Starbucks Merges Their Two iOS Apps, Lets You Gift Your Friends Coffee From Your Phone

Oh, how great it is to live in the future. Sure, we may never explore the galaxy in our personal space cruisers (single tear.), but we can buy our friends coffee without even being at a coffee shop. From our phones!

I’m getting ahead of myself. Up until this point, Starbucks has had two applications for iOS: myStarbucks, and Starbucks Card Mobile. The first let you find nearby stores, explore Starbuck’s menu, view store hours, etc — all the basics. The second, however, was pretty neat: you went to a Starbucks store, bought a gift card, punched that card’s details into your phone, and bam: the Starbucks Card Mobile appbecame the gift card, showing a scannable code that the cute girl behind the counter could scan whenever it came time to pay up.

Today, they’re merging the two apps into one, with the aptly titled “Starbucks for iPhone“. It brings all of the features from both apps into one, with one new cool trick thrown into the mix: mobile gifting. With just a click or two, you can send any of your contacts or Facebook friends an eGift card, which they can in turn use from their iPhone or at starbucksstore.com.

The best part about all of this: next time someone you’ve just met says “Let me buy you coffee some time!”, you can respond by saying “Okay, go ahead!”, and staring at them awkwardly until the eGift alert arrives.

NetTalk joins forces with LightSquared, enters the cellular arena

MagicJack rival NetTalk is planning to crawl out of the infomercial doldrums and launch its own, branded LTE wireless service with the aid of LightSquared. See, when the cellular wholesaler is done taking out GPS signals it plans to sell space on its network to other companies who will then market it to consumers -- and NetTalk wants to be one of those companies. Obviously, offering mobile voice and data is new territory for the VoIP provider but, as always, more competition on the cellular scene is quite welcome. It's still too early for details like pricing, features, or devices, but we do have some lovely PR after the break.

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LightSquared and netTALK Sign Long Term 4G-LTE Wholesale Agreement

RESTON, VA and MIAMI, FL -- June 28, 2011 -- LightSquared™, the nation's first wholesale-only integrated 4G-LTE wireless broadband and satellite network, and netTALK.COM, INC. ("netTALK"; OTCBB: NTLK), a telecommunications and consumer electronics company offering a variety of innovative, easy-to-use products designed to help consumers save money on phone calls and more, today announced that they have entered into a multi-year wholesale agreement.

Under this agreement, netTALK will become a wholesale customer on LightSquared's 4G-LTE network, and will develop its own branded voice and high-speed mobile data services for its customers. This partnership represents a major step toward making the latest generation of mobile services available to netTALK's fast-growing customer base throughout the United States.

"Our partnership with LightSquared helps fulfill our vision of delivering the most advanced communications services to customers throughout America," said Anastasios 'Takis' Kyriakides, president of netTALK. "With LightSquared's wholesale business model, we also now have an opportunity to serve new customer segments with very competitive services."

"We are extremely excited to provide netTALK with access to the wireless broadband capabilities of the LightSquared network," said Sanjiv Ahuja, chairman and chief executive officer of LightSquared. "This agreement reaffirms LightSquared's commitment to enable new and innovative companies such as netTALK to compete in the U.S. wireless market.

About LightSquared
LightSquared's mission is to revolutionize the U.S. wireless industry. With the creation of the first-ever, wholesale-only nationwide 4G-LTE network integrated with satellite coverage, LightSquared offers people the speed, value and reliability of universal broadband connectivity, wherever they are in the United States. As a wholesale-only operator, LightSquared will deploy an open 4G network to be used by existing and new service providers to sell their own devices, applications and services - at a competitive cost and without retail competition from LightSquared. The deployment and operation of LightSquared's network represents more than $14 billion of private investment over the next eight years. For more information about LightSquared, please go to www.LightSquared.com, www.facebook.com/LightSquared and www.twitter.com/LightSquared.

About NETTALK.COM, INC.
netTALK.COM, INC. (OTCBB: NTLK) is engaged in the design, distribution and sale of products and low-cost VoIP services. NetTALK's DUO and other products offer free calling to any phone in the U.S. and Canada from anywhere in the world. A Laptop Magazine Editor's Choice product, designated "Business-Ready" by PCWorld, the DUO is the smallest VoIP analog telephone adapter in the world. The netTALK DUO and other innovative netTALK communications products are available at www.nettalk.com.

Algiz 7 Tablet From Handheld Now Certified By Verizon Wireless

Algiz 7 Tablet

Handheld US, a North American supplier of rugged PDAs and devices, today announced that its Algiz 7 rugged tablet computer is certified for connectivity on the Verizon Wireless network. The Algiz 7 is an ultra-rugged, 7-inch widescreen tablet that runs Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate operating system and offers users wireless communication across the globe.

Optional 3G cellular capabilities provide high-speed GSM/UMTS/EVDO data transmission. The Algiz 7 rugged tablet uses Gobi 2000 technology that supports both GSM and CDMA high-speed data networks, giving users their choice of wireless frequency anywhere in the world.

 

“Many of our U.S. customers have asked for Verizon Wireless compatibility,” said Dale Kyle, president of Handheld US. “The flexibility of the Algiz 7 gives our customers the opportunity to use the mobile network that serves them best. Adding Verizon Wireless, America’s largest, and most reliable wireless network to the Algiz 7 will be a tremendous benefit.”

 

“We are seeing many industries migrate towards a tablet for their everyday business practices,” said Aparna Khurjekar, Executive Director, Open Development, Verizon Wireless. “Handheld has a solid business model supporting those field service industries such as transportation, retail, public safety, government, utilities, and a host of others.”

 

The Algiz 7 comes standard with Bluetooth, WLAN and GPS as well as a built-in 2-megapixel camera with an LED light. It features an Intel Atom 1.6 GHz processor with a 64 GB solid state hard drive and 2 GB of DDR2 RAM. The Algiz 7 is rated IP65 and meets stringent MIL-STD-810G military standards for withstanding humidity, vibration, drops and extreme temperatures. Weighing a mere 2.4 lbs, this compact tablet is one of the lightest rugged 7-inch tablets on the market.

 

The Algiz 7 is available now. Current Algiz 7 rugged tablet owners can contact Handheld US for Verizon Wireless network activation.

 

Nokia 700 Zeta Gets Caught On Camera

Yesterday we reported that Nokia has a few girly-named phones in the works, one of which being the Nokia 700 Zeta. Unfortunately, all we had to lead us down the road to spec discovery was a vague and sparsely detailed spec sheet. Today however, a couple snap shots have been leaked of the Zeta, and we wanted to make sure to give you a more informative introduction to this C6-01 successor.

To refresh, specs include a 1GHz processor under the hood, and Symbian Belle running the show. A 5-megapixel camera with LED flash is located on the back of the handset, and a 3.2-inch nHD AMOLED display sits up front. This phone is also NFC supported. According to RegHardware, the phone weighs just a bit over 80g and is 10mm thick, which is surprising since the original leaked spec sheet promised that the Zeta would be the “thinnest smartphone ever.”

[via Engadget]

LightSquared Files Report, Squarely Blames GPS Industry

LightSquared, the planned satellite-based LTE network meant for wholesale access has filed its expected report to the FCC on the results of its interference testing after missing its initial deadline at the beginning of the month. The results of the report are unsurprising to those with experience with satellite-based communications, but LightSquared’s position on the reasons for its issues will do very little to convince regulators or consumers that the operations waiver it received earlier this year was the right decision.

