I don’t often find time to update my blog but I think it’s time that I post some links to some of the websites that have taught me a lot over the years. Some of you know that I’ve been online since the early 90’s and I’ve witnessed a lot of websites come and go. Some are greatly missed, some are not.

Every person in the online world has his or her favorite websites. We go there, we read, we learn, we’re passionate about the content and we’re always looking forward to the next update. I’ve taken a closer look at some of the websites that have shaped me over the years and helped me stay on track in the continuous online evolution.

Namepros – A community for people in the domain industry. If you’re not into domaining that’s fine, I’m not a big domainer myself but I like to keep myself up to date with the latest news from the world of domains and registrars. Namepros is the perfect place if you’re looking for a friendly but professional discussion forum. You can ask questions without being laughed at, you can ask for help without  being flamed.

Sitepoint – Sitepoint is a webmaster forum. If you’re looking for information on various topics like online marketing, webpage design, search engine optimization (SEO), programming or monetization, you’ve come to the right place. Not only does Sitepoint have a great community forum but they also have great e-books for sale, a great web portal and very knowledgeable staff members. If you’re into web-development, Sitepoint needs to be in your bookmarks.

WebHostingTalk – WebhostingTalk has been around for as long as I can remember. This forum is great if you’re new to the web and you need to find a great hosting company. What I like about WHT is the fact that you get the chance to interact with a lot of  the people from the hosting industry. This gives you a chance to narrow down the wide range of companies that offer their hosting services.

WHT also offers great reviews of a lot different hosting companies from around the world. If there are hosting companies you should stay away from, WHT and the members there will tell you.

DVinfo – The Digital Video Information Network is a great website and a fantastic resource if you’re looking to get into the video business. The website covers everything you need to know if you want to stay up to date on digital video, photography, media production and editing software.

The community forum is also a great place to interact with people in the media, movie and television business. This is definitely a website to look at if you’re interested in video or television production.

Dvxuser – This website is another great community forum if you’re looking to get into video/TV production or media related businesses. The forum has a lot of highly talented, passionate members with a keen interest in everything that deals with media production and online entertainment.

CGSociety – CGsociety is the ultimate place for people with a passion for anything that has to do with digital art. The society for digital artists offers software reviews of the hottest tools and programs needed to create stunning computer graphics. The website also offers a separate section where people can find the hottest GFX jobs in the industry.

Members of the CGsociety have the opportunity to post their own portfolios on the website to attract potential clients. I’ve personally looked through some of the portfolios and the quality some of these artists put up is AMAZING!

Last but not least does CGsociety offer a fantastic community forum where members from all over the world can exchange ideas, critique each others work and learn a lot of new things. If you’re an aspiring GFX artist, CGsociety will be your new home.

I hope you have enjoyed this little review of some of my favorite websites. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to the web or you’re a professional, these websites will always contribute to the expansion of your knowledge. I’ll leave you with some amazing facts added up in this youtube video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Last night Microsoft Corp. joined its partners in revealing nine new Windows Phone 7 handsets that will be available this holiday season from leading mobile operators in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

With more than 60 mobile operators in over 30 countries worldwide committed to bringing Windows Phones to market, the millions of people around the world looking for a phone that plays as hard as it works will have a variety of phones from leading device-makers to choose from.

“We have a beautiful lineup in this first wave of Windows Phone 7 handsets,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “Microsoft and its partners are delivering a different kind of mobile phone and experience — one that makes everyday tasks faster by getting more done in fewer steps and providing timely information in a ‘glance and go’ format.”

Global Portfolio Microsoft and its partners have worked together closely to create a different kind of phone with new experiences that bring together what people care about most.

Windows Phone 7 will be available in a variety of sleek form factors from device-makers such as Dell, HTC Corp., LG and Samsung, and from mobile operators including América Móvil, AT&T, Deutsche Telekom AG, Movistar, O2, Orange, SFR, SingTel, Telstra, TELUS, T-Mobile USA and Vodafone.

All Windows Phone 7 phones will include the high-performance Snapdragon™ processor from Qualcomm. A broad selection of phones will begin shipping in holiday 2010 with more arriving in 2011, including phones from Sprint and Verizon Wireless. In addition, select models will be available at Microsoft Store locations and from Amazon.

