs such as Nokia's N810 and netbooks from the likes of the Eee PC and MSI Wind, according to a recent PC Authority report. The size and lack of a keyboard scream UMPC, but hardware and specs are very netbook-like. Preliminary specs for the 5.6-inch UMPC-like device include an Intel Atom processor sitting on a motherboard that's half the size of the one used in the company's Portege R500 notebook. The report says a 64GB solid-state drive is fitted into the unnamed prototype, which runs on Microsoft's Windows Vista. GPS functionality is also integrated, thanks to a built-in antenna that curves around the perimeter of the small device. The virtual keyboard takes up two-thirds of the touch-screen's surface, in a similar vein to Apple's iPhone.

However, Toshiba staff is downplaying the chances of the prototype ever seeing production, at least in its current form. "We don't think this [prototype] is commercially viable, it's too small," said Toshiba's General Manager, Mark Whittard. "Having said that, we will have a ULPC (Ultra Low-Cost PC) soon."

Toshiba representatives went on to suggest they are looking into six or seven market segments, with a 9-inch netbook among the possibilities. Toshiba is not keen on taking on the Eee PC directly, stressing its product may not be a direct rival to the popular netbook.

Costume: The portable hard drive for senoritas

Someone took the time to throw together a render of a portable hard drive for girls, the Costume. Overtly targeting girls with technology can be dangerous proposition; dipping a phone in pink and calling it “for girls, now!” usually has less than a snowball’s chance in hell of getting anywhere, but Costume seems to have been designed with care.

It’s supposed to match all the doodads in your purse, like makeup and mace and so on.

You do have to question the sense of dragging around a 2.5-inch hard drive in your purse, though. Why not put whatever file your sneaker netting on your iPod, or on a much smaller thumb drive?

Brando's Power Station Holds 1000mAh, Title For Cheapest iPhone Battery

We're not sure if Brando's version of the external iPhone battery pack bests the others we've seen in performance, but it's definitely the cheapest by far. At $25, it's a whole $18 cheaper than the iPhoneck, and half as costly as Macally's PowerLink. Is it any good? No clue yet. But it's cheap, which is all some people care about.

Eee PC getting bigger battery and storage… again?

DigiTimes is reporting that Asustek, maker of the Eee PC, expects to increase battery life and storage capacity by the end of this year. The report is exceptionally light, with no concrete numbers and vague promises

Computer expects to introduce new features for its Eee PC range including “whole-day” battery life and Internet storage.

The question now seems to be, is “whole-day” the same as “One Day Computing”? As reported previously, there seems to be an Eee PC with an extended life battery available, not to mention plenty of storage room.

Recently the company did announce plans to include 3G connectivity to their increasingly popular mini-notebook, adding further fuel to the mini notebook fire. Could it be these external accessories that have sparked the report?

ASUS preps all-day runtime, Internet storage for Eee

ASUS is planning to extend the Eee PC's capabilities within the next few months, according to one report. Although the company's Atom-based Eee PC 901 is already estimated to get near eight hours of maximum battery life, a future upgrade due in the last half of 2008 should give it "whole-day" battery life that potentially gives it an edge over challengers. It will also offer an Internet-based storage option similar to those offered by Dell and others and will help compensate for the limited built-in storage.

Besides these changes, the company also supposedly plans to make hardware and software updates "every month" for the Eee PC line, although the details of these early plans aren't mentioned. ASUS is already known to be making several sub-variants of its most recent Eee PC notebooks that include the Celeron-driven 904 HD as well as the 903, 905, and multiple versions of the 1001.

Nokia - N85 leaked?

The existence of a separate, North American version of Nokia's N85 has been revealed, a new report claims. While a basic UAProfile for the phone appeared online several days ago, Nokia has today posted a second one, labeled "Nokia N85-3." Based on Nokia's past behavior with phones like the N95, it is expected that the 3 designates a North American variant.

