PhoneDock
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RIM patent application ponders a desk dock for your BlackBerry
It's that special time of the week when we examine the what-ifs and whys of the patent system. Research in Motion applied for a patent last year to construct a telephone-dock that'll nestle your BlackBerry when you're sat in the office. Plonk your device in the carved out slot and it'll offer up its display and address book for the use of your landline, in essence, a RIM-branded version of the Phone Dock we saw back in 2010. Although this device has the added benefit of being able to hand off your desktop calls to your cell and vice-versa. Now, only the vagaries of the Patent and Trademark Office, Thorsten Heins' management decisions and market forces stand between us and this device appearing in the flesh.
Desk Phone Dock review
With every passing day, more people are ditching their landlines in favor of using their cellular phones as a combination device. Smartphones are no doubt excellent means of contacting other humans and managing our lives, but some of us miss the simpler days -- when a phone was just a phone. If you're a proud owner of an iPhone but looking to head down the retro road, Kee Utility would like to point you in the right direction. When we first saw the Desk Phone Dock, we were pretty intrigued by its looks but had questions about its practicality. What you see here is the $150 answer. Keep reading to see how well we got on with it. %Gallery-122057%
HTC EVO 4G will have a HDMI dock, sold through Best Buy
One of the things we bemoaned in our EVO 4G review was the lack of an included Micro HDMI cable in the box, mostly because they're still somewhat hard to find, but that worry can now be allayed thanks to this newly uncovered HDMI dock from HTC. It will work with the microUSB port at the bottom of your EVO for data and power transfers, but the main attraction will obviously be its compatibility with the phone's Type D connector and HDMI 1.4 connectivity. Before you rush to your nearest Best Buy to get one, though, there are a couple of caveats. PC Mag's testing of the HDMI output found some TVs only recognized a 480p signal when the EVO was sending out 1080p, and a number of apps, including Sprint TV, refused to send their goods out over the High-Definition Multimedia Interface at all. Might be worth trying before buying in this case, as in most others.
DIY smartphone car dock: 10 minutes, $2, and worthy of a MacGyver sense of accomplishment
The problem: you need a hands-free option for safely espying your smartphone while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. Your equipment: Adhesive-backed craft foam, heavy duty plastic coated wiring, assorted PVC tubes and pieces. (Total value: approximately $2.) A "goofy vacant space" in the car dash for placement. Target time is 10 minutes or less. Hit up the Instructables source link for your solution!
CP Dock, because your phone is way too cool to rest on a table or floor
While we sit here contemplating how we somehow didn't think of the CP Dock first, we might as well praise the innovative minds that managed to devise a "gadget" that accommodates a phone charger, serves as a cord wrap, and acts as a phone stand all at the same time. Of course, you could save the $12.95 and just resort to the antiquated method of placing your beloved phone on -- you know -- a surface, but feel free to carry out the conspicuous consumption if you're so inclined.
iStuff PhoneDock: the wannabe HiFi for iPhones
It was simply a matter of time before someone crafted a HiFi-inspired boombox tailored to play extra nice with Apple's iPhone, and now that the handset is loose (officially, that is) in the UK, iStuff is delivering the "world's first iPhone compatible speaker dock." The device, which is also compatible with dock-connecting iPods, sports a four-inch woofer, a pair of mid-range drivers and a couple of tweeters, all powered by a 40-watt amplifier. Furthermore, the unit includes a S-Video output, 3.5-millimeter auxiliary jack, USB connector and an IR remote to keep the jams spinnin' from the comfort of your own couch. The PhoneDock claims to be superior to those other guys by not introducing static / noise when an iPhone is connected, but who knows how much truth there is to all that. Nevertheless, those willing to take the plunge can snag one now for £129 ($272).[Via TechDigest]
