CES 2008: Cell Phones / Accessories

Some day soon we’ll be able to stop complaining about how freakin’ slow smart phones can be, especially when you’re multitasking. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platform incorporates a blazing 1-GHz processor that should be able to handle any task you want your handheld to do–including watching Flash videos–while providing 5 to 6 hours of battery life.

The concept device you see here, co-developed with Inventec, runs Windows Mobile and also has MediaFLO technology built-in for watching TV anywhere. But Snapdragon could just as easily find a home inside Linux-powered devices.

Small and discrete Bluetooth headsets usually suffer from poor audio quality, but the Invisio Q7 ($149) is different. This tiny device, which will be available in February, sports a bone conduction microphone that captures vibrations in the wearer’s jawbone and converts them to sound without picking up ambient noise.

Just as important, the Q7 is comfortable enough to wear all day, thanks to its patented Soft Spring, which adapts to the contours of your ear. Add in up to 6 hours of talk time and an easy-to-use, three-button interface, and you have an ideal accessory for road warriors.

Motorola takes music phones to a new level with the ROKR E8, which uses innovative ModeShift technology to transform this glossy handset into a music player. With the touch of a button the perfectly flat virtual dialpad disappears and is replaced by music playback controls, and they feel like real buttons because of the amazing work Motorola has done to improve haptics technology.

A variable-speed FastScroll navigation wheel makes it simple to scroll through the ROKR E8’s menus by sliding your thumb, as well as up to 1,500 songs stored on the 2GB of memory. And the sound quality rivals what you would expect from standalone music players, whether you’re listening through traditional earphones (plugged into the 3.5mm jack) or the powerful speaker.

Imagine a wearable sensor that could detect everything from the air quality and your vital health stats to the weather and then share that info wirelessly with your mobile phone so you could share that info over the Internet.

That’s the aim of Nokia’s ambitious concept devices, which were demonstrated at the company’s booth. There’s no timetable for commercializing these products but they could be instrumental in changing the way we go about our lives.

Dick Tracy would be proud. At LG’s booth we spotted this concept watch phone behind glass (thus the blurry pics). While I was peppering the product rep with questions, about a half dozen people asked when the device would be available, and each time he said that LG had no plans to bring the watch to market. Hmmm, maybe LG should rethink its stance on this product.

Here’s the deal with watch phones. They sound futuristic-chic on paper, but they’re just not practical. LG’s concept is a bit different than previous attempts. It has a built-in speaker, but it also has integrated Bluetooth so you can can gab without having to hold your wrist up to your mouth.

We’re still waiting for a 3G Walkman phone to come stateside, and we’re hoping the W760 is it. This quad-band Walkman phone has HSDPA connectivity, built-in GPS for navigation and local search, and a 3.2-MP camera.

There’s even motion control for playing games like Need for Speed ProStreet; you simply tilt the device while in landscape mode in the direction you want to turn. This attractive flagship device should be available in the second quarter. The W350 and Z555 are also worth a look.

Sitting at your computer to make cheap calls via Skype is so last year. Skype seems to be plowing into the mobile world here at CES. First off, the rumored PSP support for the VoIP software was confirmed. A simple system update for PSP users, which will be available in January, will allow the mobile gamers to make calls over Wi-Fi. In addition, the company announced that Intel’s MIDs running Wi-Max will be able to support Skype video calling. The software is also integrated into the recently announced Sony Mylo 2.

These are all well and good, but us U.S. Skype fans are still holding out for the availability of a carrier supported Skype phone. Well our dreams have pseudo come true here at CES. I had the chance to play around with the 3 Skypephone. Though only available to customers in the UK, Sweden, and other countries on the Euro that utilize the mobile operator 3 network, here at CES there is a Skypephone working on a certain U.S. GSM network (you have a 50/50 shot of guessing which one it is).

