i Phone BUY

(Credit: Original photo: Newsday)

This post was updated on 4/29, 10:43 a.m., PT, with new information about the Palm Eos.

There’s been a ton of Palm Pre chatter this week, leading many people to think that its launch is imminent. However, the latest rumors don’t …

It doesn’t matter how long your iPhone or iPod’s battery life is, it’s never long enough. (In case of the iPhone 3G, it’s not even long to begin with). So it’s natural that you’d want to get a juice pack, providing extended battery power …

The name of the category is still up for debate–same say “mini camcorders,” others say “YouTube camcorders”–everyone agrees that Pure Digital’s Flip Mino was the pioneer product in the realm of …

New Flip UltraHD camcorder

(Credit: Pure Digital)

The success of Pure Digital’s original Flip Video has launched a slew of copycat products, and Pure Digital CEO Jonathan Kaplan embraces it.

“It makes me even more proud of the team,” he said in an interview this week. “Imitation is an absolutely fine form of flattery. I’m happy every time a competitor launches a new product.”

Kaplan’s sunny outlook on the competition likely stems from the relative lack of success they have had. Electronics makers much larger and longer-established than the San Francisco-based maker of tiny flash-based digital camcorders–like Sony and Kodak–have attempted to cut themselves a slice of the market. But none has tapped into the almost inexplicable appeal of the slightly boxy, plasticky handheld video camera with the pop-out USB arm, which gets a refresh on Thursday. Plus, now that Cisco Systems has agreed to purchase Pure Digital, the company will have an even bigger platform to stand on.

“We haven’t seen significant erosion (of market share) from some of the bigger names that have entered, such as Sony, Kodak or RCA,” said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for The NPD Group. Besides jumping into the market later, Sony’s WebbieHD and Kodak’s Zi6 are rendered less convenient and sometimes more expensive by either not including a USB connector or additional memory cards, according to Rubin.

As of February, Pure Digital’s Flip cameras were the top selling of similar devices that cost $200 or less in its category, followed by Aiptek, which makes the A-HD camera, Taiwan’s DXG Technology, RCA, and Sakar, according to NPD. Though NPD doesn’t give out retail data on individual companies, Kaplan claims Pure Digital sells “under 10 million” Flip cameras worldwide per year. That’s actually good enough to be the No. 2 seller of digital video camcorders in the U.S., regardless of price, putting them right behind Sony.

Now the device that basically invented the $200 flash memory-based digital camcorder category is getting some tweaks in an attempt to keep competitors at bay. The Ultra model, first introduced in 2007, is branching off into two devices: the Ultra II and the Ultra HD. …

Specifically marketed with kids in mind, PeeWee PC is a site that offers not only kid-friendly PCs, but also laptops customized for your ever-growing child.

On Wednesday, PeeWee PC is rolling out the Atom-powered PeeWee Pivot Tablet Laptop. The 3-pound PeeWee Pivot Tablet Laptop–which is more of a tablet Netbook than a laptop–sports a rotating screen that converts between a normal notebook orientation and a touch tablet.

(Credit: PeeWee PC)

Kids can use either a keyboard or an included stylus to interact with their favorite programs or games. The unit features a rugged, spill-resistant case that’s designed to endure the bumps and knocks the younger generation has to offer. So, parents, when your child goes into a temper tantrum and flings the machine around, you might be knocked on your a**, but know that your investment has sustained the fall from your head to the floor.

Kidding aside, the PeeWee Pivot Tablet Laptop runs Windows XP on a 10-inch screen, 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB of RAM (upgradeable to 2GB) and a 60GB hard drive. In addition, the tablet has two USB 2.0 ports, an SD/MMC media card reader, a VGA port, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and a 1.3-megapixel Webcam. Reminiscent of Intel’s Classmate PC in 2007, the Pivot Tablet has a carrying handle that’s removed by taking out the battery and then removing the four screws that affix the handle.

The PeeWee Tablet Laptop ships with game titles for pre-K, early elementary, or upper elementary students, plus a free Walt Disney Windows XP theme, and a proprietary security suite so parents have complete control of how and when kids use the notebook–parents can also view browsing histories, block sites, take screenshots, and control the system remotely.

