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Move over, 007 – the doors to spy craft just opened to the public. Sharp recently announced its new 5-megapixel CMOS camera (RJ63SC100), purportedly the world smallest. Measuring in at only 9.5 x 9.5 x 6.6mm, the device even offers auto focus for better image quality. The new camera will expected to be available for mass production in July. The camera’s diminutive size, surprising thinness, and high resolution would enable future devices (phones, etc.) to have ultra small cameras.  While it is easy to see its use in the race for smaller and sleeker phones, more inventive uses (shades cam? Camera in your shirt buttons?) are also possible. 

Via [Hiptop3]

In what seems like its becoming a tradition recently, with releasing live images of unreleased Sony Ericsson handsets on a one at a time basis. Anyway the latest leaked image is of the BeiBei, and it gives us a nice clear shot of the backside. While the BeiBei was previously rumored to have a 5.0-megapixel webcam, after seeing this latest image I am not 100% convinced of that. While a little hard to make out, the megapixels are listed just above the lens and looks like its a 3.2-megapixel. Overall the BeiBei looks like a nice phone, but the stylus makes me reconsider the coolness factor. Keep reading for another image of the frontside, just in case you wanted a refresher…

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The FinePix F40fd is an 8 megapixel digital camera packed with features. The most exciting is a face detection technology system, which can detect up to ten human faces in a scene in as little as 5/100’s of a second and a dual shot mode that takes two photos back-to-back, one with a flash and one without. The F40fd also has a picture stabilization mode to reduce the “blur” effect from hand-shake, adjusting for subject movement, and compensates for low light shooting. Finally, i-Flash detects subtle lighting differences within a scene, and varies the flash intensity accordingly—enabling the camera to use less flash, preventing that “I haven’t been in the sun for 4 years” effect that so many digital camera flashes leave you with.

The FinePix F40fd will debut in March 2007 at a retail price of $299.

The FinePix A800 is the first model in Fujifilm’s budget A-Series to sport an 8 MegaPixel and the first to incorporate light sensitivities of up to ISO 800 at full resolution. This results in higher quality “natural light” photos and less blur in images as the FinePix A800 matches these higher light sensitivities with faster shutter speeds.  The 6 megapixel A610 has the same design as the FinePix A800 and is priced very well for first-time buyers. The A800 and A610 have an xD-Picture Card / SD Media card slot.

The FinePix A610 and FinePix A800 will debut in March 2007 with retail prices of $129 and $179, respectively.

Product: Samsung t609 by T-Mobile
Price: $149.99
Rating: Average - 6.825/10.0
Pros: Battery life, bright screen, speaker phone, comfortable, size, fun features, and the microSD card slot.
Cons: Decent reception, monochrome exterior screen, and slow download speeds.
Overall: Average phone with standard features. However with its small size, steady performance, and summer style’n you will be satisfied if you are stuck with it for a two year contract.

Design - 7.0 - Tell you what folks, it may be a basic looking phone according to today’s standards, but I was happy with the size and the way it felt. Nowadays companies go crazy over outdoing the rest, when really all they need to do is try to design a phone that is comfortable for the user; One that will look pleasant to the eye and feel good in the hand. The t609 has done both. With the amount of time I used it, I was more satisfied with it than my other phone. For the men, it fits great in your pocket, and for the ladies throw it in your purse and you’ll have extra room for everything...plus the kitchen sink, should you choose to bring it. The keypad is spaced out well with dedicated call and end buttons as well as right and left soft-keys, a 5 ways navigational pad, and a clear button. The * button doubles as the activation for voice commands while the # buttons mutes the speaker. The left side has volume up and down keys and the headphone jack. The right side has a dedicated camera button and the microSD slot.

Continue reading about the whole host of features in this small phone and the overall experience.

Features - 7.0 - The quad band world phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) handset has messaging with AOL, Yahoo!, MSN, and ICQ, a decent 1.3 Megapixel camera, an OK video camera, a MP3 player that makes good use of the microSD card slot, Bluetooth, a speakerphone, voice-activation, and a wireless address book back-up. The great thing about the t609 are the amount of features packed into it. With a good camera and decent video (albeit a short amount of recording time) you can take a pic, record your voice, type a message, and send it to your friend. So take a picture of their bad side, tell them how they look, and then type it in...just in case they didn’t get the message the first time.

The Experience - 6.5 - Nothing extraordinary, If you’re looking for a phone that is usable and workable...especially for those of you tied to long contracts, you will not be disappointed. It is a reliable phone that will last a long time (assuming you treat it the right way). The calls are perfectly clear (assuming your area has a strong signal). When the signal faded, instead of dropping the call I heard static and the call cut in and out.

Folks, if you’re looking for a phone that will not only do the trick but keep you happy for your those lengthy two year contracts, then I would say the Samsung t609 from T-Mobile is right for you. Packed with the features you would want your teenage kids to have, or even your significant other. The sparkling white color and comfortable size looks great on any day at the beach or picnic in the park. With a strong reception and average download speed you’ll be jammin to the sounds of summer with your new Sean Paul Ring tone. Remember It maybe dressed for the beach but it’s no swim partner.

Editors Note: The categories were weighted in the following manner to reflect the importance of some features over others (in our humble opinion). Design 35%, Features 30%, and Experience 35%.

Nokia is starting off the week well with 5 new handsets. The company announced the new phones at the Nokia Connection event in Singapore. The models include the 6151, 6080, 1110i, 6275, and 2875.

The Nokia 6151 is a 3G GSM handset with a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, micro SD slot, stereo FM radio, push to talk, and more all for 98 grams. The Nokia 6151 has a talk time of up to 4.5 hours on GSM networks (up to 3.5 hours of talk time via WCDMA) and a standby time of up to 10 days. 

The triband Nokia 6080 is targeted to consumers in Asia. The Nokia 6080 features a stereo FM radio and MP3 ring tones, MMS, Nokia Xpress audio messaging, email and push to talk, a XHTML browser, EDGE support, 3.5 hours and a standby time of up to 12 days.

The Nokia 1110i has a number of cost management features, including support for the Nokia Prepaid Tracker to help people monitor their phone usage, as well as other technological features which reduce the total cost of mobile ownership for consumers. Weighing 80 grams, the Nokia 1110i has a talk time of up to over 5 hours and a standby time of up to 15 days.

With a high-resolution 262,144 color 240 x 320 pixel QVGA screen and framed by a real stainless steel accent band, the sleek Nokia 6275/6275i phone immediately captures the eye. Along with Bluetooth wireless technology and a 2 megapixel camera with flash and video capture capability, the Nokia 6275/6275i phone features a built-in digital music player, supports a 2 GB microSD memory card supporting MP3, AAC and eAAC+ files, and an integrated FM radio.

The Nokia 2875/2875i phone boasts Bluetooth 2.0, a 1.3 Megapixel camera, an 128 x 160 pixel 262,144 color screen, video ring tones and support for “real music” alert tone formats, an integrated FM radio, and measures 4.2 inches long, 1.7 inches wide and 0.75 inches thick and weighs 3.5 ounces.

Read [Nokia]