11/06, 7:05am
Epson PowerLite 450W, 460 projectors
Epson has introduced its latest line of ultra-short throw projectors, the PowerLite 450W and Epson PowerLite 460. Both projectors are designed for educational purposes and draw on 3LCD projection. Each device provides a microphone input that allows users to hook up a microphone to boost their voices over the integrated 10W speaker; it also has a built-in closed captioning decoder for presentations to the hard of hearing.
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11/05, 5:05pm
VUDU gets Flickr, Pandora, Picasa, other apps
VUDU on Thursday announced that it has brought brought three key Internet apps to VUDU-enabled TVs. These are the same apps that were already available on the VUDU box and include Picasa, Flickr, Pandora, a free TV on-demand service and a few simple games. VUDU says it brought these apps to the TVs from its partners due to popular demand.
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11/05, 4:55pm
Casio G'zOne Brigade gets QWERTY keyboard
At a press event in New York City on Thursday, wireless provider Verizon showed off the still-unannounced Casio G'zOne Brigade handset. Photos reveal that this is Casio's first rugged push-to-talk device to flip open vertically to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. This keyboard has four rows of keys that include a shortcut key for messaging along with a dedicated row of number keys.
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11/05, 4:45pm
ViewSonic media hub to upconvert videos to 1080p
ViewSonic earlier this week announced the VMP70 media hub, which allows users to bring the photo, music and video files from their PCs to their living room by displaying them on conventional TVs. While there is no Internet connection of any sort, users can add content using the two USB ports, with video files upconverted to 1080p quality.
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11/05, 3:40pm
MOTO ships Android 2.0 MID for developers
The MOTO Development Group is now making its 5-inch Android Media Platform (AMP) mobile Internet device (MID) available to developers. The device can run Google's Android 2.0 mobile OS and lets developers prototype interfaces, develop apps and extend hardware features. The MID is powered by a Texas Instruments OMAP3430 CPU and uses a 5-inch OLED capacitive touchscreen, though an LCD of the same size is optional.
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11/05, 1:40pm
Myka ION a home theater PC for the living room
Myka has moved on from producing media hubs by releasing its Myka ION nettop as a full-fledged home theater PC. As the name implies, the PC packs a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor and 2GB of RAM, along with an NVIDIA Ion graphics platform to supply HD (non-Flash) video. It runs on Ubuntu Linux and includes Boxee and XBMC media center software as well as support for standard-definition Adobe Flash and Hulu's online streaming service.
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11/04, 5:10pm
Nokia intros Life Tools service, five new phones
Nokia on Wednesday announced it has developed and will soon release five new entry-level handsets meant for those in the developing world. These handsets will support Nokia Life Tools, a set of livelihood improvement aids for users in small towns or the countryside. The Nokia 1280, 1616 and 1800 are the most basic of the set and are designed explicitly for areas with harsh climates and poor electricity. All have similar features, including FM radio support, a prepaid tracker, built-in flashlight and an anti-scratch cover and dust-resistant keypad. Battery life is rated at up to 22 days of standby time.
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11/04, 4:40pm
New Planon DocuPen scanners add features, speed
Planon on Wednesday introduced its new series of DocuPen Xtreme scanning pens, which includes the X05, X10 and X50. The X05 and X10 can support 600DPI resolutions, while the X50 doubles it to 1,200DPI. Each of the pens has a 200MHz processor and 64MB of memory, both the highest in Planon's lineup.
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11/04, 1:35pm
Courier gestures, UI explained
A new leak of internal documentation has provided a deeper explanation of the Microsoft Courier. The dual-screen tablet prototype has a fundamentally simple interface with two-finger multi-touch gestures: besides usual navigation, it would let users tap-and-hold to clip a photo or other object and a two-finger swipe left or right to move that object to the opposite page. The pen also has two buttons and an "eraser" to both switch between drawing styles as well as to remove recent changes.
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11/04, 7:05am
Sonos S5 enables wireless control via iPhone
Sonos has begun shipping its all-in-one wireless music system controlled by iPhone or iPod touch, Sonos ZonePlayer S5. The device is designed for those who only need the player and provides two tweeters, two mid-range drivers and a subwoofer. Users can wirelessly stream music from either iTunes or the Internet and control what music is playing using the company’s free iPhone app (App Store).
