Best Gadgets World

T-Mobile has begun to officially launch their 3G service. While we have already seen the reports beginning to come in over the weekend, its always nice to get that ‘official’ word, even if its not telling us anything that we did not already know. Better late than never, huh?

The short, and official story is that they have rolled out the 3G coverage in New York City with support for both voice and data. They are also expecting to have coverage become available “across major metropolitan markets” by the end of 2008, however did not mention exactly what those major areas were. Keep reading if you want to check out the full press release…

T-Mobile USA Begins Commercial 3G Network Rollout

Company Launches UMTS/HSDPA Network in New York City on its AWS Spectrum; Plans 3G Network Launches in Major Markets Across the Country in the Coming Months

NEW YORK and BELLEVUE, Wash. – May 5, 2008– T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced that the company has taken the first commercial step in the rollout of its third-generation (3G) wireless network by launching its UMTS/HSDPA network in New York City. T-Mobile plans to continue the rollout of its 3G network across major metropolitan markets through the year. By year’s end, T-Mobile expects its high-speed data network will be available in those cities where a majority of its subscribers currently use data services.

“The launch of our 3G network comes at a time when 3G phones and services are more affordable, capable and appealing to our consumer marketplace than ever before,” said Cole Brodman, chief development officer, T-Mobile USA. “We benefit not only from the economic scale of 3G, but also from the extensive commercial experience of 3G in our European markets. Today, T-Mobile USA customers already have among the highest adoption of data and messaging services in the industry. Through our 3G network, we look forward to delivering a rich portfolio of new and meaningful services to enrich our customers’ lives.”

T-Mobile’s 3G network supports voice and data services consistent with available service and handset offerings. The company today offers multiple phones that are able to operate on the UMTS network. The phones are designed to automatically connect to the best available network (3G or GSM/GPRS/EDGE) to provide the great call quality and rich communication services customers expect from T-Mobile.

Customers using a 3G-capable handset from T-Mobile will also experience faster data speeds when accessing the Web, or downloading content from the T-Mobile t-zones content portal, for example.

In the coming months, T-Mobile plans to offer its first HSDPA device, along with new and compelling data-centric, all-in-one devices that help make the most of T-Mobile’s high-speed data network.

The launch of the 3G network also enables T-Mobile to accommodate and serve more customers more efficiently through the use of its AWS spectrum, effectively doubling T-Mobile USA’s spectrum position, and laying the foundation for the company’s future growth. T-Mobile and the U.S. government, namely the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, continue to work closely and effectively together to make available AWS spectrum that will give consumers access to the 3G network.

As the 3G service rolls out in targeted major markets, T-Mobile will continue to build upon its T-Mobile® HotSpot Wi-Fi network — its wireless high-speed Internet offering that launched in 2003 — and its nationwide voice and data network, to empower customers to effortlessly stay connected using the best available network.

Read [T-Mobile]

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Those who have been eagerly awaiting the release of the Instinct from Samsung will be glad to know that a new promo site was just launched in preparation for the official release of the phone. The site reviews the Instinct’s features which include; a touchscreen interface, hi-speed wireless internet connectivity with a full HTML browser, customizable favorites, landscape QWERTY keypad, stereo bluetooth profile, 2.0-megapixel camera, GPS and more.

The site also features an interactive gallery showing the Samsung Instinct in various angles. Our only gripe about this is the fact that the image of the Instinct doesn’t look very realistic. It would have been a little better if Samsung used a more realistic image so that users could get a better idea of what they may be getting if they buy the handset. Hopefully, Samsung and Sprint will release a more realistic image of the Instinct before the release date, which incidentally, was never mentioned on the site. What the site offered instead was a reservation link for those who are willing to buy the Instinct without even testing the actual device first. Hopefully, nobody is disappointed once the Instinct is released.

The Samsung Instinct will be released in the US through Sprint, sometime, soon?

Read [Samsung Instinct]

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Just as quickly as we learn that any new Radiohead tracks will soon require your wallet, Nine Inch Nails opens up with two free singles and then a complete album, all for free.

Following up on the success of Ghosts, Trent Reznor and his crew offered up both Discipline and Echoplex as singles, both of which are available as free downloads. While its nice to get the odd track for free we could not really expect to get a complete album, but that is exactly where they have gone.

The most recent release is the 10-track album called The Slip, and it is 100% free, both in terms of DRM and money. Its available for download in a variety of formats ranging from MP3 up to lossless and even if you wanted you cannot pay. Although Trent Reznor has been very public in the past about his dislike for the record industry, he has really been standing behind those words lately.

Read [NIN]

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by Darren Murph, posted May 6th 2008 at 10:28AM
derStandard, the same publication that announced that the iPhone would be sailing into Austria via T-Mobile is now reporting that the same carrier will be testing the 3G iphone in the aforesaid country. During a press conference in Vienna, T-Mo Austria reportedly affirmed that a UMTS version of Apple’s handset would “soon be available,” and that Austria would be the “testing ground” for the new mobile — not to mention “among the first countries in the world with the UMTS iPhone.” Furthermore, bigwigs stated that “more flexible” offers would be made available, but details beyond that were scant.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Filed under: cellphones

PC Advisor reviews the T-Mobile MDA Touch Plus and writes, “The T-Mobile MDA Touch Plus is a solid and attractive smartphone that belies it PDA design roots, but in a positive fashion, bringing contact management and business productivity tools to a handset with excellent connectivity credentials, a large, clear screen and a far improved usability thanks to the keypad that works as an adjunct to the touchscreen.”

