Droid Eris (Desire) launching on Verizon soon. Very soon?

<In-house screen grabs are always a nice, reassuring piece of evidence to an impending new device launch. With Verizon’s holiday flagship device, the Moto Droid, is not even released yet, a second Android/Droid Series device, the Eris is already being caught making it’s way through Verizon in-house training documents. A welcome sight indeed. The most plausible and talked about launch date for the Eris isn’t too far away, falling on November 10th, just a few days after the Moto Droid walks into the spotlight. In case you forgot or didn’t already know, the Eris will pack in a 320 x 480 capacitive display, 5 megapixel camera w/ auto-focus, trackball navigation, and microSD support to round out the more popular features. Do you think launching another rather tempting device so close to Droid will cannibalize sales? Or is the fact that one is a touchscreen w/ slider while the other is void of any real physical input will set them apart in their own respective circles?

Phandroid > gdgt

Shocker: Americans play more games than everyone else.

Do you sit around at night wondering which country has the highest population of gamers? I’m sure you don’t. But, just in case you were, the handy graph above shows what many assumed to begin with — that America is full of gamers. Now, according to a survey conducted by Today Gamers, a whopping 87% of Americans play video games. TThe UK, Germany, and France fall behind with 74%, 67%, and 66% respectively. So I ask: Do the numbers shock you? Or are the results what you were expecting? It’s worth noting that for the U.S. anyway, that winning percentage translates into roughly 11.5 hours of gaming per week with MMO games taking the top priority — which I may enlighten you aren’t quite the talk of the town in other gaming lands. Why’s that? Not sure. Guess a foreign gamer will have to enlighten us…

**Since the survey was conducted online, we have to remember that this isn’t extremely accurate as many gamers don’t have access to the internet. Although, I would assume that within the last couple of years with the cloud and digital this and that, that gamers have made the move to online in at least some form.

Joystiq

Pre-paid mobile phone manufacturers pushing bill to outlaw installing software on handsets

How about a nice dose of stupidity and ridiculousness for this fine Tuesday morning? If you haven’t heard of the “Wireless Prepaid Access Device Enforcement Act of 2009, you may want to pay attention as it is really an assault against consumer freedoms. You all have seen at some point Trac Phone’s of some sort or brand sitting in end caps across various retail outlets in various locations. Some people purchase these phones and install their own modified firmware on the devices so they can use them with other networks/services. Personally, since they’re pre-paid, I don’t see the problem. I mean, the manufacturer subsidizing phones that can be easily used with other networks and services is a pretty stupid move. Either don’t subsidize the phone or close your business. Preserving a “business model” by locking in people and eliminating choice doesn’t exactly make happy, loyal customers.

Naturally, Trac Phone has a small problem with people modifying their own phones and is pushing the bill mentioned above (Wireless Prepaid Access Device Enforcement Act of 2009) which would make it illegal. Stupid? Yes. Unneeded? Another winning answer. When will these manufacturers learn that they do not own us or their device once the sale has been made?

TechDirt

Image Source

Real-time language translation glasses by NEC

Big business men or those that travel the world often come in contact with people speaking many different languages. In such cases, a human body translator is normally the best course of action. But technology is a wonderful, wonderful thing. Take for instance, NEC’s Retinal Imaging Display prototype. These glasses work as a personal translator, translating all of the foreign language around you into more manageable *insert your native language here*. Going one step further, these glasses will also translate any responses back into the other speakers native language making communicating with whoever it is you need to talk to much more fluid if not a little funny — you know you’re going to butcher the other language. Just admit it. Both the speaker and speakee will have their native language translations displayed on the glasses giving the person wearing the glasses a bigger edge in communicating across the language barrier.

The technology really isn’t very sophisticated, save for the in-house translation software. The hardware is really just a microphone and script projector. Also, instead of displaying never ending sentences, the NEC Retinal glasses organize thoughts and sentences into expressions making the whole communicating thing a heck of a lot easier.

