What do you get when you add USA 3G bands (850MHz / 1900MHz WCDMA) to one of the most feature-rich phones on the market? Ah, you get the Nokia N95-3, and we’ve got it in the flesh in our hands-on studio! If you name something, this bad boy has got it. From Wi-Fi, to the spectacular 5 megapixel camera complete with 640×480 VGA video capture, A2DP Bluetooth, GPS and now those ever-coveted USA 3G bands, the N95-3 completely rocks out. If those above listed features weren’t enough, Nokia has upped the battery life on here dramatically. In order to do so, the back side of the device underwent a little makeover. This effectively shed the shutter lens from the phone, which is now controlled simply by software. The great part about it was that when you slid the lens open, the camera would automatically launch. This can be achieved by holding down the camera key, so we won’t miss it that much. We earlier reported the Chicago Nokia Store had the dark sand color in stock, and New York had the black in stock; we were duped by a Nokia Store sales person. No go on the black just yet, so hold off if you’re anal about colors. Ready for the hands-on gallery? We thought you’d be!

Click on over to the Nokia N95-3 USA hands-on gallery!

read more | digg story | JAVOedge Nokia N95 Accessories

If you thought the Nokia N95 was the perfect phone with a great mix of high-end features, yet missing the one thing most Americans need, you might be happy to know that today is the day for rejoicement. Currently in stock at the New York and Chicago Nokia Stores, the Nokia N95-3 model should bring all you AT&T HSDPA-loving fans some happiness. It looks like Chicago has the “silver / dark sand” model, while New York has the “silver / black” model in stock, so make sure you know your color palate before you go ahead and buy one. Check for our hands-on review with photos a little later in the day!

P.S. The early word on the street from mobile diva Darla Mack says that the battery life on the new N95-3 model is outstanding!

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Apple Inc, which helped spawn the PDA market with its Newton MessagePad line in the early ’90s, plans to give the concept another go with a modern day reincarnation of the old fan favorite based on the company’s new mutli-touch technology, AppleInsider has learned.

For Apple, the ongoing project represents its second stab at reinventing the PDA since the Newton met its fate in the late 90’s — the first of which never saw the light of day and is only known to have existed based on a one-off comment from chief executive Steve Jobs over three years ago.

Speaking at the 2004 edition of the Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital conference, Jobs stated that he was proud not only of the products Apple had released in recent years, but also the products the company had decided not to ship.

When asked by an audience member to elaborate, Jobs said simply, “an Apple PDA.”

It appears that Jobs and Co. never gave up hope, and instead returned to the drawing board. For the past 18 months, well-respected sources tell AppleInsider, a small team of Apple engineers have been at it again, this time tapping the company’s revolutionary multi-touch technology as a foundation.

During that time, sources have observed the project slip in and out of limbo, as Apple struggled to meet its self-imposed June, 2007 launch date for the iPhone. In at least two instances, the company pulled software engineers off the project to assist in the completion of the iPhone software, only to return those same engineers to the their original task months later.

With the initial iPhone now out the door and two successive models well underway in Apple’s labs, it’s believed to be full steam ahead for the modern day Newton project. Like iPhone and the iPod touch, the new device runs an embedded version of Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard operating system.

Externally, the mutil-touch PDA has been described by sources as an ultra-thin “slate” akin to the iPhone, about 1.5 times the size and sporting an approximate 720×480 high-resolution display that comprises almost the entire surface of the unit. The device is further believed to leverage multi-touch concepts which have yet to gain widespread adoption in Apple’s existing multi-touch products — the iPhone and iPod touch — like drag-and-drop and copy-and-paste.

More broadly characterized as Apple’s answer to the ultra-mobile PC, the next-gen device is believed to be tracking for a release sometime in the first half of 2008. Assuming the project remains clear of roadblocks, sources believe it could make an inaugural appearance during Jobs’ Macworld keynote in January alongside some new Mac offerings. Still, manufacturing ramp and availability would seem unlikely until closer to mid-year, those same sources say.

As AppleInsider has hinted in recent months (1, 2), the next-gen PDA will signal the advent of a fifth core business segment (fourth if you discount Apple TV) for Apple, but at the same time represent just smidgen of what’s to come from the company’s new multi-touch platform, which has already proven to be a game-changer.

read more | digg story | JAVOedge Apple iPod/iPhone Accessories

Yesterday, Erica posted in her state of the iPod touch jailbreak that a hacker named “Martyn” had obtained a broken iPod touch, and was planning to dive in and download every bit of code on it in the increasingly complicated effort to put 3rd party applications on the iPod touch. He didn’t plan to release the code to the public, but he did plan to upload the code to a secured area of his site in order to let the other touch hackers have a crack at it.

But even before his upload finished, we’re told, his ISP showed up, with a takedown notice in hand. Apple had somehow found his site, had contacted his ISP, and let them know that it would be against copyright law for him to upload that code to the Internet. Martyn isn’t interested in breaking the law (and it would be illegal to share that code), so he pulled the page off. But what’s amazing here is how fast Apple moved on this– either they’ve got someone listening in on the development wiki, or they’re taking cues from us on how things are going over there (hi, Apple!).

Despite what we’ve heard before, clearly they are very, very interested in making sure the iPod touch doesn’t get hacked. Martyn tells me, as has Erica, that Apple has clearly gone out of their way to keep hackers out of their latest iPod. We’re also told that progress continues despite all that, but Apple is apparently bending over backwards to do everything they can to keep the iPod touch closed.

read more | digg story | JAVOedge Apple iPod Touch Accessories

Mobile computing firm Palm Inc. has announced the availability of the Palm Treo 750 smartphone in India in partnership with Bharti Airtel. It is the first Windows-based Treo smartphone to be launched in India.

The Treo 750 is multi featured mobile phone with e-mail, messaging, web browsing and organisation software. The new smartphone is capable of 3G for fast data access.

“Over 5 million Treo smartphones today are being used by companies and individuals around the world, and continuing to expand the Treo footprint is a key focus for Palm. India is an important market for Palm, and Treo smartphones are well poised to meet the growing demand by Indian consumers who want a compelling mobile-computing experience,” Palm Inc said in a statement.

“Our alliance with Palm to introduce the stylish and power-packed Treo 750 smartphone underlines our commitment to innovation. We are very excited at the opportunity to bring to our Airtel users a best-in-class product that delivers a rich experience that makes it an essential mobility, productivity, and business tool. This phone will be available exclusively on Airtel for a period of time,” said Mr Sanjay Gupta, Chief Marketing Officer, Mobile Services, Bharti Airtel.

read more | digg story | JAVOedge Palm Treo 750 Accessories