Mighty Gadget Blog: The latest technology news & reviews in the UK

The world of the SatNav has come in leaps and bounds over the past few years and its hard not to know a car owner who hasn’t got one and now with the increase in well “smartness” of smartphones (most now have free GPS Navigation software) where next for the SatNav. Well it appears this is it.

The Mio Moov V780 is a massive 7” in size and has a capacitive WVGA display. A little excessive you might say for a SatNav but this is also disguising itself as a PMP/netbook. Packing Wi-Fi and optional HSPDA and WiMax for online use, it also has an external TV aerial to catch TV on the move. It also has DivX, MP4 and H.263/264 support allowing video playback obviously for when the SatNav is not needed and the kids are restless in the back of the car. What is odd id the HDMI out which can playback its stored video content at 720p on a flatscreen. Unless you’ve recently been on “Pimp My Ride” i can’t see most average folk having a HDTV in their car.

Going back to its connectivity, the Mio Moov will also have a keyboard dock and as it runs Windows CE, you can access Exchange and GMail to get your email on the move, not recommended whilst driving but I’m sure your passenger can or if you’ve stopped at the services. Expected to debut at CeBit this week, more news on release and price will be available then.

We spoke here a just over a month ago about Philips latest entry into affordable PMP territory to rival the iPod Nano with the GoGear Muse. Now we have their answer to the iPod Touch, the GoGear Connect, an Android powered PMP.

Although only a prototype has been shown the specs speak for themselves for what could be a great little number if you’re looking to avoid the Apple’s dominant hardware. Sporting a 320x480 capacitive touchscreen, Philips have said it will be running Android 2.1. Other gubbins include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, micro-SD slot and GPS. It will also have a camera on the rear side of the PMP but no details yet as to what MP it will be. The Connect will be available in 8, 16, 32 and 64GB storage sizes.

Although it’s prototype seems to be on show now, it isn’t believed to be launched until IFA in September by which time its competitors, ie Apple may already have new hardware out and available by then.

Quite possibly the best thing i’ve heard this year and if it’s true i may actually wet myself. The Zune is Microsoft’s answer to the iPod. Despite the Americans getting every version we here in the UK seem to keep missing out on the PMP. Now it’s rumoured(quite strongly) that Microsoft will be bringing out a phone equivalent and hopefully this will be revealed at Mobile World Congress in a fortnight.

NVIDIA have supposedly confirmed that they will be attending the the Congress with Microsoft (reports come from MuyComputer). Now NVIDIA make the TEGRA chip which powers the latest Zune HD. Also it is believed that Windows Mobile 7 will be launched at the congress too so it certainly looks promising.

Taking into account what the Zune HD does you’ll be looking at a very good phone, depending on Windows Mobile 7 software being good, but should pack a lot of features better than what any current iPhone could achieve. The UI of the Zune HD is easy to use and will look great on the low power, sharp OLED capacitive touchscreen (Multitouch oooo yeah!). Powered by the TEGRA chip HD content and multitasking will be done effortlessly and can be shipped to your TV via its HDMI out. If it’s planning on going into the gaming world like the iPhone, Zune is already a part of Xbox Live and that would mean a very large market of gaming enthusiasts with access to content and massive multiplayer functions.

Will keep you all updated if and when i learn more.

Apple iPad maybe stealing all the headlines as usual but let us just remember there are other tablets out there worthy of getting a shout, Apple isn’t the be all and end all when it comes to tech. I’ve had an Archos 605 for the past 18 months and it still gets used regularly, they make a mean gadget.

Anyway last week the specs on the soon-to-be Archos 7 Android tablet got the leak. If the recent Archos 5 wasn’t quite enough for you then the 7 is it’s big brother. With a 7” 800 x 480 screen what makes Archos greater than an iPod touch or maybe the new iPad is the sheer amount of filetypes it plays is much greater. MP4, WMV, AVI, and FLAC. Plus one up already is the ability to download FLV(thats flash to you and me) files and playback those too.(see image for Full Specs)

The Date has been set for the end of March(iPad release ouch!!!)  but should be priced at a very reasonable £150.

click on for the full specs!!

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The Muse is Philips fairly decent but average current PMP doing what your average PMPs do, but it looks like it’s getting an upgrade to try and make it a little less average and to compete with the Zune HD(obviously STILL not out in the UK so there’s a market hole that needs filling)

The new and improved Muse will certainly look nicer with its polished silver finish and lack of frame that the current model has. Housed in the Muse is a nice and bright 3.2” touchscreen with all your general options of MP3/MP4 playback etc. What makes it a Zune competitor is the fact it has HDMI out to offer playback on your telly. It comes with 16GB of storage and also houses an SD slot.

Launch date should be soon(I’ve read April) and will retail at around £90 - £100.

A lot of new phones and PMPs are claiming to be HD or can output 720p but this is the first to actually have a 720p 4.3”screen.

We’ve looked at the Zune HD and the Archos 5 in the past, both very good PMPs that can output 720p to your TV. The F43 itself has a 4.3” screen with a resolution of 1280x720 and has HD video support so you can watch sharper, clearer videos on the go.

It has 8GB of internal storage(not much for HD) but this can be extended via microSD. The F43 will play MP4, FLV, H.263, AVI and DivX files so its covering most bases but it lacks the “apps” ability of the other top PMPs.

Only available in Japan at the moment we’re unsure as to when it will or if it will be released over here. However our friends at Akihabara have said you’ll be able to pick one up from importer GeekStuff4U.

We may have touched on the rumours of the French gadget whizz’s next internet tablet but now Archos have officially confirmed the details of the new Archos 5 powered by that wonderful Android.

Packed with loads of features as Archos products always seem to the tablet comes in many memory size varieties from 8 to 32 GB in the super thin Flash memory configurations (with a micro SD (SDHC) card slot) or from 160 to 500 GB in a hard drive version there’ll be one that fits your memory requirements or your pocket limitations. Read on for specs and price.

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As the unveiling has passed for another year from Apple and as we all knew and expected another year of new iPods. Now obviously I’m all for new technology and gadgets(hence why i write on a blog about them) but I’m getting to a stage of frustration where every year Apple bring out a new set of iPods that aren’t really much better than the last generation. Well this year they haven’t disappointed with only slight changes, but the nano seems to get the major upgrade. Click on for all the info

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