Wi-Fi is nothing new to us. When wireless internet first arrived to us, I thought how nice it would be for a massive Wi-Fi signal to allow anyone and everyone to access the internet for free. Although  such ubiquitous Wi-Fi is still so far away, we have managed to come quite close. I use a few devices that use 802.11 signals to communicate with the internet, such as my iPhone and I am constantly seeing wireless signals. If you bring a laptop along with you to IHOP or McDonalds, you will be amazed to find that they broadcast a signal. Who would have thought a few years back that they would provide internet access??

I am going to tell you about devices that not only make calls, but also save a few service fees in the process using your neighbor’s router or a hotspot.  The Sony Mylo COM-2, the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet and the Zipit Wireless Messenger 2 all let you save on cellular data service fees while leaving your laptop computer in its case. 

Like the first-generation Mylo, the COM-2 ($299) lets users surf the Web, send instant messages, and play MP3 music files. With an 800-by-480-pixel touch screen, it looks and feels a lot like Sony’s PSP handheld gaming system, and is significantly better than the original model I played with a little back in 2006. The COM-2 doubles as a 1.3 megapixel camera, and the slide-out QWERTY keyboard is now backlit, allowing users to chat or surf in the dark. It supports the 802.11b and 802.11g wireless protocols and uses 1 gigabyte of internal memory, upgradeable to 8 gigabytes through a Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo expansion slot. Check it out here.

Nokia’s N810 Internet Tablet is pricier at $479, but it is the first Wi-Fi handheld that I have seen that would make me think replacing my laptop. The N810 has a 400-megahertz processor with 128 megabytes of RAM and runs on a version of the Linux operating system. It includes 2 gigabytes of internal storage, which is expandable to 8 gigabytes or more through a miniSD port. With a 4.13-inch widescreen LCD and 800-by-480-pixel resolution, the N810 beautifully displays pictures and videos and improves on its predecessor, the Nokia N800, with a slide-out backlit QWERTY keyboard that is a bit cramped. The device also includes a built-in VGA camera for video conferencing, a miniSD slot to hold an MP3 music collection and customizable widgets for access to Google searches and streaming Internet radio. It also has a built-in global positioning receiver, but turn-by-turn directions through WayFinder cost $120 for a three-year contract. A former writer here at The Tech Brief did a hands-on review for us and really enjoyed it.

Those solely interested in texting their friends might want to look at the Zipit Wireless Messenger 2 ($149), which provides a great way to get text-message-addicted kids using Yahoo’s, AOL’s or Microsoft’s services off the main home computer. My parents would have loved to get this for me when I first discovered texting. The flip-up device, about the size of a thick wallet with a small screen and backlit QWERTY keyboard, allows users to connect to a Wi-Fi router or hot spot. Once users enter information about their accounts, they can message buddies who appear on the MyFriendz list and switch between chat windows if they’re overly popular. What really sets the device apart is that after users update their Zipit’s software through a download, they can sign up for a text-messaging plan to also send messages to cell-phone users. The plan was free until the program formally launched in February, and will now cost $4.99 a month for up to 1,500 incoming and 1,500 outgoing messages. The Zipit has miniSD card which lets it double as an MP3 player, and users can also go to Zipit’s Web site to set up a list of up to eight streaming Internet radio stations. You can see more details here.

The U.S. might not yet be one giant Wi-Fi hot spot, but enough wireless-friendly locations are popping up to at least make us think about owning a handheld Wi-Fi device. If you have a wireless router at home, these gadgets can further release you from the grip of your desk. I still think a colossal Wi-Fi broadcast is in the future. What do you think?

Nokia’s latest offering, the N81 looks like it should be all things to all men, but the best way of describing this one would be “middle of the road.”

Not quite as feature packed as the N95, the N81 misses out on full GPS functionality, comes with the usual headphones that need throwing away and replacing with a decent set, a below average camera and, at some time on the future a hopefully decent range of games.

