Nokia 6120 Phone Packs HSDPA

With more and more mobile punters accessing the web to download music, watch video, browse the web or grab emails, Nokia are hoping to persuade some wallets to creak open for their new 6120 classic phone offering the faster HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) connectivity.

Nokia 6120 Phone Packs HSDPAClaimed to offer downloads “up to 10 times faster than over usual WCDMA networks,” the Nokia 6120 bigs up its multimedia credentials sporting two cameras. The first is a basic, low res affair slapped on the front for video calls, while the main camera serves up 2-megapixels worth of picture-grabbing, 4-times digital zoom, a built in flash and a panorama mode.

Powered by a Symbian Series 60 OS, the 6120 looks very similar to its slower 3G predecessor, the 6233, with all the gubbins enclosed in Nokia’s familiar candybar form factor and a bright QVGA-quality display with 16-million colours dominating the front.

Nokia 6120 Phone Packs HSDPAThere’s Bluetooth on board for wireless streaming of stereo sounds, a built-in FM radio, support for MP3/AAC/MPEG4 tuneage and a micro SD card slot for slapping in some more memory capacity.

To help fumbling newbies and floundering technophobes, the 6120 comes with bundled How-To Guides and a Set-up Wizard for setting up email, messaging and Internet connection, with Data Transfer apps helping users shuffle all their contacts, calendars, photos, videos and files over from their old Nokia handset.

With the phone purring along on the S60 OS, there’s ample scope for users to download third party apps and customise the phone to their heart’s desire.

Nokia 6120 Phone Packs HSDPAHere’s Peter Ropke, Senior Vice President, Mobile Phones, Nokia to whip us into a frenzy of expectation for the phone, “With the HSDPA technology, S60 operating system and the wide range of features of the Nokia 6120 classic, consumers will be able to make their daily lives more manageable.”

The Nokia 6120 classic (no relation to the 6120 they released in the 1998!) should start shimmying on to shop shelves in the summer for around 260 Euros (around £175) SIM-free.

Nokia

Toshiba Introduces First 200GB USB 2.0 Portable Storage

To old school computing bods like us, it doesn’t seem that long ago that floppy disks were the main way you lugged your data around.

Toshiba Introduces First 200GB USB 2.0 Portable StorageWith its feeble 1.44MB storage space, that often meant you had to cart around great boxes of the things.

And with its gnat-like storage capacity, installing programs like Photoshop meant a lengthy spell sat by your machine, patiently feeding in a vast amount of grinding floppies and hoping that the last one in wouldn’t display a dastardly disk error.

Come 1994, the hi tech hotshots around town were sporting Iomega Zip drives, which served up a comparatively capacious 100MB of storage space (rising to 750MB in the final versions).

Although we felt the love for the increased capacity, the drive was quite a bulky beast, the disks weren’t cheap and folks lived in fear of suffering the dreaded click of death.

By the late 1990s, recordable CDs, cheap flash memory and external hard drives had become the modus operandi for portable storage users, although bigger and bigger files meant that the things soon filled up.

Toshiba Introduces First 200GB USB 2.0 Portable StorageWith this in mind, Toshiba – the world’s fifth-largest hard drive manufacturer – has decided to elbow its way into the portable drive market with its 2.5-inch USB 2.0 portable external hard drive offering a positively palatial 200GB of storage space. That works out at 57,000 digital photos, 52,000 MP3 songs or 88 DVD videos all wedged into its slimline case (approx 6″x4″x0.9″).

Claimed to offer the highest capacity of any backup solution in the compact 2.5-inch hard drive class, the 200GB beastie comes clad in a sleek vented black aluminum exterior, backed by a patent-pending shock mount system for extra protection.

The USB 2.0 drive also comes bundled with the NTI Shadow software which makes it a cinch to set up a back up schedule.

The full range of drives come in 200GB, 160GB, 120GB and 100GB capacities and the pricing looks good too, with suggested retail prices running from $229.99 (£115) for the 200GB model down to $129.99 (£65) for the 100GB.

Toshiba

Intel Preps Linux Powered UMPCs

Intel Preps Linux Powered UMPCsIntel is getting ready to release its own version of the mini-tablet, with CNN reporting that it will be announcing a new Linux-based ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) platform at this week’s Intel Developer Forum in Beijing.

Dubbed a ‘Mobile Internet Device’ (MID), the devices will sport 4.5 to 6.0 inch screens offering resolutions up to 800 x 480 and 1024 x 600 pixels, with the target audience described as “consumers and prosumers” and not mobile professionals.

There’s clearly some work to do on the platform name, with the devices currently codenamed ‘McCaslin’ while teams of whiteboard scrawlin’, flipchart flippin’ brainstormin’ types work on a more user friendly name.

