Anyhow, did any of you hear about FashionWare 2011? It epitomizes the trend that I just outlined above. FashionWare was dubbed as the “Fashion Week for Geek Fashionistas” and was held at the recently concluded CES 2011. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out what it was all about – a fashion show featuring technology-inspired fashion.

So here is a sampling of what went on the runway.

That’s Sports Ware Mom, sporting a weight management system that is based on a mobile phone, for the easy monitoring of food intake. She’s also wearing special pants that have leg support and sneakers that enhance the toning of muscles.

This momma is the Green Ware Mom, who is wearing a solar backpack, complete with a mobile phone charger.

This one here is Blogger Ware Mom. She’s wearing a Fibonacci scarf – now that is something I wouldn’t mind having! Then again, I don’t know about the color. She’s also lugging around a camcorder that records everything you see. That could very well be handy for mom blogs, don’t you think so?

Now lest you think that the event was a little too gender-biased, take a look at this.

That’s Mobile Ware Dad who has a cool LED umbrella (perfect for a stormy night) and an MP3 shirt (which reminds me of Raj). Plus points for the umbrella. I am unsure about the MP3 shirt.

The more I look at the photos and descriptions of the event, the more I feel unsure about what to think about it.

Forever Geek readers, what are your thoughts?

It has become a pass time of mine, when I’m on public transportation to count how many old skool mobile phones I can spot. I remember three years ago it was cool to spot the first iPhone and now you see more iPhones then you can count. If you don’t like to be like everyone else and like to stand out, you can now buy a brand new old skool mobile phone.

Lëkki™ a French brand sells the Nokia 3210 and the Motorola StarTAC. It’s totally back to the 90′s with these two phones. Plain old mobile phone with black and gray screen, no camera, no internet only calls and SMS messages. You can choose amongst different colors, like green, yellow, and black.

Starting at 95 euros you can own a brand new Nokia 3210 that is sure to raise eyes in a iPhone and BlackBerry dominated world. It is also an ideal gift for people who shun all the latest technology.

The StarTAC I remember well, it was the first mobile phone we owned back in 1998. I used to take it with me when going out at night. I still remember how thin the pull out antenna is.

The original starTAC costs 150 euro while a brandless one costs 130 euros. What a difference compared to what they where worth back in the 90′s.

Looking for the perfect gift this Christmas? Look no further – whoever receives this iPhone from you will be eternally in your debt. Stuart Hughes, renowned British jeweler, has just come up with an iPhone that will definitely stand out from the rest of the iPhones that you see yuppies, geeks, and your mom carrying around. One look at that baby, and you’ll know that something is definitely NOT normal about it!

For starters, this iPhone costs a nice GBP 5 million – that’s roughly USD 8 million. You can stop drooling and dreaming now. The price tag makes this iPhone the most expensive mobile phone in the world, obviously. What makes it so expensive? If beauty is in the details, so is the price:

The bezel is handmade from rose with approximately 500 individual flawless diamonds which total over 100ct. The rear section is formed using rose gold with the added touch of its rose gold Apple logo and 53 diamonds. The main navigation is made from platinum which holds a single cut 7.4ct pink diamond. Also included (not shown in picture) is a rare 8ct single cut flawless diamond which can replace the pink one. The chest which houses this unique handset is made from a single block of granite, in Imperial Pink with the inner lined with Nubuck top grain leather…

I think I got lost at the “500 flawless diamonds” part!

Tell me if that isn’t beautiful! Then again, something this beautiful doesn’t really mean much for someone who can’t even imagine holding 8 million bucks in her hands! ;)

If you think it’s a tad too pricey, you can check out other luxury mobile phones – they’re a little cheaper compared to the iPhone 4 Diamond Rose. Oh, and for what it’s worth, there are only two units in existence – you might still have a chance to get your hands on one if you have that much money lying around.

According to Austin Seraphin the iPhone is “the greatest thing to happen to the blind for a very long time, possibly ever.” No, he’s not a fan boy nor is he a casual observer who doesn’t understand the fine points of usability. In fact, his review of the iPhone is quite thorough, at least in terms of the features for the blind.

Mac’s screen reader, VoiceOver, is now available on iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS. The screenreader is revolutionary in that it is gesture-based, and actually uses gestures that make sense to the vision impaired. Some of the features of VoiceOver include:

Physical interaction with the screen – Since the iPhone uses touchscreen, gone are the days when someone vision impaired would have to struggle to understand where things are located on the screen. When a part of the screen is touched, the iPhone explains what exactly is on that part of the screen. As you move your finger around, it will keep on describing the things on the screen, giving the vision impaired spatial information of what is on the screen.

