Maxell Introduces Its Vibrabone Headphones

The demand for better headphones never seems to cease. That may be the reason why new headphones are being introduced almost every month. Although most of them may offer the same features in terms of the technology used, there are others like the new Maxell Vibrabone Headphones that may offer something unique for a change.

Hitachi Maxell recently introduced in the Japanese market he new Vibrabone HP-VBC40 Headphones which makes use of unique but existing technology to produce better sound output. The Vibrabone in-ear headphones make use of vibration and bone conduction in order to produce deep bass sounds and better audio reproduction, despite its small size. This makes it quite ideal for use especially for portable devices such as, smartphones, mobile devices and portable music players. The Maxell Vibrabone HP-VBC40 Headphones is expected to enter the Japanese market by April 25 and may cost around 4,000 Japanese Yen or US$48.

Image Source: Hitachi Maxell

The Phoenix Biodegradable Concept Car by Kenneth Cobonpue

While other car companies are claiming their vehicles are environment-friendly, product designers Kenneth Cobonpue and Albrecht Birkner took it a step further by making the world’s first roadster made from bamboo and rattan.
The Phoenix concept car was built mostly by biodegradable materials in a span of 10 days. Its purpose is to make vehicles “green enough” once it has outlived its purpose.
“This project attempts to unveil the future of green vehicles using woven skins from organic fibers mated to composite materials and powered by green technology,” Cobonpue stated during an interview with Inhabitat.

i.Sound Portable Power Max Back Up Battery

It seems that with people having more and more portable devices to carry around, having a back up battery for them has become more of a necessity. But it can be a hassle bringing separate back up power for all of them. The new i.Sound Portable Power Max may provide an all-in-one back up power for most portable devices.

The new i.Sound Portable Power Max features a 16000 mAh rechargeable battery that is good for up to 480 hours of back up power for portable devices. It also comes with 5 USB charging ports good for charging USB supported portable devices simultaneously. It also can charge Apple iDevices such as the iPad, iPod and the iPhone, making it a good back up battery to bring along for emergency power. It also comes with a built-in flashlight for added measure. The i.Sound Portable Power Max is available at i.Sound for US$130.

Image Source: i.Sound

Sprint Goes Green Again

By Kendra Srivastava | Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:21 am
Sprint plans to launch the Samsung Replenish, its fourth eco-phone, on May 8 for $50 with a two-year contract, suggesting a growing consumer interest in green technology.
Built from 82 percent recycled materials, the Replenish is also energy-efficient and features apps from TreeHugger.com and the National Audubon Society. For an extra $30, customers can purchase a solar-paneled back cover to charge the battery. It even comes with a prepaid envelope to send in and recycle your old phone for free.
"We want to make it as simple as we can for our customers to go green," said Dan Hesse, Sprint's CEO. "We are also lowering the monthly rate for this phone by $10 for new or existing customers so it pays for itself within just five months."
As part of its effort to compete with mobile giants AT&T and Verizon, Sprint has tried to differentiate itself with a focus on green devices. Last year, the company was the sixth greenest in U.S. according to Newsweek; Sprint's website outlines its various environmental initiatives, like recycling programs and green apps.

India Bans Nokia E-mail Services

By Kat Asharya | Mon Apr 18, 2011 2:15 pm
Nokia's new push e-mail services have been banned in India, as the country moves its sights beyond BlackBerry maker Research in Motion in its quest to monitor telecommunications.
The Finnish phone maker's new push e-mail services are now barred by India's mobile operators, by orders of the government, which is waiting for a new monitoring system to be put in place.
India's Ministry of Home Affairs have ordered ?Telecom Service Providers not to launch Nokia's proposed pushmail and powermail service without putting in place monitoring facilities."

