Finally, an Android powered handset from someone other than HTC!  Samsung announced today their first Android powered mobile phone – the Samsung I7500. The handset (which physically looks similar to other Samsung smartphones) features a 3.2 inch AMOLED full touch-screen display, 7.2 Mbps HSDPA support, and Wi-Fi networking. As you might expect, the I7500 offers a full suite of Google powered services including Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Calendar, and Google Talk.

Specs for the I7500 include the following:

• 5 megapixel digital camera
• 7.2 Mbps HSDPA / 5.76 Mbps HSUPA (900/1700/2100 MHz)
• EDGE/GPRS support
• 3.2 inch HVGA (320 x 480 resolution) AMOLED display
• Support for MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV video file formats
• Support for MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, RA audio file formats
• Web Browser
• Bluetooth 2.0
• USB 2.0 support
• Wi-Fi networking
• 3.5 mm ear jack
• microUSB support
• 8GB internal memory
• microSD card slot
• 1500 mAh battery
• Measures 115 x 56 x 11.9 mm

The Samsung I7500 will be available in major European countries starting in June of this year. No word on other countries at this time.

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Technorati Tags: Samsung I7500, Android handset, Android mobile phone

Happy Earth Day everyone! Do something green today?

In commemoration of this day, NASA released the results of a week long online voting survey of the top accomplishments the agency has performed with Earth observations from space. The overall winner with 3280 votes? “Finding your way with GPS”. Here’s NASA’s description of this accomplishment:

“Behind the power of today’s GPS units to get you where you need to go is a huge body of scientific knowledge about our spinning, shifting Earth. We live on an active planet where every piece of real estate moves relative to each other. Precise navigation with GPS satellites would be impossible without ultra-precise knowledge of Earth’s shape and how it rotates. NASA pioneered much of this work with a global network of laser ranging satellites and super-charged GPS receivers to monitor daily changes in Earth’s surface. Oh, and there are side benefits like tracking the movement of tectonic faults, measuring sea level rise, and making air travel safer.”

The above picture is of the Laser Geodynamics Satellite (LAGEOS I), which was launched back in 1976.

The other winners (ordered by votes) were:

2. Diagnosing Our Ailing Ozone Layer (2408)
3. From Storm-Spotting to Next Week’s Weather (2313)
4. Warming and Rising Seas (1443)
5. Global Reach of Air Pollution (1321)
6. Ice Sheets on the Move (1151)
7. It’s a Big Green World (1102)
8. Predicting Feast or Famine (856)
9. A Lively Water World (631)
10. Ultimate Home Energy Audit (543)

[Check it out via News.com]

Technorati Tags: NASA, Earth Day

One of the first things I do whenever I move into a new apartment is wire up all the rooms with some Cat 5 cabling. Yes.. I have to have wired networking in all the rooms – wireless just won’t do. Now of course, laying down your own Cat 5 cabling isn’t exactly a viable option for everyone so what can you do when you need some high speed networking? How about transforming that coaxial cabling that’s probably in your household into a high speed Ethernet network? Yes.. that’s right – you can do exactly that with the relatively inexpensive MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit.

For $229, you get two MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapters – one adapter that can be plugged into your home router and another that can be plugged into your Ethernet-ready device. The kit supports the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (hence, the MoCA) 1.1 certification which basically ensures compatibility with cable and DSL network, interference-free television viewing over existing cable services and interoperability with other MoCA 1.0 and 1.1 products.

Other cool features include:

• Up to 270 Mbps transfer speeds
• Data encryption for data privacy
• Measures 25.4 x 171.5 x 111.1 mm and weighs 0.28 kg
• One 10/100 Ethernet port
• One F-type MoCA 1.0 port
• One F-type out to TV tuner

The kit comes with two MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapters, two RG-6 Coax cables with F-Type connectors, two Ethernet cables, two power cables, and documentation.

[Check it out]

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Technorati Tags: Netgear, Netgear MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit

Could Hulu find a home on the Apple iPhone? mocaNews certainly thinks so as they’re reporting that Hulu is currently working on a new streaming video application for the iPhone that will work over both Wi-Fi and 3G networks. As the article eludes to, perhaps what’s more interesting is the fact that the new app will work over both Wi-Fi and the 3G network of AT&T. Previous potential bandwidth hogging application were barred from using the 3G network and hence relegated to the Wi-Fi network. However, should this rumor be true, it’ll be interesting to see what the resulting video quality will be like over the 3G network.