Adjustable speaking rate – This ensures that the listener won’t have a hard time adjusting to VoiceOver but that it will adjust to the person’s listening ability. Even better, VoiceOver automatically lowers the volume of any other apps when VoiceOver is talking.

VoiceOver also really works for text messaging, so that even the vision impaired can send and receive text messages. The iPhone can also describe colors and so much more. This is what got me: Austin described just how the iPhone helped him “see” colors again.

Those are only some of the things that made it work for Austin, but I really suggest you read his post. It is one of the most – if not the most – touching pieces I’ve read about consumer electronics in a while. It makes me realize that some things that we take for granted actually make a difference in other people’s lives.

But not everyone is willing to spend that amount of money each year and not everyone is an Apple fan no matter what. If the price starts to get too steep, these people will be willing to drop the iPhone and will look for another brand. If you are an iPhone user, and you haven’t taken a look lately at other phones out there, it’s time that you did.

After reading about the experiences of some people who have switched from the iPhone, I have narrowed the alternative options down to two Google Android phones: the Samsung Galaxy S and the HTC Desire. Spec-wise, all three phones have a touch screen, camera, video, simple design, and they all have the same speed as well.

Google is making huge progress with Android which makes it a serious contender to iOS 4. Samsung even uses the same processor as the iPhone 4 for their Galaxy S and you can upgrade the storage with a microSD card. Being able to upgrade the storage with microSD cards is a huge advantage over the iPhone, especially now with HD video recording.

Apple does take the lead with design, with the iPhone being made of hardened glass and feeling a lot sturdier than the Galaxy S and the Desire.  Both the Galaxy S and Desire have a simple design, but I like Galaxy’s design more because it has minimal buttons.

I believe that if it weren’t for sheep mentality and the fact that Apple is a fashion statement (let’s be honest – a lot of people buy an iPhone to be seen with one), we would see a lot more Google Android phones. Case in point: there were a lot of complaints about the antenna gate, but did the users return the iPhone and exchange it for another brand?

As long as Apple keeps maintaining their strategy to allow only one provider to sell the iPhone, Google Android will slowly control the market.

I have tested Android on friends’ phones and I’m still hoping to own one, alongside the phones that I already own. Now that I have a Blackberry Bold 9700 together with my iPhone, I can really see the pros and cons of each phone, but for me, Blackberry smartphones are an entirely different species – incomparable to the iPhones and Androids. 

What kind of phone do you own or would like to get in the future?

Samsung Galaxy S product page and HTC Desire product page

While we might never find out just why the iPhone is that attractive, we can join the creative people who poke fun at the whole idea. Check out this video I found on YouTube. Warning: there’s some profanity in the video.

Obviously a parody, the video shows a sales person and a customer. The customer wants an iPhone, but the salesperson does not have any in stock. As an alternative, he offers the HTC Evo – to no avail.

The writer for this short video is brilliant! My favorite lines:

• The iPhone: It’s 3G and has the Wi-Fis!
• HTC Evo: It prints money…It can grant up to three wishes, even if one of those wishes is for an iPhone.

While the video is simply meant for fun, it does depict some real life characters accurately, doesn’t it? You probably know a person or two who camped out on the first day of the iPhone 4’s release (you might even have been one of them), and wouldn’t budge until they got their iPhone then and there. ;)

The XP2 Spirit is a 3G-enabled cellphone designed to be fully rugged and yet still sporting a decent range of features.

First up, it’s octagonal (not equilateral, that would look rather odd) which is supposed to help it stand up better to being dropped.

It’s also waterproof, having an outer shell made from hardened rubber, fibre glass and nylon, and a GORE-TEX covered speaker.

Other features include a 3MP camera, two inch high-resolution (QVGA) display (with 1.5mm of Gorilla glass protection), JAVA application support, multimedia player, FM radio, email and web browser, Bluetooth but no Wi-Fi. It runs on the BREW operating system.

If rugged really is your thing (I’d personally rather stick a case on a better smartphone, but each to their own) then it will be available in Europe from next month.

Product page

A recent survey by Vodafone found that one in five Brits have missed an important event or occasion because of a lack of signal, while one in fifty would even consider moving house to get a better cellphone signal indoors.

Many people now rely on their mobile phone, with some no longer having a fixed line phone.

For anyone who craves a better indoor signal, Vodafone has launched its Sure Signal box. Simply put, it plugs into a home broadband line and then allows up to four mobile phones to be used at once (32 can be registered to a single box).

