Two New Philips Touchscreen Phones Seen

Two new interesting phones from Philips have been unearthed by folks over at Mobile-Review. The devices, which seem to be China bound for now, are the touchscreens X806 and C702.

With the Apple iPhone about to launch in China, it seems that Philips too wants to try its luck with its own new touchscreen devices. Let's take a look at the features offered by these two new phones before deciding how these will fare.

We start with the X806, which is quite thin at 14mm and sports a iPhone like 3.5-inch display supporting a 240x400 pixels resolution. It also sports a 5 megapixel camera and has FM Radio packed in as well. The 47 MB internal memory can be beefed with the help of microSD cards. This one, however, does not seem to have 3G support. If this ever goes on sale outside China, the 3G chip might just may be added.

As for the C702, this one happens to be a CDMA 1X device that comes with a 3.4 inch display that supports only QVGA resolution, a very basic 1.3 megapixel camera and expandable memory. This one seems to be a no frills, touchscreen device designed for the masses. There is no word on the date of release of these devices in China or around the world as of now.

Samsung's 12 MP SCH-W880 is Official Now

Samsung seems to be in a hurry to become the best camera phone manufacturer out there. So, soon after the arrival of the Pixon 12 with a 12 megapixel camera, they decided not to rest on the laurels and has introduced this monstrosity known as the SCH-W880.

The now official phone boasts of 12 Megapixel camera (nothing new, eh?) with 3x optical (yes, optical) zoom, 2x digital zoom, HD video recording and all the other frills you'd expect on a device of this nature. The phone at least for the moment seems to be headed for the Korean market - thanks to the Anycall branding. Other features include touch autofocus, image stabilization and a Smart Auto function that automatically selects the scene according to environment. There is face detection and smile shot as well.

The phone has a large enough 3.3-inch AMOLED WVGA (800 480) touchscreen display and since its Samsung and a touchscreen, it HAS to have TouchWiz UI (but obviously!). There's 4GB of memory available, and you can always expand the same by adding microSDHC cards of your own. There is no word on GPS or Wi-Fi availability on this one. Should it really turn out that way, then you have an epitome of a crippled Phone. So, Samsung hopefully has put in everything that's needed, we believe. Oh, and take a look at that image below, looks more of a camera with a phone attached rather than a mere camera phone.

Dell Launches Ultra Slim Notebook

Dell has proudly introduced a new 16-inch Dell Latitude Z600 laptop that is claimed to be the world's thinnest, lightest laptop with wireless charging. This ultra slim notebook also features Latitude ON, an instant on Linux Kernel based OS customized by Dell for instant-boot. Design and built wise, Dell stands head to head with Apple-class notebooks in the business segment. The new Latitude Z600 is priced at $2000 (Rs. 96,000) and is available in US starting Tuesday.

New Latitude Z600 is basically intended to be a business portable notebook and has matching features to meet the business environment. Dells engineering efforts are fairly visible with the design, styling and functions of the Latitude Z600 notebook.

Dell has used Intel's 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo (SU9400/SU9600) consumer ultra-low voltage processor that helped to keep the notebook thickness up to a half inch. With up to 4GB of DDR3 memory and 64GB SSD storage, the graphics has been taken care of by Intel GMA 4500MHD. Though Latitude Z has a 16-inch screen, the notebook weighs 4.5 pounds. Along with the USB ports, Dell has also added DisplayPort, eSATA and Ethernet port.

One of the most novel parts of the Latitude Z600 laptop is its inductive charging laptop stand - yes, this slim notebookcharges wirelessly. The entire wire-free step with legacy ports accessible will impress users with its DVI out port, twin USB ports, and audio out. Another interesting technology incorporated is the dedicated Latitude ON Button that boots up the system in a matter of seconds.

Latitude ON is enabled with instant-boot OS combined with self contained TI OMAP System-on-Chip based motherboard (Yeh, that's what Dell says) on the system motherboard. This system motherboard won't turn the hard drive instantly on in order to secure the confidential and critical data. The interface is built on Linux kernel customized by Dell along with browser, mail, contacts, calendar, VPN client and Citrix client).

Dell has also added a new FaceAware, face recognition feature that uses built-in 2 megapixel webcam to check if the registered user/owner has stepped away from the system. If the user has stepped away from Z600, this feature automatically logs the system making it inaccessible. Also, an invisible trackpad on the right-hand bezel of the screen detects swipe gestures.

For instance, swiping finger up or down will make the active window on the screen move up or down accordingly. This right hand bezel acts as quick access shortcut to frequently used applications.

Aimed for business professionals, this Latitude Z600 notebook comes preloaded with Windows Vista SP1 and for wireless connectivity offers WiFi with support for Draft N. However, with all these power-packed business friendly features, Dell equips Z600 with four cell battery pack only.