AT&T to Launch HP Veer on May 2

By Allen Tsai | Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:16 pm
AT&T plans to launch the HP Veer, running its revamped WebOS software, at an event on May 2.
According to invitations, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company's event will feature "hands-on training, exciting demos and HP giveaways and begin promptly at 6:00 p.m."
The Veer, which was unveiled in February, along with the larger Pre 3, is a small, credit card-sized slider. It also runs WebOS 3.0, the platform HP acquired from Palm in a $1.2 billion buyout last year, and features a 2.6-inch touch screen display, 800-megahertz chip and 8-gigabytes of storage.
For HP, the Veer is the first in a line of WebOS-related products it plans to release to take on an industry dominated by Apple and Google. In addition, to smartphones and tablets, like its TouchPad, the company plans to include WebOS on every one of its PCs to "create a massive platform" across smartphones, tablets, PCs and even printers.
HP hopes to build an app ecosystem to match Apple and Google. To date, the company has a mere 6,000 apps. By comparison, Apple has around 350,000 apps and Google's Android has roughly 250,000.

IPhone to Become Top Camera on Flickr

By Kendra Srivastava | Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:00 pm
The iPhone 4 is overtaking all other cameras on Flickr, signaling the increased pressure that camera phones are applying to point-and shoot cameras.

Libyan Rebels Skype With U.S. Students

By Kendra Srivastava | Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:37 pm

Libyan rebels used Skype to chat with students at Lehigh University on Friday, exemplifying how technology has helped broadcast the recent Middle East turmoil to the wider world.

The hour-long video conference, orchestrated by Lehigh student Issa Hakim, covered topics like the rebels' motivations and the type of government they would like post-revolution. The rebels spoke from Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city and the seat of the rebellion that started earlier this spring. Using Skype, they were able to hold live a conversation with their audience in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

"This is real-time information. Whatever is happening in the streets is actually conveyed to you," said the translator, who requested anonymity.

Hakim, a 35-year old graduate student in mechanical engineering, recently went back to fight for his country and has since stayed in touch with his school via email and Skype. He's not alone, as many expatriates have joined the cause and broadcast their experiences to the world via YouTube and Twitter.

It's hasn't been easy, since Muammar Gaddafi's government has cracked down on cell phone and Internet communications. But rebels recently hijacked existing infrastructure to build "Free Libyana," a rogue network that allows freedom fighters to avoid routing calls through the capital of Tripoli, where they were being intercepted. The network means smoother field operations for the rebels and better chances of finding missing friends and relatives for everyone else.

Tunisian protesters who kicked off the Arab Spring were similarly tech-saavy, broadcasting live videos of events even before Al-Jazeera arrived. Egyptians followed their example until the Internet and phone networks were shut down in Cairo; despite this severe handicap they were able to oust Hosni Mubarak from power.

Twitter feeds in Bahrain are still alerting users about nearby violence, as they did during the Iranian unrest last year.

Skype, cell phones, Twitter and YouTube videos have not only brought the Middle East conflicts to living rooms halfway across the world, they have personalized the fighting to a degree rarely possible in standard reporting. For the first time ever, people like the students at Lehigh have access to unfiltered accounts of the conflicts.

Facebook Censors Gay Kiss Photo

By Kendra Srivastava | Mon Apr 18, 2011 2:53 pm

Facebook recently removed a picture of two men kissing, along with the activist event for which it advertised, casting unflattering light on Facebook's censorship practices and underscoring the difficulty in policing any online community.

Richard Metzger, British television host, created a Facebook page calling for a "kiss-in" protest against an English pub that had kicked out a gay couple for kissing early last week. But his event was deleted by the social network service, which said the post violated its policy against "nudity, or any kind of graphic or sexually suggestive content."

The photo, however, contains no nudity or graphic content, unless one counts kissing as such.

Facebook says it assigns censorship tasks to people instead of algorithms, suggesting that the page's deletion wasn't a mistake. The company declined to comment on its decision, leaving Metzger "perplexed."

The move highlights the difficulty many companies with vague or "values"-based content policies now face. Apple, for example, was recently attacked for allowing, rather than censoring, an app that portrayed being gay a "curable" condition -- after the bad publicity, it banned the app.

