[MobileRatty] tag: navy

Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 Tested for XTREME Durability [Consoles]

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:30:00 +0000

We all know that the PS3 is built like a Navy battleship while the 360 can crumble in one's hand like a wilted flower. But how do the Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 stand up to one another when two dudes (and we use "dudes" here not because we're stuck with dated lexicon but because we find it aptly descriptive) smash the living crap out of each machine? We won't spoil it. [via PS3 Fanboy]

Red Bull Saw-horse Cum DJ Table is More Interesting than Pretty

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 05:15:43 +0000

I have to go with Hipstomp over at Core77 on this one, the first thing that came to mind when I saw this DJ table from Red Bull was “saw-horse”. I guess the folks at Red Bull think it will help sling more Vodka and Red Bull or something. Anyway, the slots are for LPs or laptop ventilation and other than that it’s just a table. [Coccoon Branding via Core77]

Black Friday Best GPS Deals - 2008

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:33:33 +0000

Well, it's time to check out the fliers to see what's going to be on sale for Black Friday for great GPS deals. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving typically brings a slew of great sales and deals that have grown in number since I have been reporting on it, and waiting out there to see first hand how things go - from just a handful in total a few years ago to each major outlet offering major GPS Deals. It's going to be crazy fun to watch the GPS Sales and Deals for Black Friday 2008.

I will update this post as time goes on to keep up with the deals - Bookmark this page and check back often. Check the GPS Features to Consider at the bottom of the post.

Ace Hardware

Nextar M3 - $89 after $30 Mail in Rebate - More Info

Dell Home

Pharos PDR-200 - $95 after $25 MIR

Gander Mountain

eTrex Summit Handheld Bundle - $199

Garmin Nuvi 255W - $199 - my Full Review

K-Mart - Thanksgiving Day Sale (Not Black Friday)

Nextar X3-03 - $79 after $20 Mail in Rebate

Navy Exchange - open to all members of the military, retired military and their dependents

Garmin Nuvi 205 - $119 - More Info

TomTom ONE 125 - $99 - More Info - Full Review of the ONE 130 - same unit except the 125 has US only Maps

Magellan Roadmate 1200 - $99 - More Info

Sam's Club

Sony ?NV-U74T? GPS - $179 - More Info

Sears

Garmin Nuvi 205 - $124 - More Info

Magellan RoadMate 1200 - $99 - More Info

Magellan RoadMate 1412 Widescreen - $149 - More Info

Sony NV-V44 - $179 - Text to Speech, Widescreen

TomTom ONE 125 - $99 - More Info - Full Review of the ONE 130 - same unit except the 125 has US only Maps

Toys R Us

TomTom ONE 130 - $149 - Full Review

Walgreens

Nextar - M3-04 - $89 - More Info

GPS Features to Consider when buying a Personal Navigation Device
There are a few things I consider worth paying more for when considering a GPS purchase:

Text to speech (TTS) - This is the first upgrade I would make from an entry level unit. Text to Speech (Says street names) helps with driving in urban areas or where roads are close together; speaks street names for better awareness in making turns. More on Text to Speech (TTS).
Widescreen - This is the next upgrade I would make if it's in the budget. Widescreen units offer 70% more space to see the map and type in addresses, etc.
Interface Quality - Garmin and TomTom have the best interfaces out there. If the user is technically challenged, move up to Garmin or TomTom.
TMC Traffic - Traffic is still young and evolving, but it can already help a lot in urban areas where traffic and commuting headaches are a constant struggle. Garmin 660/670 and 760/770 have the TMC receiver built into the power plug. Others (TomTom 730, Nuvi 350/360) have it as an extra cord that is an optional add-on. All TMC subscriptions are about the same cost per year (~$60) after a free trial period. Garmin is selling some units with free traffic, most notably the Nuvi 255T. Navigon is selling units WITH lifetime subscriptions built into the cost of the unit. More on TMC Traffic.
Points of Interest (POI) - More is better, but due to costs and space issues, some of the entry level units don't have a lot. At 1.3 million or less you won't get all the stores sometimes due to manufacturer's decisions on what to cut and what to keep. Sometimes you get plaza names but not the stores in that plaza. See More on POI

