tekgoblin writes
"Google has officially announced that Honeycomb will not be coming to Android based smartphones. Android 3.0 Honeycomb was specifically made for Tablets according to a Google spokesperson. Although, certain features that are present on Honeycomb will become available over time on Android smartphones. Google has not offered any information to what features will be ported over specifically."On the bright side, Honeycomb will come with disk-encryption capabilities built in.

http://mobile.slashdot.org/story/11/...To-Smartphones ...

Google's Android Market now has a web client. Finally! And guess what else, it's already live. Hit the source link below to get exploring. It's very simple, really, you can browse the entire Market catalog on your desktop or however else you're accessing the web, you can purchase anything that takes your fancy, and then -- via the magic of over-the-air transfers -- it downloads and installs onto your Android handset. A neat My Market Account section will let you nickname your registered devices to make them more recognizable as well.

Google has also just announced that Android will soon support in-app purchases. Widespread developer interest has been cited as the major reason for doing it, so you've got those lovable coders to thank for the oncoming wave of micropayments you'll have to deal with in your Android apps. The in-app purchasing SDK is releasing to devs today and will be "live to users prior to the end of this quarter."

Update: Invalid request. Yep, that's the message we keep getting when we try and download an app. Google promises that it should be working soon...

Update 2: And now it appears to be working!
http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/02/a...s-a-web-store/
...

Diving through the Motorola Xoom's sweet, sweet blend of Android 3.0, we found an interesting perk -- there's an "Encrypt Tablet" option buried in the settings page, intended to secure all your personal data with a password or PIN. While a handy Google rep couldn't tell us which cryptographic standards the OS uses, he did tell us the feature is part of Honeycomb as a whole, not a Motorola exclusive, so we're sure to see the option in other business-minded Android slates to come. Oh, and Google asks that all you sysadmins stay tuned, as the company's whipped up an API that lets you enforce policy restrictions upon your peons as far as encryption is concerned. Just make sure they remember to keep the tablet charged. See a close-up after the break.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/02/a...-needs-a-full/
...

We've gotten a bunch of tips in the past hour or so that the Android Market is doing weird things, and we can corroborate this on our Nexus S here -- we're just not able to download stuff. Apps look like they're starting to download, then they suddenly vanish into thin air without a trace and without an error message. Our Droid 2 is still fully functional, though, so this definitely isn't consistent; really, we're just wondering if this outage might have something to do with tomorrow's Android-themed festivities at the Google campus, which -- naturally -- we'll be attending. So how is everyone faring out there tonight?

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/01/a...o-tomorrows-e/ ...

XCM Universal USB Multi-Charger
Manufacturer: XCM
Site: Buy from Play-Asia / Buy from Amazon
Price: $39.99


Overview : Finally a way to charge all your valuable electronics with one device!

Introducing the Multi-Charger from XCM. This unit will charge your iPhone, PSP (all PSP series from 1000-3000 series), Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, PS3 Wireless Controller, NDS (all NDS series, including NDS, NDSL and NDSi) and more.... (all devices using USB 5v input will be supported, such as the Nokia mobile phone series etc) with ease. No more lugging around multiple chargers, this one does it all. Made with the high quality craftsmanship you've grown to expect from the XCM brand, this charger will surely provide the power you need for many years to come!

Features:

• 4 USB ports
• Supports any USB 5v input

Compatible with:

• PSP (1000-2000-3000)
• NDS, NDS Lite, NDSi
• iPhone
• Nokia mobile phones and many more

Includes:

• PSP USB cable
• DS Lite USB cable
• DSi USB Cable
• iPod/iPhone USB Cable
• US AC plug
• EU AC Plug
• Australia AC Plug
• BS AC Plug

Quality/Usability : I must admit, I'm a gadget freak. I have surge protectors daisy chained to each other. There just isnt enough outlets! I'm surprised my house hasnt burned down with all these wires. If I find an open slot in my surge protector, I'll charge my DS, PSP, camera battery, cellphone..thats if I'm lucky to find 1 spot. If I cant, I use my USB port on my computer. Now, my USB ports are starting to become scarce as more portable devices start to use them. Yes, you can purchase a USB hub but majority of the time, they arent powerful enough to charge the device and you get an error message on your computer. Even the ones that come with power plugs gives me an error.