Fueling New Experiences

Windows Phone 7 marks a new era in mobile gaming as the first phone to put the power of Xbox LIVE into the palm of people’s hands with a blockbuster lineup of game titles from award-winning publishers. In addition to the titles already announced earlier this year, Electronic Arts Inc. today announced the first wave of EA games coming to Windows Phone 7 this fall.

As part of Microsoft’s managed portfolio of Xbox LIVE titles, all EA games for Windows Phone 7 will be Xbox LIVE-enabled. EA will deliver a portfolio of titles that offers something for every mobile gamer, from casual to core, including “Need for Speed™ Undercover,” “Tetris^®” and “The Sims™ 3.”

Windows Phone 7 is also the first to offer the Zune music experience on a phone: People can play their music collection, synced wirelessly from their PC, or stream or download new tunes from Windows Marketplace. An optional Zune Pass subscription is available.

Search is made easier with a dedicated button to help people find what they need, whether in contacts, in Marketplace, in e-mail or on the Web. From the Start screen, the Search button delivers Bing for mobile, delivering Web results, local information, maps, directions and more.

The Windows Live solution helps people manage pictures, Windows Live calendar, Office OneNote Mobile and more. The free Find My Phone service new on Windows Live can remotely ring, lock, erase and show the location of your phone on a map. Complete information about Windows Phone 7 features and capabilities can be found at http://www.windowsphone.com.

New Windows Phones

The following devices will come to North America, Europe and Asia Pacific in the holiday 2010 timeframe.

In North America:

AT&T

T-Mobile USA

TELUS

América Móvil

In Europe:

O2

Orange

SFR

Movistar

Deutsche Telekom AG

Vodafone

In Asia Pacific:

SingTel

Telstra

Vodafone

Time will show if Windows Phone 7 will launch Microsoft back into the top 3 in terms of popularity in the smartphone community. Microsoft has been sitting on the fence for a long, long time (with Windows Mobile 6.1 / 6.5) resulting in a massive market share loss to the more innovative Apple (iphone), Blackberry and Google (Android).

I have to admit I’ve been pretty suprised by the ease of use and the navigation functionality of Windows Phone 7. Most of you know I have NOT been a fan of the last Windows Mobile releases, especially 6.1 and 6.5. Windows Phone 7 has taken a much needed turn for the better and it’s good to see that Microsoft is back in the “competitor seat”.

I have added a good demonstration video of Windows Phone 7 by IntoMobile.com:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Below is also the most recent ad promoting the huge launch of Windows Phone 7.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Let the competition begin because Microsoft is back in the game with this one.

HTC has announced the launch of three new smartphones – two based on Android and one on Windows Mobile 6.5.3 – at the ongoing Mobile World Congress 2010 at Barcelona.

The new phones announced are the HTC Legend, the HTC Desire and the HTC HD Mini.

Let’s start with the HTC Legend, which is arguably the best looker (and the most talked about as well) amongst the three phones announced.

Now, for the features. The HTC Legend comes with a 3.2-inch capacitive AMOLED display capable of displaying 320 x 480 pixels. While the resolution might not be “right up there”, it is good enough. The imaging part is taken care of a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash. Under the hood, there is a zippy 600 MHz processor partnering with 384MB of RAM. The internal ROM stands at 521Mb and is expandable using microSD cards upto 32GB. Connectivity options include all the expected options- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS. The 1300Mah batter should be good enough to power the Legend for a reasonable amount of time. This, however, is a step down from the HTC Hero, which had a larger battery. The Legend will also use HTC’s SENSE UI atop Android 2.1.

On the software scheme of things, the Legend will be Android 2.1 laden and will add new features and UI options. For example, there is a “helicopter view” using which the user ca pinch the screen and choose which of the 5 homescreen options you would like to select from. There is also something known as the FriendStream that aggregates updates from your friends and contacts from various social networks and displays them intuitively. The Legend is expected to be announced in Europe by late March and will be eventually rolled out to the rest of the globe by April.

