Tom Keating : VoIP & Gadgets Blog
Tom Keating
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Gadgets

Gadgets

Apple to nuke unlocked iPhones

September 25, 2007

Apparently Steve Jobs has had enough of the hackers unlocking all those iPhones or AT&T got to him, because the next Apple iPhone update will "brick" unlocked iPhones. In a terse statement, Apple said, "Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone's software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed."

Don't you mean unauthorized iPhone programs on the Internet cause unlimited freedom and choice in choosing a wireless carrier? Ok, I get that Apple has an exclusive deal with AT&T in the U.S. and has to try and honor that contract, but c'mon, I have yet to hear of any unlocked iPhone causing "irreparable damage".

Skype + Mouse = MouseFone

September 19, 2007

Apparently converging Skype with USB mice seems to be a trend. You've got the Sony VAIO VN-CX1/B Skype mouse, the BeyondTel VM-01L optical Skype mouse, and now the Skype MouseFone ASG-143 from Sysgration.

So using this device how exactly do you pretend to talk your wife or girlfriend when you're really checking email, and surfing the web? With the mouse being used for voice, you're forced to use the keyboard and keyboard shortcuts to navigate around the desktop and all those keystrokes are sure to give you away. "Are you listening to me?

VoIP on the Nintendo DS Video How-To Guide

September 18, 2007

Handwriting Recognition Keyboard - Cool!

September 18, 2007


Windows Tablet PCs already have handwriting recognition software, but alas our poor mortals with Windows XP or Windows Vista are forced to continue pecking away at our carpal-tunnel inducing keyboards.  Well, today I learned that A1Pro has a cool new USB keyboard that combines... uhhh well a keyboard of course, along with a touch-screen pad for handwriting in your text data entry. Or at least I think it does handwriting recognition.

Skype on the Apple iPod touch

September 5, 2007

In my previous Apple iPod touch post I forgot to mention that since the Apple iPod touch supports the same Safari browser as the iPhone, this enables you to run AJAX applications over its built-in Wi-Fi wireless connection. Thus, you can even run a VoIP application such as Skype on the Apple iPod touch using SoonR, the very first Skype for iPhone solution that I broke the news back in July. It leverages AJAX within the Safari browser. Another recent solution is IM+ for Skype, which should also work on the iPod touch.

Apple iPod touch

September 5, 2007


Apple unveiled the iPod touch, essentially a "phoneless" iPhone featuring all that glorious iPhone multi-touch UI functionality but without the AT&T contract.  The iPod touch features WiFi wireless connectivity which not only lets you browse the web using its built-in Safari browser, but you can also purchase iTunes on-the-go. And yep, you guessed it, just like the Apple iPhone you can play YouTube videos on the first-ever Wi-Fi iPod. Alas, still no FM tuner damn it!

The iPod touch measures just 8mm wide and has a 3.5 inch widescreen touchscreen display. If fact, the touchscreen features the same multi-touch functionality as the Apple iPhone.


DigitalLife Is Coming to Town!

September 4, 2007

Just as surely as August rolls into September (unfortunately ...), DigitalLife is just around the corner! In a few short years, it has become best consumer electronics and entertainment event on the East Coast. (Maybe in the U.S.?)

Open to the public at the start of the holiday buying season, DigitalLife features the latest in home entertainment, video gaming, digital photos and movies, the mobile lifestyle, wireless services, music and movie download services, eCommerce, broadband content, and much, much more.

More than 200 exhibitors, from biggers like Microsoft, HP, Dell and to start-ups you've never heard of -- but very often with cool cool products.

Sony takes on Apple

September 4, 2007


Sony must be reading my blog, since just last week I suggested Sony take on Apple by offering a universal multi-media device that does gaming, mobile calling, video playback, MP3 music, and GPS navigation. I jokingingly called this hypothetical Sony device the Sony PlayStation Multimedia Video GPS Phone - or Sony PSMVGP for short. I knew Sony would be the perfect company to take on Apple and especially that juggernaut known as the Apple iPhone, when I said, "Sony, an expert in electronics, TV screens, and gaming, is the perfect company to take on the Apple iPhone."

I explained last week, "Sony If Sony were smart, they'd come out with a Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) with built-in GPS, GSM cellular service, and wireless Internet functionality. This hypothetical device would blow away the Apple iPhone.


Sony Walkman NWZ-A810 & NWZ-S610

August 30, 2007

Ok, so Sony kinda sorta took my hint from yesterday and today just launched some cool combination gadgety devices - the Sony Walkman NWZ-A810 & NWZ-S610, which are portable music and video players. Now I get that Sony is trying to leverage the Walkman brand, but is that such a good idea? When I think of a Sony Walkman, I think of my old Sony Walkman cassette player NOT some new fandangled high-tech gadget device that not only plays audio but also video. Walkman just seems so 1980s -- but I digress.

Let's move along to what the new Sony NWZ-A810 and NWZ-S610 series have for features.

Provia A1 GPS - too cool!

August 27, 2007

The Provia A1 navigator GPS isn't your typical utilitarian GPS that gets your from point A to point B. No siree, Bob! The Provia A1 navigator is more like the iPhone with it's sleek design, 7" touchscreen, and cool 3D graphics. This Provia A1 GPS just begs to be carried around just so you have cool gadget bragging rights. The Provia A1 navigator is from Korea’s HTMS and features a Samsung 800 x 480 resolution widescreen touchscreen 7-inch display.
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