XCM has released a stand alone Universal USB Multi-Charger. No need to plug this charger into a computer or USB port. Choose your AC plug and connect plug it into a socket (AC 100-240V) and the other end into the Multi-Charger. The Multi-Charger has a square glossy white casing with a small LED light that lights up when plugged into outlet and the logo on top. The logo uses a Walt Disney type font. On the front of the Multi-Charger are 4 USB ports. Since it draws its power from the socket, you wont have to worry about overdrawing power or having to wait 5 hours to fully charge a device when it should only take 1 hour or so.

The Multi-Charger measures 5 inches long, 4 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick and comes with four (4) AC plugs (US, EU, UK and Asia). The plugs are short in length so you will not be able to place it on a table or next to your computer. Wires measure about 16 inches long from tip of plug that inserts into XCM Multi-Charger to the base of AC plug (not the prongs). Also included are four (4) USB plugs (PSP, DSL, DSi, iPhone/iPod). You're not limited to using only these devices. I was able to charge my Blackberry device, Bluetooth headset, PS3 controller, Xbox controller, USB battery, pretty much anything I can think of that uses a USB to charge the device. The charge time is about the same time it would take if you use the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) chargers that came with the device.

Conclusion : Overall, the XCM Universal USB Multi-Charger is a great product. I do not have to use all my USB ports nor do I have to leave my PS3, Xbox 360 or computer on just to charge my USB devices. Since some wall chargers are huge and can cover up an empty socket, this also eliminates the amount of wall chargers and bulk. I was able to charge all my devices without a problem. My only complaint is the lack of cord length on the AC plug for the Multi-Charger. I was not able to place the Multi-Charger on a desk. I had to place it on the floor. This is also a drawback for those who need to plug this in the back of a shelf or entertainment center. You can use an extension cord but do you want to go out and buy one or even find one in the house? The price was originally $70 but it was wayyyy to overpriced for a 4-port USB charger. But it seems XCM has lowered the price to a much more affordable price range. However, $40 is still a little pricey. I think $25-30 would be a nice sweet spot.

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Talismoon Overlife Universal Charger
Manufacturer: Talismoon
Site: Buy from Divineo US
Price: $30.99

Universal Travel Charger (for non-EU users)
USB Power Travel Charger with Plug Converters / Travel All-in-One Universal AC Adapter with USB Power / Universal Travel AC Adapter Plug


Overview : More than a universal all in one charger, the Overlife will store energy to reload any devices independently. It is your ideal nomad companion. Overlife is a small, black shiny design nomad battery.

Just plug it to any USB port or wall plug, and you can directly charge any Motorola - Samsung - Nokia - Sony Ericsson - Samsung - iPhone - iPod - Mini USB - NDSL - NDSi and all PSP models. You can also store energy in, so you can charge any of your devices on the go.

A blue LED indicator shows you the level of charge and the charging status.

This perfect nomad companion will avoid you traveling with numerous bulky chargers, and provide emergency power in any situation.

Features:

• High capacity Lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack style
• Charge anywhere, recharge anything - standard USB input and output
• Inter-changeable connector heads charging different mobile phones, MP3/MP4 player, iPod, iPhone, PSP, NDS, etc.
• Power indicator LED shows battery capacity level.
• Impressive 2500mAh storage (recharge your devices and gadgets several times)
• None memory effect, short circuit protection
• Powerful power supply is enough for even the most power-hungry mobile devices.

Specifications:

• Battery Type: Lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery
• Capacity: 2500mAh
• Input Voltage: AC 100V-240V/50Hz-60Hz DC 5V / 1A
• Output Current: 1000mA (Max)
• Output Volts: 5.4V (+/-0.2V)
• Output Current: 1000mA (Max)
• Charging time: 3 ~ 3.5 Hours.
• Cycle Life: At least 500 times
• Operating Temperature: -10°C / 40°C
• Storage and Transportation Temperature: -20°C / 50°C
• Dimension: 92.5 * 57.3 * 13.8 mm
• Weight: 80g

Quality/Usability : Sometimes I forget to charge my PSP, DS, iPod and most importantly, my Blackberry cellphone. Its worse when you're not near a wall outlet, computer or have your charger on you. These days, majority of portable devices can be charged via USB. Talismoon has developed a product to help give you enough power to beat that boss on the last level or to help you get through you long commute with your music/movie or even that last minute call to your wife/mother.

