Conditional Access System (CAS)

A conditional access system (CAS) is a system by which electronic transmission of digital media, especially satellite television signals through cable, is limited to subscribed clients. This is called conditional access. The signal is encrypted and is unavailable for unauthorised reception. A set-top box containing a conditional access module is required in the customer premises to receive and decrypt the signal.

A conditional access system comprises a combination of scrambling and encryption to prevent unauthorized reception. Scrambling is the process of rendering the sound, pictures and data unintelligible. Encryption is the process of protecting the secret keys that have to be transmitted with the scrambled signal in order for the descrambler to work. After descrambling, any defects on the sound and pictures should be imperceptible, i.e. the conditional access system should be transparent. The primary purpose of a conditional access system for broad-casting is to determine which individual receivers/set-top decoders shall be able to deliver particular programme services, or individual programmes, to the viewers.

An addressable system is defined under the provisions of the Act as follows:

"addressable system" means an electronic device or more than one electronic devices put in an integrated system through which signals of cable television network can be sent in encrypted or unencrypted form, which can be decoded by the device or devices at the premises of the subscriber within the limits of authorisation made, on the choice and request of such subscriber, by the cable operator to the subscriber;"

As per the provisions of the Act, the Government has issued notifications under which the Government has introduced Conditional Access System initially in certain parts of the metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata and in the entire city of Chennai.

The cable operators in these areas have been directed to make available set top boxes/ addressable system to the consumers on demand for accessing "pay channels", while the "free to air" channels could be aired in the current receivable mode, without a set top box. These set top boxes are of two kinds:

(i) Analog Set Top Box
(ii) Digital Set Top Box

The cable television subscribers in these areas can currently view free to air channels by making a payment of Rs.72/- per month to their local cable operator while for accessing pay channels they are required to buy a set top box from their cable operators and further make monthly payments for the pay channels that the subscriber wishes to watch apart from making a payment of Rs. 72/- for basic free to air services. The amount for pay channels would be Rs. 5 per channel.

CAS is now becoming a significant concern for major companies in the DVB-H market because broadcasters are looking to control the digital signals that they will be broadcasting.

References: www.corecentre.org/guest/focus/default.asp, www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditional_access_system

-Mobile UK announces Blackberry 7130G

-Mobile and Research in Motion (RIM) have announced that the Blackberry 7130G will go on sale in the UK. With features such as a bright, high resolution colour LCD display that incorporates intelligent light sensing technology to automatically optimise screen lighting levels for indoor and outdoor viewing and the push based connectivity that Blackberry is famous for, RIM fans will be pleased to have the 7130G as an option to buy when they choose to upgrade their handsets. Blackberry was on Phoneyworld recently due to security concerns when a hacking code for Blackberry instruments was made public - and again when the latest Blackberry, the Blackberry 8100 was unveiled.

The 7130g will be available from T-Mobile UK for a price which will vary considerably depending on the plan but it can go from 0 upto £139.99. The BlackBerry 7130g features a re-engineered device platform and 64 MB flash memory, providing users with a highly responsive experience when browsing the web, viewing attachments and graphics, and running other mobile applications. The handset will also have 64 megabytes of flash memory , support for quad band GSM functionality (can be used on any GSM network around the world) as well as MP3 playback support. The handset will have dimensions of 115x56x18mm and a weight of 120 grams. While the chief strengths lie in messaging, even more so thanks to the suretype keyboard technology which makes it easier to type messages, this one like others of its kind does not have any support for memory cards. Chiefly meant for office users who would not carry if a phone would be able to carry their entire music collection, the 7130G has also been called as the 'Best Blackberry every from RIM' by users.

Waterproof Toughie Clamshell from Casio: G'zOne W42CA

The G'zOne series which usually contain toughies (durable under the worst possible conditions) have just had a latest addition; the W42CA. The W42CA is the first CDMA 1x WIN handset and we can safely assume that thus the first waterproof CDMA WIN phone. The best part about these toughies is that despite being usable everywhere, they still do not compromise on features or functions. The main display for example has a 240 x 320 pixell resolution and 65,000 colors. The sub display (outer one) ; two needed since it is a clamshell; is a simple monochrome display. The circular region around the sub display is made of a special material which absorbs light whenever possible and later glows in the dark.
The W42CA is also equipped with a 2 megapixel camera lens for taking images as well as videos. The handset has about 50 megabytes of memory built into it and additionally, more can be added by virtue of the micro SD card slot. The handset also has an interesting feature, an electronic compass (which is possible since the handset has GPS functionality). Hello Messenger and LISMO are also on the W42CA. LISMO is an online music service provided by au, a Japanese mobile phone brand run by KDDI, a Japanese telecommunication company. This service uses a mobile phone as a music player. This service was introduced on January 19, 2006, and the service began operating at the end of January in Japan. LISMO is short for au Listen Mobile service. Besides LISMO, there is a built-in music player which makes it possible to listen to songs directly from the SD card if they are so loaded. There is also a dictionary function to translate words from English to Japanese and vice-versa. The dictionary also teaches pronounciations of words.

The waterproof phone from Casio did bring back some other memories from our editorial team:
LG buys the Casio water proof / quake proof phone for Korean launch.

Some Specifications of the Casio G'zOne W42CA
Size : 117 × 53 × 29 mm
Weight : 155g
Talktime: 190 minutes
Standby: 240 hours

The handset will be available in a choice of orange and white colors. While one may feel that having a waterproof cell phone is simply a matter of showing off, it does become useful especially if one is caught unawares in the rainy season. Similarly useful for boat and yacht owners who like to be riding out in the rough weather.

