HTC One X Headed To O2 UK April 5th

HTC told that its new One series of phones would be available within 60 days of MWC, but we didn't expect to see them quite this soon.

UK mobile carrier O2 has confirmed on Twitter that they will start selling the new HTC One X here in the UK on the 5th of April, although the haven’t as yet revealed any details on pricing and also no details on the contracts it will be available with. This is the date we heard previously as Amazon had it listed on their website with a launch date of the 5th of April with a SIM free price of £530.

As a reminder the HTC One X features a quad core 1.5GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and it features a 4.6 inch HD Super LCD 2 touchscreen display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. Other specifications include a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera which is capable of 720p video and a rear facing 8 megapixel camera which is capable of full high definition video in 1080p. The HTC One X will also come with Android 4.0 ICS plus HTC’s custom UI, HTC Sense 4.0, and 1GB of RAM plus 32GB of storage, Beats Audio and 25GB of online storage with Dropbox.

HTC One X: Hands-on video:.

Sony Xperia S gets Unboxed

The time draws ever nearer to the launch of the first Sony branded phone, the Xperia S. In Europe we expect to see it both on and off contract for sale by mid-March. But what about the rest of the world? Well, the guys over at SoyaCincau in Malaysia have got their hands on a review unit of the white version of the Xperia S. Like Europe, Malaysia are expecting the release of the device in March, albeit without any indication of when in March as yet.

They've put together an unboxing video for everyone to see. OK, so unboxings aren't the most interesting things to watch. But the SoyaCincau guys have put together a two-part, detailed look at the retail version of the device. All that remains now is to actually get the Xperia S into hands. It is a feast of specs, it has the looks, and that screen. Well, that screen looks amazing.

For more information's:
http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/sony-xperia-s-gets-unboxed-video-15-03-2012/

Unboxed: Sony Xperia S - Part 1:

Unboxed: Sony Xperia S - Part 2:

Sony Xperia S Unboxing (Clove):

LG Miracle Windows Phone Device Appears On Video

Some new photos have surfaced offering up another peek at the LG Fantasy/Miracle alongside a brief video of the handset in action. The device in question has been leaking for a while now, but this latest leak has afforded us the best look at the Miracle yet. As you can see in the shot of the unannounced handset's backside, the Miracle is packing 5-megapixel camera, and there's also a front-facing shooter on its face. You can find a clip demoing the Miracle embedded below.

Besides the aforementioned cameras, the LG Miracle is also said to feature a spec sheet that includes a 4-inch NOVA display, 1GHz processor, 8GB internal storage and NFC support. Sounds like a decent Windows Phone to me. The Miracle is said to be making the jump from rumor to reality at Mobile World Congress later this month, so it may not be long before we get to see if the phone is as good as its name makes it out to be. If you want even more Miracle in the mean time, hit up the Mobilissimo link below for a few more shots of the device.

One of the new Windows Phone devices we are expecting to see at this year MWC later this month is the LG Miracle or LG Fantasy, and now we have another photo of the device along with a video of it in action. The LG Miracle will come with Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, and it will feature a 4 inch multi-touch touchscreen display, and is rumored to come with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor.

The LG Miracle will also feature a 5 megapixel camera, plus 8GB of built in storage, and the device is also said to come with support for NFC (Near Field Communications), have a look at the video of it in action below. We should have full specifications on the new LG Miracle, when it is officially announced at MWC 2012 in Barcelona later this month.

G Miracle hands on video - Mobilissimo.ro:

More info about LG Fantasy / LG Miracle Windows Phone Mango:

Motorola GLEAM+

The newly launched Motorola Gleam+ appears to be a combination of technology and style. This glamorous looking feature phone sports a clamshell design and will come dressed in two colors namely, silver and winter white.

The Gleam+ is a successor to the Motorola Gleam feature phone which had been fashioned with a similar clamshell design and was also announced exactly a year ago in February. It boasts of a compact and convenient form factor weighing 105g and a slim profile measuring 13.5mm. Snap-happy users can employ the integrated 2MP fixed focus main camera featuring digital zoom.

