We can’t say we’ve ever looked at our desk phone and thought “this would be so much better with Windows 7 installed” but perhaps that’s why we hardly use a landline any more. Speakal reckon there’s still life in the desk phone yet, and its BTS8 “phone/personal computer hybrid” packs a 5-inch LCD display, Windows 7, a Skype-capable webcam and more.
To be honest, we’re more familiar with Speakal as the providers of pig-shaped iPod docks than we know them for their computing expertise, but having a shrunken PC in a phone does make sense on some levels. Since it can handle calendar, email, SMS, faxes, contacts and call recording, together with offering the enterprise integration and support businesses require, it might be a cheaper alternative to buying a full PC for those who only use a tenth of its abilities.
There’s also a browser, and it’s possible to log in remotely and access data stored on the BTS8. No word on pricing at this stage, nor what sort of hardware Speakal are using.
Press Release:
Speakal Debuts New Phone/Personal Computer Hybrid
BTS8 combines Windows 7 OS with an office phone system to revolutionize business communications
On display at CES January 6-9 in the iLounge Pavilion – North Hall #4616
Culver City, CA – January 6, 2011 – Speakal, a company driven by its passion for sound, intelligent technology and innovative designs, is ecstatic to announce the BTS8, an office phone system that doubles as a personal computer. The integrated Windows 7 OS enables users to manage and record your phone calls, answer emails, and even video chat with the on board webcam via Skype. The 5” LCD display can be connected to an external monitor via VGA for enhanced visibility. Additional capabilities include fax receiving, SMS text messaging, media player, contacts management, and a calendar empowering the BTS8 to be the ultimate communications and multimedia powerhouse. You can even browse the web and reach your data remotely for optimal connectivity.
“BTS8 completely streamlines business communications and computing for the modern office” said CEO David Solomon. “Users are able to optimize connectivity and empower their phone with the advanced capabilities of Windows 7 while saving up to 90% of the power regularly used with a desktop PC” added Solomon.
Speakal is also debuting the DS910, a Bluetooth iPhone dock for users to make hands-free calls. It incorporates an easy to read LCD display, alarm clock, FM Radio, and a 3.5mm auxiliary input for other music sources.
Speakal’s innovative 2011 lineup of lifestyle-oriented, intelligently designed technology solutions will be on display this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in the North Hall-iLounge Pavilion at booth #4616. To schedule an appointment, please contact Public Relations representative, Matt Shumate at mattshumate@maxborgesagency.com or 305-576-1171 x15.
For more information about Speakal visit www.speakal.com
About Speakal
Speakal Corporation is a privately held, United States company, based in Culver City, California that earned its worldwide recognition by delivering consumers unique product designs that combine intelligent technology, high quality sound, durability, and functionality. Established in 2008, Speakal was able to expand their reach and presence in the United States, Canada, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East markets. Speakal continues to gain market share by introducing new audio product designs and diverse product lines that relate to the different end-users life styles and that hold special value for them. For more information, please visit www.speakal.com.
This is a pretty bizarre video, but we watched the whole thing and we’re prepared to comment: this is a pretty bizarre video. The folks at GlobalDirectParts somehow got ahold of iPhone replacement parts (a common story in Apple device leaks), and they’ve posted an in-depth video that illustrates the differences between this new set and regular iPhone 4 parts. Interestingly, nothing has been majorly tweaked, but there’s a huge quantity of minor tweaks, primary in the internal wiring. Most notable are antenna adjustments, that are either an antenna fix, or, more likely, adjustments to optimize the antennas to work with Verizon’s CDMA network. Other tweaks are bigger head scratchers, including a SIM slot (which wouldn’t be necessary on Verizon, but wouldn’t hurt anything either), and the removal of the rear camera hole (perhaps an extra SKU for enterprise use?). GlobalDirectParts isn’t the only one to receive the tweaked parts, SmartPhone Medic made a similar score, so at least we know this isn’t a one-off prank. We’ll keep scratching our heads while you check out the video, located after the break.
Update: So apparently Apple’s yanked the video off YouTube, which may or may not be an indication for the part’s authenticity. Anyhow, we’ve got you guys a backup video after the break.
If you’ve been closely following Meizu, chances are you would’ve heard about the wild M9 launch across China from just a few days ago. Sadly, said smartphone maker told us that it has absolutely no interest in reaching out to other countries in the near future, but potential foreign buyers now have an option: Hong Kong-based DealExtreme is offering the 8GB Android Froyo device for $449 — a $70 markup — with free shipping. Not a bad alternative to the M9′s Hummingbird buddy Galaxy S that goes for about $570 sans contract, and bear in mind that the former is still the first Android phone to sport a 3.5-inch 960 x 640 display. Maybe this is a good time to spend your holiday cash.
It’s not often we fall for a landline telephone, but Pioneer’s angular TF-FN2000 has that certain magic sparkle to get us excited. The wireless DECT handsets don’t exactly push the boat out in terms of functionality, but they do pack an answering machine and easily spotted LCD display.
Red, black and white versions will be available when the TF-FN2000 goes on sale in Japan at the end of January 2011; Pioneer will also be offering extra wireless handsets. No word on pricing, nor whether international buyers will get a chance to express their love for boxy phones and retro graphics.