Intel Preps Linux Powered UMPCsExpected to be released next year, the UMPCs are tipped to be an extension of the successful Centrino mobile brand, with the CPU components (codenamed Stealey) packing dual-core processors clocked at 600-800MHz.

Although capable of running Windows XP and Vista, Intel is looking to kit the devices out with an embedded Linux OS supplemented by a mix of open-source and proprietary code.

Who’s it for?
Intel Preps Linux Powered UMPCsIntel’s new gizmo is looking to woo punters with a seductive mobile mix of email, web, entertainment, information and location-based services, including the trusty Google Maps application and Web-based “office and enterprise applications.”

Connectivity will come in the shape of Wi-Fi and 3G HSDPA.

Interface
The new MID tablets will offer a simplified “finger-friendly” user interface, tweaked for big fat fingers on diddy screens. Based on the Gnome desktop, the OS will come with a “master user interface” desktop layer developed by Intel.

Developers will be given a peek at the first MID-specific OS next week (an updated version of China’s RedFlag Linux known as RedFlag MIDINUX), and slides of the interface have already made their way on to Engadget

SxS Memory Cards From Sony And Sandisk Announced For Camcorders

If you’re the kind of person that thinks to themselves, “Hey, I’ve already spent hundreds of pounds on a load of different proprietary memory formats, and I’d love some new ones,” then you’ll be cheered by today’s announcement from Sony and Sandisk.

SxS Memory Cards From Sony And Sandisk Announces For CamcordersThe two companies have revealed details about their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop a new SxS memory card format for professional camcorders.

Designed to replace the long serving CF card, the SxS memory cards are half the size of their predecessors (width: 34mm, height: 5mm, length: 75mm), can hold much more data – up to 16GB so far – with Sandisk and Sony optimising transfer protocols up to a blistering 800 megabits per second.

So comparing the two formats is a bit like putting Torquay United up against Man United then.

This SxS technology is basically a PCI Express memory card using flash memory with the card connecting directly to computer systems through the high-speed PCI-Express bus.

SxS Memory Cards From Sony And Sandisk Announces For CamcordersAlthough the card is too much of a heffalump to fit into digital compact cameras, it may appear in some high end medium format still cameras and other specialised snappers.

For camcorder users owning laptops with PCI Express memory card-compatible slots, we can see the SxS cards being a real boon as they’ll be able to whip the memory out of their camera and slap it straight into their lappie.

Sony is expected to adopt this high-speed SxS memory card specification for its XDCAM EX series professional camcorders, with the memory cards available later in 2007.

Ricoh GX100 Digicam Packs In The Innovation

Last time we looked at one of Ricoh’s upmarket cameras, the Ricoh GR, we went all Victor Kyam and liked the camera so much we went out and bought the thing, and Ricoh’s new GX100 has got our wallet hand twitching again.

Ricoh GX100 Digicam Packs In The InnovationNever a company to run with the pack, the new Ricoh Caplio GX100 serves up an innovative feature set, with a super wide 24 to 72 mm wide zoom lens (35mm film equivalent), a fast F2.5 aperture and 10.01 Megapixel CCD sensor.

Billed as the successor to the popular Caplio GX8, the GX100 has inherited some of the features of the GR, including the fabulous two mode dial system which makes up what Professional Photography magazine recently described as the ‘best control system of any compact camera’ (once you get used to it, Canon and Nikon compacts seem clunky in comparison).

Ricoh GX100 Digicam Packs In The InnovationAnother innovation that has set photo-nerd hearts a-fluttering in Chez Digi Lifestyles is the optional removable electronic viewfinder.

This clips on to the hotshoe (yes, it’s got one of them too) and offers a high resolution LCD display including all the necessary exposure information. If they get the quality right, this will be as close as you can get to a real street shooter experience in a camera this size.

Architecture and landscape fans will also like the optional ultra-wide-angle 19mm lens for those big panoramic shots, with spot-on exposures guaranteed via a host of manual and scene modes and RAW file recording.

Ricoh GX100 Digicam Packs In The InnovationAs with the GR, macro focussing goes all the way down to a frankly ridiculous 1 cm (any closer and you’ll be burrowing into the subject), with a built in CCD shift method offering vibration reduction.

Ricoh claim that their ‘Smooth Imaging Engine II’ image-processing engine will keep the noise down, but with so many pixels packed onto such a small sensor, we expect the processor will be kept busy.

Ricoh GX100 Digicam Packs In The InnovationWith the Ricoh Caplio GX100 measuring up at just 25mm, this looks to be a great carry everywhere camera, and with a claimed battery life of 380 exposures, this looks to be a very, very interesting camera.

European pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but a Japanese site is quoting a retail price of 80,000 Yen (approx $670, 500 Euro, £340).