In its report, LightSquared essentially blames the GPS industry for everything from failing to build proper filters into its devices in order to avoid interference for the past eight years, blocking it from operating the network by filing FCC complaints during construction and initial testing as well accusing the industry of relying on government subsidies by stating that the industry receives the equivalent of an $18 billion subsidy by relying on the Department of Defense’s GPS network instead of using its own infrastructure.

"The interference is caused by the GPS device manufacturer’s decision over the last eight years to design products that depend on using spectrum assigned to other FCC licensees. GPS device manufacturers have been largely uninterested in finding a win-win solution. Rather, their only answer to a problem of their own making is to demand that the government simply block LightSquared from using the company’s own spectrum to roll out the first wholesale-only wireless broadband network for the entire nation. This is a problem that the GPS industry could have avoided by equipping their devices over the last several years with filters that cost as little as five cents each.”

LightSquared has now decided to rely on its backup plan of cutting power output to its cellsites and operating on a lower part of the L-Band that it was assigned that was originally set aside for further expansion, but is still asking for the cooperation of the GPS industry for help in resolving the interference issues while sidestepping how it plans to resolve more issues raised by the FAA and Department of Defense.

LightSquared recently signed a 15 year deal with Sprint that would provide it with the assistance it needs to rollout its wholesale LTE service.

Samsung announces 32GB microSD card capable of 12MBps write speeds

Go shopping online for a microSDHC card and you'll find that while manufacturers don't hide the speed specs, they're not exactly crowing about 'em either. Make no mistake, though: Samsung is mighty proud of its new 32GB number, which boasts a class 10 speed rating and read / write rates of 24MBps and 12MBps -- ideal numbers for those of you who plan on making good use of your phone's 1080p camera. If you're a storage buff, you know that class 10 is the highest speed category for SD cards at the moment, and that it sits above classes 4 and 6 -- the tiers covering many other microSDHCs on the market. No word just yet on pricing, but we think it's safe to say you'll be dishing out a premium.

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Samsung Launches Faster High-performance Memory Cards for 4G Smartphones

SEOUL, South Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced production of its high-performance micro Secure Digital (microSD) cards with advanced data transfer speeds that support the performance requirements on fourth generation (4G) smartphones. The new 20-nanometer-class* microSD cards have a class 10 speed rating suitable for seamless data storage and transmission of full HD video, one of the features becoming highly popular among 4G smartphone users.

"The industry demand for high-class-rated memory cards addresses the growing performance push for next generation mobile applications in more advanced smartphones including 4G models"

"The industry demand for high-class-rated memory cards addresses the growing performance push for next generation mobile applications in more advanced smartphones including 4G models," said Wanhoon Hong, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Samsung Electronics. "As the industry adopts microSD cards with a class 10 rating, the superior data transfer speeds are expected to improve the mobile user experience tremendously."

The new 32GB microSD cards can write at 12 megabytes per second (MB/s) and read at 24MB/s, providing users with more than double the maximum write speeds of a class 4 rated 32GB microSD card. The new 32GB memory card incorporates 32Gb 3-bit NAND flash memory chips and a proprietary 3-bit NAND controller to deliver the high performance.

The new card follows the introduction of Samsung's 30 nanometer (nm) class*, 32 gigabit (Gb) 3-bit-per-cell (3-bit) NAND-based 32 gigabyte (GB) microSD cards in February 2010. By applying the finer 20-nm-class process technology, the productivity of the chips is raised over 30 percent.

As an industry pioneer, Samsung plans to continue to aggressively introduce new NAND-based mobile memory solutions for timely market adoption. Mass production of its 20nm-class 64Gb 3-bit NAND designed on advanced toggle NAND architecture is anticipated for early next year.

For more information about Samsung Green memory, visit www.samsung.com/GreenMemory

Acer’s First Chromebook Debuts

Acer America, Acer AC700, Acer Chromebook, Acer AC700 in USA

Acer America today debuts the Acer AC700 its first Chromebook in the United States and its first product running Google’s Chrome-based operating system. The Acer AC700 ultraportable delivers blazing boot times and instant access to the Internet.

The first in a planned line of products that will utilize Google’s Chrome operating system, the Acer AC700 Chromebook is ideal for savvy mobile consumers, educational institutions, and business people that spend most of their time on the Internet for cloud computing such as using web-based email, uploading photos to sites like Flickr and Picasa, and keeping up-to-date on the latest news and events. The new Acer AC700 provides WiFi connectivity, a sleek thin and light form factor, long battery life and excellent HD playback.

 

“We are pleased to be one of Google’s leading launch partners delivering a new experience in cloud computing for customers of our new Acer AC700 Chromebook,” said Arif Maskatia, CTO, Acer. “As a leader in the mobile computing space, we strive to offer customers the widest range of mobile computing devices to support the many ways our customers connect to their world. The Acer AC700 represents the future of computing as it shows how they can access the cloud to vastly improve the simplicity, security and speed of their online experience.”

 

“Acer’s expertise in technology and hardware make them an ideal partner to bring one of the first Chromebooks to market,” said Caesar Sengupta, Director of Chrome OS, Google. “The Acer AC700 Chromebooks are built for people who want a fast, simple and secure web-based computing experience.”

 

Chrome is Speedy, Secure – Boots in 10 Seconds, Defends Against Threats

The Acer AC700 tackles every task with incredible speed. It boots in less than 10 seconds and resumes almost instantly, so users immediately start enjoying their always-on Internet connection.

 

The Acer AC700 running the Chrome operating system is designed to defend against the ongoing threat of malware and viruses by employing the principle of “defense in depth” to provide multiple layers of protection, including sandboxing, data encryption, and verified boot.

 

Sharing and collaborating on the Acer AC700 is easy. With online applications such as Google Docs and Calendar, customers can share media, collaborate on documents and projects, and share their work and personal calendars. Plus, because customers save their documents, files, photos, video and more in the cloud, they are protected from data loss if an Acer AC700 is physically damaged, lost or stolen.

 

Connectivity for the Web-Based Lifestyle

The Acer AC700 is a portable powerhouse truly optimized for the growing number of customers who use their computer to spend most of their time online. Acer InviLink Nplify 802.11b/g/n Wifi Certified will keep customers connected to the Internet. To support this always-on connection, the Acer AC700 provides excellent battery life of up to six hours with its 6-cell battery.

 

Incredible Mobility, Easy to Use and Enjoy

Designed for ultimate mobility, the Acer AC700 is portable and sleek. It weighs only 2.95 pounds and measures a mere one inch thin, so it can be easily taken anywhere as it fits into a backpack, briefcase or purse.

 

The combination of a simple and intuitive Chrome operating system and full-sized keyboard makes the Acer AC700 incredibly easy to use and navigate. The oversized fully-clickable touchpad allows customers to conveniently click anywhere on it as they navigate the Internet.

 

Ready for On-the-Go Entertainment

The Acer AC700 is ready for instant fun and entertainment. The Acer AC700’s integrated HD 1.3MP webcam w/ LED indicator is great for video chatting and conferencing, as well as capturing video and photos for sharing online. It supports the latest web standards and Adobe Flash 10.1 video. Everything looks incredibly crisp and clear on the Chromebook’s 11.6-inch HD Widescreen CineCrystalTM LED-backlit LCD. Plus, the Acer AC700’s HDMI output lets customers stream video from the cloud to high-definition TVs and displays.