The G'zOne series which usually contain toughies (durable under the worst possible conditions) have just had a latest addition; the W42CA. The W42CA is the first CDMA 1x WIN handset and we can safely assume that thus the first waterproof CDMA WIN phone. The best part about these toughies is that despite being usable everywhere, they still do not compromise on features or functions. The main display for example has a 240 x 320 pixell resolution and 65,000 colors. The sub display (outer one) ; two needed since it is a clamshell; is a simple monochrome display. The circular region around the sub display is made of a special material which absorbs light whenever possible and later glows in the dark.
The W42CA is also equipped with a 2 megapixel camera lens for taking images as well as videos. The handset has about 50 megabytes of memory built into it and additionally, more can be added by virtue of the micro SD card slot. The handset also has an interesting feature, an electronic compass (which is possible since the handset has GPS functionality). Hello Messenger and LISMO are also on the W42CA. LISMO is an online music service provided by au, a Japanese mobile phone brand run by KDDI, a Japanese telecommunication company. This service uses a mobile phone as a music player. This service was introduced on January 19, 2006, and the service began operating at the end of January in Japan. LISMO is short for au Listen Mobile service. Besides LISMO, there is a built-in music player which makes it possible to listen to songs directly from the SD card if they are so loaded. There is also a dictionary function to translate words from English to Japanese and vice-versa. The dictionary also teaches pronounciations of words.

The waterproof phone from Casio did bring back some other memories from our editorial team:
LG buys the Casio water proof / quake proof phone for Korean launch.

Some Specifications of the Casio G'zOne W42CA
Size : 117 × 53 × 29 mm
Weight : 155g
Talktime: 190 minutes
Standby: 240 hours

The handset will be available in a choice of orange and white colors. While one may feel that having a waterproof cell phone is simply a matter of showing off, it does become useful especially if one is caught unawares in the rainy season. Similarly useful for boat and yacht owners who like to be riding out in the rough weather.

Motorola i580 iDEN

Motorola has announced the Motorola i580, the newest iDEN handset to answer the call for an ultra-durable, stylish, fully equipped handset. It is the first rugged iDEN clam phone designed to meet strict military specifications for blowing rain, dust, shock and vibration and to be enhanced with an extensive multimedia experience, which includes Bluetooth, a 1.3 megapixel camera, video and messaging. The phone’s durable design and rubber over mold can withstand even the toughest day on the job or the most demanding outdoor activities, for those who enjoy an active lifestyle. In addition, users can enjoy myriad “push-to” functions that make for a truly rewarding push-to-talk (PTT) experience.

“At Motorola, we constantly strive to deliver products that are as remarkable as their users -- whose lives are fast paced and demanding -- and the Motorola i580 is designed to live with them, through tough weather conditions or less than optimal treatment,” said Peter Aloumanis, director, U.S. Markets Division, Motorola’s iDEN Mobile Devices. “However, a durable (rugged) phone does not mean limited functionality; the many media and PTT features in the i580 undoubtedly will enhance the communications experience.”

Through its iDEN technology, Motorola continues to redefine PTT, and the i580 is no exception. Equipped with new “Push-To-Smart Replies” functionality, users can now respond to PTT calls with either a custom or preset text message, allowing PTT communication with other i580 users in situations where voice communication would be inappropriate, such as in meetings, libraries, etc.

The most complete ruggedized phone yet, the i580 contains features new to iDEN handsets, including:

Push-to-Smart Replies – Discretely send a text message using PTT, even in the most difficult to communicate times.
Push-to-Meet – Users can now create Datebook reminders on their iDEN handsets and send them to other i580 users via PTT.
Push-to-X (PTX) Manager – The PTX Manager Menu allows users to control all of the i580’s unique Push-To features from one, streamlined, intuitive menu.
Enhanced support for the visually impaired -- The i580’s Voice Playback functionality has a simulated voice to guide users through phone menus and through placing and receiving phone calls.
Front Ported Audio Support – The i580 is equipped with dual, frontal speakers, as opposed to the traditional single rear speaker.
New Lithium Ion Battery – Increased power packed into a compact design to support handset enhancements without a decrease in talk time.

The phone also has many of the features associated with Motorola’s iDEN technology, including Bluetooth, location-based services, Selective Dynamic Group Call (SDGC), MOTOTalk, support for expandable memory (Micro SD), integrated speakerphone, voice recorder, downloadable applications, and a two-way radio for instant communication at the touch of a button throughout the continental US, and to Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, and Argentina.

PhonePhlash - The powerfully bright answer to camera phones with weak or no flashes

There are 100 million cameraphones being used today, but less than 1 percent include a built-in flash. And unfortunately, even those built-in flashes are very weak because they are often added by manufacturers as an afterthought," said Dale Fox, director, Foxden Holdings and the inventor of Phlash. Come to think of it, he is probably right. There are a few phones whose flashes are admirable ; especially the latest SonyEricsson ones but the older handsets just had a little LED which was passed off as a flash. Fox promises that Phlash will be 12 times more powerful then built-in flashes and it will become extremely easy from now on to take photogrpahs in the darker areas such as restaurants, bars etc.

Measuring just over an inch wide, Phlash resembles a cute silver button that can either be stuck to the back of a cameraphone or hung from the phone via an included strap. To use, simply press on Phlash while pressing the 'capture' button on the cameraphone. Phlash emits an intense pulse of light. Phlash includes easily replaceable lithium coin-type batteries designed to provide hundreds of brief flash cycles.

"I sure could have used Phlash at the Bon Jovi concert I attended earlier this month," said Tamara Dull, a thirty-something living in Seattle. "Jon Bon Jovi spent a lot of time in the audience walking up and down the aisle next to my seat. I took nearly 30 photos of him with my new cameraphone and in every one of them he looks like a dark blob. None of my friends believe he was just a couple feet away from me."

