Readius - A 3G Mobile Phone that also Works as a Book Reader

The world is moving towards combining features and functionality in singular devices to suit the growing needs of the peopl-on-the-go. And a Dutch company called Polymer Vision hopes to make a big splash this year with the introduction of their new Readius, a 3G mobile phone with a 5 inch display that folds into the device when not in use. The technology that makes this possible is called the Rollable Screen, which involves a display that can literally be rolled up to fit into the device.

Last year, the mighty Amazon had introduced the Amazon Kindle, which was simply an e-book reader. It failed to create an impression because of its bulky design and additional requirements. So in response, Polymer Vision announced this latest gadget which bundles up as a phone as well as an e-book reader. It uses the same E-Ink material for its display as Amazon did. E-ink is primarily notable for appearing very similar to paper, including its reflective properties. For this reason it makes a superior display for reading from. It's also capable of retaining an image without requiring any electricity, resulting in devices that are more energy efficient than those using conventional LCD displays, besides being capable of "Rolling Up"!

The 3G HSDPA tri-band phone allows worldwide calls and high speed instant updates from personally selected news sources, special services and email. The Micro SD High Capacity storage ensures easy access to other favorite information and eBooks. The features that work for Readius are the large display of e-reading, the super battery life of e-reading, and the high-end connectivity, yet the look and feel of a mobile phone. ease of use and portability seem to be the other things that work for it. Phillips seems to have a 25% stake in this venture, and Polymer Vision has announced that the Readius will be available some time near the middle of 2008. As of this time no price has been set.

People are surely accepting all-in-one devices with a lot more enthusiasm than what was seen 4-5 years ago. I like this idea because it can be useful for people who travel a lot on business and can catch up on their readings and briefs in the form of e-books. I can even think it would appeal to a few students who use their commute time in the bus or train to read a few chapters. But it might not be for simple people and avid readers, who get engrossed in the books that they read, and can simply not connect to a device as they would to an actual paperback! In any case, we'll soon find out what lies ahead as the Readius releases sometime this year.

Read more!

Spruce Up your Kitchen with Innovative Snap Cups and Tableware

If you are a fun-loving person who loves to cook and entertain, Angela Schwab has something for you that is sure to blow you away! The colorful, vibrant and retro collection of cups and tableware from a Denver-based ceramic production studio not only adds a splash of color to your table, but also an intriguing sculptural element. These are no ordinary cups, in fact they are an innovative design invention that is a perfect balance of features, functionality and creativity. So if you are ready to add some spice to your kitchen, check these out! I'm sure you'll be attracted to these beautiful creations.

Featured above (the pic on the right) are Stalactite cups, which is basically a set of chain-link magnetic cups. Perfectly sized for a couple shots of espresso, champagne, or some tea, these small ceramic cups come with magnets embedded in either side, so you can hang them off your refrigerator, or link them together to add a fun and interesting arrangement to your kitchen. The image above shows how they are hanging down from an iron rod in the kitchen!!

Angela Schwab, residing in Denver, specializes in Invention of new forms through Alteration of existing objects in order to enhance the way people can use and interact with everyday functional products, and proudly presents a line of interesting products through IN/ALT, her production house. Featured above is the classic "Tableware", which utilizes neodymium magnets embedded in the ceramic pieces and the table to store your dinnerware under your table. Imagine your guest's surprise when you pull out a whole place setting (plus a candle) like magic from beneath the table!! Cool, huh!??

Or check out these brilliant "Snap Cups", which have snaps on the sides or bottoms and comes with a cork-cushioned handle to ensure a snug fit, while the other kind snaps onto a glass stem. There's plenty of opportunity to mix and match, so you can create the artistic Cup-Candles (shown below) or the very cute Magnetically-linked cups for you and your valentine to share your love and more!

I love all of these innovative ideas! They are beautifully designed, and have a lot of functional value. Easy to store, they actually are space-savers too! And I love the "hide-it-under-the-table" idea! Neither variety is dishwasher or microwave safe, so they need to be washed by hand. But all of them have been tested to work with any kind of beverages and deemed to be safe to use. For more designs and order information, visit their website!

Read more!