 

Many Benefits for Travelers, Business, Education

Business and education customers will appreciate the simplicity and manageability of the Acer AC700, since files can be shared or edited from one device, saved to the cloud, and then accessed from another Chromebook or any device with a web browser. In addition, Chromebooks are great for accessing web-based tools, applications behind the firewall, and virtualized desktops. This eliminates the need for a large hard drive and helps protect against data loss since everything is stored remotely.

 

IT managers will value the security and simplicity benefits that the Acer AC700 provides. Also, customizing and managing a fleet of Acer AC700s can be done from one web-based console in an efficient, timely manner.

 

Acer AC700 Built for Performance

The Intel Atom N570 dual-core processor and 2GB of DDR3 memory provide the performance to speed through the web, access files, enjoy video and more. It has a 16GB SSD for storing files as well as the millions of Chrome apps and games from the Chrome Web Store. The Acer AC700 also has two USB 2.0 ports and a 4-in-1 card reader that accepts popular flash storage, so customers can play music and video directly from the card, or upload photos, video and music to their favorite sites.

 

Software, Pricing and Availability

The Acer AC700 Chromebook is available this month in the United States at Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices starting at $349.99. A model with 3G broadband wireless capabilities will be coming this summer.

 

Limited Warranty

The new Acer AC700 comes with a standard one-year parts and labor warranty, which can be extended to three years with the Acer Advantage service. All Acer Chromebooks are backed by toll-free service and support.

 

Nokia's N950 demos MeeGo Harmattan in marathon video

Still obsessing about Nokia's N950 -- you know, the sexy developer-only MeeGo device you can't have? Before you let Elop rain on your parade, indulge yourself with an exhaustive 17 minute video from Thailand, dutifully documenting every nook and cranny of Espoo's ill-fated OS. The long-winded film tours the dialer, browser, and gives a peek at a plethora of camera settings -- like ISO, aspect ratio, and timers -- that we didn't get to see on the N9. Also making an appearance are maps with turn-by-turn navigation, what appears to be a document viewer, and a Facebook app. Go on, have a gander, and dream about a luscious MeeGo future that might have been.

NewBay Launches LifeCache Activity Box for Instant ‘Social’ Notifications to Android Devices

NewBay LifeCache Activity Box, Instant Social Notification, Android, instant social notification, LifeCache Connect, LifeCache Notifier, LifeCache Social Networking Gateway

NewBay, the leader in digital content services, today announced availability of its latest solution for Android, LifeCache Activity Box. This solution for operators and device makers enables the delivery of instant ‘social’ notifications to Android devices. It offers a convenient and simple way for users to receive real-time, aggregated updates on social networking activity, birthday reminders and even special offers, stimulating user activity and engagement, while presenting new revenue opportunities including advertising and deal-of-the-day offers. 

“People want to stay constantly connected with their friends. In fact, recent research has shown that before rolling out of bed in the morning, 35 percent of smartphone users in the U.S. log onto social networking sites to check what’s going on. We developed LifeCache Activity Box to make it simpler for users to be notified of social networking activities, read feeds, update their status, or tweet. Instant ‘social’ notifications provide real benefits to operators and device makers, ensuring increased service usage and brand association, while also presenting a platform for advertising and special offers,” said Mark Britten, senior product manager at NewBay.

 

LifeCache Activity Box allows users to receive notifications from a range of social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, as well as birthday reminders and special offers, direct to their Android device. It uniquely drives real-time interaction on social networking activities such as messaging, commenting and ‘liking’.

 

Key features of LifeCache Activity Box include:

Real-time notifications of Facebook and Twitter activity appear in the Android notification bar, simplifying the user experience.

Ability to instantly interact by clicking through on the device and replying to a comment or viewing the stream of comments generated by status or photos.

Easy configuration of user preferences such as notification types and frequency.

Extensible design, enabling additional notification types to be sent to the handset.

Supports operator and device maker customization and branding.

 

LifeCache Activity Box is built on NewBay’s LifeCache Connect, LifeCache Notifier and LifeCache Social Networking Gateway (SNG). LifeCache Connect provides a suite of SDKs that provide handset developers with a high-level and modular architecture for developing applications against the NewBay LifeCache ecosystem. It is tightly integrated with LifeCache Notifier to provide a push-based architecture for instant and mobile-optimized device notifications. Feedback and updates from multiple social networks are delivered immediately to and from the handset via LifeCache SNG.

 

AT&T Announces HTC Status Smartphone to be Exclusive for AT&T Customers in the U.S.

AT&T HTC Status, Smartphone, AT&T Facebook

Today AT&T and HTC confirmed that the HTC Status smartphone will be exclusive to AT&T customers in the U.S.  More details will be available in the future on the AT&T Facebook page and the newly launched HTC Status Facebook page. The HTC Status features a 2.6 inch touch screen display with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels, processing is provided by an 800MHz processor and there is also a five megapixel camera on the back with auto-focus and a VGA camera up front. The HTC Status comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and there is a full QWERTY keyboard, and it also comes with a 1250mAh lithium-ion battery, and it also features a dedicated Facebook button for sharing content with your Facebook friends. AT&T hasn’t yet announced any pricing details as yet and we don’t know exactly when it will be available.

OfficeMax Now Selling Virgin Mobile Broadband2Go & BlackBerry Smartphones

Virgin Mobile USA Broadband2Go is even easier to access as select OfficeMax stores nationwide now offer the MiFi2200 mobile hotspot and Ovation MC760 USB device, as well as the BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone. Broadband2Go is a wireless internet service available on the nationwide Sprint 3G network without an annual contract or activation fee. A variety of corresponding no-contract plans for smartphones and broadband devices provide flexibility to professionals on the go and those wanting to stay connected while on summer vacation.

“We are pleased to expand the distribution of both our Broadband2Go offerings as well as the BlackBerry Curve 8530 to provide great accessibility right in time for summer travel,” said Mary Marzullo, director, national accounts, Sprint Prepaid Group. “Our new $20 for 500 megabytes of data Broadband2Go plan makes Virgin Mobile Broadband2Go the affordable, flexible solution for staying connected while on the go. We look forward to extending this option to OfficeMax shoppers.”

fring Brings Mobile Group Video to Big Screen Tablets

fring, the mobile communication service that pioneered mobile video over internet calls across all major Smartphone platforms, now brings the world’s first dedicated Group Video chat service to the leading tablet, the iPad.

fring’s iPad Group Video chat enables four friends to simultaneously video chat one another, & see friends across a host of devices including iPhone, Android & Nokia, over any internet connectivity (Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G).

Government Grade Call Encryption can be Enabled by Cellcrypt Mobile App

If you are looking for a little more security while making phone calls from your smartphone. A new mobile application called Cellcrypt Mobile is now available that can provide you with Government grade call encryption on your smartphone.

Cellcrypt has been awarded the CESG Claims Tested Mark and encrypts voice calls on either Android, BlackBerry, iPhone and Nokia smartphones. Providing government-grade security in an easy-to-use application that makes secure calling as simple as making a normal call and can be used in over 200 countries.

