Verizon Hub Cordless Handset: The device is meant to sit in place with a cordless handset like a landline phone but to act as a conduit for one or more cellphones; a built-in Ethernet connection gets updates such as calendars and GPS directions and funnels them to family handsets on the Verizon network. It centers around a large touchscreen that itself serves to check calendars, maps videos, the phone book and visual voicemail. Events or other information created on the Hub can be passed on to individual phones.

The carrier vows customized V CAST music and video content specific to the Hub and notes that the display serves as a digital photo frame when the phone is idle. Verizon expects to launch the Hub on February 1st but is unusually cautious and hasn’t mentioned either the cost of the device itself or any particular service plans. The company nonetheless makes it clear that the Hub doesn’t require one of its own Internet services and should work with any broadband Internet access.

Sony Ericsson C901 has a 5-megapixel camera like the C903 and likewise sports 3G data network support and quad-band GSM for voice. The camera’s functions are similarly high-end and involve an LED flash, autofocus, face and smile detection and geotagging using built-in GPS.

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Other specs are expected to comprise of an external memory card slot, 2.2-inch display, built-in FM radio tuner, Bluetooth communications and a built-in accelerometer to rotate the display. While pricing information is as yet unknown, the handset will be available in the spring in black, silver and peach colors.

Following on from our look at the Nokia MD-4 speakers, we now look at the Sony Ericsson MPS-60.

These speakers have been around for a while, and offer a great way of sharing your music with friends. Compatible with all Sony Ericsson Walkman phones, the MPS-60 offer an acceptable sound quality for the size of speaker.

The setup and operation is simply plug n play, the speakers will fit onto the connector port of any Sony Ericsson handset, such as the excellent W960i, and an advantage is they do not need their own power source, as they draw power from the phone. Due to the size of the speaker connector, it is not possible to have a power source connected to the phone at the same time, even using the Sony Ericsson pass-through chargers. However if you are running the phone in Walkman only mode, you can get up to 30 hours playback, so this isn’t always an issue.

All volume control of the speakers is done via the main menu on the handset, when the Walkman player is active.

The speakers themselves are connected to the adaptor by orange speaker wire. They come complete in a protective casing, where the speakers can be stored when not in use.