Adobe announces Adobe Flash Player 10.1 for mobile platforms

Adobe has finally taken the step to introduce Adobe Flash Player 10.1 to their mobile platform partners. This was specially redesigned from the ground up and not based off a previous version, delivering new performance and mobile specific features. In other words, Flash Player 10.1 is the first release which is touted to offer the full Web experience across desktops and mobile devices. Mobile users can now take advantage of the millions of sites that offer rich applications and content within the browser such as games, animations, rich Internet applications (RIAs), data presentations and visualizations, ecommerce, music, video and audio among others.


Adobe hopes that Flash Player 10.1 will see over three million Flash designers and developers team up to unleash their creativity on the world of smart phones, tablets, netbooks, televisions and other consumer electronics devices. Currently, it is one of the top free apps on Android Market, and will also be made available as a final production release for smart phones and tablets once users make the jump to the Android 2.2 “FroYo” update – of course, this depends a whole lot on various carriers elsewhere since many carriers haven’t yet made the jump, with most Android devices still stuck on version 2.1 at the moment. At least we know the Dell Streak, Google Nexus One, HTC Evo, HTC Desire, HTC Incredible, DROID by Motorola, Motorola Milestone, Samsung Galaxy S and others will support Flash Player 10.1, and it will also work on BlackBerry, webOS, future versions of Windows Phone, LiMo, MeeGo and Symbian OS-powered devices as well in the form of over-the-air downloads or being pre-installed in the months to come.

As for the desktop version of Flash Player 10.1 for Windows, Mac OS and Linux, you can always check it out here. Depending on the device and the device manufacturer, the upgrade mechanism will be different.

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Wet Cellular Phone Emergency Kit

For folks who put stuff in their front shirt pockets, ever let anything slip out by accident each time you bend down to pick something up, or to tie your shoelaces? This is one of the main reasons why you should never place a cellphone in there, or woe to you should the handset kiss some concrete. Of course, while that is highly undesireable, things could be worse – case in point, dropping your handset into the toilet bowl or a drain, or basically anywhere else with water. After all, everyone knows that electronics and water make great enemies due to their nature. What are you to do if that happened to you? Why, you can always check out the Wet Cellular Phone Emergency Kit from HPL, where it is scheduled to be released worldwide later this month. As with its namesake, the emergency kit will dry out wet cellphones.


This is a household accessory that most people might not think they need, but you can never tell when an emergency would happen, can you? The Wet Cellular Phone Emergency Kit comes in a bag and dries out wet cellphones within a 48 hour time span, and is so easy to use that virtually anyone is able to do it. All you need to do is unzip the bag, toss in your wet cellphone, and zip the bag close, leaving it alone for at least a couple of days. Needless to say, the “technology” involved works on virtually all forms of cellphones, and the $9.99 price point makes it the far cheaper alternative compared to purchasing a brand new handset.

We don’t suppose that the Wet Cellular Phone Emergency Kit will also work with other electronic devices that are able to fit in the bag, such as smaller iPods and other portable media players, eh? Seems to be the perfect addition to your boat, home, and RV. We do wonder how many people have spent unnecessary money on a new phone simply because something like the Wet Cellular Phone Emergency Kit was never in the market before.

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Kempler & Strauss gold W Phonewatch!

Remember the Kempler & Strauss W Phonewatch that stirred quite a reaction from the audience at CES earlier this year? Well, the company knows that the economy is slowly but surely picking up worldwide, and signs of a recovery are imminent. This has led them to position themselves to ride the bullish wave when it arrives – by rolling out a Midas-inspired version of the said device. Basically, we’re talking about the very same W Phonewatch albeit being covered with a layer of gold this time round, making it the most luxurious smallest GSM quad-band cellphone dress watch in the world today. You can be sure that prices of this will only go up as time passes by since there will only be a thousand of these limited edition puppies to go around worldwide as it ships in Q3 later this year, offering consumers the convenience and functionality of a cell phone in a wearable fashionable wristwatch form factor.


