Amazon entered the hardware world with the launch of their ebook reader called Amazon Kindle.



Amazon Kindle overview:
- Revolutionary electronic-paper display providing a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper.
- it's easy and simple to use: no computer, no cables, no syncing.
- wireless connectivity enables you to shop in the Kindle Store directly from your Kindle—whether you’re in the back of a taxi, at the airport, or in bed.
- if you buy a book and it will be delivered in less than one minute.
- browse than 90,000 books available, including the current New York Times best seller books
- read free book samples before you decide to buy
- read your favorite newspapers every morning like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post or international newspapers like Le Monde, Frankfurter Allgemeine, The Irish Times etc.
- read top magazines like TIME, Atlantic Monthly, Forbes etc.
— all press is auto-delivered wireless.
- get access to more than 250 top blogs from the worlds of business, technology, sports, entertainment, and politics all updated throughout the day.
- Lighter and thinner than a typical paperback; weighs only 10.3 ounces.
- Holds over 200 titles.
- Long battery life.

Labels: amazon, ebook-archive, gadget

Google is set to announce its plans for wireless on Monday, 4 Nov 2007, including more specifics on contracts with various handset makers and cellphone operators.

Sprint and T-Mobile are rumored to be the named as the initial partners.

As far as handset partners go, Taiwan's HTC is the most likely candidate although this company has connections with Microsoft.

The software side of this project, code-named Android, is expected to be from the Linux world and designed to run on phones. Also a software development kit for is believed to be in the works , but it's not exactly clear what kind of software will come as part of that stack.

So, don't expect to see a Google phone, or GPhone, on store shelves anytime soon. Google has repeatedly declined to talk about the GPhone or confirm the Monday event.

Labels: gadget, google, gphone, open source

Samsung Electronics joined Microsoft on Monday in launching the first mobile phone in Asia and Europe to use high-speed HSDPA wireless technology.

The new Samsung Ultra Messaging i600 was the world's thinnest 3G smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard. It is also the first smartphone that supports Web applications like podcasts and RSS Feeder, which scans websites for updates, the companies said.

The companies said the phone, which can connect with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0, was designed for work and play. It has two digital cameras and can be used for 3G video calls.

"The mobile population is increasingly looking to use one device that easily plugs into their life, both in and out of the office," said Pieter Knook, a senior vice president at Microsoft.

The device, powered by Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, uses the new mobile protocol called HSDPA, or high-speed downlink packet access, that provides faster downloads of video and streaming music.

Labels: gadget, technology

The 2006 grand award winners of the Popular Science "Best of What's New" awards
are:
- AUTO TECH: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 - The Fastest Production Car Ever;


- COMPUTING: One Laptop Per Child XO - Better Screen, Better World;


- GADGETS: Sony Reader PRS-500 - Goodbye Paper;


- HOME ENTERTAINMENT: Nintendo Wii - The Console That Gets You In The Game;


- HEALTH: Custom-Grown Bladders - Creating Human Organs In The Lab;

- AVIATION & SPACE: Surrey Satellite and QinetiQ TopSat - Small Sat With a Big Future;

- ENGINEERING: Water Cube National Swimming Center in Beijing - A Building Made Of Bubbles;


- HOME TECH: Bostitch Hurriquake Nail - The Alpha Nail That Makes Your Home Twice As Tough;

- RECREATION: Celestron SkyScout - Your Tour Guide To Outer Space;


- GENERAL INNOVATION: HP Memory Spot - Stick Digital Data On Anything.

Labels: gadget, science, short-news, technology

If you’re the type who’s style is flashback, Panasonic’s got the hook up. It's RP-HTX7 headphones! Large aperture 40mm drive unit for clear sound reproduction and powerful bass. Cord length of 1.2 meters suitable for remote and non-remote portable players. Also comes with a 2 meter extension cord. Comes in 5 stylish colors ... read more

Labels: gadget, short-news

Pocket knives, and especially those famous multi-functional ones, from Swiss Army Knife, which allow users to do almost anything, from cutting wood to cutting their nails, have been popular for generations. In the same time, all kinds of replicas and models have been developed over time, starting from the same basic concept (lots of devices crammed in a very small space), and one of the most interesting devices of this type is the Swiss Business Tool from Wenger.



This gadget is aimed especially at those people who need to use office tools (stapler, punch) quite often, but are always on the road, so they want these tools to occupy as small a space as possible. And this device can prove to be quite useful, since it combines very well the concepts of portability and multi-functionality.

Swiss Business Tool includes the following devices: stapler, staple remover, hole punch, scissors, optical gauge, nail file, nail cleaner and an implement lever mechanism to make it all work. True, the device doesn't have a blade, which could have come quite in handy, but even so, it has the potential of becoming quite popular in the future, considering just how useful it can be.

Link:Swiss Business Tool from Wenger
Source: SoftPedia News

Labels: gadget