the mobile experience

My Thoughts on RIM BlackBerry...

2012-01-23T23:43:00.000-05:00

The news of Research in Motion’s Co-CEOs/Co-Founders stepping down shook the Mobile Industry a little bit today. Although not surprised, it is still a sad day for mobile enthusiasts because of what BlackBerry has done for the smartphone industry. This blog post is my point-of-view on how BlackBerry came about; it’s strictly my view as a consumer/mobile geek. There is probably a lot more depth to the situation but again, here is my simple view:

BlackBerry’s gradual decline in market share started a few years ago; anyone who’s following the stock market or reading gadget news can tell you the basic story, that iPhones and Android devices eventually took it’s lunch money. While it is easy to put RIM’s outcome along with the likes of Palm, Nokia and Motorola, there is something more profound about BlackBerry devices and how it got here.

In 2004, when I first took notice of the potential of smartphones, I looked into early Windows Mobile devices. At the time, an HP iPaq 6315, caught my attention, it had early makings of an awesome smartphone even by 2012 standard (WiFi/GPRS, supports MS Office, Browser, Emails, Music, Videos, Expandable Storage, Apps, etc.); however, there was one problem… it was so buggy that even the store rep recommended against selling it to me. That is when I first noticed BlackBerry as an alternative. I have seen BlackBerry devices prior, but it was mostly in hands of the senior managers at my work and looked like an oversized two-way pager with a monochrome LCD and you can’t make phone calls. When I realized there were consumer level BBs with color LCD, I went for it, a BlackBerry 7100t on T-Mobile Network. It was one of the first color screen BlackBerry with a smaller SureType keyboard. It was good at sending/receiving text emails and I got most out of it by hosting my own mobile(WAP) bookmark webpage to make browsing bearable. RIM at this point, is really enjoying its business model as an email device.

For years after that, BlackBerry continued to leverage its email capabilities and slowly rolled out desirable features supporting music, videos, camera, 3G, Bluetooth and eventually WiFi. Although these features were available, it’s hardly user friendly. But who cares? People would continue to buy BlackBerry devices for it’s amazing push email technology. As a result, it continued to gain market share and eat Windows Mobile’s lunch; even pre-iPhone fan-boys had to give up their beloved Palm Treos to get a BlackBerry since having reliable push email service was the in-thing. RIM continued to enjoy it’s success as a leading mobile email device maker.

As RIM continued gaining popularity from its Email capabilities and completely penetrating itself into all levels of corporate IT departments, professionals relied on BlackBerry for work and some even bought them as personal devices due to its association with the professional world (ie. owning a BlackBerry can be seen as a power status or being; this effect then became global, making its way into hands of youth and housewives). It seemed like RIM didn’t feel like there is a need to innovate beyond what it has to offer; after all, why bother? On one hand, they’ve got the corporate email / IT department nailed down, on the other hand, they’ve got a decent ramp up in the consumer market, why mess up a good thing?

Then, suddenly, Apple disrupted the market with the introduction of the original iPhone in 2007. For years, smartphone users have adapted to the limitations of small screens and have decided that for anything beyond emails, we should wait until we can get in front of a computer to complete that task. The iPhone changed that drastically. It’s advanced touch screen and useful application icons means you can make the first leap of faith into a computer-less world (and get rid of the stylus or physical keyboard). With a full HTML browser and ‘pretty-good’ email support, consumers started to realize the once promising idea of a smartphone is now a possibility, reality. At this point, my guess is that RIM must have taken notice and some plan to react is being devised. But it was still enjoying it’s success as the device of choice for email and sales from corporate IT department continued to fuel it’s focus as a professional email device; still, at the time that no other email device can match.

In the 5 years after that (2007-2011), we have experienced an exponential growth in mobile technology. Countless iterations of iPhones and Android devices arrived to the scene. Microsoft’s deep pocket is also tossing a series of new Windows Phone 7 devices into the mix. Even Palm stir the pot further with a short-lived WebOS smartphones. Consumers were inundated with more robust mobile operating systems and demanded high resolution screens, multi-media experience, full internet browsers, thousands of small but robust mobile applications to fuel their starving need to become 4G wirelessly connected. Email capability has now become one of the many features required. People wanted one device that does it all. Despite BlackBerry's late attempt in bringing in advanced hardware (Storm, Bold, Torch) and software (BS 6.0 in 2010, BS 7.0 in 2011) to the market, it was simply too late. Apple and Google’s network externality effect has already reached to some level of maturity.