“Cellcrypt Mobile uses encryption algorithms that are recommended for military and government secure communications and its secret keys never leave the mobile device. The product has been tested by third parties and validated to several government standards including US NIST FIPS 140-2 (certificate #1310) for its cryptography and UK CESG Claims Tested Mark for its product implementation.”

TouchPad Tablet Adopters @ $50 by HP

HP’s new webOS tablet will go on sale shortly, and it seems like the company is looking to existing webOS smartphone owners to boost sales of the new Touchpad as the company is offering early adopters $50 off the price of a new TouchPad tablet.

HP are offering a $50 mail in rebate in the US and Canada up until the 31st of July, and you will need to have proof that you own either a Palm pre, Pre Plus, Pixi Plus in order to qualify for the deal.
When the first webOS phone came out, a lot of you took a chance on our new platform. We appreciate your support — as customers, as champions, and even occasionally as our most thoughtful critics — and we’d like to make it just a little easier for you to experience the latest version of the power of HP webOS.

HP tempts webOS early adopters to buy a TouchPad with $50 rebate

WebOS hopefuls -- especially owners of a Palm Pre, Pixi or their Plus variants -- you there? HP's TouchPad launch is a few days away, and the company's seeking to entice loyalists with a $50 mail-in-rebate on the new slate in the US and Canada. You've got until July 31st to make good on the deal, and all it'll take is proof that you own one of the aforesaid phones. Still need help deciding? We've heard that a visit to Walmart might score you some hands-on time while you're stocking up on bulk toilet paper. Hit that source link below for the full details straight from Ruby and Co.

Ultimate performance and design with ultra-mobile new VAIO Z Series from Sony weighs under 1.2kg

Sony VAIO Z Series, 13.1 notebook PC, Power Media Dock, SSD storage, VAIO Display Premium, Optional sheet battery, AMD Radeon HD

Weighing little over a kilogram, the new VAIO Z Series notebook PC from Sony is created for mobile professionals who demand absolute performance and portability. VAIO Z blends ultra-desirable styling and premium carbon fibre with no-compromise specifications and innovative productivity features. In the office or on the road, this class-leading business notebook helps demanding users work more efficiently with the ultimate in on-the-move computing power. All-new VAIO Z takes cutting-edge styling by Sony to new extremes, with a ‘full flat’ body and display lid that are crafted in tough, ultra-light carbon fibre. At just below 1.2kg and 16.65mm slim, the new VAIO Z is the perfect partner for business travellers who demand ultimate power with less to carry. 

New VAIO Z Series from Sony

 

On-the-go usability is enhanced further by the backlit keyboard with extra-wide palm rest and ergonomic new ‘button-less’ touchpad. With a resolution of 1600×900, the 33.2cm (13.1”) VAIO Display Premium features an anti-reflective coating that cuts glare from direct light sources and ensures crisp colour reproduction.

 

 

Performance is everything you’d expect from the most sophisticated VAIO notebook yet. Latest-generation standard voltage Intel Core i processors are teamed with speedy DDR3 SDRAM and up to 256GB SSD RAID storage to blaze through the toughest workload with ease.

 

As an extra refinement, Quick Boot saves precious time when you’re in a hurry, loading Genuine Windows  Professional up to 50% quicker than conventional notebooks. Embedded VAIO ‘everywair’ 3G WWAN on selected models connects via your mobile broadband operator.

 

Power Media Dock

 

The performance of VAIO Z Series is taken to new extremes by the unique Power Media Dock2, a monolithic expansion module that links with VAIO via an optical cable. The proprietary port can also be used to attach regular USB devices to VAIO when it’s not docked.

 

Featuring high-speed I/O data transfer based on the architecture codenamed ‘Light Peak’, Power Media Dock boosts graphics performance while adding numerous extra connectivity options. It includes an optical drive for even greater business productivity and satisfying HD entertainment. The module comes supplied with a stylish design-matched stand.

 

With Power Media Dock added, VAIO Z can manage up to four displays (including the notebook screen) via HDMI and/or VGA output ports. In this configuration, VAIO Z makes a compelling choice for design, finance and science professionals who need to work across several screens simultaneously. New-generation AMD Radeon HD graphics with 1GB VRAM effortlessly handle demanding graphics tasks, from 3D CAD to gaming.

 

When docked, connectivity options are boosted by additional USB ports plus VGA and HDMI outputs. Power Media Dock also sports an optical drive bay that can be specified with a Blu-ray Disc or SuperMulti combo drive. Games and movies on DVD or Blu-ray Disc sound as good as they look with latest Dolby Home Theater v4.

 

Sheet battery

 

VAIO Z features the innovative ‘sheet battery’ already showcased on this year’s VAIO S Series. The notebook’s internal lithium polymer battery provides power for up to  hours1 on-the-go computing. It’s partnered by a second thin, flat optional lithium polymer sheet battery that can be charged separately from the PC and added without removing the internal battery. The sheet battery attaches without having to switch off the PC, boosting stamina to up to 14 hours1 for day-and-night working, even if you’re far from mains power.

 

VAIO Z delivers a richer communication experience if you’re staying in touch with colleagues via video conference or web chat. The HD web camera powered by Exmor technology ensures detailed-packed video even in low light.

 

There’s a full range of official accessories from Sony, style-matched to complement the looks and performance of your VAIO. Many more configuration options – including a Full HD (1920 x 1080) LCD – are available exclusively to online shoppers at Sony Store.

 

The new 2011 VAIO Z Series of ultra-portable performance notebook PCs is available from the end of July 2011 (actual date of availability varies by country).

 

DOM Snitch Chrome Extension Keeps You Safe From Malicious JavaScript

Google has this week announced via its security blog a new tool its created called the DOM Snitch which is an experimental Chrome extension that enables developers to identify insecure practices commonly found in client-side code.

The new tool is a passive in-browser tool and once a JavaScript call has been detected within the client-side code, DOM Snitch records the document URL and a complete stack trace that will help assess if the intercepted call can lead to cross-site scripting, mixed content, insecure modifications to the same-origin policy for DOM access, or other client-side issues.

One of the great features on the DOM Snitch is the ability for the developer to see the DOM modifications as they happen inside the browser without the need to trawl through JavaScript code using a debugger or pause the execution of their application.

Asus U36 Ultra-portable notebook is now available in the UK for 699

Asus just dropped us an email to let us know that the new Asus U36 Ultra-portable notebook is now available in the UK, and it will retail for 699 including taxes, and is now available from a number of online stores.

The Asus U36 ultra-portable notebook features an ultra thin chassis which measures just 19mm thick, and the chassis made from magnesium alloy which makes it light weighing in at just 1.44kg.The Asus U36 features a 13.3 inch TFT HD LCD display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, processing is provided by an Intel Core i5 processors, and there is also NVIDIA graphics with Optimus technology.

Today’s Mobile News in Brief (June 27, 2011)

As reported here on Cell Phones Etc. and across the Web, here’s your daily brief on what happened in the world of mobile phones this Monday, June 27th 2011.

