Motorola finally finds time to come up with new handsets. In fact the company launched three of them in the ROKR series – MOTOROKR EM30, EM28 and EM25. Getting to know each of them would be a good thing in case you have plans of replacing the handset that you have now. The Rokr EM25 is the handset with a sliding design. It features built-in FM radio, dedicated music keys, WAP 2.0 browser and expandable memory. And no, it does not have a camera. Now, the Rokr Em28 on the other hand is a clamshell handset with 1.3-megapixel camera. It functions as a great music device because of its 3-D sound effects.

Three new nigh-definition camcorders under the VIXIA line have been announced by Canon. These are the VIXIA HF11, VIXIA HG21 and the VIXIA HG20. So, what makes these new camcorders special? When you buy them you also get the Pixela ImageMixer 3SE video editing software with Blu-Ray disk burning support. They also have more storage capacity and high-definition image quality for excellent video recordings. High-definition videos are possible through the 24Mbps bit rate recording ability. HD CMOS Image Sensor, DIGIC DV II Image Processor, Instant Autofocus and SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization are some of the other goodies found in these three new VIXIA camcorders. These are the common features of the three new camcorders.

A $12 computer?! Is that really possible? We just have to wait and see if the outcome of M.I.T.’s efforts will really be that affordable. Derek Lomas and his associates at M.I.T. are working on this initiative to enable Third World residents to buy a computer for their personal use. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is becoming known for its charitable works. You’ll remember that it is also the same university that initiated the One Laptop Per Child program. The computers that they are working on are based on the Apple II. This idea came about when Lomas came across the unused computers in Bangalore last summer while on an internship stint.

Finally, I get to read something about Friendster. This is the only social networking site where I have an active account. Friendster is the site that is very popular in Asia Pacific and its still growing. Maybe its reach will grow even further as Richard Kimber takes his position as the new CEO and a member of the board of directors. Richard Kimber is Google’s former regional managing director of South Asia. In a statement he made, Kimber seems to be really looking forward to the challenge of improving Friendster’s operations even more.

In the whole time that I’ve been writing about phones, it is only now that I’ve come across a wooden phone! Yes, a phone made of wood! Perhaps this is brought about by the fact that there is already PCs being made of wood and bamboo, so why not apply it to cell phones as well? This could have been the reasons of the designers Hyun Jin Yoon and Eun Hak Lee when they made the Maple Phone. If you were not informed that this wooden device is actually a phone, you’d assume that it is just a block of useless wood. But for wooden handset, Maple Phone is equipped with the capabilities you could ever need in a handset. It functions as an MP3 player, has a digital camera for snapping images on the spot and most importantly it provides texting and calling capabilities.

Need a little more color in your life? You can do that by using more colorful gadgets. You know you can always replace your handset with the more colorful Blackberry Curve 8320. Bearing a sunset red color will surely make this handset stand out from the rest. I think the days where black, gold and silver colored handsets predominate are over now. More and more people want bold-colored cell phones that will get easily noticed. Well, the sunset red Blackberry Curve 8320 certainly does that. And it does not merely boast good looks; it is also installed with the features that you require in a communication device.

Lenovo is the latest computer maker to join in the production of netbooks or ultrasmall laptops. The result in this endeavor is the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 netbook PC. Netbooks are aimed for professionals and students who want internet access while on the go. Now, the IdeaPad S10 is certainly that because it features a 10.2-inch screen, 2 USB ports, four-in-one multicard reader and an Express Card slot. It is powered by Intel’s Atom processor and Windows XP operating system.

Two new Nokia phones have been unveiled by the Consolidated Gulf Co. The Nokia 6210 Navigator and the Nokia 6220 are the two new handsets that will surely bring new delight to Nokia aficionados. The Nokia 6210 is not your ordinary handset because it is equipped with a compass to help drivers and ordinary citizens find their way when they travel. The new Nokia 6210 Navigator comes with 1 GB memory and months live navigation. It features Nokia Maps and a magnetic compass that gives directions through the built-in 2.4-inch TFT display. The quadband connectivity allows faultess link at all times. The 3.15-megapixel camera allows auto focus, and video recording capabilities for your convenience. Nokia 6210 Navigator is slim and light and will be available in Black Night, Grey Dusk and Red Sunset colors.

