291.1 Million Mobile Handsets Shipped in 3Q-2009

“The outlook for mobile handset markets continues to improve”, says Jake Saunders, ABI Research’s VP for Forecasting. “While 3Q-2009 showed a YoY 6.5% contraction in shipments to 291.1 million, 2009 should close out with only a 4%-5% contraction (to 1,138 million for the year).”

Handset vendors are starting to mutter confidently of 4Q-2009 cash tills jingling to the tune of robust handset sales. In 3Q-2009, North America and Asia-Pacific helped to spearhead a recovery. InSource: SlashPhone RSS Feed

Cytronex Powered Cannondale Capo is World’s Lightest Electric Bicycle

When it comes to Electric Bicycles, as cool as they are, they usually end up being impractical because they’re so heavy. Let’s just say having to carry a heavy bike up NYC subway stairs, is not a pleasant experience, and we have the bruises to prove it. Fortunately, the new Cytronex Powered Cannondale Capo Electric Bicycle is the world’s lights electric bike weighing 13.6kg. Granted, it’s only a single speed bike, but that supposedly makes it more efficient since it avoids having to Source: Chip Chick RSS Feed

Asus UL80Vt Reviewed by Laptop Mag, Battery Life Impresses

Laptop Mag has done one of their usual concise reviews of the Asus UL80Vt, and came away rather impressed with the 14” notebook. High points of the device are battery life, graphics performance, and the inclusion of an optical drive.

The UL80Vt includes integrated graphics in addition to a discrete Nvidia graphics card, which has the advantage of using the discrete card when performance is needed while retaining the ability to use the less power hungry integrated graphics whenSource: notebooks.com RSS Feed

Maverick Nica Bluetooth Headset

Wish Bluetooth headsets didn’t look like they came out of a Star Trek episode? That’s exactly the challenge that Maverick Lifestyle gave to the design firm Speck Design; design them a Bluetooth headset that wasn’t so Star Trek like but more like a piece of jewelry that was comfortable and effortless to use in a car. The end result? The Maverick Nica – the only compact open-air headset currently available on the market.

Features of the Nica include:

• Pure roundSource: Krunker RSS Feed

How-to: hack your own DROID dock with magnets and cardboard

You know what’s magical? Magnets. They’re so magical, in fact, that Motorola decided to use them in its new DROID car and “multimedia station” docks. Based on the positioning of a couple of magnets, the phone auto-loads the pertinent application — the multimedia station at least offers a charging plug, but the car dock is all stand. Lucky for us it’s not hard to figure out where to place a couple of magnets (we used some nerd-approved “Buckyballs”) and spoof the phone into acting like it’s Source: Engadget RSS Feed

Confirmed: Google to Roll Out Music Search

Last week, rumors swirled that Google would launch a new music search. Earlier today, Greg Jarboe covered Hitwise data examining how important music is to search.

Now, we’ve gotten confirmation that the rumors are true and data don’t lie. Google is, indeed, rolling out a new music search. This update will roll out over the next day to all U.S. users.

Why the focus on music? Google says two out of the top ten searches in the U.S., according to Insights for Search.

When youSource: Search Engine Watch Blog RSS Feed

Toshiba launches 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor with backside illumination for cellphones

Backside illumination may sound like something a proctologist would use in a poorly-lit examining room, but it’s actually a re-imagining of the CMOS sensor that brings the photodiodes closer to the action, thus delivering brighter images from smaller packaging. OmniVision and Sony both have their takes on the tech and now Toshiba is putting it into a 14.6 megapixel sensor for cellphones and compact cameras. The company claims light absorption is boosted by 40%, resulting in bright picturesSource: Engadget RSS Feed

Verizon Launches BlackBerry Storm 2 This Week; OS 5.0 for Storm Today

Verizon isn’t just teasing us with Droid material, they are launching the BlackBerry Storm 2 this week. The new Storm hits on October 28, and the refreshed phone has Wi-Fi, making it much better than the original Storm. Owners of the original Storm needn’t fret, as Verizon has released the next major version of the BlackBerry OS today for that phone. OS 5.0 has a big list of improvements and changes, and the browser performs much better in particular. Storm owners should see the new OSSource: jkOnTheRun RSS Feed

Wild and Wonderful Rides Roll in Tokyo

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The Tokyo Auto Show was decidedly low-key this year. A sluggish economy and even more sluggish sales prompted cash-strapped automakers to sit this one out. Just 10 or so showed up this year, down from 35 last time. But what the biennial show lacked in size, it made up for in creativity.

Tokyo is always whimsical, a showcase for the weird and wonderful. From humanoid robots toSource: Autopia RSS Feed

OS 5.0 now available for Verizon BlackBerry Storm 9530

Verizon Storm users have reason to celebrate tonight because they’re part of a very special user base — the first BlackBerry users to recieve BlackBerry OS 5.0. We’ve already gone over the benefits of OS 5.0 a whole bunch, so all there is left for us to do is tell you how to get the goods. Either fire up BlackBerry Desktop Manager for PC or Mac and accept the prompt to update your handheld, or visit www.verizonwireless.com/storm. We’re just in the process of updating our 9530, but in Source: The Boy Genius Report RSS Feed