I had a chance to play with a prototype of the XPERIA X1 at a previous Mobius event, and while the prototype was a bit clunky, I appreciated the concept of the Panels and the idea of extending the core functionality of Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional.

Last week the folks at PureMobile.com sent one my way to put through its paces. Below are some of my initial thoughts on the device.

XPERIA on top of iPhone

First off, it’s much more polished than the prototype and feels great in your hand. As you can see from the photo, it’s smaller than the iPhone, too, so it gets lost in your pocket and in my tests, most of the time I forgot I even had the XPERIA on me.

Since the XPERIA X1 is running Windows Mobile Professional 6.1, and I’ve covered that in the past, I’ll just focus on what’s unique to the XPERIA X1.

Panels
The best way to think about a Panel is a one touch way of turning your phone into a single purpose device. For example, launching the Facebook Panel shows you an interesting twist on Facebook, with floating circles containing pictures of your friends, instead of a list of your friends.

There are a number of other panels, too, including fish that swim away from your finger when you touch it, an FM Radio, and more. There’s an SDK for creating your own and I was able to download a couple of new ones while testing. It’s definitely an interesting enhancement to Windows Mobile and I look forward to even more innovation in the Panel space.

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Place your negatives into the film holder…

The great thing about old 35mm photos is that most of us have them ‘backed up’ on negatives stuffed in forgotten drawers. The bad thing, however, is that most of us can’t remember what’s on the negatives until we hold them up to the light and squint. And even then it’s hard to tell. Enter the truly ingenious USB Negative Scanner.

At the touch of a button this idiot-proof gizmo scans 35mm negatives or slides and converts the trapped images into digital pics. You can then edit, crop and resize them using the included software ready for printing, archiving or just viewing on the big screen. It’s like delving into the past without the DeLorean.

How it works…

Insert the loaded film holder

Choose from various options from the uploaded software

Convert your negative into a digital image!

The Negative Scanner is powered via USB!

Now you can upload your old pics!

Using the USB Negative Scanner is a doddle. Simply plug it in your USB port (no mains power or batteries required), slip a negative or slide into the respective holder and push it through. The image then appears on screen. All you do is wait a few seconds for the intuitive software to adjust the back light and colour balance and hit scan. Before you can say ‘oh gawd, look at me fringe!’ you’ll have a genuine 5 megapixel piccy on your PC.

…click here to read more

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Hidden camera with remote control

We all remember seeing those incredible ads for x-ray specs in the back of comic books and some of us probably even mailed in the $3 to a PO Box in New Jersey for rush delivery. “Surprise your friends with amazing x-ray vision” the ads would read. Yeah, someone is going to be surprised but it’s not going to be your friends.

These camera sunglasses certainly aren’t x-ray specs, but they do capture 1.3 megapixel still images (at a resolution of 1280×1024). The included RF remote-control is ideal for easy, stealth-style photo shooting. High-quality lightweight frame material and UV400 polarized flip-up lens. A polymer li-ion rechargeable battery provides a battery life of up to 9 hours (shooting 1 photo/minute). USB 2.0 interface via a standard Mini USB port for data upload and download & re-charging the battery.

The sunglasses also allow you to enjoy your music via built-in MP3 playback. Built-in earbuds provide super convenient listen capability and can be hooked out of the way when not in use.

• 1GB of storage (can hold thousands of photos)
• Plays MP3s and takes 1.3 Megapixel digital photos
• Embedded ear buds for MP3 playback
• Remote control for taking photos
• RF remote frequency: 2.4GHz
• Li-ion rechargeable battery (3.7V, 240mAh)
• USB 2.0 connection for transferring files and re-charging the battery
• Control buttons for Vol +/-, Fwd, Rwd, Play, Pause, Capture
• Includes: sunglasses, remote w/ strap, USB cable, storage case, cleaning cloth, extra clear lenses

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Real T-Shirt Based ROCK!

We could do what those other supposedly geeky apparel companies do and print a regular t-shirt with a cool looking picture of a drum kit on the front… then say it was trendy, make a few Rock Band references and try to convince you to buy it. But we don’t roll like that. At ThinkGeek we know you expect innovative new products and we’re here to pony up the goods. So, how about an electronic t-shirt with a picture of an actual playable drum kit on the front? That’s right. Hit the drums on this shirt with your finger and they play through the built in speaker… simple but amazing. With 7 different drum sounds you’re ready for a personal drum solo on your chest.

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The press event yesterday in New York unveiled the new T-Mobile G1 Android based device. There is much excitement for this new phone platform because of it’s open standards. Rather than using a closed/proprietary operating system (such as Palm, Windows Mobile, Blackberry or Apple) - Android is based on open source code which leaves the doors wide open for developers to get in and create programs without the restrictions of the carriers or operating system developers. Most users are hoping for an open environment that frees them from the limitations that device manufacturers like Apple place on how and where they can obtain applications for their phones.

I’ve noticed several reviews pop up immediately. However the best reviews seems to come after people have had a day or two to reflect on the phone and it’s features. Here are some links to the reviews I’ve seen which provide more than a quick glimpse.

Matt Miller - ZDNET - T-Mobile G1: Where the heck is the Google Reader App ..
Jesus Diaz - Gizmodo - Android Market Might Be Even Worse Than Apple’s App Store
Walt Mossberg - Google’s G1 First Impressions
CNET - Live Blog: First Google Android phone is unveiled
Gil Bouhnick - Mobility Site: 10 Things you probably know by now about Android
Dan Frommer - Alley Insider: Google Plays It Safe

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Somewhere between cyberspace and Earth a strange race of playful creatures exist. Known as Moshi Monsters, these wacky critters are set to take over your life with their hilarious antics and puzzle-playing shenanigans. But in typically surreal fashion Moshi Monsters have somehow muscled in on the world of mobile phone accessories.

