Samsung announced today its first 8.0-megapixel camera phone, the Innov8 (i8510). This handset is designed to capture and stores high-resolution photos and will naturally come equipped with the latest in imaging applications such as smile shot, blink shot and face recognition.

With a 2.8-inch 16.7 million color LCD is designed for photography and external dual speakers and 3D surround sound, it's clear that Samsung is taking the video viewing and video gaming markets into consideration with the i8510 as well.

Depending on the package, the unit will come equipped with either 8GB or 16GB of flash memory, and an external memory slot for up to an additional 16GB. Both versions will be running Symbian OS v9.3, S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2. HSDPA high-speed Internet, Wi-Fi connection, and GPS all come standard.

Users will be able to personalize and edit photos, videos and music with Movie Maker and Story Board applications. The Innov8 also acts as a digital photo frame for those users who like to show off their work on the go.

The Innov8 will hit Europe in August and should be available in the States come September.

While the concept of watching television on today's handsets is nothing new thanks to wireless web and streaming video apps, WRAL and CBS are testing a new mobile digital TV technology that can potentially turn a cell phone into a literal mobile television set.

This technology would send specially encoded signals to receivers built into devices such as cell phones (and PDAs). The digital waves would be sent over the same signals as local HDTV broadcasts (openly over the air).

The early field tests are currently supported by a number of companies, including Harris Corporation, LG Electronics and Zenith. They, along with WRAL and CBS, are hoping to deploy mobile digital TV as early as next year. This technology would provide access to local digital TV on your handset: A little piece of home even when you are not.

For more information, click here.

Losing a cell phone sucks. I've been lucky enough to not do it myself, but I know what a pain it can be.

This Mobile superhero software from YouGetItBack.com helps mitigate some of the pain caused by this. Install the software on your phone. If it is lost or stolen, the phone can be remotely locked from the website. You can also back up your phone contacts to their secure server.

If someone finds the phone, they can use the phone to report it lost or stolen. That's it. The phone is inaccessible. I did find that on a power cycle, the Nokia N95 I was testing with was briefly accessible until the security software activated. However, it's about as locked down as it gets.

Mobile Superhero can be downloaded for free and it supports a number of Blackberry, Nokia, and Samsung handsets. After the 30 day trial, it costs $19.95 a year. You can also opt for physical asset tags for $9.95 that are good for three years, but they do not protect the access to your phone. The tags can be used on any item, though.

Crossposted from The Gadgets Weblog

What are you waiting for! Come join the Mobile Weblog forum and find out what other people are thinking about the latest cell phones and other mobile devices. You know, you're not the only person who reads this blog, there are many other's, and they all have opinions too.

Maybe you really like your new iPhone, but the next person who comes to the forum really hates theres. The two of you can discuss the positives and the negatives of the new iPhone together.

So come to the forum, post your thoughts, then invite your friends to join too. The more the merrier.

Sony, originator of the vastly successful Walkman portable music devices, has resurrected the title for use in their new series of phones intended to do a little bit of everything. The new W902i Walkman phone is a music-oriented handset that plays tunes, takes photos, and displays video on a scratch-resistant 2.2-inch QVGA display.

The W902i will deliver music through Sony Ericsson's audio service and will come packaged with Sony Ericsson premium headphones (HPM-77) right in the box.

In addition to the 5.0 mega pixel W902i (shown), Sony will be simultaneously releasing two more affordable models: The W595a, which will offer a 3.2 mega pixel camera, and the W302i with a 2.0 mega pixel.

All of the units are set for release in the 4th quarter of 2008.

Fring keeps on adding more handsets so you can IM and make VoIP calls from not only mobile phone handsets, but from the Nokia N810 as well! This screenshot was taken from the N810.

The J2ME client doesn't do VoIP, but it still allows you to IM on the various networks it supports, including Skype! In fact, the feature set for all the different versions varies, which is why they provide this handy, dandy chart that shows you what features are supported on which versions.

One other notable feature is that Fring will allow you to make PSTN calls using your Skype Out minutes. I made a test call from my Nokia N810 and it sounded pretty good.

Crossposted from The VoIP Weblog