Wow!  I had been hearing (reading) of some rumblings for a while now about Sony Erricson bringing a new GSM to market!  Most of the news bored me as most of the Sony's to this point were just that to me: BORING!  So today I learn that Sony Ericcson's XPERIA has been introduced!  Most notable on the hardware side of things is the Arc-sliding keyboard to give you a better angle for veiwing.  But once its slid open, check out the 800 X 480 screen!  Thats right!  800X480!  HSDPA for high speed internet, WM6, GPS, and FM Radio!  No word on price, but if its typical of Sony, I am betting it will make the iPhone look like a bargain!  Minus the AT&T two-year of course . . . 

The bottom line here is that on the surface anyway, this phone looks to include it all!  Remember the Sony Clie's?  Remember how they took Palm and improved upon it?  Kind of how HTC is doing now with WM06?  I have my fingers crossed that Sony will do something to make the UI a little different!  This could be a phone to watch!  The full qwerty keyboard to me anyway, loaded to the hilt, GSM quadband and nice looking!  I bet its considerably lighter than the similarly equipped HTC TyTN II but we will ahve to wait and see to be sure . . .  

Below are the specs taken from the SE web site

 So it looks as if Asus really started something with the Eee PC.  Everex is set to debut its Low cost Linux system 2/15/08 to a Walmart near you and now it looks as if a company called Pioneer Computers is showing off its version of a low cost Lappy!  Seven inches of LCD, 1 Gig processor and 1 Gig Ram.  You choose between Linux, XP or Vista, but know that it starts at $469 (Quite a bit more than a Eee or a Cloudbook) and those other OS choices bump the price toward the sky. Also note that the base model doesn't even offer WiFi!  So its interesting, but with the price and no WiFi, I don't think this is going to be a treat to the King of the low cost laptop mountain, Eee . . .   But lets see where Pioneer Computers takes this concept.  Who knows, version two might add some key missing pieces and figures out how to drop the price .  . . . .

"This one I just can't understand . . And let alone afford.  This is one time when I am glad I am not rich!  Because I might have more money than sense when it comes to such purchases. This has to be one of the most appauling cell phones I have ever seen in my life!  And the price? Over $3,000!  I just love how the aritlcle is written:

Dubai, UAE - February 6th, 2008: Givori, the luxury accessorizor specializing in mobile art, today announced the launch of the new 'Serendipity' collection of hand-crafted mobile phones.

The exclusive collection is made up of fifty individually numbered pieces, each of which is meticulously handcrafted to ensure that no two phones are alike. Designed by a renowned international jewellery designer, the individual pieces feature vintage 1930's and 1940's intaglio Czech stones sprinkled with tiny specks of Aventurine gold.

Givori's 'Serendipity' collection is a truly unique product. The use of genuine rare vintage stones, some of which are over eighty years old, reflect a bygone era of glamour and romance. With only fifty pieces made worldwide, the new Givori 'Serendipity' collection is the perfect gift for your loved one with each phone beautifully gift-wrapped with a complimentary box of exquisite chocolates.

 The Limited Edition 'Serendipity' collection is now available exclusively at Harvey Nichols and select outlets. The phone retails at AED 11,300 and is available on both the Nokia 8800 Arte and Nokia N76 mobile phones. For more information on this product, please contact the call centre: 800 4885."

Now, to me, "jewells" are not shiney stuff glued to a Nokia, but probably a software app that runs flawlessly and is used daily on my Phone.  Of course, Chocolate is Chocolate and who can argue with that?

NOTE to self:  Email Palm and tell them that they can turn it all around if they would only include complimentary Chocolates with every Treo/Centro Purchase.  

 
Everex has created quite a buzz with the announcement of their $400 Cloudbook!  A nine inch screen, Ubuntu Linux OS, Camera and a bunch of Open Source Software.  Originally due to be released Late January, the release date got moved to 2/15/08 to address some "tweaking" according to Everex.  And rumors are that the first batch has already sold out.  I am not sure how that works.  You don't have one of these even available yet, but pre-orders have you sold out. But I can't find anywhere on the net to Pre-order a cloudbook.  Maybe its there, its just not available the way I search it . . . . .

