Octopus Cable Charges 10 Devices for Just $10

via Gizmodo by Mark Wilson

There are USB cords and there are USB cords...and there are USB cords with like 10 different adapters coming out. But rarely are such monstrosities this cheap.

The $10 Octopus USB Cable has 10 different tentacles (ignore the fact that octopi usually have 8) to charge pretty much any mobile device you could own�most probably at a rate of 1 at a time. Specifically, that mix includes:

� Nokia 2.06mm (or 2mm)
� Nokia 3.5mm
� Sony PSP
� Motorola (V3 series) & HTC and other phones using USB Mini 5 pin as a charging port
� Micro USB (for Motorola V8�)
� LG
� Samsung (20P (s))
� Samsung (20P (M))
� Sony Ericsson Fast Port
� iPhone / iPod (for charging and data)

Samsung's Holographic Gesture-Based Technology

via Gizmodo by Dan Nosowitz on 7/22/09

At the announcement of their new superfast Jet phone, Samsung used used Project Natal-esque holographic gestures for effect. The Jet seems cool, but we just want to hear more about the holographic gimmickry!

Designed by Korean firm D'strict, the tech is a combination of infrared motion sensing and 3D imagery, pretty much like Microsoft's Project Natal. It's not quite as seamless as Natal, but given that it's main purpose is just to add a little flash to a cellphone announcement, we're awfully impressed�and distracted. Check out the video below for a clip of one of the announcements, and you'll see what we mean. [Fast Company]

Samsung announces first cellphone with night vision video

via DVICE by CharlieWhite on 7/2/09

Samsung, the company that feels good about brand-spamming its customers with untold hundreds of barely-different cellphones, finally differentiates itself with the first cellphone equipped with a night vision video camera. Samsung says the SCH-W760's infrared camera is perfect for users to videoconference in the dark.

We weren't aware the kids these days are calling those nocturnal interactions "videoconferencing," but hey, we do our best to keep up. Like you see in the pic above, this technology might be great for shooting videos of owls, and other night creatures.

Other than that 3-megapixel night shooting trick, this 3G slider is fairly conventional, using a 2.8-inch AMOLED display with 240x400 resolution. Available in Korea first, Samsung isn't saying if it will find its way Stateside, but we're guessing this see-in-the-dark cellphone tech will soon be widely available.

Samsung's Animated, Flexible OLED Passport

via Gizmodo by John Herrman on 6/19/09

Announced last year, this technology sounded more than a little bit pie-in-the-sky. A flexible OLED passport? With video capabilities? And it's powered wirelessly? Yet here it is, captured in full sight, on video.

And I'll be damned if it doesn't work perfectly. Alongside a static picture, this e-passport displays a rotating photographic avatar when placed near a power source. OLED-Info thinks the card is pulling power from an RFID reader, but given that the display is full-fledged 320x240, 260k color OLED panel that's playing video, I tend to think there's a more powerful type of inductive charging going on here.

Samsung Launches 32 GB DDR3 RAM Module

via Gizmodo by Adrian Covert on 6/18/09

Samsung yammered back in January about making a 32-gigabyte DDR3 RAM stick, and now they've unveiled the beastly piece of hardware for servers. These new 1.35-volt modules are also 20-percent faster than previous 1.5-volt DDR3 modules. Nice.

That said, Mark heard straight from Samsung who said that there's no release timetable for this thing yet, meaning it's still in development. So we probably won't see it this year.

Samsung's Galaxy i7500 Android Haptic Smartphone

via Gizmodo by Andi Wang on 6/16/09

The Galaxy i7500�Samsung's Android handset�is one of the first major, advanced smartphones to feature haptic feedback. PCWorld managed to get their hands on one and report back with their first impressions.

Samsung's Galaxy is a 11.9 millimeter-slim handset that features a 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen and 5-megapixel camera, and also comes equipped with GPS, Wi-Fi and and WCDMA support. Even more, the phone calls attention to the haptic feedback on its virtual keyboard, which is a first for a major touchscreen smartphone.

Because the AMOLED screen reportedly draws less power than the iPhone's TFT-LCD screens do, the Galaxy apparently has a longer battery life, making this�coupled with the haptic feedback�more mainstream-consumer friendly for those who have yet to purchase a smartphone. Although pricing and release dates are not finalized, the Galaxy will supposedly be available in Europe by the end of this month, and the rest of the world in the second half of 2009.

Samsung Omnia II Has Biggest Ever Phone AMOLED Display

via Gizmodo by matt buchanan on 6/15/09

All-in-one Redefined: Omnia II (I8000)

The Omnia II is designed for the smartphone user who demands an enhanced and convenient multimedia experience featuring Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional.

Featuring the world's largest 3.7-inch AMOLED display with crystal-clear WVGA resolution, the Omnia II offers unbeatable screen clarity, even under the day light.

Complete with larger icons and a simpler structure, Omnia II's user interface has been deeply customized to provide touch-optimized usability. Also, innovative TouchWiz 2.0 User Interface and 3D effects make enjoying multimedia and multi tasking convenient and fun. Advanced R Touch (Resistive Touch) enables faster, more accurate touch response for a touch experience that's 100% user friendly.