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Originally posted at Digital City Podcast

There’s no shortage of hot phone rumors this week, with talks of a Palm Pre release date, new Verizon phones, and more indications that Apple and Verizon are in talks about a joint project. We also cover the week’s news and reviews, plus we answer your questions too.
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Originally posted at Dialed In Podcast

(Credit: MetroPCS)

MetroPCS recently released the Samsung Tint, a simple clamshell with features like GPS, voice recognition, a camera (we’re guessing VGA), text and multimedia messaging, e-mail, Bluetooth, and a speakerphone. It also supports MetroPCS’s “push-to-talk social networking tool” called ChatLink.

The Tint comes with interchangeable faceplates as …

When Crave UK gets bored, odd things happen. We’ll fly RC planes through the streets, we’ll dress up in costumes and expose our cleavages, hell, we’ll even drag a big-ass 20-inch laptop through the London Underground–just for kicks.

We …

(Credit: Crave UK)

Let’s imagine for a second you make mobile phones. Let’s say you’re planning a tie-in to the new “Star Trek” film. You’ve seen “Star Trek,” right? It’s the show that involves such cool gear as flip-open handheld communication devices. Now, what kind …

(Credit: Bonnie Cha/CNET)

What’s a day without a Palm Pre story, right? Uhh, right. The latest rumor making its way across the Internet tubes comes via SprintGurus, which says the Pre will launch on June 7 and not May 17 as originally thought.

This is based on an …

Updated 12:40 p.m. PDT with Microsoft comment.

Verizon executives sure seem busy this week: in addition to reported discussions with Apple over next-generation mobile devices, they’re also supposedly talking to Microsoft about a smartphone.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that …

Originally posted at News - Microsoft

Ace reporter Caroline McCarthy from CNET News joins the show today to bring us bacon chocolate from Foodzie. It’s kind of like, Etsy but for food. Wilson doesn’t partake in the bacon, but he munches down on the bourbon chocolate. Jeff’s not a fan of swine cocoa, but Justin can’t get enough of it.

(Credit: Wilson G. Tang/CNET)

However, Justin’s not a fan of Apple’s iPhone warranty policies. Apparently, he dropped his iPhone into a puddle of something. We’re not exactly sure what, but we’re pretty sure you can’t drink it. Anyway, because of this whole ordeal, he’s decided to become Justine.

Additionally, ESPN.com tries to be cool when it briefly enables the “Contra code” for its Web site. The hack lasted for about 45 minutes before it got shut down, but we give the site props for making unicorns and rainbows cool again.

It’s Tuna Tuesday again, and we get a phone call from Tina. Finally, Twitter has become popular enough to ban at work. We get around it with this new Web app that fakes an Excel document with all your Twitters.

Be sure to check out Jeff Bakalar’s appearance on Dan Levy’s podcast “On the DL.” He talks about tech and hockey. Lastly, a show about supercute kittens and puppies uses The 404 music loop. Didn’t know the music could go both ways.

EPISODE 330

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Originally posted at the 404

Video recording on the HTC Magic

(Credit: ZDNet UK)

After months of drought, we’re finally seeing the Google Android news trickle in–the debut of the Samsung I7500, the upcoming Android 1.5 (aka Cupcake) release, and the launch of the HTC Magic. Unfortunately, for us here in the States, …

Welcome to affordability, BlackBerry Bold.

(Credit: Research In Motion)

I’m now the proud owner of a BlackBerry Bold.

For a while, I was trying to decide if I wanted to ditch my iPhone 3G for the Bold. After some research and hands-on time with Research In Motion’s beauty, I decided that it was in my best interest to escape from Apple’s grips.

But there was a problem: the BlackBerry Bold is expensive. If you’re not eligible for a two-year upgrade, the Bold will set you back $550 at the AT&T store. If you’re new to AT&T or eligible for the upgrade price, you pay $399.99.

I didn’t want to spend that much on a mobile phone that replaced another expensive gadget. Plus, I wasn’t eligible for an upgrade. So I decided to head down to the AT&T store to talk with a representative to figure it all out. And much to my surprise, he and I determined that I would end up paying just $30 for the Bold.

Here’s how it worked:

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Originally posted at The Digital Home