Grantwood Tuneband Armband For iPod nano 4G

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:41:06 +0000

Grantwood Technology has rolled out its own tuneband armband for the iPod nano 4G, keeping it secure even when you're involved in the most vigorous of exercise routines at the gym. The flexible band is elastic enough to fit a whole range of arm sizes, although we're not too sure whether they can accommodate Hulk Hogan's 24" pythons. The tuneband armband will provide some semblance of protection to your portable media player with a silicone skin that will not get in the way of controls or ports, and works well with the Nike+iPod Sport Kit. You can choose from clear, gray, black, navy blue, purple, teal, green, red and pink colors, as long as you hand over $13 for it.

Add a comment | From: Grantwood Tuneband Armband For iPod nano 4G | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

Samsung C6620 Windows Mobile smartphone launched in Italy; Approved by FCC

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:14:22 +0000

Samsung is launching a new Windows Mobile smartphone in Italy called Samsung C6620. From what we can tell, the BlackJack-like handset comes with an improved QWERTY keyboard with buttons looking like those found on Nokia E71 or Palm Treo, which make typing way more convenient. Or at least, that’s my experience.

Specs wise, there’s a tri-band GSM/GPRS radio (900/1800/1900 MHz) on board, QVGA non-touchscreen, 3G (HSDPA), 2 megapixel camera, 20 MB of internal memory that is further expandable with memory cards. Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard edition is running the show. Lack of WiFi and GPS may be a dealbreaker for many, myself included.

In Italy, TIM is selling the Samsung C6620 in “Wine Red,” “Apple Green” and “Navy Blue” for 199 EUR with a contract. We’ve no idea when nor whether the new Samsung smartphone will start selling in the U.S. The FCC approval is there, but that doesn’t mean much…

[Via: Unwired View]

Related News:

Samsung C6620 Out In Italy, Gets FCC Nod

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:08:03 +0000

The FCC has already given their nod of approval to the Samsung C6620 smartphone, although the Italians beat us to it as it is readily available there for €199. The Samsung C6620 will come in Wine Red, Apple Green and Navy Blue colors, featuring the following specifications :-

Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system
Full QWERTY keyboard
QVGA display
Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900MHz)
UMTS/HSDPA support
Bluetooh connectivity
Integrated music player
2 megapixel camera with video recording
20MB of internal memory
Integrated modem

Hopefully Samsung will have a version that functions with North American's GSM frequency bands if they ever want to release it here.

Add a comment | From: Samsung C6620 Out In Italy, Gets FCC Nod | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

EA-18G Fighter Jet Growls Enemy Networks Away [Airplanes]

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:30:00 +0000

When I first came across this photo I thought it was a new classified starfighter being tested by the Navy and Boeing Phantom Works in a secret underground anechoic chamber in the Moon. Then I realized it had the shape of something closer to Earth: It looked like an F-18 but it is not. It's an EA-18G Growler, a variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet Block II that is not designed to kill kill faster faster, but for airborne electronic attacks.

Now finishing its testing phase as it gets ready to enter action next action, the EA-18G will replace the current and aging EA-6B Prowler. With its two F414-GE-400 engines, totalling 44,000-pound of trust, it's a much more powerful beast than the 4-seater Prowler.

The EA-18G's mission is to jam the enemy networks from the air, using a variety of systems installed on a pallet in the gun bay and in two wingtip pods. The remaining nine weapons stations are available for other pods containing the electronics necessary for standoff jamming, escort jamming, time critical strike, and communications countermeasures.

In the cockpit, it has an active electronically scanned array radar, which is capable of pinpointing the targets that need to be jammed (or destroyed using specialized radio-bound missiles) with greater accuracy than ever before. In other words, to give mess with the Wi-Fi network of all those terrorist living in their desert caves.

This Week in VUDU: 186 New Flicks [Vudu]

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 05:59:00 +0000

This week, VUDU got 33 more HDX releases (yes, that is the dreaded Blacula that you see there) along with 153 HD movies (including Space Balls). Read on for the full list.

