Torch 9800 also features a touch screen
Gillian Shaw
Sun
BlackBerry Torch 9800 Research in Motion
Marvel Comics Headphones Coloud
Eco Extreme, Grace Digital Audio
BlackBerry Torch 9800 Research in Motion
Canadian pricing to be announced
It has been a banner summer for smartphones, with the arrival of the iPhone 4 in Canada followed shortly by Research in Motion’s highly anticipated announcement of its
new BlackBerry Torch 9800. It has a QWERTY slide-out keyboard with a 3.2-inch (8.1 cm) touch screen, the
new BlackBerry 6 operating system and browser promising improved Internet browsing, which has been my pet peeve on my (admittedly outdated) BlackBerry. It has a five-megapixel camera and built-in GPS and Wi-Fi with four gigabytes of built-in memory with a microSD slot that lets you add up to 32 GB with a memory card. Canadian carriers Telus and Rogers have announced they will carry the new BlackBerry but no details on pricing yet. www.blackberry.com
Marvel Comics Headphones Coloud, $40 US
Sport your favourite Marvel Comics superhero on your headphones. From Wolverine, the Hulk and Iron Man to the X-Men, these Coloud headphones make a colourful statement. The characters are printed in 3D rubber patches, giving the headphones a distinctive look and feel. The 3.5-mm jack is compatible with your iPod and other audio players. www.coloud.com.
Eco Extreme, Grace Digital Audio, $50 US
Every summer I hear the seasonal horror story about the cellphone that dropped out of a pocket when someone was leaning off a boat or dock. If that describes you, consider the Eco Extreme speaker case from Grace Digital Audio, which is waterproof as well as high-impact shock-resistant. Built to hold your iPhone, iPod, cellphone or MP3 player, keys, credit cards and other items that don’t always survive a trip to the beach, the Eco Extreme has a 3.5-mm audio jack that will work with mobile phones and MP3 players. It also has a detachable clip to hook onto your backpack for hiking. www.GraceDigitalAudio.com
1090 HardBack Case, Pelican Products, $130
While you’re safeguarding your electronics, take a look at the latest offerings from Pelican Products, the company known for its heavy-duty protective cases. The 1090 HardBack, for up to 15-inch laptops, is crush-resistant and watertight. If you want to know the difference between watertight and waterproof, heed Pelican’s Keith Swenson: “Most Pelican cases are designed to be watertight but not waterproof — meaning that you can’t take them to be bottom of the ocean, but a short dunk isn’t a problem.” Shock-absorbing foam cushions your laptop and a nylon shoulder strap makes it easy to juggle with other luggage. Pelican has a lifetime guarantee, promising “You break it, we replace it … forever.” It doesn’t cover theft, though, so even though your Pelican case could withstand getting tossed around the luggage belt, most road warriors would recommend you keep your laptop with you for the plane. www.pelican.ca
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