Proporta is pleased to announce that it has added an innovative new case made from tough, precision molded magnesium to its existing selection of cases. The magnesium case is stronger and 37% lighter than aluminum, meaning you do not have to compromise quality and functionality to keep your PDA protected in a hard case. The magnesium case is designed to fit each device exactly, ensuring a snug fit. Initially, the magnesium case will be available for the iPAQ 4700 and 6300, Dell Axim x50 line, Treo 600/650, XDA IIs, iPod mini, photo, and 4th Gen, and the Canon Powershot.

Firefly Mobile announced the Firefly phone has won the 2006 CES Innovation Award, presented by the Consumer Electronics Association and the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show. The Best of Innovations Awards are given to the most highly honored products in all facets of the consumer technology industry. Firefly Mobile is proud to announce it has been honored with the Best of Innovations Award in the category of telephones. This year, more than 1,000 entries from over 160 companies were evaluated based on innovation, value, aesthetics, and contribution to the quality of life.

TCPMP (The Core Pocket Media Player) has been updated to version 0.70. The update features a large number of bug fixes and some new features. TCPMP is a free and open source video and media player supporting Mpeg, Divx, Xvid, H.264, MP3, and ogg formats. This new version also includes support for enhanced podcasts.

Strategy Analytics has released its latest converged device benchmark report, which concludes that the Palm Treo 650 is the highest-rated converged device in the USA, narrowly edging the Samsung i730 into second place and also beating the UTStarcom PPC6600 and Blackberry 7100. These results come from hands-on consumer testing by the Strategy Analytics Advanced Wireless User Panel. The Palm Treo 650 achieved “Best in Class” status based upon superior menu systems and UI, display, style and design.

Italian start-up Zanetti Studio is preparing a new photo printer, called Speekysmart, that imprints a magnetic strip to the side of a piece of paper or photograph. The recordable tape, which the company named Speakpaper, can capture a few seconds of conversation or music recorded at the moment the photo was taken. Though the company has been developing Speakpaper for several years, the Speekysmart printer is not yet on the market.

As consumers and businesses adopt increasing numbers of wireless devices and begin accessing more powerful applications available from mobile operators, experts contend that security issues related to the technologies will proliferate. According to a group of panelists gathered Wednesday for the Ziff Davis Wireless Solutions Virtual Tradeshow 2005, as mobile devices become more widely used and take on increasingly sophisticated applications, they will likely be faced with the same raft of security threats that have plagued their PC brethren. From corporate workers who unknowingly expose their companies to attacks by accessing unprotected wireless networks, to consumers that broadcast their location and device information via Bluetooth-capable phones, the industry experts agreed that the battle against mobile threats is only beginning.

First, let’s be clear. This video has some very, very foul language. It is wildly unsafe for work. If you can’t handle foul language outloud, don’t watch the video. And, surprising, it is relevant to our coverage. Go figure.

Our friends at SCOTTEVEST have created a silly iPod video spoof promoting their tech enabled clothing. Our Editor-in-Chief found the construction quality high and the design frustrating (pockets open on the top and bottom, so his fancy gadgets drop to the floor all the time — he no longer wears his). On the other hand, our reviewer loved the product and gave it a five-out-of-five review. Watch the video and you can decide.

Boxwave’s Armor Case for Palm LifeDrive is a form-fitting, trendy aluminum case that is designed to fit your handheld perfectly. It’s exterior is made of anodized aluminum that is strong yet lightweight while the interior is padded with a layer of foam for optimal security. While the Armor Case works to protect your handheld, it’s accessible openings give quick access to your stylus, memory slot, headphone jack, IR port, and charging/synchronization port.

The Boxwave Designio Leather Case is a slim and soft leather case that is custom fitted for your Samsung i730. It is hand-crafted from fine, premium-grade leather that is still soft and smooth too the touch. The leather is durable and protects your Samsung i730 from bumps, hard knocks, and everyday wear and tear. The Designio Leather Case is designed with one built-in SD card holder, a secure magnetic snap closure, and a high quality, detachable belt clip.