Intelligent Spatial Technologies (iST) Inc. announced the availability of a a unique mobile local search and content delivery platform that allows users to search the internet or query databases simply by pointing a wireless phone or other mobile device at a building, landmark, or point of interest.

iPointer is iST's first product that enables next generation location-based services. This is deemed useful for visitors of amusement and theme parks and historic areas, mobile real estate search, pedestrian navigation, and city guides. Users will just point their cell phone, PDA, or other mobile computing device toward a location or landmark they wish to identify, and click.

The coordinates, such as the user's location and the pointing angle, are determined through the GPS satellites and orientation information from the digital magnetic compass, which are then sent to the iPointer device.

Positional and orientation data are submitted over the wireless network to the server-based iPointer Geospatial Search Engine. iST's geospatial database's selection algorithms identify the selected landmark and sends information back over the wireless network to be displayed in text, visuals and audio on the user's device. Mobile phones are not limited to SMS, calls and wireless web as your cellphone may become a handy gadget to give directions and information on location.

Glamor may be hard to define but it's easy to spot. Take the BenQ-Siemens SL91. Everything about this shiny, piano black beauty screams for movie-star attention. But underneath the red carpet glamor are some pretty good features. It has an innovative Force Sensitive Resistor (FSR) technology where the surface reacts to slight pressure to reveal navigation keys. With its FSR, the BenQ-Siemens SL91 can even be used with gloves. How's that for class?

Its 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus delivers excellent photos and videos. For video telephony via UMTS, the BenQ-Siemens SL91 sports a second VGA camera at the front of the phone. Adding substance to this uber-stylish mobile are the MP3 player, stereo RDS FM radio, fast USB connectivity and interchangeable Micro-SD cards. The BenQ-Siemens SL91 is the next best thing to dating a supermodel.

Well-known IBM Software developer and blogger Sam Ruby thinks so. He says, "It's killing the landline; it's killing watches; it's changing the camera business; it's changing the TV industry, the music industry. It's destroying the pay-phone industry... It's hurting the hotel industry and putting the squeeze on universities..."

Right now, a cellphone is not just a device for communication, it's also an MP3 player, camera, "game console", and web browser rolled into one power-packed handheld. Cellphones nowadays offer bazillions of features for the multi-tasking person and according to Ruby, it's starting to become a monopoly for entertainment and business purposes. He adds that in the future, cellphones will be of more momentous impact to people as they also become "gadgets for navigation, search and entertainment". He further predicts that the phone will be the "dominant mode of communication as instant messaging will usurp the Web."

Windows Vista as an up-and-coming operating system seems to hold a lot of promise - quite a bit more, it seems, than previous versions of Windows. From what we've learned it's packed with loads of features such as a more efficient file restoring system, more organized photo storage (as well as easier photo sharing), more user-friendly navigation and many more other improvements. And with its spiffy site building on the hype, it's as if Windows users can't help but get  more and more excited for its release in 2007.

Security-software manufacturer Symantec also agrees that more can be expected from Windows Vista. More security problems, that is. Symantec says that since Microsoft replaced old codes (which have already been used for a very long time) with new ones - ones that come with an entirely new set of defects - new problems arise as they are currently exploring new terrain. Microsoft replies that they are still working to improve Windows Vista's security features, such as checking for glitches that may prove cumbersome for users.

Will Windows Vista keep its promise of more exciting features, or will it pose more problems for its users? Hopefully, come early 2007 we will find out.

So let's start with the not-so-good points about T-Mobile's Sidekick 3.

I know it should work primarily as a phone (selecting the Phone option when trying to make a call will be easy enough) but how come it's so difficult for the user to get signal? A better antenna on this phone would've made it easier to get reception.

Another unimpressive feature of Sidekick 3 is its 1.3-megapixel camera. I'm telling you now, you shouldn't expect much. Although it's an improvement from Sidekick II's camera, the quality of the images produced are not very good. But that's really not so important; after all, the screen of the Sidekick 3 is not that impressive for viewing photos either.

Now, on a more positive note: the Sidekick 3 doesn't feel like a toy any longer. It's more professional-looking with its sleek black design, plus it's thinner to boot.

The smaller keys are good for fast typing, and the trackball makes navigation easy. The Danger-based OS of the Sidekick 3 (the same one used with Sidekick II) is easy to use and navigate.

T-Mobile's Sidekick 3 also has a music player for MP3 files. It's also easy to transfer MP3 files onto this device via the USB cable. Unlike other cellphones/PDAs, you can carry around an extra battery in case you want to extend the time you can listen to music you've loaded onto Sidekick 3. The way this device was built allows one to change batteries and access both the mini-SD card slot and the SIM-card slot.

So is it worth grabbing or not? It seems to be - the reviewer's found that it's light-years ahead of its predecessor in every area save for the camera. Given how the unit did, the poor-quality camera doesn't seem a deal-breaker at all.