CES 2010: Sling, Samsung, RIM, and AT&T
Wednesday is Press Day at CES 2010, and the TechVi team took a look at the hottest things coming up in this year's show. Randall, Iyaz, and Eric sit down and summarize some of the highlights of the day.
Sling Media
Sling announced a slew of products today. The Total Control 100 is a high-end touchscreen remote control that has a WiFi connection to download show guide information and connect to Slingboxes. The Sling Monitor is a 15" LCD complete with Sling Catcher circuitry to catch content without a separate box. And the 700U is a new auto-configuring Slingbox that can plug directly into some DVRs.
Samsung
The update to the popular Android-based Moment was announced today, and it will include a mobile digital TV tuner to display live television programming on the phone without clogging up its cellular data connection.
Research In Motion
BlackBerry-toting pitchmen around the world rejoiced at RIM's announcement of the BlackBerry Presenter, a $199 device that allows the popular smartphone to connect to any VGA or S-Video projector or display.
AT&T
Finally, the country's four largest wireless carriers have Android offerings as Dell, HTC, and Motorola all plan on making Google-powered handsets for AT&T.
Poll indicates that texting while driving should be illegal
A new poll shows that plenty of people have strong opinions on cell phone usage in cars, in particular 97% of people polled thought that texting while driving should be illegal. 80% thought using a handheld phone while driving should be illegal, but only approximately 27% thought usage of hands-free devices should be illegal. The telephone poll utilized both land line and cellular phones; no data was presented on how many hypocrites were polled.
Nokia unveils phone for Chinese market
Nokia unveiled its first phone compatible with China’s proprietary 3G technology. The Nokia 6788 features a slider-style layout and a mirror finish display, with a goal to sell lower priced phones at a higher volume. Nokia, with a 38% global market share, spends over $60 billion in research and development. The Nokia 6788’s pricing has not been announced and ships later this year.
T-Mobile reveals new plans
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T-Mobile today revealed two new plans which have been floating around the rumor mills for a few weeks. The "Even More" plan is a two-year contract plan with prices starting at $59.99 and will allow for discounted phones. The "Even More Plus" plan is contract-free with unlimited talk at $49.99 and unlimited everything (text, web, and voice) for $79.99.
Microsoft recovers Sidekick data
Microsoft says it will be able to return "most, if not all data" for infuriated T-Mobile Sidekick users who lost access to any contacts, calendar entries, to-do lists or photos stored on their phones earlier this week. According to the note from T-Mobile, Microsoft is restoring data as quickly as possible.
PowerPak cell phone charger also supplies backup power
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CrunchGear reports that Technocel will begin selling the PowerPak wall charger which doubles as portable backup power source on November 1st. The $50 unit charges itself while also juicing up your phone, eliminating the step of keeping another device charged. The PowerPak supports USB connections and comes with device-specific tips to provide 3 hours of talk time.
Mobile industry standardizes around 3.5mm audio jack in all devices
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After mini-USB has been declared as the standard connector in the future of cell phone charging, device manufacturers represented by the CTIA are pushing for 2012 as the year when the lowly 3.5mm jack becomes the standard audio connector for microphones and earphones. We're fans of the 3.5mm connection, and the 2012 target date is fairly conservative, considering the likes of Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung and Apple already implement 3.5mm jacks in their phones.
BlackBerry Messenger hits version 5.0
RIM has released the long-awaited BlackBerry Messenger 5.0 application featuring 'avatars', or a profile photo in messaging applications on the device.
BlackBerry Messenger 5.0 can also generate a barcode version of the user's PIN that other users can then scan using their camera, eliminating the need to manually enter the PIN, as well as the cumbersome texting, copying and pasting that is routine for users.
UK gets more Chocolate: LG’s BL40 released
LG launched the latest model in its Chocolate line of cell phones today. The BL40, available on European carriers O2 and Orange, is notable for its long face; it features a 21:9 aspect ratio. Pricing starts at £19.99, depending on the accompanying service plan.
Samsung announces Windows Mobile 6.5 plans, upcoming Omnias
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Earlier today, Samsung announced plans to offer Windows Mobile 6.5 on its entire series of Omnia cell phones, when the mobile OS is launched on October 6th. In addition, the company talked about plans to expand the line with two new models, including the OmniaPRO B7330, a bar style phone with a full QWERTY keyboard, a 320x320-pixel square display and HSDPA, and the OmniaLITE B7300. No phone release dates or prices were given.