Garmin's Nuvifone - The All-in-one Device that Leaves iPhone Behind!

With advances in technology, everything is moving towards nano technology, and small and cool gadgets are replacing the age-old bulky devices. After the initial hype of the iPhone subsided, and it failed to create the lasting impression that everyone thought it would, people were looking for Apple to build on the existing design and improve it. But looks like we have a new player in the market! Garmin International Inc, the world’s leading GPS manufacturer recently announced its entrance into the mobile phone market with the nüvifone, an all-in-one, sleek and slim, touchscreen device that combines a premium phone, mobile web-browser, and cutting-edge personal navigator, which is guaranteed to transform how individuals connect, communicate and navigate their life. This could be the breakthrough product that users around the world have been longing for — a single device that does it all.

It is an innovative mobile phone with a wide range of advanced yet easy-to-use features. The all touchscreen device integrates premium 3.5G mobile phone capability with an internet browser, data connectivity, personal messaging, and personal navigation functions all in one. A very simple User Interface makes it appealing to geeks and non-geeks alike! When docked onto the vehicle mount, it automatically turns on the GPS, activates the navigation menu, and enables hands-free calling. With several built-in mobile entertainment applications, and a camera that tags your pictures with the exact latitude and longitude reference of where the image was taken, it is one cool and rich device!. It also provides direct access to millions of geo-located landmark and sightseeing photographs available through Google’s Panoramio picture sharing site.

If you have already used Garmin's GPS system, nuvifone will be even better! It includes preloaded maps of North America, Eastern and Western Europe, or both, and allows drivers to quickly find a specific street address, establishment’s name or search for a destination by category, and gives turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions alongwith route re-calculations if you miss a turn!

What's more, it also includes Google's local search capability, and a unique "Where am I?" feature lets users touch the screen at any time to display the exact coordinates of ther location, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations. And if you've forgotten where you parked you car and don't have a panic button, relax, for your phone will come to your rescue as it automatically marks the position in which it was last removed from the vehicle mount!! And as if all this is not enough, this phone also includes access to real-time traffic, fuel prices, stock prices, sport scores, news reports, local events and weather forecasts. Do you have any more needs from your phone??

I think Garmin's Nuvifone was one device that everyone was waiting for, and if it stands through the test of time, it will leave the iPhone way behind! It is supposed to be released in Q3 of 2008. For additional information and to see 3-D demos, check out their website. I think I'll definitely think of buying one; how about you?

Read more!

Does your PC have Data Protection and Backup Utility??

Have you experienced a moment of frantic when suddenly your laptop or PC crashes on you and it's not coming up again?? You were in the middle of some project, and your machine suddenly dies on you, you sit there staring at a blank screen, tapping the laptop(like its an old analog TV), moving your mouse all around, and re-starting the machine as the last attempt, frustrated that all your unsaved precious data is gone for good?? Well, if you haven't experienced this yet, thank the lord and at least try to imagine such a scenario, for that would open your eyes to the fact that Data Backup is extremely important in today's high-tech world!

I recently came across Tilana Reserves which offers such a facility, and is among the newest and most progressive answers to the problem of data protection and management. As a fully managed turnkey CDP (continuous data protection) solution for SMB and home PC users, it stands virtually alone in a fragmented market mostly occupied by old-fashioned backup solutions that rely on the scheduled sequential method.

Tilana's new service uses a desktop software client to securely transmit files between the user's protected PC and personal remote storage space. After the initial upload of protected files, the software sends only changes to files as they're saved, along with any new files as they appear in protected folders on the user's computer.

Changes to protected files are stored in the user's personal remote storage for as long as needed, and made immediately available through a version history palette in the desktop software control panel, enabling easy remote file access.

The Tilana Reserve software is available for free download, installs in about a minute and requires little if any configuration. Users can choose to enable an unlimited number of computers with the free software, and synchronize files on those computers via their personal remote storage access space. I think its a brilliant tool, easy to use, and great for data protection. If you don't have some Backup tool on your personal computer yet, its time you understood the enormity of the situation and take necessary steps, before your machine dies a sad death, taking all your invaluable data alongwith it!!

Read more!