Apple also forbids sexual content in its apps, including bikini-clad women -- unless they appear in the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit App, which for some reason gets a pass.

Facebook's move seems like an intolerant blunder, since it's fair to say that among the 10-plus billion photos on the site, quite a few probably show men and women touching their lips together.

Metzger isn't the only one who was recently censored for supposedly violating Facebook's decency policy. A French man used the 19th-century painter Gustav Courbet's Origin of the World as his profile picture, then had his account deleted on February 27th -- his birthday -- for posting Courbet's admitted detailed depiction of a nude woman's groin.

He is now suing Facebook, demanding compensation for removing his access to 800 friends.

"Technology Fasts" May Feed the Soul

By Margaret Rock | Mon Apr 18, 2011 2:27 pm

The idea of "technology fasts" got a boost from religious leaders Sunday amid growing awareness of how distracting and isolating personal technology can be.

At Palm Sunday services yesterday, religious leaders around the country asked their congregations to step away from all types of display screens for the next seven days.

An interdenominational group including the National Council of Churches and the Islamic Society of North America called for a "media fast" during Holy Week, which begins today and culminates on Easter Sunday, the most important day of the liturgical calendar. That means no smartphones, televisions, laptops, or e-readers, a modern day twist on a centuries-old Lenten ritual.

The group has compiled a list of 101 screen-free activities, including reading a book, or even better, reading one aloud to someone else, taking a nature hike, ditching the GPS and learning to use a compass, and for those with children, blowing bubbles.

Technology fasts that address to concerns about the increasingly dominant role technology plays in relationships, connections with God, and spiritual growth are gaining popularity worldwide. A number of U.S. therapists suggest similar, albeit secular, activities to help couples and families with communications issues.

Besides the interfaith coalition, other religious leaders are speaking out on technology, including Pope Benedict XVI. Celebrating his sixth Easter season as the leader of the world's estimated 1.2 billion Catholics, he fashioned his Palm Sunday sermon just yesterday on the idea that technology is threatening Man's relationship with God.

Earlier this year, Pope Benedict urged Christians to chose real-life relationships over virtual ones when he focused on the dangers of online media and social networks.

The Pontiff, who turned 84 this weekend, insists on writing all his speeches in long hand and has been described as technology-adverse, even though his online presence includes the Pope2You.net portal and a dedicated YouTube channel.

Sneak Peek on Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro

Nothing can’t stop Sony Ericsson for continuing inventing smartphones. The latest and yet worth the wait is Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro. It’s perfectly balance combination of multimedia technology with operating system from Android. It’s more than just a business phone. Xperia Android Phone is a slider device with a full QWERTY keyboard.  The slide out model is design superbly to match your needs in writing and typing because the keyboard has Type and Send function.

The Sony’s Exmor RTM for mobile image sensor makes your pictures stay sharp although you are in low light condition. With the Reality Display powered by the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine experience the super-bright color snaps for viewing pictures. To play videos on bigger screen, you are able to connect your Xperia Pro to your HD TV using the HDMI connector.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro has 3.7 inches touchscreen with a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels completed with 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. The operating system is powered by Android Gingerbread v2.3 and microSD card slot with 8GB card installed. The internal memory capacity is 1GB (320 MB user available). What good a smartphone if you can’t synch your email? Xperia Pro covers it; synch your email and calendar on the fly. Also you able to surf the internet using applications such as Google Maps and Google Latitude. Editing your documents using OfficeSuit Pro so you can work as you go mobile.

View the original article here

Sprint Rallies Opposition Against AT&T, T-Mobile

By Margaret Rock | Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:21 pm

Hesse said the merger would hurt others in the industry like network suppliers, app and operating system developers, and handset makers, in his speech Friday at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco.

"Innovation and customer choice would be seriously affected if the wireless industry is allowed to become a duopoly," Hess said.

