Screen Gem — Panasonic Viera P905i
Think of it as the world’s smallest “big-screen” TV. Panasonic’s Viera Ketai handset boasts a 3-inch screen with a contrast ratio of 2000:1 — comparable to that of many full-size LCDs, along with powerful image processing and a tuner for Japan’s 1seg (“one seg”) mobile broadcasting service. You can use it as a standard vertical flip phone to make calls, or turn it 90 degrees and flip the screen open horizontally to watch TV and play 3D games. High-speed broadband, GPS tracking and a 5-megapixel camera complete the package.
Availability: Japan only; distributed by NTT DoCoMo.
Run, Baby, Run — Raon Everun UMPC
The diminutive Raon — 7 inches long and just over a pound in weight — is for travelers who want their laptop to feel not much heavier than a densely woven doily. This Windows XP-based handheld sports a full QWERTY keyboard, a 4.8-inch touch-screen that can shift between portrait and landscape modes, and your choice of either a standard 60GB hard drive or 6GB of energy-saving solid-state storage. Integrated Wi-Fi lets you log onto the Internet; a docking station, a car mount and an external keyboard are optional. This ultramobile PC (UMPC) earns its name with a battery life rated by the maker at seven hours for the standard battery and 12 hours for a larger, enhanced unit.
Availability: South Korea (but at least the enhanced battery should last through the long flight back to the States).
Sleek, Not Meek — Sony VAIO G2
This superthin notebook breaks the 2-pound barrier with virtually no compromises, thanks to its durable yet lightweight carbon-fiber casing. Its 12-inch screen and full keyboard mean that you won’t be forced to squint or engage in two-finger typing. You can choose a 100GB hard drive or a 64GB solid-state drive (SSD). Because they have no moving parts, SSDs are faster, quieter and more power-efficient (though also much pricier, at least so far). If you and your flight attendant muff a drink exchange, spilling club soda on the drip-proof keyboard, the G2 shuts down automatically before anything gets fried.
Availability: Japan (and on Dynamism.com).
Drip Insurance — Fujitsu F705i
At last, there’s a 3G cell phone that you can drop into the pool without taking a financial bath. Fujitsu’s F705i is the slimmest, most sophisticated waterproof phone on the market — you can even wash its keypad with water. But the cool features don’t stop at the marge of Lake Lebarge. Eight levels of zoom simplify reading e-mail in different lighting conditions, and the F705i’s “super clear voice” feature automatically adjusts the volume of incoming calls to a comfortable and audible level based on the amount of ambient noise.
Availability: Japan only; distributed by NTT DoCoMo.
About a week ago, my friend told me about this movie, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and I’ve been seeing the previews on TV… and sometimes on the TV previews they “only” show the funny parts of the movie…
