The multi-touch screen is really the only major hardware component the iPhone has over existing devices

In the future, we will see a slew of applications for Windows Mobile smartphones and Pocket PCs containing the exact same feature set and interface as the iPhone's software. The multi-touch screen is really the only major hardware component the iPhone has over existing devices, so its primarily a matter of software, which we'll see shortly.

There are two deal-breakers for me with the iPhone: It has to sync with Exchange directly (no, not just IMAP, but calendaring as well), and it must work with my car's Bluetooth module. The former is because that's the only way I'll get my boss to let me get one instead of a Blackberry; the latter is because no $600 phone, no matter how insanely great, will get me to get rid of a $45K car.

Jabra BT350 Wireless Cell Phone Headset

Small lightweight. The best thing is the clarity on the other end. People can hear me clearly.

The BT350 is so small, light, easy and comfortable to wear. It's fun to use and gives you so much mobility. Most importantly, the sound is crystal clear; as good as any landline and much better than any corded earpiece. The vibrating feature for incoming calls is so cool. I don't have to listen for a ring; my cell can even be on silent mode or out of sight; and wham I know when a call comes in. As for expandability, I am now looking for a bluetooth phone for home and an adapter for my office phone so I can use the BT350 at work.

If you like and/or need to talk "hands-free" and want clear/static-free calls, the BT350 is the product to get. I would recommend the BT350 to anyone with these requirements.

Cuban government officials have begun a new, lucrative service where they have established a WiFi base

Cuban government officials have begun a new, lucrative service where they have established a WiFi base and are charging $10/day to residents of southern Florida for unfettered Internet access. "We have very good download rates for Sicko and, of course, for all your favorite music artists," Castro's spokesperson is quoted as saying. In the background this reporter could hear maniacal laughter and intermittent shouts of "See what the RIAA thinks of that!" and other such obscenities.

T-Mobile UK Blocking Mobile VoIP Start-Up

Of course HUGE and MONOPOLISTIC mobile providers are going to be able to eliminate the younger and smaller competition out of market, ESPECIALLY if it heavily threatens their profitability. Why do you think that it has taken forever for a mobile phone manufacturer to include some kind of Skype-enabled consumer phone? It has been shown that mobile providers are not willing to allow even the smallest cracks of "the different" to enter the surface.

Plus, even if this company were to get some kind of an edge on T-Mobile/Deutsch Telekom, they have a MUCH LARGER budget for developing new solutions to trumph current IP implementations, as well as reasons why IP mobile does not work right now. In short, I think it will be a while before we start seeing IP-based mobile networks on the rise, and chances are that those networks will come from the big players before anything (at least in the US, anyway).

New Bluetooth standard

Ultra low power short-range wireless technology is to be developed as a new version of Bluetooth to connect devices such as watches and heart monitors. The Wibree short-range radio link -- likely to be marketed as ultra low power Bluetooth -- uses just a fraction of the power of earlier systems and can hook up devices with small batteries or power capacity. That could allow links for toys, sports monitors and watches, as well as sensors used in health monitoring, which have not been able to use Bluetooth until now because of its power demands.

Bluetooth is used to link cell phones with headsets, computers and printers to transfer calls, calendar items, documents, songs and pictures. While Bluetooth operates with ultra high frequencies above 6 gigahertz for faster connections, Wibree is intended to operate in the 2.4 gigahertz band, and the two would be able to work in parallel.

Jabra BT500 Wireless Cell Phone Headset

Easy to use, comfortable, voice/sound clarity, longer talk time, very light, behind-the-ear, and LED lights status. No DSP/Noise cancellation, picks up background noise better than voice.

I really love this headset's behind-the-ear and its design but sadly had to replace it for a different product, ended up using Gennum nXZEN 5500 due to its amazing DSP feature. I would prefer Jabra BT500's over nXZEN (over-the-ear) but more often than not, when i'm on a call, other party gets irritated and always complains about my loud background noises. if you are in a quite environment at all times, then this BT will do just fine but not in a loud, open and public places. Yes, I know, it's really a shame. Hopefully Jabra will update this particular model with a dsp capability.

iPhone touchscreen keyboard

For those in the audience enamored with the iPhone -- especially those willing to look past the lack of 3G and requisite 2-year service agreement -- there's really only one x-factor left: the touchscreen keyboard. We've all seen it done, but no one's ever seen it done right -- and Steve seems to think it's going to be off the chain. So why is Dvorak, noted tech pundit, and goader of Mac users and iPhone fans, reporting that he's got insider information that the iPhone's keyboard is complete crap and "people are going to return the phone in droves"? Well, that might have something to do with the fact that he's Dvorak (really, what else would he say?), but we did consult a well trusted and connected source who, as it turns out, has heard the very same thing from multiple iPhone users, and who noted that an accessory keyboard to go with the device may become necessary if the touchscreen keyboard doesn't cut the mustard. Of course, we can only reserve judgment until we wrap our paws on a real production model, but we hope it all turns out well -- even if only because we're sincerely frightened of an iPhone-incited fanboy riot in the streets.

EU roaming caps

European Union ministers adopted rules that will slash the price of making cell phone calls abroad in the 27-member bloc, after a year of wrangling and heated debate.

The rules, which the European Commission said would cut so-called mobile "roaming" charges to a quarter or a fifth of what consumers now pay, are expected to come into force by the end of this month.

