OLED illuminated surfaces

Imagine a house without a single light fixture - but instead walls, ceilings, furnishings, and accessories all sources of light. Thanks to research at Princeton University and the University of Southern California (USC), almost any surface in a building can become a light source with OLEDs. Researchers have made a critical advancement from what was once single-color displays to highly efficient and long-lasting natural light source called OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes).

The invention was the brain child of 13-years of research in the OLED program headed up by Mark Thompson at USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and Stephan Forrest, vice president for research at the University of Michigan (formerly at Princeton). Thompson states that the OLED process “enables us to get 100 percent efficiency out of single, broad spectrum light source.” Completely transparent when not in use, the devices can be used in windows and a skylight, mimicking the feel of natural light once the sun goes down. Imagine the energy saving possibilities! Or, for gadget geeks, OLEDs could make for the flattest flat-panel TV imaginable. Watch out when OLEDs hit the mass market, it could transform lighting as we know it.

Nokia releases 'Web Browser for S60' engine code to open source community

Nokia releases 'Web Browser for S60' engine code to open source community
May 24, 2006

World Wide Web Conference 2006, Edinburgh, Scotland - Nokia today announced the release to the global open source software community of the source code for S60 WebKit, the engine for its leading-edge Web Browser for S60, marking a turning point in the drive toward an open code base for web browsers used on mobile devices.
Nokia's contribution of the S60 WebKit source code, with key mobility enhancements that make WebKit easier to port to different mobile platforms, will enable reduced fragmentation in the next generation of mobile browsers, simplifying content development for the mobile web and accelerating adoption of mobile browsing by millions of smartphone users worldwide.

The web browser source code released by Nokia comes under the terms of the open source BSD License, a highly permissive software license with few requirements that is one of the most popular licenses among free software developers worldwide. The source code will be made available to open source developers through the WebKit Open Source Project (www.webkit.org).

More from source: Press Release
Links:
Web Browser for S60
Nokia S60 Open Source Browser

Palm Launches Treo 700p Smartphone

Palm adds EVDO capabilities to its latest smartphone

Palm has launched another Treo Smartphone. The company launched the Windows Mobile 5.0 based Treo 700w back in January and today the company has announced the Treo 700p which uses Palm OS 5.4.9 and is powered by a 312MHz Intel XScale processor. 128MB of non-volatile memory is included; 60MB of which are available to the user. But most important of course is the network support for the new phone. The Treo 700p supports CDMA 800/1900MHz and CDMA2000 EvDO (backwards compatible with 1xRTT and IS95).

The 6.4 ounce phone features a color 320x320 screen, 1.3 megapixel digital camera with 2x digital zoom and 352x288 video capture. Bluetooth 1.2 is supported and a Secure Digital slot is included for additional storage/peripheral add-ons. The Treo 700p offers up 4.5 hours of talk time and 300 hours of standby time.

The Treo 700p will be available at first on Sprint-Nextel and Verizon Wireless networks. Pricing will be announced in the coming weeks by both carriers.

Palm Infocenter has posted its preview of the new device and they go over all of new software, features and capabilities of the new Treo 700p. Here's a blurb on the device's wireless modem capabilities:

You can use the Treo 700p as a wireless modem for your laptop or desktop computer. Palm now includes an easy to setup DUN (dial up networking) connection that can be used over Bluetooth or with the USB cable. The included USB cable will now also trickle charge the device so you don't have to worry about draining the battery when using it in DUN mode. Not all carriers may support this feature, and some might even require you to purchase a additional DUN data plan.

One note of advice: No GSM support!

See Specs: Palm Treo 700p Specifications

Nokia 5500

NOKIA PRESS RELEASE May 10, 2006

Nokia 5500 Sport: Smartphone with a six-pack

Espoo, Finland - On the bank of Iceland's world-famous Blue Lagoon, the Nokia 5500 Sport leaped into the world arena, displaying its sleek, sporty design with an athletic lifestyle appeal. The Nokia 5500 Sport features all the technology that every active-minded consumer needs, and is specially designed to withstand the daily rigours of work and work-out.

