Vero ENB-100 Bluetooth kit offers solar-powered hands-free calling

Those that make a habit of chatting it up all day in their vehicle may want to consider Elan's new Vero ENB-100 device, which the company claims is the "world's first" solar-powered Bluetooth hands-free car kit. As you can no doubt surmise, it promises continuous charge-free operation as long as there's sunlight, and it'll even give you 15 hours of operation on a single charge if the weather isn't cooperating. Otherwise, you can expect the usual array of hands-free calling features, including a noise-canceling, omni directional microphone, a 1 watt "high-performance" speaker, and a voice dialing feature to let you keep your hands on the wheel. From the looks of it, however, this one's only available in the U.K. at the moment, where it'll set you back £60 (or about $120), although there's nothing to stop you from ordering one.

The T-Mobile Shadow

T-Mobile today has announced the long-rumored Shadow, a Windows Mobile 6 Standard device that looks not just better than its Wing stablemate, but arguably better than just about any comparably-equipped smartphone on the market today. Besides the "slick, slider design" and a juiced version of the standard Windows Mobile 6 UI, the Shadow features a rotating jog dial front and center, 2 megapixel camera, WiFi, and a new version of T-Mobile's myFaves interface allowing users to call, email, text, or MMS the peeps in their "fave five." Like what you see? If you do, good, because it turns out this is just the first in a whole line of upcoming Shadow-branded phones for the carrier -- a line that'll be focusing on multimedia connectivity and slanting the work / life balance a little more to the "life" side than some of HTC's and T-Mobile's other smart devices (ahem, Wing, we're looking straight at you). Grab the Shadow starting this Wednesday in "sage" or "copper" for a surprisingly reasonable $149.99 on two-year contract.

Lenovo's Y410: their first consumer laptop hits the big box

US netizens can now call dibs on Lenovo's 3000 Y410 laptop for the home. That's right, a consumer laptop -- their first for the US market. Released without fanfare, the new 14.1-inch glossy 1,280 x 800 model starts at about $700 depending upon the configuration you track down at your local big box -- another first for Lenovo. That gets you a 1.46GHz Pentium Dual Core T2310 proc, 1GB of memory, 160GB 5400rpm disk, dual-layer DVD writer, 6-in-1 media card reader, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, ExpressCard, and Intel X3100 graphics with 1.3 megapixel camera, Dolby Home Theater speakers with sub-woofer running atop a Vista Home Premium OS. The 1.02-1.45-inch thick / 5.5-pound sled doesn't look half bad either... for Lenovo. Now we're just wondering if the build quality and support matches that of their ThinkPad lineup. If so, then Lenovo's got themselves a winner here.

SanDisk announces Sansa TakeTV, Fanfare video download service

Sansa TakeTV

• 4GB and 8GB sizes, $100 and $150 respectively
• Supports DivX (including Home Theater profile), XVID, and MPEG-4
• Up to 720 x 576 resolution
• On sale immediately
• Intended for use in downloading shows from one's computer to the TakeTV (which is then physically moved to the TV)

Fanfare online video service

• Launching with content from CBS, Jaman, Showtime, Smithsonian Networks, The Weather Channel and TV Guide Broadband, including shows such as CSI, Survivor China, Dexter, and Sleeper Cell
• Video downloads will be both ad-supported (free) and paid (not sure how much yet), depending on the wishes of the content creators
• Fanfare video will also be playable on Sansa portable media devices
• Yes, it's DRMed, and yes, it's proprietary: TrustedFlash, developed by SanDisk
• Launching in beta today, officially launching in 2008

CTT-Net intros TouchSense-enabled navigation systems

It's been a while since we last heard about Immersion's Touch Sense technology for LCDs, but it looks like the tactile feedback technology has now managed to squeeze itself into one of its biggest potential markets, with CTT-Net now introducing a pair of TouchSense-enabled GPS units. Aimed squarely at the Korean market, the CSN-7040 and CIN-7000 models each boasts 7-inch touch screens, and support for DMB mobile TV, along with the usual array of GPS and PMP features. But, of course, the real selling point is that tactile feedback, which Immersion says will "minimize driver distraction" by reducing the time spent glancing over at the unit. No word on pricing or availability just yet, it seems, or any word of the technology making into GPS units outside of Korea, though we're guessing Immersion is far from giving up on that last point.

NEC busts out a Nissan X-Trail-themed laptop

NEC's Lavie laptops have never been the most exciting machines, and true to form, when the company decided to release one of those oh-so-hip carmaker branded versions, they turned not to Ferrari or Lamborgini, but to the Japanese Nissan X-Trail. Based on the 12.1-inch Lavie G Type J, the unit features custom panels in the same red paint as the X-Trail, a custom palmrest with X-Trail logo, a waterproof nylon case made from the same material as the X-Trail's seats, and membership in a special Nissan website, where you can apparently buy more X-Trail branded gear. Specs are pretty variable since the machine is primarily BTO, but a sample configuration lists out at ¥243,495 ($2113), which'll get you a U7500 Core 2 Duo, Vista Home Premium, and a dual-layer burner. Of course, it's doubtful that we'll ever see this bad boy Stateside, but something tells us there aren't that many of you clamoring to show your X-Trail pride anyways.

HP announces integrated Sprint mobile broadband for business laptops

Those looking for a little EV-DO with their laptop but not willing to put up with the protrusion of a USB modem will soon have a few more options to consider from HP, which has announced a bundle of new business laptops equipped with some embedded mobile broadband courtesy of Sprint. Those include updated versions of the HP Compaq 2710p convertible laptop (pictured above), the 6510b, the 6910p, and the 8510 series, along with a couple of other unspecified models expected "later this year." Each of those will boast support for EV-DO Rev. A technology, and each will also get a free month of Sprint's mobile broadband service if you sign up for a one or two-year contract. Of course, this isn't the first time HP has offered integrated EV-DO in its laptops, with its partnership with Verizon having already resulted in a number of mobile broadband-equipped models.