All4SmartPhone.com

[#35] The HTC VIVIDA

This will be hitting the US market soon and comes packed with Windows Mobile 2003, camera (with what looks like a light sensor and possibly a flash) Bluetooth, IR and a standard MMC/SD slot.

[#36] Giving the Battery, a Fuel-Cell Challenge

Every time engineers who develop rechargeable batteries come up with a new trick to extend the time between charges, the electronics industry introduces new features in portable gadgets that have the opposite effect.

Take mobile phones. "At this point in terms of cellphones, most consumers are pretty satisfied with their battery performance," said Ross Rubin, the director of industry research at NPD TechWorld, a company that tracks consumer spending on electronics. But Mr. Rubin does not expect that satisfaction to last as more phones come equipped with cameras and other features that gobble power.

While there is still room for improvement in battery technologies, some companies are hoping that a better answer can be found in miniature fuel cells. "The battery has become the laggard in new technology," said William P. Acker, president and chief executive of MTI Micro Fuel Cells, a miniature-fuel-cell developer based in Albany.

Unlike the fuel cells that are being touted as a way to power cars and trucks, the smaller versions do not use hydrogen gas as a fuel. Hydrogen is explosive, and using it with small devices would pose storage and safety problems. If nothing else, security concerns would probably make it impossible for airline passengers to carry, say, an MP3 player with even a small cylinder of hydrogen attached.

Instead, the fuel of choice in small fuel cells is methanol, an alcohol that is most commonly produced from natural gas, although it can be produced using coal or even the foul-smelling gas from landfills. Inside the cell, the methanol combines with water to make carbon dioxide, hydrogen ions and electrons.

The edge hydrogen holds over the various chemicals used in rechargeable batteries is its ability to store much more potential electricity in any amount of space. Dr. Acker said that methanol has 20 to 30 times the "energy density" of materials currently used to make, say, cellphone batteries, although he acknowledged that the figure represented theoretical limits.

In the case of both the MTI Micro fuel cell and another methanol-based system being developed by Hitachi, palmtops and cellphones would no longer need recharging cradles. Both fuel-cell systems instead look back to the days when most electronics relied on disposable batteries.

Both systems replace batteries with relatively tiny fuel cells. Prototypes developed by Hitachi store their methanol supply in disposal containers about the size and shape of a conventional AA battery. MTI Micro is leaning toward a square flat cartridge, although Dr. Acker said it would be possible to create oddly shaped fuel containers that would make the maximum use of empty spaces inside hand-held gadgets.

Original methanol fuel cells were, in Dr. Acker's view, too complex for hand-held use. Among other things, they relied on pumps to move the methanol and the water that is a byproduct of the cell's operation. Both company's fuel cells must have water on both sides of a membrane for the methanol to flow and produce electricity. Hitachi's answer is fairly simple: it mixes the methanol in the fuel tank with water. But Dr. Acker's company rejects that approach because by diluting the methanol, it reduces the total energy that a tankful can provide.

The MTI Micro fuel cells instead are based on a membrane developed by DuPont, which owns a small stake in the fuel-cell company. Somewhat like a Gore-Tex jacket, its structure and the materials it is made of allow some water to flow over to the side where the pure methanol enters. Duracell, the battery maker owned by Gillette, is another investor in MTI Micro. Dr. Acker said he expected Duracell to produce and market methanol refills some day in the same way it now offers batteries.

Kara Salzillo, a spokeswoman for Gillette, declined to discuss the company's methanol refill plans. "We are partnering with them in their research," Ms. Salzillo said of MTI Micro. "We are really still in an evaluation phase with them." Both systems have another advantage over batteries: the spent fuel cartridges will not contain potentially toxic waste chemicals.

MTI Micro hopes to have its fuel cells powering a hand-held wireless tag reader of the kind used in stores and warehouses by the end of this year. A spokesman for the United States division of Hitachi said a cellphone with fuel-cell technology is likely to reach the market in Japan early next year.

[#37] Sendo P600

The Sendo P600 is a smart, businesslike camera phone that offers a full range of features, but is still exceptional value for money. There's a bright 128x128 pixel display in 65,000 colours on the front, and on the back of the P600 is a 640x480 pixel resolution digital camera with 5 times digital zoom and video recording capabilities.

For web browing, the Sendo P600 includes a WAP browser and GPRS. The P600 also supports Java for games, polyphonic ringtones, enhanced Xsend message and a maximum of seven hours talktime. If you're looking for a smart phone with all the features you'll need, but don't want to break the bank, then the elegant Sendo P600 might be the one for you.Estimated availablity is Q4 2004.

