Palringo deserves attention because it integrates numerous IM services into one mobile app. Supported IMs include MSN, AIM, YM, iChat, and Jabber/GTalk (yes, including the one built into Gmail). And unlike many mobile IM apps, Palringo does things real-time. Replies immediately show up, with no manual refreshing required.

It’s possible to switch between conversations, meaning users can chat with multiple contacts simultaneously. On the S60 version (tested on an N97), sending and receiving around 50 IMs via HSDPA added up to about 450kb/73kb of download/upload bandwidth usage. Needless to say the speed of the app depends on network coverage and phone …read more

Syndicating the syndicated: What follows is Boing Boing Gadget’s compilation of Palm Pre reviews from all over the web.
David Pogue, leaked by the Financial Chronicle, at The New York Times:
So do the Pre’s perks (beautiful hardware and software, compact size, keyboard, swappable battery, flash, multitasking, calendar consolidation) outweigh its weak spots (battery life, slow program opening, ringer volume, Sprint network)? Oh, yes indeedy. Especially when you consider that last weak spot might be going away. Verizon Wireless has announced that it will carry the Pre ”in the next six months or so.”
Steven Levy, at Wired:
It’s a huge win … The …read more

To make a long story short, the HP Mini 2140 is a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for. At least according to Liliputing:
Sure, the processor isn’t any faster than the CPUs in lower priced netbooks like the HP Mini 1000. And it’s not the thinnest and lightest mini-laptop available. But for a reasonable amount of extra cash you get a sturdier case, an accelerometer, a spill resistant keyboard with DuraKey finish, an ExpressCard slot, and a decent if not spectacular 3 cell battery. A 6 cell battery is also available, which reportedly runs for up to 8 …read more

So how does a hefty 17″ laptop from Toshiba—with a 2Ghz Core 2 Quad from Intel and a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce 9800M—hold up? Obviously, the puny 6-cell battery can’t power things for long, and carrying a desktop replacement that’s 2.5″ inches thick at its beefiest point must give owners hernia.
But Toshiba markets the X305-Q725 as a gaming notebook, so obviously performance is most important. Compared to its peers, this offering falls somewhere in the middkle. See Anandtech’s review for the full details.
Personally, I still think desktops are best for gaming procrastination; laptops should remain the domain of workaholics.
(image from Anandtech)

By far the biggest advantages of the 12V Spotlight, a portable flashlight that snugly fits into the cigarette lighter of your car, are its rechargeable battery and very bright bulb. You don’t have to spend money to buy replacements, and a great way to blind yourself is to shine light directly into your eye. Twisting the cap turns the light on, and turning it the other way activates its charging mode.

On a recent trip to Singapore, I kept a watchful eye for a Bluetooth mouse. Eventually I settled on a black Razer Pro|Click Mobile, which was buried in a bargain bin.