"The Nokia 5500 Sport combines the passion and spirit of sports with the latest in mobile communications. It's an ideal companion for an active, urban lifestyle," says Heikki Norta, Senior Vice President, Mobile Phones, Nokia. "There is a very sizeable audience of consumers who demand sport-inspired products, even if they are not professional athletes themselves. The Nokia 5500 Sport offers these consumers a mobile phone suited to their specific needs - during a jog in the park, a day at the beach and even that dress-to-impress first date."

A mode to match your mood

A single button serves to activate three dedicated "modes" - a phone mode to stay in touch, the music mode to unwind or power-up, and the sports mode to help you break a sweat. The Nokia 5500 Sport also offers "text-to-speech" technology. Don't take your eyes off the track or that magazine, just tap the Nokia 5500 Sport and the message is read out to you. In sports mode, the Nokia 5500 Sport reads the status of your workout, allowing you to stay focused on the task, or the excercise, at hand.

When music is on your mind, the Nokia 5500 Sport gives you a jump start. Supporting a multitude of different digital music formats and memory cards of up to 1GB (microSD), the Nokia 5500 Sport can hold approximately 750 songs. With your music collection in hand, every activity has its own soundtrack!

Switched into sports mode, the Nokia 5500 Sport helps you keep track of work or your work-out. The integrated pedometer feature serves to monitor distance walked or calories burnt -during a busy day in the city or that breathtaking cardio session. For extra durability, the Nokia 5500 Sport features an ergonomic stainless steel casing, complemented by a splash and dust resistant shell and rubber grips.The sleek Nokia 5500 Sport is engineered with materials used in the latest high performance running shoes which make it look good on and off the court.

The triband Nokia 5500 Sport (GSM 900/1800/1900) is scheduled to sprint into stores during the summer (3rd quarter) of 2006 and is expected to retail for around 300 EUR before taxes and subsidies.

Gallery:

TIPA chooses Nokia N80 as Best Mobile Imaging Device 2006

Espoo, Finland - Nokia today revealed that the Nokia N80 multimedia computer has been voted the Best Mobile Imaging Device in Europe 2006 by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), the largest photo and imaging press association in Europe. The award is an endorsement of the Nokia N80's industry-leading feature set, which makes it one of the most high performance devices currently available in the marketplace.

Commenting on the award, TIPA praised the Nokia N80 as "so much more than just a camera phone." The official comment from the TIPA Awards 2006 jury reads: "the Nokia N80 is a multimedia device with a host of superb functions. It combines a 3 megapixel camera, integrated flash, 20x digital zoom, video and MP3 player into one stylish package. As soon as you switch on, the N80 is ready to shoot. Using a 2GB miniSD card you can store nearly 1000 images at up to 2048x1536 (JPEG up to 16.7 million/24-bit color). Printing your images is easy, too. You can take the images off the miniSD card or connect the N80 to your printer via PictBridge or Bluetooth. The WiFi feature also allows you to send your images to any compatible TV or PC, plus you can edit your images, add text and some special effects."

The Nokia N80 is part of the Nokia Nseries, a range of high performance multimedia computers that incorporate multiple functionalities in one beautifully designed device. With Nokia Nseries products, people can use a single device to do everything from snapping print-quality images, reading email, listening to music, browsing the Web, watching TV on the move, and much more. Moreover, multimedia computers can effortlessly be connected to the Internet, enabling people to communicate, create and share experiences, participate in Internet communities and access digital content using available mobile broadband connections such as WLAN and 3G.

"The compact yet feature-rich Nokia N80 has raised the bar for mobile devices, and we are delighted to receive this accolade from consumer electronics magazines across Europe," said Mads Winblad, vice president, Multimedia Sales and Channel Management, EMEA, Nokia. "This award is also an endorsement of the technological leadership of the Nokia Nseries range of multimedia computers. Comprising the functionality of a highly advanced converged mobile device, the Nokia N80 empowers people to pursue professional goals and personal passions with equal fervor."

TIPA was founded in 1991 as an independent, non-profit association of European photo and imaging magazines. With 31 member magazines from twelve countries, it is currently the largest photo and imaging press association in Europe. Once a year, editors from the TIPA member magazines meet to vote for the Best Photo and Imaging Products in Europe. The TIPA Awards Ceremony this year will take place in Cologne, Germany, on the opening day of Photokina 2006.

Nokia N80