Even those who can get an EDGE signal may not be able to access the high speed 3G network, so Sure Signal also improves speed.

A one-off payment from £50 (about $80) gets Vodafone customers the box, which is about the same size as the average home router.

Sure Signal

Following the tragedy of the Haiti earthquake, many are looking for efficient ways of donating money to help with international rescue and relief efforts, and one of the quickest ways of doing so is via your mobile phone.

In our technological age, gone are the days of having to send checks in the post or visit a bank branch to make a donation. Simply by sending a SMS text message to a short code provided by many mobile phone operators around the globe, a fixed donation can be made to charities or overseeing agencies (such as the Disasters Emergency Committee in the UK).

Of course, there are also a range of web sites that are taking donations, but you must make absolutely sure that you’re visiting a legitimate site, because unfortunately there’s bound to be some low-life scum floating around trying to scam people into giving money to them instead of those who desperately need it.

The advantage of donating via mobile is that it’s now even more immediate for many people than going online and dealing with credit cards or bank details. Especially for those on contracts, the donation is simply billed on your statement.

The advantage of donating via the web, and providing your contact details directly to the charity, is that some countries offer tax incentives whereby your donation is increased by the government.

Either way, it’s quick and makes a difference.

In the US, you can text HAITI to 90999 (any carrier) and a $10 donation will be sent to the Red Cross.

Other websites accepting donations in the US include:

• American Red Cross
• Mercy Corps
• Unicef
• AmeriCares
• Yele Haiti
• Doctors Without Borders
• Food for the Hungry
• International Medical Corps
• Save the Children
• Salvation Army USA
• Islamic Relief USA
• International Organization for Migration
• Merlin USA
• Oxfam USA

A simple search for Haiti donation will bring up other results for where you are. Just be careful to check out the site to make sure it’s legitimate first.

via iSmashPhone

Was this a mistake or a stroke of luck?

You tell me. I should receive some news later today about “my” iPhone, but I am thinking that maybe it is the Nexus One that I really want. It is available online now, but can be shipped only to destinations in the US, UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore (Republic of Singapore). Bummer for us who live in other countries! (Still, there are workarounds if you really want the phone.)

Anyhow, so which phone is better? One of the most useful comparisons I read can be found at iSmashPhone. The conclusion is that the Nexus One is better for users who are not heavily dependent on the apps available for the iPhone. If you belong to the latter group, then you are going to miss those apps. Then again, the Nexus One is so new – I am pretty sure that it will have its own array of apps before long.

Another plus point for me is that I can buy the Nexus One more easily than the iPhone – no tie ups with a network, no need to jailbreak, and CHEAPER!

So what’s it gonna be? I’d appreciate your input!

HTC tend to make some fairly decent cellphone handsets for those who haven’t gone Apple and aren’t looking towards the Nexus One or some other Android phone, and Smartä is intended to be a new class of smartphone.

Looks are pretty much as you’d expect from HTC of late. You get HTC Sense which is supposed to be an intuitive user experience. What this means in reality is that general voice, text and email communication plus social networking are easy to access, and it’s also possible to customise the UI to the user’s liking.

The Smart phone uses the Qualcomm Brew mobile platform which is supposed to ensure lower cost phones with advanced features.

It features a 2.8-inch TFT-LCD touch screen, 3MP camera with flash and focus, wide range of audio and video support, Bluetooth and microSD expansion.

HTC is certainly doing quite a big push in the UK at the moment (by this, I mean I’ve seen some TV ads for it). Will it be able to muscle its way to popularity amidst Google’s mobile phone vision, the iPhone and the continued might of the likes of Nokia? Time will tell.

Product page

Couldn’t have said it better, huh? Anyhow, this company offers all sorts of personalization services for mobile phone users of all brands. Some of the more popular brands that they deal with are Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Blackberry, and HTC. They do sell the mobile phone units as well, although I am more interested in their new service of engraving messages onto mobile phone cases.

I think it’s much like the free engraving that Apple offers for its products, except that Accessory Geeks offers the engraving for solid mobile phone cases and leather casings. They currently have three different fonts: Arial, Script, and Times New Roman, which is kinda disappointing as I think they’re just too plain. Then again, maybe simplicity is the key here. Also, the engraving is limited to 20 characters, so you would have to use text lingo to cram your message in there.

Coupons are available for the first 300 customers, which will entitle them to free engraving. More so, by next year, engraving of images will be available. Now that’s something I would like to see!

Note the new Voice recorder app.

More pics after the jump.

