“Sony NV-U92T is a slim and stylish personal navigation device with ultra-wide all-in-one 4.8-inch 16:9 touch screen display offering high contrast, wide angle viewing for maximum visibility under all driving conditions. Sony’s motive behind the NV-U92T is driver safety and security. Even while satellite signals are obscured Position Plus holds accurate route guidance. It is just 20mm Thick. Get the information on route waypoints, fuel stations and even on an unfamiliar route.For greater safety at the wheel the new model supports Gesture Commands. The NV-U92T is equipped with 2 GB of Flash memory with new Memory Stick slot for quick, easy addition of new maps and Points of Interest over Europe. Various accessories that you get with this navigation device are Super Suction Cup, car battery adaptor, USB cable, application data disc and handy soft carry pouch. Sony NV-U92T will ship throughout Europe from late spring 2007 and you can get it on pre order at www.sonystyle-europe.com” via mobilewhack.com
Bluetooth announces specification for version 2.1
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the more than 7,000-member strong trade association responsible for advancing Bluetooth wireless technology, today announced from CTIA WIRELESS 2007 details of a new specification which will continue the evolution of the short-range wireless technology and enhance the consumer experience. Bluetooth Core Specification Version 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) will soon be ready for members to develop products that take advantage of numerous enhancements. The new version of the specification adds: Improved Pairing – Makes the initial connection of Bluetooth devices easier for all users by reducing the number of steps in the pairing process. This enhancement will appeal to Bluetooth technology’s broad range of users, from the technically savvy to the technically adverse. Lower Power Consumption – Further reduces the already extremely low power consumption in many scenarios to increase the battery life of devices like mice and keyboards by up to five times, optimizing Bluetooth technology for consumer devices where ultra low power is an important consideration. “We brought together usability, technical, security and marketing experts from our member companies and developed a system where the initial one-time pairing of devices can be done in a matter of seconds with fewer steps. This new version makes pairing Bluetooth devices easy for anyone to do. We also significantly increased security of the pairing process and kept the impact on device and silicon manufacturers to an absolute minimum, to maintain low cost and continue the high degree of innovation for Bluetooth products,” said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director of the Bluetooth SIG.“Bluetooth technology is shipping today at a rate of over 13 million devices per week and has an installed base of 1 billion devices. Improved pairing and lower power consumption will enhance the Bluetooth experience for all users and speed the technology’s growth to the next billion Bluetooth devices,” said John R. Barr, Ph.D., chairman of the Bluetooth SIG Board of Directors and director of Standards Realization for Motorola. Improved pairingCurrently, there are many variations of the user experience when connecting Bluetooth devices, either for a one-time, permanent pairing or for ad-hoc file sharing. The experience depends on several factors, from the ease of finding menus on different devices to the use of security features. The improved pairing provides a consistent and intuitive pairing solution that includes finding devices, securing the link and authenticating the devices. The improved pairing process reduces the steps for the user, improves the security, and establishes the connection in only a few seconds. The improved pairing also takes the burden off the user to come up with a long, personal identification number (PIN) to ensure a secure connection. Instead, users achieve the effective encryption strength of a 16-digit alphanumeric code without any user interaction. For example, pairing a Bluetooth headset and mobile phone is as easy as turning on the headset, selecting “Add Headset” from the phone menu, and then watching the phone confirm it has found, connected with an encrypted link and paired the headset. To prevent any threat of a “Man in the Middle” attack, a Bluetooth device utilizing simple pairing can provide an additional security layer by generating a six-digit passkey that the user enters to verify control of both devices. This passkey is different from a PIN code in that it is provided by the initiating device and unique to each connection sequence so that the user does not have to create or retain any codes to enjoy secure communication.Near Field Communication (NFC) technology may also be used in the new pairing system whereby a user would hold two devices together at a very short range to start the quick pairing process.Enhanced Power OptimizationBluetooth Version 2.1 + EDR offers further optimized power consumption through a feature called Sniff Subrating which increases current battery life by up to five times in many products like mice, keyboards, watches, home sensor networks and medical devices. With further reduced power consumption, Bluetooth technology strengthens its position as the only viable wireless standard for connecting consumer devices that value low power consumption, low cost and ad-hoc connectivity.Roadmap Next StepsThe Bluetooth SIG Working Groups are quickly integrating improved pairing and other specification features into the Bluetooth profiles. All devices with Bluetooth Version 2.1 + EDR will be backwards compatible with all earlier Bluetooth specifications and will support pairing techniques employed by devices without the improved pairing feature. The Bluetooth SIG is continuing its work with the WiMedia Alliance to incorporate ultra-wideband technology into the next version of the specification. This joint work will create a high-speed Bluetooth channel, thereby strengthening the position of Bluetooth technology and combining the best of both worlds by utilizing the well established functionality of Bluetooth technology with the exciting possibilities of higher speed technology. About Bluetooth® Wireless Technology Bluetooth wireless technology is the global short-range wireless standard for personal connectivity of a broad range of electronic devices. The technology is now available in its fourth version of the core specification and continues to develop, building on its inherent strengths – small-form factor radio, low power, low cost, built-in security, robustness, ease-of-use, and ad hoc networking abilities. More than five new Bluetooth enabled products are qualified every working day and 13 million Bluetooth units are shipping per week. The installed base of Bluetooth devices is one billion and climbing, making it the only proven choice for developers, product manufacturers, and consumers worldwide. About the Bluetooth SIGThe Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), comprised of leaders in the telecommunications, computing, consumer electronics, automotive and network industries, is driving development of Bluetooth wireless technology and bringing it to market. The Bluetooth SIG includes Promoter group companies Agere, Ericsson, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia and Toshiba, along with over 7000 Associate and Adopter member companies. The Bluetooth SIG, Inc. headquarters are located in Bellevue, Washington, U.S.A. For more information please visit www.bluetooth.com.