As for those who want something less flamboyant than gold, you will be pleased to know that the long-awaited W PhoneWatch will also come in a range of stylish colors, which can be purchased via the company website at www.kemplerusa.com. First announced last year, the W Phonewatch will ship with The Communicator, an innovative Bluetooth headset which enables you to carry out hands free conversations without missing a beat, while listening to MP3 files in stereo format. Kempler & Strauss has thrown in a robust set of features which include a GSM quad-band phone, wrist watch, touchscreen interface, still and video cameras, MP3 player, and useful applications including a calendar, address book and the ability to easily compose and send text messages. Each purchase will be accompanied by a 2GB microSD memory card which holds a handful of feature enhancements including the ability to synchronize contacts with Outlook, not to mention the ability of the W PhoneWatch to double up as a webcam and USB mass storage device.

Other features include support for GSM networks at 850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, and 1900MHz bands, a 1.5″ TFT LCD micro-touch touchscreen display at 128 x 128 resolution and the ability to display 260,000 colors, with the entire watch measuring a mere 57mm x 45mm x 18mm and tipping the scales at all of 2.5 ounces. It can be charged via USB or the included battery charger, where you get up to 150 minutes talk time and up to 150 minutes of music playback. Expect the vanilla version of the W Phonewatch to retail for $199, with the gold one to cost considerably more.

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Textminator an arcade game for today’s youth

I realize that stand-up video games are practically a thing of the past, and there has not been a decent one since Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). Since home versions of the game along with Guitar Hero/Rock Band has pretty much eclipsed stand-up video game glory, its nice to see someone trying to renew it with Textminator.

As you can see, someone has even used the safety bars on the DDR game, but made the subject matter of the competition not dancing, but texting, something that the teens these days are really, really good at.

So why not make an arcade game where players must “face-off” with each other on stainless steel phone-like keypads? It sort of reminds me of MasterType, a very old-school computer program that helped me learn to type. In that game, the player had to save a spaceship by typing in the correct sequence of letters to shoot the guns to destroy the aliens. I am assuming the player does a similar sort of game in Textminator.

What makes this game unique is that not only can the high-scoring player enter in their initials, but the Textminator has a built-in camera so the player can snap a pic of themselves for a virtual wall of fame.

Sonim XP2 Spirit comes to Europe!

Mention Sonim and what comes to your mind? Chances are those who are more well versed in the world of cellphones would be able to relate that brand name to a handset which is well known for its ruggedness. Well, Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona, Spain, was the platform where Sonim decided to announce the availability of their brand new XP2 Spirit which will hit Europe. This rugged 3G-capable cellphone might be rugged, but at least it sports a pretty face to debunk myths that everything tough and rugged will need to compromise in terms of design. Being the latest handset in the Xtreme Performance series, the Sonim XP2 Spirit is also the company’s maiden 3G cellphone, so if you pick this up, who knows – it could be a valuable artifact a few generations down. Let us take a closer look at what the Sonim XP2 Spirit can offer right after the jump.


Among the key Features of the Sonim XP2 Spirit include :-

Stylish look and unique octagonal shape to better withstand drops
3-megapixel camera with LED flash for higher quality pictures and video
A suite of Java applications and a multimedia player
2″ high resolution display, protected by 1.5mm of scratch resistant Gorilla Glass
High quality magnesium core
Waterproof outer shell made from hardened rubber, fiberglass and nylon
GORE-TEX covered speaker for waterproofing

Targeting folks who work and play in extreme environments, this next generation Sonim XP2 cellphone offers the highest level of ruggedness and a fresh new look. It is good looking enough to be used outside of the workplace in more relaxed, social settings, and what we are more interested in would be the unconditional three year guarantee. That is something unheard of this day, and we are pretty impressed that Sonim is willing to put money where their mouth is, hopefully nobody would abuse the clause of this unconditional guarantee during their use of the XP2 Spirit. For the more technical folks, the XP2 Spirit is certified military standard MIL 810G, allowing it to shrug off thermal shock, extreme temperatures, transport shock, solar radiation and salt water. Expect it to hit Europe from next month onwards for a yet undisclosed price.

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