Hasta La Gadget!

So, you happen to own an Android-powered smartphone and do think back to the “good old days” where the keypad allowed you to compose an SMS without having to look at the screen simply because you have memorized the individual letters’ respective positions by heart. These days with a touchscreen device, that is virtually impossible, but then again I suppose that is why there are voice commands to compose a text message or email on the go. For those who still prefer the physical keyboard on your spanking new smartphone, how about checking out the new One2Touch Softpad C1? It will hark back to the days where you have a traditional keyboard to play around with, except that this one will hook up to your NFC-enabled device, sipping very little battery in the process.

Norwegian company One2Touch’s Softpad C1 has been specially developed for power typists who want to have the benefits of physical keys so that they get to enjoy both speed and accuracy. Not only that, to get going is a cinch – all you need to do is simply unfold the keypad, touch your Android smartphone onto it and start to type right away. Expect the Softpad C1 to arrive in North American and European markets in the near future for a yet undisclosed price. [Press Release]

One2Touch Softpad C1 Foldable NFC Keypad original content from Ubergizmo.

Yesterday we reported that two separate incidents had occurred at an airport in Alaska when out-of-town drivers, following instructions given by Apple Maps, took the taxiway to reach the passenger terminal. They even ignored signs along the way and didn’t realize they were on the airport’s Taxiway Bravo until they were stopped by the authorities. This Apple Maps glitch is likely to be fixed soon, but Nokia hasn’t lost any time in mocking the mishap. The Finnish manufacturer’s official UK account has tweeted a picture of a Lumia smartphone with the Nokia Here maps app displaying the correct directions for the passenger terminal.

There isn’t the first time that Nokia has decided to have some fun at Apple’s expense. On September 10th, shortly after Apple had announced the colorful new iPhone 5c models, Nokia’s Twitter account sent out a tweet showing off Nokia smartphones in similar colors and plastic body, with the words “Imitation is the best form of flattery” emblazoned on top. While that tweet garnered more than 40,000 retweets and favorites, the one mocking Apple Maps hasn’t done so well as yet. In fact, it has received some negative comments, with users on Twitter even advising Nokia to focus more on its own products “rather than making fun.”

Nokia Mocks Apple Maps Mishap original content from Ubergizmo.

Vuzix and NTT DoCoMo will team up at CEATEC 2013 that is set to happen next week, where they will let the curious masses check out the M100 smart glasses. That would certainly give the folks over at Google something to think about, wouldn’t you say so? The M100 smart glasses is set to roll out later in the year, so to have it featured at Japan’s biggest electronics show makes us wish that CEATEC 2013 would start tomorrow so that we can lay our hands on it.

Vuzix President and CEO Paul Travers said, “We’re very excited to have our M100 featured by NTT DoCoMo at the largest electronics show in Japan. Over the years we have built a growing presence in Japan and we are pleased to have a developer and customer relationship now with the largest mobile service provider in Japan, NTT DoCoMo. Both Vuzix and NTT DoCoMo believe the smart glasses market in Japan has the potential to develop into a multi-billion dollar opportunity for the providers of wearable tech hardware, software, and of course network operators.”

It would be interesting to see just what kind of apps that the folks over at NTT DoCoMo would have come up with, and whether the M100 will be able to break out from just being a potential hit in the Japan market alone. [Press Release]

Vuzix And NTT DoCoMo Will Feature M100 Smart Glasses At CEATEC 2013 original content from Ubergizmo.

The news for BlackBerry is just going from bad to worse these days. The latest development comes from its manufacturing partner Jabil Circuit, which has apparently had enough of the company’s troubles and is looking for a way out. Speaking on the company’s quarterly earnings call yesterday, Jabil CEO Mark Mondello said that “we are faced with a strong possibility of disengaging with BlackBerry,” adding, “our team has worked diligently over the past few days to comprehend the recently announced changes,” and that “we’re in discussions right now on how we’re going to wind down the relationship.”

As All Things D notes, BlackBerry is Jabil’s second-biggest customer (behind Apple), so this is no doubt not a decision it’s taking lightly, but it looks like it’s one it intends to move quickly on. Mondello went on to say that while the company is looking for a path that’s in the best interest of its shareholders and also “supports the needs of BlackBerry,” it plans to “take a restructuring charge, move swiftly and decisively and mitigate the impact to FY ’14 as best we can.”

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Blackberry

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Source: All Things D

Wish that your beloved sportswear brand would bring its connected fitness app to your preferred smartphone platform? If your mind instantly substituted “Adidas” for the former and “Nokia” for the latter, then boom! You’re in luck. Adi Dassler’s firm is bringing its miCoach fitness app as an exclusive to Nokia’s Windows Phone 8 devices. The app, already available on iOS and Android, lets you control playlists, use Bluetooth SMART (where available) for heart-rate monitoring and will even offer voice coaching from LA Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez. Now all we need is to scrape together the cash for a pair of adizeros and we’re good to go.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Microsoft, Nokia

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Source: Nokia Conversations