[#38] NEC Develops Dual-Band Antenna

NEC Develops Unified Dual-Band Antenna for Cell Phones Using 800MHz/2GHz Radio Bands

The mobile phone market is stepping up demand for a single antenna with dual-band capabilities that can cover two or more frequency bands. This reflects the global shift of mobile communications from 2G to 3G, which is driving development and marketing of dual-band mobile phones. To use two frequency bands, a simple solution is implementing two antennas in a handset.

However, a problem is that of larger dimensions. Mobile phone makers and antenna manufacturers are tackling the challenge, aiming at a single, small antenna for use across multiple frequency bands.

At the "2004 International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation" (ISAP '04) held in Sendai, Japan, from August 17 through 21, NEC Corp announced a new antenna that can operate across two frequency bands: 800MHz and 2GHz. The antenna results from joint development work done by NEC and its group company, Anten Corp.

The two companies adopted a special structure of an antenna made of a single conducting wire that is bent and folded, so that one part of the wire can handle 800MHz signals and another part 2GHz signals. It has dimensions of 7mm high x 5mm deep x 27mm wide (photo).

The structure is unique in that a metal strip (stub) is applied to the 2GHz-receiving portion of the antenna. Moreover, the length of the stub is made variable to enable a frequency change within the 2GHz band according to receiving conditions. However, this technique does not apply to the 800MHz band, because its 2GHz range signals are susceptible to factors such as differences in structures of handsets.

This structure, NEC verified, resulted in a reflection loss of -6dB both in a bandwidth of 120MHz for the 800MHz band (the ratio of the spectrum to a receiving frequency is actually 14.2%) and in a bandwidth of 210MHz for the 2GHz band (the ratio is 10.3%). According to parties concerned, stable communications requires -6dB or lower reflection loss.

[#39] Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships

Finland knows what to do with Nokia Phones. They throw them. This weekend was the 5th international Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships.

At the 5th international Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships on Saturday the 28th of August in Savonlinna Kirkkopuisto was set a new world record. Nokia flew 82.55 meters. The new champion is Ville Piippo is from Helsinki. In the Original individual category came second Jani Streng with his 74.59-meter throw and third was former record holder Petri Valta, 69.44 m.

In the Original team category the winning team was Lost in Savo team with a total of 209.83 meters. Second was the Pukkilan Paroonit team, 148.22 m and third Team Dragons, 135.81 m.

In junior category (age 12 years and under) the world record was only 63 centimeters away. Toni Kuusela threw the winning numbers 46.20 meters. Second farthest threw Santtu Pursiainen 45.51 m and third was Samu Mikkonen, 43.23 m.

Sagal Kouki won the Freestyle individual category with her best performance with 25 points. Second was Raimo Oksa with 21 points and third Marko Asikainen, 20 points. In the Freestyle team category the highest stylepoints got the Tane’s Angels team, 25 points. Second was Jens & girls team with it’s 21 points and third Team Rosina, 20 points.

Altogether there were 117 contestants from five different countries, 57 in individual categories, 42 in team categories and 18 in juniors. The organizers wish to thank all the participants and partners. Next year the championships will be held on the 27th of August. More here: http://www.fennolingua.fi/tulokset_eng.htm

[#40] Curitel reveals an innovative game phone

Pantech&Curitel’s new game phone, PH-S3500 adopting innovative design is announced

PH-S3500’s prominent keypad is specially devised to let gamers enjoy 3D games using 4-direction keys with both hands holding the phone. The phone is released with 4 types of games initially installed and the enhanced graphic engine provides more life-like features, the company added.

Meanwhile, Pantech group will participate in ITU Telecom Asia 2004 held in Busan, Korea from September 7 to 11 with 45 multimedia convergence phones such as 3D game phones, handsets with 3-megapixel TV receiver, the world first optical zooming 2-megapixel camera phones, healthcare phones with thermometer, fingerprint recognition phones and WCDMA phones.

For the exhibition, the company prepares Hero zone where visitors can experience the cutting-edge 3D game phones and watch terrestrial TV through 3-megapixel television phones and other events such as drum playing and techno music performance.

[#41] World's first cell-phone film festival

Filmmakers who who make tiny movies now have a festival. An independent studio is collecting entries of films made for the small screen - the cell phone.

This month, Zoie Films, an Atlanta producer of independent films and festivals, began accepting entries for what it says is the world's first cell-phone film festival. And while it might be difficult for some to imagine films that would work on 1- or 2-inch screens, Zoie's founder, Victoria Weston, thinks the medium offers filmmakers -- who are already used to creating films for computer screens -- a rich palette with which to work.