The profiles also illustrate some of the phone's specifications, which should include a 320x240 display, EDGE, HSDPA and WCDMA broadband, plus a Wi-Fi receiver. An onboard camera should be rated between 3.2 and 5 megapixels, and the phone's operating system is S60 3rd Edition with Feature Pack 2. By contrast, Nokia's 5800 Tube is expected to use a touch-enabled 5th Edition.

Buffalo first with 8X Blu-ray burners

Buffalo has claimed a first in the industry with the announcement of the first-ever Blu-ray drives to record at 8X speed. The external BR-816U2 and the internal, Serial ATA-based BR-816FBS will equally write even 50GB dual-layer discs at the new speed, theoretically completing a single-layer disc in as little as 15 minutes. The drives also burn rewritable Blu-ray discs at 2X and record both CDs and DVDs.

The external drive is also rare in its category through the inclusion of both a heavily optimized USB 2.0 interface as well as an external Serial ATA connection that provides the same bandwidth as if the drive were attached internally. All drives come with Cyberlink software to help Windows users play, author, and burn Blu-ray content.

Buffalo ships its new disc drives to Japan in early August at prices of $382 for the internal model and $435 for its external counterpart. An international release is likely, while the drives themselves should lead to equivalents for other manufacturers.

Sanyo intros Eneloop power for Wii remotes

Sanyo has branched out into gaming peripherals with the launch of the Contact Charger for Wii. The add-on combines an Eneloop nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable battery pack with a cradle to give a Wii remote both a longer active use time of about 6.5 hours as well as a much simpler way to recharge for the next session. As suggested by its name, the remote doesn't require a proprietary connector and is sensitive enough to work even with the Wii's protective jacket in place.

A single Wii remote will be fully powered from empty in slightly more than 3.5 hours, though Sanyo notes that multiple chargers can be strung together to charge four controls one after the other instead of having to plug each into a separate power jack.

The official debut of the Contactless Charger takes place on August 25, when it should be available for the equivalent of $72 in Japan. Sanyo hasn't said whether it will export the power bundle elsewhere and may need to adapt the cradle to North American power ports to bring it to the US.

Samsung G400 Soul review: Fold and touch

All right then, Samsung and Soul know better than simply recasting a slider as a bar. Samsung G400 Soul is the one Soul family member that easily gets singled out. The clamshell phone pulls off near RAZR size and style (save for the thickness), and boasts the unique dual screen setup and a 5 megapixel autofocus camera. Actually, this is the first 5 MP clamshell ever, though for some reason Samsung chose not to pitch that in their promos. Anyway, the G400 is one heavy piece of skill and style. And even if it's the odd one in terms of looks, it seems set to live up to that Soul pedigree.

Samsung G400 Soul official photos

Key features:

* 5 megapixel autofocus camera (face detection, wide dynamic range and
image stabilization)
* Identical external and internal screens: 2.2" 256K-color TFT LCD of QVGA
resolution
* Touch-sensitive external display with ,multimedia interface and haptics
* 3G with HSDPA (7.2Mbps) support, video call
* FM radio with RDS
* 120MB of shared memory and microSD slot
* Bluetooth (with A2DP) and USB v2.0
* User-friendly keypad
* Relatively fast user interface
* Fully customizable themes
* Dedicated settings for each of the displays
* The main display doesn't get key prints in closed position

Main disadvantages:

* Tri-band only
* Only LED flash
* Display legibility suffers under direct sunlight, external screen is hardly
usable
* Limited browser capabilities
* QVGA video recording at most

Some may claim the G400 Soul design is too old school for a Samsung. OK, it's inconsistent with the Soul looks and quite akin to the well aged Moto RAZR concept. In fact the G400 has almost the same design as the Samsung Z560, which was set to compete with the Motorola RAZR V6 maxx.

