Synaptics’ 3D Smartphone

Looking beyond touchscreens, an alliance of companies including Synaptics and Texas Instruments is trying to exploit unused surfaces to make smartphones interactive and easier to use.

The companies on Monday announced a concept smartphone that users can interact with by squeezing and tilting it, the companies said. Interacting with the phone usually occupies both hands, but the Fuse concept phone makes it possible to select and load applications using just the one hand holding the smartphone, the companies jointly said in a press release.

The phone’s input functionality is based on accelerometers and sensors that make single-handed interaction possible, the company said. Users can tilt the phone up and down to navigate a list of applications and squeeze on the sides to stop the scrolling. Rolling the finger on the back of the phone helps select an application, and squeezing it can start the applications. This reduces the need for placing the finger on the touchscreen to run applications, Synaptics said.
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XPERIA X2 from Sony Ericson expected to launch by 2010

The mobile giant Sony Ericson has announced the release of its new windows based smart phone by 2010 called the Xperia X2. Its supposed to be a far better multimedia and communicating device than Sony Ericsson’s previous models. Customers can instantly sync their email with the calender, edit any MS-office documents quickly and can stay connected from anywhere. The slide view feature of the Xperia X2 helps to view the most recent activities of the user providing a quick interaction with the applications. It comes out with a collection of 14 designed panels.

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Fans Can Take Snoop Dogg On The Road With Them Through GPS

Rapper Snoop Dogg continues to find ways to think outside of the box. As other rappers are branching out and launching fragrance and new brands for alcohol, the Dogg sets his sights to even newer horizons.

Partnering up with voiceskins.com, Uncle Snoop will now be launching his own GPS system. The VoiceSkin will be available for download for drivers that utilize the TomTom GPS navigation systems.

Using the application, drivers will be able to be directed to their desired location with the rapper’s actual voice navigating them turn-by-turn. Keeping things personal, users will also have th chance to download a “Points of Interest” file which will contain some of Snoop’s favorite spots in his nesting grounds of Los Angeles.
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Motorola Milestone to launch on December 7

The Motorola Milestone will go on sale in the UK next week through the Expansys online store.

The handset, known as the Motorola Droid in the US, is the first mobile phone to run on the Android 2.0 operating system (OS) from Google - also known as the Eclair OS.

Motorola Milestone running on Android 2.0 OS

The Android 2.0 operating system will be the first OS to allow for turn-by-turn navigation when using the Google Maps application. However, this application won’t be available to UK consumers at the time of the Milestone’s launch next week - and neither Motorola or Google have been able to confirm when this service will launch in Europe.
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