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11/03, 5:10pm
Cowon iAudio E2 now available in the US
Cowon's second announcement regarding the US market on Tuesday involves another one of its personal music players, the iAudio E2. The iPod Shuffle-sized player has Cowon's well-known audio enhancement features, letting users pick from one of eight audio enhancement profiles. Each mode has a built-in voice guide that is used to preview the sound enhancement presets.
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11/03, 4:50pm
Cowon iAudio 9 coming to US in 8GB, 16GB sizes
Cowon has priced its iAudio 9 portable digital media player and confirmed the device is coming to the US within a week. The first versions of the devices will be available only in black, with an 8GB capacity and 16GB version. The device will sport a 2-inch color screen with a 320x240 resolution and a capacitive touch strip for navigation, as well as Cowon's well-reputed sound processing technology.
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11/03, 4:35pm
LaCie Network Space 2 now out in 1TB capacity
LaCie on Tuesday revealed its latest storage solution, the Network Space 2 Network Attached Storage (NAS) and media server. Again designed by Neil Poulton like many of LaCie's similar products, the Network Space 2 is user friendly thanks to the preloaded LaCie Network Assistant. This allows users to customize the dashboard with widgets, which let them access networks and drive information as well as user accounts and drive capacity.
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11/03, 1:35pm
Developer Zii EGG gets Android, due for ZMS-05
Creative's sub-brand ZiiLABS on Tuesday released the previously unveiled optimized implementation of the Android operating system for its Plaszma development platforms, including the Zii Egg media player and ZMS-05 system module. The Android Plaszma release is based on Android 1.6 and lets supporting handheld devices play back 1080p videos for the first time.
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11/03, 9:15am
TwitterPeek goes on sale
Following rumors last week, Peek on Tuesday launched its expected TwitterPeek. It embraces the same single-purpose philosophy of the earlier device and here is dedicated solely to Twitter: users can check their feed and write posts or replies. Its always active use of T-Mobile's EDGE network lets it provide updates most anywhere inside the US without having to manually refresh or look for an access point.
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11/03, 8:35am
China Ontrade leaks new iPhone midboard
Wholesaler China Ontrade has potentially provided a clue as to Apple's future plans by selling what it claims is a part for a fourth-generation iPhone. The "iPhone 4 generation midboard" reveals little about the device it's made for but appears to match the physical dimensions of what would be expected for an internal part in an iPhone, such as its length, its width and a places for the camera and Dock Connector. The store also claims to have photos of the full shell due soon and that the design has an "amazingly beautiful" back, hinting that it's not the same as for the iPhone 3G or 3GS.
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11/02, 2:30pm
Garmin aera GPS devices for pilots, drivers
Garmin on Monday introduced a new series of portable GPS devices meant for use by pilots and drivers alike. Making up the aera series are the aera 500, aera 510, aera 550 and aera 560 touchscreen devices, which combine the simplicity of Garmin's in-car navigation units with the feature set and GPS accuracy necessary for pilots. The multi-mode devices switch between auto and aviation mode quickly.
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11/02, 1:30pm
Unit docks two iPhones and/or iPods at once
MacNN has reviewed the iP88, a new alarm clock built by iHome. The unit differs from most by allowing two iPhones and/or iPods to be docked simultaneously, solving an issue created when couples or individuals have multiple devices. Multiple alarms can be set, correspondingly, triggering a buzzer, AM/FM radio or a playlist.
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11/02, 10:05am
Creative MediaBook reader to have web access
At its recent annual meeting, Creative unexpectedly announced plans to release an e-book reader it calls the MediaBook. While the name may change before the device makes it to production, features such as a touchscreen, text-to-speech functionality and an SD memory card reader are not expected to change. It should also feature Creative's Zii processor and have the ability to browse the Internet, both of which differentiate it from other e-book readers on the market.
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10/30, 4:35pm
Soyea Z5 combines 3G and Wi-Fi communications
China's Soyea has recently released a new Mobile Internet Device (MID), the Z5, which sports a 5-inch touchscreen with 800x480 resolution. Processing power comes courtesy of a 1.2GHz Intel Atom processor, and there is 1GB of RAM onboard. Internet access comes from either a Wi-Fi connection or 3G module with access from China Telecom. Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR is also present.