Users Spend More Time Using Mobile Apps Than The Internet, Study Finds
We now spend more time using mobile apps than on the Internet, according to a new research report from Flurry. The firm, which pulls its data from more than 85,000 applications, noted that in June 2011 the average person spent 81 minutes using mobile applications each day and just 74 minutes surfing the web. That’s up from December, when the firm found that users spent more time surfing the web (70 minutes) than using mobile apps (66 minutes).
BGR

Apple To Samsung: If You Copy Us, We Won’t Let You Build Our Chips (So There!)
Just a couple months ago, Apple and Samsung were basically BFFs. Of course, they were still competitors, but their relationship was symbiotic. Samsung produced the A4 chips that run Apple’s iPhone 4 and the A5 chips found in the iPad 2, and in return, Apple became Samsung’s largest customer, providing the South Korea-based company with millions of dollars in revenue. However, the unending patent battle between the two companies seems to have led Apple to dump Samsung as a producer of its A6 chipset, opting for Taiwan SemiConductor Manufacturing Company.
CrunchGear

HTC Salsa Will Also Be Coming To Canada
The Salsa has now arrived on the HTCSense.com Canadian section. No word yet on which carrier will be picking this up but the major difference between the two devices is that the Salsa is a touchscreen device, while the ChaCha comes with a full QWERTY keyboard. The prominent Facebook button gives you one touch access where you can do all things Facebook and upload pics and video directly from your device. In addition, the Salsa runs Android OS 2.3 Gingerbread, has a 800 MHz processor, 5 megapixel with a VGA front facing camera and Wi-Fi.
MobileSyrup

HTC myTouch 4G Slide Boasts 8 Megapixel Camera With Burst Shot And HDR
T-Mobile and HTC today announced the myTouch 4G Slide, a new Android device that features an 8 megapixel camera with an array of sophisticated capabilities. Aside from auto-focus and dual LED flash, the myTouch 4G Slide’s camera includes zero shutter lag for immediate image capture, Sweep Shot for capturing panoramas, HDR for better performance in high-contrast environments, improved low-light performance, and burst shot for taking a series of pictures quickly. It captures 1080p HD video, and includes on-device video editing software.
Phone Scoop

Google’s First Ice Cream Sandwich Phone To Be Manufactured By Samsung, Possibly Dubbed ‘Nexus Prime’
This upcoming superphone will not have any carrier preloads or OEM customizations, which goes without saying for a Nexus phone or a reference/flagship Android offering. The current codename is “Prime”, and our source believes it’s possible that the phone could launch as the “Google Nexus Prime.” The screen itself is branded as a “Super AMOLED HD” display. Samsung will indeed be the manufacturer. The processor in the upcoming device will be an OMAP4460.
BGR

Aston Martin Experience could be the ultimate iPhone accessory, but you're gonna want the car

You probably wouldn't pay $6 for an iPhone app that lets you browse through car models and pump stereo exhaust sounds directly to your drums. But a $6 Aston Martin Experience app that also displays speed and Gs as you film your drive from behind the wheel of a 2011 Rapide? We might be in love. The British automaker's latest app can do all of the above, and also includes a list of "top roads" -- most of which are in Europe. Our friends at Autoblog paired the app with a loaner Rapide (and we thought playing with cell phones was cool), driving up California's Aston-approved Pacific Coast Highway. The reviewers may have spent more time focusing on the car than the app, but when you're driving a $200,000, 477 horsepower aluminum beast for the first time, the iPhone easily becomes an afterthought. Aston claims that the Experience can be had with any other car, but if you're looking to get the experience, be prepared to spent a little more than six bucks.

Verizon dominates 'Fastest Mobile Networks' testing, considers calling AT&T to brag

Not all wireless carriers are created equal, nor for that matter is all 4G -- anyone who's ever swapped networks or done any sort of traveling across the country can tell you that. And while it seems like we have fewer and fewer choices as the days go by, our increasing reliance on mobile devices makes the efficiency of our data delivery all the more important. PCMag invested some serious man / woman-hours for its annual "Fastest Mobile Networks" story, gathering mobile data in 21 cities -- running more than 140,000 tests in all. According to the results, Verizon's LTE rules supreme in pretty much every area tested, save for those "in-between" rural locations, where AT&T nabbed the top spot. Perhaps it's time to take old "Test Man" out of retirement for celebratory victory lap?

Sprint wants enterprise customers to consider WiMAX, ditch the T-1

Sprint seems to think its 4G tech would make an excellent replacement for the old-school T-1 lines many businesses have been relying on to keep them connected to the web since the 1970s. You may remember that WiMAX was originally pitched as a "last mile" solution as well as the next generation of mobile broadband. Well, the wireless carrier rocking black and yellow is taking the plunge on fixed-access 802.16 and targeting enterprise customers. The speeds are the same that everyone toting an Evo is already accustomed to (3 to 6Mbps down and 2.5Mbps up), but with a guaranteed 99.95 percent availability. When compared to traditional wired business connections, WiMAX is both both quicker to deploy and cheaper to operate, but Sprint will certainly face an uphill battle in trying to convince businesses to ditch the tried-and-true T-1. Check out the full PR after the break.

Show full PR text

Sprint Launches 4G Enterprise WAN for Businesses

Industry's first solution to offer bundled 4G and 3G wireless WAN connectivity, with secure and reliable access to Sprint Global MPLS; Explorer Pipeline experiences significant cost savings and improved productivity

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sprint (NYSE: S) now offers businesses Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN (wide area network), a fixed wireless access solution that provides speed, reliability and secure wireless connectivity to the Sprint Global MPLS network. Not only can wireless connectivity open a world of possibilities by allowing people to work virtually anywhere, now Sprint 4G can enable businesses to replace or improve on traditional "wired" options with a solution that is cost-effective, fast and flexible to deploy without compromising bandwidth and network reliability, available within all Sprint 4G markets.

"Sprint understands the critical challenges facing businesses today, which demand innovative solutions to address higher bandwidth needs, business continuity, and cost reduction in a recovering economy," said Tom Roberts, vice president of business marketing, Sprint. "With 4G Enterprise WAN, Sprint delivers customers increased flexibility for their branch locations or retail operations through high-speed wireless connectivity and more built-in reliability than typical wireline – creating a real competitive advantage for their business."

Using professionally installed business-class outdoor modems, Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN provides secure 4G and 3G wireless access as primary and secondary network connectivity, backed by a 99.95 percent availability service level agreement (SLA). With faster time-to-deployment, 15 business days in contrast to the often lengthy process of ordering traditional wireline circuits, Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN is an alternative to the traditional T-1, or a whole new way to bring data connectivity to remote locations where the installation of traditional dedicated circuits is problematic.

Explorer Pipeline, operator of a 1,900-mile fuel pipeline from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest, is an early user of Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN at its storage facility in Houston. Senior Network Engineer Greg Wagnon says the ease of the installation was "incredible" and that the 4G solution has immediately improved the productivity of technicians at the site.

"They get the data they need from the Internet and the corporate office to go out and do their work. They spend less time waiting for the information they want and more time doing work on the pipeline. I see a direct increase in productivity," Wagnon said. "The network speeds are faster, and I didn't have to go to the phone company to dig a trench for a T-1. I don't have to deal with tariffs and local loops. It's so much easier to just hang an antenna."

Wagnon estimates the cost savings for this single site at $4,500 per year over a T-1, and anticipates deploying another site immediately, eventually rolling to as many as two dozen locations.

With unlimited 4G usage, average download speeds of 3-6 Mbps (peak speeds of over 10 Mbps) and peak upload speeds of 2.5 Mbps, Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN is ideal for many business situations that simply need a robust data connection, including:

Branch office locations and retail operations
As a more flexible and cost-effective data deployment option
Business-class bandwidth in many places where it simply wasn't available before, thanks to the high speed connectivity provided by Sprint 4G.

