Sony Ericsson concept phone: A new breed of mobile phone form-factor

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Mobile phones have 5 basic form-factors: Bar or "candybar", Slate or "touch screen", Flip or "clamshell", Slider, and Swivel.  Using these basic form-factors, a lot of phone manufacturers have mixed and matched possibilities of combining two or more form-factors into one phone . We've seen successful phone models with mixed form-factors like Nokia's N90, N92, and N93 (Flip + Swivel), Sony Ericsson's P series (Flip down + Slate), and newer models that incorporate Slider QWERTY with Slate form-factors. The purpose of combining these form-factors is to innovate and improve the capabilities and user-friendliness of mobile phones. Nokia N90's Swivel feature is to enable users to watch videos horizontally (widescreen) and conveniently (you can tilt the screen and sit the phone on your desk). 

A new breed of form-factor is being conceptualize by Sony Ericsson. It breaks the laws of mobile phone design, although it doesn't combine form-factors, it's way better! It uses the Flip form-factor concept, but instead of flipping vertically or horizontally, it flips... eerrr.. verizontically! Not only that, it can be split into two, serving as a walkie-talkie! Design is by Master Du Jun.

Sony Ericsson F-H is a dual-screen phone just like the Toshiba Libretto W100 that was released last week. It's basically a flip phone (before transforming).

After flipping the phone vertically just like an ordinary clamshell phone, one screen is used as its display, and the other one is used as a virtual keypad. 

From its flip opened state, you can flip it sideways to combine the screens into one display panel for widescreen display.

And best of all, you can dismantle the two screens from its pivotal hinge and each screen unit serves as a walkie-talkie using bluetooth technology. 

Sony Ericsson F-H, transform!

It even comes in different colors. Not bad!

Take a closer look on the bread and butter of this concept, the pivotal hinge. 

If they could turn this wonderful phone concept into reality, who knows what other inventions will be built out of this technology. Also, judging by today's technology growth, I bet this isn't far from being a fantasy. 

Source: Yanko Design

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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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Keyboards and Mice made from bamboo?

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The endagered Giant Panda's favorite food is now used to manufacture keyboards, mice, and even LCD monitor panels in China. Jiangxi Bamboo Technology Development Co. Ltd. has over 20 years of experience in research, innovation, and usage of bamboo materials. Their objective has always been to use bamboo as an alternative to plastic materials. And now, they are putting their concept into reality by manufacturing electronic products made from bamboo. 

In 2008, they first tried to break through the European and US market before offering these eco-friendly to the local market (China). These "green" and stylish peripherals have penetrated the local market quite well. Their products are popular in Europe, US, and Southeast Asia. According to their website, their planning to expand their product lines and work their bamboo-magic on computer casings, speakers, flash disks, mobile hard drives and a lot more.

Bamboo-nized Desktop Computer (LCD, Keyboard, Mouse)

Two bamboo mice, two bamboo mice, see how they scroll

Bamboo key-boo-rds  

Bamboo mice in production

Just like on automobile dashboard, now we have "wood-panel" themed computer systems. 

Can't wait to have bamboo notebook computers and mobile phones in the market.

Source: JiangXi Bamboo Tech, OddityCentral, ImageChina

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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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