Isaiah's Tech

Today's the day. Starting today, people in Spain can now purchase the Toshiba TG01. Thankfully, it'll have Windows Mobile 6.5 pre-installed and not version 6.1. You can actually check it out on Toshiba Spain's official website here. Don't forget that this handset features a 4.1-inch touchscreen display and a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU.

[WMPowerUser]

The title says it all. Japan looks like they'll be lucky enough to purchase the Toshiba TG01 as the Dynapocket, thanks to Softbank Mobile. It'll be launched sometime between now until Spring 2010.

[WMPowerUser]

This CelleBrite unit has just been spotted at a Verizon store and it clearly hints that they could be launching the Toshiba TG01. Back in July we did get word that a CDMA model of this phone passed the FCC, so it could be possible. It's all about if and when now.

[WMExperts]

Toshiba has finally gone out and officially mentioned that their TG01 will have WinMo 6.5 pre-installed from now on. They've also mentioned that if you have a TG01 with WinMo 6.1 pre-installed then you'll be able to scoop up the free upgrade on their website here. However, the free upgrades - I believe - are not live right now. We should see it available very soon.

[Slash Gear]

Adobe has announced that Flash will be coming to, basically, all mobile platforms by the end of the year, via Flash 10.1. It will be coming to the iPhone, but only the apps will have access to it and not the browser, Safari, which is a big let down. In related news, the video below is a Toshiba TG01 running Flash 10.1 on Windows Mobile. It's good to see what's in the making.



[WMPowerUser]

Toshiba had pretty underwhelming reviews when it launched, thanks to its resistive touchscreen, WinMo 6.1, and customized UI, despite having a 1GHz CPU. Well, Toshiba has just announced that the TG01 will be upgradeable to WinMo 6.5 / Windows Phone when it comes out on October 6th. Check out what Toshiba had to say in their press release below.


[Slash Gear, WMPowerUser]

The Toshiba TG01 is the first handset to sport the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU and it also has the largest display on a mobile phone (4.1-inches). Well, if you're in the US and you're waiting for this WinMo phone then you are in luck. It has just passed the FCC with CDMA, so it could hit Sprint and/or Verizon in the future. The release could be in the near future, since the handset is listed as "production" and not "prototype". Coincidentally, this news has popped up right after I just finished talking about Sprint on the verge of announcing something on August 6th at 8AM ET. Could this be what Sprint is going to announce?

Unfortunately, since it's running WinMo 6.1 (upgradeable to WinMo 6.5) right now, the reviews for this handset are mediocre at best. It also doesn't help that the display is a resisitve touchscreen.

[Engadget]

On Wednesday I reported that O2 Germany stopped selling the Toshiba TG01 because of a virus. Well, it looks like they've fixed the problem already since they are selling it again. Check it out here on O2's official website. You can get your hands on this 4.1-inch Snapdragon-equipped handset again for €149.99 ($212 USD).

[Engadget]

Whoever said it was impossible to get viruses on your mobile phone? Apparently, the Toshiba TG01 that O2 Germany launched came with a virus pre-installed!! Talk about a careless launch. Luckily, only a few handsets had it and not all of them. "Currently the sales of the Toshiba TG01 on O2 Germany have been halted and customers who have bought the smartphone are invited to contact customer service." Looks like the TG01 launch didn't go as planned. That sucks for Toshiba because this smartphone looks pretty sweet - I'm talking about the 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and not the resistive touchscreen.

[Unwired View]

Sorry, Toshiba is not launching today the TG01 today as mentioned before. But, you'll only have to wait one more day to get it because it will be launching exclusively on Orange UK tomorrow! This phone will be available tomorrow for free on a 2-year contract in which you have to fork over £39.15 ($64 USD). Don't forget that the Toshiba TG01 has a 4.1-inch resistive touchscreen display and the awesome Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz CPU!

[Engadget]

That's right, the Toshiba TG01 has just made it on Orange UK's official website. It is pegged with a "coming soon" badge, so could that mean July 9th? Maybe. Probably? All I know is that this 4.1-inch Toshiba TG01 runs WinMo 6.1 with a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU. Okay fine, maybe the WinMo thing was a bad idea, but I'm sure they couldn't go wrong with the processor.

Update: It looks like the TG01 has just been pulled from Orange UK's website, so that was pretty short-lived.

[Engadget]

That's right folks, if you can head over to London, you can see the launch for yourself. Toshiba will be officially launching their TG01 smartphone. You should still remember this smartphone because it has a 4.1-inch WVGA display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz CPU. It also measures just 9.9mm thick, so that's kind of amazing. Other features you'll also find are: 3G, WiFi, and aGPS. The Toshiba TG01 runs on Windows Mobile 6.1, but they've added their own twist to it by covering it up with their own custom UI. The TG01 will also be compatible and upgradeable to WinMo 6.5 when it gets released. This event will start at 6:15 pm London time (1:15 pm EST), so go out and get that plane ticket if you really want to.