Sprint has at least one ally. Watchdog group Consumers Union has said publicly the acquisition would lead to higher prices for mobile phone subscribers. The FCC has also expressed its intention to seriously scrutinize the deal.

Others may come forward to support Sprint, but the absence of a firm opposition so far, Hesse suggested, underscores that potential power of a mega-sized AT&T.

"I think there will be a number of companies that will oppose it, but clearly there will be companies that will be concerned about opposing it because of the ramifications for their business," Hesse said.

AT&T called Hesse's remarks "off base," and said it is unsurprising that Overland Park, Kan.-based carrier would object. AT&T and Verizon would control close to 80 percent of the market if the deal is approved, leaving Sprint a distant third place.

AT&T maintains the T-Mobile purchase will help ease a spectrum shortage and spur the deployment of 4G service and would benefit both the industry and consumers. The question remains whether there could be healthy competition in the wireless environment with two prominent provides, a distant third, and a smattering of regional providers.

While Hesse continues to rally the troops, the acquisition's fate is in the hands Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice, which recently kicked off its review of the deal for antitrust issues.

Sprint should be heartened by the news that the New York's Attorney General has pledged to review the deal. The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin holding hearings on the matter in May, sparking speculation about who may appear before the legislative body and what their testimony will reveal.

Verizon appears to be indifferent to the deal so far, with indications that it will be watching, but won't get too distracted by the events.

Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:16 pm
AT&T plans to launch the HP Veer, running its revamped WebOS software, at an event on May 2. Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:00 am
Apple, Google and Amazon are competing for cloud services, while American Express and Google made a push into mobile payment systems, foreshadowing a future without credit cards. Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:54 pm
AT&T launched its first prepaid smartphone today, the LG Thrive, along with postpaid twin LG Phoenix, in a seeming effort to diversify after losing its iPhone exclusivity. Mon Apr 11, 2011 2:04 pm
AT&T will shut down its long-running Video Share service later this year, making room for a new generation of mobile video services that have gained in prominence.

Apple Teams Up With Mobile Payment Reader

By Kat Asharya | Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:18 pm

Apple has started selling Square payment readers in their retail stores this weekend, one of the first concrete steps that the company has taken in the emerging mobile payment field.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based company's retail and online stores started carrying Square credit card readers this week. Square confirmed that it is the only payment device in Apple's stores and will be coordinating with Apple on in-store seminars on using the machine.

Square offers a small handset device that attaches to the iPhone and iPod Touch, letting merchants swipe credit cards, as well as an app to process and manage credit card transactions.

The partnership with Square is one of Apple's first real moves in the emerging mobile payments market, where e-wallet technology spreads the use of mobile devices in on-site financial transactions. The company had been rumored to consider adding near-field communications, or NFC, chips to its iPhone 5, but was reportedly waiting for industry standards for the technology.

But teaming up with Square is not surprising -- Apple's CEO Steve Jobs recently showcased Square's technology at the iPad 2's launch and the credit card reader was featured in the iPad "Year One" video, demonstrating how the Square device could replace traditional payment terminals.

Apple's choice of Square as its de facto mobile payment solution so far differentiates it from its rivals' own efforts in digital wallet technology, which have focused more on NFC technology.

Google recently extended its mobile payment trials in four cities to let users check-in to stores with an NFC-enabled phone and special "smart" store window stickers, bring up information and offers for consumers. Google likely has a much broader plan to create an NFC-powered mobile payments system and is already reportedly working with MasterCard and Citigroup on it.

Other companies are also investigating mobile payments. Three national carriers have formed a consortium to roll out their own solution and Visa is working with several banks on its own system.

But the boost from Apple is a sign that Square's solution may have legs. Square has been growing tremendously, handling over $1 million in payments per day and 100,000 new sellers per month. Its appearance on the Apple sales floor should be a significant boost in its profile.

The reader costs $10 and includes $10 of Square credit to handle the first few transactions. The app is free.