The Mini is a shrinked version of HTC’s existing Windows Mobile 6.5 flagship, the HD2. By the looks of it, almost every major manufacturer is interested in making mini versions of flagship (that are usually large) devices these days. Nokia started of with the N97 Mini followed by Sony Ericsson with the X10 Mini and now, HTC with the HD Mini.

The HD Mini comes with a 3.2-inch HVGA display, which is obviously much smaller than the 4.3 inch goliath that the HD2 has. The housing of the HD Mini sports a very unique design. At the rear of the device, you would notice something that is not usually a visible thing on normal phones. The fasteners, that hold the shell of the phone together have been beautifully integrated so that it is now visible. However, you’ll notice the eye catching yellow color, which might put off a few, once the back panel is removed.

HD Mini is powered by 600MHz processor with 384MB RAM and 512MB ROM. What really steals show in this ‘Mini’ phone, just like Xperia X10 Mini has 5.0 megapixel with flash and auto focus. Just like Touch HD2, the HD Mini can be turned into a Wi-Fi hotspot using it’s Wi-Fi functions. This Mini phone also offers Bluetooth and GPS. On the OS scheme of things, the HD Mini runs Windows Mobile 6.5.3 which indicates that this update is up in anvil. It is expected to be released in Europe and Asia by April.

The new HTC Desire stands different from Nexus One on grounds of HTC’s Sense UI and the former doesn’t have a trackball navigation. Desire has 3.7-inch AMOLED WVGA display that is as much as existing smartphones like Motorola Droid and Samsung Omnia HD. Just like the Nexus One, HTC Desire equips 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU with 512MB ROM and 576MB RAM (while Nexus One has 512MB RAM).

New Android 2.1 operating system loaded on Desire also has layer of HTC’s Sense UI that debuted with HTC Hero smartphone. Sense UI now features new Leap function that allows viewing different home screens at the same time by pinch gesture. We already know about Friend Stream feature that collates all the social network updates to the contacts in Address Book. Other improvements come in the browser, web client, widget and better news reader application.

For more information and news, check out the official HTC website.

Based on Steve Jobs presentation you’d think the iPad is a MUST HAVE thing. Most of you know that I’m not a big apple fan and I don’t mind bashing the ‘apple monopoly’ every now and then, but is the iPad really that good?

CNet took a closer look at the iPad functionality and it’s specifications compared to some of the regular netbooks on the market.When I read through their arguments it became more and more obvious that the iPad may not be the perfect couch buddy after all. Read below and share your thoughts :)

Video chat

Most Netbooks, even low-end ones, now have webcams enabling basic video chat over Skype or any other program. The iPad, however, does not. We wish the iPad had a camera and iChat, especially since it would make the tablet a unique communications device to rival the iPhone. Perhaps cost was a factor, even though most Netbooks manage the feat in a package under $500.

Run Flash

While Steve Jobs called the iPad “the best web experience you’ve ever had,” there is a big missing piece right now, and that’s the whole web. Browser-based apps and Flash-driven content are a huge element of cloud computing and of many websites, and right now it’s not even clear whether the iPad can even run Hulu or Netflix. Atom Netbooks can be slow and stuttery when playing web video, but at least they can.

Program

Most people aren’t programmers, or anything close to it, but most Netbooks do run on a full Windows 7 OS that can be used for programming or modification. Linux-based Netbooks are even more hack-friendly. You can even install Mac OS on a Netbook, should so you so wish. For the friendly hackers out there, that’s a dealbreaker on the iPad.

Upload photos or video from a camera

No USB ports on the iPad mean no connecting cameras or other peripherals, which can be a drag if the iPad is meant as a portable computing replacement for bloggers. Netbooks have at least 2 USB ports standard.

Store more than 64GB of data

We expected a little more memory on the iPad. Even the most basic Netbook has a 160GB hard drive. Cloud storage can assist with data, but it’s still no replacement for onboard capacity.

Swap batteries

Sure, the iPad is slim, attractive and very showy. But its battery is fixed (just like the iPhone), while a Netbook can not only swap its battery, but upgrade from a three to a six-cell or more.