[Check it out via Mobile Burn]

Read this in Chinese Simplified and in French

Technorati Tags: Hulu, Apple iPhone

Do you find most iPod nano cases boring? Perhaps you’ll be interested in the new PSYCLOPS iPod nano 4G silicone sleeves. Available in six one-eyed characters (and various other designs), the new silicone sleeves fit “comfortably around the nano 4G”. In addition, the purchase of each sleeve brings a unique secret code that unlocks access to a “VIP” experience on the PSYCLOPS HeadQuarters online music and dance experience site. The new silicone sleeves will be available for $19.99.

Ah yes.. one more thing. PSYCLOPS also announced a new sweepstakes to commemorate the launch of their new line of iPod accessories (as well as their expanded online store). The prize? a new iPod touch device and select PSYCLOPS accessories. The sweepstakes is open to everyone in the U.S. and Canada (except Quebec). One grand prize winner will win the iPod touch while 12 first prize winners can select either the nano 3G protective case or the nano 4G silicone sleeve. The contest ends on April 30th.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: PSYCLOPS iPod nano 4G silicone sleeves, iPod nano 4G case

Now here’s something a bit different from your normal dose of tech news – IDEAL LIFE has announced the world’s first ever Bluetooth enabled “chair scale” designed for home use by individuals who cannot easily use a standard weighing scale known officially as the Body Manager Plus. The chair scale will be on display at the upcoming 2009 American Telemedicine Association Annual Meeting which will be held from April 26th till April 28th in Las Vegas. Unfortunately details are somewhat light at this point – but stay tuned for hopefully a picture.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: IDEAL LIFE Body Manager Plus, chair scale

If you’re a fan (and a customer) of Amazon Video On Demand, then you’ll be happy to hear that the company has added HD titles into the service mix. Customers will now be able to rent movie titles and purchase TV shows in HD format from a wide variety of networks and studios. There are currently over 500 HD TV show and movies from places such as Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Showtime Networks. In addition, Amazon also announced that their entire library of 40,000 titles (including HD titles) will now be available on Panasonic’s VIERA CAST enabled HDTV sets. Other devices compatible with the service include the Roku digital video player, TiVo Series3, HD, and HD XL DVRs, and the Sony Bravia Internet Video Link.

Using the aforementioned devices, customers will be able to rent HD movies for $3.99 to $4.99 a title. Customers will also be able to purchase HD quality TV shows for $2.99. Purchased shows can be watched on Macs, PCs, and other compatible media devices.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Amazon, Amazon Video On Demand

Dell announces today that their popular Studio 15 laptop has received a modest upgrade in the form of new entertainment features, display/graphics options, and personalization options. With prices starting at $649, the new Studio 15 has the following new additions:

• 15.6 inch LED display with true HD resolutions (720p/900p/1080p)
• Optional 256MB or 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD4570 graphics
• 2.0 megapixel webcam with digital array microphone
• Now six color options including a new Black Chainlink color, as well as Ruby Red, Midnight Blue, Plum Purple, Spring Green and Promise Pink.
• Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi networking
• Optional Bluetooth
• Optional Mobile Broadband
• 8 in 1 memory card reader
• Dual USB ports
• One USB/eSATA combo port
• One HDMI port
• 5.1 channel audio and 3 watt subwoofer
• Dual headphone jacks
• Optional slot loading Blu-ray drive
• Optional backlit keyboard

Check out http://www.dell.com/studio for more information on the entire Dell Studio product lineup.

Read this in Chinese Simplified and in French

Technorati Tags: Dell Studio 15 laptop

OK, so this isn’t tech news per se but I’m a big Depeche Mode fan so I thought I’d post it up here anyhow. DM’s latest album, Sounds of the Universe (yes they’re still going strong folks!) is now available and Amazon is having a one-day MP3 album sale for the new release. You can purchase the entire “Sounds of the Universe” album in MP3 format for $3.99 – but ONLY for today.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Depeche Mode, Sounds of the Universe, Amazon MP3 sale

Just in time for Spring (although it feels a wee bit more like Summer right now in LA), Speck announces two new colors to their SeeThru soft-touch hard shell MacBook/MacBook Pro cases – hot pink and high noon yellow.

The SeeThru case is an easy to install/remove two-piece hard shell case design featuring:

• Rubberized exterior finish
• Durable ulta-thin profile
• Access to all ports and interfaces
• Rubberized feet
• Vents for heat dissipation

You can purchase the new colors now for $49.95 – either at http://www.speckproducts.com or at http://www.apple.com/

[Check it out]

Read this in Chinese Simplified and in French

Technorati Tags: Speck SeeThru Satin Case, MacBook, MacBook Pro Cases