More W880i pictures and info leaked onto Web

With the launch of the Sony Ericsson W880i expected in less than a week, more pictures of the slim Walkman phone have started circulating on the Internet. The images, which were first posted by Swedish Mobil on its Web site, show the W880i in its full entirety. Earlier at CES 2007 in Las Vegas, Sony Ericsson released teaser shots of the phone as well.

Based on the buzz online, the W880i will be one of Sony Ericsson's slimmest handsets to date, measuring a skinny 9.5mm. It is also expected to be one of the thinnest HSDPA phones in the market when it launches on February 6. Other features in the phone include 3G (UMTS) support, a 1.9-inch display, memory card slot and dual cameras (2-megapixel and VGA).

We will bring you more updates after the media launch next week. So stay tuned.

Zune phone in December?

Rumor or not, this report on CrunchGear, highlighted by our sister site CNET.com, certainly caught our attention when a tipster allegedly claimed that Microsoft was working on developing a Zune handset. The writeup believed that the phone will sync with other Microsoft devices such as the Xbox 360, though it is expected to run on a user interface similar to the current Zune player, rather than Microsoft's Window Mobile platform.

The article further stated that the handset is slated for a December 2007 release, which is still some time away. If things do go as claimed, it would be interesting to see how the Zune phone pits itself against the Apple iPhone which is expected to launch in the US this June, followed by Europe later in the year and Asia in 2008.

Vista upgrade edition cracked

According to several forums, users have found that they could install upgrade versions of Vista without a prior installation of Windows XP. But be warned that this workaround runs afoul of the end user license.

The trick, its seems, is that one can install a 30-day trial on the upgrade DVD, then reinstall the fully-registered Vista off the same disc. This bypasses the need to have a valid copy of Windows XP pre-installed in your system before using the upgrade CD. Hence, this method makes the upgrade edition behave exactly like the full retail pack, with a savings of almost 40 percent.

However, this runs afoul of acceptable use of the product. When contacted by CNET Asia, a Microsoft spokesperson emailed: "We are well aware of the workaround. People without a licensed copy of XP that use this workaround are violating the terms of use agreed to when they purchased the upgrade version of Windows Vista."

Monetary savings or peace of mind? The choice is yours.

The Simpsons Pinball Party Machine

Aye, caramba! If you're an enthusiast of everyone's favorite cartoon familiy and arcade games, you'll probably dig US store Brookstone's Simpsons Pinball Party Machine which comes with talking Homer head, Bart on skateboard, Itchy and Scratchy targets. Since it's a home model, you can play with or without coins.Coins, however, won't be the issue here. At a whopping US$4,999 sticker price (excluding shipping charges), this'll have Homer eating his shorts. D'oh!

See larger image | front view

Via Uncrate

Price: US$4,999
Availability: At Brookstones
Device: Pinball machine
Specs: N.A.

ASUS releases a quartet of portables

Not content to merely refresh its lineup with the new Vista operating system, ASUS makes a statement with its new line of mobiles.

The ASUS U1 seems to have its roots in the leather-bound S6F, except this time it is the palm rest and not top cover which is bound with the same organic material. Both have similar screen sizes at 11 inches. The U1, however, is probably the first in the company's mobile range to sport a special LED backlight that reduces power consumption and yet offers increased brightness and response rate.

The ASUS W5Fe is one of the first machines to incorporate a SideShow-compatible LCD panel on the top chassis of the machine, the other being the LG Z1. More about this unique feature can be read in a previous article.

When ASUS joined with Lamborghini to produce the VX1, more than a few people sat up and took note of the race car-inspired design. Its successor, the 15-inch ASUS Lamborghini VX2, continues in the same vein with its unique chassis and speedy Core 2 Duo processor. According to the manufacturer, the fingerprint sensor on the VX2 reads prints from the underlying epidermis of the phalange, making it more accurate inspite of pre-existing skin conditions.

Last, but not least, the corporate-centric ASUS V2Je not only speeds along on a Core 2 Duo chip, it also incorporates a 3.5G HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) module which allows you to hook up with mobile phone networks for broadband connectivity. This 14.1-inch machine also has a biometric fingerprint scanner and built-in Webcam for video conferencing. It will be available in March for S$3,798 (US$2,541.66).

The price and availability of the ASUS U1, VX2 and W5Fe were not available at press time. With the exception of V2Je--which runs on Windows XP professional--the new models will be based on the latest Vista platform.

Crave is...

The name says it all. Crave is our new blog about cool gadgets and other crushworthy stuff.

Drop us an email if you have tips or suggestions.

Crave for...

» Mobile Phones (968)

» Digital Cameras (568)

» Notebooks (699)

» PC & Peripherals (760)

» Handhelds (355)

» Printers (50)

» Home AV (650)

» Music & Play (533)

» Gadgets (1198)

» Future Tech (244)

Previously...

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Subscribe to
Crave

Today on CNET |  Reviews |  Crave |  Blogs |  CNET TV |  Digital Living |  Downloads