Install CD media (or any media other than from an App Store)

With the addition of a simple USB DVD/CD-ROM drive, disc-based software can be installed on a Netbook even without an optical drive built in. Netbooks can also install files off USB drives, or via any other input method. The iPad wasn’t designed with this flexibility in mind, but it’s still nice to be able to do.

Type on your lap

Yes, the iPad has a virtual keyboard, and even a cool keyboard dock that turns the tablet into a quasi-desktop device. But the dock can’t be used for lap typing, and the Apple demos didn’t make iPad typing seem as comfortable as pounding away on an old-fashioned hinged Netbook. For long-term writing on the go, a physical Netbook keyboard with an attached angled screen still wins.

Upgrade

Netbooks can upgrade their RAM–albeit slightly–and with a little effort that hard drive can be swapped too. The iPad is a fixed entity, so there’s no going back once you’ve picked 16, 32 or 64GB.

Credit for this post goes to CNET. They put these facts together.

I’m sure every website on this planet is writing about the Apple iPad today so I’m not going to blabble much about it, just a little ;) I’ve listed the technical specifications at the end of this post.

Apple claims the iPad is the best way to experience the web, photos, videos and email. I’m not really convinced just yet, but it looks tempting so far. I’ve never been a big fan of the Apple monopoly in terms of user restrictions, but I can see how their keep-it-simple principles are very appealing to the masses.

Let me say this first. This is not a computer and it won’t let you do all your design or web related work. That’s NOT what the iPad is meant for. The iPad is meant to give you a relaxing evening on the couch or in bed. It’s a device that lets you surf the web and write emails, it lets you update your social media sites or blog, watch youtube videos or share some photos. If that’s what you’re looking for, this is probably a must-have gadget for you.

The high-resolution, 9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS display on iPad is remarkably crisp and vivid. Which makes it perfect for web browsing, watching movies, or viewing photos. With iPad, there is no up or down. It’s designed to show off your content in portrait or landscape orientation with every turn. And because it uses a display technology called IPS (in-plane switching), it has a wide, 178° viewing angle. So you can hold it almost any way you want and still get a brilliant picture, with excellent color and contrast.

To maximize battery life, Apple engineers took the same lithium-polymer battery technology they developed for Mac notebook computers and applied it to the iPad. As a result, you can use iPad for up to 10 hours while surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching videos, or listening to music.

There are lots of great accessories specifically designed for iPad. The Keyboard Dock, for instance, combines a dock with a full-size keyboard. There’s also a standalone Dock. And because iPad has built-in Bluetooth wireless technology, it works with the Apple Wireless Keyboard, too. The Camera Connection Kit lets you import photos from a camera or SD card. The iPad Case not only protects your iPad, it also allows you to use it in various positions, making it easier to type, look at photos, or watch movies. And through a range of accessories, iPad can play your content on TVs, projectors, and displays. You can find all the accessory details on the Apple.com website.

It definitely looks like Apple has struck a goldmine with this one. It easy to use, it has a great display (IPS Panel), it will hit the market with a wide range of accessories and quite frankly I can’t wait to give the iPad a chance. If you want a fun toy to play around with and you want to simplify your web experience, I think this little gizmo could be the right thing for you. Like me, most of us really enjoy the tech toys nowadays :)

Size and weight

Height: 9.56 inches (242.8 mm)
Width: 7.47 inches (189.7 mm)
Depth: 0.5 inch (13.4 mm)
Weight: 1.5 pounds (0.68 kg) Wi-Fi model;
1.6 pounds (0.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model

Display

* 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
* 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)
* Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
* Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Wi-Fi model

* Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)
* Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

Wi-Fi + 3G model

* UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
* GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
* Data only2
* Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)
* Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

Location

* Wi-Fi
* Digital compass
* Assisted GPS (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
* Cellular (Wi-Fi + 3G model)

In the Box

* iPad
* Dock Connector to USB Cable
* 10W USB Power Adapter
* Documentation

Capacity

* 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive

Processor

* 1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip

Sensors

* Accelerometer
* Ambient light sensor

Audio playback

* Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
* Audio formats supported: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
* User-configurable maximum volume limit

TV and video

* Support for 1024 by 768 pixels with Dock Connector to VGA Adapter; 576p and 480p with Apple Component AV Cable; 576i and 480i with Apple Composite Cable
* H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

