Color me Centro

Palminfocenter uncovered this image of a series of five GSM Centros all in different colors on a training site for Palm retailers. When the company first announced this model for the European market during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the color shown was the matte black one. AT&T in the US also recently announced its version, which is the one on the far right--the white one with green numeric keys.

With an Asia-Pacific launch imminent, which color do you think we will get? The dark blue one in the center, the white one with a partially gray keypad or the striking red one? Let us know which one you'd like to see here, or if you honestly couldn't care less.

Concept mobile Internet search device way cool

If this concept Internet search device by designer Mac Funamizu takes off, we'll probably see many people up in arms protesting about privacy invasion.

It's like having Wikipedia wherever you go, but way cooler and more advanced. The artist's impression is for the said portable device to have a touchscreen panel, built-in camera, scanner, Wi-Fi connectivity, Google Maps and Google Search capabilities, etc.

The screen will probably double as the camera viewfinder, so it's like looking through a piece of transparent glass. And when you point it at an object, the device will be able to show you more details about it--such as the name of an insect, a car model, or food on the table--on the screen. We suppose at this point of time it will use the onboard Wi-Fi to grab information off the Web.

A concept like this isn't new. We've written about it before, but Funamizu's rendition takes it up a few notches. While it's great to have information at our fingertips, it's not so fun if someone were to point the device at us.

Ya know, we prefer to remain anonymous.

Via Tuvie.com

Still no iPhone killer in sight?

Phew! After four days of intense handset coverage both on the showfloor and back in the office, and more than 35 phones later, the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is finally drawing to a close today. Of the new phones, several models looked very promising, including Sony Ericsson's slick Windows Mobile-based PDA-phone, Nokia's souped-up N96, HTC's feature-packed Advantage and Samsung's innovative Soul.

But as much as some of the phone features and designs are truly impressive, sadly, none of the new offerings made us go "wow" like the iPhone did with its revolutionary user interface back when it was announced in mid-2007. Which makes you wonder if this is all the mobile world can conjure up without Apple in the picture? And does this leave the marketplace wide open for the Cupertino company to dominate this space, like it has done with the iPod? Tell us what you think?

Taking a walk with a Google Android prototype

Google's Android platform has emerged as one of the sleeper hits of the GSMA World Congress in Barcelona. Though it exists only in prototype, show attendees are flocking to the Texas Instruments, Qualcomm and ARM booths were demos are available.

The TI booth was was packed to the gills when I passed by so I headed to the ARM booth instead. There, I got a short demonstration of a prototype. As my colleague Maggie Reardon reports, there's not a lot to say at this point. The welcome screen featured a plain black background with a series of generic icons along the bottom. The icons open features like the Web browser, calendar, messaging, Gmail access and Google Maps. The main menu page was also pretty basic; just a series of icons on the same black background. Remember that since Android will be a open platform, the design will vary by developer.

And in any case, there's no knowing what it will look like in its final form. I can say, however, that with a 200Mhz processor, the prototype was pretty speedy. Check it out for yourself in our Google Android video.

Via CNET Crave

» Mobile World Congress 2008 show report

WildCharger keeps plugging away

The WildCharger was met with some skepticism when it was announced more than a year ago because it sounded too good to be true. The rollup pad promised to charge various devices simultaneously, regardless of type or brand.

But its manufacturer, appropriately named WildCharge, continues to prove its critics wrong by releasing new adapters compatible with more products. The latest of them will work with the iPhone, iPod, second-generation nano, and two BlackBerry models (the Pearl and 8800), according to Gizmodo.

The adapters still need to be placed on the back of the devices, which can then be charged when placed on the flexible mat. WildCharge has long hoped that the receivers could be integrated directly into their devices, but that would likely be a vastly complicated endeavor involving multiple companies, technologies, licensing, and standards. In other words, don't hold your breath.

Via Crave CNET

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