Devices Site

Hitachi have announced the new Hitachi W61H clamshell phone, the main claim to fame of which is a body that can display 95 different patterns on the back at the touch of a button. Similar in concept to Nokia’s old xPress On covers, where you could snap on a new cover to customize your phone, Hitachi’s new design, called “Silhouette Screen” is a little more sophisticated.

Rather than using physical bits of plastic that have to snapped on and snapped off, the W61H uses e-Ink technology, similar to that used in e-Book readers such Amazon’s Kindle. The whole back of the phone therefore acts as a separate display, but rather than displaying info, it simply displays a pattern.

More details after the jump.

This is an interesting use of e-Ink technology. Created for reading eBooks, e-Ink offers extremely high definition and draws virtually no power. As such, a pattern displayed on the back of a phone using this technology would look virtually indistinguishable from the same pattern that was painted on using traditional methods.

I can’t see this being much of a seller, and it certainly won’t change the mobile phone world overnight, but it’s an innovative use of e-Ink technology, and should do well in the younger sector of the market, where customization is a seen as A Good Thing.

The Hitachi W61H is destined for Japan only at the moment on the KDDI network, but if it’s successful, it shouldn’t be too long before similar technology is seen on other phones around the world.

[Source: UnwiredView]

Motorola are looking to separate their mobile phone division from the rest of the company in what some are seeing as the prelude to offloading the division altogether. According to the company’s press release, Motorola are “…exploring the structural and strategic realignment of its businesses to better equip its Mobile Devices business to recapture global market leadership and to enhance shareholder value. The company’s alternatives may include the separation of Mobile Devices from its other businesses in order to permit each business to grow and better serve its customers.”

Obviously this doesn’t mean the Mobile Devices division is for sale yet, but by separating it from the rest of the company, it makes selling it a whole lot easier.

To be honest, this really comes as no surprise. Rumours have been flying around for the past few months about various companies looking to take the ailing Mobile Devices division off Motorola’s hands, with Dell being the latest alleged bidder.

Since the heady days of the RAZR, Motorola’s phones have struggled to compete in the ferocious mobile phones market. Last year, the company was overtaken by Samsung, slipping from second to third place in the rankings of mobile phone companies. Worse, they lost close to $1 billion, which is clearly unsustainable. The company has to do something to redress these losses, and fast.

Unfortunately, its latest line-up of phones isn’t going to do the job, as they’re still languishing behind the leaders, while the latest rumours of phones that are set for release later in 2008 suggest devices that are only on a par with other phones that were released late last year - in other words, by the time they come to market, they’ll still be a year behind.

Motorola is therefore left playing serious catch-up, and has no choice but to refocus. By splitting the division off, it gives itself the option either successfully catching up, or selling the unit on if it continues to underperform. Personally, I think it’ll be sold, as it’s clear by now that Motorola phones just can’t compete with Nokia and Samsung.

[Source: UnwiredView, Motorola]

Voodoo Gingerbread Man set

If it looks like your going to be alone this valentines day then you’ll need something to make you feel better. There isn’t much that could make you feel better than the Voodoo Gingerbread Set. Invite your friends round and think about your ex-lovers so you can each bake them, then break them!Contains:Man shaped cookie cutter, Recipe card, Voodoo instructions and Rolling pin.H: 200mm

Technorati Tags: Home gadgets

Posted Feb 3rd 2008 11:52AM by Joshua Topolsky
Filed under: Laptops
During the recent Greener Gadgets Conference in New York, former OLPC CTO (and XO challenger) Mary Lou Jepsen discussed the real-world difficulties with using the kid-friendly laptops, including the creation of an XO “hospital” used to repair broken computers. Apparently, in the crowded conditions of schools in places like Nigeria, the little green laptops have a tendency to be jostled around and even knocked on the floor from time to time. As there’s typically no repair shops nearby, the kids have learned to fix the systems themselves, setting up a “laptop hospital” where they can repair what’s broken using simple tools and cheap replacement parts. Mary Lou says the company designed the systems to be easily fixable, including extra screws embedded in the computers themselves, and allowing for quick changes of the LCD backlight and other components. The in-house repairs cut down on shipping, promote reuse, and increase kids’ understanding of ownership and responsibility, thus furthering the OLPC mission, and making everyone generally want to hug.

