25 New Products For Mobile Workers
T-Mobile G1
T-Mobile and Google made a big splash recently with the launch of the G1, the first commercially available mobile device built on Google's Linux-based Android operating system. The phone, scheduled for availability from T-Mobile on Oct. 22, includes a full touch-screen display, a QWERTY keyboard and the promise of a mobile Web "experience" that includes Google Maps Street View, Gmail and YouTube. The G1 will be priced at $179 with the purchase of a two-year voice and data agreement.
Aliph Jawbone
Just when you thought Aliph's Jawbone Bluetooth headset couldn't get any cooler, the company in May rolled out the next generation, a slimmer, snazzier version of its former self. The new design is 50 percent smaller than its predecessor and promises better voice quality. It is priced at $129.99.
Dell M209X
At just 2.6-pounds, Dell's M209X Ultramobile Projector was built to come along for the ride. The DLP projector promises 2000 Lumens brightness and 1024 x 768 XGA resolution with support for 16:9 wide format input. It also packs in multiple connectivity options, including VGA analog, digital HDMI, USB and audio input/output ports. It is priced at $764.
Lenovo ThinkPad SL500
Lenovo recently embedded support for WiMax connectivity into a bevy of notebooks, including the SL500. Built for SMB customers, the SL500 features a 15.4-inch display and offers whiz-bang features such as an optional Blu-Ray DVD player. Lenovo's WiMax-enabled notebooks start at $720.
Absolute Software Computrace
Absolute Software's Computrace software suite of laptop management tools now includes Emergency Remote Data Retrieval, a new feature that allows users to retrieve and then snuff out sensitive files if their laptops get stolen. Pre-theft, customers can track computers that are in the field, inventory installed software and remotely check the status of antivirus and encryption software. If a laptop is stolen, users can remotely retrieve and delete files and can also remotely disable stolen computers.
Freeloader Globetrotter
This sweet little portable charging system is pretty flexible, taking power from its solar panels or via a charge cable connected to a computer's USB port. Once it's full up, it can power an Apple iPod for 18 hours or a mobile phone for 44 hours. It supports a multitude of devices, everything from PDAs to portable gaming devices, with a large array of power adapters. The kit also includes a Supercharger, which is a separate large solar panel that can charge up the Freeloader in as little as four hours. The Globetrotter kit is available from Green Thinking for approximately $80.
PlanOn Printstick PS910
PlanOn's new Printstick PS910 is a thermal mobile printer for laptops and BlackBerry devices. Text too small on the e-mail that just came into your BlackBerry? No problem, just print it out. Our favorite suggested use for this bad boy? Print your airline boarding pass while you're on the go. It weighs 1.5 pounds, including the 20-page paper cartridge, and supports Bluetooth and USB 2.0 connectivity. It prints up to three pages per minute and is priced at $299.99.
Panasonic Toughbook F8
Panasonic recently expanded its Toughbook lineup with new "business-rugged" systems built for the road warrior, including the Toughbook F8. The new notebook weighs 3.7 pounds, features a 14.1-inch display, is built on the Intel Core 2 Duo processor and supports Gobi 3G wireless WAN from Qualcomm. It includes up to 4 GBytes of memory and a 160-GByte shock-mounted hard drive, packed into a magnesium alloy case and chassis. It also features a spill-resistant keyboard and offers up to 6 hours of battery life. It is scheduled for availability in November at a price of $2,499.
Targus Chill Mat For Mac (AWE41US)
Targus is probably best known as a maker of laptop bags, but the vendor recently launched a new line of mobile accessories for Mac laptops. The coolest, literally, is the Targus Chill Mat for Mac, which attaches to the bottom of a notebook to help keep it from running hot. The mat includes two USB-powered fans and a soft mesh bottom for air flow. The mat will work with Mac notebooks as big as 17 inches and weighs 1.6 pounds. It is priced at $49.99.
Skooba Design Checkthrough
There are few stumbling blocks more irritating to seasoned road warriors than the airport security check point: long lines, fumbling with bags and the real and present danger that once out of your bag, your laptop becomes much easier for a passing ne'er-do-well to steal. Thankfully, the Transportation Security Administration has signed off on new standards for "checkpoint friendly" bags that lets passengers leave their laptops inside as they pass through the X-ray scanner. Skooba Design is already taking pre-orders for its Checkthrough bag, which opens and lays flat to offer an unobstructed view of its notebook compartment. It is scheduled for availability at the end of October for $139.95.
Kingston DataTraveler
Kingston Technology's recently rolled out the DataTraveler 150, a 32-GByte USB Flash drive. That leaves plenty of room to store large business documents or photos and still have space left over for some personal stuff. It is compatible with Microsoft Windows Vista, XP and Windows 2000, Mac OS X 10.3 and higher and Linux 2.6 and higher. DataTraveler 150 is priced at $139.
