Nokia has updated a couple more of it’s beta applications - Nokia PC Phone (which allows you to access many functions of your S40 / S60 phone from a PC browser; but only over USB), and the Internet Tablet Video Converter (to convert videos into an optimised format for your 770 / N800 / N810 Internet Tablet). The latter now supports Vista, has some minor UI updates, new input video codecs, and new output video codecs supported (for even better video output).

After the success of the black LG Viewty, LG have announced that from the end of January, the new “Dark Silver” version will also be available. The main specs are the same, although they’ve redesigned the jog wheel slightly. We’ve been using a black LG Viewty for some while now, and hope to have our review online soon.

For those of you not brave enough to mod your Asus Eee PC with a touchscreen, the current rumours are that Asus will be including touchscreen options in new models later in the year. We’ve already mentioned the plans to expand the display size range, and it appears the 8.9″ model will feature a touchscreen (it may be optional).

If you are thinking about adding your own touchscreen, LinITX sell a 7″ Touchscreen kit that have featured in the EeeUser Forums. Better than that, as it’s just over £30, it (along with any other order at LinITX over £30) qualifies for free shipping (UK only).

If you are using the Nokia Beta Labs Gizmo client, last week Nokia updated it. They’ve added a few extra features (eg multiple location support - so you can remain logged in on your PC too, and choose which device to use to answer a call). You have to fully uninstall the previous version first though, and it can still only be installed to the main memory, not a memory card. More details here.

Fujistu have recently announced their P1620 laptop, which has a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, upto 2GB RAM, 100GB Hard Disk, an 8.9″ 1280 * 768 display. Although not smaller than the new Apple MacBook Air, it is lighter…

This is a very interesting device. It’s a GPS with tracking facilities, but it’s also got an SD card. You turn it on, and throughout your photo sessions the GPS will log your exact position, at the end of the day, simply insert your camera’s SD card into the PhotoFinder, and it will automatically add EXIF geolocation data to each picture, providing you with the details of where you were when the picture was taken.

If your camera doesn’t use SD cards, there’s an option for using a USB card reader instead. At the moment, it can only geotag JPEG images (ie no RAW support), although ATP have indicated this function may become available in the future, and they are also hoping to provide a facility to export the tracklogs as Google Earth KML files in the future too.

It’s due in US stores for $99 in the next few weeks, although it is available for pre-order in the UK from EasyDevices for £76.36 (plus shipping, and the price may change).

IBM are apparently soon to launch a Lotus Notes solution for the iPhone (and iPod Touch). Many large corporates are Notes users, and this will allow greater business usage of these devices throughout these companies. Apple and IBM have been working together on this solution, and there are rumours that IBM have had earlier access to the SDK due for release next month. More details are not likely before IBM’s LotusSphere, which starts over the weekend, although it is likely the software will be free.

Back when Ipevo first announced their Solo Skype phone (which connects via Ethernet), they mentioned they would produce a wireless adaptor for it. Well, they have finally announced that the adaptor is available.

More details here.

Story courtesy of Skype.

Although only a few details are currently available, Yahoo have announced they have signed a deal with T-Mobile to provide adverts to users of T-Mobile’s Web’n'Walk Internet services. The press release says that they “will combine their expertise in the industry and knowledge of consumer habits, to enable advertisers to offer consumers targeted graphical ads”. Ads should start appearing in the first half of 2008 (ie by June).

There is no information as to whether this will reduce the price to consumers, whether or not customers will be able to turn these adverts on or off, or even exactly how these adverts will be delivered, and the impact to the customer’s browsing experience. We’ve already seen Nokia trialling adverts directly on their devices, but we await this implementation to see whether or not it will drive customers
towards or away from T-Mobile.

The picture above is possibly just a mockup of the device, but Asus plan to announce the M930 at CeBIT later this year in March. The device will run Windows Mobile 6 (Standard, ie no Touchscreen), has a QVGA exterior screen, a 400 x 240 interior display (not a match for the E90’s screen), with a 2 megapixel camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, microSD card slot, 256MB of ROM and 64MB RAM. These specs (smaller screen, no GPS etc.) mean this is likely to be cheaper than the E90 and may take some customers away from Nokia. However, with Nokia and HTC trying to include GPS receivers in all their high spec equipment, this device may not get as many customers as it could.

Picture and Story courtesy of Engadget.

We’ve managed to find some more information on the Everex side panel accessories. These side panel accessories may eventually include:

• Bluetooth VOIP phone
• GPS
• DVB
• 3G / CDMA phone
• World Clock

Picture courtesy of jkOnTheRun.

