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Becker have unveiled their latest personal navigation device, the Z205, and while it may not look all that impressive it does have some nifty functionality. Packed inside the 125 x 82.5 x 12.7 mm case there’s a 4.3-inch touchscreen along with a TMC Pro traffic data receiver module, Bluetooth and 4GB of storage.

As well as standard 2D and 3D mapping, the Becker Z205 is capable of displaying 3D views of cities and buildings, together with 3D landscapes. There’s also text-to-speech, voice control complete with voice-entered destinations, traffic analysis based on historical trends, road signs and lane guidance.

Preloaded is mapping data – courtesy of Navteq – for 42 European countries, and there’s also a media player with image/audio/video playback and a microSD card slot for adding memory. The Becker Z205 PND is likely to see a launch across Europe, though release date and pricing is unknown.

Specifications for Motorola’s upcoming entry-level Android handset, the Morrison, have leaked, and anybody hoping the company might have injected a little interest along with what’s presumably going to be a low purchase price will have to go home disappointed. The parts list sounds mighty reminiscent of HTC’s existing Android devices, with a 528MHz Qualcomm MSM7201A processor, 256MB of RAM, a 512MB ROM and 320 x 480 HVGA touchscreen display.
There’s also WiFi b/g, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, quadband GSM and triband WCDMA (900/1700 or 1900/2100), together with a 3-axis accelerometer, class 6 MicroSD slot supporting 32GB cards, USB 2.0 with a microUSB connector and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The camera is a 5-megapixel unit with autofocus, geotagging and 25fps 320 x 240 video recoridng, and there’s both standalone GPS and A-GPS. The Morrison will support Exchange ActiveSync push email, has a digital compass, proximity sensor and ambient light sensor.

As for a release date, the Motorola Morrison is tipped to arrive on October 21st on T-Mobile USA. No word of pricing as yet, but this is definitely being positioned as an entry-level, budget device.

Stealth Computer have unveiled their latest notebook, the NW-2000, a ruggedized hybrid laptop/tablet based around Intel’s 1.06GHz Core 2 Duo, a 13.3-inch sunlight viewable resistive touchscreen and MIL-STD-810F, shock & vibration compliance. The sturdy convertible has 2GB of RAM (4GB maximum), a 160GB shock-mounted hard-drive (or optional SSD) and spill-resistant keyboard, and can cope with being dropped 91cm onto a wood-covered concrete surface 26 times in succession without impairing functionality.
There’s also standard WiFi a/g/n, Bluetooth, gigabit ethernet and GPS, together with optional HSDPA. A standard DVD burner, PC card slot, fingerprint scanner and TPM security module round out the main specifications, and Stealth suggest you’ll see up to 6hrs runtime from the standard 7,800mAh battery.

The whole thing weighs a not-inconsiderable 9.04lbs and measures a chunky 9.96 x 13.54 x 2.31 inches. The Stealth NW-2000 is available to order now, priced from $4,895.

Acer have brought their F1 Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone to Computex, and there’s finally a spec sheet to go with the prototype. We now know that the F1 is based on Qualcomm’s 1GHz Snapdragon processor - the same as Toshiba’s TG01 - paired with a spacious 3.8-inch WVGA touchscreen and 5-megapixel autofocus camera.


There’s also an always-welcome 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the phone, and the camera has a flash to accompany it. The front controls are touch-sensitive, plus there’s a front-facing camera for video calls, GPS, WiFi and support for up to 7.2Mbps HSDPA.

Acer are talking about potentially putting their own shell on top of Windows Mobile 6.5, but nothing has been decided. Apparently the F1 will be reaching shelves by Christmas, but there’s no word on what this flagship Acer smartphone might cost.

When your first handset looks set to rack up close to twelve months of delay, you may as well announce a few more. That seems to be the attitude at Garmin-ASUS, who are conveniently forgetting all about their much-postponed nuvifone G60 and instead are talking about their upcoming Android smartphone, set to arrive by the end of Q1 2010.

Garmin - who have been a member of Google’s Open Handset Alliance since December 2008 - were initially tipped to be offering an Android device sometime this year. While company executives now say that the phone “could come a bit earlier” than the end of March 2010, it doesn’t seem likely to beat that timescale by a full three months, especially given Garmin-ASUS’ ongoing issues.

The duo have declined to comment on how much the Android smartphone might cost. However they have confirmed that the GPS will be used for geotagging photos and for offering other location-based services.

I confess, I’ve been hearing Vincent and Ewdi wax lyrical about the Verizon and Sprint versions of the MiFi portable personal hotspot, and going green with envy. Happily we’re finally hearing details regarding the GSM HSPA version of the device, the Novatel Wireless MiFi 2352, and while there’s still no sign of European carrier confirmation it’s already showing up at importer Mobilx.

Thanks to the new information, we now know that the MiFi 2352 supports triband HSDPA/HSUPA (900/1900/2100MHz) and quadband GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900MHz), with support for up to 7.2Mbps downlink and 5.76Mbps uplink speeds (network depending). As with the CDMA EVDO Rev.A versions, it supports WiFi b/g with WEP, WPA and WPA2 security, and can handle up to five simultaneous clients.

It also offers GPS, as with the Sprint version of the MiFi, and measures 62 x 98 x 15.3mm while weighing just 81g. Interestingly, it has a microSDHC card slot - happy with up to 16GB cards - that can be accessed by any of the WiFi clients, basically turning the 2352 into a mini-NAS.

Mobilx currently have the MiFi 2352 listed for $259 before taxes, unlocked, and with the first stock expected on June 20th.

Good news comes from the FCC. The Magellan Maestro 4700 has been approved, which means we will be able to purchase this gadget in the States very soon. The Magellan Maestro 4700 features a 4.7-inch LCD display, voice commands, Bluetooth connectivity, a live traffic option, and the Magellan OneTouch interface. Sadly, there is no info on pricing so far.

The Sanyo Gorilla NVA-GS1609FT and NVA-GS1409DT in-dash navigation systems boast a 16GB SSD and 8GB SSD, respectively. Both gadgets feature a 7-inch QVGA touchscreen display with Sanyo Eco Drive, an improved GUI and 3D maps. Pricing info and availability info are still unknown.

Lowrance has recently released three innovative touch-screen GPS handhelds for the outdoor market under the Endura series, and they are the Sierra, Safari and Outback. The Sierra is the flagship model that aims to offer the most powerful and complete out-of-box GPS experience available, while the Safari is one versatile navigator that is suitable not only for sailing the high seas but for other outdoor adventures as well, and last but not least would be the Outback that sets a new standard in ease of use without breaking the bank in these economically challenging times. All three are equipped with a range of preloaded maps and a microSDHC memory card slot. The Lowrance Endura Series GPS Devices, Sierra, Safari and Outback have a suggested retail price of $549.99, $384.99 and $229.99, respectively, and will be available for purchase in May 2009.