Considering the form factor, Latitude ON and the other features added in the Latitude Z600, Dell truly is a MacBook Air competitor.

Kingston DT 410 Now in India

Kingston has introduced new Data Traveler DT410 USB Flash drive in India. The new drives offer up to 20MB/sec data read and write speeds and come in 4GB to 32GB capacities. Enhanced with Windows ReadyBoost on Vista-based systems, the DT 410 offers faster file transfers and includes Secure Traveler (Windows) software for data security.

Kingston's Data Traveler family got yet another member DT 410 that promises 20MB/sec data read/write speed. Seems to be intended for small businesses, power users and customers, there's 10MB/sec data transfer rate bump between consumer level Data Traveler models like G2, DT101 and DT 112.

Kingston offers DT410 in four capacities:

DT410 4GB - Rs.999

DT410 8GB - Rs.1650

DT410 16GB - Rs. 3350

DT410 32GB - Rs. 5777

Vertu Brings Out its Clamshell Phone

Looking for new ideas to splurge? Bored with spending ridiculous amount of money on "boring" stuff? Vertu is here to help. In these recessionary times, folks at Vertu have come out with their very first clamshell phone and with it, yet another reason for you to indulge and spend.

So, what we have here is the latest from their Constellation Series, a line up of clamshell devices, called the Ayxta. Made from stainless steel (You can always refit this one with a few thousand diamonds should you wish for some more degree of exclusivity) and aluminum. The device looks quite chic and also has leather inserts that make it look classy. Unlike older Vertu's that were really dumb phones capable of doing nothing more than a standard series 40 phone, this one actually has some features.

The Ayxta boasts of a sapphire crystal display, a very durable ceramic keypad, USB support and Bluetooth as well. A 3 megapixel camera allows you to take a thousand dollar pic and should you run out of memory, a "normal" microSd card should suffice. Too bad, they don't make diamond studied microSD's. In case you meet another Ayxta owner at the kitty party, you can also transfer files using this amazing thing called Bluetooth!

Oh, and as expected, the phone comes bundled with its concierge service that will make your million-dollar lifestyle easier a wee bit. More on the concierge service should be there on the phone user manual. Apparently, they provide you information regarding anything, anywhere anytime, we hear. Google has competition!

However, this will make your pockets lighter by just Rs. 3,41,000 (Euro 4,900) for the entry-level version and will go up to Rs. 4,53,000 (Euro 6,500) for the high-end version.

Apple Preps New iMacs with Blu-ray?

Apple is already working on the production of redesigned dual-core iMac (all-in-one) desktops with a Blu-ray drive by year end, reports Apple Insider. Apple is being speculated for pushing redesigned iMac models in their Taiwan-based production line.

Earlier this year, Apple was rumored for prepping new iMacs with low-cost dual-core Intel processor and high-end quad-core processor. After that, Apple updated iMacs with a glossy screen made with glass, a built-in iSight camera, and even a shrunken keyboard.

The highest end iMac model comes with 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and one can add up to 1TB HDD 7200RPM to the machine. Hence, we don't know if Apple will add a more powerful Intel Core i7 family processor to make it work best with DDR3 memory. Of course, other features of Intel Core i7 come along.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs had referred to Blu-ray as 'bag of hurt' and now, the new iMacs are being rumored to include a Blu-ray optical drive. The recent iTunes 9 beta leaks indicate that Apple is actually having second thoughts of using Blu-ray in the new machines. Apart from a faster processor and Blu-ray, there's also a possibility that Apple might slim down the size of iMacs to make it lighter and also offer them in more than one screen sizes. As of today, Apple offers a 20-inch iMac model and three 24-inch iMac models.

Apple won't be present at Macworld 2010 as noted at this year's Macworld. Does this mean there'll be a special event to unveil the new iMac models it has apparently been working on? Well, it's a rumor, so we'll just have to wait and watch.

Razor DeathAdder Mice get More Accurate

Razer DeathAdder has been a beloved mouse for gamers. After a long time, Razer has updated the mouse with a new 3.5G 3500dpi infrared sensor and a tangle-free braided cable. The DeathAdder mouse is up for grabs for $60 (Rs. 2880 approx.) at Razerzone.com starting today and will be available in stores later in September.

Razer has preserved the form factor in the revamped "http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-mice/razer-deathadder/razer-deathadder/" DeathAdder, while all the important changes have taken place internally -- the newly added 3.5G 3500dpi infrared sensor offers 4 times more precision than the standard 800dpi mouse.

Faster communication between DeathAdder and the computer is bridged with 1000MHz Ultrapolling response time of 1 millisecond. Gamers can re-program the 5 hyperesponse buttons on the moce and also adjust sensitivity on-the-fly. Smooth hovering experience comes via the Zero-acoustic Ultraslick Teflon feet. The new 7-foot braided cable is light weight and doesn't bother during an interesting game session.