Anyway, Paul C. Kim is already touting the next generation Cloudbook and what its iteration will be including.  According to Kim, this new cloudbook will be available this year.  Some highlights:  An SSD Option, "Female Colors", a 22 inch screen option and the company is considering mobile broadband. Add to this, the already announced touchscreen function!  Wow!  It all sounds exciting!  It might be really nice to actually see some of these in the Walmarts across America as Everex promised however . .  .  Regardless, this is a segment of the computer market that I think is going to be huge in the coming year!  I have said it before:  "If all you really need is portable email and internet, a Eee PC or an Everex Cloudbook might be the answer to your dreams!"

Around the first week of December 07, I purchased a Shomi Digital Player from the Walmart.  I thought it might be nice to post up a review of it here on my site, since it was one of the first Picture Players I had seen for under $100.00.  The next thing I know, my web stats are out the roof, and many people are posting questions regarding their own Shomi Players!  Most of those questions had to do with the easiest way to get pictures from a computer to the player.  So I posted up another detailing how to use a Card reader and to dedicate a card solely to the Player. Most of these questions were very common and should have been found in the manual.  But the manual was really no help.  How about a web site?  Well, at the time, it was no help either!  In fact, it was non-existant!  Well, finally Shomi has a web site up!  It isn't much and it isn't very friendly either.  If your reading this, its because Google has me cataloged much higher than Shomi's own site because more people have to this point visited me, instead of them looking for solutions to their problems!  The only thing I can figure is they cut costs by not including a manual that told you anything at all about the product and how to use it.

 I like my Shomi player!  It works just fine for me and my family.  It has been a hit in our house with anyone who visits! But  you are pretty much on your own to figure out how to use it.  I won't go into that here as I have already covered those items in two other posts complete with video.  But I did want to let everyone know that Shomi has posted an FAQ on their site, answering many of the questions that many have posted here.  Since you are already coming here instead of their own site, I have posted them below to save you the trouble.  Click on the read more link to see the FAQ for the Shomi Digital Player. 

Just some quick observations here as to who the winner might be in this merger . . . . .  Microsoft!  They finally have some web standards to run with.  They couldn't build anything better so they bought them!  Hey, I am not knocking them for it!  The IE browser was purchased to compete with a company called Netscape and we all know how that one turned out! 

• Yahoo Search and MSN Live Search - Yahoo was born by being a search engine to catalog the web!  Microsoft has been trying unsuccessfully for years to be better!  Now it should finally happen
• Yahoo Mail and HotMail!  Hotmail should have either been abandoned or redone a long time ago!  Yahoo supports IMAP Standards, and has one of the best web based interfaces of any web based email!  (even Google's)  I expect hotmail to slowly fade away while Microsoft pushes the much more robust Yahoo mail. 
  
• Yahoo Go and Windows Mobile: Yahoo has a pretty cool mobile interface, and Microsoft has a mobile OS!  I am hoping to see some really cool things here!
• Yahoo Messenger and MSN- These guys have played nice together for a while now!  I don't expect anything to change really other than at some point way out there, they might be combined into one service.  No rush however. 

As far as blogging goes, MSN has live spaces and Yahoo has Yahoo 360.  Neither of these have really ever caught on.  I have never looked at 360, but livespaces has an easy to use interface, and even though the pieces are there, its never really been popular or had the standards or add ons like WordPress and TypePad. My suggestion to Microsoft: Buy WordPress, or better yet, Incorporate WP into your servers and offer it!  Its Open Source after all!

Social Networking.  I believe you guys have talked about trying it, but so far its been no go.  Again, FaceBook is only growing larger! It might be time to buy it!  Flickr Seems to be a popular place on the web and there are lots of little goodies for it as far as mobile apps, and widgets for other sites . . .  With all Microsoft is getting in this deal, I would say 44 bilion is a bargain! 

You know, the trend here lately has been for cell phone makers to include GPS capability!  I mean it only makes sense.  But since GPS makers like Garmin are only looking to expand their product line, it really makes sense for them to become a player in the cell phone market as well!  Introducing the Garmin Nuviphone!

As far as specs, I can't tell you a lot right now, other than it will feature a 3.5 touch screen, internet browser, HSDPA support preloaded maps of North America, eastern and western Europe, millions of PIOs, turn by turn spoken directionsand Google local search capability.  Look for availability quarter 3 of this year. 

Don't take my word for it, head on over to Garmin's site and see how good they hype it!