Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

The helpful folks at TeleNav shot me out their new Shotgun and here are my first impressions.  If you are planning on buying a GPS device this holiday season, this is one to watch carefully.  I’ve had the device in my hands now for about 30 minutes and already am very excited about it for 3 main reasons.

Excitement reason #1: POIs

TeleNav says it has 11 million POIs.  The local Ikea, for some reason, shows up on no GPS devices that I have tested except my TeleNav phone GPS.  No surprise that the Shotgun finds it easily as well.  So far, the TeleNav’s connected search has always been able to find every location I’ve searched for.  I cannot say the same for Garmin, Navigon and Dash.  Keep reading about what other points make the Shotgun a damn good GPS.

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Navigon keeps pumping out better and move advanced GPSs every time they announce a new one.  This one, the 8100T, is no exception as one of its main features is Navigon’s patented Panorama View 3D technology - more on that in a moment. 

First, let’s begin with some other specs of the 8100T.  It comes with a nice sized 4.8-inch touch screen, free real-time traffic updates, voice destination entry, Reality View Pro, and Bluetooth connectivity.  It also comes with new and more advanced software, which allows the driver to choose their destination in a few easy steps. 

Other main features include Lane Assistant Pro, Fast Destination Entry, Advanced Text-to-Speech, Exit Guide (tells the driver when exits are coming up with POIs they specify such as restaurants, DirectHelp, Speed Assistant, Multi-Destination planning, and Zagat Ratings and Reviews).  This GPS shows you restaurants in the area and provides the Zagat rating and reviews of nearly 27,000 locations including restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, attractions, and other POIs. 

Continued after the break.

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In case you were in the market for a new PMP, Cowon just made the decision for you a little bit easier.  On PMPs such as the F2, D2, Q5W, I7, U5 and the A3 the prices have been significantly reduced.  Unfortunately, the pricing on the O2 will remain the same. 

Read all the details after the break.

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Despite uneasy feelings on Wall Stre5et, electronic gadgets are predicted to gain in sales by 3.5 percent over last year’s Q4.  While overall spending is set to decline on holiday shopping, gadgets are somewhat immune.  According the CEA (Consumer Electronics Association), specific gadgets will still do extremely well this holiday season.

Smartphones

Any product that increases connectivity with friends and loved ones will be spent on more heavily according to the CEA report.  Consumers will forgo other luxury spending to get smartphones that can handle e-mail, texting, phoning and even Internet browsing.  Consumers can justify the expense easier as the phone becomes integral to daily life.

See what other electronics can withstand this economy after the break.

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I get confused when I can’t tell an endorsement from a paid endorsement.  One minute there is a report that talk show host Oprah Winfrey has declared Amazon’s Kindle her “favorite new thing” and the next is a big advertisement with Ms. Winfrey on Amazon.  A quick search on the tubes proves I am unsuccessful at finding out if she was paid to make this claim or not.

The Oprah show painted the Kindle as a wonder: not frivolous as it will save you money in the long run and a super green way to read books.  I can hear the trees applauding from here.  More after the break.

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T-Mobile has some new BlackBerry Pearls coming out today.  The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 will be available in frost, black emerald, and indigo.  RIM is not resting on its laurels with the introduction of the Storm, the Pearl Flip 8220 and the now slightly refreshed Pearl 8120.

What was once a very very drab and utilitarian device, the BlackBerry has evolved into quite the consumer-friendly device while sticking to its roots by being the phone to have if you want to do business on your phone.  This newest color upgrade looks like a play to get some folks buying BlackBerries this holiday season. 

• RIM announces re-launch of Mobile BlackBerry website
• Can a Hail Mary save Palm?  Warning issued
• Glimpse at the iPhone of 2012

Don’t let the 600,000 Wiis sold in North America shortly after its launch fool you. According to a report by Yahoo, the winner of this past holiday season’s console war is Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

Editor’s Note: NPD Group was incorrectly attributed in the source articles. Click here for the update. - PJ

Hold it. Before Xbox fans start breaking out the champagne, there’s one thing we must consider: remember the supply problems? The insanely long lines? The exorbitantly-priced units sold at eBay?

Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at Jupiter Research, noticed this too and was quick to point out that the real test will come when everyone is on equal footing with regards to available units. The Wii and the PS3 had limited units available, while the Xbox 360 had a year to work out any hitches in manufacturing, said Gartenberg.

Ergo, it’s a bit early for Microsoft to claim long-term victory. The holiday battle may be over, but the console wars aren’t.

All things considered, Sony remains to be king of the hill, thanks to the way paved by PlayStation and PlayStation 2, but that 60% grip may not last for long.

Read [Yahoo!]

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• Sony’s Home beta temporarily shuts down for maintenance