China's iPed Tablet, the ultimate "iPad clone"

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China "clone" phones have been quite popular here in the Philippines. Besides cloning a phone model's design, China phone manufacturers have managed to add certain features that are not offered by the originals. As we all know, China "clone" phones are famous for their dual-sim functionality and capability to receive TV signals. And most importantly, they are incredibly cheap! But at the same time, they are famous for their "quality". With all these features packed into a device and sold in a low low price, we couldn't expect its quality to be as refined and sturdy as the originals. 

China phone manufacturers have cloned almost every single phone model in the market. Apple's iPhone, Nokia's N series, Samsung's flip phones, Sony Ericsson's Satio, Blackberry models, you name it! And now, China has done it again! The latest addition to their clone collection is the iPed, an Apple iPad clone. News of the iPed have surfaced since May 2010 and now it has reached our shores. 

Homescreen comparison: iOS vs Android OS

Back Comparison

Boxed out: Apple iPad and China's clone, iPed

The iPed tablet runs on Android 1.6, has a 7" screen, and looks exactly like Apple's iPad (including the box).  Some key features of the iPed: WiFi 802.11b/g, It has USB ports where you can plug your USB 3G Modems like Globe Tattoo, or Smart Bro to access the internet; 2gb flash memory with expandable storage using MicroSD up to 16gb or external hard disk drive through USB ports; Under the hood, it's running on an Intel chip, VIA processor 300Mhz with 128mb RAM. 

"Apple bottoms"

Looking on the hardware aspect, besides looking exactly the same as Apple's iPad, the iPad is even 2 times heavier than the iPed. Just like any China clones, using fingers to navigate through the touchscreen will be a bit harder, it will be easier using stylus. Battery life is a bit weak and will probably last around 2.5 hours according to specifications indicated in its box. 

As for its incredibly low low price, it is said to cost around Php 5,000 - Php 6,000 here in the Philippines compared to an entry level Apple iPad that costs around Php 32,000. 

Yugatech was able to get his hands on one of these for Php 6,800. But according to his site, he said you can probably get it for Php 5,000 from other stores in Greenhills.

Sources: TechDude, Yugatech

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Motorola Droid 2 R2-D2 Special Edition brings nerds and geeks to tears

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The ultimate success of Motorola's Droid has earned its spot as iPhone's number one contender.  And its about time Android-based mobile phones challenge Apple's iPhone to a cage match. Now, Motorola is about to give birth to the Droid's successor, Motorola Droid 2.  Motorola has kept the world waiting for the birth of the new and improved Droid 2. 

But wait, don't get too excited. There's more good news! 

To all Star Wars nerds and geeks out there, R2-D2 is coming to our galaxy! In the form of Motorola's Droid 2. Motorola's shipping a Droid 2 Special Edition in honor of Star Wars' dependable droid, R2-D2.

Comparison between the real R2-D2 and Motorola Droid 2 R2-D2 Special Edition

According the Verizon's teaser poster, looks like the pocket size R2-D2 will be available on September 30, 2010. 

Verizon has gone live with the Droid 2 R2-D2 Special Edition teaser web page. You can follow this link to the whereabouts of Artoo. 

Source: Android Central

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Sony Ericsson plans on developing PSP-Go Android Smartphone

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Google's Android mobile operating system has muscle its way into the mobile industry, waging a war with Apple's iPhone OS. And Google is doing great, in terms of sales (according to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, about 200,000 new Android devices are being sold each day), and addressing the problems that developers and consumers encounter on "close-sourced" mobile devices. Unlike any other commercial application/operating system, as soon as you buy an Android-based mobile device, you also get full control of its source code. Android is today's fastest growing mobile platform and in two or three years time, I think the market will be filled with Android-based phones and even netbooks. By this time, tons of Android applications will be available and its high time that Apple gets to dance with a formidable opponent. 

With Nokia's success story on Symbian-based mobile devices, they made a bold move on introducing a Symbian s60-based handheld gaming system, the N-Gage. Among their objectives, is to invade the Game Boy Advance market since Nokia N-Gage is a mobile device and a gaming console. Unfortunately, the design didn't entice gamers. The N-Gage 's design is not well-tailored for gaming and as a mobile device. 

And now it's time for manufacturers to play on the Android platform. Nokia has done its part on the Symbian-based N-Gage and it didn't go quite well. Now Sony wants to take a bite on developing a Mobile gaming device. Sony, the company who brought us countless innovations like the Walkman, Betamax, Compact discs, Discman, Memory Stick, Playstation, Playstation Portable (PSP), is now on the road to a new innovation with their partner Ericsson (now Sony Ericsson). Combining Ericsson's expertise on the mobile communications sector and Sony's technological prowess, we introduce to you the PSP-Go Android-based Smartphone by Sony Ericsson. 

Engadget's Mock-up of the PSP-Go Smartphone

Sony Ericsson will be building this baby on Android's 3.0 platform.  With the capabilities and freedom that Google's Android mobile operating system provide, the PSP-Go Smartphone will definitely be running 3D games, thus will create a space for game developers for the Android market. The PSP-Go Smartphone is envisioned to be a cross between the Samsung Captivate and the Playstation Portable Go version. 