“The Motorola Gleam+ is as a stylish and easy to use as ever for the consumer who enjoys the simple things in life, without compromising on design and functionality. We designed this handset with a clear focus on delivering a great experience in a simple, sleek and stylish design,” commented Claudia Laepke, marketing director, Motorola Mobility Germany GmbH.

This fresh Motorola handset offers 50MB of internal storage space which can be expanded up to 16GB through the microSD card slot. Measuring 107mm x 52.5mm x 13.5mm, it comes equipped with a 2.8-inch WQVGA 400 x 240p 260K TFT display and is capable of lending support to various connectivity options such as Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and USB 2.0. Additionally, the feature phone is powered by a 750mAh battery which offers talk time and standby time of up to 4 hours 49 minutes and 417 hours 26 minutes, respectively. The Motorola Gleam+ price is tagged at €99 without a contract and inclusive of VAT. It is scheduled to be available in March via Telekom and other authorized retail stores.

Motorola Gleam Review:

RIM BlackBerry 3G+ PlayBook

It has to be tough for a company that was in a healthy position looking back a few years ago, but since then, they’ve been unable to contend in the competitive smartphone market. Heck, they even made a stab to enter the lucrative tablet market, but as we’ve seen with the PlayBook, it hasn’t quite taken off all that well – and it doesn’t help when reports hint to lackluster sales. Well, with 2011 behind us and 2012 bringing some much-needed change for the company, it’ll be intriguing to see where the company goes with its portfolio.

Interestingly enough, we’re getting a good look into what RIM intends to bring to the tablet this year – well, that’s because RIM’s entire 2012 roadmap has been leaked. First up on the table is what appears to be a 3G enabled version of the QNX based tablet, simply dubbed as the 3G+ BlackBerry PlayBook. Rather than calling it a 4G tablet outright, the attached “3G+” name is on there because the leaked slides mentions HSPA+ connectivity as its biggest differentiator with the previous model, as opposed to being a 4G LTE equipped model. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing a 10-inch PlayBook of some sort, as some of the previous rumors have indicated.

Secondly, RIM appears to be positioning two new Curve models as being a part of its “onboarding” category, which is nothing more than internal speak for a device that’s intended to bring feature phone users to smartphones. Looking at the leaked slides, these expected first time smartphone users will probably find the BlackBerry Curve 9220 and 9320 as the perfect models.

Specs-wise, they’re nothing worth bragging about seeing that they’re very entry-level like. In fact, the two smartphones feature a 2.44 QVGA display (not a touchscreen), GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, microSD card slot, 512MB RAM, and that typical Curve keyboard. Well, what’s different between the two is that the 9220 packs a 2-megapixel fixed focus camera, while the 9320 packs on a 3.2-megapixel extended depth of field camera. So yeah, they’re hardly devices deemed as next-generation, but then again, the Curve series has also been associated with low-end specs.

Last on the list and on tap for a later release in the year, is none other than RIM’s first BlackBerry 10 powered smartphone – codenamed London. Initially, it’s expected to land sometime in late September, but the leaked roadmap alludes to a later October release. Needless to say, that can be a damper for those itching to see RIM’s first BlackBerry 10 smartphone, but when you take into account what’s at stake, the later release might be beneficial – especially when expectations are going to be riding high for it.

So there you have it folks! We’re given an idea as to what RIM intends to accomplish this year, but if course, release dates and devices can change at any time.

Vertu Constellation Quest Ferrari: A Ferrari 458 Italia-Inspired Smartphone

Vertu, a manufacturer of luxury cellular phones, has recently announced its newest product, the Ferrari 458 Italia-inspired smartphone. The said phone is called the Constellation Quest Ferrari.
Previously, this company has also released similar luxury car-inspired models such as the Ascent Ferrari GT and the Ascent Ferrari 60.