Vizio has unveiled more about its plans for the new year which seem to consist largely of a huge push on Android, from the 4-inch phone and 8-inch tablet running a (still unspecified) flavor on their 1 GHz processors, to new VIA Plus HDTVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV built in. The VIA Tablet and VIA Phone (not necessarily final names, judging from the PR) have a few other details mentioned — though we don’t know if the phone is GSM or CDMA, it does have a 4-inch screen, WiFi N, GPS, MicroSD slot, dual cameras and HDMI output, while the 8-inch tablet brings similar chops minus any sort of 3G connectivity. With the new Vizio Internet Apps Plus, it aims to provide a seamless experience from the handheld to the big screen, including the ability to pause and resume content across devices. Judging by the screenshot, it looks like the company may be wrapping its own Yahoo! Widgets-like skin around the Google TV experience in a way we haven’t seen from Sony or Logitech yet. Another pic and the full press releases await after the break, the rest will have to wait until we get our hands on the devices in Las Vegas.
Update: Vizio’s quietly dropped the VIA naming — now it’s just the Vizio Phone and Vizio Tablet with the VIA Plus ecosystem.
Pretty impressive, isn’t it? Meizu sure has made a wise decision to launch its M9 Android Froyo phone on the first day of 2011 which, like most other countries, happens to be a public holiday in China. According to some Meizu fans (aka “Mei-yo” or literally “friends of Meizu”) outside one of the two Shenzhen stores, there were already about 60 people lined up outside at around 6am. A few of them even braved the cold weather since 8pm last night, despite CEO Jack Wong actively discouraging such hustle on the forum for the sake of people’s health, promising “all the flagship stores will have sufficient stock” for all pre-orderers. Meizu wasn’t keen on giving us an official number, but the two Shenzhen stores alone could’ve easily served several thousand customers this morning. With no limit on how many units each person could pre-order (¥2,499 / $379 for 8GB, and ¥2,699 / $409 for 16GB), you can imagine Meizu’s assembly lines working long hours to supply its stores from 28 other provinces in China. Meanwhile, somewhere out there, Mr. Wong is happily checking his bank account. Video after the break.
Ah, so you’ve just been given a Windows Phone 7 handset. If that’s what you’d been begging for all this time, then many congratulations; but if not, don’t hit eBay just yet — sure, WP7′s range of apps is comparatively limited with its recent 5,000 milestone, but hey, you gotta start somewhere, right? Even at its infancy, WP7 has proven to be a nice alternative choice if you want to stand out from the rest of the smartphone crowd, and don’t forget its two powerful weapons: Zune and Xbox Live integration. Until WP7 gets its major upgrade early next year, our holiday guide should keep you and your new phone going for a little longer. Go ahead and read on.
Taking a smartphone out of the box for the first time can elicit a wide spectrum of emotions, starting with unadulterated excitement that can quickly devolve into panic, chaos, and confusion: what do you do now? How do you make it awesome? How do you emanate an air of “cool” on the subway by using apps specifically designed to make you look like a badass? Well, fear not, newly-minted Android smartphone owner: as always, we’ve got your back. Read on for all the apps, accessories, and tips you should be investigating right this very second.
This isn’t Google TV, though we can see why you’d ask. No, this monster is merely the world’s largest fully-functionalNexus S handset. Presently on display in a Best Buy store in San Carlos, California, the enormous Android is equipped with a 42-inch multitouch screen, rigged to a real Nexus S that does all the processing. There’s a working camera, internet access and the whole Android 2.3 user interface to explore, though it does look a mite difficult to navigate in the video below. Did we mention there’s a video? Stop reading, hit the break, and get on with the show!
Isn’t it fun when you hit the right place at the right time? We just happened to be chillaxing in Hong Kong when Dell chose the city for the Venue’s global launch (and it’s actually hitting the shops slightly ahead of South Korea), so a quick hands-on is inevitable. As we’ve seen previously, this HK$3,999 (US$514) handset is essentially the Venue Pro’s Android 2.2 cousin, sporting the same curved (or “Shear Design”) vibrant AMOLED display at 4.1 inches and 800 x 480, but missing the slide-out keyboard. Under the hood lies a 1GHz Snapdragon with 1GB ROM and 512MB RAM, along with the usual microSD expansion, 1400mAh battery, 8 megapixel AF camera with LED flash, Bluetooth 2.3 EDR, WiFi and AGPS.
There aren’t any surprises in terms of software — the Venue shares the same snappy Stage UI and Swype keyboard with the Streak, except for the lack of landscape orientation for the homescreen (and that’s with orientation enabled in system settings). As for hardware, the killer feature here is the screen, and we found its curved Gorilla Glass to be surprisingly nice for our thumbs while swiping across it. The AMOLED panel underneath is also vibrant with great viewing angles. Elsewhere, build quality is almost solid bar the squeaky battery door, but at least it provides some grip. That’s all we got for now — we’ll delve into more details in our forthcoming review, so stay tuned.
We can’t say we’ve ever looked at our desk phone and thought “this would be so much better with Windows 7 installed” but perhaps that’s why we hardly use a landline any more. Speakal reckon there’s still life in the desk phone yet, and its BTS8 “phone/personal computer hybrid” packs a 5-inch LCD display, Windows 7, a Skype-capable webcam and more.
