Gillian Shaw
Sun
N8, Nokia
1. N8, Nokia,
€370
Nokia has announced its new smartphone, the N8, which delivers features like HD video, a 12-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash, and is the first to run on the latest Symbian platform, the Symbian3. The N8 will be released in Europe first, starting to ship in the third quarter of this year with a price tag of €370 (about $500), with no word yet on availability in Canada. As a camcorder, the N8 has a built-in editing suite for the HD videos it takes. It has Dolby Digital Plus Surround Sound and an HDMI connector so you can connect the smartphone to your HD TV to watch your videos on the big screen. It has a 3.5-inch HD capacitive-touch screen display and comes with 16-GB internal memory that can be expanded up to 32 GB with a microSD card. On the social networking side, it gets feeds straight from Twitter, Facebook and RenRen pushed to the home screen. The GPS-enabled smartphone comes with free Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation, covering more than 70 countries. And it has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and FM radio as well as its MP3 player. The N8 supports WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 and GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900. www.nokia.com
Gorillatorch, Joby
2. Gorillatorch, Joby, $30
If you want to shine a little light on your camping gear, check out the Gorillatorch. A tripod 65-lumen flashlight, it has magnetic feet to give it a grip on most metal surfaces. Water resistant, it has a dimmer feature and takes three AA batteries to run. In four colours. www.joby.com
Convertible Classmate PC, Intel Corp
3. Convertible Classmate PC, Intel Corp., price not announced
Intel’s Learning Series, supported by a number of computer manufacturers, is a design lineup geared for students and education. The latest has full PC functionality combined with a rugged form and improved energy efficiency, aimed at offering a solution for primary education. They’ll have an Intel Atom processor, a 10.1-inch LCD monitor, and following the earlier model designs, easily make the switch between a clamshell and a tablet computer. With a water-resistant touch screen keyboard and touchpad, the design is meant to withstand the rigours of the classroom, meeting a drop test from desk height. Its optional six-cell rechargeable battery will run up to 8.5 hours. GPS, 3G and WMAX are other options. Also has a built-in rotational camera and built-in audio and microphone. The computers will be manufactured by a number of companies around the world, with MDG being the Canadian manufacturer for them. www.classmatepc.com
4. Vibe, Tunebug, $70
Turn your table in a speaker. Tunebug’s Vibe is a portable “surfacesound” generator, and sitting on a table or desktop or other surface, turns it into a speaker. It charges via USB with a cord included, and hooks up to any mobile device that has a 3.5-mm audio jack. The LiPoly battery offers about five hours of playtime. Small and light, it is only 5.8 by 2.5 cm and weighs 153 grams. www.tunebug.com
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