[Slash Gear]

The Toshiba TG01 is now available in Japan as the NTT DoCoMo T-01A. It's the exact model that we all know about: 4.1-inch WVGA (800 x 480) resistive touchscreen display, 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 3.2MP camera, HSDPA, GPS, WiFi, and WinMo 6.1 covered up with Toshiba's custom UI. It's still under 1cm thick, so don't worry.

According to DigiTimes, Toshiba is working on their very first Android handset. Toshiba joined the OHA (Open Handset Alliance) back in December 2008, so it could be a possibility. Any details on the handset have not been disclosed. This could mean that the Android OS could be accompanied with the speedy 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, which would make the handset run extremely fast. I'm guessing that this could be Android's step into the mobile gaming world - similar to the iPhone - especially because the CPU could have upgraded capabilities before it gets released. On a side note, the source also mentioned that Sharp and Asus are also planning on making their own Android handsets as well.

[Engadget (Japan), Slash Gear (Android)]

Basically, Germany is out of their mind. They plan to launch the Toshiba TG01 for free as long as you agree to pay just €20 ($28 USD) per month. Keep in mind that the TG01 has: a 4.1-inch WVGA resistive touchscreen, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 1GHz CPU, WiFi, HSPA connectivity, GPS, Bluetooth, a microSD slot (up to 32GB support), and manages to be just 9.9mm thin. That is very surprising, to me at least.

I don't know why O2 is going to offer this handset for free because it's pretty damn amazing and is 3rd on my current phone list (behind the N97 and the Touch Pro 2). I'm really shocked that O2 Germany decided to do this, but consumers must be pretty happy. This Windows Mobile handset is expected to launch in 3 weeks.

[Slash Gear]

Toshiba is pulling out all the stops with their future line-up - take a look at the roadmap above. The Toshiba TG01 is not even available yet and there are already talks about Toshiba's future devices, which is magnificent for us. It's no surprise that the TG01 will be a powerhouse (4.1-inch screen and 1GHz CPU on-board), but how could Toshiba top that device?

Moving right along, the Toshiba K01 and K02 will both run on WinMo 6.5 and will also have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz CPU which is just about amazing. The Toshiba K01 has a 4.1-inch capacitive touchscreen and has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. I don't like the design but the fact that it has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard really turns me on. The Toshiba K02, on the other hand, has a clamshell design and sports a 3.5-inch resistive touchscreen display. "The Toshiba K02 has a secondary display and ten additional keys on its front - it's hard to tell but it may become Toshiba's Communicator." It also looks like the clamshell design reveals a QWERTY keyboard, but I'm not sure since the picture is fairly blurry. Both the K01 and K02 will have a 3.15MP camera and will also have HSPA support.
Last but not least it's the Toshiba L01. It is said to be a WinMo 6.5 device with the same 1GHz CPU that all of these Toshiba devices have. It has a 7-inch display, a detachable QWERTY keyboard, HSPA support, and what looks to be a stand of some sort. Since the L01 has such a large screen it could turn out to be an MID, so it's not a phone per say.

These devices look hot, so you can scroll up to double-check the roadmap to see when your favourite device will be available. I'm really excited that they all pack the same 1GHz CPU. The TG line-up looks amazing and I truly can't wait for all of these devices to be available. Thumbs up for Toshiba!!

[GSM Arena, Mobile Crunch]

With recent rumours of an Acer A1 running Android to be released this September, the F1 may be one of the phones that will be released alongside the aforementioned A1. According to some newer rumours the pictured Acer F1 is said to be packing an 800MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It is a little bit slower than the speedy Toshiba TG01, but it's still quick. The F1 will be running on WinMo 6.5 and looks like it will be a full touchscreen. It's expected to be released for €560 ($760 USD) this September. I'm excited to see a full spec sheet on this device.

[Engadget]

This is a rumour and there is barely any evidence supporting this "theory." But, rumour has it that Toshiba's successor to the TG01 will run Android. Now this would be much better than running it on Windows Mobile (like the TG01), so i don't see why Toshiba wouldn't do it. In December 2008, Toshiba joined the Open Handset Alliance, so it's only a matter of time until they release an Android-based device. The specs between the TG01 and its successor appear to be identical (not hardware-wise, since those specs are still unknown), obviously supporting MMS and web browsing and all of those regular features in smartphones nowadays. I hope the TG01 successor does run Android because every other phone manufacturer is taking their sweet time to push out their Android devices. Maybe Toshiba's 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon smartphone can lead the pack to victory.

Meet the Samsung Fabrizio PAVV 450 Series. There will be a 42 and a 50-inch model and they were just announced in Korea. Samsung says these plasmas will feature their "Crystal Engine", 600Hz technology (suck on that LG), 0.001ms response time (insane), "Mega Contrast" and will also have 3 HDMI slots. Talk about a damn, clear plasma TV. Don't count plasmas out yet. No word on price or availability. Just to crush your dreams, i doubt these will be released in the US, so forget about it coming Canada.

For a not so expensive price-point, you do get a lot of bang for your buck with this laptop. For just £699, you get a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4GB of RAM. The Notino W5800S has a 15.4-inch screen with a 1,680 x 1,050 (a bit odd) resolution, but it's not very mobile with just 2-hours of battery life in the tank.  It has a decent graphics card, being a NVIDIA 9300M GS and weighs about 2.7kg. Unfortunately, it doesn't have Bluetooth, but it does boast a 250GB HDD, an integrated webcam, a 3-in-1 Card reader and runs on Windows Vista Home Premium (which also sucks). It may not be the best thing out there, but it'll do the job.

