Mobility Watch

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Intel isn’t just showing off its new Atom hotness at IDF Beijing, they also pulled out a previously unseen MID from previous non-player BYD. Codenamed Mars, the MID runs an Atom processor in a clamshell form factor, with a full Windows XP install and QWERTY keyboard. On the back of the lid there’s a regular phone keypad and secondary screen.

Video of the Intel MID presentation held at IDF Beijing this week has been released, complete with prototypes of some of the devices to be powered by the latest - and future - Atom processors. Intel’s press release [PDF link] from the event covers the new devices, which include a Menlow-based clamshell smartphone.

From the Press Release: Support for Windows* 7 and Moblin v2.0 on Intel Atom Processor based MIDs and Netbooks — Intel Atom processor-based MIDs and Netbooks will support Windows* 7 Starter and Basic editions in the second half of this year in addition to support for Windows* XP Home and Windows* Vista Basic. For Linux, Chandrasekher mentioned that both MIDs and netbooks will be moving to Moblin v2.0 from Moblin v1 today.
 Intel Showcases Next-Generation “Moorestown” Platform — Chandrasekher discussed the progress of Intel’s next-generation MID platform, codenamed “Moorestown,” scheduled to launch by 2010. He indicated that the platform is hitting all the milestones and demonstrated greater than 10x platform idle power reduction.
o Moorestown consists of a System on Chip (codenamed “Lincroft”) that integrates a 45nm Intel® Atom™ processor core, graphics, video and memory controller. The MID platform also includes an input/output (I/O) hub, codenamed “Langwell,” that includes a range of I/O blocks and supports various wireless solutions.
o The Moorestown platform will be accompanied by a newer Moblin software version, Moblin v2.0, that is based on the Linux operating system. This software is designed specifically to deliver a great PC-like Internet experience while also supporting cellular voice capabilities.

From Engadget: It’s not quite as elaborate as that 12-inch dual-view touchscreen found in the new 2010 Range Rover, but it looks like Chrysler’s 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will come with own its share of in-dash amenities, including a GPS navigation system courtesy of Garmin. That’ll be integrated into the same 6.5-inch touchscreen used for Chrysler’s Uconnect radio and, of course, will offer everything you’d expect from a standalone GPS unit and then some, including lane assist, speed limit and current speed information, spoken street names, details on nearby points of interest, and even some spiffy customized Chrysler-specific icons.

And car buyers notebook says: GPS devices and navigation tools have become common in most cars today. Garmin Ltd. Is an identified leader in this niche and apparently we will be seeing their products for the new 2011 Chrysler Grand Cherokee which debuted at the New York Auto Show.

The program marks Garmin’s first major automotive navigation system to be installed at the factory. The system combines Garmin’s best-selling, affordable, and intuitive user interface into Chrysler’s Uconnect radio that merges technology and content into one 6.5” touchscreen display.

“Garmin is uniquely positioned to quickly bring the latest and greatest navigation technology to an in-dash environment – priced at a level that mainstream drivers can afford,” said Cliff Pemble, Garmin’s president and chief operating officer. “Being a navigation provider for Chrysler is a significant and long sought-after achievement for our company. We look forward to collaborating with them on this exciting project.”

The collaborative effort puts Garmin’s nüvi-like consumer experience – complete with affordable map updates – into an original equipment, in-dash radio. The navigator includes highly detailed Navteq maps of North America with nearly six million points of interest, as well as many cutting-edge features found in Garmin’s newest portable devices, like:

Lane Assist - guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate.
Junction View - realistically displays 3D road signs and junctions on your route along with arrows that indicate the proper lane for navigation.
Speed Limit & Current Speed – know at a glance whether you’re within the posted speed limit.
Where Am I? - get your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations.
Speaks Street Names – so you never have to take your eyes off the road.
Customized Vehicle Icons – personalize your navigation with Chrysler-specific icons.

device boasts approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes of charge time, projects and image anywhere from six ro sixty-three inches, and features a 0.5W (mono) speaker. In case this particular handset isn’t on your short list, the proj is also compatible with AU S001, VA001, H001, W63CA, W63H, W62CA and W62H series phones.

PC Authority reminds you about 5 things you need to know:

Guerilla cinema
Pico projectors are the ideal way to unleash the video on your PMP or iPod. Just plug it in, make sure you’re in a dark room and you can be watching those once shackled videos with a 50in picture. Not quite SIM2 quality, but great if you’ve got something to show a group of mates.