Sprint offers America's Favorite 4G Network*, which is up to 10 times faster than 3G today. Sprint 4G is currently available in 71 markets across the country, including Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York City. Sprint first launched 4G in Baltimore in September 2008 and in conjunction with Clearwire continues to build its 4G service for consumers and business users across the country.

For more information about Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN, including a video and white paper, visit www.sprint.com/convergence. To join in the latest discussions on workplace convergence, visit www.seamlessenterprise.com.

Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN and other converged solutions are available through Sprint Business, which is composed of sales, support, marketing and operations personnel solely dedicated to enterprise, small and medium-sized business and public sector customers. Sprint delivers wireless, wireline and converged solutions for companies, drawing on its 3G and 4G wireless capabilities, push-to-talk network, Global IP network and growing portfolio of M2M partners and solutions.

* America's Favorite 4G Claim: Based on number of Sprint 4G subscribers vs. those on other wireless 4G (WiMax and LTE) networks in the U.S.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 51 million customers at the end of 1Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation's greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

T-Mobile Launches 4G PayDay SMS Trivia Contest Offering Customers a Chance to Win $4,000 a Day

T-Mobile Contest, 4G, PayDay, SMS Trivia Contest, trivia game, SMS based game, Audi Q5 vehicle

T-Mobile USA, Inc. today launched the T-Mobile 4G PayDay, a free, SMS-based mobile trivia game exclusively for T-Mobile customers. A first-of-its-kind game in the U.S. to be launched by a wireless carrier, 4G PayDay encourages T-Mobile customers to test their knowledge of pop culture, sports, science, history and more. The goal of the game is to correctly answer the most consecutive questions within an hour. Eligible customers can participate in as many as three games each day. The player with the most consecutive correct answers in a single game each day will win $4,000 (“$4Gs”) and the most consecutive correct answers in a single game each week could win an Audi Q5 vehicle! 

“T-Mobile customers continue to be some of the most active gamers and SMS users among any wireless carrier, and it is only natural to provide fun experiences to our customers aligning with their interests by creating a free trivia game with opportunities to win great prizes,” said Brad Duea, senior vice president of Value Added Services, T-Mobile USA. “This mobile trivia game is also a chance for us to celebrate our 4G network leadership as America’s Largest 4G Network.”

 

How T-Mobile’s 4G PayDay mobile trivia game works:

Starting today, T-Mobile customers can text START to 4444 to review and accept the game rules and participate in the 4G PayDay mobile trivia contest. The game will consist of multiple-choice trivia questions delivered via text message.

The goal of the game is to correctly answer the most consecutive questions within an hour.

If players get stuck, they can choose to get a HINT to narrow their choices, or to SKIP that question to continue their winning streak and get a different question. (Both options are limited to three per game and cost $1.00 each plus tax).

The game ends with one incorrect answer or by reaching the one-hour time limit. Each player can participate in three games per day.

The player with the most consecutive correct answers in one game each day will win the daily $4,000 prize. The weekly Audi Q5 vehicle winner is determined by the most consecutive correct answers in a single game for the week. In the event of a tie, the most consecutive answers in the shortest amount of time will be declared the winner.

 

 

To follow the winners and for more details on 4G PayDay including rules and regulations, please visit http://t-mobile4gpayday.com.

 

Revelation on the N950 Dissection at the FCC

You have seen some of the software and the external features of the Nokia N950 through photographs intended for the press, via Engadget. This time around, as the second MeeGo phone comes to the FCC, there will be some dissecting happening, confirming various specs and details seeing the innards of the Harmattan smartphone. On the last report, we have compared it close to the N9 on most parts from the exterior, differentiated with the sliding full QWERTY phone on the side.

There is something revealed with the dissection that was not confirmed with the last presentation on the specs. Instead of an 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera at the back, FCC was able to behold a powerful 12-megapixel Carl Zeiss, apart from what has been assumed at first. This only confirms that the N950 will indeed be more powerful than its predecessor, the Nokia N9 will. The last of the MeeGo phones, is in no question, to be a wonderful thing.

Source: My Nokia Blog

Nokia's Stephen Elop is still over MeeGo, even if the N9 is a hit

An awful lot has been happening in Nokialand over the past week. A few days ago, we spent our first real quality moments with the much discussed N9, and we were pretty blown away by the MeeGo smartphone. Fast forward a mere two days, and we catch wind of a pretty suspicious looking leak of "Sea Ray," the company's first Windows Phone handset where else but sitting firmly in the hand of CEO Stephen Elop. Just in case that brand of corporate subtlety didn't quite drive the point home, the executive gave an interview with Finnish newpaper Helsingin Sanomat this week, confirming the nearly universal suspicion that it will abandon the Linux-based OS. Elop told the paper that, even if the N9 proves a massive hit, Nokia is going to turn its attention to other, more Windows Mobiley things.

[Thanks, Vezance]

Today’s Mobile News in Brief (June 24, 2011)

As reported here on Cell Phones Etc. and across the Web, here’s your daily brief on what happened in the world of mobile phones this Friday, June 24th 2011.

Survey Reveals 41% Of Canadians Have A Smartphone
A new survey has been released, this time by research firm TNS. Based on 34,000 global responses from 43 countries (only 1,000 from Canada) they are reporting that “Canadians are leaders when it comes to adapting latest technologies”. The “Mobile Life 2011 survey showed that the global average number of people who have a smartphone is 28%, while us Canadians ring in at a 41%.
MobileSyrup

Samsung Galaxy S II Set To Outsell Motorola DROID BIONIC, Study Finds
Data from 14,838 users across Facebook, Twitter and other social networking services shows that 68% of prospective buyers are interested in purchasing the Galaxy S II while 32% are interested in the DROID BIONIC. More specifically, 39% of of the unsolicited opinions gathered stated that they will purchase the Galaxy S II and 29% expressed interest in buying the phone. Meanwhile, 19% said they would be purchasing the DROID BIONIC and 13% simply expressed interest. In terms of trends, interest in the Galaxy S II is on the rise leading up to the smartphone’s launch while interest in the DROID BIONIC has decreased over the past two months.
BGR

Sharp SH8188U Is Run-of-the-mill 1GHz Android, Awaits (possible stateside) Introduction
Today we’re given a view of the Sharp SH8188U, a Froyo-filled slate phone that sports a Qualcomm MSM8255 SoC. Like other handsets of this heritage — including the Incredible S and myTouch 4G — users can expect a familiar 1GHz Scorpion CPU paired with an Adreno 205 GPU. Of course, a new radio would be required for stateside use, because while quadband GSM functionality is there, current specs list only 2100 / 900MHz 3G support — fine for Europe and Asia, but incompatible with our 1900 / 1700 / 850MHz spectrums.
Engadget

HTC Evo 3D, Evo View 4G Hit Sprint Shelves Today
June 24 is upon us and that can only mean one thing: glasses free 3D is here, delivered straight from the highly anticipated HTC Evo 3D. The Evo 3D goes on sale today from Sprint alongside HTC’s Evo View 4G tablet. The HTC Evo 3D costs $199.99 from Sprint, while the Evo view 4G tablet will have a price tag of $399.99. Both require a new two-year contract or eligible upgrade.
MobileCrunch

