Here’s some news that might interest all of you iPhone owners out there. Google has just released the latest version of Google Mobile app which now includes voice-recognition functionality. This basically means you don’t have to type in a search query anymore in order to perform a search.

Just run the application, place the iPhone near your ear as if you were making a call, and tell it what you want to search for. It’s that easy. It automatically enables voice command functionality when you place the iPhone near your ear thanks to the proximity sensor that’s built-in the device. Voice commands are currently limited to US English only, but additional language support will be provided as part of future updates. This new version of the Google Mobile app likewise comes with Search with My Location which basically provides a localized search based on your current location. It’s a great additional feature, but I don’t think it works here in the Philippines.

Anyway, the all-new and improved Google Mobile app is now available via the App Store, and what’s even better is that it’s completely free. Check it out for yourself and tell us what you think about it.

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With the slow down of the global economy affecting almost everyone, the new year might not be the best year for high-priced gadgetry. So, in response to the challenges of the present time, Nokia has just announced a new batch phones that will offer great value for your hard-earned money. Included in this fresh new line-up are the Nokia 7100 Supernova, Nokia 5130 XpressMusic, Nokia 2323 Classic, Nokia 2330 Classic, Nokia 1202 and Nokia 1661.

The Nokia 7100 Supernova is designed for those who put a premium on style and entertainment. This new slider comes with a high resolution color display, a 1.3 megapixel camera, FM radio, support for Share on Ovi - Nokia’s online photo sharing service, Mail on Ovi, as well as an internet browser. The Nokia 7100 Supernova is expected to begin shipping in the last quarter of 2008.

Meanwhile, the Nokia 5130 continues the XpressMusic line from Nokia and features the now familiar dedicated music keys. It comes with a 2 megapixel camera , FM radio, 3.5 mm headphone jack, support for Share on Ovi, Mail on Ovi, and is being touted as Nokia’s most affordable music phone to date. The Nokia 5130 XpressMusic is expected to become available in the first quarter of 2009.

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Laptops are one of the hottest gadgets these days, both figuratively and literally. With more features than ever before, laptops are becoming more versatile and powerful, but at the same time, heat has always been an issue. Due the growing demand for smaller and thinner devices, the small form factor of present day laptops leave little room for proper ventilation for heat to circulate and escape.

It’s a good thing, though, that we have products such as the Targus Chill Mat to cool down our laptops and protect our laps from literally getting burned. It supports laptops of up to 17-inch in size and connects via USB for power. It’s an ideal partner to a Macbook Pro laptop thanks to its design and color scheme, but I don’t see why it shouldn’t work with any laptop regardless of brand.

The Targus Chill Mat is retailing for P2225 and is exclusively distributed by MSI-ECS in the Philippines. For more product information and other inquiries, you may contact Jonas Lim at 688-3732, email jlim@msi-ecs.com.ph, or visit www.msi-ecs.com.ph.

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It looks like Apple’s venture into the mobile phone biz is finally paying some dividends as they’ve managed to dislodge RIM from the no. 2 spot as far as 3rd quarter smartphone sales are concerned.

Apple had 17.3 % market share which was good enough to beat RIM’s 15.2%. Nokia is still at the top of the pack with 38.9% which was 12.5% lower than their performance last year. Microsoft was likewise booted out of the top three and is now in fourth spot with just 13.6% market share. Another interesting statistic for Q3 was the rise in smartphone sales despite the slowdown in the regular mobile phone market. The cellphone market growth was down to just 3% while smartphone sales grew to 28% from a year ago amounting to 40M units.

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The Nokia E71 has been touted as one of the best E-series phones to come from the Finnish company, but it’s relatively expensive when compared to the other previous models Nokia has released in the past couple of months. So as to offer everyone in the market a chance to own and enjoy the benefits of the E71’s great form factor as well as some of its stellar features, Nokia has announced the E63.

It looks almost like an identical twin of the E71 albeit lacking the sopshitication as it trades in the steel accents for ordinary plastic. Aside from the external changes, it likewise dumps the 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus, GPS and HSDPA 3.6Mbps connectivity for a more modest 2-megapixel camera and GPRS/EDGE connectivity feature set. Sure, the lack of HSDPA connectivity might be a bummer but at least it still comes with WiFi, Bluetooth, and the same reliable battery to make it a decent buy at its more affordable price of $255 which is roughly just P12K++ as opposed to the P23K SRP of the E71. This is, of course, just my assumption of how much it would probably cost, but let me just stress how its price will play a key role if the E63 has any chance at all in succeeding the local market.

No word though on when it will become available in the Philippines, but I’m betting it might make a debut just in time for a post-holiday shopping spree. So if I were you, I’d go easy on the expenses this holiday season because you never really know what goodies lie in store when 2009 finally arrives.

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