After the leaks of Asus’ plans for expanding their Eee PC range, information on Everex’s expanding range is now available. Everex will produce a 9″ screen version around June, with a larger keyboard and more memory. It may also feature changeable covers.  Everex are also planning a developer version of the current CloudBook called the DevBook, which will feature a touchscreen and swappable side panel accessories. If true, this may indicate a future CloudBook with similar features…

The picture above shows the Nuvi SatNav interface running in a Panasonic car stereo. This is a joint venture between Panasonic US and Garmin, and allows Panasonic to develop systems such as the one above. Given this agreement is only with Panasonic US and not the whole Panasonic group (currently called Matsushita, but they will be rebranding as Panasonic worldwide during 2008), it’s unclear whether a device like this is likely to be available in the UK.

Garmin have created a download page for their new software, codenamed Bobcat. Although they have not yet formally announced the software, we can provide some details on the functionality….

• Bobcat allows you to transfer waypoints, tracks, and routes between your Mac and Garmin device and manage your data using your Garmin maps.
• Bobcat provides the ability to search for points of interest from the convenience of your Mac and then send the locations to your Garmin GPS.
• Bobcat also serves as a backup tool for your Garmin GPS. You can receive all your waypoints, routes, and tracks from your GPS and Bobcat will save them automatically.
• MapManager copies maps and unlock codes into the right place to be accessible by Bobcat and MapInstall. To migrate the maps from your Windows PC, download MapConverter onto your PC and follow the instructions.
• Download and install MapConverter for Windows to convert your unlocked PC maps for use on your Mac. For more information please read this document. (PDF file- 245KB)
• System Requirements:
  Intel-based or PowerPC G3 or later Mac
  OS 10.4 or later
  512 MB RAM
  USB port

The software appears to be a Beta version right now, but this bodes well for the future of Garmin’s Mac support plans.

Screenshot courtesy of GPS Review.

The Nokia N95 apparently ships with some animated screensavers, stored in the ROM image, but these can’t be selected from the new phone interface. Symbian Freak have written up an article on how to access and copy these files to allow you to be able to access them here.

A new Nokia firmware is due shortly for the N82. Although firmwares are released on a fairly regular basis by Nokia, this firmware update heralds a new era in Nokia updates. The N82 supports a new firmware function called User Data Preservation, which should result in all user data and applications being preserved throughout the upgrade process.

We’ve seen something similar on the latest Nokia Internet Tablet, the N810, which has the ability to restore this type of data, but this is the first time Nokia has really started supported a smooth upgrade path.

Thanks to Kevin at the Series 60 Blogs.

As we mentioned earlier today, Steve Jobs has announced the ultra-thin MacBook Air just now. The device features an 80Gb 1.8″ hard disk (or an optional 64Gb SSD), 2Gb RAM, a trackpad with multi-gesture support, a 13.3″ widescreen LED backlit screen, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and a full sized backlit keyboard.

The laptop thickness (or should we say thinness?) varies from 0.76″ down to 0.16″.

However, the $1799 turns into £1199, which is a premium compared to the US/UK Dollar exchange rate.

In other points, the MacWorld keynote speech also announced iTunes Movies Rentals ($2.99 to $3.99 for a movie, add an extra dollar for HD versions), a major software update (and price drop) for the Apple TV, new applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch (Mail, Maps, Stocks, Notes and Weather) although this will be a chargeable upgrade on the iPod Touch, the iPhone 1.1.3 firmware update that we’ve already mentioned, and native Office Mac 2008.

Well the rumour mills are in full flow now, with the consensus that Apple will announce a new MacBook range at MacWorld today as we first mentioned here. The main additional information that’s being floated around is that the device will be called MacBook Air.

More news later today / tomorrow once it is formally released by Apple.

Picture courtesy of Engadget.

At CES, a new term seems to have been common - MID. MID is a Mobile Internet Device, and according to Intel, the big difference (compared to UMPC devices) will be that although UMPC devices are high spec units running full OS (eg Windows XP), MID devices are lower spec devices running Linux. Intel will be supplying the chips and chipsets, and various manufacturers will be producing the actual devices, but they are likely to have touchscreens, WiFi (and/or WiMax), and will run Mobile Internet Linux. Skype have confirmed that their Skype client will come preinstalled on these devices. For those devices with webcams, Skype video will also be supported.

These devices are similar to the Nokia Internet Tablets, which already supports Skype, and with Skype coming to PSPs, and the 3 SkypePhone, Skype seem to be bringing their proprietary client to many different platforms.

Although the version of Linux that ships with the Eee PC limits the screen to 800×480, some enterprising individuals on the eeeuser.com forums have written up instructions on improving this. If you have Windows XP installed instead of Linux, then they have made available a new set of video drivers which offer 800×600, 1024×768, and 1280×1024 resolution options. It appears that these drivers expand the screen space, and then scale the screen down to fit the actual screen, so it appears to be running at these higher resolutions. Although simply installing Windows XP offers these resolutions, they result in you needing to scroll the screen around, so it is an improvement.