It's a phone, it's a UMPC, it's...an HDPC?

An easier way to describe the HDPC (Hybrid Dual Portable Computer) is to list the things it won't do.

That basically includes writing my blog posts and going through mounds of e-mail and auto-deleting the stuff I don't want. Otherwise, the HDPC from Korean manufacturer MIU does almost everything I want to do during the day.

The list of its purported functions: Internet phone, MP3 player, UMPC, digital camera, voice recorder, e-book reader, Wi-Fi, navigation, camcorder, and portable video game player. It also runs dual operating systems: Windows XP or Windows CE 5.0 and Linux QPlus. The screen measures 4 inches, and the keyboard is a full QWERTY setup, and to top it off, its starting price tag is around US$500.

Sounds great, but there are several things to quibble over. First, in the looks department... it probably has a good personality. I mean, I want to like it, but the photos reveal it to be bulky, and the design is really lacking. If I actually used this as a phone I'd look like I teleported from 1994. (To see why, check out this photo of the phone in someone's hand.)

While the ability to have a phone replace that many devices is a fantastic idea, it will run into in the same problems in the US (if it's ever released here--so far it's on track for Korea only) as every other in-between-categories UMPC device: The display and keyboard are too small for a computer, and its too big for a properly portable device.
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The latest weird phone from Toshiba

Toshiba may not be the best-known manufacturer of mobile phones, but it certainly keeps things interesting. When it's not making Transformer wannabes, it's churning out peculiar combo devices with strange circular dial pads.

So it really should come as little surprise that its latest offering is anything but conventional either. The Cosmic Shiner is a luxury handset with diamond accents presented in a handmade lacquer box, but that's not the unusual aspect of this phone: "Buyers will be required to purchase the April issue of Seven Hills magazine to get the required unique ID codes that will initiate the credit-card only purchase process for the US$4,000 luxury cell phone," according to BornRich, "which will include various agency arrangements such as hotel and restaurant bookings as well as other special privileges."

Call us difficult, but we don't think anyone should have to jump through hoops to pay US$4,000 for anything. For that kind of money, they should hand-deliver the thing and cook dinner while they're there.

Via CNET Crave | Picture credit: BornRich

Flash plug-in for Safari or standalone player?

Nary a week passes without some form of Apple news. Last Tuesday, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen's comments to investors during a conference call were widely reported as the company building a Flash player for the iPhone. It turns out that things weren't as straightforward. Narayen has clarified that the company still requires Apple's approval to include the player in the App Store.

While Adobe isn't willing to comment on the development of the elusive player on the iPhone at the moment, that's not stopping us from putting on our thinking hats to figure out what may happen.
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A Lamborghini for your ear

Bluetooth headsets are a dime a dozen these days (or at least US$4.99), and it's getting more difficult to separate from the pack all the time. Even the once-vaunted Jawbone, for instance, has resorted to some trash talking.

But here's one that's sure to draw some attention, as long as would-be admirers can see the logo: The Lamborghini "Bello". Bearing the famous bull emblem, the headset was designed by none other than a son of the legendary auto house's founder, according to PhoneArena. It weighs just 9 grams and claims 6 hours of talk time for around US$70--a mere pittance considering the brand name.

It's an ideal way to get some mileage out of the logo, especially if you can't afford a Lamborghini laptop, let alone a car--even a used one.

Via CNET Crave | Picture credit: Phone Arena

Unboxing the Samsung Armani phone

We finally managed to get hold of a Samsung Armani phone, and without further ado, we present you the unboxing shots.
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