Datago handsfree for Skype

Skype is to VoIP what the Walkman was to portable music. And we're betting Skype may even become as generic as Xerox and Liquid Paper. In fact, Motorola, knowing a good thing, has teamed up with Skype Technologies SA on a co-marketing collaboration that will provide connectivity options and mobile devices for the company's 25 million-plus worldwide users registered on the free service. There's no need to wait, though. If you can get your hands on Datago's VC-1 PLUS, this gizmo plugs into your PC or notebook USB, headphone-out and mic-in ports so you can Skype truly handsfree without a headset, and even utilize it for conference calls. In Japan, the VC-1 PLUS is being marketed as a speakerphone.

Click to see packaging

Price: 8,980 yen (US$84.15)
Availability: Synnex in Japan
Device: Handsfree
Basic specs: Sensitivity speaker >75dB; +/-3dB, sensitivity mike -44dB, omni directional 5m all directions, volume control, mute button, USB connector cable for PC connection, 85cm shield cable line gold plate and connection jack, 3W, impedence 4Ohms +/-15 percent, echo cancellation speaker, 100 x 110.8 x 45.3mm, 200g

OKAO Vision Face Recognition Sensor

Here's a phone that recognizes you. At the recent Security Show Japan 2005, Omron showcased its OKAO Vision Face Recognition Sensor utilizing a camera-phone to scan a user's face before it would unlock the handset. The world's first face-recognition biometric software takes in the features of the eyes, nose and mouth, detecting 80 points on the face. Users snap a self-portrait with the phone's camera, which the OKAO solution converts into a face print. A retake completes the verification process. With the success rate tested at 99 times out of 100, this should reassure the ultra paranoid. Minority Report, here we come!

Image from Omron

Price: N.A.
Availability: Japan
Device: Biometric solution for phones
Basic specs: Symbian, BREW, embedded Linux, and ITRON OS compatible, face print takes up about 1.5Kb of space, about 1 sec processing time

Clocky

If not for the Chinese belief that it's belly bad luck to give a clock as a gift, Clocky is a bloody marvelous present for those who just can't get out of bed in the mornings. Disguised as a brown shag carpet on wheels, Clocky apparently rolls off its perch onto the floor and plays hide-and-seek as soon as the snooze bar is hit. Devious? We think not. The sleeper is forced to get out of bed to locate the clock when next it starts shrieking. Imagine, multiple Clockies! Unfortunately, MIT Media Lab is still sleeping on this dream project.

Price: N.A.
Availability: Academic research project unfortunately not commercially available at press time
Device: Alarm clock
Basic specs: Carpet, velcro, foam

Betsey Johnson Samsung E315

When Samsung told CNETAsia it would be rolling out more phones for women, we thought this meant more kitsch like the Pink Calendar, mirror and health features. Seems the Korean chaebol has been busy rounding up a team of women known for their fashion pizzazz. The latest, the inimitable Betsey Johnson appears to have had Paris Hilton as her muse, with the Samsung E315 pretty in pink and only missing some bling blings. For the more affected, do check out Diane von Furstenberg's artsy VM-A680. Our money, though, is on the oh-so-Edna Mode Anna Sui whose excessive purple-and-black creation packs a mobile charm and Sui Rouge #371 lipstick with Anna Sui signature case. Nothing, daarling, beats a freebie to win the Singaporean's heart.

Go girly with Betsey Johnson | Anna Sui | DVF

Price: Depends on contract
Availability: US
Device: Handphones
Basic specs: N.A.

mobiBLU DAH-1500 MP3 player

NEW YORK -- Wells Fargo mortgage pass-through certificates, series 2005-15, are rated by Fitch Ratings as follows:

-- $219,989,374 classes A1, A2, A3, PO, and R, 'AAA' ('senior certificates');

-- $2,463,000 class B1, 'AA';

-- $448,000 class B2, 'A';

-- $336,000 class B3, 'BBB';

-- $224,000 class B4, 'BB';

-- $224,000 class B5, 'B'.

The 'AAA' ratings on the senior certificates reflect the 1.75% subordination provided by the 1.10% class B-1, the 0.20% class B-2, the 0.15% class B-3, the 0.10% privately offered class B-4, the 0.10% privately offered class B-5, and the 0.10% privately offered class B-6. The ratings on the class B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4, and B-5 certificates are based on their respective subordination.

Fitch believes the amount of credit enhancement available will be sufficient to cover credit losses. The ratings also reflect the high quality of the underlying collateral, the integrity of the legal and financial structures and the primary servicing capabilities of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. ((WFB); rated 'RPS1' by Fitch Ratings).

The transaction consists of one group of 376 fully amortizing, fixed interest rate, first lien mortgage loans, with an original weighted average term to maturity (WAM) of approximately 15 years. The aggregate unpaid principal balance of the pool is $223,908,372 as of November 1, 2005, (the cut-off date) and the average principal balance is $595,500. The weighted average original loan-to-value ratio (OLTV) of the loan pool is approximately 60.4%; 0.40% of the loans have an OLTV greater than 80%. The weighted average coupon (WAC) of the mortgage loans is 5.424% and the weighted average FICO score is 751. Cash-outs and rate/term refinance represent 36.7% and 25.4% respectively. The states that represent the largest geographic concentration are California (28.40%), New York(6.60%), and Florida (5.40%). All other states represent less than 5% of the outstanding balance of the pool.

None of the mortgage loans are 'high cost' loans as defined under any local, state or federal laws. For additional information on Fitch's rating criteria regarding predatory lending legislation, please see the press release issued May 1, 2003 entitled 'Fitch Revises Rating Criteria in Wake of Predatory Lending Legislation,' available on the Fitch Ratings web site at 'www.fitchratings.com.'

All of the mortgage loans were generally originated in conformity with underwriting standards of WFB. WFB sold the loans to Wells Fargo Asset Securities Corporation (WFASC), a special purpose corporation, who deposited the loans into the trust. The trust issued the certificates in exchange for the mortgage loans. WFB will act as servicer and custodian, and Wachovia Bank, N.A. will act as trustee. Elections will be made to treat the trust as a real estate mortgage investment conduit (REMIC) for federal income tax purposes.

Fitch's rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency's public site, 'www.fitchratings.com'. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies are available from this site, at all times. Fitch's code of conduct, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, affiliate firewall, compliance and other relevant policies and procedures are also available from the 'Code of Conduct' section of this site.

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