"I think we're in an exciting time with exciting opportunities," said Weston. "Where I feel like this is headed, we won't be tied down to the computer. The cell phone will be the computer." To be sure, it's not very likely that the wireless device in your pocket will be showing something along the lines of Gone With the Wind anytime soon. But there's a good chance participating artists will turn in some sophisticated work, Weston said, especially those who understand how to think small.

"The biggest key is looking at the audience and looking at the screen and telling the story," said Weston. She finds that animation and music videos are two types of entertainment that can work well on the super-small screen. Joe Miale, a director and entrant in the film festival, believes the most important factor in crafting films for cell phones is being able to tell a quick story. "You're not going to make a short film that is character-based. It would be more caricature-based," Miale said. "It's going to have to be like a commercial, like a really short punch line kind of a film."

More than a hundred filmmakers are expected to enter and compete for prizes including a week's stay at a posh Philippine island golf resort. And anyone hoping to be among the 50 or 60 artists whose films are chosen to run during the festival will have to realize the visual limitations of a 2-inch screen. "You can't have a really, really wide shot, where you're this really tiny person standing in a desert," Miale said. "From a director's standpoint, you'd probably shoot things that were visually simple. You probably wouldn't want to shoot a war scene."

Weston and Miale both said that they think animation and commercials would likely be among the better entries in the film festival. "The visuals tend to be simpler.... A two-minute Pixar movie, with animated fish, would be perfect," Miale said. "I don't think there's enough on that tiny little screen to give you a breathtaking performance with subtlety." While the age of films on mobile phones is just beginning, Miale pointed out that video games, another visually rich medium, have been growing in popularity for some time among cell-phone users.

"If someone can play a video game on that machine, they can probably watch a short movie," he said. For her part, Weston said she is passionate about taking filmmaking into new territory, especially when it comes to technology. And she thinks that the filmmakers competing in her festival are breaking ground for many who will follow them. "It may be premature today to watch films on wireless (devices)," she said, "but in the future it will be commonplace." The deadline for entries in the cell-phone film contest is November. The festival is slated to begin Dec. 1, and tickets to view the winning entries either on cell phones or online will cost $10.
ttp://www.zoiefilms.com/cellularcinema.php

[#42] Mitsubishi M900 2 Megapixel cameraphone

Mitsubishi has introduced new GSM-handset with an integrated 2-Mpx camera, It’s a dual-band GSM 900/1800 MHz phone.

The M900 represents a clamshell equipped with two displays: an external 96x128x262K and an internal 240x320x262K ones. I’d mark the existence of an integrated digital camera featuring 2-Mpx CCD sensor and the ability to shoot photo and video files. The phone can play MP3 files and has the slot for miniSD memory cards. Besides there are Bluetooth, IrDA, the support of e-mail, Java and a photo editor.

[#43] Electro Luminescent Mobilephone

10 times thinner than LCDs, new EL (Electro Luminescent) displays are promising to make future technology wearable.

10 times thinner than LCDs, new EL (Electro Luminescent) displays are promising to make future wristwatches something of a second skin. This low power consumption prototype from Pelikon is flexible enough to do it but not without some drawbacks. So far, these displays have a shorter lifespan, are not particularly tough and due to limited brightness, aren't suitable for viewing in direct sunlight.
Currently being used for indoor applications like remote controls, the technology definitely shows some promise.

[#44] 3D display for cell phones

NEC has developed a 3D LCD display with "the world's highest level of detail," This system supports three-dimensional images that can be seen with the naked eye they do not require the use of special glasses

The system is intended for use on cellular phones. Though there are systems that use a parallax barrier for the display of three-dimensional images to the naked eye, NEC's development uses a lenticular lens.

A leticular lens is a lens array consisting of an elongated lens placed sideways, which has been generally used in printed materials up until now. With the use of this lens, pixels intended for the left eye reach the right eye, and pixels for the right eye reach the left eye - but because there is no setup such as parallax barrier to block the light, it has the advantage of not dropping the overall brightness.

However, o­ne of the problems with the display of three dimensional images has been the deterioration of resolution. This is because all of the pixels of the screen are divided between the two eyes - so in theory, both lenticular lens and parallax barrier setups have half of the horizontal resolution as typical 2D displays.

To combat this problem, NEC has independently developed "HDDP (Horizontally Double-Density Pixels)" for o­n LCDs. This technology consists vertically dividing a square into two parts, and then doubling the horizontal resolution. NEC has successfully experimented with a LCD that has a 470ppi horizontal and 235ppi vertical pixel density - when displaying in 3D, both of these densities become 235ppi.