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10/30, 2:50pm
Nintendo DS sequel may follow Kindle model
Nintendo's next-generation portable game machine could have free 3G access built in, company president Satoru Iwata commented on Friday. While not a definite plan, the executive tells those he is at least considering an echo of the Amazon Kindle's business model, which charges extra up front in return for lifetime 3G access. The model would be dictated by Nintendo's younger user base and the primary gaming focus of its devices.
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10/29, 5:05pm
Budget priced Magellan SE4 now shipping
A new Magellan GPS model, the SE4, is now available at Best Buy. The budget-priced SE4 has a 4.3-inch touchscreen and contains Navteq map data for 48 contiguous US states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The spoken turn-by-turn directions can guide users to one of the preloaded six million points of interest, and the device has the ability to route to multiple destinations.
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10/29, 4:35pm
Samsung 10.1-inch e-paper display just 0.7mm thin
Samsung is demonstrating a color 10.1-inch e-paper device at the currently ongoing FPD International show in Japan. The display is also ultra-thin, thanks to integrated circuits in the TFT glass substrate, which is glass. This makes the display rigid, while a plastic color filter and e-paper from E Ink are flexible.
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10/29, 3:55pm
ASUS e-book readers due in 2009, sport WiMAX
ASUS has plans to introduce e-book readers that have 3G, Wi-Fi and WiMAX mobile data network access technologies to market this year. CENS on Wednesday reported that the devices will sport expected 9-inch screens but that they will ship to Europe and North America at about the same time. They will also be offered at cellular carriers starting in March of next year, likely at subsidized prices.
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10/29, 1:50pm
10.2-inch QOOQ tablet PC helps you cook
The newly unveiled QOOQ is a 10.2-inch tablet PC meant to reside permanently in a family kitchen and provide users with countless recipes and other kitchen help and hints. The French device contains preparation videos, ingredient information and a cooking magazine. It can also connect to the web via an Ethernet port or Wi-Fi connection, though there is no traditional web browser functionality; instead, it uses the online link to update recipes, listen to Internet radio or check weather.
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10/29, 10:50am
Apple TV to get iTunes LP, Extras
Apple has inadvertently hinted at a major refresh for the Apple TV through an update to its iTunes Store Terms and Conditions. The new agreement, which has shown up in iTunes 9 but isn't yet reflected on Apple's website, references an as yet unreleased Apple TV 3.0 update and says it will enable both iTunes LP and iTunes Extras, both of which so far only work on a computer. The LP standard is already known by AppleInsider to be formatted for 720p and to include HDTV metatags but hasn't had any definite migration plans until today.
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10/29, 10:00am
Nintendo DSi LL to leave Japan in early Q1
Nintendo has quickly confirmed that the DSi LL will ship outside of Japan. A British representative explains that the larger handheld, named in a statement as the "DSi XL," should reach at least Europe sometime in the first quarter of 2010, or before the end of March. The contact isn't ready to supply pricing but does say it will cost more than the DSi when it goes on sale.
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10/29, 7:40am
DSi LL has larger screen for Internet use
Nintendo quickly confirmed rumors today by unveiling the DSi LL. Its screens have increased by more than an inch to 4.2 inches each and are seen as better for Internet access as well as for gameplay. It also gets a larger, more comfortable second stylus and a battery life that increases from 2.5 hours to three during active gameplay.
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10/28, 4:20pm
Logitech intros Harmony IR Extender
Logitech on Wednesday said it will soon ship the Harmony IR Extender System. The device will allow users to extend the range of their existing infrared remote controls, or letting them control components that are hidden out of sight and range in cabinets or even different rooms. The plug and play product passes the signal to connected wired IR blasters and mini blasters that in turn pass on the signal to the system components.
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10/28, 3:35pm
Peek to out device with Twitter support?
Peek will soon offer a new product that will add Twitter support to the existing e-mail and text messaging functionality of the existing devices. While nothing official is known, a leaked image of the box for the Twitter Peek indicates this is indeed true. Like other Peek devices, the new Peek product will allow unlimited updates over T-Mobile's EDGE network in the US.
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10/28, 12:35pm
Eye-Fi adds Facebook support to Wi-Fi SD cards
Eye-Fi on Wednesday said it has added Facebook support to its Wi-Fi enabled digital camera memory cards, letting them upload photos and videos without a PC. At the same time, they can alert their friends on the social networking site when they upload photos to one of more than 25 other photo sharing sites the cards already support.