The only grudge gamers had against the DeathAdder was its ergonomically right handed design since left-handed gamers felt left out.

Specifications of the DeathAdder:

- 3500dpi Razer Precision 3.5G infrared sensor
- Ergonomic right-handed design
- 1000Hz Ultrapolling / 1ms response
- Five independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons
- On-The-Fly Sensitivity adjustment
- Always-On mode
- Ultra-Large non-slip buttons
- 16-bit ultra-wide data path
- 60-120 inches per second and 15g of acceleration
- Zero-Acoustic Ultraslick Teflon feet
- Gold-Plated USB connector
- Seven-Foot, lightweight, braided fiber cable
- Approx. size in mm: 128(L) x 70(W) x 42.5(H)

PSPgo Rewards Program Announced

No PSPgo Rewards program for US due to 'legal and technical reasons'

Sony has nixed plans of UMD conversions for US nationals upgrading to the PSPgo (expected next week) due to 'legal and technical reasons'. However, Sony has announced to give away free games to PSPgo owners in Europe, Australia and UK. The early adopters of PSPgo are eligible for downloading 3 existing games (UMB) in digital form from PSN or 3 new titles. Rewards program will run from Oct 1 to March 31, 2010.

Early PSPgo buyers will get to choose 3 titles from list of seventeen PSP titles. Note that PSPgo owners will need use their existing PSP (1000, 2000 or 3000) model to register for PSPgo Rewards program. For once, PSP owners need to log on to PlayStation Network using existing or new account with UMD in drive and register for the PSPgo Rewards program.

At the same time, new PSPgo needs to be connected to PSN with a new or the same account used to connect the PSP model.

Sony states that the PSPgo buyers can have any PSP model and at least one UMD with them to benefit from this program. The offer sounds good to the PSP owners with a couple of UMDs, but certainly not so pleasing for users with a whole collection of UMDs.

List of seventeen titles offered in PSPgo Rewards program are:

- Killzone Liberation
- MediEvil
- WipEout Pure
- Buzz!: Brain Bender
- Buzz!: Master Quiz
- SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo
- Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters (PSP)
- Everybody's Golf
- Resistance: Retribution
- Syphon Filter Dark Mirror (PSP)
- Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (PSP)
- Lemmings PSP
- LocoRoco
- Patapon
- Echochrome
- Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice
- Daxter

What's your take on PSPgo Rewards program? Does it entice you enough to upgrade to PSPgo?

Indiagames Cricket Games on a Roll

Cricket is like religion in India and is also popular in many other countries across the globe. Indiagames, an online and mobile game developing company, offers cricket games on the mobile platform. The good news is that cricket games from Indiagames have crossed 10 million paid downloads and the count continues.

Indiagames offers several cricket game titles to cricket playing countries like UK, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand and also US-based users.

Cricket is one of the most played game in India, even on the mobile phones. That has been proved by large number of users who downloaded cricket games from Indiagames' portfolio.

Along with the change in cricket game itself, even users have moved from One-day matches or Test Matches to 20-20 style Cricket games on mobile phones. After Telecom companies, even mobile handset makers have got interested in promoting Cricket content based games.

Indiagames also offers cricket games for PC via their Games on Demand service.

A list of Offers to watch out for!

It's that time of the year again when Techtree takes a look at the various special offers that companies are offering this festive season. So, what we have here is a somewhat detailed list of special offers that you might be interested in. Of course, we will be updating this as soon as we get to know of more interesting offers, so do keep a watch on this section. Shall we start now?

Sony

Sony has, during this festival time, launched a 22 and a 32 LCD TV to attract those interested in buying a CRT TV. Along with these new models, the Bravia LCD range now offers 24 models across screen sizes ranging from 19 - 52 , starting at price of Rs. 14,900/- (Under Exchange). The 22 T Series Bravia is priced at Rs. 19,900 and 32 KLV- 32V550A is priced at Rs. 45, 900/-.The World s slimmest LCD, Bravia ZX 40 is priced at 199,900/-. Sony also offers a complimentary installation for its Bravia range.

Sony is offering Zero Percent Finance Offer which includes Zero Processing Fee and Zero % Interest on the purchase of a Bravia model.

Sony has also introduced the Bravia Theatre Package that offers up to Rs.5,000/- off, on the combined purchase of any Bravia LCD with a Bravia Home Theatre System. The company also offers Free HDMI cable and Installation service along with purchase of Home Theatre System. The new line-up of six Bravia Theater systems start at the price range of Rs. 12,990/-

The festival combination package includes the new GZR88D with USB movie player, which is one of the best deals offered by Sony. It includes an 17.8 cm LCD panel in the main unit, 3 DVD changers, FM/AM and cassettes, all this and more just at Rs.24, 990/-.

