HP Launches its Smallest Consumer Laptop

Hewlett-Packard has launched its smallest notebook in the consumer range – HP Pavilion dv3000.

The dv3000 is designed for the mobile professional and comes wrapped in a black shell.The laptop – labeled 'The One' is designed for mobile executives featuring a full-sized keyboard, a 13.3-inch wide-screen display based on HP BrightView technology and HP 3D DriveGuard that protects the hard drive while on the go. By way of security it features HP Fingerprint Reader. It also has a built-in HP Pavilion webcam and HP mobile remote control. The laptop is equipped with NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS graphics card with 256MB dedicated video memory.The HP Pavilion dv3000 has been built to perform under the conditions faced by business professionals who are constantly on the move. For the frequent travelers, we have also packed several of our entertainment features into the notebook for their leisure purposes.""As a result of HP's extensive research across three continents focusing on user preferences, we factored in a full-size keyboard for comfort and a first ever 13.3-inch BrightView screen, which were the two must-haves for the road warrior."Th HP Pavilion dv3000 is available for Rs. 53990 + taxes.

European Skies to be Open to Mobiles

Emirates has already successfully allowed the first in-flight mobile phone call and things are literally looking up in the European skies as users can now make calls from their cell phones while cruising at an altitude of 3,000m or more. According to a quote by Viviane Reding, the EU telecoms commissioner given to the BBC, "If consumers receive shock phone bills, the service will not take-off. I also call on airlines and operators to create the right conditions on board aircraft to ensure that those who want to use in-flight communication services do not disturb other passengers,". Thank goodness we have her on our side.

There are still a few kinks, at least in the legal department that need to be worked out before the system can be implemented fully and of course all of this greatly depends on the individual airlines. They will need to give it their go ahead for their planes. But it’s a start. The system will have to be fool proof and properly inspected before this service can "get off the ground". The working is rather simplistic though. Small base stations (pico cells) will be installed in the aircraft that will provide coverage to users in the plane. The signals will then be transmitted by these pico cells to normal terrestrial networks via satellite. At the moment, the service is limited by just being usable in Europe and it’s possible that once you leave Europe air space your mobile would lose the signal. The system will also have a simple On and Off mode to be used when and if necessary.But I’ll say it again – It’s a Start! It should be a matter of time before this system ‘takes off’ and we’ll just have to hope that it makes becomes a world wide implementation soon. The first flights offering calls could start as early as next month, let’s just wait and see what the first in-flight phone bills come to though.

European Skies to be Open to Mobiles

Emirates has already successfully allowed the first in-flight mobile phone call and things are literally looking up in the European skies as users can now make calls from their cell phones while cruising at an altitude of 3,000m or more. According to a quote by Viviane Reding, the EU telecoms commissioner given to the BBC, "If consumers receive shock phone bills, the service will not take-off. I also call on airlines and operators to create the right conditions on board aircraft to ensure that those who want to use in-flight communication services do not disturb other passengers,". Thank goodness we have her on our side.

There are still a few kinks, at least in the legal department that need to be worked out before the system can be implemented fully and of course all of this greatly depends on the individual airlines. They will need to give it their go ahead for their planes. But it’s a start. The system will have to be fool proof and properly inspected before this service can "get off the ground". The working is rather simplistic though. Small base stations (pico cells) will be installed in the aircraft that will provide coverage to users in the plane. The signals will then be transmitted by these pico cells to normal terrestrial networks via satellite. At the moment, the service is limited by just being usable in Europe and it’s possible that once you leave Europe air space your mobile would lose the signal. The system will also have a simple On and Off mode to be used when and if necessary.But I’ll say it again – It’s a Start! It should be a matter of time before this system ‘takes off’ and we’ll just have to hope that it makes becomes a world wide implementation soon. The first flights offering calls could start as early as next month, let’s just wait and see what the first in-flight phone bills come to though.

LG To Launch New 5MP Camera Phone

Although it would seem like LG has officially decided to announce the launch of a new 5 megapixel camera phone the name has not yet been fixed. From the looks of the design it seems to be a very classy slider with LG’s touch sensitive technology for navigation. It doesn’t look like it would incorporate the same technology as the KF600 with intuitive icons for navigating menus but more like the KF510 with the animated LEDs.

Other specs would include an LED flash for the camera, a secondary camera for video calling, microSD card support for external memory and possibly 160MB of internal memory. Speculation also says that this handset might also have a reinforced scratch-resistant glass display. As of now it’s just an announcement but it shouldn’t be too long before the official release. Stay Tuned.