I don’t interact with a lot of various languages very often, but if I did, such glasses would I imagine be pretty handy. NEC is reportedly aiming to get these things to market sometime in 2010. Sweet! Anyone eyeing a new toy?

Gizmo Watch > Ubergizmo > Far East Gizmos

Light show coming to T-Mobile via Sony Equinox

While I generally try to avoid phones with overly gimmicky features or slogans, the Sony Equinox is rather neat little clamshell phone. Not a smartphone by any means, the Equinox sings a different tune. A tune of affordability and sophistication. Specs include a 2.2 inch QVGA internal display, GPS, Stereo Bluetooth, FM Radio, YouTube support, and a 3.2 mp shooter. Average sounding specs aside, the real marketing muscle behind this particular handset revolves around the way the external screen displays caller information. Don’t expect to see any number or candid face as such things are absent. Instead Sony takes a more “organic” approach by letting the user choose up to 5 contacts to assign special lightening effects. Gimmicky? To the feature loving, smartphone toting nerds that many of you are, yes. If you’re looking for a feature hound or something to brag to your geeky friends about, the Equinox is not for you. But if you or your aunt is looking for a decent 3G clamshell phone with some cool lighting effects, the Equinox then becomes quite the looker. With a price of only $50 after a two-year contract, can you afford not to give it a look? If a potential purchase is what you’re eyeing, keep October 28th fresh in your mind…

Unwired > PhoneScoop

Sony Xperia X3 X10 “Infinity” coming out party goes down November 3rd.

The Sony Xperia X3 is so far my favorite device leading into the end of the year. While the X1 and X2 were pretty sweet devices, the fact that it was running WinMo pretty much killed it for me. However, with Android and a tweaked UI dubbed “Rachel” coming on the X3, this latest Sony device has got my attention front and center. Hmm, now about that X3 moniker, well, not even a couple a days ago, the X3 became the X10. Why skip so many numbers? No idea. Not exactly sure what kool-aid Sony is sipping on. Whatever flavor it is, they really need to back off as the just renamed X10 has been giving yet another name to go by. Though this time, the name is actually somewhat presentable. Ladies and gents I introduce the Sony Xperia X3 X10 “Infinity”.

The new name is a big step up from the cryptic and stupid letter/number combo that so many manufacturers fall victim to. At the same time, the Sony Xperia Infinity isn’t a name that is so far “out there” as to draw criticism and become the butt of jokes. We could spend forever going over the few specs and pictures we’ve already seen, or we can wait until November 3rd for it all to go down. My vote is for some new hotness sometime mid-week next week. You?

Phandroid

Working Batmobile comes w/ fully functioning flamethrower!

Driving a beautifully crafted Batmobile replica through traffic will surely turn heads, garner whistles, and all sorts of accolades. It’s not everyday you see a piece of super hero history driving down the road. Based off of a ’76 Lincoln Continental, this Batmobile built by “Gotham Cruisers” isn’t just some freak project. The Continental at it’s core is a fully titled and authentic piece of auto history with the Batmobile clothing affixed on top ensuring at least some level of street legal chops. Of course, the coolest parts of this car could make it slightly less than legal. Hidden bat gems include a parachute, working batphone, and best of all, a fully functional flamethrower! Ya, rush hour will never be quite the same again. Neither will that jackass that cut you off a few blocks back. Pull up behind him and push a button, enjoy a laugh, and watch as his smoldering car crawl to a stop. Somehow I don’t think the 5-0 will look too favorably on such a situation. But Batman wasn’t exactly a friend of the law per say. Not to mention, you’ll at least feel better about yourself won’t you. That’s all that really matters. Oh ya, and of course, you’re packin’ a flamethrower so in some form or another, you are the law. Remember, obey the speed limit and always buckle up! You can fry motorists, just do so obeying all of the other traffic laws…

Ok, the last “best part” I swear. This Batmobile is for sale…well, up for auction on eBay. As of 9:01pm (EST) on October 26th, the bid is up to around $25,500 with 5 days and 15 hours to go. Feeling a bit nostalgic and lucky?

• Bid on the Batmobile/’76 Continental on eBay

The Awesomer