To give an authentic feel to the smartphone, the Vertu Constellation Quest Ferrari has a titanium battery cover on which appears the popular symbol of Cavallino Rempante in stainless steel. The Ferrari logo likewise appears on the front.

The phone also has handmade Ferrari Calf leather integrated with the design. The phone has been crafted in the very workshop where the interior parts of the inspiration car, the Ferrari GT, are made. Likewise, the phone is encased in a special leather slip covering which not only serves as a protection for the device, but also echoes the design of the iconic vehicle.

Beyond the design, the Constellation Quest Ferrari also carries an analog clock that is inspired by Rev Counter. True Ferrari enthusiasts will also appreciate the stream of updates from Ferrari, including information on events as well as other significant announcements.

Passion Meets Power in The World's Most Exclusive Smartphone:

LG Prada 3.0 Top Hit The UK In February

Ever since LG and Prada announced the latest product of their collaboration, fashionistas with a taste for Android have been asking themselves just one question – when is it to become available. Well, now we have the answer to that and we even have a price tag to go with it.

LG and Prada recently announced their latest Android smartphone, the LG Prada 3.0, and now it looks like this new Android handset will be available in the UK in February of 2012. UK mobile retailer the Carphone Warehouse has the LG Prada 3.0 listed on their website with a February launch date.

As a reminder, the LG Prada 3.0 comes with a 4.3 inch touchscreen display which has a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, processing is provided by a dual core 1GHz processor. Other specifications on the Prada 3.0 include an 8 megapixel camera which is capable of full HD video in 1080p, plus Android Gingerbread.

More information's:
LG Prada 3.0 Top Hit The UK In February

PRADA Phone by LG 3.0 Hands-On SlashGear:

Future Phone

Mobile technology shaping the future of retail industry
Future Mobile Music Concept
Romo Smartphone Robot is Cute and Cool
T-Mobile G2x on sale price $199.99 or $499 on contract
AT&T Samsung Infuse 4G – New AT&T Android phones
Two billion mobile processors to ship in 2016
Coming soon to Orange UK is the BlackBerry Curve 9360 in white
Huawei Discovery Expedition hands-on
In 10 days, 20% of WP7 phones have gotten Mango
Richard Clarkson’s Rotary Mechanical Smartphone
P-Per: Concept mobile phone
Quey Phone: A novel concept for the elderly
"Kambala” a Fascinating concept
The cool Concept: "Sticker Phone"
Anastasia Zharkova's Awesome concept the “Leaf Phone”
Mac Funamizu's concept phone "Cobalto"
Acer Allegro Windows Phone Mango Device Coming To Europe

Apple’s iBooks App Gets Updated, Adds New Features

Apple has updated its iBooks app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, and the latest version, iBooks 1.5 brings a new range of features to Apple’s eBook app, which include a new nighttime reading theme that is designed to make it easier to read books in the dark.

Other new features include a new full screen layout, a new range of fonts, which include Athelas, Charter, Iowan, and Seravek, plus some new classic covers for the public domain books and more. You can find out full details of everything is new in iBooks 1.5 over at iTunes, and the app is available as a free download for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

More information's:
http://gizmodo.com/5865798/the-new-ibooks-15-for-ipad-and-iphone-is-a-must-have-upgrade

Apple iBooks for iPad, iPhone, & iPod Touch (App Review):

Dell Venue Pro gets Mango, completes the set

The Dell Venue Pro has finally received the update to Windows Phone Mango, which means that all Windows Phones now have the WP 7.5 update released and available to users.

This is of course the benefit of the tightly controlled Windows Phone ecosystem, much like Apple's iOS ecosystem, where the hardware is all standardized and there is no such thing as customizing the base platform. That kind of control leads to easy and widespread updates. So, when the Dell Venue Pro update to Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) began rolling out yesterday, that completed the set and Mango is now officially available for all Windows Phone handsets.