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10/28, 11:45am
JVC now shipping $200 ultra-thin Blu-ray player
JVC entered into the low-cost Blu-ray player field on Wednesday through the XV-BP11. It recognizes only Blu-ray Profile 1.1, omitting Internet features, but also measures just 1.5 inches tall. It still carries a front-panel USB connection for plugging in and viewing content from camcorders, digital cameras and USB thumb drives. It natively recognizes AVCHD (H.264) video used in HD camcorders along with recorded Blu-ray, CD and DVD discs.
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10/28, 7:00am
Heritage digital radio includes iPod dock
Revo has introduced Heritage, its latest multi-format digital radio with an iPod docking station. It earns its name from a classic European table radio design from the 50’s and 60’s, that includes aluminum, soft plastics, and walnut trim. Sound is nonetheless more modern with a custom designed 3-inch neodymium speaker driver, a 7W amplifier, and an OLED display. It supports a series of different broadcast types such as the UK's DAB and DAB+ digital radio broadcasts as well as FM and Internet radio over Wi-Fi.
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10/27, 4:55pm
Zune HD reported not to update play counts
Many Zune users, including Electronista, have discovered a fault with their Zune HD multimedia players, saying Zune software does not update song play counts from the Zune HD device. Another forum user who is also a Zune Device Product Team member was able to reproduce the problem, and the team is supposedly working on a fix for the issue. Only Zune HDs with firmware 4.1 are apparently affected, Microsoft says.
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10/27, 4:40pm
i.Tech solar-powered BT headset ships
China's i.Tech has released a solar-powered Bluetooth headset, the SolarVoice 908. The built-in solar charger replenishes the battery while users are wearing or using the headset. On a full charge, the device is rated at five hours of talk time, while standby is rated at 140 hours. Other standout features of the handset include a noise-reduction feature and the ability to connect to two cellphones at the same time.
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10/27, 3:15pm
Tiny NEC WiMAX router has Wi-Fi support
NEC Japan has introduced the world's smallest WiMAX router with Wi-Fi capability on Tuesday. The Aterm WM3300R is battery-powered but can still reach 40Mbps downstream and 10Mbps upstream when on a suitably fast 4G network. The pocketable device is meant to share access through Wi-Fi but can also be plugged into a PC using a USB adapter for mobile Internet access on a specific system.
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10/27, 1:20pm
Bell brings Novatel HSPA devices Nov. 5
Bell on Tuesday announced it will offer the U998 HSPA+ Turbo Stick and the MiFi 2372 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot from Novatel Wireless November 5th, to coincide with the launch of its HSPA network in November. Either of the two new products will allow notebook users to connect to the 21Mbps network from virtually anywhere a signal is present. The HSPA+ Turbo Stick will be exclusive to Bell in Canada and plugs into a USB port of notebook or netbook PCs, with a microSDHC card slot for as much as 32GB of storage.
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10/27, 12:55pm
Verizon leak confirms BB Curve2 branding, more
Leaked images from Verizon confirm that the very recently slipped BlackBerry Curve 8530 will be known as the Curve2 at the wireless provider. The handset is a CDMA version of the Curve 8520 already offered by T-Mobile in the US and Rogers in Canada. The brochures have a decidedly holiday-oriented theme to them, which, together with a private sale slated for late in November, hint that the Curve2 will be out in time for the holiday season.
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10/27, 11:40am
Plastic Logic QUE coming to Barnes & Noble stores
Plastic Logic and Barnes & Noble announced a partnership on Tuesday that will see Plastic Logic's QUE proReader e-book reader sold at the latter's stores and on its website. As part of the deal, the QUE proReader will be displayed near Barnes & Noble's own nook e-book reader, on its own free-standing display. Compared to the nook, the QUE is more business-oriented.
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10/27, 8:55am
Roku HD-XR adds 802.11n
Roku this morning swelled its media hub ranks with two models aimed at the high and low ends. The previously leaked Roku HD-XR adds to the original network video streamer with 802.11n Wi-Fi on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, giving it much more bandwidth for streaming HD sources as well as a frequency pick less prone to interference from cordless home phones. It continues to also support Ethernet for wired networks and uses HDMI and component for HD video playback from Amazon VOD or Netflix; RCA and S-Video output provide analog video, and a USB port allows room for unnamed future expansion.