Specifications:

CCD Effective 10.01 million pixels (total 10.30 million pixels ), 1/1.75-inch primary-colour CCD
Lens Focal length f=5.1 to 15.3 mm (equivalent to 24 to 72 mm for 35 mm film cameras)
Aperture (F value): F 2.5 – F9.1 (Wide-angle) , F4.4 – F15.8 (Telephoto)
Lens structure 11 glass elements in 7 groups
Shutter speed 180, 120, 60, 30, 15, 8, 4, 2, 1 to 1/2000 sec. 1/30 – 1/2000 sec.
Picture modes F (Fine) / N (Normal) / RAW *2
Exposure adjustment TTL-CCD Metering Method: Multi Light Metering (256 segments),
Centre-weighted Light Metering, Spot Metering
White balanced Auto, Fixed (OUTDOORS, CLOUDY, INCAND., FLUORES., MANUAL) / White Balance Bracket
Ricoh GX100 Digicam Packs In The InnovationMemory SD Memory Card ( 32, 64, 128, 256, 512 MB, 1, 2 GB), SDHC Memory Card (4 GB),
Multi Media Card, Internal Memory (26 MB)
Recording modes Still image modes (Still Image, CONT., S-CONT, M-CONT), Program Shift, Aperture-Priority,
Manual Exposure modes, Scene modes (Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Nightscape,
Skew correction, Text, Zoom macro, High Sensitivity) , Movie mode, My setting 1&2
LCD 2.5-inch Transparent Amorphous Silicon TFT LCD (approx. 230,000 pixels)
Dimensions 111.6 mm (W) x 58.0 mm (H) x 25.0 mm (D) (excluding projections parts)
Weight Approx. 220 g (excluding batteries, Memory Card, strap), Accessories: approx. 30 g (battery, strap)
Battery Rechargeable battery (DB-60) x 1, optional AC adaptor (AC-4c), AAA battery (alkaline/oxyride/NiMH) x 2
Shooting capacity Conforms to CIPA standard: using the DB-60, approx. 380 pictures
(Using AAA alkaline batteries: approx. 35 pictures *4)

Ricoh GX100

Skype Call Transfer Feature Shows On Macs First!

Skype for Mac 2.6 beta version has hit the downloads.

Skype Call Transfer Feature Shows On Macs First!While they’ve been tightening out various bits and pieces, they’ve launched an important new feature, Call Transfer on the Mac first, going against the other Skype releases that have dragged behind the PC.

In their words, “You can now transfer ongoing calls effortlessly to other friends and family on your Skype contact list.”

This is a strategic advance for Skype, opening the door for businesses to start using Skype as a central point of contact, then letting the receptionist pass the call over to the intended call destination. Perhaps they thought that business users were far less likely to be using Macintosh, hence launching it on there first.

They also claim to have improved the call quality as well as the other bits added to the latest beta below

Join public chats
Chat typing indicator – see when others are writing a message
Call any Skype Prime premium services provider and pay with Skype credit
Automatic Updates – get new features and updates without having to go to Skype’s website to download
DTMF tones for automatic answering services available also during Skype-to-Skype calls

While they’re working on the bigger things, they’ve also been working on the small things like handling birthday reminders or other notifications that are important for Mac users too.

Download Skype for Mac

Sony’s VAIO G1 Lappie With Flash Memory

Large pools of envious drool and “gimme! gimme! gimme!” saliva were found dripping around the desks at Digi Lifestyle after Sony’s latest version of the superlight Vaio G1 laptop was spotted on t’web.

Sony's VAIO G1 Lappie With Flash MemoryPreviously released as a featherweight 2.1 pounds laptop sporting a 40/80GB hard drive and 12.1 inch display, Sony have just cranked up the VAIO’s desirability rating to wanton craving with the news of a 32GB Solid State Disk option.

With the hard drive ejected and replaced with super silent, super fast, super durable solid state flash memory, the laptop can now claim to be the world’s lightest 12.1-inch laptop, registering a butterfly-untroubling 1.89-pounds.

Sony's VAIO G1 Lappie With Flash MemoryWithout a hard drove rattling away inside, the standard battery life has been extended by half an hour, giving a very generous 6.5 hours in total. Users investing in the longlife ‘L’ battery can enjoy a battery life that will leave even the Duracell bunny in need of a fag and lie down, with Sony claiming a whopping 12.5 hours of use.

As well as the 1,024×768 pixel (XGA)screen, there’s also an Intel 945GMS Express video card, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, a Type2 PC card slot, memory stick PRO/DUO and SD card/MMC slots, Gigabit Ethernet, modem and voice input/output.

Its dimensions may be small (277 x 215 x 23.5-25.5mm) but the price tag is a bit of a heavyweight beastie, with the base unit starting at around 229,800 Yen – adding up to a hefty $545 premium over the 40GB hard disk option.