New icons for SMS, Phone and iPod

Horizontal orientation also in Mail.app

Copy and Paste

Shake to undo

Spotlight search phone wide.

MMS option for pictures

About this iPhone

An exact working replica of the Samsung Messenger, it stands 15 feet long, 13 feet high and 3 feet deep, and is on its side to give access to the slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Residents have been able to come and make free phone calls and send text messages on the device. Perhaps this is a new way of keeping fit while communicating with people. At least no-one can complain that this phone’s keyboard is too fiddly to use for their fat fingers.

There will be a range of special events including a texting challenge and a video booth. An adjudicator from Guinness World Records confirmed that the phone would be making it into the next book.

In a world of miniaturisation, it’s funny to see such a huge working phone on display. Bit rich calling it a mobile phone though.

Anyone from Chicago been down to Pioneer Court and given it a go? It’s around until March 15.

It was shown at Mobile World Congress a couple of months back and, apparently, there are plenty of people who want this blocky-looking gadget on their wrist. It’s certainly not the look I’d go for (I preferred Hyundai’s 2007 attempt, and it’s not even got the most cutting edge technology on board.

Sure, it’s got a touch display but there’s only room to squeeze in 132 x 176 resolution. It’s triband but no sniff of 3G, and simply WAP for browsing (though why you’d want to surf the Internet from your wrist is beyond me). It’ll come with a Bluetooth headset and can be used for email, music and video.

And the price? Around £200 SIM-free. Hyundai says that it’s already “selling well” in Europe and will arrive in Britain sometime this summer. Would you wear it?

Probably I am the only who thinks this way but the LG Wrist Watch Phone is totally retarded, although cool. Retarded because imagine being in a restaurant and speaking to your watch. WTF! Unless you’re Dick Tracey the watch/phone will make you look like a retard.

I had the awesomest watches, even a Swatch The Beep but I do not get the LG Wrist Watch Phone hype. Especially not if the rumored 1000GBP become reality.

If you want something really cool and *spy alike*, get this multimedia watch with MP3 player, camera, external amplifier, 1.8″ inch color screen and 4GB data storage.

Read more specs and get yours here.

Now some of you might already know what I am talking about but the LCD Bluetooth Vibrating Bracelet is kind of new to me. It is made by Brando and is described as combining “fashion and technology.” The manufacturers call it stylish but I seriously don’t think it’s any better than other bracelets or watches you can find in the market.

The idea of not having to dig around my bag to find my phone all the time is a very attractive one, however. The way this bracelet works is that if your phone receives a call, you can either answer it or reject it using the bracelet. You will also know who is calling since there is a small LCD on the bracelet, which will show you who is calling. That isn’t the main selling point for me, though. The fact that it will alert you (by vibrating) if the distance between you and your phone has exceeded 5 meters makes me think that I might just get me one of these.

Call me paranoid but hey, I have just gone through the experience of losing TWO mobile phones in a period of 2 weeks. Paying $50 for this bracelet would have been much cheaper!

Congratulations to Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, T-Mobile, Orange, 3, AT&T and Vodafone) for working in unity with a very noble objective. Yay! I first heard this news from Natalie del Conte’s “Loaded” podcast.

What this means is whatever cellphone unit you use, there is just one charger that fits it… well, by 2012. No need to bring extra chargers in your bags, nor would you stock up your table drawers with 3-4 separate chargers for everyone’s phone units. Great idea eh?

“This is a broad agreement that will move the industry to a single, energy-efficient charger for all mobile phones,” said Michael O’Hara, marketing director for the GSMA.

In a statement, Mitti Storckovius, director of environment, devices at Nokia said: “By supporting this industry initiative on common charging solutions, and enabling consumers to choose if they need a charger with every new device or can re-use existing ones, we can contribute further in improving the industry’s environmental footprint.”

I don’t particularly follow the mobile phone market unless they are made of Lego blocks, but yesterday I followed the releases over at MWC. Mainly to see what Windows 6.5 would look like and in the hope of more information around the Palm Pre.

For once I must admit that the Redmonders finally got something right with WM6.5. The honeycomb setup for the phone’s homepage looks attractive and most of all usable. That must be a first for Microsoft!
Even though the background of choice too dark is and Windows Mobile still fugly looks with the humongous status bar and its icons, it certainly looks thousand times better than any open source attempt, because no matter whether as full blown distro or on a phone, Tux products always manage to look horrible thanks to their love for thick borders/line on everything.

Obviously nothing beats the looks of today’s most popular and loved phone.

