The Verizon Decoy launched this week ($179 on a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate) with the much-lauded built-in Bluetooth headset, as well as the usual specs, including a 2 megapixel camera, a 2.2-inch “mirror-like” 240 x 320 display, a micro SD card slot, V CAST music and video support.

Likes: Headset, tools, navigation, 5–way directional joystick, screen & camera resolution (though they could have bumped up to 3.0 megapixels), and sliding ability. My favorite feature? The Bluetooth headset which has superior sound quality; and I love that I can put it back in the phone when I’m completed using it. (Still, Verizon provides headset insurance, just in case.) One quibble: when the headset is out, the indentation worries my thumb, as if the cover is off.

Next, the tools: The calculator has the capability to do powers, for example 5^2=25. You never know when you may be called on to do advanced math, such as checking your tweenies’ homework. Also, the EZ Tip Calculator is handy, if you’re math challenged like me. Simple to set up, it makes that task very simple. The navigation software is intuitive.

If you like the Blackberry Pearl’s scrolling “pearl,” you’ll like the joystick center button on the Decoy. And compared to a Razr, the resolution on the screen is very clear and bright.

Source: gadgetsnews.info

If you can’t sleep at night thinking about the environmental damage caused by your need to have a new cell phone every six months, you’ll be glad to know that eco-friendly cell phones made of corn flour are about to be launched in Korea by Samsung Electronics. The Samsung SCH-W510 has a battery cover and other parts made of bio-plastic constructed from corn starch and other environmentally friendly materials. The W-510 is the first of its kind from Samsung, and, according to PCWorld, the handset contains no heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium). Apparently, the high price of oil is partially responsible for this renewed interest in using plastics made of corn in manufacturing.

Via Telecoms Korea, by way of textually.org.

Source: gadgetsnews.info

You may not get excited by mice, but I have quite a collection of the cute critters. There’s the Logitech multi-media zoomer, my pink Kensington travel model, the Wow-Pen ergonomic version, not to mention the drawer full of reject mice that weren’t up to my exacting standards.

The SlimBlade Presented Mouse by Kensington is my newest pet. It combines a full-function laser mouse and presenter in one sleek device, and is still small enough to fit in your pocket.

Bluetooth connection; switch to go to presentation mode; goes to sleep when your notebook does; ultra-thin design for traveling – what’s not to love? $59.99 at Kensington.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Source: gadgetsnews.info

Have you ever seen something that was just so darn cute that it brought tears to your eyes? I know it was probably something legitimately touching and precious like a baby consoling a grandparent or a puppy curled up next to a kitten that had you reaching for the tissues, but for me, what pulls at my heart strings are these adorable, adorable, adorablepetite panda cell phone charms.

Yes, you read that right. A photo of a dozen variously posed 1.18? to 1.57? panda bear charms makes my eyes well up. Whether it’s the fact that each one has a ring bolted into the top of its head so that it can dangle oh-so-callously from a cell phone, the powerlessness I feel in not being able to select which panda to save (Strapya World chooses one at random), or that the $3.11 handset accessories are currently sold out is to blame for the waterworks is something only my therapist can discover.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Source: gadgetsnews.info

The N95 is a phone that’s everything you want it to be. Although , more than anything else, it’s a smartphone that’s smarter than the rest. While operating on a Symbian operating system, this smartphone has exclusive and unique features that defy the mobile world. Swiftly store all types of media on the 160 MB built in memory. The display is a 24-bit Color TFT LCD that outputs 16.7M brilliant colors. The easy to use keyboard lets you send text messages with ease. Bluetooth Wireless Technology lets you send and receive media through a wireless connection to and from friends and family. You can even surf the world wide web with a simple Wi-Fi connection. Special features include GSM, Cellular Phone, MPEG-4 Video Player and EDGE. Expand your memory by inserting a MicroSD card into the expansion slot. The cell phone has virtually universal bands including GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900, EGSM 900, WCDMA and HSDPA.

The cell phones also has cool features including MMS, SMS, Hands Free Options and Speed Dial Buttons. The camera has a built in music player to play all your MP3 and WMA files. The build in digital camera has amazing quality. It has a resolution of 5 Megapixels, which is awesome for a camera phone, and an unbelievable 10x Digital Zoom. Video Capture Capability allows you to take cool videos while on the go. Wireless capabilities include WLAN 802.11b, WLAN 802.11g and Bluetooth. The Proprietary Li-Ion battery lasts for 4 Hours when fully charged. This phone has a height of 4 inches and a weight of 4.23 oz. From a Gadget Addicts perspective, this new phone has outstanding capabilities, that any multitasking person could ask for. Experience a gadget with a massive amount of features including Carl Zeiss optics and multimedia computing.

Source: gadgetaddict.com

To erase data is human. And to want it restored is even more human. The SIM Recovery Pro apparently understands this “more human” need and helps you get back all those phone numbers or text messages that you deleted.

This SIM card reader can retrieve lost SMSes and phonebook entries in “minutes”. It can also be used to program your SIM to allow fixed calls, to backup/edit the phonebook, and to print out SIM card information. All this without any effort being needed on that common headache called installation procedure, or so the product specs claim. Pretty useful if you habitually delete cellphone data. Only, look forward to possible surprises with this device as the specifications are vague and mention no specific figures in terms of performance. And to part with $110 if you must.

Via The Red Ferret Journal.

Source: gadgetsnews.info

The Buddha cell phone probably does not adhere to the Buddha’s Middle Path in design or appearance, but incorporates Buddhist aesthetics – down to the startup screen and ringtones!

The specs for this customized Nokia N70 are downright flashy – a “golden” outer case that has apparently been made by using 24-carat gold plating over a steel base, a huge “jade” button for video (looks more like plastic), and a jewel encrusted camera. The other “regular” features include bluetooth, mp3/mp4 compatibility and video or still photography (duh). The screen also has handwriting recognition – which means, for example, you could just pull out the pen concealed at the side and write down insights that you might want to share with others. Pretty handy.

Source: gadgetsnews.info