Who’d have ever thought that a touch-screen cell phone could be the size of a matchbox? Well, the sWaP Nova is here to remind us that technology CAN keep getting smaller and smaller.

Verified by the Guinness World Records in April 2011, the sWaP Nova is now officially the world’s smallest mobile phone – with a size of just 6.8 x 3.8 x 1.6 cm and a weight of 40 grams.

However, its size does not compromise any of its features…

This palm-sized mobile phone has a 176 x 132 pixel touch-screen and a slide-out USB port, and comes with an additional USB cable for charging and connecting to your computer for data transfer.

It features an innovative and accessible interface – making it functional and simple-to-use. And just in case you were wondering how you’re going to text your friends on such a small phone – it comes with an included mini stylus.

The sWaP Nova is also an MP3 Player and Multimedia Center, and comes with built-in software that allows you to listen to the radio and your favorite MP3 files, look at some pictures, and even watch a few movies.

With no fixed contracts or any ties to specific networks, the sWap Nova is compatible with pretty much every mobile phone network SIM card (except for Three Mobile) and supports WAP Internet, Bluetooth CSR V2.0 A2DP and up to 8GB of external memory.

The sWaP Nova is available at IWOOT in black for £179.99 and white – with encrusted Swarovski crystals – for £259.99.

It’s so easy to leave your phone behind on the bus or train, or wrap up a big night out forgetting your handset at a bar or club. But thanks to the ZOMM Wireless Leash, you can be sure your phone – along with all your emails, texts and contacts – go along with you every time.

When you get up to 30 feet away from your device, the ZOMM Wireless Leash bleeps, flashes and vibrates on your keychain, alerting you to your phone negligence and reminding you that you left your beloved device behind. Great for forgetful iPhone and Blackberry owners (or any other cellphone that supports Bluetooth wireless technology), the ZOMM also conveniently recharges over USB.

When you can’t fish around for your phone in a backpack or purse, the ZOMM Wireless Leash lets you answer wireless calls from your keychain through its built-in speakerphone. What’s more, ZOMM acts as a panic alarm, and has the capability to dial emergency services right when you need them.

If you can’t live without your mobile device, the ZOMM Wireless Leash offers priceless peace of mind – a lifeline if you will – and is available now at Firebox.com for $112 | £70 | €77.

The Palm Pre 2 from HP combines some of the best features from both Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android smartphones, into one unique and convenient package. The WebOS platform it runs on is one of the hottest-growing smartphone operating systems available today, and has countless apps available for download to do everything from enhancing productivity, to playing the latest games. With 16 GB of memory you’ll have plenty of space for all your favorite apps, music and movies too.

Billed as the fastest Palm smartphone yet, the HP Palm Pre 2 features a sharp 3.1-inch capacitive multi-touch touchscreen with 320 x 480-pixel resolution – as well as a slide-out keyboard for easier typing. It also includes the stacks interface of WebOS 2.0 that arguably handles multitasking and window management better than any other smartphone on the market, and can serve a 3G mobile hotspot for up to five devices too (with the appropriate data plan) – making it easier to connect your laptop to the internet on the go.

The Palm Pre 2 is available now for just $449.99 from HP.com, with a cool Palm Touchstone wireless charging dock available for an extra $49.99.

As if the ‘boyfriend pillow’ weren’t enough, we now have the ‘Text Boyfriend’, a service whereby lonely single females can sign up to receive ‘heart-melting’ texts thrice weekly from a digital beau.

As a woman, it depresses me to see a rather dark fact emerging about my fellow sisters. The new ‘Textboyfriend’ service (www.textboyfriend.com), a digital counterpart to the mind-bogglingly disturbing ‘boyfriend pillow’ (aka the Hug Me Pillow), reviewed on this site, will undoubtedly find a following. Whiff of desperation aside, the market for such products suggests something altogether unsavoury: that what some women seek from men has almost nothing to do with their apparently inconvenient status as human beings.

Whilst I find it inconceivable that a text from Mr No-one, or a disembodied fake-arm, could possibly fill an intimacy void (and I say this as a single woman), reviews suggest that, for some, they do. Yet whilst consumers surely know deep down that it’s a dreadful charade, the fact that a ‘prosthetic boyfriend’ is even able to evoke emotion suggests a disconcerting lack of interest in mutuality – or in men’s desires and feelings. Indeed, the product advertising admits it: ‘he’s all about you!’ Whilst such an attitude is perhaps forgivable in the young girls the service appears to be aimed at, the notion that grown women might conceive this as ‘a good thing’ is, to be frank, grotesquely egoistic.