Although adjoining pixels will be displaying the left and right eye images while using 3D display, the same image can be displayed o­n these pixels when in 2D display mode. The entire display can be switched between 3D and 2D modes, but perhaps more importantly, part of the 2D display can also be switched to 3D display.

NEC is largerly contributing to this development for use as 3D LCDs for mobile phones, and they have said that they will actively conduct research and development from now o­n. Furthermore, NEC has said that for now, a product actually containing this technology remains undecided.

[#45] Nokia THR880i

Nokia announced a new radio to its TETRA line. This device is not only a radio but a GPS transmitting device as well.

Nokia today expanded its TETRA terminal product range by introducing the new Nokia THR880i hand portable radio at the Tampere Safety and Security Fair in Finland. Incorporating a GPS receiver, the Nokia THR880i radio allows TETRA command and control to locate and track radio users, such as emergency services personnel. Radio users can also send their coordinates to a predefined address simply by pressing a button.

With the Nokia THR880i radio, public safety professionals can benefit from many of the latest usability innovations in mobile devices. With its 130 x 130 pixel, 65,356 color display and XHTML browser, the Nokia THR880i can show color pictures, graphics as well as XHTML and HTML pages even in varying light conditions.

"Ease of use has remained our first priority when designing the Nokia THR880i," said Kenneth Bjцrklund, Director TETRA terminals, Multimedia, Nokia. "Its feature set, including the integrated GPS receiver, active TFT display and XTHML browser, makes it easier for public safety organizations to carry out their demanding tasks in a timely and accurate fashion. Now, organizations can track their field units' movements and radio users can access and browse critical information quickly and easily."

The Nokia THR880i will be available in three frequency bands. Deliveries for the 380 and 410 MHz bands will start during the 4th quarter of 2004 and for the 800 MHz band during the 1st quarter of 2005. Nokia is a leading supplier of TETRA terminals with products delivered to public safety users in more than 20 countries throughout Europe, the Gulf Region, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) is the only open digital trunked radio standard defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to meet the needs of the most demanding professional mobile radio users.

[#46] Play DVD Movies on Sonyericsson P800/P900

Dutch software company Makayama today released ‘DVD to Mobile (Sony Ericsson Edition)’ which allows users to convert DVD's to a Smartphone format.

This software lets users convert a DVD to a Sony smartphone and watch it in great quality in full screen landscape mode. A memorycard as small as 128 Mb is sufficient to store a full length feature film.

Users can watch their DVDs on the go, on any Symbian UIQ-based phone, such as the Sony Ericsson P900-series, from a postage stamp size memory card. The software installs an encoding package on a PC with Windows XP, users insert a DVD in the drive of their PC and with only two clicks, the software turns it into a super small movie file, which will play on the built-in mediaplayer on the phone. No extra software needs to be installed on the phone itself.

The headset or the built-in speaker can be used to listen to the sound. Subtitled and foreign language DVDs are also supported. Feature films look crisp and sharp on the phone and still fit on a relatively small Memorystick Duo card.

The free tryout version allows users to convert 5 minutes of a DVD. The retail price for the software is $24.99 (EUR 21.95), available through major online distributors, such as Handango and SmartSam.

More information on the company website

[#47] Opera for Windows Mobile

Opera Software announced that its revolutionary Opera smartphone browser will soon become available for Microsoft Windows Mobile software.

Windows Mobile is a completely new platform for Opera, offering operators, handset vendors, enterprises and end users more choice of platforms that provide outstanding Web browsing on small, restricted smartphone screens.

Opera's range of smartphone browsers includes Small-Screen Rendering (SSR) technology, an Opera innovation that enables users to browse regular Web pages for the first time on small mobile screens by reformatting the page and thus eliminating the need for horizontal scrolling.

"Operators want to offer their subscribers the same Internet and brand experience on all the different handsets coming from the various manufacturers, necessitating a fully integrated cross-platform browser," says Rolf Assev, Executive Vice President Business Development, Marketing and Strategic Alliances, Opera Software ASA. "We've heard the market's call, and we're responding. Opera will soon offer a new Internet experience with Windows Mobile-based Smartphones."

"Microsoft is excited to see the increased level of innovation and opportunity generated by the broad adoption of Windows Mobile-based devices," said Mark Spain, director of the Mobile and Embedded Devices Group at Microsoft Corp. "Opera's support of the Windows Mobile platform delivers more choice to mobile operators and customers and demonstrates the openness of the platform."