The Talismoon Overlife Charger has a nice piano black gloss casing but can be a potential to be a fingerprint magnet and scratches. The front has a "CHECK" button. Around this button are 4 LEDs. When you press the "CHECK" button, blue LEDs will light up that will display whether the battery is LOW, HALF or FULL. If Overlife is fully charged, all three blue LEDs will be lit up. As the charge slowly dissipates from charging other products, the LED next to FULL will get dimmer and dimmer. As more charge is drained from Overlife, the LED will get dimmer until it is fully discharged. The fourth LED is when the Overlife is in use (USE) and lights up blue as well.

I personally dont know why Talismoon choose this method of display when you check the status of battery. I would of preferred a single LED to tell me if its full, half or low. Having the LEDs dim can get a little confusing considering its a little hard to tell by the brightness of the LEDs. Or even a single LED that changes color to let me know how much power is left.

The charge time on this is a little disappointing. It takes about 3 hours from a drained Overlife to a fully charge Overlife. I can live with 1.5-2 hour charge but 3 hours is a very long time. To charge the Overlife, you can use the included USB cable. However, this USB cable has two purposes...one is to charge the Overlife and one is to charge other devices. Simply connect the USB cord into the USB out port at the top of Overlife, attach one of the heads to the other end of the USB cable and start charging! The USB out port has a rubber cover to protect it. Unfortunately, this cover doesnt come out or pull out. You will have to pull it back. Sometimes, this can get in the way. Would have been nice if it came out further.

I've tried charging a completely dead Sony PSP using the interchangeable head and Overlife, the charging indicator on both the PSP and Overlife constantly blinked on and off. I charged the PSP and at 10%, the Overlife still blinked and the power status light on the PSP didnt change orange but stayed green but you can slightly see orange blink. Despite the LED indicators, the PSP's power source now stated "external" but was not charging (when PSP is turned on). So it seems that Overlife is not powerful enough to charge a completely dead PSP since it probably requires more power in the beginning. You only get a steady orange light is if the PSP is on, you connect the charging cable and you put the PSP to sleep. If you turn on the PSP, it turns on and than turns off. You'll have to unplug the charging cable in order to turn the ...

iSkin CERULEAN F1+TX BT Headset
Manufacturer: iSkin
Site: Buy from iSkin
Price: $189.99


Overview : Nothing feels better than having the freedom to do the things we love without being tied down by wires. The CERULEAN F1+TX gives you the freedom of wireless sound from your iPod, mobile phone or computer. It delivers crisp, clean stereo sound and superior headset functionality in a sleek and compact design that's attractive, easy to use and feature filled.

The CERULEAN F1+TX was built with iTunes in mind and integrates flawlessly. It also works well with other audio applications on your PC or Mac for a hassle free listening experience. If you have just upgraded to OS X Leopard, don't worry.... it works there too.

Since everybody has a unique pair of ears, we ship the F1 with two different earhook shapes. They are designed to be comfortable and keep the F1's in an optimal listening position at all times.

Charge your F1 and TX using any powered USB charging port or USB 5V(DC) wall charger, power options are endless. Your F1 is fully charged in just over 2 hours and ready for over 8 hours of continuous music play back. You can get up to 10 hours of talk time on a single charge.

The CERULEAN F1 features full Bluetooth 2.0® compatibility and contains the necessary profiles to work with many of today's Bluetooth® mobile devices.

Features :

• Small, light weight and ergonomic design
• Multi-point pairing
• Operational range 33 feet (10m)
• Stereo Bluetooth® 2.0 equipped
• Music playback 8 hours
• Talk time 10 hours
• Standby 300 hours

Suggested Users :

• Listen to audio from iTunes®, DVD's, CD's or any applications wirelessly.
• Listen to and remotely control your iPod wirelessly.
• Stream stereo music from your iPhone and use your F1 headset for phone calls simultaneously.
• Compatible with most mobile Bluetooth devices for hands free calls and music.