They’re tiny
While the LG HS102 and Acer K10 might call themselves pico projectors, they’re not nearly as slimline as their rivals. The RXS Redshift PPR4803 comes in at just 115×50x23mm, its rival the 3M MPro11 measuring the exact same size. That means that if you love baggy jeans, they’ll fit snug in your pocket.

You don’t always need an external source
The Aiptek V10 comes packing 1GB of internal memory, plus SD support, meaning you can fling footage wherever you are without having to slap in a PMP or laptop. That means you can start having those impromptu screenings without the need to lug around extra gear.

They’re for TV, not movies
While Optoma’s dinky PK 101 has a battery life of around two hours, pico projectors are not designed for watching 50s Biblical epics. Think short, arty movies, low–rent music videos and a couple of episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm and you’re on the right track.

They’re not the brightest in the box
Light is definitely an issue with pico projectors. If you’re not in a virtually pitch black room, then getting a crisp image can be a real pain. The Aiptek V10 is where it’s at if you’re after a decent effort, seeing as it doesn’t need to be as dark as your local Odeon to get a crisp and bright picture.

From Engadget: company has just launched the well rounded RoadMate 1470 on Amazon, which packs a 4.7-inch touchscreen, NAVTEQ maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, multi-destination routing, highway lane assist, spoken street names, AAA TourBook and a Roadside Assistance menu. Motorists looking for live traffic updates can plug in the optional Traffic Link device, but those kosher with doing things the old way can procure just the PND right now for $229.99.

The Magellan RoadMate 1470 GPS device boasts a unique 4.7-inch color touchscreen and ultra-thin design, delivering powerful navigation in a compact package. This easy-to-use device gives you confidence while on the road with premium features, including AAA TourBook, highway lane assist, spoken street names, multi-destination routing, and pre-loaded maps of North America.

Powerful navigation in a compact package. Click to enlarge.

The exclusive Magellan OneTouch personalized search icons let you easily bookmark favorite destinations so you can find them anywhere you travel. Find your favorite café or restaurant in any city with a single touch. The RoadMate 1470 device delivers your favorites at your fingertips. Features include:

Ability to personalize OneTouch search icons with your favorite places
Announces street names and directions at each turn
Ultra-wide 4.7-inch touchscreen display
AAA TourBook and Roadside Assistance menu
Permits multi-destination routing
Maps of United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico
4.7-Inch Color Touchscreen
The large wide-format color touchscreen shows your position on the map, route, destination, ETA, surrounding Points of Interest (POI), signal strength, next maneuver, street names, and more–all at a glance.

6 million Points of Interest
Easily find what you need. Gas stations, restaurants, hotels, ATMs, and hundreds of other businesses and services are intuitively categorized and searchable from the built-in POI database. Most include the phone number.

SE knows what their devices can and can’t do and they work within those limitations. The gesture-controlled, designer T707 is no different.

This T707 is essentially a repackaging of core Sony Ericsson phone tech over the last couple years, but in a flashy new shell. Utilizing the rear camera, you can do things like silence a call or alarm by waving your hand over the camera. And one thing I have to give SE credit for is that they always make sure the UI design is fresh looking. the backend programming may essentially be the same, but they keep updating the visuals so as not to look stale.

Other than that, the T707 has eye-catching colors, sleek design and is otherwise a wholly ordinary dumbphone.

At a press conference in China, Sony Ericsson unintentionally showed slides of as-yet-unreleased and unannounced handsets, including the T707, codenamed Elle, as well as the M610. The pages reveal the T707 is a quad-band GSM and dual-band UMTS/HSPA handset and is due to sport a 2.2-inch display. Storage will come from a 1GB Memory Stick Micro card, while the operating system will be OSE from Enea. There is still no word of when the T707 will launch, although it is expected to be fairly soon and in at least five colors.
The mistake in the presentation also involved other handsets, including the Walkman P3, which has been discontinued. The photo also did not match up with the handset’s description. Another older handset in the slides, the M610, dates back to 2007. [via NewLaunches]

Garmin® Gives Fitness a Facelift with Forerunner® 310XT, the Waterproof Multi-Sport Watch with Longer Battery Life

The swimmable Forerunner 310XT is waterproof to a depth of 50 meters, so you can wear it in the pool or the lake to time your swim. And its slim design, simple interface and flexible wristband mean Forerunner is easy to wear in any conditions. When you’re ready to jump out of the water and onto the bike, Forerunner 310XT moves easily from wrist to bike with the optional quick release and bike mounts, making the transition between sports effortless. Forerunner 310XT categorizes multisport activities in one workout and can also log transition time in the process, so you can analyze your performance from start to finish. And the extended battery life – up to 20 hours – means that endurance athletes can push themselves farther than ever.

