Mobile times
Miracle calling
Sony Ericsson's T610 is a sleek successor to the much-acclaimed T68 series now showing signs of age. It adds an embedded camera and Java (and mophun) games to the abundance of features of the T68 (triband, Bluetooth, Wap, email access, calendar etc) while still weighing under 95g. The screen is a good size and, despite resolution not being as good as veteran camera phones such as the Nokia 7650, it is easy to use and a miracle of miniaturisation.
Drawbacks include a screen that seems to go into a coma under summer sunlight, making it almost impossible to read and, less forgivably from a hi-tech firm like Ericsson, rather patchy audio reception. Access to the internet through GPRS is still slow and patchy, but not many mobile manufacturers have cracked that problem, either. For a vest-pocket phone, the keypads are easy to use. Although the company faces fierce competition, the T610 has enough features to give most a run for their money. The T610 will cost £250 on pay-as-you-go or less for a contract deal.
TV phone
NEC has developed a mobile phone that can receive digital terrestrial TV signals - although it is only a prototype and designed to work solely in Japan. The phone could potentially be compatible with some of the interactive/ data services offered by digital TV providers, such as different angle event viewing and video on demand. The handset is a dead ringer of the NEC e606 currently sold in the UK via the 3 network, with the exception that it has a large TV aerial on its right-hand side.
www.nec.co.uk
PocketHub
Scottish company PocketWatch Systems has released the latest version (2.0) of its innovative PocketHub software, which enables users to access and control their PCs remotely using mobile phones. Using PocketHub it is possible to browse PC files including Word, Excel, PDF and JPeg images, to access contacts via Outlook and compose and send emails with attachments. Applications don't have to be open for PocketHub to function - the computer just needs to be on and connected to the net. Compatible with any Wap phone (version 1 was limited to acouple of handsets), PocketHub is available for £49.95 until the end of July, after which the price rises to £94.95.
www.pocketwatchsystems.com
PDAs
Palm's new line
Palm's long-awaited makeover of its Tungsten T PDA reaches the stores this week. The £259 Tungsten T2 shares the same form as its predecessor but has several enhancements. Palm has upgraded the colour screen to bring it into line with its other recent PDAs. It has also doubled the storage to 29.5MB and fitted the latest version of the Palm operating system - OS 5.2.1. Like the original version of the Tungsten T, the T2 boasts MP3 and video playback, Versamail email software, a web browser and integrated Bluetooth for a wireless connection to a mobile phone.
www.palm.com/uk
Sony
Sony is set to break new ground with its latest Clié Palm OS-based PDA, which is due in the UK in early autumn. Unlike previous Sony PDAs, the PEG-UX50 sports a landscape clamshell design (the screen is horizontal like old Psion organisers). The screen can twist and rotate in any direction. Facilities include a larger keyboard than on previous Sony PDAs, integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and entertainment software including MP3 and video players. The Clié runs the latest version of Palm's operating system (OS 5.1.2) and features a new processor that enhances video playback and battery life. Analysts have highlighted its rather meagre 32MB of memory and its 0.3 megapixel camera (Sony's previous Clié featured a two megapixel snapper) as potential weak spots.
www.sony.co.uk
Web
Look better
Who needs a book about Google? All you have to do is type in your query and press return. Think again. It is such a sophisticated search engine that spending a few hours learning new tricks will be amply rewarded. The Google Pocket Guide ($9.95, O'Reilly) and its big brother, Google Hacks ($17.50, O'Reilly), provide a cornucopia of tips and suggestions that will greatly improve your search. Start with the pocket book, which contains a host of hints from how you can alter the characters on the long URL at the top to fine-tuning your search to restricting your hunt to a single site. And there are fascinating tips about getting the most from newsgroups, telephone directories and using defined dates.
Wi-Fi
Wireless waves
Due on sale in September is an innovative gadget from Linksys that transfers digital content like MP3 and JPeg files from a PC to a TV/hi-fi system over an 802.11b wireless network. The Wireless B Media Adapter WMA11b, which connects to the audio video equipment via S-video or AV connectors, requires no internet connection for it to function. The unit, which comes with its own remote control, also allows users to create MP3 playlists via their TV screen. It is expected to retail for around £230.
www.linksys.com
Wi-Fi finder
Finding Wi-Fi hotspots can be a tricky business. You certainly don't want to boot your up PC/PDA and search each time you need to get online as this eats up valuable battery life. A US company, Kensington, has come to the rescue with a credit card-sized Wi-Fi detector that lets you know if you are in range of an 802.11b or 802.11g wireless network. Retailing for around $25, the Wi-Fi Finder 33063 tells users if a connection is available and how strong the signal is after the press of one button.
www.kensington.com
Stat of the week: Game boys and girls
A survey carried out in US colleges shows that more male students play videogames, but more women play computer and online games. Explanations included violence in videogames and more sophisticated character selection in online games