Quality/Usability : With how technology is advancing in today's world, wireless is starting to play a major part in our lives ranging from mobile phones, internet, music players and remotes around the house. Cerulean thought they would chime in on the wireless technology by releasing a wireless combo known as the iSkin Cerulean F1+TX, for our beloved iPod and cellphones. The F1+TX allows you to listen to your iPod without the hassle of cords dangling from your headset and doubles as a hands-free headset for your mobile phone.

The F1 is the model of the headset. The TX is a small dongle that attaches to your iPod. Included with this package is a USB cable for charging the F1, pair of alternative ear hooks, foam earphone covers and extra rubber rings for the earphones. Also included is a USB adapter for the TX so that you can stream music from your computer to the F1 heaset.

The F1 heaset looks similar to some of the bluetooth headsets you see on the market for mobile phones but instead of only one, there are two. Both are connected via a small cable. All of the controls are on the right headset. The face of the headset features a multi-function button (Play and Pause) with an LED status light. The back has an ON/OFF switch. The top has a NEXT and PREVIOUS track controls. The bottom has a Volume UP and Volume Down buttons as well as the USB charging port. A small microphone is on the front of the F1.

The TX dongle does not have as much features or buttons on it. All there is on the TX is iPod plug with a USB charging port to the left side of the TX and a LED indicator on the front face. It's compatible with any Apple device that uses the standard 30-pin connector.

According to iSkin, the first charge should take about 6 hours but any charge after that should take only 2 to 3 hours. With new products that requires charging, I usually let it charge overnight. With moderate use of listening to music only, the F1's battery lasted a couple of days. If you forget to turn off the headset, you'll obviously drain the battery more quickly.

Once the F1 is fully charged, you'll need to pair it to the TX. To do so, its similar to that of pairing it with your mobile phone. Plug the TX into the iPod and turn the F1 on by holding down the multi-function button. Thats it! The TX draws its power from the iPod battery so you will experience shorter battery life on the iPod.

The F1 doubles not only as a headset to listen to music on both the iPod or mobile phone but it is also a bluetooth headset. But do remember that when you're using the F1 to listen to music on your mobile phone, that you phone must be A2DP compatible. Not all phones will allow you to use stream music to a bluetooth headset. You'll need to pair the F1 to your phone. The process is the same but without the use of the TX. Simply set your phone into pair mode and hold down the multi-function button on the F1. Once paired, you can use the controls on the F1 to answer calls (press once), ignore calls (hold down until you hear a beep), adjust the volume, redial, and place calls on mute or hold.

If you receive ...

Brando 55-in-1 Card Reader/Writer
Manufacturer: Brando
Site: Buy from Brando
Price: $28.00

Overview : Brando WorkShop 55 in 1 Card Reader works with the most popular cards, even new SDHC / SDHC 2.0 cards. Besides, it is able to read MicroSD/T-Flash, miniSD, Memory Stick Micro (M2) directly WITHOUT any adapters!!

With the new design and advanced chipset, it is capable of TURBO speed access! Like Extreme III CF, it takes only 6 secs to copy 100MB files, whereas other common card readers takes 14 secs.

So, what sort of disadvantages of this card reader? Smart Media Card is uncompatible though. Guess you no longer use Smart Media Card, don't you?

Features :

• Brando Workshop brand new extraordinary designed
• 5 slots 55 in 1 CARD READER
• True plug & play and hot swapping
• USB 2.0 speed - Fast data/files access and transfer rate up to 480Mbps
• MicroSD/T-Flash direct access No adapter required
• MiniSD direct access No adapter required
• M2 direct access No adapter required
• Support NEW high capacity standard SDHC SD card
• Compatible with PC & Mac
• RoHS compliant

Specifications :

• Size: 85x58x12mm (3.15"x2.28"x0.47")
• Weight: 40g (1.41 ounce)
• Interface: USB2.0 (480Mbps), backward compatible with USB 1.0/1.1
• Power Supply: Bus-powered
• System Requirements: Support Windows 2000 SP3/SP4, ME and XP, Support Mac 8.6, 9.x, 10.1.2 and above (Driver is required for Windows 2000, Mac 8.6/9.x)

