BlackBerry Bold 9780

GENERAL	2G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
	3G Network	HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100
		HSDPA 900 / 1700 / 2100
	Announced	2010, October
	Status	Available. Released 2010, November

SIZE	Dimensions	109 x 60 x 14 mm
	Weight	122 g

DISPLAY	Type	TFT, 65K colors
	Size	480 x 360 pixels, 2.44 inches
		- QWERTY keyboard - Touch-sensitive optical trackpad

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration, MP3 ringtones
	Speakerphone	Yes
		- 3.5 mm audio jack

MEMORY	Phonebook	Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
	Call records	Yes
	Internal	256 MB storage, 512 MB RAM
	Card slot	microSD, up to 32GB, 2GB card included, buy memory

DATA	GPRS	Yes
	EDGE	Yes
	3G	HSDPA
	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UMA
	Bluetooth	Yes, v2.1 with A2DP
	Infrared port	No
	USB	Yes, microUSB v2.0

CAMERA	Primary	5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
	Video	Yes
	Secondary	No

FEATURES	OS	BlackBerry OS 6.0
	CPU	624 MHz processor
	Messaging	SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
	Browser	HTML
	Radio	No
	Games	Yes + downloadable
	Colors	Black, White
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS support
	Java	Yes, MIDP 2.0
		- BlackBerry maps - Document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF) - Media player MP3/WMA/AAC+ - Video player DivX/WMV/XviD/3gp - Organizer - Voice memo/dial - Predictive text input

BATTERY		Standard battery, Li-Ion 1500 mAh
	Stand-by	Up to 528 h (2G) / Up to 408 h (3G)
	Talk time	Up to 6 h (2G) / Up to 6 h (3G)

MISC	SAR US	1.41 W/kg (head)     0.82 W/kg (body)
	SAR EU	1.15 W/kg (head)     0.40 W/kg (body)
	Price group

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Twin camera concept floats in water, unites sea and sky

  Taking an underwater self-portrait isn't the easiest thing in the world -- even if you're fond of robot DIY -- but this concept camera won a Red Dot award for capturing more than typically meets the eye. The UNDERABOVE floats like a buoy thanks to a pair of watertight ballast compartments, takes images with twin cameras above and below, then stitches the result into a turquoise vertical panorama viewable on the inbuilt LCD screen. If and when this device actually gets produced (and gains some serious image stabilization) the worlds of fish and man will never be the same.

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Google Maps for Mobile 5 unveiled, adds dynamic map drawing and offline mode

  Why look at static images when you can get a more 3D view of the urban scene? Google's Maps for Mobile 5 just got previewed on stage by Andy Rubin at D: Dive Into Mobile -- with a prototype Motorola Honeycomb tablet, no less! The biggest visual change is dynamic map drawing: vectors instead of flat images that scale without render hiccups and will show the buildings fleshed out for over 100 cities -- we gotta say, it looks great. Even more fun is that you can now use two fingers to tilt and rotate around the map (in addition to moving and pinch-to-zoom, of course). We've been told it's a much snappier experience, and the storage for these vectors is much smaller than the current images, which brings us to... offline caching. Maps will keep on file the locations that you go to (and search) most often, and it'll be able to reroute while offline in Navigation. You'll still need a connection for altering the route altogether -- sorry, subway-hoppers -- but once you go, even if you stray, you'll still be rerouted back on track. 

   Most modern Android phones from the original Droid onward should be able to enjoy most if not all the new features, depending on hardware capabilities (3D rendering) and "distinct multitouch" hardware support -- the Nexus One, interestingly enough, supports vector maps but not the rotate functionality because it lacks the latter multitouch requirements. Google sent us a list of devices that support 100 percent of 5.0's features, which you can find after the break. The update is due out in the "coming days," according to Rubin. Great way to kick off Nexus S' launch, then.

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Nokia X7 preps for its unauthorized preview

  After seeing the Symbian-based Nokia X7 leak into the wilds with its quartet of speakers a few weeks ago, you just knew that it was only a matter of time until Eldar Murtazin got his hands on the device for a preview. Last time he did this he burned the then unannounced Nokia N8 to the ground. He's coy with any details but the "I do not like this device" machine translation is pretty telling as is that AT&T logo. One more pic of the backside 8 megapixel shooter after the break as we brace for things to come.

Update: We've been told by a source that only two of the four "speakers" at the corners emit sound. At least that was the case for the unit tested by our contact.