These are good news for Europe's consumers, because they will get the roaming thing finally off the table ... so that European consumers will be able to telephone cheaply during the holidays.

Motorola SNN5696 Li-Ion Battery 710mAh for Motorola v3 Razr

This battery holds charge pretty well. No noticeable problem. Seller shipped within a week, and would definitely recommend. Although i only used for a few days, so far the charge is very strong, didn't notice any rapid degradation.

Battery was made in China with the OEM specs of Motorola. Did not notice any differences in quality and performance. Charged and discharge just like the original battery from Japan. Excellent price for a backup battery.

Bluetooth and cell phones

With the rate that technology is evolving nowadays, it's quite easy to be left behind in the current market of electronic products. I experienced this myself when I decided to buy a cell phone. My friend told me that I would be better off if I spend more money for a Bluetooth enabled cell phone instead of the generic model that I was planning to buy.

I couldn't decide which model I would purchase because I had no idea how different Bluetooth enabled cell phones are from the generic models. A friendly salesclerk at the mall patiently explained to me why they were so special. I found out that the features on a blue tooth enable cell phones would allow me to do a variety of things that would be impossible with standard mobile phones. Bluetooth enabled cell phones makes it possible to wirelessly transfer e-mails, contact information, and other basic content to someone who have a similar device. If you have special car kit you, can even make and receive hands-free, wireless calls while driving. Doing these this manually with a standard cell phone would be dangerous. Many recent car models already come with the necessary equipment to accommodate blue tooth enabled cell phones and more automobile companies are planning to follow the trend in the following years.

You might think that with these state of the art features, Bluetooth enabled cell phones would be considerably more expensive than the older generic models. If you're not after very high-end models, you can find that they are actually quite affordable. With the number of cell-phone manufacturer competing for customers, you can be sure that prices of blue tooth enabled cell phones will remain reasonable. Since they are manufactured by world-class companies like Motorola, Sony, and Nokia you also can be sure of getting a high quality product. Don't be left behind. You don't know what you're missing if you don't avail of the exciting features that affordable and user-friendly blue tooth enabled cell phones can offer.

Samsung SGH-E590

Samsung and Jasper Morrison, a leading industrial designer, cooperated to bring the SGH-E590, a compact bar phone with simple contours and clean lines.

Through the partnership with Jasper Morrison, well known for his talents in various areas of industrial design, the E590 provides dual faces; one side featuring a phone keypad and LCD screen while the other side outfitted with dedicated camera functions.

With the sleek design, E590 is equipped with a powerful 3.2-megapixel camera with auto-focus and half-shutter. The panorama shot feature offers intuitive camera UI which displays easy to use icons. Moreover, the E590 comes with the Bean bag, a unique tripod and portable accessory made of a special rubberized material for maximum flexibility and grip.

The Samsung E590 is available in two colors, noble black and snow silver, and will be launched in Europe, China and South East Asia in June.

Samsung SGH-E590 Specification

- Standard: GPRS Class 10 / EDGE / Tri-Band (900/1800/1900)
- Camera: 3.2-Megapixel Auto-focus Camera with half-shutter
- Intuitive Camera UI / Panorama shot
- Display: 262K-Color TFT Screen (220 x 220 px, 1.79-inches)
- Features: Music player (MP3/AAC/AAC+/eAAC+/WMA)
- Bluetooth 2.0 / USB 2.0
- Voice streaming & Messaging / Video recording
- 90 MB / External Memory Slot
- Size: 94 x 42 x 13.5 mm
- Weight: 66 g

Mobile phone spy software

You might want to be careful what you do on your PDA and mobile phone, since someone may be watching you--via software. The software that accomplishes this is called. It's published by Vervata, runs on a PDA or mobile phone silently, and can only be accessed using a secret code. The software currently comes in two versions: FlexiSPY LIGHT, which allows for the recording of all SMS messages, call logs, e-mails, and the location of the device; and FlexiSPY PRO, which includes all of the above and also the ability to switch on the phone's microphone to listen to the device's surroundings. Once the information is collected, the software uploads it via GPRS to a secure server. FlexiSPY can be downloaded at the FlexiSPY website.

It doesn't exactly give you a warm fuzzy to know software such as this is out there does it? Probably the most incredible part of the software is its ability to turn on the phone's microphone to listen to the device's surroundings. One should not assume a company's ability to track the actions of an employee stops with e-mail and Internet browsing via a PC.

Toshiba Portege G900

The FCC has approved Toshiba's latest PocketPC. Originally announced as the Portege G900 at the 3GSM conference earlier this year, the device apparently will be marketed under the firm's "Satellite" brand, run Windows Mobile 6 and offer a feature set that will make most of its competitors look antiquated.

Motorola H500 Bluetooth Headset

I tried to make this headset have some of the problems I've read in other reviews and I just can't make them happen. At full volume, neither I nor the other side could detect any echo. My medium sized ears find the fit solid yet comfortable. No flopping around. The instructions tell you how to put it on. I think some people need to read instructions better.

The range is a draw back if you want to get away from the phone more than 4' or so. I plan on using the headset while the phone is on my person or very close to me so it’s not an issue for me. That being said, I have tested and had a very clear static free conversation at over 20' from the phone. I have also lost a connection at 5' with a piece of furniture between the phone and headset. I especially like that I can use the same mini USB cable that I use with my camera and digital recorder to charge the headset. The headset comes with an ac adapter but if I'm on the computer anyway, it’s just more convenient to use the USB cable.