HDX (33):

Beverly Hills Cop

Beverly Hills Cop 3

The Love Guru

Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow

Love Story

Hero Wanted

Hitch

Kung Fu Hustle

Be Kind Rewind

Mongol

The Usual Suspects

Rain Man

Mad Max

Robocop 3

Rocky 3

Rocky 5

Carrie

Get Shorty

Into the Blue

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London

Barbershop 2: Back in Business

Benny and Joon

Betrayed

The Black Stallion

Blacula

Cadillac Man

Chicago

The Counterfeiters

Married Life

Prom Night (PG-13 Rated)

Redbelt

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Original Theatrical Version)

HD (153):

The Terminator

Navy Seals

Robocop 3

Blood Simple

Singin' in the Rain

What a Girl Wants

Wyatt Earp

Sitting Bull

The Black Stallion

Get Shorty

Rain Man

The Usual Suspects

Rocky 2

Rollerball

The Call of the Wild

The Great Escape

Annie Hall

Thief

The Great Train Robbery

Lord of Illusions

Carrie

Hackers

The Saint

The Rainmaker

The Pink Panther

Fled

A Fistful of Dollars

Beavis and Butt-Head Do America

Clueless

Stigmata

Betrayed

Mission: Impossible 2

Blue Velvet

Spaceballs

No Way Out

The Talented Mr. Ripley

Bananas

Henry V

Stardust Memories

Airplane!

The Bounty

Still Smokin'

Breakheart Pass

Benny and Joon

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka

Blue Sky

The Big Country

Vera Cruz

Donovan's Reef

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Some Like It Hot

Apache

Blame It on Rio

Eight Men Out

Something Wild

The Thing with Two Heads

Who'll Stop the Rain?

Wayne's World 2

Rocky 3

The Woman in Red

Zelig

Frankie and Johnny

Wuthering Heights

Wild Orchid

Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy

The Billion Dollar Hobo

Blue Steel

Rush

The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course

The Black Stallion Returns

All or Nothing

Nicholas Nickleby

A Guy Thing

Evelyn

Battle of Britain

Shattered

White Lightning

Agent Cody Banks

The Boost

Sleep with Me

Blacula

Pieces of April

La Chamade [Heartbeat]

Man of La Mancha

The Wild Party

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London

Thunderbirds Are GO

The Show

Saved!

Wild at Heart

Smooth Talk

New York, New York

Code 46

Amityville 3-D

Amityville 2: The Possession

Viva Maria!

Hustle

Tom Sawyer

A World Apart

Into the Blue

Son of the Pink Panther

Stagecoach

Thieves Like Us

True Confessions

Solarbabies

Casino Royale

She's Gotta Have It

The Siege of Firebase Gloria

Ski School

Some Kind of Hero

Stealing Heaven

Teen Wolf

Trapeze

Troll 2

Two for the Seesaw

Unmasking the Idol

The Way West

Zero to Sixty

Alias Jesse James

Left for Dead

Rules of Engagement

Grease

Heaven Can Wait

Before the Rains

Chicago Massacre: Richard Speck

Drive Thru

Surf School

Flatliners

Kung Fu Hustle

The Love Guru

Beverly Hills Cop

Top Gun

The Wiggles: Sing a Song of Wiggles!

Mongol

Behind Enemy Lines

A Dog's Breakfast

Sugar Hill

Thunder Alley

The Visitors

The White Bus

Woman of Straw

Dangerous Liaisons

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Chicago

The Recruit

It Could Happen to You

Married Life

Prom Night (PG-13 Rated)

Redbelt

Brothers in Arms

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Original Theatrical Version)

SAFRAN to Acquire Motorolas Biometrics Business

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:43:00 +0000

Paris and Schaumburg, IL - Oct 15, 2008 – SAFRAN through Sagem Sécurité, its wholly owned subsidiary and a world leader in ID solutions based on biometrics, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the biometric business unit within Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT), which includes its Printrak trademark. The acquisition has been approved by Motorola and SAFRAN.

Motorola’s biometric business unit, headquartered in Anaheim, California, USA, designs, develops, integrates and maintains automated fingerprint identification systems (“AFIS”) for law enforcement, civil and commercial customers around the world. The firm serves national, state, county and municipal agencies internationally and provides integration solutions and systems for more than 300 customers in 40 countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Jean-Paul Herteman, CEO of SAFRAN said, “This acquisition enables Sagem Sécurité to strengthen its position in the US market for homeland security where it is already committed to offer world-class identification solutions to government, state and local markets. This acquisition is a continuation of SAFRAN’s long history of investing in the US. It is also an important step in our plan to improve our product offering, expand production in the US, and reduce costs."