Phlash is now available for $29.99 at www.phonephlash.com ; they even have a great money back offer if you are dis-satisfied with the product. Sounds like a good investment if you use your cell phone as a camera a lot of times. However do not expect your handst to get super natural powers with this product. They still want you to use it form no further then "two arm's length" away. Its optimal performance is expected at a distance of one meter.

phone gun!!

If you remember "Tommorow Never Dies" the Bond flick in which he controls his BMW with an Ericsson phone which was also capable of delivering a lethal shock. Well move over 007 here is the Cell phone gun, it looks like a normal in fact an ancient cell phone however it is a fully functional gun which fires .22 calibre rounds. Take a look at the video at how it is all done.

Though it may sound interesting it poses a serious security threat and has got law enforcement agencies all over the world baffled. It packs a lethal dose and can fire four rounds in succession, just by hitting keys 5, 6, 7 and 8 keys.

The guns are loaded by twisting the phone in half. The .22-caliber rounds fit into the top of the phone under the screen. The lower half, under the keyboard, holds the firing pins. The bullets fire through the antenna by pressing the keypad from numbers five to eight.

Airport authorities across Europe are implementing systems to X-ray all cell phones.
Oh and unlike 007 the phone does not work

v517 from lenovo

The sleek V517 from Lenovo comes in pink and is targetted at females unlike other phones like the Motorola RAZR which have a pink version. The V517 effortlessly combines style with functionality. The GSM slider phone suits the palm of young females and is easy to operate says Lenovo. The light pink exterior has falling snow flakes designed all over it. On the left side you have the earphone slot and a dedicated camera key. The button is feather touch enabled so only a gentle press is required to capture that special moment. Being a chic phone doesn't mean Lenovo has cut down on features. The V517 has a 1.3 Megapixel camera with LED Flash and support for video recording. You can preview the images on the large TFT screen. With the built in MP3 player you can enjoy music on the move. You enjoy your favourite tracks as the V517 has a built in Micro SD card slot. You can easily transfer captured images and video recordings to the memory card.

The Lenovo V517 has a BMI calculator (Body Mass Index) which tells if you are underweight, overweight or perfect. It can also accurately calculate male BMI index so your boyfriend is overweight you can ask him to take longer walks with you. It also includes a physiology periodic table which records menstrual period time and reminds you to pay attention as necessary.

At the moment the V517 will be available at stores in Taiwan not sure when it will hit the States and Europe

motorola "Q"

The delightful "Q" from Motorola has now gone in for the UMTS look. With Nokia also jumping into the fray, it was not going to be long before everyone else joining the band wagon. Obviously Motorola must have known about this and have the Q with UMTS support ready for release.

Touted as the first family of devices that blend style with productivity; the Q offers an uncompromising combination of a great phone, powerful email and captivating entertainment features that deliver a strong business and personal mobile experience. People of all professions, interests and ambitions can be productive, in-touch and stylish whenever and wherever they choose.

“The addition of UMTS to the Motorola Q family expands the capabilities and geographic reach for those that want a true mobile PC-like experience without the size and weight of a PC,” said Ron Garriques, Executive Vice President, President, Mobile Devices, Motorola, Inc. “Q liberates everyone from the restraints of today’s office and lets them stay productive, creative and entertained whenever and wherever they are.”

The first Q is expected to ship with CDMA/EVDO capabilities later this quarter with the newly unveiled version expected to be available for operator trials in late Q4 2006. The Q device family leverages Microsoft’s familiar and trusted Windows Mobile software which delivers corporate mobile messaging support out of the box with Exchange 2003, and is also optimized for a variety of third party email solutions that enable an even broader set of corporate email capabilities

mobile troubles!!!

nokia 6111

Featuring a stylish classic design, the soft slide mechanism of the Nokia 6111 smoothly reveals its keypad. Blending technology with a sophisticated look and feel, the Nokia 6111 comes with a 1-megapixel camera and flash, and a 6x digital zoom. The screen (128x160 pixels) supports up to 262,144 colors and displays pictures in either portrait or landscape mode. The rounded edges of the Nokia 6111 seem to be the latest style since the other phones announced alongside have also got the same design. The classic slider design of course makes the handset very convenient to hold as well as carry around in the pocket.

In addition to its ergonomic design, the Nokia 6111 offers a number of new messaging options. Push to talk functionality connects to groups or individuals at a push of a button while Nokia Xpress audio messaging enables sharing of voice clips and greetings with friends and family. When you need to get files from one device to another, the Nokia 6111 phone gives you true versatility with Bluetooth technology, infrared, Pop-Port, and USB. The GSM 900/1800/1900 Nokia 6111 has an estimated retail price of 270 EUR before subsidies or taxes.

tv phone with remote control

Curitel has come out with an intersting idea to make DMB handsets all the more popular. Remember TV's in the olden times? No remote controls, which meant you get up each time you wish to change channels. Since todays handsets have satellite access, they can tune into a score of channels. Once you set up the T.V. phone at a position that is comfortable to watch from, it is very irritating to lift it up, use the small keypad to flick the channel and set it up again. There could even be reception trouble since its not exactly fun to set up the antenna each time to recieve the best possible transmission.

Now the PT-L1800 comes with its own remote control. This lets you set up the handset on the table, put your legs up and use the remote control to effortlessly flick channels. Other features of this baby include a Tv out / PC out connection; an MP3 player (of course) ; TV capture function (record), speaker phone, GPS, T-Flash memory card etc. Also present is a rotating megapixel camera lens, its really cool since the flash also rotates along with the lens so shooting a picture in any direction is possible with the flash support.