Mail attachment support

* Viewable document types: .jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel)

Languages

* Language support for English, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Russian
* Keyboard support for English (U.S.) English (UK), French (France, Canada), German, Japanese (QWERTY), Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, Italian, Simplified Chinese (Handwriting and Pinyin), Russian
* Dictionary support for English (U.S.), English (UK), French, French (Canadian), French (Swiss), German, Japanese, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, Italian, Simplified Chinese (Handwriting and Pinyin), Russian

Accessibility

* Support for playback of closed-captioned content
* VoiceOver screen reader
* Full-screen zoom magnification
* White on black display
* Mono audio

Pricing and price variations

The price of the iPad isn’t all that bad. You can buy two versions, the Wifi version and the Wifi + 3G (UMTS) version. I’ve added the pricelist below.

Wi-Fi version

16Gb – $499
32Gb – $599
64Gb – $699

Wi-Fi + 3G version

16Gb -$629
32Gb – $729
64Gb – $829

If you’re looking for a new phone, like me, and you’re tired of the old Windows Mobile makeovers, your search may be over!! HTC is launching a new phone called HTC Bravo (HTC Passion).

So, no windows mobile? That’s correct, it’s all about Android for this baby. Most of you probably know that HD2 was launched with WM6.5. It was and still is a success, but most “mortal” people don’t know about the Bravo release just yet. HTC are playing their cards very well. What about the specifications?

Here they are..First of all, pairing Android with Qualcomm’s 1GHz Snapdragon and presenting a 3.7-inch AMOLED facade certainly ticks the headline boxes, and the addition of a five megapixel AF cam capable of 720p video capture gives it an extra edge on it’s competitors. I’m not going to get all iPhone’ish on you, but I’ve heard rumours Apple may launch a dual-core cpu in their new 4G phone…yup, read that again. A Dual-core cpu.

Anyways, the Bravo supposedly comes with a 1,400mAh battery, which will be joined by the mandatory WiFi, Bluetooth and MicroUSB connectivity, plus MicroSD expansion, FM radio tuner, digital compass, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Sounds a lot like the HD2 huh? Time will show what HTC comes up with, but I’m really excited about the Bravo.

I’m still walking around with the Diamond2. What the HD2 is lacking in terms of OS, the Bravo will compensate in a big way, mark my words. Rumours have it that the Bravo will be in stores sometime in April/May, some say as early as March in the US.

Nokia N900 is just around the corner. Most of you know that I’ve been a fan of HTC phones for a very very very long time, but this time around I think Nokia may have got something going for themselves.

The N900 looks a lot like the HTC Touch Pro2 but there are some important differences that can give the N900 the upper hand this time around.

Lets looks at some of the key stats for the Nokia N900.

Processing Power

At the heart of this mobile computer is its powerful 600 MHz processor and up to 1GB of application memory. The superscalar ARM processor delivers exceptional power and enables you to run all your applications quickly, smoothly, and simultaneously.

• ARM Cortex – A8 superscalar microprocessor core running at 600 MHz
• Up to 1 GB of application memory (256 MB RAM, 768 MB virtual memory)
• Linux-based operating system
• 3D graphics accelerator with OpenGL ES 2.0 support

Large Internal Storage

The built-in 32 GB storage is big enough to store up to 7,000 of your favourite songs or 40 hours of DVD-quality video. And with an external microSD card you can expand the storage to up to 48 GB.

• 32 GB internal storage
• Expandable to up to 48 GB with an external microSD card

Fast Wireless Broadband

For the first time get high-speed broadband that’s as fast as an internet connection at home. Enjoy rich interactive content across the web and view pages the way they should be seen with stunning full-screen browsing.

• 3.5G and WLAN connectivity
• Quadband GSM with GPRS and EDGE
• Data transfers over a cellular network 10/2Mbps
• Data transfers over Wi-Fi 54Mbps
• Flash 9.4 support
• Full-screen browsing

Digital Camera

Capture vivid images and DVD-quality widescreen video with the integrated 5-megapixel camera. The Carl Zeiss optical lens brings added clarity, while the dual LED flash lets you take great pictures day or night.

