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cradle posts

Samsung thinks your battery should double as a kickstand

by Darren Murph posted Aug 24th 2007 @ 3:48PM

In a patent application that outlines an invention sure to be the death of spare cradles, Samsung has conjured up the idea of a "self-cradling portable communication terminal." Essentially, this here device could enclose your battery in a hinged compartment that swivels around, which would enable cellphone users to place their handsets in a "docked position" without needing an actual cradle. Brilliant, we say.

[Via UnwiredView]

Versatile Palm Treo cradle crafted from LEGOs

by Darren Murph posted Feb 17th 2007 @ 4:05AM

While we've seen various forms of Treo docks come and go, there's just something magical about those those colorful, timeless blocks, and although we've caught a LEGO-lovin' DS fortress acting the part before, this time it's a Palm getting the homegrown docking station. Envisioned after simply not wanting to shell out the $30 to $50 required to purchase a ho hum dock that didn't exactly fit every need, the LEGO Palm cradle is a true sight to behold, and can at least handle both the 650 and 680 with ease. Although it doesn't sport features that are too far out of the ordinary -- besides the handy earpiece hook and "solar powered WiFi tower," of course -- at least the onboard watchman walks softly and carries a ~~big stick~~ Sony Clie stlyus. Best of all, the project owner took a few snapshots along the way to give us a bit of insight in replicating his masterpiece, so if you've got an estimated 45 minutes and a whole stash of unused blocks, be sure to hit the read link for your next DIY endeavor.

Sony Ericsson patents cellphone docking station

by Darren Murph posted Feb 1st 2007 @ 12:40PM

Laptop docking stations are so early-2000s, as Sony Ericsson has already patented what is essentially a docking station for your cellphone, dubbing it a Mobile Phone Multimedia Cradle. As predicted, the envisioned device would function much like standard lappie docking stations do today, as it would dock one's cellphone for charging / syncing, feature a numeric keypad and QWERTY keyboard for dialing and typing, a built-in LCD screen for video out capabilities, and a variety of ports for peripheral connections. The device would allow users to surf the web, manage contacts / photos, transfer files, and basically do anything a highly-spec'd smartphone can do, but in your lap (and in place of a laptop). Of course, managing to play nice with every single powerful handset in the world would be a monumental challenge, and we're still a ways off from having a true laptop-replacing cellphone, but we'd wager that this here invention is certainly not a bad one to have on the drawing board. Click on through for a side-angle conception.

Continue reading Sony Ericsson patents cellphone docking station

Palm's homegrown nav solution for Treos

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 16th 2006 @ 5:49PM

It looks like Palm was inspired by Garmin's Mobile 20 Bluetooth GPS-sportin' cradle for Treos, releasing its own variation on the theme this week. Their "GPS Navigator Smartphone Edition" includes the cradle itself along with TomTom's NAVIGATOR 6 software and US / Canadian basemaps loaded onto a 1GB SD card. Happily, the cradle is SiRFstarIII-based, giving us some confidence that the cradle is worth at least a good chunk of its $299 asking price. The kit is available immediately and should hook up pretty effortlessly with all 650 and 700-model Treos.

[Via Geekzone]