GadgetKit.Net

“We’ve reached the point where a smartphone can do most of what a laptop can. Nevertheless, many people still carry a laptop with them when they travel because they want a larger screen. A pico projector gives you the best of both worlds. I know the projected image doesn’t look its best in the video above, but keep in mind that it was taken under harsh conditions. It looks much better in dimly-lit rooms. Its colors are good, and the image is sharp. (There’s a manual focus so you can adjust it to your liking.) There’s still a hurdle to get over: battery life. The pico projector uses the eXpo’s battery, and can drain it in a couple of hours. If you’re planning on watching a movie on the plane, you’d better bring an extra battery..” Read more here:

“Rafe and I have often pulled out the ‘hybrid’ form factor as the one offering the best of all worlds. i.e. a screen that occupies most of the plan form factor of the phone, with a qwerty keyboard that does the same, made possible through a sliding, pivoting or folding mechanism. Yes, there’s a level of mechanical complexity which might prove unreliable in the long run, but the benefits are huge.And yes, touchscreen-only fans will point out that a ’slate’ device (e.g. Samsung i8910 HD, HTC HD2, Google Nexus One) can pop up a landscape keyboard when needed, to also give the best of both worlds, but I’d also argue that:

• with such a virtual keyboard on-screen, the display area left is much reduced
• even on the best virtual keyboards, you don’t get the mechanical feedback of thumb-typing on real keys - this leads, ultimately, to faster, more satisfying text input

This head to head isn’t exhaustive, of course, I’ve limited it to just four interesting devices. The idea is both to compare hybrid solutions from different platforms/ecosystems and (in the E90’s case) from a different era. And to provoke discussion and debate, of course!” Read more here:

” Recently, Finnish mobile phone maker, Nokia, released a new firmware update for Nokia 5800. The new version 40.0.005 can be easily downloaded from Nokia Software Update or via OTA (Over The Air) feature. It is advised to backup all your data before updating your device. The complete changelog is not yet available, but the much awaited “kinetic scrolling” has been confirmed by the users. The new firmware update comes with kinetic scrolling and new home screen similar to Nokia 5530’s home screen. Some users have even claimed that the kinetic scrolling is smoother and much better than Nokia N97. This update is not available in all the regions. You may have to wait some days or weeks before it is available in your region.
Novelties introduced:
    * Kinetic scrolling;
    * Home style widget with Nokia 5530;
    * if you rotate the phone horizontally, it automatically activates the QWERTY keyboard;
    * Refresh Icons “Sharing Online”, “Configuring Accessories”, “Configure Phone”;
    * Improved application “Updating Applications”, which also renames Upgrade SW;
    * The application “Data transfer” was also implemented in “Settings”;
    * Real Player Updated to 12 October 2009;
    * Touch more responsive;
    * Improved stability;” via techie-buzz.com

“Maemo 5 PR1.1 is being released on January 14, 2010. Starting in Finland at 7am local time and following a staggering process country by country through the different time zones.  This update can be installed over the air. If the Application Manager asks you to connect the device to your PC it’s probably because:

• You have missed the PR1.0.1.
• You have been tweaking with unstable or conflicting software.

Dont forget to backup your important data before updating to the new firmware.
New features

• Hutchison SIM cards are supported.
• MS Exchange 2003 support.

Maemo Update

• Bootloader (Nolo) can be updated over Maemo Update.
• Cellular software can be updated over Maemo Update.
• Icon cache removed to allow more memory space for Maemo Update.
• Application Manager: Available space check moved to apt-worker for more accurate results.” Read more here:
  

“Navigon announced an upcoming release of its on-board navigation application, MobileNavigator, for Android mobile phones in North America. Expected availability in spring 2010, Navigon’s hallmark navigation features for Android include Reality View Pro, Lane Assistant Pro, Speed Assistant and Day & Night Mode. The Navigon solution is equipped with maps of North America (US, Canada, Hawaii and Puerto Rico) from NAVTEQ.
Key features of the NAVIGON MobileNavigator for Android phones:

• Reality View Pro displays photo-realistic 3D views with actual road signs and lane guidance for virtually every highway interchange and exit drivers will encounter.
• Lane Assistant Pro helps drivers prepare to make an upcoming exit or turn by providing a lane map complete with arrows and actual road geometry.
• Text-to-speech announces street names in addition to turn-by-turn directions.
• Speed Assistant with adjustable audio-visual warning.
• Day & Night Mode for map display.
• Direct Access allows navigation to contacts saved in the phone’s address book.
• Route Planning
• Branded POIs and POIs along the route.” via slashphone.com
  

“The night is well underway in Europe, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get a webOS update. As it would turn out, mere weeks after hitting Palm Pre and Pixi phones in the United States and Canada, Pre owners on O2 in Europe can now pull down their latest webOS updated in the form of webOS 1.3.5.2. What’s different about this version from webOS 1.3.5.1 in the United States is currently an unknown, we’re waiting for the changelog to land right now. In the meantime, welcome to the land of space for apps, Europe!
UPDATE: We have a changelog after the break for you, but what’s important may not be in there. According to German-language tech site Heise Mobil, Palm has baked and enabled bluetooth tethering into webOS 1.3.5.2. Users in our forum have tested this out and wonder of wonders, it works.” More here:

“Sony Ericsson’s first Android handset, the X10, isn’t even out in the shops yet, but already their next Android device has leaked. The new device, codenamed Robyn, looks very similar to the X10, but appears to be more a budget option. The handset is a good bit smaller than it’s sibling and doesn’t feature the premium XPERIA branding. The fact that it comes in various colours only adds to the image of a budget device aimed at the mass market. In terms of specifications it packs in a 5 MP camera, 2.6″ touchscreen, HSPA and WiFi. An announcement is expected during MWC in February.” via mobile-review.com

“Nokia N900 owners rejoice, as a (small) software update rolls out today across all territories (where the N900 is sold) and across all variants. The software update will be available as an over-the-air update or with the Nokia Software Update app on your PC, globally within the next 24 hours. Nokia N900 users connected to the Internet will receive a notification in the device’s Status Area that a software update of Maemo 5 is available. This software update prepares the Nokia N900 for opening the Ovi Store – watch out for a separate announcement for the store opening shortly.” via conversations.nokia.com

“We are in so many situations where having to pull out our phones to check for a message is just not possible or even appropriate.  Have you ever missed a call because you didn’t hear your phone ringing or couldn’t feel the vibration?
Canada’s Allerta has fixed that problem with their soon-to-be-released inPulse smartwatch for BlackBerry.   The inPulse smartwatch connects wirelessly through your  BlueTooth to your Blackberry, alerting you to incoming emails, SMS and calls.
inPulse features a  brushed metal body – fitted to a custom wrist band, an elegant user interface
with 1 button interaction. It grabs important information like, caller ID, text messages, email titles, calendar alerts and displays it on a colour OLED screen. inPulse’s built-in vibrating motor alerts you immediately to incoming calls.
It takes the time and date straight from your BlackBerry smartphone, so there is no need to sync them.  Settings like custom alarms and timers, sleep times and message filters, can be easily modified on your Blackberry smartphone and then appear on your smartwatch.” via mobilemag.com