Whats to come of RIM in the coming years? It’s going to be very difficult to compete at the same level as Apple and Android devices; after all, it tried already via BS 7.0 devices and consumers are too sticky to the current players. As far as the US market goes, there should still be a decent size corporate market that refuses to upgrade beyond its BES servers/licensing. RIM should be able to continue to service those accounts. There might be some opportunities for the international markets. There might be some opportunities to license its BES software/technology to work better with iPhone or Android. The mobile industry has seen some serious partnerships or merger in the past couple of years. HP purchased Palm, Nokia and Microsoft partnership and Motorola’s move to support Android OS and finally Google’s acquisition of Motorola. A merger could be a potential solution for them as well.

To me, RIM’s strategy has always been a mobile email device and it has delivered as such. Throughout the years, they added some bells and whistles to its mobile devices but the integration was poorly executed until much later. I have used a couple of BlackBerry devices in the early days but soon gave it up and eventually switched into a WM6 device, proceeded by a Symbian OS device, iOS, Android and finally iOS 4.0+. While I am not surprised by today’s news, as a mobile fanatic, I am sadden by this news. RIM has been along the way of my own development as a Mobile professional and I do hope the company find it’s way back for the many years to come.

Samsung Galaxy Note Commercial

2012-01-03T04:21:00.002-05:00

I saw this ad blasted throughout Asia over the holidays, looks very creative, serving the type of mobile experience that got me started:

Custom QR Codes

2011-09-28T17:10:00.003-04:00

I have been noticing more and more large brand retailers launch customized QR Code campaigns with an embedded graphic. It's definitely slick from a brand marketing and mobile marketing standpoint. So how do they do it? I did some research and here is what I found (Link, excellent article with lots of samples).

In short, the way it works is that QR codes have up to 30% of error correction built in. Essentially, a graphic artist would have to overlay the branding element and try to match as many pixel as possible. It sounds like intense labor but given the high % in error correction, it seems like it isn't all that difficult. I used GIMP to play around with a QR Code and it worked just fine!

Review: Targus Versavu Wireless Keyboard and Case for iPad2

2011-08-27T15:51:00.002-04:00

The nice folks at Targus sent me a review unit of their latest Versavu Keyboard (the pronunciation is a mouthful) for a quick review. I gotta admit, at the beginning, I wasn't entirely convinced the whole protective case slash bluetooth keyboard thing. That is until I hooked up my wife's iPad 2 to it and then it hit me. Having a wireless keyboard for your iPad is really NICE!

For me, it feels like my experience typing on the iPad has always had an invisible brake applied and typing with a bluetooth keyboard gives me back the missing speed that I have always craved. I can officially leverage the iPad 2 as a serious business machine taking notes with confidence during meetings or business conferences. In fact, to prove my point, this blog post is drafted entirely on the same iPad 2 and it feels so good!

Lets get right to my break down of Pros and Cons:
Pros:
* You can type so much faster now, it's really the point
* The case itself is very sturdy and well made
* iPad2 fits snuggly in the holder, rotates into landscape and portrait mode
* Lots of shortcut keys like "Home", "Play/Pause", "Keyboard", "Volume Up/Down" and etc...
* Stylus Holder

Cons: (To be totally fair, the cons are a function of small footprint, I can't fault Targus)
* Hefty, when closed, the thickness and weight exceeds MacBook Air
* The Keyboard is small, which is fine, but some of the buttons have been shifted
* ie. The "colon" key is removed and works as a function shift key
* Disconnected Experience: Again, not Targus fault, in fact its because the kit is so well-integrated that it kept making think that my iPad2 is a laptop, so I was expecting some additional linked like using the keyboard to adjust brightness or searching for a trackpad
* Lack of Battery Guage indicator

Overall, I really enjoyed this product. The keyboard is designed specifically for the iPad2 and I feel like my productivity instantly increased. While the thickness and weight is a little heavy, it does offer more productivity for the good ole' iPad2. I would have appreciated some backlite to the keyboard but I understand it would likely drain the battery much longer. Not having battery life gauge like some of my bluetooth headsets makes it a guess work to know how much juice is left.

