Vodafone today released Vodafone Compass, a GPS-based navigation service with integrated search via Yellow Pages.
Available today on the Blackberry Curve 8310 and the new model Blackberry pearl 8110, the service will be made available on other GPS-enabled mobiles later in the year.

Developed in conjunction with Yapp Mobile in Australia, the service is based on streaming real-time service rather than the installation of a complete set of maps via a memory card. This allows the service to be streamlined and light on data as only the route information you request is downloaded to your phone, not an entire city map. Dynamic mapping also means the map information is continuously updated to reflect any changes on the ground, like road closures etc. Maps on memory cards will, however, be offered in the near future, to avoid users falling into network black holes.

The service is live today and voice instructions including New Zealand place names are available immediately. if you buy a new Pearl of Curve today and download the software before the end of July, you can use the service for free until the end of October. After that the service will cost a flat fee of $10 per month, with no additional data charges, or can be used for a day for $2.50.
An Australian service for roamers will be up and running within months, but you will pay roaming charges if you use that service. Other countries are not contemplated at this point.

Given that it is a mobile service, the software can use cell-tower positioning when you are inside and unable to access GPS satellites. You can then search for addresses or services within a specified radius like 2km.
Another feature is that you can search for navigational instructions via an address in your Contacts folder, and integration with Calendar appointments is also coming.

Using Yellow pages information you can search via business name or business address and a number of default buttons are also provided for the likes of banks, petrol stations, parking buildings, restaurants etc.

Another great feature is that you can swap from a driving mode to a walking mode so that once you've parked your car, you can still be guided on foot to your final destination.

If you don't feel like coughing up for a new mobile handset, the service will also be offered via a Bluetooth dongle that can sit on your car dashboard. A date for that has not yet been set.

Depending on how you feel, there is one potentially major drawback in that the service opens the way for mobile advertising. You know, "come into our gas station and we'll give you 4c off every litre of petrol".

Posted by Ted Gibbons at 1:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Asus today launched the Eee PC 900, a bigger brother of the original Eee PC. the 900 sports a larger 8.9-inch screen, and 12 or 20GB solid state disk storage options, but it still weighs less than a kilogram.

The bigger screen has resolution of 1024 x 600, which means you can view an A4 page without having to scroll left or right. New FingerGlide technology makes it possible to use two simple finger movements on the touchpad to scroll up and down for easier document viewing or zoom in and out of pictures.

To suit differing user requirements, the Eee PC 900 is available with Windows XP or a Linux operating system.

The Eee PC 900 is available this month with a recommended retail price of NZ$749 inc GST. The XP version will be available through selected retailers and the Linux version will be available through computer resellers.

Posted by Ted Gibbons at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Intuitive and downright cute in its presentation, the Wii Fit makes working out in front of your TV a genuinely interactive and fun experience.

The Nintendo $90 Wii Fit--a home work out disguised as a video game--hits retailers across the country today after its May 19 soft launch at the NYC Nintendo World Store saw a limited supply reportedly sell out by mid-afternoon. After (literally) bending to the will of my new virtual trainer overlords, I can understand the interest and see why it's already a hit in Japan, Europe and Australia.

Wii Fit features about 48 different activities across four main categories: Yoga poses, strength training, aerobic exercise, and balance games. You perform such calisthenics by standing (and sometimes even lying on) the special wireless Wii Balance Board peripheral that comes with the game. Resembling a double-wide bathroom scale, the sturdy Balance Board supports individuals weighing up to about 330 pounds. Powered by four AA batteries, it's rated for around 60 hours of use. The board uses four pressure sensors to determine where your feet are, monitor your center of gravity, and yes, check your weight. And by the way: It'll also function as an optional controller for upcoming Wii games such as Skate it (Electronic Arts/Black Box) and All-Star Cheer Squad (THQ).
Warming Up
Sweat bands snapped tight and short shorts riding high, I first needed to build my Wii Fit profile by entering in my height, weight, gender, and birthday. A basic body test then measured my balance before I was presented with a pretty accurate Body Mass Index (BMI) score, weight in pounds, "Wii Fit Age" (more a measurement of my game skills than fitness level) and the option to password protect my profile; self-conscious teenagers take note.

You can weigh in again at anytime, set goals to lower or increase your BMI, and have the game's calendar chart your personal progress over time. Note that BMI is not a measure of body fat and BMI measurements for children often aren't accurate. The official word from Nintendo: "Wii Fit is still capable of measuring the BMI for people aged between two and 20 but the resulting figures may not be entirely accurate for younger age groups due to varying levels of development." Essentially, Wii Fit stats should be filtered with a good measure of common sense and should not a replace the advice of health care professionals.