Positioned around the large, vivid display, intuitive buttons provide a simple interface without sacrificing space on the customizable data screens. And even in the loudest gym or largest crowd, users won’t miss their milestones as Forerunner 310XT’s audible signals and/or vibration alerts tell them when they’ve reached integral parts of their race or workout.

Garmin® Makes Every Calorie Count with New Forerunner® 405CX

Using algorithms developed by exercise scientists and world-class athletes, Forerunner 405CX monitors the micro changes in a user’s heart rate and uses that detailed information to better calculate the number of calories burned during aerobic activity. Whether out running, on a bike, in step class or on a hike, Forerunner 405CX users will get instant gratification as they see the results of their hard work. And those workouts will be more comfortable than ever, as users will have the choice of two additional form-fitting bands to accommodate large and small wrists alike. At only 60 grams and available in a new deep blue color, Forerunner 405CX fits in at the gym or around the office.

In developing the Forerunner 405CX and its heart rate-based calorie computation, Garmin worked with Firstbeat Technologies Ltd., a technology company based in Finland. Firstbeat is an industry leader in heart rate analysis, specializing in developing user-centered software solutions for heart beat signal analysis in exercise and sports, weight management, and stress monitoring applications.

Simply aim the camera of your Nokia phone at any object in meat-space and the Point & Find application will access relevant data off the Internet. Ok, not any object as the beta only recognizes movie posters at the moment, but that’s the long term plan. Point & Find uses real-time image processing to recognize real-world objects in a Nokia database of virtually tagged items using the phone’s camera, Internet connection, and GPS data. The software also recognizes bar codes and supports category-specific text-entry search. The beta software is a free download for Nokia owners in the UK and get this, the US too. Man, Nokia’s getting serious about US market share.

Point & Find allows you to point your cameraphone at something and receive relevant links and information about that item.

The first example will be in conjunction with a movie studio, where consumers can point their S60-powered phones at a movie poster and instantly get local showtimes, links to the trailer, and even wallpaper downloads. It’s a really neat concept, and there will also be the opportunity for content creators to build their own ‘worlds’, where you could point your phone at the Symbian-Guru logo, for example, and get information. Very cool stuff, I’m anxious to see it available.

Starting with the YP-Q2 PMP, you’ll find both 8GB and 16GB variants with 50 hours of battery life, a 2.4-inch QVGA display, black and white color options, DNSe 3.0 sound enhancement technology, FM radio / recorder, a text viewer and a Smart Button that allows the user to designate a specific function for quick access. The YP-U5, on the other hand, was tailor made for gym rats; said audio stick sports a touchpad, 1-inch OLED display, USB connectivity, up to 20 hours of playback, an FM radio module and 2GB of internal storage. Check ‘em this April for $99.99 (8GB Q2), $129.99 (16GB Q2) and $39.99 (U5).

After a few days (or weeks?) of buzzing around, finally Samsung’s YP-Q2 PMP and YP-U5 are finally revealed. The portable media players are touching US soil by today. The Q2 is supposed to be bigger in everything than the U5. The earlier has bigger look (2.4 inch QVGA), a battery that can last up to 50 hours and also comes in two options of storage capacity; 8GB and 16GB. You can have it in 2 colors options; white and black and sports other goodies such as FM radio and recorder, quick access buttons called Smart Buttons and a sound enhancement technology called DNS3 3.0.

The smaller one, the YP-U5, is smaller in size, looks and also memory capacity. It only has an internal memory of 2GB, a touch pad audio stick, USB ports for connection and also FM radio. The battery can last to 20 hours.

So, enjoy the new toys, until the next round of players come out after you’ve shelled out your heard earned greenbacks.

Motorola’s QA4 has now finally gotten fully official and, well, there it is. Now formally dubbed the Motorola Evoke QA4, this one packs a decently-sized 2.8-inch WQVGA touchscreen, along with quad-band CDMA connectivity (plus EVDO Rev A), a 2 megapixel camera, 256MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot for expansion, aGPS, stereo Bluetooth, and, of course, that stylish sliding keypad.

From Mobile WhackLooks like the Motorola A455 is just another middle order CDMA handset with a QWERTY keypad added in, making it more of a mid-range messaging device more than anything else. The previously used moniker of RUSH2 is dropped in favor of “Rival,” which sounds pretty absurd when it looks it won’t be competing with any other handset in particular. Other tidbits leaked include dual-band CDMA support with EV-DO Rev A., stereo Bluetooth, a paltry 2-megapixel camera, microSD/SDHC support, an mp3 player with a a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and USB 2.0 connectivity.