You’ve heard the line “don’t leave your electronics out in the sun, specially in your car on a bright sunny day… otherwise, it’ll just “fry” up”.  With the recent announcement of Samsung‘s “Blue Earth” the line is now “make sure you leave your phone in the sun to charge up! :)

It’s not a flip or fold-up phone… though it does look like it right? What’s great is that it’s a full touch phone… yup, following the bandwagon, but with the beautiful twist of “green” through and through.  

Samsung reinforced its commitment to protect the environment through the design of eco-friendly products and a programme of activities for its customers. It will be showcased at Mobile World Congress 2009 for the first time.

Designed to symbolize a flat and well rounded shiny pebble, Blue Earth is the first solar powered full-touch screen phone. By charging with the solar panel located on the back of the phone, users can generate enough electronic power to call anytime anywhere.

After yesterday’s Lego-day, today seems to be the day of the Dept. of WTF. Another addition to this category is the pink Mickey Mouse mobile phone. Complete with Bluetooth, color LCD screen, 1GB of internal memory and FM radio. Where people might think it’s cute for kids… and it’s pink, I think it’s a bag of ugliness and certainly doesn’t fit in any kind of pockets either. Joke wants it that the model is perfect for body-builders though.

If you are a real Mickey nerd and absolutely must have one of these, you can get your Yeedong M669 Mini Phone With Bluetooth & Camera here.
]]> http://www.forevergeek.com/2009/02/mickey_phone_wtf/feed/ 0 http://www.forevergeek.com/2009/02/phone_with_wind_recognition/ http://www.forevergeek.com/2009/02/phone_with_wind_recognition/#comments Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:03:59 +0000 Franky Branckaute http://www.forevergeek.com/?p=10447

Straight from the Dept. of WTF comes the first phone with wind recognition. Yes, wind recognition.

Korean provider Pantech has announced the world first phone with Wind Recognition, the IM-S410 from SKT or IM-S410K from KTF.
Apparently this phone is able to recognize the amount of ‘wind blow’, its sensivity and dynamic through it’s microphone. This can then be used in internal applications like photo applications and games.

A simple example would be to blow on an emoticon during a phone call and it would be automatically send to the person on the other end.
If technology continues at this rate and level of insanity, I sense that the first phone with fart recognition isn’t far away anymore. The fart-phone will be able to not only recognize the danger level for the neighborhood, but also analyze what you ate during the last 12 hours.

I think best part of the whole presentation is the cute chick ‘blowing’ on a phone.

What’s special about these phones?  Well, aside from their awesome specs it’s all in RED.  Just perfect to draw a clear point of passion for the one you love.

Give them a rose, OK.  Give them chocolates, well OK.  Give them the Sony Red Phones, ah, prepare for wide receiving arms waiting for you to come in for a tight warm hug.

Those phones have high consumer reviews, by the way, from CNET and PCMag.  Averaging about within the area of US$100-$300.

“Staying connected with friends, family and loved ones has become even more challenging given today’s hectic and busy lifestyles. With any of the Sony Ericsson phones, consumers can reach out and touch the ones they care about any number of ways — talk, messaging, and sharing photos and music,” said Karen Morris, vice president of marketing, Sony Ericsson North America.

Today seems to be Lego day. Not much information is available around this Lego mobile phone from French provider Alcatel, but it seems that the aim is to get kids even earlier hooked to phones.

Apparently this will be a very cheap phone with the most basic of features, although a camera is rumored, for a very low price of $60. Pictures show that the front Lego bricks are interchangeable.
I am curious to see how this will develop further. Loving the concept.

Via BoyGeniusReport.

UK Store Expansys has made the Samsung C6625 available for pre-order at £249.99 without contract. This could mean that the phone comes free with a contract. No release date has been specified.

The Samsung C6625 is a smartphone with QWERTY keyboard, 2 mega-pixel camera, push email, GPS and 3G connectivity running on Windows 6.1

Featuring a high resolution 2.6″ wide-screen display (non-touch), the phone is ideal for Office usage and compatible with most MS Office applications, also Microsoft Exchange. The Samsung C6625 has 100MB internal memory and a microSDHC card slot and the 2MP camera can record short video clips.

More specifications.

• 2.6 inch non-touchscreen display with 320 x 240 pixels
• Tri-band GSM connectivity (900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz connectivity)
• HSDPA 2100 MHz connectivity
• A-GPS
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• Stereo Bluetooth
• 2MP camera with video recording
• 100MB of on-board memory
• MicroSDHC card support
• Talk time: up to 420 minutes
• Standby time: up to 300 hours
• 113.6 x 63 x 11.6 mm
• 107.7 grams