HP announced a new Android-powered netbook computer at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona. The device is called the Compaq Airlife 100. It is powered by Android 1.6 operating system and sports a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU. Its 10.1-inch display is touch sensitive, and the netbook features both WiFi and 3G connectivity and includes a 16GB solid state drive for internal storage. The Airlife 100 will be offered initially with Telefonica though no price has been disclosed yet.

Pharos unveiled the first ever rugged PDA to be powered by Windows Mobile 6.5. Tagged as the 565, the gadget measures 144mm x 53.3mm x 25.4mm (5.7in x 2.1in x 1in) and comes with a complete QWERTY keyboard. It also carries a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 QVGA resolution display, a Marvell PXA210 624MHz processor, 512MB of flash ROM, an “ultra sensitive” GPS, IrDA, RAW IR/SIR, WiFi, and Bluetooth. The Pharos 565 is shock proof up to a height of 4-5 feet. It is now available now for $529.95.

Broadcom has just announced the BCM21553. The device is a 65nm HSPA chipset that enables manufacturers to produce low cost Android and Windows Mobile smartphones. The BCM21553 features an ARM11 processor and will support download speeds up to 7.2Mbps and upload speeds to 5.8Mbps. It also has its own graphics core for 3D rendering and support for 8 megapixel cameras. The BCM21553 uses Broadcom’s innovative BCM2091 RF transceiver which Broadcom says is the smallest HSPA transceiver intended for a low cost 65nm process.

Stephen Colbert flaunted his iPad last Grammy’s. The iPad is a tablet computer developed by Apple Inc. It will feature multi-touch interaction with print, video, photo, and audio multimedia, internet browsing, and will run apps designed specifically for the iPad as well as most iPhone OS apps. The device will have an LED-backlit 9.7-inch (25 cm) colour LCD display and use a virtual keyboard for text input.

Aliph has just launched the ICON, the latest version of its Jawbone Bluetooth headset. The gadget weighs 8g (0.2oz) and offers 4.5 hours of talk time, supports Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and has a range of over 33 feet. It comes with distinctive features like MyTALK AudioApps for customizing the language of the default voice, MyTALK Dial Apps for voice-to-SMS and free directory assistance, synchronized multi-point support for switching among two phones. The ICON headsets are available in six branded colors: The Hero, The Rogue, The Thinker, The Ace, The Bombshell, and The Catch. They are available at Verizon Wireless stores for $99.99.