The much enhanced display and user interface make it even more pleasurable to enjoy the rich multimedia functions of the Omnia II, including its DVD-like(480p) video recording/playback, smooth internet browsing as well as interactive 3D games. Users can also access and download content speedily while on the move thanks to the Omnia II's HSUPA 5.76Mbps, HSDPA 7.2Mbps and Wi-Fi capabilities. Generous memory up to 48GB lets users store more of their favorite content for on-the-go access.

Omnia II (I8000) Specification
Network: HSDPA 7.2 Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps
EDGE/GPRS 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz
UMTS 900 / 1900 / 2100MHz
Display: 65K WVGA AMOLED Display (3.7", 480 x 800)
Advanced R-type Touch Screen
OS: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
Camera: 5 Megapixel CMOS / Auto-Focus /
Dual Power LED / Face Detection / Smile Shot
Mobile Blogging / Geo Tagging / Photo Editor
Audio: Audio Format Support (MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA)
WMDRM, OMA DRM 2.1 / Find Music (Music Recognition)
Bluetooth� Stereo Headset (A2DP)
FM Radio with RDS / 3.5 earjack
Video: Video Format Support (DivX, XviD, H.263,
H.264, WMV9, MPEG4)
Video Recording & Playing (30fps@ D1(720x480))
Video Editing (Trim video, Audio dubbing,
Live dubbing, Add subtitle)
Value Added: A-GPS with Navigation (3D Map) / LBS
TouchWiz 2.0 UI with Mobile Widget / 3D Media Gate
Multi-task manager / 3D Interactive Games
Connectivity:Bluetooth� v 2.0 / USB 2.0 / Wi-Fi
Memory: Internal Memory : 2GB/8GB/16GB
External Memory : microSDHC� (up to 32GB)
Size: 118 x 60 x 11.9 mm
Battery: Talk time : Up to 10 hours (3G)
Standby time : Up to 430 hours (3G)

Samsung Louvre Might Become Omnia Pro At Launch

via Gizmodo by Jack Loftus on 6/14/09

BGR is reporting today that the well-known AMOLED-equipped Samsung Omnia Promight be linked to the recently unearthed "Louvre B7610." By the way, "linked" in this case means "the exact same thing."

Why the subterfuge? No idea, but what today's news does bring us are a slew of updated specs for the Omnia Pro/Louvre, due out sometime in September or October.

* 3.5-inch AMOLED resistive touchscreen display w/ WVGA resolution
* 800MHz processor
* 5.1 megapixel camera with auto-focus and LED flash
* Sliding QWERTY keypad
* 2 UIs (Pro & Media)
* TV-OUT
* 3.5mm headphone jack
* MicroUSB
* Divx/WMV/H.264 accelerations
* GPS/WIFI/HSDPA/HSUPA/Bluetooth
* FM Radio
* DNLA support
* 1GB internal memory with microSDHC up to 32GB
* 1500mAh battery

Louvre? Omnia Pro? Louvre Pro? Who knows. It's a slick phone with a robust set of features and a presumably sharp little touchscreen. We'll definitely know more toward the end of the summer.

Samsung Micro-Shutter Means Better Phone Cameras

via�DVICE�by CharlieWhite on 5/15/09

Minuscule sensors and crappy fixed lenses are only partly responsible for�cellphone cameras�taking such terrible photos; that they tend not to have proper shutters is a huge factor. Samsung�wants to fix this.

Most phone cameras don't have shutters for the simple reason that there isn't any room. Instead of relying on a traditional shutter exposure system, the tiny sensors simply activate for short periods of time, "scanning" a scene and returning a passable, if often blurry, image. That's fine for certain uses, but makes capturing moving objects or shooting in low light nigh-on impossible.

In an effort to sidestep these concerns altogether, Samsung is developing a micro-shutter, built with 36 pieces of curled film that can be opened or close by applying or withdrawing an electrical charge. The concept is just 2.2mm wide and easily compact enough for use in cellphones.

Samsung doesn't mention when (or even if) it will commercialize this tech, but for the sake of�our poor eyeballs, please, guys, make it soon. [Tech-on]

Here's How They Did That Samsung i8910 (OmniaHD) Viral Video

via�Gizmodo�by Jason Chen on 5/10/09

Remember that�Samsung OmniaHD�(i8910)�viral video�with the HD recording? Here's how they did it.

Is Samsung S8000 The First Android Samsung Phone?

via�Gizmodo�by John Herrman on 4/15/09

Judging from the strangely complete specs and believable photos leaked from a Russian retailer, it may well be. Called the S8000, and carrying an OLED screen and 5-megapixel camera, it's a (theoretical) powerhouse.

Whether or not this leak is real, it hasn't come out of the blue. In February, Samsung promised "more than three" Android handsets by the end of the year, so for one to peek its head out a few months later is within the realm of possibility. Anyway,AndroidGuys�grabbed the specs before the product page was pulled:

* 3.1? AMOLED display, WVGA, 16 million colors
* 5 MP camera with flash
* FM radio
* 2GB internal memory/microSD slot
* 3.5mm jack
* 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS with A-GPS, Bluetooth 2.1 and USB
* Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
* Dual band UMTS (900/2100 MHz)
* DivX and XviD video capable
* 470 Euros, unsubsidized

There's nothing revolutionary here, but the OLED (with its power-saving, battery-extending potential) and 3.5mm headphone jack are both pretty strong selling points. [Android Guys�via�ElectricPig]