• 5-megapixel digital camera
• Carl Zeiss optical lens
• Dual LED flash
• 800 × 480 resolution video recording

Innovative Design

Powerful hardware packed into a sleek, compact design. The Nokia N900 mobile computer features a sharp 800 x 480 touch-screen display and a fully integrated QWERTY keyboard.

• Touch-sensitive screen
• 3.5” WVGA display
• 800 × 480 resolution
• Tactile and onscreen QWERTY keyboards
• Removable battery

Integrated A-GPS

Find your position quickly and accurately with the built-in Assisted-GPS receiver. The Nokia N900 works seamlessly with Ovi Maps to give you the quickest available route as you make your way from A to B.

• Assisted-GPS receiver
• Ovi Maps pre-installed

So, what do you guys think? I think this sounds like a really promising phone with a lot of nifty features. What really caught my interest is the qwerty keyboard, the 32Gb internal memory and the operating system. I am a little tired of the good old Windows Mobile interface, even with the TouchFlo integration by HTC. Don’t even get me started on Windows Mobile 6.5. I’ve played around with 6.5 on some of the most recent HTC models (Touch2 is one of them) and I think the whole operating system is a complete disaster. Microsoft should have waited with the release and until they’re ready with a much improved Windows Mobile 7.0.

I have not tried Maemo myself, but based on some of the reviews I’ve seen on youtube and some of the most trusted websites, the new Maemo 5 is hopefully just as good as the Android operating system. Maemo is an open source development platform for Internet Tablets. It means the collection of software that is used to develop and test software for the Internet Tablet-class devices, the first of which was the Nokia 770. It was later followed by the Nokia N800 and the Nokia N810. You can read more about it on the official Maemo website.

One of the main drawbacks (if there really are any) of the N900 is the A-GPS. I don’t understand why Nokia can’t put a decent GPS antenna/receiver into their flagships. If Samsung, HTC and all the other leading brands can do it, so should they. I don’t really care much about the GPS issue because I don’t use the GPS feature on my phone, but it’s one of those “it-would-be-nice-to-have” kind of things.

Nokia N900 looks to be a great phone with a lot of great features and I can’t wait to give it a try. Lets hope the functionality is just as great as the specifications and looks :)

A dashing new interpretation of Mercedes-Benz’s fabled “Gullwing” model, called the SLS AMG, will be one of the stars of the Frankfurt Motor Show. Gone are the familiar rounded nose, circular headlights and triangular rear quarter-lights of the 1950s model.

In their place, the German firm will unveil a chiselled, aerodynamic new model with vertically slanted headlights, a steeply-raked windscreen and taut, muscular, ground-hugging lines. Doors that pivot from the roof and that fold up and out are, however, instantly reminiscent of the car’s famous forbear; so too are not-so-discreet air vents just aft of the front wheels.

Equipped with a front-mid AMG-tuned 6.3-litre V8 producing 571 horsepower at 6,800rpm and seven-speed dual clutch transmission, Mercedes says the SLS AMG will be good for 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds. Expected to cost around £150,000, it will be on sale by summer 2010.

I’m not the biggest car enthusiast in the world, but when I read about this car I had to post about it. If that wasn’t enough for you I will compile a list with some of the sweetest cars ever made in the near future. Some of the rides on the list are definitely the Escalade, the camero, a great bentley concept car and many many more. Stay tuned!

Microsoft’s new Windows Mobile cell phone OS is set to be available in new smartphones starting October 6, 2009, a little over a month away. The new OS is supposed to have an easier UI, superior browsing capabilities, Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and a way to back up all phone information called My Phone.

I’m not sure how Windows Mobile 6.5 or Windows Mobile 7 (for future reference) will do against the much hyped and very popular Android OS made by google. I think this is Microsofts last chance to impress their “fans” because the Android OS is a REALLY great and well organized operating system.

Like I said earlier I’ve been playing around with the HTC Hero for quite some time now, and I am still REALLY impressed over it’s usability curve compared to Windows Mobile 6.1. The HTC Magic was great, but the HTC Hero and the new, improved Android ROM is even better. But lets not get off track, lets get back to Windows Mobile 6.5.