Young and old alike may well end up mimicking the adorable Wii Fit helium voice-over, at least until the novelty wears off… "Measuring!" Too cute! But it's a pity that you can't pump yourself up with a favorite MP3 via the Wii's SD card slot, as the game's music soon gets a little elevator-like. Visually, the game looks just like Nintendo's own cartoonish Wii Fit and Wii Play titles, complete with the in-game use of Mii characters (avatars you can create in your own image).

Roughly ten minutes after first stepping upon the Wii Balance Board, I had completed a profile, received motivational advice on posture and exercising daily, and was ready to tackle my first Wii Push Up or Downward-Facing Dog Yoga pose.

The Good and the Bad

Wii Fit includes 15 activities for both Yoga and strength training, from a single leg extension to a parallel stretch. The Aerobics and Balance drills are much more fun, though, and there's nine of each of those. My favorites include quickly shifting balance for Soccer Heading, Ski Slalom, and Table Tilt; or working on my cardio with aerobic workouts like virtual Hula Hooping (you'll be gyrating like Elvis in no time), Rhythm boxing, and Jogging (the latter two use the Wii remote to sense movement). Many activities include on-screen feedback of how shaky you are or where your center of gravity should actually be. Virtual trainers (that you can choose to stand behind or in front of) also talk you through the movements and explain where you can improve.

As you spend time exercising, you earn "Fit Credits" that unlock the game's activities one by one. Each workout takes roughly 1 to 5 minutes and you tend to unlock tougher drills or higher repetition counts every 5 to 10 minutes. Unfortunately, each Wii Fit player has to unlock each workout on his or her own. Much more frustrating is the surprising lack of a two player vs. mode (two-player jogging aside) and not being able to create a custom workout (no avoiding menu hopping and completing activities back-to-back).

Clearly the Wii Fit isn't perfect as either a game or as a replacement for an actual gym membership. But if you're looking to ease back into exercise, seeking ways to break up your current routine--or want a fun, family-friendly option for those days when it's too hot or cold outside--then the Wii Fit is definitely recommended. Just remember to give yourself lots of leg room and have realistic expectations.

Posted by Jan Birkeland at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Weighing in at 1.25kg and with a 12.1-inch screen, NEC's new Versa S9100 notebook slots right into the new ultraportable segment.

Japanese designed and manufactured, the S9100 has a tough magnesium alloy chassis and a top cover designed to withstand a crushing force of up to 300kg to prevent damage to the LCD screen. In addition, a ‘Free Fall Sensor’ protects your hard disk from damage and/or data loss resulting from accidental drops, bumps and excessive vibration.
Battery life is rated at six hours, helped by an LED screen backlight that uses much less power than the traditional cathode tube.
An internal DVD Burner is provided along with a standard 2GB of RAM, and a low-voltage Intel Core 2 Duo U7600 chip powers things along.
Pricing will start at about $3500.

Posted by Ted Gibbons at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As expected, Research in Motion today unveiled the BlackBerry Bold, also known as BlackBerry 9000, a tri-band HSDPA 3G smartphone with integrated wi-fi and GPS and a 624MHz CPU with 128MB flash memory and 1GB of onboard storage memory.

The Bold features the highest-performing BlackBerry display, a half-VGA (with 480 x 320 resolution), colour LCD screen. Although not a touchscreen like the iPhone, and a lot smaller than the iPhone's 3.5-inch display, the Bold's screen has the same pixel resolution so images look much sharper on it than they do on the iPhone. RIM declined to comment on whether the company was working on a touchscreen BlackBerry.

Another highly visible change is its "desktop-style" browsing experience with an enhanced web browser and a trackball that can mimic a conventional mouse. Users can switch between the full HTML content display or the mobile version. Also new is support for streaming videos with the addition of the real-time streaming protocol.

Plus if you've been craving iTunes as well as email on your BlackBerry, the Bold now delivers. The new BlackBerry Media Sync application lets users sync iTunes music collections with the phone. A USB 2.0 port enables high speed file transfers with a PC.

The device's wi-fi adapter supports 802.11a/b/g connections. RIM is offering what it dubs "Push Button Setup" to make it simpler for users to connect to protected wireless LANs. Integrated GPS can feed location data to applications such as BlackBerry Maps.

The Bold will be available worldwide in the next few months.

Full details of the BlackBerry Bold can be found online at blackberry.com/blackberrybold. RIM says the removable-rechargeable 1500 mAhr battery delivers about 5 hours of talk time and 13 days standby time.
John Cox

Posted by Ted Gibbons at 3:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)