Still, the G400 rounds off the form factor supply within the Soul lineup and tries to meet some demand for full-featured flips. But so much for vintage vs. vantage - even if 5MP and HSDPA are nothing radical these days, it takes a flip to show off that sweet dual screen combo. For one of the most intriguing specs is the huge (in clamshell terms) touchscreen external display.

Samsung G400 Soul looks an old-school flip

Speaking of full-featured flips, Samsung G400 Soul easily comes out as the top dog in the pack. Even so, it's not immune to pressure and the handset to probably give it the strongest run for its money though is Sony Ericsson W980. It's a tough call between the Soul flip and the Walkman flagship. With enough class and gloss to go around, it all boils down to 5MP imaging or FM transmitter and auto screen rotation. Anyway, enough either-ors, take the jump for the real thing.

HTC Touch Diamond review

We called it a game for the Diamond and Omnia but the crowd is still on their feet, so there we go with the HTC Diamond's lap of honor. The latest HTC squad member, HTC Touch Diamond, might as well be starting a new era for Microsoft OS-powered mobiles.

Never before has Windows Mobile looked this sharp, nor has it been as feature-loaded. Gem-inspired design, VGA screen, GPS and a built-in accelerometer might just be enough to get WinMo fans exited but the HTC Touch Diamond reaches beyond. A usable 3 megapixel camera and the latest edition of the TouchFLO UI are running on the brand new 6.1 version of the Windows Mobile Professional OS. And all that is packed into a package that's as compact as they get.

We already saw the Diamond in action - and up against some cutthroat competition. It now has the spotlight all to itself and we're about to see if it's got the diamond-hard performance to become a true blockbuster.

HTC Touch Diamond HTC Touch Diamond HTC Touch Diamond HTC Touch Diamond

Key features

* 2.8" 65K-color VGA display
* TouchFLO 3D Home screen and gesture controls
* 4 GB of internal storage
* Wi-Fi
* Qualcomm MSM7201A 528 Mhz CPU and 192 MB DDR SDRAM
* Dedicated graphics chip (64MB RAM reserved for graphics)
* HSDPA 7.2Mbps
* Built-in GPS receiver
* Standout design
* Compact and lightweight
* Stereo FM radio with RDS
* 3.15 MP auto focus camera
* Active magnetic stylus
* Touch-sensitive scroll wheel
* MS Office Mobile document editor
* Opera 9.5 web browser
* Standard miniUSB slot and Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP
* Comes with the amusing Teeter game
* YouTube client
* Excellent video playback performance

Main disadvantages:

* Poor battery life
* Fingerprint nightmare
* Average sunlight legibility
* No memory card slot
* Questionable build quality
* Tri-band GSM support only
* No TV out port
* No standard 3.5mm audio jack
* Back panel design has negative impact on usability and camera image
quality
* Back panel finish started to wear off in a few weeks of usage
* Limited scroll wheel usage

It's rather hard to find a Windows mobile device to boast the same extras as the Diamond and be just as pocket-friendly. The compact size of the HTC Touch Diamond and the VGA screen are its best ammo in the market share war.

HTC Touch Diamond all over

We already stood the HTC Touch Diamond against the other most interesting WinMo device to recently surface - the Samsung i900 Omnia. You can replay the PocketPC championship game here.

HTC Touch Diamond and Samsung i900 Omnia head to head

Alongside the Omnia, there are a couple of other devices to fight the HTC Touch Diamond for a place under the sun. Here are a few alternatives to check out before cashing out for the Diamond.

Eten glofiish X900 has virtually the same feature pack as the HTC Touch Diamond, although it weighs a good 37 grams more. However, it packs quad-band GSM and tri-band UMTS (with HSDPA), which might make all the difference for frequent travelers. The glofiish V900 is another interesting offer by Eten not to be overlooked, especially with that built-in DVB-H/DVB-T/T-DMB/DAB TV broadcast receiver in mind. Neither of Eten devices however has hit the shelves, so we are yet to see if their performance is a match for the Diamond.