Supported Memory Cards :

1. CF I
2. CF II
3. CF I WA
4. CF I ELITE PRO
5. CF PRO
6. CF PRO II
7. CF Ultra II
8. HS CF
9. CF Extreme
10. CF Extreme III
11. CF Extreme IV
12. IBM MD
13. Hitachi MD
14. MAGICSTOR
15. MS
16. MS MG
17. MS PRO
18. MS PRO EXTREME
19. MS PRO MG
20. MS DUO
21. MS DUO MG
22. MS PRO DUO
23. MS PRO DUO ULTRA
24. MS PRO DUO MG
25. MS PRO ULTRA II
26. MS ROM
27. MS MEMORY SELECT FUNCTION
28. MS DUO HS
29. MS PRO EXTREME III
30. MS PRO HS
31. MS PRO DUO MG HS
32. M2
33. XD
34. XD H Type
35. XD M TYPE
36. SD
37. SD PRO
38. SD ELITE PRO
39. SD ULTRA
40. SD ULTRA II
41. SD EXTREME
42. SD EXTEREME III
43. SD HS 150X
44. SDHC 2.0
45. MINI SD
46. T-Flash
47. Micro SD
48. MMC
49. MMC 4.0
50. HS MMC
51. RS MMC
52. RS MMC 4.0
53. HS RS A15MMC
54. MMC MOBILE
55. MMC PLUS 200X

Package Contents :

• Brando WorkShop 55 in 1 Card Reader
• USB Cable
• Quick Start Guide

Quality/Usability : I have a Sony MSAC-US20 Memory Stick Reader/Writer, SanDisk MobileMate SD+ and various USB cables that connects to my devices inorder for me to transfer data as well as adapters. Thats a lot of stuff on my computer table. With Brando's 55 in 1 Card Reader/Writer, it removes all those and puts them all into one!

Whats great about the 55 in 1 is that not only does it eliminate all those devices, adapters and cables but its works with any Windows and MAC operating systems. Not to mention, NO drivers needed (except for older OS)! The reader/writer is powered by your USB port with no additional power supply and uses USB2.0. It is also backwards compatible with USB1.0/1.1. When the reader is plugged in, I noticed that under MY COMPUTERS, there were three REMOVABLE DRIVES. When you insert a storage card, a green LED is lit up to let you know it is in use.

I tried various cards from a 4GB Hitachi MicroDrive, to a 256MB SD card, to a 1GB Memory Stick/Pro Duo cards and even the new smaller micro cards, microSD and Sony's M2. All work without any problems and all showed up perfectly and without any adapters! I no longer have to mess with cables or adapters in order to transfer data.

Normally, I connect my digital camera to my computer via USB cable. I tried my 4GB Hitachi MicroDrive with the card reader. The 55 in 1 had no problem reading it. Transferring pictures was just as easy and fast. It only took less than a minute to transfer my pictures to my computer. Mind you, these pictures were taken at 10.1MP and the files size are huge.

So I decided to try my 1GB that I use for my Nintendo Wii. Transferring VGA quality images were fast as well. It didnt take long before it was finished. Usually I would use the MobileMate SD+ adapter to transfer files. Transferring files to the Memory Stick and Pro Duo were the same. With the Pro Duo cards, I no longer had to use the adapter in order for me to transfer data. I just slipped it in and the reader had no problem recognizing the card.

My next test was my microSD and M2 that I used for my cellphones. The two newest memory cards to hit the market for the latest devices. I transferred not only pictures but also music. Transferring data was flawless and no adapter was needed at all unlike my other readers.

No matter what sized storage card I threw at the 55 in 1, it had no problem recognizing the card. You must say to yourself, there are other card readers out there that does the same. Yes, you're right BUT they are usually limited to how big in size it will read your card. My Toshiba laptop has a card reader built in. Reading small sized memory cards to 2GB memory cards were not a problem. But when I inserted my 4GB Pro Duo, it didnt read it at all.

Before getting the 55 in ...