The sad fact is that these products merely take to their sinister conclusion an attitude that already exists in too many real relationships: the demand for ‘stock-behaviours’. You know the thing: ‘do this, do that, buy me roses, phone on demand’ – as if the man actually wanting to were somehow irrelevant, both to his free-will and, bizarrely, her pleasure. These devices simply dispense with those bothersome males altogether. Now, I’m not saying there aren’t men who make equivalent demands – but that doesn’t make it right. And there is also an astounding double standard. The same woman who signed up for this service would, I’m sure, run like a shot from a man who had a penchant for, ahem, dolls, and would (rightly) take exception to being reduced to a mere ‘sex object’. And yet faux-love and faux-sex amount to the same thing: imaginary-intimacy, a contradiction in terms. They also both rest on a perception of a potential partner as existing primarily to meet one’s own needs.

A review at the trend-spotting community Trendhunter.com suggests the service might build a woman’s confidence until she finds herself a flesh-and-blood-male (fake it ‘til you make it?). Perhaps. I imagine, on the contrary, that it will only divorce her ever further from reality. The fact is, men don’t send lovey-dovey texts on cue three times a week, nor is it their job to do so. Such products send would-be-lovers spiralling ever further into a ‘cardboard cut-out world’ whereby relationships are shaped around an imagined set of behaviours which are then demanded of the partner as ‘proof of love’. Of course, in this case, there is no love to prove, which suggests something even more disturbing: that women may be more interested in the ‘performance of love’ than in love itself.

To take a less strident tone, these products also sadden me. Not because they speak of the ‘loneliness of the single woman’ but because they suggest a model of romance that has nothing to do with the fearsomely beautiful individuality of men. A text from a lover makes the heart melt because one thinks of the man who sent it – and of your mutual entwinement. Who does the recipient of a boyfriend-text envisage? A fantasy lover, perhaps, about whom she already knows everything – because she invented him. That this predictable, convenient Pygmalion-like man-machine might even be considered ‘heart-melting’ is perhaps the most depressing fact of all.

About the Author: Susan Lawson is a writer and designer, and the author of the design and style blog Style Manifesto. Follow her thoughts, musings and micro-rants on design, style and culture at the Style Manifesto Facebook page, or on Twitter @style_manifesto.

Using a camcorder needs at least three hands. Moreover, those three hands need to be really steady. The problem is, most people have at most two hands, and unsteady ones at that…

What you need to shoot fun, enjoyable video is a camcorder that leaves your hands free, and lets you concentrate on what you’re shooting. The Looxcie LX1 Wearable Bluetooth Over-the-Ear Camcorder gives you just that.

It’s almost too simple: stand steady on your feet, look at what you want to record, and you’ll get perfect video – as the Looxcie LX1’s automatic light and color adaptation ensures the scene looks just right…no matter the conditions.

Despite the device weighing less than one ounce, it captures a crisp 480p at 30fps, with dual microphones recording quality DSP optimized audio that won’t let the video down. The 4GB of internal storage will record over an hour’s worth of footage, and the headset will also connect to iOS and Android devices if you ever need to switcheroo.

Hands-free video recording opens up a world of new possibilities. Imagine videoing your baby looking down at you as you hold her up with both arms, unencumbered by any awkward device. Imagine the horror if you didn’t have both hands free, and dropped the baby while adjusting the focus on your conventional camcorder? Hands-free video recording closes down a world of nightmares.

Hands up for hands-free? See what you shoot, and shoot what you see with the Looxcie LX1. Just $199 at Overstock.com.

Okay, the new StealthPredator from Ion-Factory might not be very stealthy, because everyone is sure to notice the sleek new look that your iPhone 4 is sporting when you slip this carbon fiber-lined Polycarbonate shell around it. In case the term ‘carbon fiber’ sounds familiar, it’s probably because it’s the same stuff found on some of the world’s most exclusive cars, and now it can be found on the sides and back of your iPhone 4. Yep, you’re living the stylin’ life now.

The trim comes in four colors (gunmetal, chrome, metallic red, and mirror gold), but the StealthPredator isn’t all about the looks. It also comes with a padded interior to provide a little extra protection, an anti-glare screen protector, and a cleaning cloth to wipe off any smudges created by the sorry dogs that paw and drool over your shiny new toy.

The ultra-slim profile doesn’t add much bulk to your phone and the $59.99 price doesn’t remove a lot of bulk from your wallet.

Unfortunately, the StealthPredator only works with the Apple iPhone 4, so it’s time to get with the times and upgrade if that’s not what you have.