Let’s look at the cell phone manufacturers in various parts of the world who will create phones using the Windows Mobile 6.5 OS.  In North America, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, Bell, and Telus will all carry phones using the 6.5 OS.  Manufacturers such as LG, Samsung, HP, HTC, and Toshiba will be creating such phones.  Expect similar carriers and manufactures for Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

A redesigned Internet Explorer hopes to make the browsing experience easier and more efficient.  Using Adobe Flash Lite, pages and other tasks will be rendered faster, which will definitely please users.  Microsoft Office Mobile has been revamped and allows users to open, read, and edit any Word, PowerPoint, or Excel file.  Be sure to take advantage of a new Microsoft Outlook Mobile to manage all your emails and sync between your PC and phone.  Of course, no smartphone is complete without strong social networking capabilities, such as Windows Live – a tool that combines many social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace.

Whether you are using Windows Mobile 6.5 with a physical keyboard, or it’s all touch – the OS is designed to work on any type hardware phone.  Also, users have the ability to change the homescreen with personal images and can fill it with the widgets used most often.

I don’t know about you all but I think Microsoft really need to step up their game if they want to hang on to their market share in the Pocket PC Business. Android (Google) and iPhone (Apple) are coming on strong and I wouldn’t be suprised if we’ll see more and more devices running Android in the near future. Windows Mobile 6.5 is pretty much the same as 6.1 with some new twists and twirls, but it doesn’t bring any major improvements to the table. Lets face it, in the market today, Windows Mobile isn’t what it once used to be. I remember when WM first stepped into the spotlight years ago. What a revolution. Today it’s just a pretty sad story that never seems to end. Time will show where MS will take their OS, but they HAVE to make changes quickly to stay in the game.

Below I’ve added a little demonstration of the new Windows Mobile 6.5.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Just as a little side note – I know there will be a new Android rom release in the very near future. It will make the Hero blazing fast and probably make the rest of the WM competition bite the dust.

I have to admit I’ve always been a big fan of the HTC phones. I bought my first HTC phone years ago when they still were known as Q-Tek. Those days are long gone and their design, the userinterface and the phone technology has improved by atleast a thousand percent. No kidding ;)

This is NOT a review of the HTC Touch Diamond 2 but more of a post where I will share my experience and my point of view on this very-much-so hyped phone.

The HTC Touch Diamond 2 is a very slick phone with a beautiful, eye-catching design. It runs windows mobile 6.1 with HTC’s TouchFlo3D system mounted on top to make navigation more easy and intuitive.

First of, lets start with the specifications taken straight from the HTC website..

Key features:

• 3.2″ 65K-color WVGA display
• Latest TouchFLO 3D
• Qualcomm MSM7200A 528 Mhz CPU and 288 MB RAM
• Dedicated graphics chip (64MB RAM reserved for graphics)
• Quad-band GSM support
• 3G with HSDPA 7.2Mbps and HSUPA 2Mbps
• Wi-Fi and built-in GPS receiver
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• 5 MP auto focus camera with excellent image quality
• microSD card slot
• Touch-sensitive zoom bar
• MS Office Mobile document editor
• Standard miniUSB slot and Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP
• Great audio quality
• Excellent video playback

Click here to view the embedded video.

I have to say based on the specifications and the phone navigation this is by far the best phone I’ve had. The TouchFlo interface definitely grows on you onc eyou get a hang of it. I would say it’s probably as easy to learn as the iPhone. Surfing the web is also easier than ever. The touch sensitive zoom bar makes zooming in and out on articles or pictures very easy. The Touch Diamond 2 is very similar to the Touch Pro2. The two biggest differences are the 0.2″ screensize advantage of the Touch Pro2 (3.6″ vs 3.8″ screen) and the QWERTY keyboard.

I haven’t tested the camera all that much, but the images I’ve taken so far have turned out great.

Update: Here are a few pictures I’ve taken with the Touch Diamond2 in the last couple of days.

All over I would say that this is a VERY VERY good phone, the best I’ve had to date. HTC continues to build on their success with this model and I can’t wait to see what they have in stock for us in the future.