Samsung Galaxy S II
Samsung’s highly anticipated Galaxy S II, a bestseller across Europe and Asia, is now available in the United States for the holiday season. Exceptionally thin and elegant, it features Samsung’s Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen for vivid colors, deep contrast and sharp detail. The phone runs an enhanced TouchWiz interface that improves multitasking, app management and personalization. Live Panel provides a magazine-style home view for quick access to weather, social updates, email, news and photos. Social Hub aggregates email, instant messages, contacts, calendar events and social networks (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) into unified Feeds and Messages folders that can be sorted into tabs or combined into comprehensive lists.
The Galaxy S II is powered by Android Gingerbread and includes full support for Google Mobile services such as Android Market (with access to hundreds of thousands of apps), Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube and Google Talk. It also offers Samsung’s Media Hub for movie and next-day TV content from major studios and networks. Available from major U.S. carriers (sold as Epic 4G Touch on Sprint, and offered by AT&T and T-Mobile). Pricing typically ranges from $199.99 to $229 with a two-year service agreement and qualifying plan; contact your carrier for exact terms.
TomTom Go Live 1535M
The TomTom GO LIVE 1535M is a portable navigation device that blends comprehensive mapping and traffic data with travel-focused apps. Using TomTom’s LIVE services, drivers can access apps from providers such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, Expedia and Twitter for hotel availability, fuel prices, weather and local search while on the move. TomTom HD Traffic delivers highly accurate traffic updates by detecting and processing congestion across major and secondary U.S. roads and refreshing conditions every two minutes.
Additional features include Bluetooth hands-free calling, voice recognition and a 5-inch touchscreen for easy interaction. The unit includes a 12-month subscription to LIVE services. Suggested retail price is $249.95.
Polaroid GL10 Mobile Printer
Designed in collaboration with Lady Gaga, the Polaroid GL10 is a compact mobile printer that brings a modern instant-photo experience to images stored on phones, cameras and computers. Weighing approximately 15 ounces, the GL10 produces full-bleed 3-by-4-inch prints in the classic Polaroid format in under a minute. Prints emerge fully developed and feature a smudge-proof, water-resistant coating for durable, lab-quality results.
The GL10 prints wirelessly from many smartphones, including BlackBerry, Android and Windows devices via Polaroid apps, and from PCs or Macs. It also supports direct USB printing from compatible digital cameras (note: not compatible with iPhone). A rechargeable battery supports up to 35 prints per charge. Retail price is around $169.99.
Kensington BungeeAir Power Wireless Security Tether
The Kensington BungeeAir Power is a compact 3-in-1 accessory that combines a wireless tether, protective case and backup battery to help prevent loss of an iPhone 4. The iPhone fits into the battery case while the BungeeAir Fob attaches to keys or a bag. If the phone and fob separate beyond a set range, the case can automatically lock the device and send an alert to the fob. A companion app lets you customize security settings.
If you misplace the phone, pressing the button on the BungeeAir Fob triggers the phone to ring. The battery case also provides approximately four extra hours of power. The BungeeAir Power retails for about $99.99.