Technology is awesome. Retro is fashionable. The iPhone Desktop Handset combines the best of both worlds, letting the hot guy or gal you’re trying to impress friends and family members know that you have complete command of tech and fashion. It’s a winning combination that’s sure to impress your peers everybody.

Slap your iPhone into the stand, which has a platform that can be adjusted either vertically or horizontally, plug the headset into the headset jack (where else?) and you’re good to go. You’re cradling good ol’ fashioned style in one hand, while using the other hand to flip through your calendar, check email, and surf the Net.

No worries about losing power while you’re playing tech-fashionista; you can use your USB charging cable to power up from your computer or wall outlet – while basking in the warm glow that comes from holding something that feels like a real phone and not so much like a giant Tic-Tac box. The stylish anodized aluminum stand puts the iPhone at a convenient angle and it’s held securely in place with four non-slip silicone pads. It measures up to 7 1/4″ L x 3 1/2″ W x 2 3/4″ H. and weighs in at 1 lb.

Everyone’s playing the tech game and seeing if they can outdo others with the latest, greatest apps and super-tiny phones. Instead of playing their game, make them play yours… and blow them away with Retro styling for only $59.95 at Hammacher Schlemmer.

If you’re nearing the end of your current cell contract and are looking to give your productivity and connectivity a boost, the popular BlackBerry Bold 9700 (also known as the Bold 2) is now available on Amazon’s new communications store – Amazon Wireless – through AT&T priced from $0.01. With BlackBerry’s push email technology, built-in support for AT&T’s fast HSDPA 3G network, free access to the nation’s largest WiFi network (over 20,000 hotspots) and global quad-band GSM calling – you’ll have no trouble staying connected (and hopefully spending more time away from the office.) Normally priced at $499.99, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 has already garnered 4.5 / 5 stars from 27 customer reviews at Amazon Wireless and is available now from $0.01 on contract.

Just in time for holiday travels abroad comes this all-in-one wonder-gadget called the Touchscreen Cell Phone Watch. As well as keeping you on schedule for flights and connections, it includes a built-in tri-band cell phone that can be used in many countries around the world, an MP3 player for entertainment whilst in transit and a camera to capture the sights along the way – all conveniently at-the-ready on your wrist.

Including a 1.25-inch touchscreen display, the Touchscreen Cell Phone Watch dials with the slightest touch from the included stylus and with the ability to place or receive calls on GSM900, 1800 or 1900 MHz frequency bands, you can stay in touch (or call for help) anywhere in the U.S, Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa and many parts of Latin America.

Including a Bluetooth headset for wrist-free communications, the watch’s 1.3MP camera stores its videos and photos to an included 1GB microSD card – and if you download MP3 tracks to the card, you can play them back on-demand with the watch’s built-in music player.

Including four quarter-inch speakers (one on each corner of the face) for clear music and speakerphone conversations, the Touchscreen Cell Phone Watch measures 2.25″ long x 1.75″ wide x 0.75″ thick, weighs 12oz, provides up to 3 hours of talk time on a 1.5 hour AC charge and is available now from Hammacher Schlemmer for $199.95.

Note: Will not work on Sprint or MetroPCS.

Source:
Hammacher Schlemmer

Apple’s latest iPhone 3G S smartphone was announced at the WWDC conference yesterday featuring major speed improvements, a 3-megapixel camera, a new voice-dialing function and a gorgeous compass app.

The iPhone 3G S (the S stands for speed) looks much the same as the current iPhone 3G, but has undergone a major internal overhaul – boasting up to 2x improvement in web page and app load speed. HSDPA data speeds have been increased to 7.2Mbps from 3.6Mbps and the new 3-megapixel tap-to-focus camera also supports 30fps VGA video recording with an easy and intuitive editing feature. Full cut, copy and paste support is built-in and available throughout.

Battery life has also been significantly improved, powering 5 hours of 3G talk time and 9 hours of WiFi use. One of the standout features of the iPhone 3G S is the new voice-control interface that can handle a myriad of the handset’s functions, from simple voice-dialing to controlling and requesting track info from iTunes. A surprising addition, but perhaps this feature should have been anticipated, as it was introduced – albeit in a semi-nascent form – on the latest iPod Shuffle.

Check out Apple’s excellent walkthrough video for a full rundown of the iPhone 3G S, which will hit Stateside on June 18th at $199 for the 16GB and $299 for the 32GB model. A launch in 80 different countries is set to follow in August.

Sources:
Apple.com
Via: Engadget and Electronista