See! I told you, if you were patient enough, the 22-inch model would soon pop up. It did. Later on at CeBIT, that is. I talked a bit about the 15.6-inch model before and now it's time to talk about the 22-inch model. Oh wait, i actually can't since Asus kept their mouth shut about the model. Keep in mind that Asus announced a 20 and a 22-inch model, but chose not to reveal anything besides the fact that they both had HDMI slots and both had a Blu-ray optical drive. The model numbers for the 20 and the 22-inch all-in-one PCs are the ET2003 and the ET2203, repectively.

Toshiba TG01 Android-Edition (and picture): http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/toshiba-working-on-android-successor-to-tg01--573730?src=rss&attr=all
Samsung Fabrizio PAVV 450 (and picture): http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/09/samsung-outs-fabrizio-pavv-450-series-plasma-hdtvs-in-korea/
Hi-Grade Notino W5800S (and picture): http://www.techradar.com/reviews/computing/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops/hi-grade-notino-w5800s-536654/review?src=rss&attr=all
22-inch Eee Top (and picture): http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/09/asus-showcases-hd-minded-eee-top-et2203-and-et2003/

So, Skype 4.0 was released today (download link here). If you've been using the Skype 4.0 beta already, you may not notice any new features off the bat. If you're migrating from Skype 3.8, you will notice the new UI and a slight improvement on the video calling. I'm going to try it out when i get home, to see if the video calling quality has increased. I'm always on Skype with my girlfriend, since she's on residence for University. That's how we stay in contact.

The famous American groundhog saw his shadow this morning, so it looks like there will be 6 more weeks of Winter. I don't doubt this groundhog's psychic ability at all, since up here in Canada, it's snowing today. It's been snowing for about 4 hours now and i don't think it's going to stop for at least another hour. I dislike the Winter and i dislike the snow. That is an example of a parallel sentence, i learned it in English class today.

I talked a bit about the 2TB hard drive last week, from Western Digital (here). Seagate is going to step up to the plate with their own 2TB hard drive, which is expected to hit consumers by this September. Seagate's rendition of the 2TB hard drive will run at 7200RPM. Western Digital's is running at an undisclosed "eco-friendly" speed. Western Digital's 2TB hard drive is going for $300 USD now and Seagate's will be out later this year. Hopefully, Seagate won't have the same problems with this HDD that they had with the Barracuda.

The Toshiba TG01. We haven't really heard much about Toshiba's smartphones, but this one sets itself apart from the rest. The phone itself has a very similar style to the iPhone. I mean very similar. I'd advise to go to this link to see more photos of this impressive looking device. Something tells me that this phone will be generating a ton of buzz. "The Toshiba TG01 is the first device in the world to run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon platform, which is powered by a 1GHz mobile CPU and hosts GSM, HSDPA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity all on one chipset. The CPU has dynamic speed control and Toshiba and Qualcomm claim it'll go for a whole day without recharging." The iPhone better look out for this baby. It packs a 4.1 inch touchscreen (larger than the iPhone, HTC Touch HD and the Nokia N97's screen), which will have a 800 x 480 resolution. GSM Arena mentions that "it's certainly the biggest one we've seen on a GSM mobile phone." The phone itself is also extremely thin, approximately 9.9mm to be exact. The phone has a mere 512MB of internal memory, but it's okay because you can upgrade the storage to 32GB using its microSDHC slot. The TG01 will only have a 3.2MP and it looks like there will be no flash. It will will have flash in another department, since this phone's Internet Explorer mobile 6 will support Flash, unlike the iPhone. The only downside to this phone is that it is going to run the utterly slow Windows Mobile 6.1 OS. It doesn't really make sense why this amazing phone will run on WinMo 6.1 at all because it will be released in the summer in Europe. WinMo 6.5 is already on the way and why they are deciding to use WinMo 6.1 is beyond my best guesses. They could have at least chose Android or something. Maybe, just maybe it won't run as slow as the Samsung Omnia does.

Capcom is supporting Playstation Home in a big way. There will be Street Fighter IV and Resident Evil costumes making their way to Playstation Home. Capcom also mentioned that people will be able to meet on Playstation Home and then jump straight into a Street Fighter match. There will also be a place on Home representing a Resident Evil-like setting.

Skype 4.0 Download Link (and picture): http://www.skype.com/download/skype/windows/
More Winter: http://www.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN0244987120090202?rpc=64
2TB Hard Drive Fight Continues: http://i.gizmodo.com/5145221/seagate-fires-back-with-2tb-constellation-drive
Toshiba TG01 (and picture): http://www.gsmarena.com/toshiba_unleashes_the_tg01__the_ubersmartphone_to_rule_them_all-news-768.php
Street Fighter and Resident Evil Making Its Way To Playstation Home (and picture): http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/03/street-fighter-and-resident-evil-invade-playstation-home/