Cell phone power is in your hands

Even if your telecom operator gives you cellular coverage all the way into the heart of a tropical rainforest, it won't mean a thing if your mobile phone runs out of power. Here’s a product that will address that problem, the Hand-Crank USB Power Charger sold on the National Geographic site.

If your mobile phone can be charged using USB, it'll probably work with this. The concept is simple--plug in your phone, and start cranking. You'll probably work up a sweat just trying to get one call out of your flat battery. But in case of emergency, a sweaty t-shirt would be the least of your worries.

This device costs US$39.95 and includes adapters to fit most Motorola, Samsung, Nokia, and LG phones. For those using brands not listed here, getting a third-party USB charger for your phone will probably do the trick, too. The Hand-Crank USB Power Charger even comes with an AC adapter so you can deposit power into the device when you have access to a power outlet--that'll help save you a few turns of the handle when out in the field.

Sadly, some Palm apps are now free

Knowing that I still use a Palm Treo 650 (yes, people who review phones don't necessarily have fancy ones), a colleague alerted me to the fact that PDAmill Game Studios has made all its Palm OS games free. The company stopped making games for this platform since February 2007, but still has a reasonable stable of applications for Windows Mobile. Some of these games are quite good and may be worth a download for those still on a Palm OS device.

TreoCentral reported on this and also noted a few other developers giving away their previously for-sale software. These include games from Ellams Software and SkinUI from PalmPowerups.

It just goes to show how far Palm OS has fallen. The third-party software community for this platform used to be one of the most vibrant, but thanks to lack of improvement in the OS and its devices, most current mobile applications now run on Windows Mobile or regular mobile phones. For those still on Palm OS, get these free apps while they are still being hosted by their developers.

Possible mid-September release for Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1

Let the XPERIA hysteria begin. Thanks to loose-lipped mobile content provider Handango, we may now know the general launch date of the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1. According to a newsletter Handango sent out to its partners, the highly anticipated Windows Mobile smart phone will launch in "mid-September 2008" with the Handango InHand service onboard. Earlier, rumors had put it at delayed till 2009.

The company also noted that if partners want their software to be considered for the catalog, it must support "International English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish", so presumably, the smartphone will be available in appropriate markets. Now, we're not taking this as definitive word, but at least it's a little more encouraging than Sony Ericsson's more generic "second half of the year" response.

Via Crave CNET | Source: Engadget Mobile

HTC Diamond images leaked

As we mentioned earlier, the frequency of rumors is set to rise as HTC's May 6 event in Europe draws near. So it comes as little surprise that pictures of the new HTC Diamond have been leaked.

Italian site NewsMobile has digital renderings of the manufacturer's new handheld from every angle. The back of the device has a geometrical pattern not unlike the Nokia Prism. Like many of the other HTC PDA-phones, the images suggest it comes with only one connector, a mini-USB port for charging, syncing and connecting a wired headset. Rumored specifications indicate that the diamond will have 4GB internal storage, 128MB RAM and a 528MHz Qualcomm processor. We are also expecting a new version of HTC's TouchFLO application.

Just one more day (two, if you consider the time difference) before all is revealed, so hang in there as we bring you the full story then.

Via Brighthand

New HTC Touch Diamond on May 6

Thanks to an article on Taipei Times, we now know that the device to be launched during the European event on May 6 is a new Touch phone codenamed Diamond. Revealed during an investors' conference, the company's financial executive Cheng Hui-min touted it as "the most important product for HTC this year". That's saying a lot, considering the company has had a string of successful products and currently dominates the Windows Mobile market.

Rumors have been rife regarding this launch, and an updated, improved TouchFLO interface is expected. The Diamond may not even be the only model to be announced, as a codename Raphael has been popping up as well. The frequency of rumors should continue to increase as we get closer to the date. We'll bring you more information as it becomes available.

Via Brighthand

Crave is...

The name says it all. Crave is our new blog about cool gadgets and other crushworthy stuff.

Drop us an email if you have tips or suggestions.

Crave for...

» Mobile Phones (568)

» Digital Cameras (348)

» Notebooks (358)

» PC & Peripherals (366)

» Handhelds (209)

» Printers (34)

» Home AV (382)

» Music & Play (353)

» Gadgets (834)

» Future Tech (121)

Previously...

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Subscribe to
Crave

Today on CNET |  Reviews |  Crave |  Blogs |  CNET TV |  Digital Living |  Downloads