T-Mobile HTC HD2 coming March 24th

T-Mobile’s hosting a special event in New York City on March 16th to lay to rest all the rumors swirling around the HTC HD2 launch date.  We are expecting a March 24th release date according to a leaked roadmap, but a twitter post says it could be as early as March 23rd. The HTC HD2 is quite the monster, it’s got a 1Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 4.3 inch high-resolution capacitive touchscreen, WiFi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS, a microSD slot bundled with a 16GB card, and a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with dual LED flash.

Although it is said to be running Windows Mobile 6.5, and unfortunately, it may not be upgradable to the Windows Phone 7 Series, but with themes you could skin the HD2 to fool your friends and make it look like WinPho7.

Pre-loaded apps coming with the HD2 on T-Mobile are: Blockbuster On Demand integration with the full film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Barnes & Noble eReader, giving you access to more than a million eBooks, newspapers, magazines and your Barnes & Noble digital library. The MobiTV mobile app, giving live and on-demand TV from . Gogo Inflight Internet service for six months of free in-flight Wi-Fi access.

This is definitely a great new smartphone coming our way, expect it to go for $199 on a two year contract.

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Revivelite II portable charger

Scosche, an accessory maker for mobile devices announced Revivelite II.  A small, sleek, portable iPhone charger that is equipped with a USB port to allow a second iPod or iPhone to be charged simultaneously.  It has a collapsible iPhone docking station and wall socket prongs for folding up on the go, and includes various foam inserts for different iPod models.

The LED night light helps you to find it in unfamiliar territories, and so you don’t trip. It automatically switches on in low light but has a manual on/off switch too.

The Revivelite II portable charger will be available in spring and is expected to have a price tag of $25 and come with a 1-year Manufacturer’s warranty.

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The BMorn BM-889 support many HD video formats as MPEG (AVI), RM, RMVB, FLV, MKV, MP4, MOV, VOB, DAT, 3GP, etc.

Bmorn, an electronics device manufacturer from China, is releasing a new HD-capable PMP onto the market called BM-889. Although very little detail is known about this new device, it will feature 720p (1280×720) HD video output (not quite the full HD 1080p).

The 5-inch touchscreen has a resolution of 800x 480 and uses a new technology called ‘Human Magnetic Sense Touch’ (or a bad translation of multi-touch perhaps) . This new type of magnetic touch is apparently faster and more sensitive in comparison to traditional touch devices.

It supports almost any video and audio format, as well as an FM radio.  Storage capacities are apparently in the range of 1-16GB off the shelf, with up to 32 GB expandable with T-Flash.

There has been no word of its price tag and it will probably never make it over seas.

BMorn BM-889 5-inch Portable Media Player Image Gallery

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This is the first box I have seen that has everything the Allegro portable wireless internet radio does. It’s compatible with MP3, WMA, Real Audio, WAV music formats, controllable from your iPhone or iPod with Grace Digital’s Remote App which is free at iTunes, quite the beast. What it is missing though, is the ability to stream your audio from your home computer, to your iPhone.  Now that would make sense, but the iPhone app is just a remote control.

A large 4 line display makes it easy to read, with dials to navigate over 16,000 stations via Pandora, Sirius, Live365, and MP3tunes.  There are 10 preset buttons and space for 99 additional stations  in the ‘My Stations’ folder.  Connects to Wi-Fi  802.11b/g/n routers for Wi-Fi Internet Radio streaming from your PC or Mac.

Comes with an AC adapter for indoor use and runs for eight hours on 6 AA batteries, great for taking to the park or whatever.  A great bonus feature is that it can detect which type of batteries are being used, standard or rechargeable, and with the built in battery recharging circuit it will recharge any standard store bought NiMH rechargeable batteries, sweet.

Sells for $170 from the Grace Digital Audio website.

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Three Google executives in Italy have been convicted of privacy violations because of a disturbed individual who posted a video from their mobile phone on ‘Google video’ of a boy with down syndrome being abused.

Judge Oscar Magi has sentenced three Google executives to a six-month suspended sentence.  They have been absolved of the defamation charges, while a fourth defendant has been acquitted of charges of defamation.

Google has said it would appeal and has called the decision “astonishing”. In a statement Google’s global privacy counsel Peter Fleischer, who was convicted in absentia said, “The judge has decided I’m primarily responsible for the actions of some teenagers who uploaded a reprehensible video to Google video, We will appeal this astonishing decision,” Google spokesman Bill Echikson said at the courthouse. “We are deeply troubled by this decision. It attacks the principles of freedom on which the Internet was built.”

This trial is going to determine if the Internet is an open self regulating forum or if all content on the web should be monitored. Google has stated that it considered this trial a threat to the freedom of the Internet.  It is trying to force providers to prescreen the thousands of hours of footage that is uploaded to various sites each day.

Googles three executives are Peter Fleischer, Global privacy counsel member, senior vice president and chief legal officer David Drummond and retired chief financial officer George Reyes.  Acquitted of his charges was Arvind Desikan, Senior product marketing manager.

Prosecutors had insisted the case wasn’t about censorship, but about balancing the freedom of expression with the rights of an individual. Prosecutor Alfredo Robledo who has all along insisted that this case was ‘not about censorship but about balancing the freedom of expression with the rights of an individual’ stated that his is very satisfied with the courts decision and that ‘now Google will have to consider better monitoring its video’.  (Sounds like censorship to me)

ViviDown is an advocacy group for people with Down syndrome and are the ones who alerted the prosecutors to the video.  The video showed a down syndrome student being bullied, insulted and beaten at school, and in the video one of the teenagers pretends to put in a ‘phone call’ to Vivi Down.