Of course, the tight control also means there is no such thing as dual-core CPUs, but as long as the software is optimized properly, it doesn't make too big a difference. The lack of displays above WVGA resolution is a bit more noticeable, but still manageable. As always, there are benefits and tradeoffs to each platform.

More information's:
http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2011/11/30/updates-now-delivering-to-dell-venue-pro.aspx

Dell Venue Pro:

Verizon to add LTE service to two more cities over the next two months

Verizon announced on Thursday that it will be expanding its LTE 4G service to Roanoke, Virginia on November 17th. Communities that will be serviced by Verizon's 4G pipeline will include downtown Roanoke, Smith Mountain Lake, Christiansburg, Radford City, Buena Vista City, Lexington City and Rockbridge. Virginia Tech will also be covered. After the switch is turned on in Roanoke, Verizon will have 178 cities blanketed by LTE, and 15 devices supporting the service. Some of the phones that run at LTE speed include the Motorola DROID RAZR, the Motorola DROID BIONIC (remember that phone, guys?), and the upcoming HTC Rezound.

On December 15th, Verizon's LTE service gets turned on in city number 179, Indiana, Pennsylvania. The list of surrounding areas that will have the service include White Township, the Indiana University of PA campus, Homer City and Blairsville.

Verizon's LTE service should provide speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps on the downlink and 2 to 5Mbps on the uplink and is as much as 10 times faster than 3G service. We are coming up on the one-year anniversary of Big Red's initial LTE launch on December 5th and the carrier has given itself a nice head start on other carriers rolling out LTE service including AT&T and MetroPCS.

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE first look:

Concept Modular mobile phone.

Modu is a mobile phone with modular features both in software and hardware. The Modu Modular Mobile Phone concept looks to remedy problem with an innovative idea that would allow users to fully-upgrade their phones as they please. The fully-customizable Modu mobile phone is made of three distinct parts that are fully separable. The LCD display that fronts the phone forms the first layer of the phone’s body can be easily detached and replaced with a new screen in case it is broken and cannot be repaired. If the user wants to get a screen with a better resolution or upgrade the touch-capacity of their phone, they would simply need to detach the screen from the phone and replace it with a new screen without having to give up the functionality of their old phone and the data saved in it.

Similarly, the second layer of the modular phone would be comprised of an aluminum-bodied section that would basically connect the phone to its accessories and also connect the processing unit and the screen together. This section would have the control buttons on its sides and the headphone, charger and USB inputs on the bottom side of it. The third segment of the phone would house the processing unit, the memory, the camera, the speakers and all the other essential hardware in it. The fully-customizable unit will feature removable units for separate upgradeable units like the camera, the processor and the speaker, etc., and should the user wish to upgrade any one of these parts, they would be able to do so by simply removing that particular unit from the module and replacing them with a new one.
Netherlands-based designer Aris Stathis

More information's:
http://www.behance.net/gallery/MODU/2271932

Mobile Phone UI concept by ARM Graphics Demo Team:

the Quicksilver mobile phone concept the new Pac Man of the future

This all new unofficial Quicksilver mobile phone concept surely has to be the Pac man of the future, this is truly interesting to look at and the more we do the more we love and say “Make the damn thing” by the looks of the pictures this new concept phone features a 3.2 mega pixel camera, GPRS, USB and a navigator.

There is also Bluetooth, there are more but my eyes are not that great. This mobile phone is definitely unconventional to say the least and the unique way of it opening up really intrigues me, it opens upwards to the left and when doing so the screen is attached to the left part leaving the keypad on the other part.

Pac-Man eat your heart out son because if this ever gets made you are going back in the closet, sorry Pac-man we love you still but it is time to move over to the new born king of concept mobile technology.

Police in Britain now able to monitor cell phones

In an age where we are constantly trying to find the balance between security and liberty, the Metropolitan, or Met, police force in Britain have garnered the attention of lawyers and privacy groups over its recent acquisition of a surveillance system that can monitor civilian cell phones.

