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Evigroup drops SmartPaddle Pro price to €699, optional head-tracking feature watches you intently
Are you and all of your friends flocking to buy that thing shown above at full retail price? Exactly. Evigroup's SmartPaddle Pro tablet is now available from €699 (under $900) for the base 10-inch configuration with no GPS, no 3G and a 32GB solid-state hard drive. Additional configurations are available with 1 or 2GB of RAM, and the high-end configuration, which includes 3G and GPS goes for under $1,500. The SmartPaddle Pro, with all the trimmings (including head-tracking), retails for around $1,530. Other specs include a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, five hour run time, mini-HDMI port and capacitive touchscreen, none of which seem to justify the (still bloated) new price tag. Click past the break for the full video, which is apparently set to an Enya album.
Contour+ helmet cam goes official, bringing 1080p video with wider viewing angle
Remember that Contour Plus helmet cam teased by a cheeky cyclist last month? Well, this is it, though it turns out the name's actually written as Contour+. Like the ContourGPS, this new imager captures 1080p video at 30fps, and also packs built-in GPS plus Bluetooth v2.1 -- the latter's for the wireless viewfinder app on iOS and, eventually, Android. The difference between these two cameras? Well, ignoring the colors and the extra 3mm in length, the Contour+ does indeed come with a mini HDMI-out port alongside the microSD slot on the back. Better yet, you'll also find an HDMI cable in the box to get you going. And of course, let's not forget the new super-wide lens (still rotatable) that does 170 degrees for 960p and 720p recording, or 125 degrees for 1080p. Both modes best the camera's predecessor, though the trade-off is the lack of dual-alignment lasers. If this isn't a problem for you, then feel free to shell out $499.99 when it launches on May 18th. Update: We have PR after the break. [Thanks, Daniel H.]
Nokia E7 review
Over the years, we've seen a steady stream of business and messaging-centric landscape QWERTY smartphones come and go, with HTC arguably leading the pack via its collection of Windows Mobile, Android, and WP7 devices featuring sliding keyboards and tilt-out displays. But few of HTC's offerings are as iconic or memorable as Nokia's line of Communicator clamshell phones -- starting with the Nokia 9000 in 1996, continuing with Symbian S80 models, and culminating with the Nokia E90 atop S60v3. The Nokia E7 is the latest Communicator in this distinguished series and the manufacturer's current flagship device, dethroning the Nokia N8 which continues on as the company's media mogul. A lot has changed in the six months since the N8 was introduced, including Nokia's recent partnership with Microsoft and the stunning announcement that it will be adopting Windows Phone for future high-end smartphones. So, is the E7 -- which is finally shipping in the US -- the greatest Communicator to date? Can it carry the torch for Symbian in the immediate future? And more importantly, how does it fare in today's shark-infested Android and iOS waters? Jump past the break for our full review. %Gallery-120805%
Toshiba Folio 100 now shipping its Tegra 2-powered Froyo wares around Europe
If you're LG, you wait until Android becomes a tablet-worthy OS before bringing out your Tegra 2 slate. If you're Toshiba, you're too busy shipping your 10-inch Froyo tablet to care. The Folio 100, powered by NVIDIA's latest and greatest ARM SOC, is making its promised Q4 2010 arrival today, as it begins shipping all across Europe. There are still no release plans for the US, but Euros can now enjoy a 1024 x 600 resolution, 16GB of internal storage, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, mini-HDMI, USB and SD card-reading ports, and up to seven hours of battery life. €399 ($560) is the last price we heard for this Android Market-deprived slate, though we'd recommend trying one in person before letting go of that cash -- our own impressions of the Folio 100 weren't overwhelmingly positive. Update: Toshiba has furnished us with updated pricing. Germany will have to pony up €429 for the 3G-less Folio 100 or €529 for the 3G-equipped SKU (available Q1 2011), whereas Italy gets both of them cheaper at €399 and €499, respectively, and UK buyers will have to find £329 for the thriftier model. All prices include local sales tax.