Samsung SGH P900-tv phone

The SGH P900 that Samsung has just announced specially for Europe will be the first T-DMB (Terrestrial - Digital Media Broadcasting) handset. Enjoy the 2.2" QVGA display by watching TV on it. Additional features will include a MP3 player and a 2 megapixel camera.
To receive TV signals, users can easily flip the 2.2" TFT LCD screen to a horizontal position for optimal viewing. With a high resolution QVGA (240x320 pixels) screen with 262,144 colors, TV images are clear, crisp and flicker-free. The display shows up to 30 pictures per second, allowing users to enjoy a vivid live broadcasting as if they were at home.

The SGH-P900 comes in a compact size of 92 x 49 x26 mm. Seamless connection with personal computers is guaranteed by a built-in USB port and Bluetooth functionality. It also supports TV-output function, online browser, personal information manager and series of office functions. The SGH-P900 also features all of the classic functions of a high quality GSM/GPRS mobile.

Moreover, the 128MB user memory and the external memory let this innovative multimedia phone not just play, but also record and save TV broadcasts, videos and games. All of these add up to a whole lot of fun for soccer fans, who can print out their favorite goal moments or re-live match highlights in video format, even when the game is over.

This model will be revealed at 3GSM held at Barcelona in February and will be released in the Second Quarter of 2006.

Limited damage from Nyxem virus

Nyxem-E caught out PC users all over the world
Early reports suggest damage has been light from the destructive Nyxem virus.
The Windows virus was set to start deleting popular file types on 3 February and was known to have infected more than 300,000 machines.

But computer security groups in nations where Nyxem infections were high said few users lost data because of the bug.

Experts speculated that the publicity prior to Nyxem's trigger date may have prompted people to clean up machines and prepare defences.

Lost files

Computer security companies have been sounding the alarm about Nyxem-E since 16 January when the virus first appeared. Nyxem-E is also known as Blackworm, MyWife, Kama Sutra, Grew and CME-24.

Since then anti-virus and mail filtering firms have caught millions of copies of the bug which is a variant of a malicious program that debuted in March 2004.

Unlike many more recent viruses, Nyxem-E is destructive and is timed to delete files in 11 popular formats it found on infected machines. A timer inside the malicious program set it to start deleting on the third of every month.

NYXEM FILE TARGETS
DMP - Oracle files
DOC - Word document
MDB - Microsoft Access
MDE - Microsoft Access/Office
PDF - Adobe Acrobat
PPS - PowerPoint slideshow
PPT - PowerPoint
PSD - Photoshop
RAR - Compressed archive
XLS - Excel spreadsheet
ZIP - Compressed file

But as the early hours of 3 February unrolled, national computer security organisations reported few problems. Security firm Network Box said as the day progressed it was catching fewer and fewer copies of the bug.

Security researchers had a very good idea of where the infections were concentrated because every compromised PC reported in to a website associated with the virus. In total more than 300,000 computers reported they had been infected.

According to early analysis of the statistics, infections were highest in India, Peru and Italy. Later work suggested Malaysia too could be hard hit.

One of the few reports of damage came from Milan's city government which shut down its computer network to clean up the infection.

But the Indian chapter of the Computer Emergency Response Team said it was getting a lot of calls for information about Nyxem-E but no-one was reporting data losses.

Similarly, computer security workers in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan said damage was light to non-existent.

Speaking on Friday afternoon, Itsuro Nishimoto, an executive at Tokyo-based computer security company LAC Corp, said: "It's well past the deadline but we haven't confirmed any cases of the Kama Sutra in Japan, which suggests we're not looking at a major outbreak."

Similar reports came from Hong Kong.

"Our assessment of the worm damage is 'not serious'," said Roy Ko from Hong Kong's national computer security co-ordination centre.

TOP NYXEM NATIONS
1) India - 37%
2) Malaysia - 23%
3) Indonesia - 9%
4) Thailand - 5%
5) Philippines - 4%
6) United Arab Emirates - 3%
7) Singapore - 3%
8) United States - 2%
9) Peru - 2%
10) Sri Lanka - 1%
He added: "Big corporations will surely be able to avoid it if they update their anti-virus software frequently enough. We're more worried about individual users and small businesses."

Analysis by mail filtering firm MessageLabs suggested that the number of infected machines pumping out copies of the virus had fallen to about 20,000 from the earlier high.

MessageLabs said the publicity surrounding the worm had led many to clean up computers prior to the trigger date. Its figures suggested that more than 11,000 computers were getting disinfected every day during the last week.

The virus is thought to have racked up a significant amount of victims because it falsely promised pornographic pictures and movies to those that opened attachments on e-mail messages it used to travel in.

Some of these messages managed to slip through defences because they were disguised as unusual types not typically associated with viruses.

Anti-virus companies urged people to update their security software and to use removal tools if they were unlucky enough to fall victim to the bug.

cell phone jammer

Have you been in situations where, forget cell phone etiquette even basic courtesy is not present in people. Whats worse is that you could be in a movie theatre or a play or Opera and just because of that single person who refuses to cut his conversation short or move out to let others enjoy the show, making everyone suffer. When polite "shoos" or "quiet pleases" are simply ignored, you know its time to take matters into your own hands. Much as you would like to just grab his cell phone and throw it out the door, it would probably mean that you end the night with police. What is really required are some covert super powers.