As for digital cameras, consumers can buy a camera from the Cyber-shot range of 12 models starting Rs. 7,990/- and avail of the offer of a bundled 4GB Memory Stick and a Free Carry Case during the festival of Diwali.

The other offers are: A carrying case with the purchase of every Handycam.

LG

LG has announced its Cash Bhi Aish Bhi Scheme, which integrates offers on every purchase of any LG GSM handset. A customer buying any LG GSM is entitled for two lucky scratch cards one scratch card gives you an assured cash back upto Rs 1000.The second scratch card could be a bumper prize if the luck is shining by your side. The bumper prizes include a Honda City (1.5 SMT), 82cm LG LCDs(Model Number:- 32LG80FR), 53cm LG Slim TVs(Model Number:- 21FJ8RG3) and 2.1 Channel LG DVD Players.

In case the card does not carry any bumper prize, LG Mobile will donate Re. 1 to CRY (Child Rights and You) on behalf of the customer for ensuring underprivileged children their right to childhood. Regarding CRY (Child Rights and You) donation, LG will donate the amount on behalf of the customer.

Samsung

Samsung India too has announced the launch of special consumer offers for the festival period. Commencing from September 10, 2009, the special consumer offers will be valid until October 31, 2009 pan India and are available on select Samsung Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances products.

As part of the Mega Festival Consumer Bonanza , consumers buying Samsung LED TV in 40 and above screen sizes will get a 22 Samsung LCD TV - LA22B650 free of cost. Samsung has three LED Series- 6000, 7000 and 8000 available in the Indian market across 32 , 40 , 46 and 55 screen size segments priced in the range between Rs.69,900/- to Rs.3,50,000/-. In addition to this, the consumers buying a 32 LED TV, any Samsung Plasma, or any LCD TV in the screen size of 37 and above will also get a Samsung DVD Player H1080 as an assured gift. For consumers purchasing a popular size 32 LCD TV, the Company has a high quality DVD player DVD-490 as an assured gift and for consumers buying LCD in screen sizes 22 & 26 , Samsung offers an attractive 50 movies DVD pack for free.

On the Home Appliances side , purchase of Samsung Fully Automatic Front Loading washing machines and Side by Siderefrigerators will ensure a free Samsung Vacuum cleaner for consumers .In addition , the Company is offering an 8 years warranty, the first of its kind, on purchase of any Samsung refrigerator Direct cool, Frost Free or Side by Side. The 8-year warranty entitles a customer a complete warranty on the refrigerators for 1 year, additional 4 years on the sealed system & compressor and 3 year extra warranty on the compressor. Thus, there is a 5 years warranty on the sealed system and 8 years warranty on the compressor of a Samsung refrigerator bought during the festival period. As part of the offer, consumers purchasing Samsung Convection Microwave Ovens will get a Dinner set worth Rs 2000 free.

Western Digital

While there are no new schemes for the festive season from Western digital, they are launching the Western Digital TV Mini Media Player during this season.

The Media player enables all kinds of digital media on your large screen TV s. All you need to do is to connect the player to your TV, plug a USB drive into the player and all your digital media will be played back in DVD quality -- including RealVideo.

Other Features:

• Supports an extensive list of file formats
• Simple, intuitive user interface
• A host of connectivity options

Creative

T3130& T6160 Speakers

Creative has announced its Inspire T3130& T6160 Speakers this festive season. The speakers boast of classic styling, delivers immersive multi-channel surround sound and features cutting-edge technology. Featuring a powerful subwoofer and five satellite speakers, you'll get explosive bass and positional audio for more accurate gaming and engaging movies. Hook it up to your PC and turn it into a dynamic entertainment system at once.

Creative Zen Mozaic

Available in a 2GB, 4GB, 8GB or 16GB capacity, the ZEN Mozaic MP3 player sports a mosaic keypad - a one-of-a-kind design that makes you stand out from the crowd instantly. It can also play back your photos, thanks to the 1.8" screen all while tuning in to your favorite music hits. You can also share your music with others, thanks to its powerful built-in speaker. Available in black, silver and pink, the mosaic assures hours of fun.

Creative Vado HD

Creative has also announced the launch of the Creative Vado HD Pocket video camera. It will help you capture all your memorable moments, exciting events and then relive those special moments on your HDTV thanks to its HDMI connector.It comes with an HDMI cable that provides 1080i output to an HDTV. It also features a wide-angle precision glass lens for stunning video quality. With 8GB of built-in memory, the Creative Vado HD can carry up to two hours of HD video, and it does not require you to carry tapes or DVDs with you. The removable, rechargeable battery provides up to two hours of recording and playback.

Of course there will be more offers and more great deals that we will let you know about. For the time being, we guess these should keep you happy.