Samsung reveals Pixon - new phone for photography addicts

Samsung made a bunch of interesting announcements this year, including Samsung Instinct, Omnia and others. This time they announced new cell phone model, Samsung Pixon, which is aimed at camera functionality, and is made in the same form factor as Instinct or Omnia. Not only phone has a camera boosted up to 8 megapixels, it also has a lot of other interesting features, like handwriting recognition and others.

Samsung Pixon, previously named Bresson, is a new model in the Samsung cell phone lineup, and carries model number M8800. Although it looks like Omnia, it is a simple phone with no smartphone functionality. However, it is a feature packed phone indeed. It features big bright 3.2 inched LCD with 240 x 400 resolution, Bluetooth, GPS features, microSD slot for memory expansion, office viewer for Office files, accelerometer (it looks like it is a new fashion nowadays - placing accelerometers in mobile multimedia devices).

However, the main function of this phone is its camera, which is by far the most superior part of this gadget. Its resolution - 8 megapixels, is enormous for a mobile phone, and other parameters are amazing as well. Overall, it has 8 megapixel camera with autofocus, double LED flashlight, image stabilization feature, smile and face recognition, geotagging and video recording - ability to record videos in WVGA (720 x 480) and VGA (640 x 480) resolution in 30 FPS. It also has ISO 1600, which is a very high sensitivity for mobile devices. Phone works on a TouchWiz interface, same is on Omnia, except that it is not a Windows Mobile shell.

Music lovers won't be discouraged either: phone is multimedia oriented so there is a FM radio with RDS inside, alongside with a multimedia player that supports many audio and video formats. It is interesting, how such number of features became united in this size - 107.9 x 54.6 x 14.9 mm and weight - 110 g. Unfortunately, it lacks Wi-Fi support, so user is limited to EDGE or 3G connectivity only. Maybe this move was made to promote Omnia, which is almost the same, only it is based on Windows Mobile and has Wi-Fi.

This curious model is scheduled to release in the beginning of November. Announced price is 550 Euros (800 USD) which is pretty expensive. Maybe it is better to purchase Windows Mobile communicator for almost the same price? If you want hugely increased functionality over boosted camera - this is the best choice.

Sony Ericsson Greenheart Concept phone review

There are approximately two and a half billion mobile phones in the world, and time in cooperation with conscious dictates us that they all need to be recycled somehow or at least their batteries need to be recycled in order not to cause environmental pollution. There were not many telecom gadgets that where made from 100% safe materials that could be easily recycled without science intensive facilities. Luckily sight of such kind of environmentally friendly gadget has been recently cached. Greenheart concept cell phone from Sony Ericsson was seen last week in the capital of Denmark on another brand event. Sony Ericsson Greenheart Concept is not a pre-production model as far as we know, it is just probing, first attempts to imagine what our favorite gadgets would look like in a few years, and, of course, gaining experience.

Judging by the picture, Sony Ericsson Greenheart Concept looks quite finished and thought-out over all. It is important to mansion that in Greenheart cellphone the most important issue so far is its technical component, features of its materials. Software and design development don't make any problems for Sony Ericsson's production models. So, what is the most special thing about Greenhouse phone? I think it is its battery. It was designed to keep charge as long as possible. Comparison with any trendy mobile phone shows the results. Typical phone spends 37 mW on its standby mode, 30 mW at best. Greenheart Concept uses 3.5 mW. We are not sure how it will influence total battery life because its capacity and type are yet unknown. Device's body and keypad are made of recycled bio-plastic. Used type of "green" plastic can be recycled at one of world's 500 drop-off areas. Even user's guide (as if phone would be sold) will be offered in an HTML source – that will save some trees to clean air, not to be seized for wood.

In addition I want say, as far as I understand, a big touch screen with no physical keyboard must be even more efficient in this case. Such form factor requires less materials and easier structure. Anyway Sony Ericsson Greenheart Concept phone is a very first serious environmentally friendly cell phone prototype. Only time will show what will be more appropriate for this new hi-tech area.

New Nokia concept phone

Looking at the functionality of the modern cell phones , it seems that something really innovative can hardly be designed. However some designers just go to show that their creativity knows no bounds. Kimberly Hu who created Nokia Scentsory concept phone can be reckoned among such designers as well.

The concept of Nokia Scentsory can be considered as an overwhelmingly innovative one. It represents a mobile communication device that works with the senses of smell , sight, hearing and touch. So, besides basic audiovisual features, Scentsory is able to detect, transmit and emit smells as well. In addition to this it can also radiate colours, lighting, and temperature from the caller's environment.The dual-screen mobile has a LED touchpad, speakers, hidden camera and temperature sensors. Nanotechnology has played an important role in the development of this original device. Using highly sophisticated sensors, the electronic 'nose' samples the odour of the caller's environment and transmits it to the recipient electronically.

Given gadget has three different working modes that distinguish from each other according to the available functions. When the phone is in 'flat mode', the LED touchpad, two screens and stereo speakers for audiovisual calls are accessible. In 'open mode', two screens with a hidden camera and stereo speakers, interior scent detectors, emitter and exterior temperature sensors are exposed. In 'closed mode', the phone's slim profile suits traditional voice calls. The LED screen on the lower folding surface alerts the user to incoming calls.

