Gadgets and Gizmos

Nokia’s visual radio phones

Just saw a demo of Nokia’s new visual radio phones.

In a nutshell, they combine a traditional analog FM broadcast with an interactive channel that’s provided over the mobile phone network. So you see an album cover for each song playing. You can vote if you like the song or not.

You can buy a ringtone of the song. And in the future, you will be able to buy a download of the song straight to the Nokia 7710’s built-in MP3 player.
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Smartphone Viruses: 52 and Counting

New data released by an antivirus vendor that specializes in Symbian technology, called SimWorks, suggests that the level of malware aimed at smartphones is higher than previously thought.

The firm announced that it has identified 52 previously unknown Trojans for the Symbian platform. The trojans appear to be cracked versions of popular Symbian applications, such as BitStorm, BugMe!, Cosmic Fighter, 3D Motoracer and SplashID.

In addition to the installation files for the application itself, the files also include various versions of previously known malware such as Cabir and Locknut.

Mobile Photo Enhancer

Mobile Photo Enhancer is simple image correction tool, that is intended to correct low resolution camera phone pictures. It can reduce the amount of digital noise and JPEG artifacts, and also adjust contrast and levels and remove vignetting (dark corners) in images. The program can perform operation for single or multiple images. Overall, it is a scaled down image processor that allows for basic adjustments – nothing that couldn’t be done with any other basic photo editor.

- Price: $29.95 (Free Trial)
- Windows: 98/ME/2000/XP
- File size: 3422 kb
- Download Shareware

Sprint sees advertising-supported mobile services

Sprint sees many new opportunities emerging in mobile data services in the coming years, among them the chance to sell advertising on its mobile entertainment offerings, a company executive told a wireless conference on Tuesday.

“It’s inescapable that that’s a great opportunity over the long term,” said Paul Reddick, vice president of business development, strategy and planning at Sprint PCS, the carrier’s mobile division.

Sprint offers games, TV and other mobile content today that is fully supported by customer fees. It’s not clear yet what form advertising might take, whether commercials inserted into shows and games or some other delivery method, Reddick said. He spoke on a panel discussion at the Wireless Ventures conference in Redwood Shores, Calif.
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Motorola cancels orders of Microsoft smartphones

Motorola plans to cancel the launch of its MPx230 Microsoft Windows-based smartphone, manufactured by Chi Mei Communication Systems (CMCS), according to sources at Taiwan handset makers. The vendor also intends to discontinue orders of the MPx200 and MPx220 models with CMCS and the MPx with Compal Electronics, indicated the sources.

CMCS and Compal declined to comment on the report.

If the smartphone orders are canceled, it may confirm a January 21 article, which quoted the Chinese-language Commercial Times as saying that Taiwan handset makers will no longer land ODM orders for Microsoft smartphones from Motorola.

Sources in the China handset market noted that the cancellation of the MPx is partly because the China government has banned unapproved devices using Wi-Fi from being sold in the country. Rather than take the Wi-Fi out of the device, Motorola instead decided to no bother selling the model in China, according to the sources.