The Evoke QA4, in spite of having a somewhat spacious touchscreen display, is a sleek slider falls into the same category as the Rival, and fails to evoke much enthusiasm in us. Features are somewhat analogous to the A455 and include a 2mpx camera, microSD/SDHC support, mp3 player, Bluetooth with A2DP, and voice recognition capability.

No info on a release date or pricing could be found, but as always, we will keep you posted when that happens.

The Evoke, which will ride on CDMA networks when it becomes available in the second quarter on low-cost carrier Cricket, certainly has a lot going on in the features department. It includes a an HTML browser, threaded-style text messaging, and support for integrated widgets for real-time access to social networking sites, RSS feeds, and more. The quick-launch YouTube shortcut is another nice touch, as is the ability to upload pics taken with the Ev0ke’s 2-MP camera directly to Picasa.

From engadget: The past few days have seen the alleged leaks of a couple batches of Windows Mobile 7 screenshots, suggesting Microsoft’s already hard at work on the successor to 6.5 — something we’ve heard in the past, and given the state of 6.x, a rumor that isn’t difficult to believe. To say the leaks look sketchy, though, would be an understatement; most prominently, none of them match, with different styling elements applied to every capture. Best case, we figure these are mockups — not functional shots from an actual device or an emulator, but early, off-the-cuff stabs at a design language from a usability expert’s late-night Illustrator session somewhere deep within Redmond. We like some of what we’re seeing — there are definitely at least a few elements here that look thoroughly modern — but if there’s any basis in reality to these, we’re worried about the ill-conceived idea of putting battery strength and volume (or signal strength, depending on the shot) at the bottom of the display. Needless to say, there are very good reasons that kind of information gets consolidated to the top, not the least of which is that your thumbs aren’t transparent. At least ours aren’t, and if yours are, you should probably get that looked at.

Microsoft never cared about transitions before, but it looks like Windows Mobile 7 will be different.

There’s also a part talking about allowing the user to “doodle” on the screen (their word, not mine), letting users draw doodles on the device lock screen, as well as shake the screen to affect the wallpaper (like making water run, or blurring an image). The iPhone’s lock screen is an iconic part of the device, and Microsoft wants to have a cool lock screen without copying Apple, so the plan is to give you fun things to do on the lock screen.

WaySight is relatively small (under three pounds), and can be used to sight the robot either by selecting GPS waypoints via laser range finder in real time, or — if the GPS is unavailable — by sighting the robot and then the waypoint in relation to it. If the operator doesn’t find any of that appealing, the unit can be used to steer the robot using the unit’s built in accelerometer. The unit has a range of up to 400 meters. The AutoNav-Mini, which is installed on the robot, features a GPS unit, low level obstacle avoidance and detection sensors, laser range finder, radar, and more.

The WaySight is a handheld monocular device with built-in sensors and wireless communications that is used for localizing and commanding a target waypoint to an Unmanned System. The operator sights a target, such as a suspected IED, by placing the WaySight crosshairs on a nearby navigation target. Once sighted, the operator depresses a button on the WaySight and the target waypoints are wirelessly transmitted to a JAUS (Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems) mission planner such as the TORC AutonoNav. Also watch this episode: AutonoNav-Mini. For more information, go to: TORC Technologies.

Andrew Culhane from TORC technologies demonstrates their AutonoNav-Mini, a pared down version of their AutonoNav autonomous navigation system for unmanned vehicles. Key features of the AutonoNav include optimized route planning, motion planning parameters entered via web-based interface, interfaces with common sensors such as LiDAR and GPS systems, and fully JAUS (Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems) interoperability with other JAUS compliant products.

Rejoice Apple Fanboys (and girls)

Gizmodo has the inside scoop! iPhone is now available without the soul-crushing contracts!

8GB models for $599 and 16GB ones for $699 are now available from AT&T and Apple stores, with AT&T requiring buyers to be existing AT&T customers, limited at one per, while Apple stores will sell the handsets.

Of the 15 Apple retail stores we surveyed today, each one reported no knowledge of their store handling proof of wireless service, contract establishment, or contract extensions with AT&T. More to the point, 6 of the stores specifically stated that no contract would be required to buy the phone, and that the customer would be responsible for establishing service with AT&T after purchasing the iPhone from an Apple retail store.