It would be just perfect if you had a portable tiny cell phone jammer which would cause every cell phone in a small area to be unable to catch the network. Its not just honest to god wishing that I am doing here, but telling you folks about an electronic device which is very much available in Japan. Just recently released, the "Portable Director II" does all this and more. Able to operate in a region of 3 metres, the device shuts down or rather jams all the cell phones in its vicinity. There are two types of methods that you can use, one is the conitnous operation in which the device constantly jams all cell phones while the other is the battery saving timer mode. This one jams cell phones for 70 seconds and then goes off , restarting on its on after some time. The miny device, has a size of 47 x 61 x 13 mm and a weight of 20 grams.
Since the device is available only in Japan at this point, the manufacturer has only mentioned baout the neworks that it can jam over there. However it seems very versatile and can be easily adapted to the networks of the country in which it is supposed to be sold. eg: NTT_DOCOMO (800MHz), FOMA (2gHz), VodaFone (1. 5gHz) etc. Even if the device is kept constantly on, it can jam cell phones for 4 hours at a stretch, more then enough to last the movie that you so desperately want to see uninterrupted.

Nokia E61 to be released this month

The Nokia E61 business phone is rumored to release in mid-February according to MobileBee. The E61 also known as Nokiaberry is Nokia's answer to the Motorola Q smartphone. The Nokia E series is for business users and includes Nokia E70, E60 and the E61. The E61 (GSM850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 / WCDMA2100) sports a QWERTY keyboard and it's large display supports 16 million colors. It supports multiple email clients multiple mobile email clients like BlackBerry Connect, GoodLink, Nokia Business Center, Seven Mobile Mail, Seven Always-On Mail, and Visto Mobile, the Nokia E61 provides seamless and encrypted mobile connectivity. It runs on Series 60 Operating System (version 9.1) and has 75 MB of internal memory and a Mini SD card slot for more memory.

The Nokia E61 has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The price of the Nokia E61 will be around $499.99.

SonyEricsson W41S - musicphone

The W41S wins you over easily, thanks to its very appealing looks and of course the complete state of art technology that has been used in it. We have mentioned about the W41s more than once on this site, however with some pretty detailed pictures and details popping up, we could not help posting more details for our users.

Like all the recently announced or released handsets for KDDI; the W41s which is made by SonyEricsson is a clamshell. The images that we have feature a W41s in gleaming blue color. SonyEricsson have given this phone a small monochrome displayon the outside, nothing fancy like the Samsung clamshells which have high end secondary displays. However the display being longitudinal and set at an angle vertical to the phone, makes it look different and cool. The writing at the top is a warning that the handset is FeLiCa compliant. Just below the display, there is a big LED which turns on whenever the FeLiCa system is activated.

For more details on FeLiCa, suggest you read: A phone which can replace tickets, credit cards, I-cards and more.

Opening the clamshell shows the designer keypad. Having a shade just slightly darker then that of the color, the sleek keypad adds to the beauty of the phone. The small camera lens is powerful enough to take photogrpahs of 1.3 megapixels at the most. At the hinge, there is a smaller LED which basically shows network connectivity. The W41S can be charged by placing it in the charge stand rather than the usual chargers which simply snap into the power port of the handset. Since the handset lays special emphasis on its music features, one simply needs to check out the earphones attached to the phone. They come with a complete controller allowing you to change tracks, adjust the volume and of course talk into it, using it as a normal handsfree when there is a call. The handset is also LISMO compatible, KDDI's music service which allows users to download music , something like Apple's iTunes.


Downloaded music can be stored on the handsets own memory (40 megabytes) or the memory stick duo (which can take a stick of upto 2 GB maximum size). The handset can also recieve FM radio channels. The camera and accompanying software can be used to set up the handset as a bar code reader, something that most high end phones in Japan are able to do.

T-Mobile launches Blackberry 8700G in UK

T-Mobile has launched the 8700G in UK. This new device features an Intel processor, 64MB flash memory and 16MB SRAM. The BlackBerry 8700g provides best-in-class performance for email, phone, SMS, Web browsing, organizer and corporate data applications in a lightweight, all-in-one device. A dramatically enhanced device platform, which includes an Intel PXA901 cellular processor, enables users to experience faster Web browsing, application performance and attachment viewing.

The handset will retail for 190 pounds but will be considerably cheaper is one signs up with T-Mobile's service for at least 18 months.

Features of the BlackBerry 8700g(TM) include:

--Ergonomic and lightweight design
--QWERTY keyboard for rapid, easy and accurate message composition.
--Very intuitive icon menu for fast navigation
--High resolution, landscape QVGA (320x240) LCD screen.
--Intelligent light sensing technology that automatically adjusts both the LCD and keyboard lighting to provide an optimized view in outdoor, indoor and dark environments.
--Increased memory: 64 MB flash.
--Powerful Intel(R) PXA901 processor, utilizing the Intel XScale(R) architecture, which provides users with the increased processing power needed to enjoy a rich user experience while running a variety of applications.
--BlackBerry Messenger - Instant Messaging between BlackBerry users
-Global GSM coverage. Quad band: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
--Built-in speakerphone.
--Bluetooth(R) compatible for hands-free use with car kits and headsets
--Polyphonic and MP3 ring tones.
--High-End Phone Features including Dedicated "Send", "End" and "Mute" keys, plus user definable convenience keys.
--Supports viewing of a variety of data and image files including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

LG S5000 - The handset for the metrosexual male

Cell phone makers are going to stop at absolutely nothing in this age of cut throat competition. The S5000 which has been just launched in China for example is being touted as the perfect handset for the "metrosexual male". It looks classy, but to say that it is designed for a "metrosexual male" is stretching things a bit too far.

Surprisingly, when I looked it up with Wikipedia; the general definition sided with LG. "The metrosexual, is an urban male of any sexual orientation who has a strong aesthetic sense and spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle.
LG S5000 ; it does fulfill the basic requirements of being sleek and stylish. The jet black glossy finish I assume can be taken as to be in "touch with the feminine side". The smooth uninterrupted design of the S5000 is undoubtedly attractive, so we will leave the "metrosexual" being at that. The handset has the decent feature set thats necessary for any cell phone in todays day and age. The clamshell has bluetooth and a 1.3 megapixel camera lens (supported by flash). The clamshell has two displays, the primary one is color while the outer secondary display is a simple smaller two color display.