The system, which has been purchased from Datong plc, can emit a signal that covers approximately 10 square kilometers, or 3.8 square miles. Phones within this area can be sent a signal that forces them to release their IMSI and IMEI identify codes. Once this occurs, the MET police have the ability to track the phone’s location in real-time, intercept communications to and from the device, obtain data about the user, and even shut off the phone entirely.

Neither Datong nor the Met have made clear whether the system targets a specific person or if the entire populous within range is affected by the technology. The Met has also denied comment as to whether or not it has used the system in conjunction with crowd control, such as situations with large amounts of protestors.

This withholding of information on the scope and use of the technology had caused concern from Nick Pickles, director of privacy and civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, saying, “It raises a number of serious civil liberties concerns and clarification is urgently needed on when and where this technology has been deployed, and what data has been gathered.”

Barrister Jonathan Lennon has also questioned the device’s legality in reference to the UK’s Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) by saying, “How can a device which invades any number of people's privacy be proportionate? There needs to be clarification on whether interception of multiple people's communications – when you can't even necessarily identify who the people are – is complaint with the act.”

A spokesperson for the Met police said, “We can re-assure those who live and work in London that any activity we undertake is in compliance with legislation and codes of practice."

Leeds-based Datong also operates an office in the US and has had prior contracts with the Secret Service, Special Operations Command, and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In February of 2010, Datong supplied the US defense sector with tracking and location technology making this something to watch domestically as well as abroad.

10 most expensive cell phones

1. Goldstriker iPhone 3GS Supreme Worth $3.2 million

This luxury gadget from designer Stuart Hughes is the world’s most expensive cell phone. Unveiled in 2009, the Goldstriker iPhone is encrusted with 271 grams of 22 carat pure solid gold. More the 200 diamonds adore the cell phone. Apple logo on the back features 53 gems and the home button is covered with a single 7.1-carat diamond. The iPhone 3GS Supreme comes in a chest carved from granite and Kashmir gold along with a lining made from top Nubuck grain leather.

2. GoldVish Le Million Worth $1.3 million

Designed by Emmanuel Gueit, GoldVish LeMillion holds the 2nd position in our countdown for the most expensive cell phones. Certifierd, unique by the Guinness World Records in 2008, the cell phone sports 20 carats of VVS1 (only microscopically flawed) diamonds, and 18k white gold. 2 GB storage, FM radio, digital camera, MP3 playback and bluetooth are the internal features of the cell phone. Available by individual order, GoldVish LeMillion is the Geneva-based communications company ace in its Illusion Collection.

3. Diamond Crypto Smartphone – $1.3 million

This Moscow based JSC Ancort product is explicitly designed by luxury accessory designer Peter Aloisson. This expensive smart phone is encased in a platinum base and has 50 diamonds including eight rare blue diamonds. The navigation key and the Ancort logo are of 18k rose gold. SMS, MMS, Internet and E-mail capability, media player, WAP and JAVA support is the features of this device. The cell phone comes with a 256 bit cryptographic algorithm built on Windows CE and a high resolution TFT display.

4. Vertu Signature Cobra- $310,000

French jeweler Boucheron is the producer of this luxuary gadget. Vertu cobra phones are part of a limited edition series, and so far only eight cobra phones are made. One carat round diamond, two carat pear cut diamond, two emerald eyes and 439 rubies all totaling to 21 carats are used to give the phone a cobra look. Vertu phones also provide service and information about travel, restaurants, entertainment and events. A cheaper version of the same cell phone which is reuby free is available at $115,000.

5. VIPN Black Diamond Smartphone- $300,000

VIPN Black Diamond smartphone holds the 5th position in our geek list of the world’s most expensive cell phones. This product designed by Jaren Goh has a body made from titan and polycarbonate combination and spots a cutting edge mirror finish cladding, adorned with diamonds. This trendy cell phone has an Intel 400Mhz processor, 4 mega pixel camera, touch sensitive 2? 256K TFT screen, 128 MB internal memory, 2GB external memory storage card and Wi-fi/Bluetooth adaptability.

