Greet Your Buds with Yodio

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Smartphones, Internet, Music,

This appears to be the latest idea in spam just by using your cell phone. With Yodio (created out of the terms “you” and “audio,”) you record an MP3 audio tag line on your phone, call the website and post it, add images and captions, and send it to unsuspecting folks’ e-mail addys or blogs. If you just want to use the beta service to wish your parental unit a happy Mother’s Day in a 2 minutes or less e-card, Yodio is free, but if you want to create a mini-commercial or tour you set a price, and Yodio will pay you royalties.
The only problem here is that you can only use the tool on their site and must link to it to see your work of art. To get you started, the site has a practice run and is now offering a $10.00 reward if you can get five people to view your creation.

Read More | Yodio

Survey Reveals Little Interest in iPhone

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Misc. Tech, Portable Audio / Video,

Research company Markitecture recently released survey results concerning consumer interest of Apple’s much touted upon, but not yet seen, iPhone. The firm contacted 1,300 participants who not only owned cell phones, but actually pay the monthly fee. The results show that although 77% were aware of the iPhone, only 6% are planing to buy the device

when it comes out on the market, while 2/3 said they had absolutely no interest in purchasing. We think Apple had better concentrate on fixing all the glitches and get with the program.

Read More | Daily Tech

Survey Says: American Households Spend $1,200 A Year On Gadgets

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cameras, Smartphones, Handhelds, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Smart Home, PC / Laptop, Peripherals, Portable Audio / Video, Video Games,

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has just released the results of a study they conducted in February, and the word from them is that the average American household spends about $1,200 per year on gadgets. It appears that televisions are the biggest piece of the pie, as 92% of American homes have them, and 25% of those homes own HDTV sets. Mobile phones are also way up there, not surprisingly, owned by 76% of all American households. Focusing on more recent times, it seems that network hardware components are the hottest sellers right now, as American households are integrating more personal computers into the mix, requiring routers and wireless access points. Along with DVRs, network equipment purchases rose by 8%.

“Many of the top owned products have enjoyed mass-market saturation for years and will likely see growth based on upgrade and replacement sales,” said CEA senior research analyst Elena Caudle. “Some of the more intriguing categories are those that still occupy niche markets, such as mobile CE devices like GPS systems and satellite radio, which have seen healthy growth in the past few years.”

Even more interesting though, is that it was determined that the average teen spends about half of their total income on consumer electronics and gadgets. Households with teenagers exceed the national purchasing average of $1,200 by up to $500.

Of course, to readers of this site, this is nothing new. In fact, we bet that many of you, like us, can spend upwards of $5,000 a year on gadgets or more. Are we right? Let us know in the comments, or hit up the forums. How much do you spend on gadgets on an annual basis?

U-Consento Remotely Controls from Cell Phones

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Home Entertainment, Smart Home, Internet, Misc. Tech, Wireless / WiFi,

NTT-Neomeitt has developed a system to remotely control home devices from cell phones. To utilize the U-Consento, users access a web page on their phone which signals a wireless router in the home or business. The signal then goes to an infrared transmitter, which acts as a universal remote. This carries out operations by an easily installable switch-on power outlets connected to home appliances, lighting, A/C, or A/V equipment not normally equipped with remote.

The U-Consento also gives the status of each device and keeps a record of operation status. Due for pilot testing from May to August, the company hopes to launch in September to NTT subscribers for a monthly fee of 500 Yen (~$4.18.) We are thinking we could hook up with someone there who could turn on our lights, turn up the heat, and make sure our crock pot is still preparing dinner as we battle our long drive home from work.

Read More | Pink Tentacle

Japanese Phone Goes Wii

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Misc. Tech, Portable Audio / Video, Video Games,

Japan’s latest trend in cell phones is to provide them with motion detectors so that users can play games like those on the Wii. NTT DoCoMo’s D904i, for example, contains a minute motion sensor that detects shaking and tilting, so if you want to play “Skateboard Dash,” you can tilt the phone to control the board’s direction and speed. The versatile phone is expected to hit retail stores in Japan next month. This is yet another example of what not to do with your mobile phone during rush hour in your daily commute.

Read More | NTT DoCoMo (translated)

RIM to Offer Blackberry Application

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Internet, Software,

RIM has decided to produce software for other phones so that they can do all the wonderful things that Blackberries can now do. The only catch is that your phone must already be running Windows Mobile 6.0. Once the software is installed, current Windows icons and layout are replaced by the Blackberry interface.

RIM is hoping to make the software available by September. Even though we would like the idea of owning our own “Strawberry” or “Rasberry,” we find that the cost of $30.00 to $50.00 a month and possible other added charges makes us want to keep our cell phones just the simple way they are now.

Read More | BBC

D&G Offers Gold-Plated RAZR

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Design,

DoCoMo has given Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana the go ahead to offer their gold-plated Motorola RAZR to those who have not yet attained their optimal levels of achievement in consumerism. Priced at 75,000 Yen (~$633.00,) the phone features a D&G engraving on its eel skin cover, a strap with the logo (in case you forgot to look at the cover,) some screen pics of the logo, and “four original ringtones” selected by none other than (check that cover again) D&G. The RAZR will be available in a limited edition until the end of May in Japan, when it turns back into an ordinary M702iS cell phone.

Read More | <3 yen

Bees Affected by Cell Phone Radiation

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Editorial, Science,

I remember reading an article last week that said that there was a definite decrease in the number of bees on the planet. It now turns out that there is a link between their deaths and cell phone usage, since the radiation emitted is apparently destroying the ecosystem of the bees. How honestly scary is this? Not only the obvious, possibly losing a whole species of insects that cross pollinate many of our food crops, but think of the effects on other insects as well. Let’s hope that researchers are working somewhere to correct the problem before bees make it to the endangered species list.

Read More | Trendhunter

PRADA is as Classy as Ever

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Smartphones, Music, Portable Audio / Video,

At the Korea IT Show 2007, LG revealed its new PRADA ‘LG-SB310/LB3100.’ The phones support a 3-inch touch screen keypad as well as stylus pens. Change screen ratio from 4:3 to 16:9 for DMBs. One feature we really like is a clock that actually looks like one. Don’t worry. If you have only learned digital, you still have that option at the top of the screen. At the very least, we suggest you check out their mega-riche website and sample the surreal ringtones of their original LG-KE850.

Read More | Aving

Upstage II a Bargain?

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Smartphones, Music, Portable Audio / Video,

In an effort to increase sales to its recently released Upstage II, Sprint is offering tons of perks. The bluetooth capable phone/music player is only for $99.99 after $50.00 rebate. There is a $50.00 service credit extending until 5/14/07, and free activation and shipping if you purchase online. You can also download about 1.5 million tunes from the Sprint store for 99 cents apiece.

The phone features 1.3 megapixel camera and talk time up to 6.3 hours. Note: Sprint is also working with CBS Mobile to get you to download music that contestants in “The Amazing Race All Stars” listen to when they are on the fly or perhaps even the ringtone from Charla that orders you to “answer your freaking phone.”

Read More | Sprint