MONDAY - NOV18

Yep folks I'm here. And, as you can tell from the late hour of this post, i've been busy.

Although Comdex attendance was said to be down this year, by around 75,000 visitors, lots of good things are still to be found.

The morning started with an hour at the registration line. (my badge did'nt come in the mail quick enough). During my wait, and while catching up on my SMS readings, many in line were gandering over my shoulder to see just what I had that I could be so easily navigating with one hand.

Hour's up.... and off we go into the halls of.... Wait! Just a quick stop at the new Blue Fish Display to download the latest Comdex Info & Exhibitor updates. With just a quick point and freeze for 60 seconds, the 6035 and I are locked and loaded for travel.

The focus of this years Comdex Show is Bio integrated security, Wireless Technologies, including Bluetooth being used in just about everthing imagineable.

If any of you happend to read a previous 6035 discussion containing a wireless headset (to which the company is actually located out nearby me), there are more to come, and likely cheaper being I counted 3 more companies coming out with them as well.

Another item on the ticket is PDA's and Palm has a contender. It's called the TUNGSTEN. Looking sleek in polished silver, the unit show's mearly a round navigation pad with a center button on the lower front, in addition to the four basic access buttons, two on either side, and the color display. Holding the unit in one hand and pulling down on the lower half, reveals the graffitti tablet. In the upper right corner of the unit are a series of small holes hosting a small microphone that supports the new built-in voice message recording feature. With Palms new 5.0 firmware comes the ability to host bluetooth products via the SD Card insert, one of which will allow you to hook into a device that allows you to control downloaded/converted PowerPoint presentations, and also giving you the ability to control those presentations via a small handheld remote. Handspring had better keeps it's eyes open as this new unit also hosts the ability of GSM cellular.

Also located at the Palm booth was a newly appointed portable keyboard. Sleeeeeeek is'nt the word boys and girls. Also, styl'n in polished silver, with just a tug on both sides, will pull the keyboard apart, allowing you to fold it backup into one piece. Almost as thin as the Palm itself, what Palm basically did was get rid of the excessive overhead that we see in many of the portable keyboards today. Surely it's only designed for the TUNGSTEN, though it would certainly be a complement to the 7135.

Speaking of which.... along in my travels, but what did appear? (Ain't no Raindeer that's for sure) but rather, the 7135 on display!
Nope, was'nt a Kyocera booth, (yet), but another vendor using the phone to show off there mobility software. You'll have to excuse me, but I just don't remember the name of the software (why, I just don't know )

After 20 mins of hands on play time, I can honestly say, this is one phone that's going to blow the socks of pretty much all the rest. The unit I had appeared to be a recent prototype as the silver buttons had a brushed look to them and the outer casing was looking rather scruffed up from it's travels. Inquiring with the local there, the comment was made it only took him about a day to get used to the new localities of the screen vs. graffitti ergonmics. The phone is lighter by about 3oz I would say, and fits well into the palm of your hand whereby you know your not carrying motorola flip phone, that's for sure. I would need to have the phone alittle longer to provide a more in depth details, but! that time will likely come for all of those anxiously awaiting very soon.

(This ones for you Robert). I also happen across the company Veo that sold a SD card digital camera. Image resolution is good and the product is bundled with image album software. Retail price was'nt being mentioned at the time.

Well, it's off to get some shut eye, but i'll be back here tomorrow with more, including the test drive i'll be taking at the Mercedes Benz test course they've setup out here.

Veerrroooommmmm!