Mon Apr 18, 2011 2:57 pm
Apple announced the iPad 2 will now be sold at Toys "R" Us stores, even though the supply is scarce and finding the device in stock remains a challenge. Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:00 pm
The iPhone 4 is overtaking all other cameras on Flickr, signaling the increased pressure that camera phones are applying to point-and shoot cameras. Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:00 am
Apple, Google and Amazon are competing for cloud services, while American Express and Google made a push into mobile payment systems, foreshadowing a future without credit cards. Fri Apr 15, 2011 5:23 pm
Angry parents are suing Apple, claiming the iPhone and iPad maker failed to stop their children from buying hundreds of dollars in unauthorized virtual goods. Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:02 pm
Smartphone platforms are making big strides against Nintendo and Sony platforms in the portable gaming market, according to a new study, which is tough news for DS and PSP gaming devices.

IPad Promotions Abound, But Device Remains Elusive

By Margaret Rock | Mon Apr 18, 2011 2:57 pm

Apple announced the iPad 2 will now be sold at Toys "R" Us stores, even though the supply is scarce and finding the device in stock remains a challenge.

Toys "R" Us began selling the iPad 2 today, but only at select stores, and their inventory has been selling quickly. A store in Orange County's Tustin, Calif., for example, sold out of the iPad 2 an hour after opening its doors. The situation is such that Toys "R" Us has posted a list on its website for stores with available inventory of the iPad 2.

The toy retailer is the latest addition to Apple's expanding distribution network. For the first time, Apple offered its iPad device beyond its signature Apple Stores, shipping inventory to other major retail chains that include Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart and RadioShack.

Those stores are suffering the same shortages that currently plague Toys "R" Us. Last week, Best Buy halted sales in order to shore up supply for a featured promotional mailing, but still sold out quickly. Best Buy stores in Chicago and Thousand Oaks, Calif. are only taking orders for the devices since they have none in stock.

And the situation isn't much better at Apple stores. The Manhattan Apple store reports it sells out its new stock on a daily basis.

Since the iPad 2 debuted this past March, it has been flying off shelves and distributors report insufficient inventory for customer demand. Damage to component factories resulting from Japan's earthquake and tsunami may be adding to delays.

Toys "R" Us will also carry iPad accessories, such as Smart Covers, VGA connectors and the camera connection kit.

Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:00 pm
The iPhone 4 is overtaking all other cameras on Flickr, signaling the increased pressure that camera phones are applying to point-and shoot cameras. Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:18 pm
Apple has started selling Square payment readers in their retail stores this weekend, one of the first concrete steps that the company has taken in the emerging mobile payment field. Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:00 am
Apple, Google and Amazon are competing for cloud services, while American Express and Google made a push into mobile payment systems, foreshadowing a future without credit cards. Fri Apr 15, 2011 5:23 pm
Angry parents are suing Apple, claiming the iPhone and iPad maker failed to stop their children from buying hundreds of dollars in unauthorized virtual goods. Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:02 pm
Smartphone platforms are making big strides against Nintendo and Sony platforms in the portable gaming market, according to a new study, which is tough news for DS and PSP gaming devices.

The New Sharp 70-Inch LCD HDTV

Bigger is still better for most people. This is more obvious when it comes to television sets where newer models aim to become not only clearer but also way bigger than before. It seems that most consumers pride themselves in having a TV with the largest screen size they can afford. And for those who look out for the biggest, nothing can get any bigger than this new Sharp 70-inch LCD HDTV.

The new Sharp AQUOS Quattron LC-70LE732U is currently considered as the largest LCD HDTV in the market. That is as big as it can get for now when it comes to LCD HDTV’s. This behemoth features the Quattron Quad Pixel Technology to provide brighter images and more colors than other LCD TV’s in the market. It also comes with built-in WIFi so that users may be able to access Netflix, VUDU, DLNA video streaming and other similar apps. It also offers full HD 1080p resolution and full array LED backlighting. The new Sharp AQUOS Quattron LC-70LE732U 70-inch LCD HDTV is expected to ship this summer at a cost of US$3,800.