Nokia 8800 Arte

From the illuminated keypad, to the precision glass and metal body and matching headset, the Nokia 8800 oozes quality. It's the Audi R8 of the celluar chic parade. Good looking, instantly desirable and frighteningly expensive.

Forget touch screen, it's just Nokia's standard interface. It's a breeze to use next to some of the other fiddly phones on the market. We scrolled through the menu with the grace and style of Madame Moss in Milan.
Although its features can't rival other fashion blowers such as the Sony Ericsson, it has the essentials. You get a 3MP camera with autofocus, 3G and a decent music player. But this isn't about media gumph, it's the individual touches that make the 8800 Arte so special. Turn the handset over to mute an incoming call, reveal an analogue clock by tapping the front or choose from some specially designed wallpaper.
At over Rs18000, it's expensive, but with a timeless design and superior build, you're paying for quality. A phone classic.

Bluetooth and You: Handy BT Options

Bluetooth (BT) is truly a godsend when it comes to mobile connectivity – or connectivity in general, as it’s no longer restricted to the mobile domain. From sending photos, music and other media to listening to music wirelessly, it’s all good. The medium has its own ecosystem, with developers and manufacturers coming up with innovations for it all the time. Here are some ways in which Bluetooth can prove handy.

All-Purpose

BT HeadsetsBluetooth headsets offer wirefree convenience. Most higher-end mobiles support Bluetooth with A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile, an extension required to transmit data). Handsets that support A2DP are primarily directed at music lovers. Companies like Genius, I.Tech (BlueBand, BluePro) and even Motorola (with its funky O-ROKR glares and S9) have developed BT products. Don’t get the idea that these headsets are designed primarily for music; you can use them for answering calls as well.

Strictly One-WayThere are plenty of these in the market – just pair one with your phone and you're good to go. It's like your handsfree headset, only without wires. Of course, you can listen to songs too, but the quality will suck because they're designed specifically for conversations. Jabra and almost all mobile manufacturers make them. However, just so you know, a Nokia Bluetooth headset can work perfectly fine with any other mobile handset from any company.

Printing

Can you believe they’ve put Bluetooth even in printers? If your mobile phone has a camera and you need to take a printout, no longer would you need to dock the phone with the printer or user USB or other cabling. All you need to do is pair your mobile with the printer, and presto! Print, print, print. You will need a Bluetooth printing adapter if your printer doesn't support BT printing.

Portable MediaCompanies like Samsung have even taken PMPs and DAPs a step further, with BT-enabled players like YP-T10 and YP-S5. Players like these allow you to transfer files between BT-enabled devices like mobile phones or even your PC and, naturally, A2DP-compatible headsets. The YP-T10 also allows you to take a call from your mobile phone as long as it’s paired with the player. Now isn't that cool!

In-Car ConnectivityIf you drive at 100 kph and are fearful that you may not live to see another day because your boss has a knack of calling you just as you're about to squeeze between a lorry and a bus, you should definitely pick up the easy-to-use distraction-free Movon MK20. It clamps on the sun visor, and connects to your phone every time the 2.2-inch screen is brought out. You wouldn’t need to yell either, as the mics are designed to be sensitive.

There are also in-car audio systems that also cater to the Bluetooth genre. The players themselves come pre-equipped with BT, so you simply have to pair your handset with the player. You can then stream music from your handset though your car's stereo system, as well as make and take calls, with almost no effort. Another option is a car kit that fits into your car's lighter and connects to your car's radio. It streams music and calls from your mobile phone to your in-car audio system. Parrot's PMK5800 Car Kit is a good example of such a device.

GPS Navigation

If you have a mobile phone with GPS software but not an integrated receiver, don’t fret. All you need is an external GPS receiver that could be connected with a wire. But why bother with messy wiring when you can get one that works with Bluetooth? The receiver comes with software that would need to be installed on to your phone. Pair it up with the receiver, and the application on your phone will show you the way (literally).

PC Connectivity

Finally we have PC connectivity. Using a Bluetooth USB dongle with your PC or your laptop's built-in Bluetooth radio you can sync your mobile with your computer to update and back up data from the handset. That’s the main use, but it also allows transfer of files wirelessly. Business folk can remotely control presentations with their mobiles – just install an application that can be downloaded from the Internet and is compatible with your handset and PC. There are also BT keyboards that can be paired with handsets so you can type quickly.

If you think we’ve missed anything, please say so in our forums or leave a comment here. Most of the products mentioned in this article are available in mobile accessory stores in India, and some of them you could even pick up from the gray market. So get ready to Go Blue!