Jean-Paul Jainsky, CEO of Sagem Sécurité added, "Through this acquisition, Sagem Sécurité, its existing customers, and Motorola’s existing biometrics customers are expected to benefit from increased efficiencies and customer responsiveness from the merger of the two businesses.”

“Biometrics is a very dynamic business that we believe requires companies to specialize in the technology,” said Gene Delaney, president, Government & Public Safety, Motorola. "To best serve our customers and employees, Motorola made a judgment that we need to concentrate and lead in our area of strength - delivering best-in-class mission critical communications solutions for government, public safety and commercial customers."

The transaction is targeted to close first quarter of 2009 at the latest and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

SAFRAN, with approximately $17 billion in revenue in 2007, is an international high-technology group. SAFRAN has been operating in the U.S. for 30 years and is a world leader in a number of industrial segments, including aircraft engines through the 34-year CFM International Joint Venture with General Electric, and also supplies aircraft components used on many U.S. military platforms as well as civil aviation customers. Its largest U.S. customer is Boeing and it has significant relationships with other U.S. aerospace companies. SAFRAN operates in aerospace propulsion, aircraft equipment, defense and security.

Products incorporating SAFRAN’s technology have been used for over 20 years by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and NASA. Representative products today include KC-135R Stratotanker C-17 Globemaster, F/A-18, F-16, F-22, V-22 and C-130. SAFRAN is party to over 100 technical assistance agreements (TAAs) and manufacturing licence agreements (MLAs), has 22 empowered corporate officials dedicated to export control and regulations

and is committed to full compliance to such requirements and implements internal policies and procedures to this end. SAFRAN has more than 57,000 employees in over 30 countries, including 3,500 employees in the U.S. with facilities and offices in 42 locations across 19 states.

www.safran-group.com

Sagem Sécurité is one of the world’s leading suppliers of identity systems, Sagem Sécurité focuses on applications including personal rights and flow management, in particular based on biometrics, secure terminals and smart cards. Its integrated solutions are deployed worldwide and contribute to the safety and security of transportation, data, people and states. Sagem Sécurité is a fast growing company with an annual growth over 15 % in the last two years.
Sagem Sécurité is already present in the US through Sagem Morpho, Inc. which develops and sells secure identification systems incorporating various biometric technologies including fingerprint, palm prints, iris and facial recognition either through OEM relationships with major U.S. integrators such as Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, or through its own direct relationships with customers. SMI’s U.S. customers for these systems include both law enforcement and civil agencies such as New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, Missouri State Highway Patrol, New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, New York Police Department Central Records Division,, FBI Latent Laboratory, FBI Criminal Justice Information Services, U.S. Army Crime Lab).

Sagem Sécurité has 4,000 employees in over 24 countries and annual revenues exceeding $ 1 billion in 2007.

www.sagem-securite.com

Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications. The company develops technologies, products and services that make mobile experiences possible. Our portfolio includes communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility solutions, digital set-tops, cable modems, mobile devices and Bluetooth accessories. Motorola is committed to delivering next generation communication solutions to people, businesses and governments. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.6 billion in 2007. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit http://www.motorola.com

AT&T Launches Line of New Quick Messaging Phones

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:25:23 +0000

Four New Handsets Coupled with Unlimited Messaging Plans Make Texting Easier than ever before for AT&T Customers

Dallas, Texas, October 14, 2008

In response to the exploding popularity of text messaging among consumers, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) today announced a new line of quick messaging mobile phones that are designed to make messaging faster and easier than ever before. Arriving in time for the holiday shopping season, the Pantech Matrix™ is available today and the Samsung Propel™ and Pantech Slate™ will hit stores in late October, followed by the AT&T Quickfire™ in November.

All four new mobile phones feature full QWERTY keypads, allowing everyone from newbie messengers to textaholics to send text, picture, video and instant messages with ease. The new phones allow customers to quickly and discreetly access all those useful letters and numbers.

