theVooner's weblog

A weblog for theVooner.com where the best cool gear and gadgets get reviewed.

last modified Jul 15, 2003 at 1:45

Monday, June 17, 2002

Nokia Color 7650 Mobile Phone w/ camera ordered!

My mobile phone provider told me today that the Nokia 7650 is going to be made available in early July. They wanted to know if I'd be interested in putting my name on the list. Of course I am! So I booked the phone. In truth though, I'd rather have the tri-band, 7210 or the stunning metallic 6610 which would be even better, but they won't be available until well into the 3Q. (My service provider told me likely in September.) So meanwhile, I'll have played around with the 7650 which will be the first mobile phone for the GSM market to truly incorporate a camera (though the pictures will be disappointing in quality, but good enough to send to another phone). I wonder if I have to buy another one as well to receive them or will any other MMS phone work? We'll have to see.

There is also another feature that I thought might be quite useful -- a built in speakerphone. Excellent for car use. Particularly needed as I'll be getting my car soon too! The 7650 though is expected to be quite heavy which might be a bummer but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be worth it. Just too bad it's not tri-band... I mean how hard can that be?!?!? Come on Nokia!

posted at 7:58 | 0 comments

Wednesday, June 12, 2002

CLIE NR70V

Yeah! I finally got the NR70V and let me just say: I really like it. I had a lot of fun with it these past few days and the software and hardware that now comes with it certainly seems much better than before. I'm still playing with it so I'll put up my review of it soon.

theVooner@yahoo.com

posted at 18:56 | 0 comments

Thursday, June 6, 2002

Sony NEW PDA (T650C) and new keyboard

Sony has introduced an update to the T600/T615/T625 models with the T650C to be released in Japan on Saturday June 8. The changes are rather minor with the main difference now the double processing power (66Mghz versus the older 33Mghz Dragonball), and the incorporation of MP3/Atrac3 playback.

Also to be released is a super small keyboard, called the PEGA-KB20. This little keyboard is very similar to the keyboard that comes on the CLIE NR70 series. Pretty neat. But I'm still probably going to buy the NR70V...

theVooner@yahoo.com

posted at 20:23 | 0 comments

Wednesday, June 5, 2002

Sharp's Portable Video Player

Sharp has introduced a video (and I should add audio player too, but that's not that exciting) player the size of a little portable MD Player. The AV1 is a portable video screen that allows you to playback TV, video, whatever you record on MPEG4. I wonder, if it's anything like the playback on my Panasonic D-Snap. If it is, then the playback is going to be a blurry, jittery screen. But maybe, the AV1 is different, and I'll be able to fulfill my dream of good video playback on a small device like a tiny handheld. I remember wanting one of those watches with a black and white TV screen. Whatever happened to the color version? We'll have to see if the AV1 lives up to its promises. Hopefully, it'll be available soon and we'll keep you posted on how it performs when I see it in person.

theVooner@yahoo.com

posted at 6:24 | 0 comments

Tuesday, June 4, 2002

Upgrade - To buy or not to buy?

What is it with me and upgrading? Is this what gadget-freaks like me do? I can't seem to get enough of the latest whatever and it's getting tiring because new gadgets are appearing at a much faster pace than I can handle.

Anyway, I've wanted to trade up (or in this case down) my digital camera for sometime. The Sony DSC-S85 is awesome. But it's just too big. Not very travel friendly. I would much prefer something smaller. Ok, it's actually not that big, but compared to the P9, it's a world of difference. Still, I haven't been able to convince myself to do it yet. First of all, I've invested so much into the S85. With the extra battery and recharger, etc. I just can't give it up so fast. Not to mention that we are talking about the same number of pixels. Oh why can't the P9 be a six or nine megapixel camera? Still the lure of that P9 is calling.

BTW, while we are on the subject of upgrading, it looks like I'm about to upgrade my PDA. Yeah! A friend of mine and I are going this weekend to this place that will allow for me to trade in my existing PDA. We'll see how that goes.

theVooner@yahoo.com

posted at 23:49 | 0 comments

Monday, June 3, 2002

New Laptop -- When is the right time?

My Dell Inspiron 4000 is completely on the fritz! It keeps crashing for absolutely no reason what so ever. It's only been a year and a bit for crying out loud. I just spent the last 2 hours trying to reinstall the Windows ME that came with it. Nightmare!

Well anyway I have had my eye on the new Inspiron 8200 with its P4 and the ultrasharp 15.1" screen. But I haven't pulled the trigger, so to speak, yet because I have been waiting for the price to keep coming off. Well they have a new P4 1.8Ghz chip now, but the price actually went UP for the original specs that I wanted! Weird. I guess sometimes waiting to buy a laptop isn't such a good idea. You're always either chasing a newer model, which always seems to come out right after you buy yours, or in this case the price goes down! Well that's what is supposed to happen, but the price went up?!?!? Seems like I can't win. When is the right time to ever buy a laptop?

Anyway, a colleague of mine recently got the new Compaq (now I guess it will be called HP) Presario 2800. For what he paid, he got a pretty good deal considering that the new laptop looks fairly impressive and comes with some pretty good specs. It has a new aluminum case that looks really awesome compared to the plastic shell of the Dell. I like the packaging! Too bad you don't get to customize your options like with the Dell. I still want a laptop with that "ultrasharp" screen!

theVooner@yahoo.com

posted at 8:30 | 0 comments

Sunday, June 2, 2002

New Review - B&O BeoCom 2

Well I finally got around to playing and using the BeoCom 2 this weekend.

Ever since I saw the BeoCom 2 on the Bang & Olufsen website, I knew I had to have it. It was just such a weird and yet really neat looking cordless phone. I’ve had the BeoCom 6000 for well over a year now and I’ve been pretty happy with it. But the BeoCom 2 - WOW it looks great.... (continued here)

theVooner@yahoo.com

posted at 6:17 | 0 comments

Saturday, June 1, 2002

Universal Translator

Remember in 'Men in Black' when Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones' character) talks about an universal translator? Well I have always wondered why there hasn't been more effort put into such a product. Imagine not having to learn another language and instead conversing with anyone, anytime, anyhow. It would be like StarTrek. Oh to dream...

Anyway, this company in the UK called Ectaco seems to have a translator product that will translate English into French, German, and Spanish. Hmm... maybe we are getting closer.

Of course this would put out of work all those language teachers, courses, schools, etc. so there is probably some opposition to creating a true 'universal' translator. But I can still hope.

theVooner@yahoo.com

posted at 6:47 | 0 comments