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Viber VoIP iPhone app: 3G calling, no registration, and totally free

 

You know those voice minutes you've been coaxed into buying for, like, ever? Now would be an awesome time to bid 'em adieu. Out of nowhere, Viber has swooped in to crush the dreams of Skype and every other VoIP provider out there, and if these guys can reach critical mass, avid iPhone users will certainly be able to buy a mobile plan with fewer minutes. It works as such: install the free app on your iPhone, provide just your phone number (no "registration" is necessary) and then fire it up. Viber uses your existing contact and favorites list, and you can make Viber or standard voice calls from within the app; naturally, a Viber logo pops up beside any contact who is also a user, making it easy to see who you can VoIP call for free. As our brethren over at TUAW point out, there's simply no catch to be found -- well, except for those of you counting your kilobytes on AT&T's newer, metered data plans. Call quality was said to be excellent over 3G and WiFi, and potentially best of all, gratis SMS and an Android version are both on the way. Head on past the break if you need any additional convincing, and tap that iTunes link to get your download on. So, AT&T, what's the value proposition on those "rollover minutes" again?

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Virgin officially announces Project magazine for iPad (and iPhone soon)

We're here at Virgin's press event for Project magazine, which Sir Richard Branson just called the "first all-digital magazine." It's launching on iPad first, then on the iPhone, but we also snuck a peek at the app last night and noticed a line about Android tablet support coming soon. Branson says the content will change constantly -- there'll even be comments, and sharing features are said to be "coming soon." Mapping features will be introduced in the iPhone version, which the Project editor-in-chief describes only as "all the coolest places in the world mapped by our users." Pricing for the iPad version is set at $2.99 per month, with the app updating throughout the period with new content and features. When asked about Rupert Murdoch's The Daily, Branson responded that "this is not a battle, not a war, but the future of publishing," while his chief editor had this to say: "We're not similar ... they're a daily newspaper, we're a monthly style magazine ... we wish them nothing but luck."

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Microsoft in talks to start new TV service using the 360?

 

   Microsoft's been strangely quiet during the recent smart TV explosion even though it has arguably the most mature set of products in Windows Media Center and Mediaroom, and now we know why: Reuterssays MS has been meeting with media companies in an effort to create an entirely new TV service possibly delivered through the Xbox 360. Apparently there are multiple options on the table, ranging from a full-on "virtual cable operator" with monthly fees to using the 360 as an extension of existingcableco online TV initiatives to simply delivering certain channels like ESPN and HBO a la carte, andReuters' sources say the plan might take another 12 months to develop. That sounds like a bit too long, if you ask us: Apple and Google are waging a major living room assault, and we can't imagine Microsoft is willing to miss another technology cycle -- especially not one where it holds the significant advantage of the 360's installed base and proven history as an IPTV device on multiple operators worldwide,including Uverse. We'll see what happens -- it sounds like the battle might finally be joined.

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Movea turns your iPod touch or iPhone into an Air Mouse for just $2

Not so keen on plopping down a Benjamin for Movea's Air Mouse? A full two years after the introduction of that very product, there's now an acceptable, bargain-bin alternative: the Air Mouse. Er, the Air Mouse app for iPod touch / iPhone. This here nugget of code, which is selling for just $1.99 in the App Store, taps into your iDevice's inbuilt gyroscopes as well as the company's own MotionSense technology in order to convert your handheld into a mouse. No need to fish for a surface, though -- simply wave your iPhone around in order to take advantage of in-air cursor control and gesture recognition. It's a dream come true for HTPC owners (Macs and PCs are supported), though critics are suggesting that Mobile Mouse may actually be superior. If you've already parted ways with your buck-ninety-nine, let us know how things are panning out in comments below.

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AirVideoEnabler hack brings AirPlay video to the rest of your apps

Apple's new AirPlay video streaming functionality is great... unless you want to use it in a non-Apple app. For whatever reason, Apple is restricting AirPlay video to just its first party apps right now, and not even all of those (Safari is left out, for instance). Interestingly, Apple actually built the functionality in, it's just not enabled. Thanks to some "spelunking" work by TUAW's Erica Sadun, it was discovered that a single line of code is all that's necessary to spread the feature to any app that relies on Apple's MediaPlayer framework, including VLC, AirVideo, and even Safari. Now Zone-MR has built a hack called AirVideoEnabler and put it on Cydia, allowing you to bring this functionality to your own jailbroken iPad. For the hack-averse, let's hope Apple catches up in functionality soon. Check out a video of AirVideoEnabler and Erica's original hack in action after the break

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Hasselblad H4D-40 Stainless Steel medium format camera: limited to 100 units, priced at €13,990

Wondering just how large a premium that Ferrari badge was adding to Hasselblad's Ferrari-branded H4D? Oh, around €7,500 (if not more). Hot on the heels of the aforesaid announcement, Hasselblad has just revealed yet another variant of the famed H4D-40, with the Stainless Steel edition offering a classy, classic motif and another limited run item for collectors to snatch up. Only 100 of these will be produced, with each one selling for €13,990 ($18,497) sans lens or €14,990 ($19,809) with the HC 2.8/80 mm. If this guy's more "within reach" than the Italian-inspired alternative, hit up your local dealer as soon as humanly possible... or just before your 100 closest friends, anyway

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