A recent Nielsen study suggests that some U.S. consumers now use their cell phones for text messaging more than they do for talking, making this new line of phones from AT&T perfect for many users. In the company's second quarter earnings, AT&T reported text messaging volumes had tripled compared with the same period in 2007.

"This new line of mobile phones will be a hit with both the text messaging generation and users who want to more easily use other functions on their phone, from mobile e-mail to typing in a search term on the pre-installed YELLOWPAGES.COM," said Carlton Hill, vice president of Devices and Product Development for AT&T's wireless operations. "For a lot of reasons, more buttons are better."

All quick messaging phones are compatible with AT&T's messaging bundles that offer 200, 1,500 and unlimited messaging for $5, $15 and $20, respectively. AT&T FamilyTalk® plan customers can get unlimited messaging for all lines for $30.

"As texting continues to win over more people, unlimited messaging bundles become even more valuable for customers and their families," said Mark Collins, vice president of Consumer Products for AT&T's wireless unit. "These phones are perfect for our customers who want a full keypad to help their fingers fly faster when they send messages but don't need corporate e-mail access or other smartphone features."

Pantech Matrix
The Pantech Matrix is available today in navy blue and black with green and will be available Oct. 16 in red. It is $79.99 with a two-year agreement and mail-in rebate1, and it features the unique dual-sliding, double-keypad design that is found on the popular Pantech Duo™ smartphone in AT&T stores. The Matrix features a 1.3 megapixel camera, instant messaging, Mobile Email, AT&T Navigator, AT&T Mobile Music, CV, AT&T Video ShareSM calling and more.

Samsung Propel
A square slider with the best of AT&T's entertainment offerings such as instant messaging, Mobile Email, AT&T Navigator, CV, AT&T Video Share calling, AT&T Mobile Music, a 1.3 megapixel camera and more, the Samsung Propel slides upward for easy access to its full QWERTY keypad. Also available for $79.99 after a two-year agreement and mail-in rebate1, the Propel will be available in late October in blue, green, red, and white with red.

Pantech Slate
The world's thinnest device with a full QWERTY keypad, the Pantech Slate will retail for $49.99 after a two-year agreement and mail-in rebate¹. A bar-style phone with a 1.3 megapixel camera, instant messaging, Mobile Email and Bluetooth® connectivity, the Slate is available in black with royal blue and will also be available in late October.

AT&T Quickfire
A slider boasting a touch screen in addition to the full keypad, the AT&T Quickfire can read messages in portrait or landscape mode and also download music over the nation's fastest 3G network with Napster Mobile and eMusic Mobile. The AT&T Quickfire will be available in November in orange, lime and silver for $99.99 after a two-year agreement and mail-in rebate¹.

Users of the new devices can also browse and purchase thousands of apps, games, ringtones, graphics and other mobile content in the AT&T MEdia Mall, available from their handsets and also online at www.att.com/mediamall.

For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com. For product photos, visit www.att.com/mobilehandsets-news.

¹ For both the Matrix and Propel pay $129.99, and after mail-in rebate, receive $50 AT&T promotion card. For the Slate, pay $99.99, and after mail-in rebate, receive $50 AT&T promotion card. For the Quickfire, pay $149.99, and after mail-in rebate, receive $50 AT&T promotion card. A two-year service agreement is also required. AT&T promotion card valid wherever major credit cards are accepted and for 120 days after issue date. May be used to pay wireless bill. Not redeemable for cash and cannot be used for cash withdrawal at ATMs or at automated gas pumps.

[MobileRatty] tag: navy

Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 Tested for XTREME Durability [Consoles]

Red Bull Saw-horse Cum DJ Table is More Interesting than Pretty

Related posts

Black Friday Best GPS Deals - 2008

Grantwood Tuneband Armband For iPod nano 4G

Samsung C6620 Windows Mobile smartphone launched in Italy; Approved by FCC

Samsung C6620 Out In Italy, Gets FCC Nod

EA-18G Fighter Jet Growls Enemy Networks Away [Airplanes]

This Week in VUDU: 186 New Flicks [Vudu]

SAFRAN to Acquire Motorolas Biometrics Business

AT&T Launches Line of New Quick Messaging Phones