Archives for February 2010

Sensorly App Maps Mobile Phone Signal Quality

When planning a trip out for a few days break you might be the sort who wonders if there will be a mobile phone signal available so you can check your work emails, personal emails and browse the web. If that description fits you then a new application could be the answer to finding honest coverage maps of various areas. A typical way of getting this data is to look on your phone carriers website and look at the coverage maps, however, they tend to be a little out sometimes.

A company called Sensorly has created the Sensorly app that users can install on their phone. When enabled the phone sends data back to the company who can then compile data from your signal strength information in areas you pass through. By collecting data from a number of phones, Sensorly aim to provide even more accurate coverage maps that will allow it to become more accurate than the carriers data. [Read more…]

Apple iPad UI Detailed Tour

CultofMac have posted some interesting information on the Apple [AAPL] iPad and the user interface that it uses. Although a number of people have complained across the web about how it’s just a large iPod Touch, it makes you wonder if it does need to be different.

What Apple have said about the iPad is that it “improved the experience of doing every day computing tasks” ie, email, browsing and photo slideshows. This is where the iPad excels due to the larger screen. Although I can currently send emails from my T-Mobile G1, Dell Mini 9 netbook or regular laptop while on the move, that doesn’t mean it’s a streamlined process. Take the netbook for example, it’s small and takes several minutes to boot and finally load up web based outlook…. but the iPad aims to change that by providing a decent interface with quick connectivity. [Read more…]

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Unveiled

We mentioned project needlemouse a few months back which at the time the very limited information said that we could expect Sonic to return in 2010. We now hear that the new side-scrolling game is returning this year and Episode 1 of the game has been confirmed for the Wii, Xbox 360 and Sony PS3.

The game is classed as a proper sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and due to it following on has given the name as Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1.

A video, available after the jump, shows the official trailer that gives an overview of previous Sonic games starting with the original that was launched in 1991 then on to the second and third instalments that were launched in 1992 and 1994 respectively. The new 2D Sonic 4 is set to be released this summer as a downloadable title on all three of the major consoles. [Read more…]

Ikonoskop A-Cam3D Captures video in 3D 1080p

Ikonoskop have created the A-Cam3D that is capable of capturing 3D video at a 1080p resolution. Two video streams are captured simultaneously at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels in RAW files. Colour depth is set at 12 bits and video is captured in either 25 or 30 frames per second.

The a-cam3D weighs 2.8KG which includes the weight of the memory cartridge as well as the battery. [Read more…]

Sony Ericsson X10 Coming Vodafone UK in April

Vodafone have finally listed the Sony Ericsson X10 on their site and have given it a release date of April. The X10 is not available for pre-order just yet, but does have a registration form allowing you to sign up to receive details of when you can pre-order it.

The Sony Ericsson X10 is SE’s first Android based smartphone to hit the market and has been seen around several times keeping people wondering when it will actually arrive. The X10 has a 4 inch touchscreen, an 8 megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth and Wifi to name a few things. [Read more…]

Rumour: Next Gen Apple iPhone to get 720p Camera

Some information has been discovered which indicates that the next generation iPhone could be capable of capturing video at HD resolutions of 720p.

The signs come from information that was revealed in the latest iPhone OS 3.2 SDK that was launched last week and reveals that the width of images has been upped from 768 pixels wide to 1280 pixels and is capable of capturing 921,600 pixels. A bit of quick maths shows that the vertical amount of pixels would be 720 making it 720p. [Read more…]

PrePeat Desktop Printer Can Erase/Write Documents

PrePeat is a printer that uses a special thermal head and plastic sheets to print and erase documents allowing you to cut down on paper usage in the office.

The printer uses special paper made of plastic to print on and each sheet can be used up to 1,000 times allowing a document to be printed and then erased when finished with.

The PrePeat Printer is not cheap though and will set you back about $5,517 at today’s exchange rate with the paper costing $3,300 for a pack of 1,000 sheets. [Read more…]

iPhone Skype VoIP Calls over 3G Coming Soon

Since the latest iPhone 3.2 SDK was launched last week a couple of companies have announced that they have updated their iPhone applications to allow VoIP calls. Those companies include Fring and iCall.

With two other companies offering VoIP over 3G, a number of people have been wondering where Skype stands in all of this as their application has yet to be updated.

An answer was given yesterday by David Ponsford who says that Skype are holding their application back a little longer so they can fine tune it to give the best call quality possible. Although no official date for release has been given his answer simply said “soon”. [Read more…]

Symbian Operating System now Open Source

Starting today, the source code for the Symbian platform has been made open source and available for download.

‘The dominant operating system provider out there is Symbian, says Lee Williams, executive director of the Symbian Foundation, ‘and now we are offering developers the ability to do so much more.

Symbian is the operating system used on the majority of Nokia mobile phones and according to statistics it runs on a massive 330 million device. The operating system has been used by Nokia for about 10 years now. [Read more…]

H-Cell 2.0 RC Car Hydrogen Fuel Cell System Launched

The H-Cell 2.0 is a new system built by Horizon that aims to bring more charge to an RC car by adding portably hybrid power to the said car.

The system sits on the chassis of the RC car above the battery and has two hydrogen tanks with one on each side of the car allowing even weight distribution. By adding the H-Cell 2.0 to your RC car you can increase run times by a factor of 3 to 4 times.

The battery provides the acceleration power, while the fuel cell provides cruise power as well as extra energy for the battery. This decreases the amount of batteries needed, eliminates the need to charge batteries, and provides much longer run times for the vehicle (factor of 3 to 4).

[Read more…]

Ovi Maps Racing hits Symbian Phones

After just announcing that over 1 million downloads of Ovi Maps Navigation were done in the first week of it being made free, we came across this cool little game called Ovi Maps Racing that allows you to race around streets anywhere on the globe.

The cool looking game has the ability to track your current location and allows you to create your own race from the streets where you live. The software lets you build your own tracks up by specifying which way to turn at various junctions. [Read more…]

Apple iPad might get Intelligent Bezel on Future Models

A patent was published today that shows Apple [AAPL] describing an intelligent bezel on what looks to be a tablet based device. The intelligent bezel has sensors in it that can detect touch allowing functions such as changing the volume to be done with a swipe down the side of the screen.

Although the current Apple iPad makes no mention of this technology, we could be seeing a second generation iPad using the intelligent bezel. As well as being able to control volume, the bezel could also allow menu functions to be accessed. As the bezel surrounds the screen there could be different areas highlighted that take you to the home page and allow you to scroll through menus. [Read more…]