Digital Tech News - Digital Technology & Consumer Electronics

Sony Ericsson Xperia arc Android smartphone specs, features and video

Sony Ericsson's impressive and sleek Xperia arc smartphone will ship with the latest version Android 2.3 when it is released in the first quarter of 2011, along with some "state-of-the-art" Sony technology.  The Xperia arc phone measures a slim 8.7mm at its thinnest part and it boasts an extra wide 4.2” multi-touch screen, a 8.1 megapixel camera and HD video recording capability, and a built in HDMI-connector for viewing images on a HDTV.  Sony technology on the Xperia arc Android smartphone includes the Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, and Sony’s award-winning Exmor R for mobile sensor with the f/2.4 lens which enables the capture of high quality, bright pictures and HD videos in low light.

Sony Ericsson Xperia arc video presentation below:

Freescale’s Smartbook Tablet Design

Freescale Semiconductor revealed its idea of what consumers might like in the emerging smartbook category with a tablet reference design that features a 7-inch touch screen at a price target of about $200. It's an example of what we will see in smartbook tablets based on Freescale’s i.MX515 processor incorporating ARM Cortex-A8 technology as soon as Summer 2010. The device includes Freescale’s MC13892 power management IC, SGTL5000 audio codec and MMA8450Q 3-axis accelerometer. 

The Freescale tablet smartbook has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity, and also features a 3D desktop framework with touch screen/QWERTY keyboard support. The protptype also includes a web browser with Adobe Flash Player and multimedia plug-ins, a media center, PDF and image viewers, a mail client, an RSS reader, an office suite, handwriting utilities and various widgets for Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Weather SMS and other applications.

The design is the first platform in Freescale’s Smart Application Blueprint for Rapid Engineering (SABRE) series. The SABRE tablet platform for smartbooks incorporates feedback from a recently completed end-user research study conducted in conjunction with Savannah College of Art and Design’s prestigious Industrial Design program.

Lenovo Skylight Smartbook Powered by Qualcomm 1GHz Snapdragon Chipset

Lenovo's sleek new Skylight smartbook device, based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset platform, aims to get the attention of smartphone and netbook users with its compact design, 10 inch screen and 10 hour battery life. While the the Skylight smartbook connects with AT&T 3G mobile broadband service in the U.S., the device also has built-in WiFi and will seamlessly handoff between WiFi and 3G while in use. AT&T's DataConnect 3G data plan and AT&T’s 20,000 strong nationwide Wi-Fi hot spots should keep most users connected on the go.

The Lenovo Skylight smartbook will be available in April in the U.S. for $499 from Lenovo, and at AT&T retail stores. Customers in China and Europe can pick on up later this year. Watch the presentation video below for more juicy details.

HTC Touch Pro2 Smartphone with QWERTY keyboard Headed to T-Mobile USA in August

Since the HTC Touch Pro2 was announced a while back folks have been waiting for this impressive smartphone to hit the U.S., and on August 12th, T-Mobile USA will bring it to customers in a mocha colored finish. HTC Touch Pro2's 3.6-inch color WVGA touchscreen (800 x 480 pixel) with TouchFLO 3D interface slides back to reveal a full-QWERTY keyboard, letting the device sit nicely for reading and creating e-mail, browsing the Web, using apps, and playing videos and games.

The Touch Pro2 Smartphone is powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 and it runs on T-Mobile’s 3G network. Features include Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g), stereo Bluetooth, built-in GPS with location-based services, and a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto focus. The phone also includes Straight Talk technology which is described as an integrated e-mail, voice and speakerphone experience.  Straight Talk lets a user respond to e-mail via a call, organize conference calls from group e-mail, and hold a conference from any location.

The new HTC Touch Pro2 has not yet been priced, so check-in at http://www.T-Mobile.com for more.

Mobinnova élan Ultra-portable Computer Comes to Computex 2009

At the Computex 2009 show in Taipei, the Mobinnova élan ultra-portable computer powered by the NVIDIA Tegra "computer-on-a-chip" platform made its debut. Setting the 2 lb. élan apart from most other netbooks is the ability to power up instantly and connect directly to a 3G wireless network. It also boasts 720p high-definition video playback, with about 5-10 hours of continuous HD video playback on a single charge.  It has an 8.9 inch screen, and also features a 3D graphical user interface. Mobinnova has not announced pricing.