Day: April 10, 2007

“DivX Inc. announced the DivX Certification of the Samsung Ultra Video (SGH-F500) mobile phone, a revolutionary phone that features an unrivaled design and brings a superior range of multimedia experiences to consumers including high quality DivX video playback. The F500 is the first mobile phone to achieve DivX Certification to ensure true interoperability between the device and the over 70 million DivX Certified consumer electronics devices in the world today.A member of Samsung’s highly popular Ultra Edition line of handsets, the F500 offers users the latest in video features with a large LCD that has a unique swivel design so video content can be watched optimally. In any viewing situation, the F500 offers unparalleled access to high quality DivX movies on the go, either from the user’s own collection, from DivX’s own Stage 6 video website, or through other mobile content services. “The addition of DivX Certification to the Samsung F500 mobile handset opens a broad ecosystem of digital media that can be taken on the road while preserving the kind of high-quality experience that video aficionados demand,” said Kevin Hell, President, DivX. “DivX is working to build a common digital media language that offers real interoperability across devices and platforms, and innovative devices like the Samsung Ultra F500 phone are an important piece of that ecosystem.” Products that bear the DivX Certified logo have undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience, including reliable video creation and playback, interoperability with other DivX Certified devices and the visual quality users expect from DivX. The DivX Certified Samsung Ultra Video F500 phone will be available later in 2007.” via mobile-review.com

“One of the fastest growing segments within mobile technology is the smartphone. On the top end you have QWERTY-based models such as the Treo series, T-Mobile Dash, RIM’s Blackberry series, and many HTC models. On the other end — usually the lower-priced end — are those smartphones that look like other cellphones but have a more advanced operating system and richer applications. The HTC MTeoR is one such model, and it aims to capture the minds of those who want a Windows Mobile smartphone, but not compromise on phone size and usability.In looking at the MTeoR as a phone, I was primarily concerned with call quality, battery life, and pre/post call tasks.Call quality was suitable for most environments. Callers could not tell the difference between the MTeoR and my Treo 680. However, those who were put onto speaker phone did notice some feedback on their end. Overall, the MTeoR performed just as one would expect a phone to perform.” Read this nice review here:

“A thing of note is that most people, who played around with the communicator for the first time, noticed that it was a comfortable fit in the hands, leaving an overall good impression. And this is a vital note in light of this model’s positioning. Judging on the first feeling left by the P3400, HTC has managed to simplify the design in a way that would appeal to people barely aware of what a communicator is. The design itself is plain, yet good-looking, partly owing to the form and partly thanks to the soft-touch plastic used, that adds to overall convenience of device management. This plastic covers most of the communicator’s real estate, except for the front plate. The P3400 doesn’t feel spongy in handy, doesn’t seem apt to pick up scratches. Incidentally, this coating increases the device’s price in eyes of consumers – so happens that soft-touch finish is used chiefly in prime models, and this stereotype helps the highlight of this review to gain some more points.” Read more here:

“Operating System [ROM] UpdateNew features and improvements are available with this operating software update.
GPS receiver capability enabled.
Browser improvements (mobile CSS, WAP, Iframe, etc.).
Bluetooth improvements.
New data network icons to differentiate between GPRS, EDGE, 3G and HSDPA connections.
Streaming player added.” Check it here: via pocketpcthoughts.com

“Flash memory and consumer device specialist SanDisk is shipping the first portable multimedia player (PMP) able to download music directly via WiFi, without the use of a PC. The “Sansa Connect,” which runs embedded Linux and Mono, connects directly to online music services via WiFi, according to sources.The Sansa Connect reportedly is the first iPod-style portable music player designed to interoperate directly with web services. Users can purchase and download music directly to the device, without having to boot up a PC, or transfer files via USB. The device also comes with a Flickr photo browser. The device also plays Internet radio.The device sports a 2.2-inch color LCD screen, and a built-in 4GB hard drive for multimedia storage. It measures 3.58 x 2.05 x 0.63 inches and weighs 2.72 oz. Formats supported include MP3, WMA, and Protected WMA.The Sansa Connect is initially available with support for Yahoo Music, an online service that costs $15/month, or $143.88 billed annually. A free 30-day trial is available to new Sansa Connect users through the end of 2008, according to Yahoo!Ironically, the Yahoo Music service does appear to require the user to have access to a PC running 32-bit Windows XP or Vista, according to a blog post by Mono project leader Miguel de Icaza. De Icaza earlier told LinuxDevices, “The entire interface [for the Sansa Connect] is written in C#, I believe it is a single process that implements everything. But I do not know more than that.”The Sansa Connect is available direct from SanDisk, priced at $250 — $110 more than SanDisk’s non-WiFi-enabled 4GB model, the e260. ” via linuxdevices.com