How to Score a $99 HP Touchpad!

2011-08-21T07:45:00.005-04:00

(UPDDATE: 8:37AM - In less than an hour, both 16GB and 32GB versions of HP TouchPad was sold out online at BestBuy.com. That was quick! Now lets keep the fingers crossed for actual shipment)
Yesterday's breaking news of HP dropping the development of TouchPad and it's pricing to $99 was EPIC in gadget news; at $99, you will get a fairly decent Tablet device with a front webcam for Video-VOIP and basic internet utilities is a pretty sweet deal for anyone. Right away, brick&mortar stores that lowered it's price cleared out all of its inventories. Saturday (8/20) evening, Best Buy decided to lower it's in-store pricing while making the TouchPad unavailable for a few hours online. Apparently, as of early this morning, TouchPad can now be purchased directly on BestBuy.com. So you now have two choices to buy:

1. Purchase Directly on BestBuy.com (link).
$99 for a 16GB Unit. (was $399, original price was $499)
$149 for a 32GB Unit. (was $499, original price was $599)

2. If the web is out of stock, here is another trick. Leverage Google's "In-stock Nearby" function on Google Product Search to give you an idea which physical store nearby has the new attractive pricing.

Skype Video Enabled for a Few Android Phones

2011-08-04T17:27:00.001-04:00

It's about time! On behalf of the mobile community, I welcome Skype Video for Android devices in the year 2011. Currently, the following phones are supported for sure: Acer A5, HTC Desire (2.2), HTC Desire HD, HTC Evo 3D, HTC Evo 4G, HTC Flyer, HTC Incredible S, HTC Sensation, HTC Thunderbolt - Verizon (2.2) (US only), LG Revolution - Verizon (2.2) (US only), Samsung Droid Charge - Verizon (2.2) (US only), Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Sony Ericsson Xperia mini pro, Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY, Sony Ericsson Xperia ray. If your phone is not on the list, don't fret! If you are running Froyo (ver. 2.2 or higher), chances are, you can still have it enabled. Checkout the official blog entry for details.
In truth, I am sure the OS fragmentation must be a total pain in the butt. Although I'm not sure why companies like TANGO never had such issue.

Review: Griffin Elan Folio for iPad 2

2011-07-18T06:48:00.001-04:00

The Elan Folio has always been a favorite case design of mine for the original iPad (see old review here). When Griffin launched an update for the iPad 2, I wanted to see if they've made any improvements over the last. Overall the Folio case for iPad 2 is nearly identical to the original Folio for the iPad. It's the same level of snugness, solid protection, flexibility as a two-way stand as the original with a minor enhancement of having only one tab which is easier to set it up as a stand and obviously, proper cut outs for iPad2's rear camera. It is also available in real leather for anyone looking for the ultimate luxury for their beloved iPad 2. Price for the polyurethane one starts at $49 while the leather version is $69. I still have the same feedback for improvment which is to add a inside pocket of some sort in the flap which will allows for business users to wedge in some small notes, receipts or business cards with ease.

Geico: Do People With Smartphones do Dumb Things?

2011-07-13T09:20:00.002-04:00

Very funny commericial!

Internet is getting "Cloudy"

2011-06-21T23:01:00.001-04:00

Amazon Cloud Drive, Google Music Beta (Cloud), Apple iCloud are the buzz words from the recent weeks. In short, these are attempts made by each of the three tech titans to free you from your plebeian PCs and home servers allowing you to move your content (mostly music) to "cloud" servers hosted and maintained by them.

The idea is simple, upload your music (and other content like contacts, emails, photos in the case for Apple iCloud) and you can get access to said content from anywhere as long as you have internet connection.

Amazon's Cloud Drive and Google Music Beta offers good integration with Android for now and the upcoming iCloud is going to be integrated with iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch's iOS 5.0. In terms of capacity, Amazon's Cloud Drive is free up to 5GB (limited time offer provides a free upgrade to 20GB for 1 year and automatically downgrades if you don't want to pay the $20/year fee thereafter) while Google's Music Beta limits to 20,000 songs (no more than 320kpbs sound quality) and Apple iCloud is capping out at 5GB for it's free account.