Read more about the T-Mobile MDA Touch Plus.

by Darren Murph, posted May 6th 2008 at 10:02AMWe knew it was coming, and after waiting for quite some time for FreeSat to go from concept to reality, television viewers across the UK can finally indulge. If you’ll recall, a recent survey found that just 5-percent of Europe’s HDTV owners actually bothered to tune into HD programming, but now that number is likely to change. Effective today, 98-percent of the UK can fork out a one-time fee of £49 ($96) to £120 ($234) in order to acquire a FreeSat set-top-box, and after an £80 ($156) installation, users will have subscription-free access to BBC HD, ITV HD (coming soon), Channel 4’s digital service and around 70 other TV / radio channels. Better still, that number is slated to rise to 200 before the year’s end, and unsurprisingly, the launch is expected to boost available high-def offerings in the region. Anyone across the pond have their equipment set up already? How’s the service?

[Thanks, Ivan]

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Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

The T12 is the second model of the T series of tributaries power strips. This model is similar to the previously available T10 model. The T12 power strip was designed to give easy accessibility to any wall wart power supply. T12 models have twelve different outlets in which eight of the outlets rotate 90 degrees. This makes it easier when plugging in from different directions and angles. The remaining four outlets are equipped with safety shutters.

The T12 also features a built in resettable circuit breaker that is set with the power push button. The model has two led lights to show that the power strip is working properly. The red light shows that the power strip is working correctly, and the blue light shows that the outlets that are connected are grounded. The T12 also comes with a cord management design so that all the cords will stay organized.

T12 models are setup to protect all three legs of the AC line. The models are rated at 1875 watts and 125VAV/ 15A 60 Hz. The power strip is also made to with stand a voltage spike of 6KV and has a clamping voltage of 330V. Energy levels of 4320 joules can easily be dissipated by the T12 models. The power strip also has surge protection for the telephone/modem, and the f connectors. T12 is produced with a wide band line filter that will prevent EMI/RFI noise from interfering with connected equipment. It can reduce noise levels from around 150 KHz to somewhere around 100 KHz.

The T12 models have been rated with 8 separate listings from the Underwriters Laboratory ranging from the Standard Surge Protection Device (UL1449) to Standard Electromagnetic Interference Filters (UL1283). It also meets the requirements of California’s Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003. This means that the T12 is RoHs (Restricted and Hazardous Substance) compliant.

Gimme!

More info from the manufacturer

Price: $120.00 (Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

Posted in Audio/Video, Home Theater, Computers, Gizmo of the Day

Another recent FCC discovery is showing off a new mobile handset coming from HTC, dubbed the Census. The FCC document, unfortunately did not reveal many details about the Census, and we can mostly just make assumptions about its features based on what we see from the accompanying picture. Based on the image, the Census appears to have a fingerprint reader and bears a logo for the wireless technology company Harris. Likewise, the handset seems to have a touch-sensitive display as no keyboard can be seen, and the keypad is also not a standard numeric style.

The FCC docs also revealed that the HTC Census will be using a Qualcomm MSM6500 chipset and and have a microSD card slot. Taking a closer look at the front view of the HTC Census, the fingerprint reader seems very similar to the HTC Shift UMPC’s fingerprint technology. Likewise, no camera is noticeable, so we could again assume that the Census would be released as a basic mobile phone, perhaps aimed at the business market.

Other than these fairly noticeable features, there’s nothing much that the FCC docs offered that would give us any other details of the Census. Hopefully, HTC will release more information about the Census as it gets FCC approval.

Via [Register Hardware]

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Smoke alarms are such effective tools for keeping you and your family safe that they are actually mandated by law to be in every room of your home. Your most important priority (or at least it should be) is to keep your family safe, and because of the smoke alarm, many lives have been saved, spared from being engulfed in flame.

Smoke alarms have come a long way from their introduction into the household, but for are still a decent ways away from being a foolproof safety plan. Hardly completely reliable. And while style might not be the main concern for smoke alarms, they certainly are a damper on some home decor.

The slim-line Silhouette Smoke Alarms by Kiddie introduce a new sleek design of alarm to be integrated into your interior decor, which uses a low-profile form factor to better integrate into your home, yet incorporates the safety features of past smoke alarm designs and then some for a full-on smoke alarm revolution.

Aside from the Silhouette being only a half an inch thick, it’s powered by an alternating current (AC) with a lithium sealed battery, which is said to last the full-life of the smoke alarm itself, which is given a 10 year warranty. The battery recharges itself automatically, so when there is a power outage, possibly due to flooding or other natural disasters, you’re not left in the dark safety wise.

The Silhouette can also be interconnected with other safety gadgets around the home to incorporate a full safety system, while looking pretty darn good at the same time. Installation of the Silhouette might be a little more difficult than your average smoke alarm, due to the AC power supply, but the outcome seems well worth the effort.

Product Page via Gizmag

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According to hiptop3, where I get all my Sidekick news, an over-the-air update is coming to the Sidekick LX that will open up video playing capabilities.  Heck yeah!  But the bigger question still looms, will it play with YouTube?

The answer seems clouded now, much like the mighty magic 8-ball.  Will it be just music videos?  A special channel just for Sidekick LX users or full support ala the Apple codec H.264?  There could be a new app coming dedicated to making this happen, but for now, we have just the image to go by.

Via [hiptop3]

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