Hmm. Unless you want Child Protective Services knocking on your door, don’t hang a picture of your kids sleeping on these Livingstones floor cushions in your office. Few will believe that these realistic-looking stones are actually made of 100% virgin wool and are filled with hypoallergenic polysilicone fiber.

They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and are available directly from smarindesign, where you can also obtain a price list. If you can keep CPS at bay until then, the Livingstones should be delivered within about four weeks of placing your order.

Via GEARFUSE.

SYMA 603 Remote Control Super Flier Helicopter

The Syma 603 RC Helicopter is the easiest and simplest remote control helicopter there is. This ready to fly model is ideal for the novice and younger people who wish to start flying their own helicopters! Gone are the days when a remote control helicopter would set you back hundreds of pounds. But dont think that because of the low price it is low quality! This is one of the best constructed helicopters on the market. The sturdy design and simple function make this helicopter ideal as it is light, strong and susceptable to a few knocks and crashes (which we all have to admit we do when we first get a new chopper!). Simply turn the main helicopter unit on, hold the lightweight hand moulded remote unit, move the knobs and off you go.With simple flying options and the ability for the helicopter to glide at height, this really will enable any age or any level of experienced person to fly straight from the box.

TECH SPECS:

- Model: Syma 603 R/C Helicopter

- Main Rotor Diameter: 495mm

- Length: 510mm - Width: 200mm

- Height: 150mm

- Tail Rotor: 148mm

- 2 Channel Radio Control Helicopter

- Battery: Rechargeable 7.2V Ni-MH

- Radio Controller: 2 Channel

- Main Motor: Type 370

- Flight Time: 25~30 minutes

- Available Colors: Red and Black

INCLUDED:

- SYMA 603 R/C Helicopter

- 2-CH Radio Transmitter (8 AA Batteries are not included)

- 7.2V Ni-MH Rechargeable Battery Pack (For Helicopter)

Technorati Tags: Toys 4 Boys

Posted Feb 3rd 2008 1:55PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Digital Cameras
We already witnessed the overseas announcement of JVC’s palm-friendly GR-D850, but now it looks as if the firm is making it official here in the US of A along with a slightly (and we stress “slightly”) more advanced sibling. The GR-D870 High-Band Digital Video Camera features the same 1/6-inch 680k pixel CCD, 35x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD monitor, DV in / out and 3D Noise Reducer, but steps it up ever so slightly by tossing in a SD / MMC card slot for snapping digital stills (up to 640 x 480) while recording footage to miniDV. So yeah, nothing to get too antsy about or anything, but the GR-D870 can be snapped up immediately for a nickel under $250, while the GR-D850 will run you $20 less.

[Via LetsGoDigital]

Gallery: JVC intros GR-D870 miniDV camcorder with 35x zoom

Posted Feb 3rd 2008 9:53AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Robots
C’mon, be honest — the unofficial cutoff age for playing with Legos sans kids is sometime way before puberty, but thanks to a new development from Carnegie Mellon University, we adults may soon be able to unashamedly indulge in those desires once more. Posey, hailed as a “hands-on way of interacting with computers,” features a plethora of snap-together, sensor-laden parts that can communicate with PCs through ZigBee. When a user attaches a leg to a body, for instance, an on-screen representation immediately mimics the movement, providing hours of fun and some real promise for future applications. No word on whether these things are set to go commercial anytime soon, but we’d sure love to replace this aging (and seemingly busted) voodoo doll with one of these critters, pronto.

[Image courtesy of Posey Code Lab Wiki]

Battery Lamp

You can have this for ?14.95

Posted Feb 3rd 2008 5:24AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
We’ve seen (though not felt, for obvious reasons) a few touchless interfaces before, but the latest development coming from Elliptic Labs is a real treat. Dubbed a “touchless human / machine user interface for 3D navigation,” the firm has somehow figured out how to allow mere mortals to manipulate on-screen images without requiring any sort of funky gloves to be worn or a microchip to be installed in your fingertip. Sadly, little is said about the actual technology behind the magic, but don’t worry, the video waiting after the jump should provide plenty of satisfaction.

[Via Technabob]