The blue backlit keypad does look more style then function and is certain to cause trouble for people with large digits. General features such as music playing capability, large phone book, voice dialling are all explained as features that LG specifically put in for this target audience. The phone also happens to have an automatic opening feature, by simply clicking on the buttons at the sides, the handset opens up. This according to the company in some matter adds to the "sex appeal" of the handset.

Nokia N92 Overview

The first integrated DVB-H mobile device in the Nokia Nseries range for watching broadcast TV programs. The Nokia N92 offers easy access to TV programs without having to sit in front of a television set. Users can set reminders to watch their favorite TV programs, create personal channel lists and subscribe to TV channel packages. The outstanding new form factor offers a highly ergonomic user-experience. The usability is further enhanced by the large 2.8" anti-glare QVGA screen with 16 million colors and the dedicated media keys.
The Nokia N92 has four different modes for simple and easy usage. The new view mode is especially designed for watching TV and video. To start watching mobile TV*, users simply need to open the Nokia N92 in view mode and press the Multimedia key. The Electronic Service Guide (ESG) contains information about the available TV channels, programs and services. Other mobile TV features include watching time of up to four hours, recording and 30 seconds replay(recordings).

Further, the Nokia N92 supports the new Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map, which provides a semi-transparent zoomed-out view of a web page that enables users to quickly orient themselves on a small screen. With an overall view of the web page, users can intuitively navigate to all corners of it as well as see the web page as it was originally designed. The Nokia N92 is also an XpressMusic device, with up to 2 GB memory card support, offering storage for up to 1500 songs delivered through the built-in stereo speakers or a stereo headset. The entertainment experience is further complimented by FM radio with Visual Radio support

The Nokia N92 provides a rich range of connectivity options such as Wi-Fi, infrared, Bluetooth wireless technology as well as USB 2.0 (Mass Storage Class), which allows users to connect the Nokia N92 directly to a compatible PC for quick and convenient file transfers or downloads. The Nokia N92, which is based on S60 3rd Edition and Symbian OS, is planned to be commercially available in mid 2006 in Europe, Africa and Asia, in countries where DVB-H services are available, with an sales price of approximately 600 euros.

Nokia 770

The Nokia 770 seems a direct rip off from the 7710 but actually its more different then similar. Nokia 770 runs on a development platform called Maemo (its a linux based device). The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet's software is upgradeable and currently runs on the Linux-based Internet Tablet 2005 software edition.

The Nokia 770 is mainly meant for browsing the internet and doing online work such as emailing etc. Indeed the device has a complete name of "Nokia 770 Internet Tablet". The screen is positively largish huge at 800 x 480 pixels. It can also display 65,000 colors which I think is more than enough for standard work on the net. Since the screen is a touch screen, the usre will work with an onscreen keyboard, while the display gives him zoom capability as well. Getting on the internet is extremely easy if you happen to be in a Wi-Fi hotspot. Wi-Fi hotspots are no longer difficult to find and are extremely well spread out in all the major metropolitan cities of not just the US but throughout the globe. In case you still manage to land in a place without the same, then the 770 can be used in conjunction with another device which has GPRS or 3G capbility. These two can be connected via Bluetooth. Since most cell phones will be compatible and have bluetooth technology to boot, we dont think getting on the internet is going to be much of a problem.

W41SA - The latest Sanyo phone which reads

The CDMA clamshell from Sanyo looks like any other , but its real feature remains hidden till you actually try it out. Simply jot something down on a piece of paper and take a photograph, the image recognition technology of the phone is smart enough to actually make sense of it and save it. This is quite similar to the jotter function of the SonyEricsson P910i which also recognises the handwriting, difference being that you cant expect the handset to recognise whats written on paper. Again the W41SA can save the image of the writing as is without attempting to make sense of it if you so desire. This is useful in making a map or drawing. The camera which does this is a 1.3 megapixel lens and the OCR (Optical chracter recognition technology supports English and Japanese language).
Also the image recognition feature should not be confused with being a touchpad. Additional features include a built-in music player which supports several different media types. The W41SA also has a mini SD card slot so you can actually fill up the card with music files and keep the phone memory free for other uses. The stereo speakers make use of Yamaha's Audio Engine to get a 3D sound effect. For some reason thats not exactly apparent, the phone has two microphones. This allows you to record conversations while making use of the loudspeaker. The internal memory of the phone is equivalent to 50 megabytes (supports 1 GB mini SD card additionally).

The 108 gram petite clamshell has dimensions of 49 × 99 × 21 mm. Color options are blue, silver and pink. Unfortunately the phone lacks Felica card compatibility. The primary display has 262,000 colors and is of 2.3 inches in size. The sub display meanwhile is 72 x 96 pixels. The 1x CDMA terminal is expected to go on sale in the middle of February.

Vodafone 804N

The 804N looks pretty normal, but unlike usual clamshells which have just a few megabytes that are to be shared dynamically, this mega memory monster has almost 450 megabytes underneath its hood. Now thats without the microSD card that the user can push in if he feels the need for more. Considering that the phone can handle a card of 512 Mb with ease, that adds up to mearly a gigabyte of memory to do as you please.