6. iPhone Princess Plus- $176,400

Designed by Peter Aloisson, the iPhone Princess Plus makes the 6th spot on our list. This cell phone is so named because of the princess shaped diamond cut it features all over the casing. 138 diamonds out of 318 diamonds are shaped in this style, whereas, the others has a brilliant-cut pattern. The diamond collection totals 17.75 carats and white gold totals 18k. All brilliant-cut version of the iPhone Princess Plus is available at a lower price tag of $66,150.

7. Vertu Diamond- $88,000

This Vertu phone holds the 7th spot in our countdown of the 10 most expensive cell phones. The phone features a body constructed by refined platinum and is underpinned with precious ruby bearings. The phone has ceramic composition body mixture components originally intended for space shuttle program. The main drawback of the phone is the absence of a camera. 200 such phones have only been sold worldwide.

8. Motorola V220 Special Edition- $51,800

Motorolla has made a foothold in the luxury cell phones segment through its most eligible candidate- the Motorola Special V220 edition. Priced at $51,800 the phone designed by the Austrian designer Peter Aloisson looks pretty much feminine in aesthetics. This flip phone comes with all the standard features and is studded with 1200 diamonds on the front panel. The keyboard is laid with 18 carat gold.

9. Gold Edition Nokia 8800- $2,700

Nokia 8800 gold edition is the exclusive Nokia candidate in our top 10. The phone has pretty much the same standard features of the Nokia 8800; however, the outlook casing of the cell phone is quite different. The phone is encased with 24k covering and owning one of these beauties will undoubtedly capture attention all around you. The phone has a 2, 62,000 color TFT (208 x 208) display screen along with a SVGA .5 MP camera. MMS, SMS, USB, Java, WAP, Infrared, Bluetooth and Edge connectivity are present in this smart phone. All standard features like FM Radio, Mp3 Player, 64 polyphonic and Video Recording are also present.

10. Nokia Lamborghini 8800 Sirocco- $Yet to be announced

This Nokia product is a part of the Lamborghini 500-piece limited edition and is yet to be given a price tag. Tri-band GSM coverage is the main feature of this phone. The display panel is coated with a scratch resistant sapphire coated glass. Color TFT display, digital MP3 player, 128 MB of internal memory is the other integrated feature. In addition, Instant Messaging, xHTML browsing and video streaming services are available. Data transfer via Bluetooth, GPRS, TCP/IP or EDGE is also possible with this device.

The little changes in iOS 5

iOS 5, one of the biggest redefinitions in Apple’s mobile platform, has been out for a couple of weeks now - plenty of time for users to digest the changes. That’s what we’ve already done in our extensive iOS 5 review, but now the little changes have also been uncovered. You might think those are not hugely important, and you’d be right for the most part. But what these subtle changes reveal is the simply mind-boggling attention to detail over at Apple.

Yes, we’re talking about the very same attention coming down to the single pixel, which Steve Jobs was known for. First comes a change in the shading of the badge shadow from black to gray. You might have not noticed but boxes are now enhanced with a 3D effect, text design has also gone 3D and the distance of the shadow has changed by one pixel. Almost invisible changes continue with a redesigned homescreen where the distance between icons has been tweaked by 2 pixels. You wouldn’t notice it, but you’d notice how coherent and visually pleasing Apple’s design choices are. And finally, that’s what matters, right?

Acer Allegro (W4) Windows Phone Lands In France Next Month

We heard recently that Acer’s first Windows Phone smartphone which was previously called the Acer W4 and is now called the Acer Allegro would be coming to Europe soon, and now Acer has confirmed that the Allegro will go on sale in France next month.

