We don't expect this to be indicative of any near-term projects for the now financially hindered phone maker, but one of Sony Ericsson's recently unearthed patents paves the way for some interesting uses. From what we gather, while listening to music on your device, a picture of your face would be taken. That image would then be run through software that interprets your mood, and an appropriate next song based on those emotions would be picked -- so much for the art of mixtapes. Presumably, it'd also require a phone or device with a camera mounted on the same side as the screen, so unless mobile video conferencing takes off in a huge way, we can't see people paying extra for a phone or device with this configuration. And if you just got dumped over SMS, we hope it doesn't intepret those tears as a good time to play that Damien Rice song you two fell in love with. Hit up the read link for the full patent details.

[Via Slash Gear]

It seems everybody is doing it (well, at least Apple): sprinkle a bit of cellular radio in your DAP and presto, you're equipped with a replacement for your cellphone that likely already had those features albeit with a bit less storage space. Microsoft's patent application -- filed June 16th of last year -- is for a dynamic tiled interface for "improved user interface for mobile devices such as smartphones" and "personal digital assistants." The pic shows pretty much all the things you would expect on a PDA (but where is the dialer icon?) including music, weather tools, browser, flying saucer control (or is that a ship?), and, of course, a doggy. We kinda dig the concept of a tiled interface -- and who knows, if true, this may just give the Zune a better whack at the oncoming iPhone behemoth.

[Via Mad4MobilePhones]

Although this review of the new Nokia N95 is labeled as a first impression, all the scuttlebutt was fleshed out (well, most of it) and the N95's guts were examined with clarity and precision. Thinking of picking one up? Take a look over at AllAboutSymbian. The nerdy details on the N95 are pretty decent -- but is it a smartphone? A digicam? A DAP? A....keypad? Just what is this thing, or is it everything? Well, we know it's a Symbian S60 (3rd Ed.) smartphone that sports dual-slider action (keyboard and music controls) and looks pretty chunky svelte for what's under the hood; but Nokia, what is up with those apparently-stringy earbuds? Is that rubber casing on the wires? We prefer the non-gangy set o'phones please. Let's hit up the good based on AAS's touchy-feely on the N95 -- very good-sounding stereo speakers built into the sides, a diet form factor compared to previous N-series units, every wire-free connectivity option you could ever need, and a 5 Megapixel cam with Zeiss optics and even VGA video capture -- what's not to love? AAS's overall impression of this unit is very good -- all the way to how the keypad looks and feels (ridgy and tactile). Need we say more?

While there are plenty of all-in-one DAP/PMP/gaming units out in the Chinese market, the V191 takes it to another level by tossing in phone functionality and a PSP-styled enclosure to boot. A very likely candidate for Keepin' it real fake, this handheld device comes in a tad shorter than the tried and true PSP, and replaces the unmistakable "PSP" logo with "FUN." While details on this dodgy unit are far and few between, it apparently accepts any SIM card for mobile use, sports a 1.3-megapixel camera, supports MP4 / MP3 playback, and even boasts a gaming function for a bit of 8-bit reminiscing while on the go. You can store your tunes, movies, and homebrew apps on the included 256MB microSD card, or toss in a larger one for those extra lengthy trips. Assuming you can find one, the V191 is reportedly going for a whopping HK$5400 ($695) overseas.

[Via Akihabara News]