Thanks to the USB port (mini) one can even consider using the 804N as a storage device. Of course with MP3 and AAC support, it can also be taken as a complete replacement for a mobile music player. The 804N comes from NEC, and they mean to sell it on Vodafone (Japan - in case you are wondering) ; this baby is 3G and supports video calling. It has dual cameras (an external one which has a 2 megapixel resolution and the internal sub camera which is a normal CMOS one). The primary display of this clamshell has a 240 x 320 pixel resolution and 65,536 colors. The internal one is a smaller sub display - 64 x 96 pixels and just 4096 colors.

The handset does weigh a bit more than expected at 115 grams, perhaps due to the extra memory. Dimensions are normal for a petite clamshell - 48 × 93 × 23 mm. The NEC 804N is expected to be available in a choice of 3 colors (white , blue and pink).

Tv-phone from hitachi

Hitachi has announced the W41H , the TV phone which is able to receive and play the terrestrial digital TV signals. The W41H is expected to go on sale by the third of February.


The W41H has a superb design which makes it easy to watch T.V. or use it as a phone without hindrance to either function. This is achieved by a clamshell design in which there is a large 2.7 inch display (240 x 400 pixels LCD) which can be swiveled and folded so that the display comes out to the exterior leaving the keypad hidden. The handset's display can accomodate upto 262,000 colors and to top it all off, the user can set the handset to display the T.V. reception from amongst 3 different modes which include "standard, movie and vivid colors". Thanks to prudent usage of the battery, the phone can go on with the T.V. reception for 3 hours and 45 minutes at a time. The W41H has also been equipped with 70 megabytes of memory in which one can record the T.V. programs (upto 30 minutes maximum). Luckily the small T.V. phone does not compromise on sound quality (it has stereo speakers, observe at the sides of the display). The antenna for reception are built-into the handset and the same are also utilised for tuning into the FM radio transmissions.

Other features include USB connectivity and a 2 megapixel camera. The handset is slightly hefty at 160 grams. It is possible to increase the size of the memory by utilising the mini SD card slot. The stereo speakers can also be used to play 3D sounds (requires loading of a special software which comes on the CD in the box).

Phone- mouse

Talk about runaway imagination, the latest gadget from Korea seems more like a prank till u discover that it really works. Its extremely easy to switch the device between functions from a mouse to a phone and vice-versa.

Technical details are still sparse but as far as we can make out, its not something thats going to be ahigh end cell phone. The phone mouse operates on VoIP basis. It has a single monochrome display and a standard keypad. Its unlikely that the handset will be able to do more than call and perhaps SMS.

However as fans of any innovative design, the phone mouse is a superb idea; especially for the busy executive who can now use his phone as the desktop mouse. The phone mouse has been designed and created by "Sysgration" and is being shown at the CES 2006

Sony Ericsson W550

The W550 is an exciting product that combines music, imaging and game playing to offer consumers fun and entertainment wherever they are, while still being a great phone,” explains Steve Walker, Sony Ericsson’s Head of Product Marketing. “This new Walkman phone is aimed at fun seekers who enjoy a good party and like to share enjoyable moments with friends. There are so many entertainment features crammed into this small, sleek handset that whether you are alone or with a group of friends, the W550 can satisfy all your entertainment needs.”

The W550 has an advanced digital music player with excellent sound quality delivered through two external high quality stereo speakers or through quality stereo headphones provided with the phone. Loading music onto the handset is simple thanks to intuitive tracks (depending on the bit rate). The W550 is the ideal new addition to the Sony Ericsson Walkman family with its stylish design and Disc2Phone® PC software and the phone’s 256MB internal memory, enough for storing between 60 and 120 standard MP3 or AAC music easy to use functionality. The phone is durable and offers great battery life, allowing users to listen to up to 30 hours of music.

Listening to music on the Sonyericsson W550 over headphones means you never miss a call as the music cuts off automatically when a call is received, permitting the listener to take the call before resuming listening to the paused track. A direct music button gives instant access to the Walkman music player, which can be used independently of the phone, allowing the phone to be used in flight mode so your personal music can be enjoyed even on an airplane. The flight mode was previously offered only in the extreme high end consoles like the P910i.

Equipped with a 1.3 MegaPixel camera, the W550 captures stills and video-clips – with 4x digital zoom for close-ups – that can then be stored or shared using MMS or Bluetooth, or even transferred to a PC via USB cable.

Gigs, movie schedules, search engines and webmail can all be easily checked with the full Internet browser from a choice of viewing modes: full scale mode enables users to scroll round the complete page, or information can be presented in a single column. Either way, the bright 1.8 inch 262K TFT display provides razor sharp pictures. There are plenty of ways to personalise the W550. The user can choose from a range of additional Style-Up covers that can be matched with wallpapers, themes and start-up/close-down animations which can be downloaded.

nokia N91

With room for up to 3000 songs on the integrated 4-gigabyte hard disk, the Nokia N91 delivers a premier music experience. In addition, the industry standard 3.5mm stereo headset jack and easy transfer of music files from your PC help make the Nokia N91 a connected mobile jukebox. Encased in stainless steel, the Nokia N91 has dedicated music keys on its face, which slide down to reveal the phone keypad. The Nokia N91 serves up to 12.5 hours of great sound via the included stereo headset with remote control. Enjoying your music collection has never been easier, as the Nokia N91 supports a wide range of digital music formats including MP3, M4A, AAC and WMA.
Packed with multiple connectivity options, such as WCDMA, WLAN and Bluetooth wireless technology, the Nokia N91 makes it easy for you to find and enjoy music when and where you want. With the Nokia N91, you can quickly and easily find and purchase music over the air to your device from your operator's music store. Drag and drop your personal music collection from your PC to your Nokia N91 or synchronize your recent music purchases with your PC via USB 2.0. You can also create and manage your playlists directly on your Nokia N91, or shuffle songs around to build your optimal listening experience.A revolutionary feature of the Nokia N91 is the possibility to share your playlists with friends by multimedia message, email or Bluetooth. Proudly show off your musical taste or simply share the latest songs that have been stuck in your head.