Source

SanDisk ‘Connect’ With Yahoo For Wi-Fi Music Service

Flash memory maestros Sandisk have announced that they’re hooking up with Yahoo Music Unlimited To Go to provide a service that lets music fans fuel up their music players wirelessly.

SanDisk And Yahoo Team Up for Wi-Fi Music ServiceAfter connecting the Sansa Connect media player to the Internet via Wi-Fi, users will be able to listen to LAUNCHcast Internet radio, rummage through Flickr photos and check out what Yahoo Messenger friends and nearby Sansa Connect owners are grooving to.

Meandering music fans will also be able to access Yahoo’s free music services or connect to Yahoo Music Unlimited To Go subscription service to download tunes to their players, without the need to connect it to their home PCs.

SanDisk And Yahoo Team Up for Wi-Fi Music Service“We see this as a very strong partnership with Yahoo,” purred top SanDisk marketing bod Eric Bone, adding that he saw his company progressing from “fast-follower mode to a technical-leadership mode” in a market still dominated by the ubiquitous iPod.

The attractive 4-gigabyte palm sized player comes with a bright 2.2″ screen, a tactile scroll wheel, a microSD slot and a built in mono speaker for sharing the music with (quiet) friends. There’s also a slightly strange looking stubby antennae for the wireless connectivity.

SanDisk And Yahoo Team Up for Wi-Fi Music ServiceAs well as wirelessly connecting to Yahoo’s Music service, the Connect supports MP3s and DRM WMAs provided by other services like Rhapsody, but you’ll have to get out Ye Olde cable to transfer the music from your desktop.

The Sansa Connect is set to retail for around $250 in the States. We haven’t heard any news about UK pricing/release dates yet.

It looks like it’s a beauty and we’re looking forward to getting out hands on it.

SanDisk Sansa Connect MP3 Player

iPod Hits 100 Million. Celebs Fawn All Over The Place

iPod Hits 100 Million. Celebs Fawn All Over The PlaceYesterday, Apple announced that it had shifted its 100 millionth iPod, making it the fastest selling music player in the history of the known universe and quite possibly beyond.

The iconic iPod first appeared in November 2001, with Apple going on to introduce a host of different models, including five generations of the original iPod, two generations of the iPod mini, two generations of iPod nano and two generations of iPod shuffle.

With the Apple PR backslap machine set to ‘turbo,’ Steve Jobs issued a statement personally thanking, “music lovers everywhere for making iPod such an incredible success.” And he means that most sincerely, folks.

iPod Hits 100 Million. Celebs Fawn All Over The PlaceNever one to knowingly underhype his own products, Jobs continued; “iPod has helped millions of people around the world rekindle their passion for music, and we’re thrilled to be a part of that.”

As ever, celebs were lining up for a piece of the profile-boosting action, with Mary J. Blige apparently suffering some sort of strange pre-iPod amnesia, claiming that she found it “hard to remember” what she did “before the iPod,” before going on to claim that the player was, an, err, “extension of her personality.”

John Mayer, another GRAMMY award winner (and quite possibly the owner of a degree in corporate fawning) was also ready and willing to crank up the gush-o-meter, announcing that the “iPod experience has kept the spirit of what it means to be a music lover alive.”

We’ve no idea what on earth that means. But we know it’s poppycock.

Ikodot Sports Finder For Cameras

Ikodot Sports Finder For CamerasPhotographers looking for a simple and effective way to quickly frame shots might like to swivel their snapping eyes in the direction of the Ikodot.

An unusual and rather innovative thing, the Ikodot is best described as a ‘sports finder’ and is used for framing pictures without the need to look through a LCD display or peer through a small optical viewfinder.

A bit like a gun sight in use, the finder slots into a regular camera hotshoe and takes the form of a rectangular metal outline with two small raised metal balls in the middle.

Ikodot Sports Finder For CamerasThe user lines up the two balls to frame a photograph, with the lens coverage dictated by how close the finder is to your face.

So for 21mm wideangle coverage, the user must hold the camera so that it ‘touches their cheek,’ while holding the camera so it’s touching the ‘average’ hooter will give 35mm coverage. For 50mm coverage, the camera must be held a thumbs-width from your nose.

Of course, this process is going to need some fine tuning and practice before it gets anywhere near as close as using a LCD screen, but it does have the advantage of being fast and discrete: photographers trying to sneak some snaps at a theatre, for example, will appreciate not having to illuminate the hall with each shot.

Ikodot Sports Finder For CamerasThe Ikodot also offers advantages for four-eyed photographers who perhaps find it hard to focus on a LCD screen or get close up to an optical viewfinder. It’s a shame that the finder can’t fold flat when not in use though.

The Ikodot is available in graphite and chrome finishes from www.ikodot.com for $99.

Read some photographers discussing the Ikodot here: DPReview