Image Source: Engadget

T-Mobile Unveils Rocket 4G Prepaid

T-Mobile has just announced on Twitter its Rocket 4G USB stick, which the wireless network will roll out on April 17 with prepaid plans for those who do not like stifling contracts.

The Rocket 4G connects users online with speeds of up to 21 Mbps. Users can opt for a $30, 30-day plan for an bandwidth upgrade from 300MB to 1GB; while the $50 plan will be bumped to 3GB.

At a reasonable price of $59.99, it is a good alternative while you are waiting for the 42Mbps Rocket 3.0 to arrive.

Source: Phone Arena

Eton Road Torq Emergency Light

When traveling on the road, it always pays to come prepared for any emergency. Being caught up in the road at night with a flat tire or a car engine that needs checking up can become dangerous if you do not have proper lighting. Having an emergency light handy like the Eton Road Torq Emergency Light would really be quite helpful in keeping you safe.

The Eton Road Torq Emergency Beacon is designed to provide lighting when needed during emergencies. This emergency light features a self-powered aluminum dynamo hand crank that can be used to generate the power it needs to light up. Armed with TurboDyne technology, the hand crank can generate electric power for its rechargeable lithium ion batteries to power the 1 watt LED spotlight or the 3 LED flashing beacon. Two minutes of hand cranking can be enough to provide 15 minutes worth of much needed light during emergencies. Its durable design and construction makes it easy to set up and store as well. The Eton Road Torq is available at Brookstore for US$40.

Image Source: Eton

Green House USB 2.0 Hub And 45 In 1 Card Reader

Devices that are now often used need not be made separately if they can conveniently come together into a single device. Take the case of having along a separate card reader and another USB hub- it can be quite a hassle bringing them both with out when you are out and about. It is a good thing that Green House has developed a convenient device that works both as a USB 2.0 Hub and a card reader in its new GH-CR45UHK Combo device.

The Green House GH-CR45UHK Combo device features a USB 2.0 Hub with 3 USB ports. Not only that, the same device also has a 45 in 1 card reader that includes SDXC support. This is an ideal device to bring along with your notebook or laptop and you won’t worry about any space to store it in. the Green House USB 2.0 Hub and 45 in 1 Card Reader Combo Device is expected to be available in Japan any time soon at a cost of around 1,370 Japanese Yen.

Image Source: Green House

Thanko Updates Its Spy Camera Pen with Motion Sensors

USB accessory manufacturer Thanko has a wide array of spy gadgets from watches to button cameras. But this time, instead of introducing a new spy device, Thanko updated one of its popular products.

The updated Thanko Slim Video Pen HD not only can shoot videos in HD quality with 1280 x 960 resolution, but can automatically start recording when it detects motions. The videos are filed in AVI format and stored on microSD cards, which can be tranferred to a computer through mini USB 2.0. Thanko claims the pen’s battery can run for up to 75 minutes.

The Thanko Slim Video Pen HD is now available on its Japanese online store for US$61. Residents living overseas may want to check out other retail sites that sell Japanese gadgets.

Source: CrunchGear

Worx JawSaw

For those planning who are in for some yard cleaning, trimming those overlying branches and even cutting up some unwanted trees may be part of the plan. The most effective way to do this is by using chain saws which, may not always be the safer option for most people. But not to fret, a safer alternative may be available in the form of the new JawSaw from Worx Tools.

The Worx JawSaw is a safer tool to use when the need for cutting up branches or trees come up. It is the chain saw of sorts for those who haven’t has the experience to handle a conventional chain saw before. The Worx JawSaw is safer in that it features a guard over the running chain saw blades that is often the cause of accidents. It runs on electricity unlike the usual gas-powered chain saws that produces noxious emissions. The Worx JawSaw also features an automatic oiler that provides the chain with constant lubrication when used to keep it running smoothly. The Worx JawSaw is available at Worx Tools for US$119.

Image Source: Worx Tools