No only does this likely squelch rumors about through-the-roof non-contract prices for the iPhone (previously rumored to be as high as $899 and $999), but it introduces a new segment of demand to the iPhone launch: opportunistic buyers that have no plans for personal use of the iPhone, only resale at a higher price. As we’ve seen in recent months with the launch of the Playstation 3 and the Ninetendo Wii, large volumes of iPhones could be bought up by “entrepreneurs” looking to make a fast buck on the upcoming iPhone frenzy.

Clearly the possibility exists that Apple has continued to withhold details about contract requirements from employees at it’s own retail outlets as part of an effort to contain as much information about the iPhone prior to launch. Should that be the case, information provided to iPhoneFAQ may be a result of assumptions on the part of these employees due to lack of information, rather than clear indication from Apple that no contract would be required. However, that said, most of the salespeople and managers we spoke with indicated clear knowledge of the no-contract policy. As with everything iPhone, only time will tell.

According to AT&T, purchasing the Apple iPhone at AT&T retail outlets will require a contract with AT&T.

Attention CrackBerry Addicts: BusinessWeek says RIM’s going to launch the BlackBerry App World April 1 at CTIA.

The iPhone guys have access to the App Store. The T-Mobile G1 crew can get their fix through the Android Market. What about all the RIM enthusiasts of the world? We’ve been told that BlackBerry App World is right around the corner and now that statement may finally be coming to fruition.

This could be falsified rumor, a sick April Fool’s Day joke, or a certified leak, but BusinessWeek is reporting that the BlackBerry App World will be ready for primetime on April 1st. For those of you keeping score at home, that’s next Wednesday. It also happens to be April Fool’s Day.

Despite that strange coincidence, the timing may be just right. BlackBerry App World’s launch will then come ahead of the official release of iPhone 3.0, being able to ride that positive press for at least a couple of months before its thunder is stolen again. Further still, that’s the same day that CTIA Wireless opens its doors.

Could this be one of the major announcements from Research in Motion at CTIA? It very well could be, even if the pricing structure has received some negative attention. This is a good step forward for RIM and it’ll make it easier for all the BlackBerry enthusiasts of the world to expand on what their Berries can do.

According to the BlackBerry App World developer FAQ, RIM will institute significantly tighter pricing restrictions than rival app portals–while the service will offer both free and premium applications, developers must charge a minimum of $2.99 for paid apps. While Apple’s App Store enables contributors to price their iPhone and iPod touch apps for as little as 99 cents, the policy has come under fire from some programmers for effectively discouraging development of more sophisticated and higher-priced downloads. Of course, the new BlackBerry App World pricing restriction potentially discourages the creation of some cheaper, simpler applications and utilities.

In addition, Research In Motion will expressly forbid downloading or running apps from the BlackBerry device’s microSD card slot. Electronista notes that such a restriction ostensibly cripples piracy but also limits the quantity and size of apps–no BlackBerry device offers more internal storage than the Bold, which boasts 1GB of flash memory. The rule also restricts the ability to transfer apps to multiple devices.

Motorola’s long lived A1200 MING gets a successor: A1210

In a time when most of the mobile phone makers are rather focused on coming to the market with handsets based on some of the most popular operating systems available on the market, Motorola is now reported to plan on launching a new device that would be powered by a custom Linux platform, though the company also announced plans to release mobile phones based on Windows Mobile or the Android platform in the near future.

The new handset, Motorola A1210, is targeted at the mobile phone users in China, and will be added to other Linux-based devices that the American maker has released in the country. Yet the new A1210 model is reported to be the successor of Motorola A1200 Ming, a cell phone that saw the light of day about three weeks ago.

The new handset has been slightly modified, and now it comes with a 2.8-inch display that is able to provide users with a 240×400 pixel resolution while also featuring touchscreen capabilities. Motorola A1210 also sports a 3.1-megapixel photo snapper, and includes tri-band 2.5G GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz)/EDGE connectivity, although no 3G capabilities can be seen.

The handset is powered by a TI OMAP850 processor and includes 64MB of internal memory space, coupled with a microSD memory card slot for additional storage capacity. The new flip Motorola A1210 also features FM Radio, Bluetooth connectivity and USB slot. The device measures 102 x 53.8 x 20.5mm and weighs 125g.

For the time being, it seems that China is the only market that the new Motorola A1210 will be available in, yet we might be able to see it come to other areas as well at some point, taking into consideration the fact that its predecessor was available in Europe too, with the mobile phone carrier TIM. No word on the pricing of the device is available for now.