Just when you thought Motorola only knew how to make RAZRs in different flavors, the company busts out two multimedia phones that truly impress, one a music-focused handset that morphs personalities based on how you’re using it and the other a highly evolved camera phone that lets you shoot, edit, and share high-quality videos on the spot. We had a chance to go hands on with both phones last night, and they both have a lot of potential.

We’ve never been too keen on smart phones sans a QWERTY keyboard, but the Asus P527 could prove tempting for road warriors who want a PDA and GPS navigator in one sleek form factor. Especially intriguing is the Travelog feature, which allows owners of this candybar to record their travel routes and export them to Google Earth. Another perk is Location Courier, which can send your GPS position via SMS to five preset phone numbers–good for emergencies. You don’t get 3G data (it’s EDGE only) but at least there’s Wi-Fi on board. This is the first Asus cellular product to launch in the U.S., and we’ll be keeping an eye out for exact pricing as the P527 gets closer to launch.

Iogear’s Mobile Pocket Power has welcomed some new brothers and sisters to its GearJuice family. The new chargers, which have nothing to do with Gatorade, include the GearJuice – Slim Charger, GearJuice – Rescue Charger and Battery Tester.

The Slim Charger ($29.95) is being touted as thin and lightweight. Small enough to fit in a pocket or purse it can power a cell phone twice before requiring a refresh from an external energy source. The Slim Charger is compatible with mobile phones, Bluetooth headsets and MP3 players that are powered by a USB connection.

The GearJuice – Rescue Charger ($11.95) is powered by a single AA battery and provides instant power to mobile devices with a mini-USB connection.

IOGEAR also introduced its Battery Tester ($6.95). The device allows individuals to gauge how much power is left in 1.5V, AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V types of regular or rechargeable batteries with an easy-to-read meter.

Belkin is hitting CES with lots of new products. Of the most interesting are the new laptop cases, the RockStar, and its wireless HD FlyWire device.

For laptop travelers, the Ceylon Messenger Bag ($49.99) for laptops looks stylish and comfortable. We like the idea that you also don’t have to worry about your bag falling down as you get ready to slide your laptop in since it stands upright on its own. The Laptop Hideway ($49.99), on the other hand, doesn’t look like it’s meant for taking out in public. The storage bag is supposed to keep your laptop and accessories out of the way. Those having to move their laptop from room to room and not in favor of carrying with their hands will find the Hideway useful.

Don’t plan the funeral of wired headsets anytime soon. Bang & Olufsen, the provider of very high end audio and video products, launched the EarSet 3 today. The $250 priced set of headphones bridges your cell phone headset and MP3 player earphones in one. The company’s first stereo headset with a built-in microphone is compatible with the Apple iPhone.

For the price we are betting that the EarSet 3 is full of acoustical excellence. The 1.09 oz set has been developed to closely match the contours and curves of each ear, ensuring that no sound escapes. The ear buds include foam rubber covers and should stay firmly and comfortably in place. We are happy to hear that a specially designed leather carrying case is included to keep the puppies safe.

Zean Nielsen, President of Bang & Olufsen America says the EarSet 3 “is quite a revolutionary idea.” The product looks pretty nifty but, Mr. Nielsen, we are going to say that a wired headset with a microphone isn’t all that revolutionary here at CES.

Kensington announced today LiquidAUX, a line of car audio kits that use the auxiliary or AUX port found in most new cars to deliver sound from an iPod or music phone through the car stereo. Each product has a dock for your music player or phone and uses an auxiliary port connection to send the audio through the car stereo. Also included is a remote control that attaches to the car’s steering wheel to let drivers keep their eyes on the road, while still controlling what they’re listening to.  We got to see a bunch of the products this morning and they look sleek as well as very functional. The Kensington LiquidAUX for iPod will retail for $79.99 while the Kensington LiquidAUX Bluetooth for Music Phones is priced at $99.99.

Also released were two new car chargers for the iPhone and iPod along and a Bluetooth stereo headset. The Kensington Bluetooth Stereo Headphones with Microphone has a behind-the-head design and easy-to-access buttons which control audio playback and volume while also allowing users to answer calls.