Second Beta for iOS 5 Turns On Wi-Fi Syncing
Apple today released a second beta version of its iOS 5 system software for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. This updated software has activated wireless Wi-Fi syncing between iOS devices and Apple computers, as well as added the option to backup new iOS devices to iCloud when first setting them up. Apple has made a new version of iTunes available, as well. Apply typically provides updated betas for its iOS software every few weeks leading up to the final release. iOS 5 isn’t scheduled to become available to everyone until the fall.
Phone Scoop

BlackBerry WebWorks SDK for Tablet OS Version 2.1 Now Available

WebWorks SDK, Tablet OS, BlackBerry WebWorks, API, blackberry playbook, blackberry webworks

With the release of v2.1 of the BlackBerry WebWorks SDK for Tablet OS, new APIs and application functionality are now available for download. For those following the project on github, this release has also been known as the “Delta” release outlined on the BlackBerry WebWorks roadmap. The goals for this release are focused on narrowing the gap between the BlackBerry WebWorks API functionality available on the BlackBerry Smartphone OS and the APIs available on the Tablet OS, as well as exposing more BlackBerry PlayBook tablet development functionality to web developers.

 

HTC Evo 3D, Evo View 4G Hit Sprint Shelves Today

The big day is here! June 24 is upon us and that can only mean one thing: glasses free 3D is here, delivered straight from the highly anticipated HTC Evo 3D. The Evo 3D goes on sale today from Sprint alongside HTC’s Evo View 4G tablet.

The Evo 3D is quite possibly the best Android smartphone on the market, with a snappy 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor under the hood, Android 2.3 Gingerbread running the show, and HTC’s immersive Sense 3.0 UI on top. With dual 5-megapixel cameras, the Evo 3D can capture 3D images and videos. The phone also sports a 4.3-inch qHD 3D display.

The HTC Evo View 4G is basically a little 7-inch Flyer copycat in terms of specs, but with a 4G WiMax radio to harness Sprint’s 4G network. Like the Evo 3D, the Evo View 4G will launch with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and HTC’s Sense 3.0 UI, but gets bumped up to a 1.5GHz processor. The slate should get an update to Android 3.0 Honeycomb.

The HTC Evo 3D costs $199.99 from Sprint, while the Evo view 4G tablet will have a price tag of $399.99. Both require a new two-year contract or eligible upgrade. Unfortunately, the Evo 3D will cost you an extra $10/month because of Sprint’s Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones.

Telstra will scrap Sense UI to make room for Gingerbread on the HTC Desire

What's this we spy in the dusty depths of a Telstra software update page? A little sentence that displays some crowd-pleasing logic in bringing Android 2.3 to the hoary old Desire. HTC originally told us the handset had insufficient memory to run Gingerbread, and so would be excluded from the update. Then it did a 180-flip and said the Desire would be getting Gingerbread after all, but with the sacrifice of some memory-hogging apps. But now Aussie Telstra has opted for arguably the smartest alternative: prepare a special update that kicks HTC's Sense UI out of the pub instead, freeing up plenty of room for Gingerbread while also pleasing punters who like to drink their Android neat. If it can work Down Under in August, other operators around the world ought to be able to make it work too. And if they don't, there's always the option of a spicy home-brewed beverage instead.

[Thanks, Alejandro]

HTC’s Women Smartphones in Glamour

Women are so sick with large Candybar phones colored metallic black, grey, and even blue. Well, at least some ladies say so. But HTC has seen great potential with the women market that they are creating a phone just for them, showing that mobile phone craze is not just a man’s world. Codenamed HTC Glamor (have to confirm the spelling) presents a smaller, trendy, colorful smartphone with shades of baby blue, mild yellow, and fuchsia all over it, except for the screen of course.

There are also other contents suggesting that the phone may be the rumored HTC Bliss project, which actually targets the female market, or it could be something else. The phones actually resemble the Desire S and Desire Z, with the omission of the classic black frame. With HTC planning a unit for the ladies, we just hope that it would be scratchproof, smaller, and long fingernail friendly.

Source: Pocketnow

Microsoft details the new Games Hub for Windows Phone Mango

Still not clear on what your gaming options will be like with Windows Phone Mango? Then Microsoft's now got you covered with a fairly extensive overview of its new Games Hub, which has actually been tweaked a bit further from earlier previews it's offered. One of the biggest changes is that the Hub now includes features previously relegated to the separate Xbox Live Extras app, including improved Xbox Live messaging, integrated achievements (complete with comparison views with your friends), and the ability to edit your Xbox Live profile -- not to mention fully animated 3D avatars. The Hub also boasts a new Collection view that promises to let you more easily manage your installed Windows Phone games, and it's literally been brightened up a bit across the board. Check out the gallery below for a closer look, and hit the source link for some more details.

Windows Phone 'Mango' Games Hub

Introducing Sony Ericsson txt

Sony Ericsson txt, full QWERTY, faster messaging

Sony Ericsson today unveils Sony Ericsson txt, an entertaining messaging phone. A sister phone to Sony Ericsson’s recently announced Sony Ericsson txt pro, Sony Ericsson txt has a full view QWERTY keyboard and a SMS shortcut key. The phone also features a “friends” application that enables users to see Facebook and Twitter updates at a glance from their top five friends. Sony Ericsson txt is Wi-Fi enabled and comes equipped with a 3.2mp camera with video recording. The phone feels comfortable in the hand with a rounded back.

Quentin Cordier, Global Product Marketing Manager, Sony Ericsson said: “Sony Ericsson txt is the perfect phone for easy and fast messaging on the move. We wanted to give consumers that prefer a full view QWERTY keyboard an entry point into the world of Sony Ericsson.”

Sony Ericsson txt will be available globally in selected markets from Q3 2011.

Sony Ericsson txt at a glance.

*Please note that all services mentioned below may not be available in every market.

Colours

White

Black

Pink

Blue

Facts

Size:  106 60 14.5 mm

Weight: 95 grams

Camera

3.2mp camera

Send to web

Video recording

Audio recording

File container

Music

Bluetooth stereo (A2DP)

Media player

Music tones (MP3/AAC)

PlayNow service

TrackID music recognition

Internet

Web browser (Obigo Q7)

Communication

Call list

Conference calls

Facebook application

Friends application

Polyphonic ringtones

Speakerphone

Twitter application

Google Talk

Vibrating alert

Messaging

Text messaging (SMS)

Multimedia messaging (MMS)

Instant messaging

E-mail

Conversations

Google Mail

Predictive text input

Sound recorder

Design

Keyboard (QWERTY)

Picture wallpaper

Entertainment

Java

Radio (FM radio with RDS)

Video viewing

YouTube

Organiser

Alarm clock

Calculator

Calendar

Flight mode

Notes

Stopwatch

Timer

E-Manual

Phonebook

Setup guide

Connectivity

Bluetooth technology

Micro USB support

WLAN (Wi-Fi)

MediaGo

3.5 mm audio jack

USB mass storage

USB High speed 2.0 support

USB support

Display

2.6 inches

262,144 colour TFT

240 x 320 pixels

Scratch-resistant

Memory

Phone memory (user-free): Up to 100MB

Memory card support: microSD, up to 32GB

Battery life

Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 3 hrs 12 min*

Standby time GSM/GPRS: Up to 416 hrs*

Music listening time: Up to 23 hrs

Video playback time: Up to 5 hrs 15 min

*According to GSM Association Battery Life Measurement Technique. Battery performance may vary depending on network conditions and configurations, and phone usage.