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10/27, 8:35am
MSI reader due first half 2010
MSI is developing an e-book reader that would use NVIDIA's Tegra processor at its core, the company's chairman Joseph Hsu says today. Confirming an earlier rumor, the executive admits that a device with the fast graphics and ARM chip combo is in progress but has "some problems" that have pushed a formal unveiling back until sometime in the first half of 2010. Other details will likely only be supplied closer to the actual release.
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10/27, 8:05am
Apple pushing media deals for tablet
Apple has been actively recruiting media producers in Australia for its rumored upcoming tablet, a claim today maintains. The American company has supposedly been giving publishers of various forms some specifications to gauge their interest in developing content formatted and sold for the device. Little is actually mentioned about the tablet itself by the Sydney Morning Herald sources, though it's described again as larger than an iPhone but meant for the web, e-books and movies.
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10/26, 8:45pm
4" screen expected with updated model
A report originating from the Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei claims that Nintendo is readying an updated DSi featuring a 4-inch display. If true, the revamped device would exceed the current model's screen by ¾ of an inch. The company is reportedly making the adjustment in response to user feedback, while accommodating older users who have complained of problems using the smaller size.
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10/26, 4:10pm
MPIO shows V7 player with color touchscreen
Korea-based MPIO is once again returning to multimedia players with the V7. The device sports a 3-inch color touchscreen with 400x240 pixel resolution and will be available in 4, 8 and 16GB capacities. The MPIO V7 has a built-in text reader, voice recorder, and FM tuner and transmitter.
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10/26, 2:35pm
NEC business tablet PC spotted
A prototype tablet PC from NEC has been spotted recently, though little information is known about the device, according to a Nikkei report (subscription required). The device will be close to a mobile Internet device (MID) in shape as it's is expected to sport a touchscreen sized at between 7 and 8 inches, but it should have functionality that is said to more closely mimic that of a full-fledged PC. No technical specs are available, however.
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10/26, 1:20pm
MiFi 2200 now supports BB Curve, Nintendo DS
Novatel's MiFi 2200 has recently benefitted from a firmware update that has upgraded much of its functions. The device connects to either Sprint's or Verizon's EVDO Revision A Internet connection and shares with up to five compatible devices across an 802.11g Wi-Fi network. Most notably, the new software allows the modem to never enter hibernation mode when it is plugged into a wall outlet instead of running off its built-in battery, and is now compatible with the Nintendo DS and BlackBerry Curve.
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10/26, 10:50am
Samsung Needle Slim HDTV is just 3mm thick
Samsung has recently shown off its Needle Slim LED-backlit HDTV, which manages to be just over a tenth of an inch (3mm) thick thin while offering a 40-inch screen size. The set otherwise has 1080p resolution and a 120Hz panel. Its contrast ratio is its only sacrifice and reaches a 5,000:1 static ratio.
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10/26, 7:05am
PS3 Netflix deal breaks Xbox exclusive
Netflix this morning broke its once-exclusive Xbox 360 deal with Microsoft by offering Netflix for PlayStation 3. The link will let any US-based PS3 owner with a Netflix subscription stream movies and TV shows online; they can also add movies to the queue and rate titles. Early on, the service will depend on customers owning a free Blu-ray disc that draws on BD-Live for Internet access, but the service should eventually be integrated into the PS3's firmware.
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10/23, 5:50pm
Wrap 310 video eyewear resembles sunglasses
Vuzix has begun shipping its latest video eyewear device, Wrap 310, that was initially announced in September. The new eyewear incorporates the same basic functionality as the company’s visor-style displays, but with an outer design that resembles traditional sunglasses. It features a maximum screen resolution of 428x240 for each of its widescreen displays, which is said to be comparable to viewing a 55-inch screen from approximately 10 feet away.
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10/23, 11:40am
Analyst sees Apple winning mobile gaming
The iPhone platform could overtake rivals Nintendo and Sony for the lead in growing handheld gaming in as little as five years, a DFC Intelligence report says. The analyst group believes portable hardware from the Japanese companies is likely to still lead in terms of sheer units in the future but believes growth has "peaked" for devices like the DSi or PSP Go where Apple's platform is still climbing quickly. By 2014, the iPhone and iPod touch are expected to be the only major devices still seeing significant growth.
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