The PSP Go's slider game controller will  most likely replace the typical slide out QWERTY keyboard on touch screen mobile devices. This way, the device will be able to handle large QVGA touch screen displays. Probably, the device will carry Sony's Cyber-shot brand in it's back. And since it's a PSP-Go-like Smartphone, we'll see classic PSP game titles like God of War and Call of Duty. Sweet! 

What more could you ask for? Large QVGA touch screen displays, slide out PSP game control pad, running on Google's Android mobile operating system, sharp Cyber-shot camera features and quality, and the best of all, 3D Gaming, all in one device. Engadget revealed that we'll possibly see the device and the whole Android gaming platform this October. 

Gamers, time to save those moolah for this baby.

Source: Tom's Guide

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Web browsing competition: Surfing the web without using keyboards

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Google has made a huge impact on the lives of web surfers. With the best search engine by our side, all the information that the internet hold is within our grasp. It even gave birth to the term "googling", which generally means searching for something using google. 

Surfing the web without search engines is like finding a book in the U.S. Library of Congress (Biggest library in the world), blind-folded. So nowadays, surfing the web pretty much = googling. 

Trailblazers, a web browsing competition, challenges web surfers to surf their way from a website to a destination website without using Google (or any other search engine), and keyboards. So how are you going to surf? By using hyperlinks that are available on websites. For their inaugural contest, Trailblazers participants were challenged to browse their way from Amazon to Pirate Bay.

Video highlight of the recent Trailblazer competition:

Here are Some Trailblazers challenges:

1. [www.apple.com]
http://get.adobe.com/de/products/flashplayer/


2. [web.mit.edu]
http://icanhascheezburger.com/

3. [imdb.com]
http://thepiratebay.org

4. [www.4chan.org]
http://www.scientology.org/

5. [brockhaus.de]
http://de.wikipedia.org/

6. [www.bundestag.de]
http://www.bigbrotherawards.de/

7. [pleaserobme.com]
http://polizei.de/

Are you up to the challenge? Try out some of the challenges and post your answers.

Source: Gizmodo, Trailblazers

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Major cellphone makers signed agreement to "Universal" charger on mobile phones

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USB or Universal Serial Bus has paved the way to a standardized connector for computer peripherals (mouse, keyboard, printers, flash drives, media players, etc) to computers. Unlike those days where we have different connectors for each peripheral: mouse (mouse PS/2 connector,)  keyboard (keyboard PS/2 connector), modem/media players (RS-232 serial port), printers (LPT1 parallel port).

So why not apply this concept to mobile chargers? When your battery is dead and you forgot to bring your charger, it is kind of hard to look for a friend who owns a phone with the same manufacturer as yours. But nowadays, handset companies even create different connectors for different models of the same brand. So when your phone dies on you, same goes with your charger. Talk about marketing strategy. 

With the help of the European Commission, starting 2011, most mobile phones sold in Europe will have a one-size-fits-all charger. 4 major cellphone makers namely: Apple, Motorola, Samsung, RIM (Blackberry) have signed to this agreement that will save Europeans from their dead batteries.


Talks of having a universal microUSB connector for chargers started during 2009,which was initiated by the European Commission. And we are pleased that it is already taking effect.


Source: CNN


"Universal" chargers
It took years for a country as advanced as Europe to come with a solution for different connectors in mobile phone chargers. But believe it or not, here in the Philippines, years ago we already have "universal" chargers. CDR-King, a one-stop shop for gadget accessories and computer stuff, has a "10-in-1 multifunction usb/car/desk charger". It's basically a swiss knife for mobile chargers.

It supports 10 charger connectors for:
1. Old Nokia models (big round connector)
2. New Nokia models (small round connector)
3. Devices using miniUSB connectors (Blackberry, HTC, Palm, etc)
4. Selected Motorola models
5. Selected LG models
6. Selected Sony Ericsson models
7. Selected Samsung models
8. iPod/iPhone/iPod Touch (Any model)
9. Sony Playstation Portable or PSP
10. Nintendo DS Lite


These connectors can be plugged using:
1. Universal Serial Bus or USB
2. Car charger (Car cigarette lighter plug)
3. Desk Charger

10-in-1 Multifunction USB Charger Package by CD-R King

10 charger connectors for a variety of phone models that can be plugged to your PC through USB

Car charger that accepts the 10 connector-USB cable and other types of USB cables

Desk charger that accepts the 10 connector-USB cable and other types of USB cables
 

30 chargers in one! (10 usb chargers, 10 car chargers, 10 desk chargers) And guess how much this multifunction charger costs? CDR-King is selling it for Php250 or roughly $5.56! They have other interesting products like USB-powered vaccum cleaners, shaver, aquarium, sharpener, and more!

Techno Bacon <3 CD-R King!

For a variety of innovative accessories at low low prices, you can visit CDR-King, your one stop media provider.

Source: CDR-King 10-in-1 Charger

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