Networks

GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900

In the kit

Battery (1000 mAh)

Charger

Micro USB cable for charging, synchronisation and file transfer, and user documentation.

 

Today’s Mobile News in Brief (June 22, 2011)

As reported here on Cell Phones Etc. and across the Web, here’s your daily brief on what happened in the world of mobile phones this Wednesday, June 22nd 2011.

Videotron Introduces 6GB Data Plan For $30/month
Quebec has been heated with competition over the past several months, mainly due to Videotron stepping up their network to “4G”. Majority of the carriers have introduced an “unlimited Quebec” plan that basically includes unlimited local and long distance calling within Quebec. Stepping up the game once again is Videotron by offering “for a limited time” a 6GB data plan for $30/month.
MobileSyrup

Judge Rejects Samsung’s Request To Peep Apple’s iPhone 5, iPad 3
Just as we expected, Judge Lucy Koh has rejected Samsung’s request to get its hands on Apple’s iPhone 5 and the iPad 3. She explained that while Samsung is entitled to “parity”, the request for unreleased, unrevealed products was a bit overreaching. That’s the good news for Apple. The bad news is that the rejection of Samsung’s motion isn’t permanent. A brief passage in the document hints that Apple may not get the preliminary injunction it will likely request to bar Samsung from selling certain products in the U.S.
MobileCrunch

Sony Ericsson Introduces The Xperia Ray And Xperia Active For The Fashion And Fitness Focused
Sony Ericsson has finally come clean about the Urushi or, as it’s now known, the Xperia ray (SE spits in the face of your capitalization conventions). As we already heard, it’s packing a 1GHz processor, an 854 x 480, 3.3-inch Reality Display, an 8.1-megapixel rear-facing camera, and Android 2.3, all while coming in at a svelte 9.3-mm thin. The company also unveiled another uppercase eschewing handset, the Xperia active — a phone for those who spend as much time running or snow boarding as they do texting.
Engadget

To 4G Or Not To 4G? Consumers Don’t Give A Hoot
There’s been a lot of hype around 4G of late, with talk about how the new network standard provides increased speeds, better device functionality, and all that jazz. But is 4G a term that actually has real world meaning, or is it just some place-holding buzzword used by marketers to stoke consumer excitement over buying a new phone? Clearly, carriers and service providers could do a much, much more comprehensive job of explaining to consumers what 4G actually is and what the benefits are, beyond “OMG-super-fast-sexy speed!”
TechCrunch

Huawei U6150 Coming Soon At WIND For Under $100
Huawei U6150 will be available via WIND, as the handset is now listed on the carrier’s “Coming Soon” webpage. WIND customers will soon be able to purchase the phone for only $98 upfront and will be able to add various add-ons, including Voicemail, Infinite Bangladesh, Infinite China or Infinite Hong Kong.
Softpedia

Nokia N950 pictures: a gallery's worth of MeeGo to tell the story

At long (long!) last, the N950 is upon us. While "announced" via a nondescript text document earlier this week, we still had no clear indication of what Nokia's second MeeGo device would truly look like just a day ago. Despite years of leaks and an inestimable amount of visions tip-toeing around in our brains, we never could nail down a solid image of the thing. Until today. In addition to the video grabs seen earlier, we stumbled upon a backdoor repository leading to a somewhat curious looking Nokia device; and sure enough, 20-some-odd N950 photos from Nokia itself flowed forth. It's mighty troubling to still not have a cemented price or release date, but hey -- at least you know it's worth saving for. Enjoy.

[Thanks, Jerry]

Nokia N950 press shots

Voltaic Spark Tablet Case powers your pad with the Sun's rays

Voltaic makes tons of solar-charging gear, from laptop bags to backpacks, but what are those living in a post-PC world to do? Well, the company just unveiled its Spark Tablet Case -- a thin, padded tote designed for your iPad or other slate that can generate 8-watts of power in sunlight. In addition to directly charging your iPad in about 10 hours, it can also bank the Sun's rays in a universal battery pack, for use when those fluffy things in the sky don't cooperate with your outdoor computing schedule. Optionally, the included V39 USB Battery can be charged (as you may have guessed) via USB, for extra insurance. The Spark is available now for $299 and extra battery packs can be had for $99. Check out the gallery below and the PR after the break.

Voltaic Spark Tablet Case and V39 USB Battery

Show full PR text

Voltaic Launches Solar Charger for iPad

New York, NY – June 23, 2011 - Voltaic Systems today opened up opportunities for grid-free computing with the availability of its iPad solar charger, the Spark Solar Tablet Case.

Perfect for mobile workers and global travelers, the Spark provides an hour of iPad video playback for every hour in direct sunlight. In addition, it will charge the Blackberry Playbook, T-Mobile G-Slate, Samsung Galaxy Tab, the ASUS Transformer and most handheld electronics. When the sun is unavailable, the internal battery holds one complete iPad charge. The battery can also be re-charged from a wall or car charger.

"Voltaic set out to design a lightweight case that could charge a tablet quickly, but also match the sleekness and simplicity of the many of the tablets," said Shayne McQuade, CEO of Voltaic Systems. "The Spark Solar Case is a powerful and compact way to carry and charge an iPad."

Voltaic is also launching today the V39 USB Battery, which provides backup power for iPads, other tablets and smartphones.

8 Watts of Power for Fast Charging
On the front of each case are four two-Watt solar panels. Solar charge times are determined by the total area and efficiency of the solar cells -- the Spark uses high-efficiency monocristalline cells which will charge an iPad from about 10 hours of sunshine. The cells are encased in a clear, UV and scratch resistant coating. The rugged panels are waterproof and built to withstand the abuse of everyday use.

High Output, Dual-Port Battery
Many tablets, including the iPad, can charge quickly from high-powered USB ports which output 2Amps, four times the current of a standard USB port. The Spark's 39 Watt hour battery has both a high-powered USB port for tablets and a standard USB port for phones and other handheld electronics.

Power for Digital Cameras
Fast charging for a tablet also means fast charging for professional DSLR cameras. Users can connect a car charger cradle for their camera battery to the solar output of the Spark, which is switchable between 6 and 12 Volts.

Protective and Lightweight Case
The Spark case is fully padded and lined for a snug and soft fit. It can be held by its handle, carried using the removable shoulder strap, or placed inside a backpack or other bag.

Key features and specifications of the Spark Solar Case include:
+ 8 Watts solar power, switchable between 6 and 12 Volts – panels available in silver or charcoal
+ 39 Watt hour battery with low-power and high-power USB ports
+ Charging cable with 5 standard adapters to connect to most handheld electronics
+ 13.5" high x 10.5" wide x 2" inches
+ About 2.5 pounds including solar panels and battery
+ Waterproof fabric manufactured from recycled PET

Availability
The Spark Solar Case and V39 External Battery are available now on www.voltaicsystems.com and with select retailers. To purchase and for more information, go to www.voltaicsystems.com/spark and www.voltaicsystems.com/v39

Voltaic was founded in 2004 to develop energy solutions using environmentally-intelligent designs. For more information please visit www.voltaicsystems.com, or contact us at 1.877.304.6861 x701 or media@voltaicsystems.com. Hi-Resolution photos are available upon request.