All four executives were tried in absentia have denied any wrongdoing. These executives were not involved with the production or uploading of the video but prosecutors argued that because it shot to the top of the most-viewed list that it should have been noticed immediately and removed.  Google Italy did remove the video and thanks to Google’s cooperation the bullies in the video were identified and sentenced by their juvenile court system.

If the video was never uploaded to Google and made popular, how would these individuals ever be found and charged.  It is sad that it received so much attention before being removed, but I don’t see how liability could be transferred.

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The Swedish company myFC AB unveiled a series of hydrogen powered portable fuel cell power generators designed to recharge your mobile device whether you are in the desert, jungle or any remote location lacking a power outlet.

How is energy created? Through the “Proton Exchange Membrane”, hydrogen is converted into electricity by drawing from a packet of aluminum powder added to one of the compartments in the device along with precious water.  The companies aim is targeted to developing countries like Africa. It may be naive to believe the people in poverished countries such as Africa need a hydrogen power pack that requires one of the most important things to them, water.  And no mention of the quality of water that is needed, is it distilled? Filtered? Plain? Because the water running straight from the tap in many remote villages have high iron content, will this conflict with the production of hydrogen? Then there is the Aluminum powder packet which according to the company will be “inexpensive” but it is still an expense nonetheless, another thing people in Africa do not have much of, money.

The company has 3 different designs.  The B2 series is for charging your smartphones and devices that require 6W of power.  The H3 with output being from sub-watt to 3W is for charging all your other portable electronic devices.  Both of the B2 and H3 series are designed to be durable enough for outdoor use.  The third design is called the Blade, at 3mm thick, it’s really just a prototype design for manufacturers to integrate on the back of devices which I could see having more potential than a stand-alone product.

MyFC Fuel Cell Photo Gallery

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TSA spokeswoman Andrea McCauley said “Since December 25th, we’ve been enhancing our security measures at airports throughout the country, including random screenings at the checkpoints and at the gates.  TSA has been swabbing luggage for explosive residue for years but wanted to add another layer of security after the Christmas Day incident.”

Passengers have mixed feelings about this new procedure.  While most agree that it is a great idea to check for theses things, some are worried that because the machine takes 10 seconds to analyze the cloth, it will create longer delays.  You would also think that any terrorist capable of building a bomb, would be smart enough not to touch the explosives with their hands.  But really, if they place the test at the beginning of the many security procedures already being done, by the time you pass through the searching, scanning, analysis (and a few others) the results should be ready to read.

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Now the Rock-It.  It’s been done before, but has it ever been done right?  The video of OrigAudio founder Jason Lucash and Mike Szymczak on Fox Business News shows them strapping the Rock-It to anything from a recycling bin, plastic cup, to a cereal box.  Each thing you stick it on, depending on its acoustical properties, will give off different sounds and qualities.  Great for hotel rooms, i’d like to see how it would work on our 10′ windows. It runs off 2 AAA batteries or a USB connection.  OrigAudio sells it for $49 and they recommend strapping it to cardboard boxes, doors, windows, mirrors, lamp shades, flat surfaces, file cabinets, dressers, and home appliances.

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S&J Co. Ltd is going to be showcasing two new products at CeBIT 2010 which is to be held in March.  Yes, that’s right, CEBIT. We’re just wrapping up Mobile World Congress and manufacturers are readying themselves for the next event.

The super compact portable speakers, ‘Eggy’ and ‘Bike Speaker’ are for mobile users, whether on a bicycle or traveling with a laptop you can have sound with you on the go.  The Eggy has a simple and compact design that fits in you hand.  It looks like an egg and uses micro-mini 20 mm drivers with a 2W output and digital amplifier that provides “quality? sound.  Eggy uses the USB interface as its power source requiring no extra wires.

The Bike Speaker is a safe and convenient way to listen to your tunes while riding the trails, or maneuvering cramped busy city streets.  It’s detachable of course, so it can come with you when you get to your destination.  Basically the same guts as Eggy, but with volume controls, a stopwatch and FM radio.

Dong-jun Seo, the  CEO of S&J released this about the company’s ambitious plan. “We expect very high demand for Bike Speaker in the advanced European countries where the rate of bike use is higher than in any other parts of the world. With our new products, S&J will expand our global distribution network to all corners of the world including Europe.”

As Original Development Manufacturing specialists of Samsung Electronics, S&J currently supplies them with USB memory, keyboards, mice, web-cams, headsets and speakers.

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Traveling to Europe or within with your four legged friend? Well, European laws are about to require that all cats and dogs traveling to Europe, or within its boundaries, will be required to be microchipped.  After July 2011, even if you have your animal tattooed and you have the papers to match, your pet will still be required to have a microchip. This will be Europe’s new standard for identifying all pets traveling by air.

A microchip is about the size of a really long grain of rice, veterinarians implant these chips into all kinds of pets – even reptiles and birds can get microchipped, as well as cats and dogs. The chip carries a unique identifying number that is accessible from a database which shows the pets name, owners name and contact information.  AVID, a company among the largest sellers of microchips in the world, claims their microchips reunite as many as 1,400 lost pets each day.

According to a 2007 USDA report on the regulations of pet microchipping, about one quarter of European pets have been chipped, in comparison to the U.S. with only 5 percent, roughly 130 million dogs and cats.

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