The Nokia N91 also contains the latest multimedia technologies and smartphone functionalities, including a 2 megapixel camera for print-quality photos, email support, a full web browser and video sharing.

Nokia N90

The Nokia N90 is a clamshell but the rotating camera (2 Megapixels) is located for the first time at the hinge. The accompanying pictures of the photo gallery will give a perfect idea of what has been done. Considering that the lens and camera that Nokia have used in this model wil be in collaboration with Carl Zeiss Optics (one of the beast in business) we can all look forward to a much better imaging resolution with our phones. The Nokia N90 boasts a 2 megapixel camera with autofocus and 20x digital zoom, integrated flash, macro mode for sharp close-ups, and high quality video capture with on-phone editing capabilities.

Facilitated by its two screens, the Nokia N90 features two ergonomic modes for instant photo and video capture. Simply twist the unique rotating camera barrel, and automatically the 2 megapixel camera is ready to shoot high quality photos, in a snap. A dedicated capture key and the cover display (128 x 128 pixels) of up to 65,536 colors as a viewfinder make the snapshot experience ever more effortless. Unfold and twist the main display (352 x 416 pixels), and the Nokia N90 is ready to shoot high quality video in MP4 format using the high-resolution (352 x 416 pixels) 262,144 color landscape display as a viewfinder. Dedicated record and zoom keys, including up to 8x digital zoom for video capture, provide for very convenient one-hand operation. Photos and video clips taken with the Nokia N90 can conveniently be stored on the phone's internal 31 MB memory or the 64 MB in-box RS-MMC.

Based on the leading Series 60 Platform, the Nokia N90 is a tri-band phone for GSM 900/1800/1900, EDGE and WCDMA networks, and is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2005.

nokia N70

Nokia announced not just a new device but an entirely new line of phones, which they call as the "N Series" .Nokia says that the Nseries is a range of high performance multimedia devices that delivers unparalleled mobile multimedia experiences by combining the latest technologies with stylish design and ease of use. With Nokia Nseries products, consumers can use a single device to enjoy entertainment, access information and to capture and share pictures and videos, whenever and wherever they want. Accordingly three handsets have been announced, the Nokia N91, Nokia N90 and Nokia N70.
The Nokia N series will all be series 60 based. The Nokia Nseries multimedia range is styled to meet the expectations of the most demanding customers with stainless steel finishes and black pearl and smooth silver color pallets. Measuring just 108.8 x 53 x 17.5 mm (95.9 cc), the Nokia N70 is the smallest ever 2 megapixel 3G smartphone based on the leading Series 60 Platform. Additionally, a variant of the Nokia N70 for EDGE (Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution) markets will be available at a later date.

Equipped with a digital music player with stereo audio, FM radio and support for Visual Radio, the compact 126 gram Nokia N70 also doubles as a great pocketable music device. For an even more playful multimedia experience, the Nokia N70 supports S60 and Java 2D and 3D games, some of which are pre-installed in the phone or on the standard in-box RS-MMC. the Nokia N70 offers a full set of smartphone features, including very easy-to-set up email functionality with extensive attachment support, Internet browser, video streaming and 3G-enabled features such as two-way video calling and video sharing. Furthermore, additional applications can be installed from various sources, while organizer information can easily be synchronized with compatible PCs.

The slide and shoot design makes mobile photography fast and simple. The rear camera slide reveals and automatically activates the 2 megapixel camera, ready to instantly shoot photos or video. The intuitive slide is complemented with an integrated flash, 20x zoom capability and a range of capture scene settings for optimizing image quality in various environments, including Scenery, Portrait, Night, and Sports. Furthermore, the dedicated shutter key on the side of the phone enables users to capture images like they would with a regular camera, allowing for greater stability and ease of use. The new improved rotating Gallery provides for enhanced browsing of images and video clips. Images can, for example, be organized into slideshows, with the viewing experience further heightened with added background music.

Nokia 6630

With 1.23 million effective pixels in its camera, and a host of digital imaging features, the Nokia 6630 is the most advanced camera phone introduced in the GSM market to date. The vast range of imaging features include 1 to 6x variable digital zoom for picture and video capture, manual exposure control, sequence mode for fast picture capture, up to 1 hour of video. Nokia Mobile VPN client enables secure access to corporate Intranets or email servers. Uniquely, the Nokia 6630 is the only handset introduced to date that it is designed to work on 3G (WCDMA), EDGE and 2G networks around the world. recording and wireless printing directly from the handset utilizing solutions by HP and Kodak.

Casio G-Shock MR-G

What is it?
Casio keeps getting more and more hardcore with its G-Shock line of damage-resistant watches. The latest, the MR-G, features a titanium case and band, and a sapphire glass surface.

Features

The MR-G is said to be waterproof up to 20 atmospheres... whatever the hell that means.

Only 1,000 of the titanium MR-Gs will be made available in Japan as of February. They are expected to retail in the range of $1,500 (U.S.).

Wind-Up Cell Charger

HOW IT WORKS
Three minutes of crank time on the Electrilite Wind-Up Charger will juice up your cell for eight minutes of talk time.

This is definitely something we want in our trunks.

Order one today from Electrilite.com for around $25 (U.S.).

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Motorola H5 Bluetooth Headset

how it works

Motorola's Bluetooth-enabled headset works up to 30 feet away from an equally-equipped phone. But others won't be able to see it. Because it's very small and it fits in your ear.

We'd actually rather provide visible evidence that we're talking into a headset, rather than into thin air.


The H5 Miniblue headset should be available by summer 2006.