A few members of the Gigabyte g-Smart lineup also feature VGA screens and comparably lightweight bodies. i350, t600 and MW998 are a few names that come to mind. We doubt it however that the PocketPCs manufactured by the relatively less popular GigaByte can be considered as a serious rival of the Diamond.

Now if you have already gone through the HTC Touch Diamond and Samsung i900 Omnia head-to-head article you are probably wondering if this review is worth your time. Well, truthfully, we have put our every effort to make it worth it:

* we've added a number of new unpublished photos - both of the device and the interface

* we've added a whole bunch of unpublished camera samples

* we've covered new topics such as detailed TouchFLO Home screen description, the FM radio, the organizer, the mobile office and the full range of preinstalled applications

* we've covered the Opera 9.5 web browser in greater detail

* and finally, we've added a whole new chapter on Tweaking and Modding that would hopefully allow you to unleash the true power of your Diamond

So basically, we really hope that you would enjoy this detailed review as much as you enjoy most of our articles here at GSMArena. Well, if we've got you interested enough, hit this small jump for more on the HTC Touch Diamond.

Sony Ericsson roundup: W902, W595, W302 preview

Sony Ericsson is making headlines again today, but the three fresh Walkmans is no news any more. The news is we got the actual handsets and our coverage goes deeper with a quick preview of the three new phones to hit the Walkman lineup. We already introduced the 5-megapixel Sony Ericsson W902, the cute slider W595 and the compact W302, which were chosen by Sony Ericsson to celebrate the third birthday of the Walkman series. We're now heading beyond the headlines, while the news of their announcement is still hot.

Sony Ericsson latest Walkmans

We are not going for a feature comparison since the three newcomers are running in different lanes and targeting different segments. We'll be focusing instead on the novelties they bring to the Sony Ericsson portfolio and their implementation. All the devices we received for reviewing are working pre-release units. They are in for some minor bugs, but nothing too disturbing. In other words, the preview should give you quite a close idea of what to expect from the new Walkmans.

Sony Ericsson latest Walkmans

Sony Ericsson W902 is quite understandably the handset to create the biggest hype. The first 5 megapixel Walkman takes a bold Cybershot-meets-Wseries stand, much to the delight of Sony Ericsson devotees. Walkmans have so far been below-par in terms of imaging (save for the W800 back in the day), forcing upon users the dreadful choice between a good camera and good music package.

Sony Ericsson W902 official images

Sony Ericsson W902 is a tough challenge for the current Walkman flagship W980. The newbie has a better camera, card slot, screen auto rotation and ships with 8GB M2 cards against the FM transmitter, touch-sensitive music controls and 8GB of built-in storage of W980. All in all, the choice between the two boils down to your personal priorities and taste.

Sony Ericsson W902

Sony Ericsson W902 live

Next in line is the Sony Ericsson W595. The slider does make a great first impression with slick looks and comfortable handling. It also has all the currently available Walkman niceties, including SenseMe and Shake control.

Sony Ericsson W595 - Sony Ericsson W595 official images

Other than that, the W595 has quite a decent feature set and appears a viable successor of the very successful Sony Ericsson W580. The mid-range slider is well due for an upgrade. Much like its predecessor, W595 has the responsible task of adding a touch of style to the Walkman mid-ranks. Our initial impressions are that it's quite up to it.

Sony Ericsson W595 live

The last star of the day is the clean-cut Sony Ericsson W302. The extremely compact bar is distinguished by its minimalist design with solid build and brushed metal panels.

Sony Ericsson W302 - Sony Ericsson W302 official images

Coming with a good deal of Walkman skill and a nice camera interface, the W302 might turn a great success if tagged with the right price. It feels great to handle and, despite a few beta stage issues, did manage a good impression.

Sony Ericsson W302 - Sony Ericsson W302 live

With all the previewing we have ahead, it's about time we skipped the small talk and got to work. Take the jump for our first impressions of Sony Ericsson W902. The other two are close in line.