Celio Redfly
Smart phones might pack in the computing power and Internet access that employees need to be efficient on the road, but small screens and itty-bitty key pads can make it difficult to really get work done. Enter Celio's Redfly, a device that connects to a smart phone via a USB cable or Bluetooth to give it an 8-inch display and a full-size keyboard. With no CPU, operating system or storage on board, it's not a laptop: just a laptop-like way of accessing the data and applications you get through your PDA. Redfly is priced at $199.
RIM BlackBerry Storm
RIM's long-awaited entrance into the touch-screen device space has finally been unveiled. The BlackBerry Storm, which will be offered exclusively by Verizon Wireless in the U.S., features what RIM is calling a "clickable" touch screen that measures 3.25 inches with 480 x 360 resolution. Move over, iPhone. Pricing and availability have not yet been released.
Acer Aspire 8930-6448
Acer on Oct. 1 expanded its Aspire Gemstone family of notebook PCs with several new models, including the Aspire 8930-6448, which features an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T9400 and an 18.4-inch HD widescreen display. The consumer system also packs in 4 GBytes of memory, a 320-GByte SATA hard drive, an NVIDIA GeForce graphics card, Dolby Home Theater sound and support for the 802.11 draft wireless-N protocol. A Webcam is also included. The system ships with Windows Vista Ultimate and is priced at $1,699.99.
Credant Mobile Guardian
Credant Mobile Guardian is an endpoint security and encryption tool that helps keep sensitive data on portable devices safe. It can detect devices, authenticate users and encrypt data so enterprises know that prying eyes aren't getting a look at stuff they shouldn't see.
LaCie Rugged Hard Disk
LaCie's Rugged Hard Disk is built to take a few hits. Its internal anti-shock rubber bumpers, aluminum shell and shock-resistant rubber sleeve all help protect data during the rough-and-tumble of life on the go. It supports Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 interfaces and is available in multiple capacities, including 250 GBytes for $169.99.
Mobiion MagiCall
One way to stay productive on the road is to not waste time answering unwanted phone calls. Enter Mobiion MagiCall call blocking software, available for PocketPCs (shown) and smart phones. The software can filter calls and SMS text messages by number, contact info and SMS contents, among other parameters. It is priced at $24.95.
Mobile Edge Komen Milano
Mobile Edge makes a line of female-friendly laptop bags as part of its Caring Case Collection and donates 10 percent of the retail sale price of each bag to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer Foundation. The Komen Milano includes a dedicated laptop compartment, a padded cell phone pocket and a removable accessories wristlet. It is priced at $129.99.
Eye-Fi Explore
If you're out on the road snapping photos and need to upload those pics in a hurry, check out the Eye-Fi Explore wireless SD card. It lets you wirelessly transfer photos from your camera to your computer or Web site via more than 10,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country. It also includes unlimited geotagging of pictures via the Skyhook Wireless GPS service. The 2-GByte card is priced at $129.99.
Acer Aspire One
Acer's new netbook, the Aspire One, weighs as little as 2.2 pounds. Into that small package it packs an Intel Atom 1.6 GHz processor, an 8.9-inch display and an 8-GByte solid state hard drive. It comes in four colors, and is available with either Windows XP Home or Linux. It is priced under $400.
Micro-Star Wind U100
Micro-Star's latest netbook, the Wind U100, is based on the Intel Atom N270 processor and includes a 10-inch screen. It weighs 2.2 pounds and features 512 Mbytes of memory with an 80 GByte SATA hard drive, making it small enough to carry under your arm but powerful enough to help you be productive while you're on the go. It is priced at approximately $650.
ESET Mobile Antivirus
Viruses aren't just for the desk-bound. Mobile devices are at also at risk. Enter ESET Mobile Antivirus, which aims to block malware attacks without overtaxing the limited memory, processing and bandwidth resources of mobile devices. The software is currently in beta.
CradlePoint CTR500 Cellular Travel Router
When there's no Wi-Fi hotspot to be found, try reaching for CradlePoint's CTR500 Cellular Travel Router, which creates a secure Wi-Fi hotspot from broadband-enabled cellular data modems. Plug in your data-ready phone, plug in your notebook PC and you've got internet access on your laptop. It supports 802.11b/g and is priced at $180.
Moshi Neato
There are few things more distracting than a dusty, smudgy screen. No doubt, then, that laptop users the world over will appreciate Moshi Neato, a line of microfiber screen cleaners just perfect for removing fingerprints and smears from notebooks and smart phones. The washable, 2-inch square is priced at $16.
ezView Leather Case
Now that you've got that snazzy iPhone, you want to keep it safe from dings and scratches. Try the ezView Leather Case. Fits like a glove for just $34.99.