Incoming call…

These nifty phone charms contain a Moshi Monster that flashes and spins when a call or text comes in. So far, so nuts. And very handy when you’re in a noisy place or your phone’s in silent mode. You’ll never miss another call.

This small MoPod is just
the beginning…

As if alerting you to incoming calls wasn’t enough, each dome-dwelling critter comes with a unique ‘unlock’ code that gives you exclusive access to the virtual world where Moshi Monsters live and play. And it’s here you can adopt your very own Moshi Monster and get your mitts on a free virtual accessory. See, we told you they were strange!

Once you’ve adopted your Monster you can name it and then nurture it with your brainwaves by playing daily puzzles. Earn enough ‘Rox’ and you can accessorise your Monster, customise its home and even go shopping around the bustling frontier town known as Monstro City. It’s yucktastic!

Use the secret code online…

Create and customise your Moshi Monster

Interact with your new best pal!

As well as looking after number one, you can interact with other Moshi Monster owners online, read daily Monster blogs, and send and receive Monster Mail. There’s a whole new world out there and we guarantee you’ll become monstrously obsessed. But what about those crazy MoPod Monsters? Well here’s a quick low-down on the characters set to dangle from mobiles, bags and belt loops across the world:

Meet the Moshi Monsters:

Zommer

Diavlo

Katsuma

Zommers
are stitch-picking, drool-licking thingamajigs who are all of a jumble. Rock!

Diavlos
are fangtastically mischievous Monsters with cratery heads full of sizzly-fizzly lava. Yow!

Katsumas
are super-smooth, but don’t mess or you’ll unleash a flurry of claws, jaws and lightning-fast paws. Rrrrr!

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When we first heard about a T-shirt called the T-Equaliser we half expected to see a garment depicting a moody looking Edward Woodward (youngsters, get Googling). But no, the T-Equaliser gets its name from the fact it has a whacking great graphic equaliser across its chest.

Illuminating

But it’s not some ironed-on picture of a classic LED equaliser (like the ones Capri drivers favoured back in the Harry Bigbutton 80s). No, this particular equaliser is of the electro luminescent variety, and it actually reacts to the music it ‘hears’. How? Well a clever little mini battery pack is hidden in a pocket just inside the hem. This powers the gleaming LEDs on the equaliser. Clever, eh!

Looking flash

Rendering every other ‘look at me’ T-shirt utterly obsolete, the T-Equaliser is the ultimate in clubwear.Forget about sweary shock Ts and retro schlock Ts, this eye-catching shirt is guaranteed to mesmerise fellow clubbers and pubbers as it illuminates and moves in time to the music.

We’ve noticed that the T-Equaliser goes mad to that ‘uncha-uncha-uncha’ cacophony favoured by clubbers, but it also seems to like metal and the (cranked up) theme to Father Dowling Investigates. The darker the venue and the louder the music, the better.

We donned our T-Equalisers for a night out and lost count of the people who asked where we got them. Of course, we said Firebox. And so will everyone else, so get ordering and pump up the volume before it’s too late.

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Back in the early 80s, Mario was just a pixellated plumber who jumped over barrels whilst chasing an ape. Fast forward a quarter of a century and he’s a cultural icon with countless games, TV shows and even a movie to his name. It’s enough to make you wonder why no-one’s ever thought to immortalise the moustachioed one and a few of his colourful cohorts in vinyl figure form. Well guess what? They have.

Mario Collectable Vinyl Figures are 2″ likenesses of some of Super Mario’s most famous friends and enemies. Packaged in smart presentation tins, these ultra cool figures are sold in pairs. Choose from Mario and Bomb-Omb, Luigi and Paragoomba, and Yoshi and Bullet Bill.

Recreate all your favourite Mario moments!

Guaranteed to raise a giggle amongst Nintendo nuts and figurine aficionados of all ages, Mario Collectable Vinyl Figures make ideal desktop companions. If you’re a real geek you can put them next to the TV as you battle it out on screen in the Mushroom Kingdom. Trust us, seeing characters from the world’s most famous tap-twiddling franchise in figurine form is enough to boost your high score and propel you into unknown gaming levels. Sometimes.

Yoshi & Bullet Bill

Bomb-Omb & Mario

Paragoomba & Luigi

Just as you
remember them!

We honestly can’t overstate how cute these figures are. You’ll be smitten the second you see their colourful little tins. Whether they’re sitting on a shelf, plonked on a desk or hiding in a drawer amongst other collectables (weirdo), Mario Collectable Vinyl Figures are guaranteed to charm gamers of all ages. So don’t delay, get ordering or we’ll send round Mario and the boys to clonk you over the head with a big comedy mallet. New high score!

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Is that a monkey in your pocket?

Our mascot is Timmy; he’s a monkey. Our favorite tea: Monkey Picked Tea (see below). Monkeys are a big part of our lives here at ThinkGeek. They motivate us; they captivate us. And now, they tell us when we have a cell phone call. Now, they don’t jump up and down and throw our phones to us when they ring (though, wouldn’t that be awesome?!?) - but rather they spin around and flash their lights at us. And what’s even better, we can keep these monkeys in our pockets. Get your mind out of the gutter and read on.

MoPods are small electronic devices that you can clip anywhere: your jacket, your backpack, your navel ring, etc. What they do, through the magic of science, is spin and flash when you get a cell phone call. All they require are batteries (included) and love. They are a great, quiet way to let you know you have a call - perfect for meetings and other times when you have to silence your phone. Join our monkey madness, boys and girls, and get a MoPod Cell Phone Alert Charm for the monkey inside your heart. And then get a banana for the monkey inside your tummy (he’s hungry).

…click here to read more