Mobile High-Definition Link supergroup upgrades to Consortium status
The Nokia / Samsung / Toshiba / Sony / Silicon Image team hoping to bring a standard to the world of high definition outputs on mobiles just got a bit official-er, shifting from the old working group title to the newly formed MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) Consortium. If you haven't been paying attention over the last couple of years (we understand, we've been caught up in the Twilight series too -- Bella's life is so complex) Silicon Image has been pushing a 5-pin alternative to pared down HDMI jacks that are capable of outputting 1080p to connected displays while also providing power to the mobile device over a single cable. A 1.0 draft of the spec is due in the first half of the year, but an early peek is available now for $100. Since we're not CE companies looking to implement the jack or build cables and docks we'll pass but you might be interested in perusing the FAQ on the site if you're still not sure why we need yet another type of connector to feed HD from our pocketable devices to the big screen.
Zii Trinity smartphone concept handled on video
It's an all too brief look, but it's infinitely more than we've seen so far. CNET Asia has managed some hands-on time the Zii Trinity concept smartphone. Quite a looker, and here we also get a glimpse of it next to the good ol' Zii Egg. As noted by the narrator, the bottom proprietary slot can be swapped for microUSB or mini-HDMI, there's a notably-sized 5 megapixel camera on the back, as well as one on the front for video conferencing. Enough talk, take a gander for yourself after the break. [Thanks, kumar]
Zii Trinity mobile platform packs 1080p punch, looking for OEM love
Ready to start lusting after a new smartphone? If Creative has its way, you'll soon be enjoying Full HD video on a 3.5 / 4G device, with built-in WiFi, 5 megapixel autofocus camera, accelerated 3D graphics, and mini-HDMI and Composite video outputs. The newly announced 3.1-inch, multitouch-capable Zii Trinity has been designed by Creative subsidiary Ziilabs, and will be licensed out to clients who'll be able to customize a Zii-optimized Android install and Plaszma interface. As if we haven't got enough smartphone ecosystems knocking about already, this also marks the introduction of ZiiLife, which aims to be both a content delivery and productivity suite. Powered by the ARM-based ZMS-05 or ZMS-08, the new handset actually seems destined to perform plenty of KIRF and grey market duties, judging by Creative's "strategic partnerships" with Chinese manufacturers, but that might be no bad thing as, according to Gartner, the grey market is booming right now.
Sanyo Xacti CG11 is the perfect cam for 'beginners and women'
Sanyo's range of Xacti camcorders may be as wide as the Sargasso Sea, but nowadays even its entry-level shooters pimp some pretty advanced features. The CG11 is a case in point, coming with a 10 megapixel CMOS sensor capable of 720p recording, integrated EyeFi and mini-HDMI connectivity options, and the usual gunslinger aesthetic. Storage of the H.264-encoded MPEG-4 output is handled by SDHC media, and there's also 5x optical zoom, anti-shake and a stereo mic for getting things just right. Folks in Japan, whether they be beginners, pros, women or men (no matter what the mangled machine translation tells us), will be able to buy one from September 11 for ¥30,000 ($318). [Via Impress]
Latest mini-HDMI connectors get shown off in prototype form
Mini HDMI connectors aren't exactly anything new, but a number of companies have now produced some prototypes based on the latest Type D spec set for inclusion in the next HDMI standard, which they hope will be more suitable for cellphones, GPS systems, and other portable devices. One of those comes from Molex Inc and, like the others, is half the size of a regular HDMI connector (or about the same size as a micro-USB connector) but employs the same 19 pins as the standard HDMI design. That's joined by a similar connector from Yazaki Corp of Japan, as well as a connector designed specifically for automotive use by Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Ltd, which supposedly boasts improved reliability and durability. Still no promises as to when any of these specific prototypes will actually materialize, of course, but the first few mini connectors of some sort could start appearing as soon as the second half of this year.
Mini HDMI cable shown at CEDIA
Just when as we were getting used to HDMI, a new mini-HDMI cable hits the street, designed to be used on digital camcorders and cellphones cameras. Accell has just come out with the first seven-foot long "HDMI Mini" cable, demoing it at CEDIA -- where our best buds at HDBeat caught a first glimpse of its zippy AV transfer action. We still don't know what these things will cost or when they'll actually be available in stores -- not a huge deal yet, as compatible devices are few and far between -- but we're pretty sure that we'll pay a premium for the added convenience, as with most things in life.[Via HDBeat]Update: We just got an email from Accell alerting us to the fact that we were mistaken in stating that this was for cellphones. We apologize for the error and have corrected it.
