V7 NAV720 to hit the streets
V7 has a brand new GPS navigation system up its sleeves in the form of the NAV720, save for the addition of Bluetooth connectivity for hands free calling and support for Traffic Messaging Channel (TMC). The 4″ touchscreen is really rockin’, boasting a resolution of 480 x 272 pixels, making it great for watching MPEG 4 videos as well as browse through your latest holiday photos. The NAV720 is powered on the highly recommended SiRFStar III GPS chipset and the Samsung 2440 400MHz processor when generating directions. There is no word on pricing or availability.
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Add comment July 6th, 2007
Flying can get pretty monotonous, and other than a good novel to keep you occupied, there is always the iPod or portable console as other entertainment options. The Power Executive Bundle from Inflight ensures your portable electronics get enough juice across a trans-atlantic flight, as it can be plugged into the passenger seat audio jack, drawing regulated power and dispensing it via the attached USB plug & charging cable/connector. This is neat since the majority of us fly economy, and you know just how little those seats recline. Each purchase comes with a plug-in tip for the 4G & 5G iPods, nano, mini, and even the iPhone. There is also a mini B tip for BlackBerrys and Motorola handsets. You can also power any laptop battery thanks to the conventional USB cable. The Power Executive Bundle retails for $49.99 each.
Most notebooks these days come with pretty paltry battery life, especially those high-powered ones that are more than a match for desktops. Proporta claims to have the answer in the Portable Laptop Battery that stores a few more hours of extra juice in case your primary battery fails you. This 6000mAH battery comes with multiple connectors, enabling you to power different kinds of laptops without any problem. A USB port has also been thoughtfully included just in case your iPod or cellphone needs recharging. So far, the incompatibility list stands at the Nokia N95 and the Microsoft Zune. The Proporta Portable Laptop Battery retails for $200 each and is currently available.
Ok, enough of wordplay for the moment. The iCast from iStuff is an FM transmitter that will automatically scan for the clearest band before transmitting audio in that direction, ensuring you have the best sound quality possible at all times. A single AAA battery offers up to 18 hours of power, making it one truly portable device. If you plan on using this in your vehicle, there is a 12V cigarette lighter socket adapter to suit your needs. The best part is, the iCase comes with a standard headphone plug that makes it compatible with not only the iPod but other MP3 and PMPs as well. Features include four presets, an LCD display, and an automatic shutdown function. Pre-order yours today for £29.99 a pop.
Ever walked about in public when an all-too-familiar jingle enters your ears, but for the life of you, you just can’t quite place your finger on the song title? The MusicMarker device helps you track down the deviant title, where pressing a button will record a snippet of the currently playing song. When you’re within reach of a computer, just plug it in via USB and it will automatically identify the track for you after trawling through the massive web of knowledge known as the Internet. At $19.95 a pop, this is more of a novelty than anything else, and I wonder just how wide its reach is. Presumably only the more famous songs from the English speaking world would be included - how about lesser known territories and languages?
The almighty FCC has just stamped their seal of approval on the Vertu Ascent Ti cellphone. This quad-band GSM handset also works with 3G/UMTS networks, and will bring even more class to what is already a high end handset. I question the choice of a joystick for navigation purposes, but hopefully it is made of sterner stuff than cheap plastic. Features include a 3 megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom, video capture capability, Bluetooth connectivity, MP3 and MIDI support, along with a host of useful applications such as a to-do list, a calendar, a stopwatch, a currency converter, and even real-time flight information. Pricing details are unknown, and it is probably going to be the antonym of cheap.
Looks like fingerprint authentication systems are so yesterday when placed alongside the Irikon USB flash drive. This device is the first of its kind in the world, implementing iris authentication that provides an even greater level of security. Since there are no passwords to remember, using the Irikon is dead easy and will definitely confound others who want to have a peek at its contents. The Irikon USB flash drive can store up to 20 iris templates with 256-bit iris template encryption as an added layer of security. Choose from 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB capacities. There is word of an Irikon hard drive in the near future.
BenQ has just dropped a new digital camera in the form of the E820. This will be the direct successor to the E720, and it features parts from Pentax that leads me to wonder whether Pentax might gobble up this segment of BenQ’s business. Specifications include an 8 megapixel CCD image sensor with 3x zoom, Pentax lens, continuous movie recording capability, 13 scene modes, special output sizes of 3:2 and 16:9, and a vibrant 2.5″ LTPS display. You can also hook up the E820 to a printer directly via PictBridge to print instant photos. No word on pricing as at press time.