How would you feel about an ultra portable laptop from Acer? Acer’s Aspire One offers great performance and style. And on top of that Acer’s Aspire One will fit your budget just right. Aspire One is small measuring just 9.8 x 6.7 x 1.14-inches and just a little over 2-lbs. But even though it’s small its capabilities cannot be doubted. It offers internet connectivity wherever and whenever you want it. It is equipped with Acer Signal Up technology for stable wireless signal wherever you are. It is suitable for professionals and students who need a computer while on the go. Checking emails, chatting with friends and managing online accounts is easy with Acer Aspire One. All these are simple to accomplish with the 8.9-inch CrystalBrite Led backlit display. It also has a built-in web camera and a number of USB ports. Powering it up is an Intel Atom processor and comes with either Linux Lite or Windows XP OS. It is available with either 512MB or 1GB RAM.

Dell takes courage in making another music player. Hmm, some people are already skeptical about the wisdom of this undertaking. Haven’t they learned their lesson with their previous venture into the music player business? I guess Dell just believes in taking risks. Last year Dell bought Zing, a small music software company. Zing is the company that released a new concept design in 2006 that enables Wi-Fi streaming inside a portable media player. So, it is highly likely that Dell’s new player will have strong Wi-Fi streaming capabilities.

Dell joins Apple and HP in producing slim PCs. A manifestation of this is the Dell Studio Hybrid. This desktop cannot be mistaken for anything other than a mini PC because of its size which is 80 percent smaller than the average PC and is just as big as a large hardbound novel. It boasts the dimensions 196.5mm x 71.5mm x 211.5mm. This mini desktop PC is very stylish to look at that anyone who sees it would take it for a home décor. It is available in various interchangeable external finishes and colors like bamboo, emerald, quartz, ruby, sapphire, topaz and slate. Aside from being stylish, Studio Hybrid has 70% less energy consumption than the standard desktop.

Three of the biggest names in the computing industry have joined forces in order to improve the research efforts being done for cloud computing. Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Yahoo are combining their expertise for cloud computing, which could be the IT delivery model of the future. Cloud is a network that is made of thousands of networks and cheap servers that are only as powerful as your home PC but holds huge amount of data from the Web. Through this partnership, HP, Intel and Yahoo will develop a global Open Source testing site for cloud computing. They hope to make six centers with 1,000 to 4,000 Intel processors to make up the cloud structure. This test bed will be powered by the Open Source software PIG, as well as Apache Hadoop and a program made by Yahoo Research.

When I have time I also play MMORPG. When I was just a kid I used to watch Star Trek. In fact this was one of the TV shows that we love to watch. I’m really glad to know that Star Trek is now coming our way online. The company Cryptic Studios of announced on Monday that it has come to an agreement with CBS Consumer Products, owner of Star Trek’s license, for the rights to Star Trek Online. Through this website players can enter the Star Trek Universe. So, it won’t be long now before we all get to experience the game. Cryptic Studios is still presently working on the game. In fact some of its screenshots can be found on the game’s site. The company also plans on showing a video footage at the Star Trek convention in Las Vegas in Aug.10.

Environmentalists will be glad to know that there’s a new “green” external storage that can be an option for techies out there. The company, Fabrik, introduced the Simple Tech drive that is green because it is made from bamboo and aluminum. Furthermore it has an Energy Star adapter and fan-less cooling system for less energy consumption. These features allow up to 90% power savings according to Fabrik. Aside from being good to the environment, Fabrik also claims that Simple Tech has the capability to transfer data at 25% faster than other products having standard USB 2.0 ports. This also works fast because of the “Turbo USB 2.0” port. And aside from fast data transfer, Simple Tech also boasts of a 2GB online storage and automated backup software.