Thus, at present the creation of such a device seems to be unreal. Yet if this phone appears in the near future, it will be very popular for sure.

Two-part cell phone is real - change device's form factor on the fly!

There were many interesting mobile phone concepts,and their numbers increase every year. However, they share one big problem - close to zero possibility for them to be released in mass production. Unfortunately, they are too futuristic or expensive to manufacture, so many good ideas are buried until right time comes. It is amazing to see a curious concept being made as a real prototype - at the CEATEC exhibition Fujitsu and DoCoMo presented a real working prototype of conceptual cellphone, which is made of two absolutely independent parts, and can be shaped in whatever form factor you want, from slider to rotator!!

The whole idea about this cell phone is that you are free to use it whatever way you want- both parts of it are equipped with sensor display,magnets and bluetooth connection., so they are working in pair even while not connected to each other. This makes this phone truly universal: you can make it a slider, with a full QWERTY keyboard under screen, you can place the screen vertically and use the horizontal part as a joystick in games, you can even use second part as a Bluetooth remote while watching movie on the first! You are limited with only your imagination. Not sure, will it have the second Bluetooth module to be able to connect with other devices, but it seems that it will have the most modern hardware including wireless and connectivity abilities.

This phone is a revolutionary idea that went a long road from concept into a working prototype. Great example of how good ideas should be handled. However, there will be a long road to mass production ahead, because now exists one unit only and Fujitsu have no plans to release it in near future. This was only a demonstration of abilities and possibilities,"Proof of Concepts"in some sort. Nevertheless, it demonstrates possibilities of a true phone of the future - great flexibility of usage and outstanding customization options.

Nokia 5800 (Tube) released - new model is officially presented

Nokia 5800, previously known as Tube, gained much attention because it was the first Nokia answer to Apple iPhone - not a rival, but a phone with similar looks and interface.Touchscreen thumb-controlled devices are getting more and more popular, and Nokia's first attempt in this market - Nokia 5800 release - promises to be successful one. As was announced earlier, at October 2 Nokia finally presented its first multimedia touchscreen smartphone on Symbian - Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. We dug into details, which are described below.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic most interesting side is that it is working on a first Symbian S60 made especially for touchscreen control and big resolutions - S60 5th Edition. It is designed to be controlled either by thumbs or stylus, with ability to choose what you prefer the most (unlike Windows Mobile , S60 5th Edition is fully optimized for thumb usage - although, f you like, you can take the stylus and work with it with no problems. On Windows Mobile all thumb operating features are just a shell that works above stylus-oriented OS). Interesting enough, Nokia oriented this smartphone not as a premium class smartphone but as a middle-class music phone.


It comes with 3.2 inched sensor display with 640 x 360 resolution, which is bigger than the iPhone's and is capable of displaying movies or images very crisp and bright, 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus and double LED flashlight,GPS.Wireless features include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, which, in combination with its high-resolution display, makes 5800 great for web surfing. Built-in accelerometer adjusts image on screen if the position of smartphone is changed from portrait to landscape mode, this feature is present in almost every modern multimedia smartphone, so it is not a WOW factor anymore.

While aimed at music lovers, smartphone has all that needed for listening in comfort - 3.5 minijack slot for connecting almost every model of headphones to the device (no adapters or proprietary accessories is needed;, powerful multimedia player that runs smoothly and benefits hugely from the display's size - album arts look lovely, especially if saved in high resolution; expandable memory via microSD cards - up to 16 GB is supported, 8GB card is bundled with the phone. Text input is done fully via touchscreen and virtual keyboard - it has two modes of operation, one for thumb input and one for stylus. Needless to say, phone supports 3G networks and has all that is needed for video calls.

First version of this interesting smartphone will be released pretty soon - models in black, red and blue colors will be sold for attractive price - 279 Euro (approximately 380 US dollars), with special edition "Nokia Comes With Music" launching in the beginning of 2009. It is curious, how it will be compatible with great amount of S60 applications and games that are already released. In any case, expect to see many great applications written to use all of Nokia Tube possibilities.

Microsoft is launching a mouse that can be used on any surface

BlueTrack represents the most advanced tracking technology as Microsoft says.Microsoft confirmed assumptions in connection with Say Goodbye to Laser company by launching a new mouse technology called BlueTrack.

American company says that this one combines the power of optic technology with the precision of the one based on laser, allowing to this new type of mice usage on almost any kind of surface excluding mirrors and transparent glass.

This technology is based on the combination of two modern technologies - a LED with a blue light that has a pack light, which is more than 4 times wider than a laser on a simple mouse, and a special optical architecture in addition with a new image sensor , created by Microsoft and new pixel geometry also. This combination produces an image with a high contrast of the surface on which the mouse is used. It allows a very high accuracy for the movement detection of the mouse.

So, this mouse can be used on the surfaces that were inaccessible until now as a carpet or the surface of the marble or granite.Microsoft affirms also that this kind of mouse is less predisposed to accumulate dust and cloth.

BlueTrack will appear in November with two models of mice – Microsoft Explorer Mouse at a price of 99 dollars and Microsoft Explorer Mini Mouse at a price of 79 dollars.