Mobiles

California based Tessera today announced that its new OptiML non-mechanical 3x optical zoom system for cameraphones is now available. OptiML lenses create a specially distorted image that can then be processed to give zoomed images that are superior to digital zoom.
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Hot on the heels of the top-selling Street Fighter II mobile game, Capcom Interactive, Inc. has released the next chapter in the epic series, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, to North American carriers.

Following in the footsteps of its legendary predecessor, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition for mobile has been built from the ground up to play fast and frenetic on cellphones. For the first time on mobile, players can take control of all eight characters from the original Street Fighter II arcade game in addition to the four boss characters: Balrog, Sagat, Vega and M. Bison. And like its big screen cousins, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition features dozens of combos and special moves for players to learn as they attempt to gain the coveted title of world champion.

Street Fighter II: Champion Edition can be found on carrier decks or purchased directly from www.capcommobile.com

While we here in the U.S. walk around with Samsung's BlackJack and BlackJack II smartphones, Europe, ever stylish, has devices like the i620, the subject of this review. Clad in white, this is one good looking QWERTY phone.
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Check out the recent review on the new Mobile Edge 17″ MacBook Pro SlipSuits on a popular blog site called the after Mac located in Manila, Philippines. These custom laptop sleeves fit MacBook Pros like a glove. Check out the post.

By Juan Magdaraog

I got an email from Mobile Edge through this blog. I must admit I haven’t heard of the brand until they sent me an email. I checked out the their web site and was pleasantly surprised with their products. It looks stylish and the price is reasonable. My particular interest is the SlipSuit for the 17? MacBook Pro.

What I like about this is that it has pockets outside for accessories. It’s perfect if I want to bring my MacBook Pro around but don’t really want to bring a big bulky bag. If I want to just go to the next building or meet someone in a nearby coffee shop, I don’t really want to bring my computer bag. This works well.

Here are some specs from the web site.

* Soft, durable and water-resistant Neoprene protects and cushions your laptop
* Small enough to fit inside your regular carrying case, but tough enough to use by itself
* Stylish design combines form and function to create a unique laptop carrying solution
* Heavy-duty nylon strap
* Full-size external pocket for AC adapter, files, CDs and other accessories
* Lifetime Warranty

Although on “paper” it does look well, I haven’t seen one in person so I want to reserve judgment till I do so. But so far it looks good. Go check out the Mobile Edge web site.

Visit the after Mac website by clicking here.

East Carolina University's Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies today revealed the results of a six-month long, randomized, controlled study that measured the stress-relieving and other mood-lifting effects of casual video games. The three puzzle and word games used in the study, Bejeweled 2, Peggle and Bookworm Adventures, are all made by PopCap Games, the leading developer and publisher of casual video games.

The hypotheses were tested using state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies to measure heart-rate variability (HRV), electroencephalography (EEG) and subjects' mood states pre- and post-activity (POMS). The study yielded significant findings in several areas while identifying potential therapeutic applications of casual games as a means of addressing serious mental and physical disorders. Due to the significance of the findings and their implications in health promotion, disease prevention and treatment, East Carolina University's Psychophysiology Lab and is planning to start clinical trials in the fall to determine the efficacy of these games and their prescriptive parameters.

There have been other studies on the benefits of playing video games including for people with Alzheimer's, so this result from East Carolina and Popcap is not a huge surprise. Let's face it, playing games is FUN and is a great diversion from everything that goes on in our daily lives.

This study focused on casual games on the PC, but the good news for readers of this blog, many of the popular PC casual games are now being built for mobile phones too. My personal favorite right now? Try Bounce Out Mobile from RealArcade.

To read the full release from Popcap on the benefits of casual game play, click here.

According to digitimes, Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) will start to ship new 3G iPhone to Apple beginning in June this year. Up to 3 million units will be made by June. Apple expect to sell about 25 million units of the 3G iPhone.

According to Engadget last week, the new 3G iPhone will be about the same size and design as the current iPhone. It is said to have built in GPS, as well as the 3G supported. The source also confirms that it is slightly thicker now, and have a full black glossy design at its back.

Source [digitimes]

Nokia unleashed the 3600 Slide this morning, with a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus and dual-LED flash. The 3600 Slide will come with Nokia Maps and Opera Mini pre-installed, and features TV-Out, so you can share your pictures on a big screen.
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After first launching on T-Mobile, the Samsung U900 Soul has now been released on O2 in the UK.
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Nokia has launched a new stylish clamshell, the 6600 Fold. Sporting a hidden OLED exterior display and a smooth folding hinge with an electromagnetic activation, the 6600 Fold is sure to be a popular handset.
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Today Nokia introduced the 6600 Slide, a slick looking cellphone that runs Nokia's S40 user interface and features a cool new accelerometer function that allows users to activate certain phone functions simply by tapping on the phone twice.
Read the full story here.