Nokia Unveils New Handsets

Nokia announced the launch of two new additions in its entry portfolio – Nokia 2600 classic and Nokia 1209. Both attractively designed handsets offer a host of useful innovations for personalization and phone sharing and are ideal for consumers seeking a varying combination of features, design and value.

“Nokia is consistently working towards understanding consumer needs and aspirations and bringing out devices that fulfill these requirements,” says Devinder Kishore Director, Marketing, Nokia India.

According to a recent Nokia survey of consumers in emerging markets, a new trend appears to be emerging: phone sharing. More than 50 percent of respondents in India, Pakistan and nearly 30% in Vietnam indicate that they share, or would share, their mobile phone with family or friends – a figure which contrasts consumer behaviour in more mature markets.

“Phone sharing is a logical trend – more and more families are purchasing a mobile phone for the entire family to use, not just the head of the household. In addition, digital cameras are quickly becoming more popular in these markets, and as such taking and sharing digital images is becoming more common,” adds Mr. Kishore. “In response, Nokia has developed a number of innovative features like the multiple phonebook to support phone sharing, and we have added technologies like Bluetooth to some models to make transferring images and ringtones easy and affordable.”

The Nokia 2600 classic allows consumers to customize their phone with colorful, fully changeable Xpress-on covers and MP3 ring tones. It also has a number of entertainment features, including an integrated FM radio and a VGA camera. Additionally, the Nokia 2600 supports MMS and Nokia Xpress Audio Messaging, for recording and editing messages on the go.

The Nokia 1209 offers additional cost management features to make phone sharing easy and convenient. It has the prepaid tracker, a cost-tracking application, multiple phonebook that allows as many as five people to store personal contact lists of up to two hundred numbers on a single phone. The Nokia 1209 comes with a one-piece key-mat that offers durability and reliability. Uniquely the handset has a power saver mode that enables to extend talk time.

Form : http://www.itvarnews.net/

ECS A780GM-A 780G Motherboard: not same level as GIGABYTE and ASUS

This is the ECS A780GM-A 780G Motherboard and although it’s not on the same level as GIGABYTE and ASUS, ECS are still producing some impressive boards. While it does run equal in performance to the 790FX, its feature set leaves a bit to be desired. Given the lack of digital features, this board best serves in the mid-range to value oriented market.

Tweak Town have given this board a review and covered the results over 16 pages, in their final thoughts they said “AMD’s Phenom platform in its current state is definitely not going to push Intel off any performance crown, not until AMD is able to increase its clock speeds from its current stand point of 2.5GHz. While it’s not a monster performer, it’s a definite choice for a power conscious gamer that just wants a good all round system without burning a hole in their wallet.

So far the boards for the Phenom range are starting to finally emerge, and ECS has done a fantastic job on its 780G installment. It is fast, supports all the Phenom processors and has a reasonable array of features.

However, there are a few issues we have. First off, the lack of BIOS overclocking rules it out for hardcore users, or even the average tweaker. There are no dividers to control the CPU FID or the Hyper Transport link speeds, making it virtually impossible to get any real speed out of the system. Next is the feature set; missing FireWire means that if you have any FireWire devices (I know I have at least three) you’re going to have to get a separate controller. This should be a standard feature on every digital home board these days.”

Read the 16 page hands-on review.

Sony shovels YouTube onto Bravia TVs

This might be the most expensive way to watch YouTube on your TV, and it’s only available in the US, but we’re still jealous. Sony just updated its Internet Video Link add-on, letting Bravia owners grab streaming video from the biggest site on the ‘net.

The new addition comes alongside extra content from Wired.com and Crackle, bringing online video to Bravia screens through Sony’s $300 add-on.

Of course, it won’t do anything to improve the quality of YouTube clips, which often end up a blurry mess on HD screens, but if it’s a quick dose of internet video you fancy, there’re few gadgets that make it as simple as this.

Out now (US-only) | $300
Sony (via Gizmodo)

Sony LEDs the Way

Sony introduced seven new Bravia LCD HDTVs yesterday in sizes from 40 to 70 inches. Most prominent was a head-to-head comparison between a Bravia LED-backlit set and a "leading plasma brand" that loose lips identified as Pioneer, though the badge was covered up.

As always, I can't guarantee the validity of comparisons I haven't set up myself, and as always, my still pictures of the demonstration didn't look so hot, so I'm running a picture of something else. But the demo was impressive. The Sony set with LED backlighting and local dimming displayed a black level that would make me pretty darned happy in my own home even without something else to compare it to. In absolute terms, it looked great. Sony is calling it Triluminos, perhaps to evoke the past grandeur of the Trinitron moniker. It will be available in 55- and 46-inch Bravia XBR8 models.

Some smaller Bravias (52, 46, and 40 inches) featured a floating-glass industrial design with speaker grilles available in tomato red, silver, brown, or gold. Sony also made a big deal of its wireless connectivity moves, previously unveiled at CES, with DLNA distribution products tossing 1080p images (including some from Blu-ray players) hither and yon. YouTube has been added to the Bravia Internet Video Link. Finally, a miraculously small satellite speaker was shown in the HT-IS100 Bravia TheatreMicro System, designed to complement Blu-ray players and PS3 consoles. The products will ship in the fall at prices not yet available.

Form : http://www.hometheatermag.com/

iPhone can't touch Nintendo DS

Could Apple's iPhone dethrone the Nintendo DS as the portable gaming platform of choice? Not likely.
An article from Forbes this week points out that the iPhone might just have what it takes to get the top spot in handheld gaming. Apple's combination of touch controls (similar to Nintendo DS) and motion controls (similar to Nintendo Wii) in iPhone is a combination that has attracted interest in the device's gaming potential.
The DS has quite a few advantages that could very well keep Nintendo's system on top. Aside from the more than 73 million Nintendo DS units sold worldwide, lower price and young audience, the slew of original Nintendo characters keep fans loyal. Sorry, Apple, you won't be seeing Mario or Zelda games on the iPhone any time soon.

Form : http://www.orlandosentinel.com/

FET teams up with Nintendo to sell NDSL

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- FarEasTone
(FET), one of Taiwan's leading mobile operators, will offer something
more to consumers at its retail stores.

Starting now, FET stores
islandwide, as well as Arcoa, will offer Nintendo's NDSL, the
innovative, creative and interactive game console rolled out by the
video game giant.

A red-black NDSL console, packed with a Super
Mario game software, will now be sold for as low as NT$1,750 -- less
than a third of the console's market price -- at the FET and Arcoa
outlets.

Selling Nintendo products at FET represents the
mobile operator's effort to cross into the game arena by offering
something special for gaming enthusiasts.

According to FET, NDSL
is known for its various creative, innovative and interactive features.
"For example, you can blow air into the console and an animated balloon
will expand. Or, you can shout at the console and an animated dog will
run towards you on the screen," FET said.

NDSL also allows
interactive games between online players, who can get online in an
instant without additional supporting applications.

The console is suitable for anyone between six and 60 and has sold over 50 million units worldwide.

According to Nintendo's Taiwan distributor, it has signed the deal with
FET because of its widely available retail channels and service areas.
Through the partnership with FET, Nintendo hopes to offer better,
cooler and more exciting products to Taiwan consumers, the distributor
said.

From now to July 3, those applying for a FET number with
the Duo-Network 765 Plan can get the NDSL console for NT$1,750. Those
getting the 365 Plan may get the machine for NT$2,550. For those
seeking to get a new handset, they can pay an additional NT$5,250 to
get it all -- the phone, the service and the game console.

Form : http://www.chinapost.com.tw/