The Acer Allegro comes with Windows Phone 7.5 Mango and it features a 3.6 inch VGA touchscreen display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, there is also a 5 megapixel camera, plus 8GB of built in storage. The Acer Allegro also comes with a new feature that wasn’t revealed previously, Fast Charge, which is designed to charge the Allegro’s 1300mAh battery up to 2.5 times faster than standard smartphone chargers. The Acer Allegro will go on sale in France in the middle of November for 299 Euros SIM free, there are no details as yet on when it will be available in other European countries.

More information's:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/31/acers-first-venture-into-windows-phone-arrives-in-france-as-the/

Acer Allegro Hands On:

Nokia Purity HD By Monster Stereo Headsets Announced

As well as announcing its new Windows Phone smartphones, Nokia also announced a range of new accessories for its new smartphones, and one of those is a the new Nokia Purity HD stereo headset by Monster. These mobile HD headphones are the result of a collaboration between Nokia and Monster. With great mobile features and high performance speakers they deliver outstanding audio quality and handsfree convenience. They’re constructed from premium scratch resistant materials to ensure light weight, durability, and good looks. And yes, they do sound great.

The Nokia Purity HD stereo headset will be available in a range of colors, which include black, white, cyan, and fuchsia, there are no details on pricing as yet.

More information's:
http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/accessories/headsets/stereo-wired-headsets/nokia-purity-hd-by-monster/gallery

Microsoft’s Windows Phone Companion App For Xbox In Action

At yesterday’s Nokia World, Microsoft revealed some more details about the integration between their Windows Phone and the Xbox 360, the video below shows the new Companion app for the Xbox running on a Nokia Lumia 800.

As you can see from the video the app can be used as a remote for the Xbox including navigation of Microsoft’s various video offering and it can also provide additional content on the smartphone. It certainly looks very interesting from the video, and we suspect Microsoft has a few more things planned for Windows Phone and Xbox integration.

More information's:
http://www.winrumors.com/hands-on-with-the-future-of-windows-phone-and-xbox-integration-video/

Hands on: Windows Phone and Xbox integration

Cell Phones Fight Cholera in Haiti

Cell phones are being used in the fight against cholera in Haiti, highlighting the power of mobile technology to help combat contagious diseases.

Community health workers, or CHWs, last month began using specially-programmed Nokia cell phones to track information about cholera infections in Haiti's Central Plateau. Thousands of Haitians in isolated mountain communities have gotten sick from cholera since June, and the infection rate is steadily rising since the fall rainy season began.

Tracking and reporting new cholera cases quickly is critical to treatment and prevention efforts, especially considering cholera is highly contagious and can kill within 24 hours of infection.

Since the 2010 earthquake, parts of Haiti's population have been homeless or migratory, possibly adding to the spread of infectious diseases like cholera. Understanding where new infections are occurring may help aid workers get help where it's needed and strengthen public health prevention initiatives.

Before the cell phone reporting program started, CHWs often had to walk six or more hours to submit weekly cholera reports from outlying areas, losing crucial time in a fight where every second counts.

The new program reflects other public health efforts using mobile technology to combat the spread of deadly disease and improve response efforts.

A government program in Cambodia uses text messages to report malaria outbreaks in real time. And in Haiti, tracking earthquake victims via cell phone location data helped aid workers target emergency supplies and services.

The cell phone cholera program builds on the technology that helped earthquake victims get the aid they needed. It uses Haitian Creole prompts to allow CHWs to record data about soap, medication, bleach and oral rehydration solution needs. It also asks for data about numbers of cholera cases, how many patients made it to the nearest treatment center and number of deaths.

"We need accurate and up-to-date reports in order to best prevent more cases and respond to quick spread of the epidemic," said Cate Oswald, Haiti-based coordinator for health advocacy organization, Partners In Health, which runs the cell phone program.

"It is our hope that this project will help us have better access to incredibly important community data and will help us know which communities need extra support at any given moment," she added.

As health workers continue to fight cholera amid continuing earthquake recovery in Haiti, having a cell phone in hand may help reduce the number of deaths from the disease.