Everything about this phone is average from the design to the functionality. I fail to see the need for another phone of this level. The size is average (102x50x20mm) so they are not aiming for the “my phone’s thinner than your phone,” market.

Mobile review have an in-depth look at the phone here. In fact they go almost to the point of dismantling the thing and I was a little disappointed not to see one in pieces by the end.

All in all it’s just one more phone in an already overcrowded market place. My thinking is the consumer will be so confused by the time the salesman has run through the list of phones available they will just say, “OK, OK, give me the black one.”

Nokia’s detail page is here, and although they describe it as “never a dull moment,” clearly their idea of dull differs from mine.

Yet another phone release just in time for Christmas. Nokia have just announced their latest addition via T-Mobile. The new, folding 6263 includes a 1.3 megapixel camera, e-mail capability and a music player. Are you asleep yet?

First thing, we are surprised at the stinginess of the camera’s capabilities. 1.3 megapixels? I guess they must have had a bunch of parts left over from a previous release and decided to use them up on this one. You would think there are enough low quality, out of focus, poor resolution photographs floating around as is. Just for a moment I imagined all those photos actually being printed on paper and wonder just exactly how many of them would go straight in the trash the moment the photographer saw them – scary. I had a 6267 ( the European model this has been downgraded from ) for a while and wasn’t impressed.

Anyway, the 6263 has all the usual features: Bluetooth capability, a 2 inch screen guaranteed to damage your eyesight and nowhere near enough memory (it comes with 512MB standard so you have to upgrade to 4 GB if you want a decent music library). According to Frank Vium, vice president of sales for Nokia, “We are excited to be working with T-Mobile to bring this compelling blend of fun and function to customers across the country.”

I can almost feel the excitement from here. If you are interested in finding out more about how excited Mr. Vium is, the press release is here.

Rumors of the Nokia “iPhone killer,” the Aeon concept cell phone, still abound, but we hear the manufacturer is closer to production than previously thought.

It’s certainly nice to know that at least one manufacturer is apparently keeping up with the Joneses (Apple) and I think the whole world would be glad to see a realistic alternative the iPhone.

The Aeon, still in R&D, will sport a full touch screen, and although the likely specifications are still a closely guarded secret, some of our Chinese cousins have managed to get a hold of a sample and according to them,

“Netease phone channels correspondents went to Finland’s Nokia headquarters, after efforts before the exclusive worldwide Taiwan have tested this “angel’s face” handset. Now really planes and spy as soon as you send readers, it seems that Nokia has no plans to let Apple iPhone 抢 do thunder! The passage of a few photographs and real news reporter at the scene, Nokia is the real Aeon’s a cell phone, everyone apart from iPhone, there should be more phone can expect!”

I’m not quite sure what that means, but they are certainly very excited over there. As usual, we will just have to wait and see what develops.(Unless any one wants to pay me to go on a spying trip to Taiwan?)

How on earth can you jam this many features into a phone this size? No matter, Nokia have managed to cram a 5-megapixel camera which is capable of recording VGA-quality video, a solid little media player with a 3.5mm headphone jack, a dual-slider design, and integrated GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth into a phone that is less than 4 inches long and weighs only 4.2 ounces.

It’s not a bad looking phone, but it’s a little clunky compared to some of the competition, and $750 is an awful lot of money for a phone.

Price aside, the N95’s camera is one of the best phone cameras around at the moment, and the rest of the design is reasonably well put together. The GPS receiver comes with built in mapping, but if you want detailed directions, you can expect to pay another $12 a month or $92 a year.

All in all an expensive package. Well designed, well built, but, I feel, let down by the battery life and the operating speed. Something has to give when you try and jam this much into a package this size and these are the weak spots. According to Nokia, the N95 is rated for nine days of standby time, but all those features just suck the life right out of it, so don’t expect more than a day or two. Full specs can be seen here, and here is an interesting video of the GPS in operation.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y42aF0zxRc[/youtube]