In terms of playback the content you have uploaded, Amazon and Google offers some what of a streaming/caching service versus Apple's approach of wireless download the content to your phone. As far as uploading your content to the cloud, most of the offers some type of upload application for Mac and PC (Amazon Uploader, Google Uploader) so you can quickly transfer your music from your local storage; I presume Apple will make iTunes function as an uploader upon release. Amazon MP3 Music Store and Apple iTunes also offers direct transfer if you purchase music from them. Whats crazy is that Google even offers some free songs to be added to the account during setup (I would add as much as you can since I could not figure out how to add more after initial setup, see reference).

Bottom line: Cloud storage is the future; local storage is a thing of the past. Most techy nerds will still want to hang on to terabytes of storage at home for bragging rights and being a control freak, I don't blame them. However, the future of computing is all about having the flexibility of accessing your data and content on the fly without having to worry about maintaining the connection or security of your own server. Music seems to be the overarching theme that initiates the cloud conversation. Regardless of content type, it appears every tech titan is coming after cloud storage solution. Ever since the introduction of Gmail account, Google have successfully entered the non-music based cloud services (Picasa for Photos, YouTube for Videos, Email/Contacts/Calendar/Docs, IM/VOIP). From my viewpoint, Google's integration with Music beta will further secure it's inevitable future dominance of the mobile marketshare via Android or Chrome OS. Where Apple and Amazon have advantage is its network externality of its music stores. Regardless, the cloud race is now officially on!

iPhone 4 Batterry Life Drains Quickly Lately

2011-06-21T08:49:00.001-04:00

Recently, I have noticed my iPhone 4's battery life is much shorter than usual. Before I get to work, it's down to 80% from a full charge. Two weeks ago while I was away at a poorer reception area, the phone completely discharged overnight. I think something ain't right from the latest build of iOS 4.3.3.

Sent from my iPhone

Does GPS Work in the Ocean?

2011-06-12T15:15:00.002-04:00

Yes it does... I took this screenshot on a Ferry today. Kinda neat to see the bluedot in the middle of ocean.

Review: Otterbox Defender Case for iPad2

2011-06-11T21:29:00.003-04:00

I have always been serious when I said Otterbox Cases are tough, but when I received the new Defender case for the iPad2, I got a real good taste of what toughness is about. The Defender case for iPad 2 is insanely tough. It's so tough that it has 4 components and when all is said and done, this bad boy is about an inch thick when properly installed.

I don't know how to best describe the defender case, other then the fact that if you have it installed, your precious iPad 2 is pretty much protected from just about anything you can throw at it. As expected, there are plenty of cutouts and access to the ports and buttons throughout that is precisely molded. If you expect to dock your iPad2 in this case, look the other way. Because there are four components for installation, the setup can be a little tricky at first, but it all comes together with a little common sense. Where I got a little struggle is applying the 3rd layer (the rubber cover) where the lip of the cover tucks into the plastic frame; but it only took me about 5 minutes to attach in full.

The Defender series case from Otterbox have always been known as the toughest case around; for the iPad 2, they have really taken it to a whole new level of protection. Of course, such protection comes at the expense of some increased thickness which might be difficult for the typical iPad 2 fanboys since it somewhat defeats the appeal of having a thin device.

Google Mobile Web Tab Design

2011-06-07T17:11:00.000-04:00

Wow, Google just keeps on enhancing its mobile webpage design and functionality for the better. Last week I posted a screenshot of the new Weather Widget that is web based; today I stumbled across a new design that expands if you pull the screen downwards. Their mobile web UI designer really understands their offering as well as user behavior.

If you are working in the mobile field, you must study Google's mobile design closely; I certainly am.

Banking with Mobile: Check Deposit App Gets Popular

2011-06-07T07:32:00.002-04:00

Chase Bank came out with a mobile app QuickDeposit feature (take a picture to deposit a check) last year, I am not sure if they were the first but they have certainly started a mobile banking revolution. I have always thought this feature as one of the finest examples in creating the perfect mobile experience. Looks like a number of folks like Charles Schwab, State Farm Bank and Paypal are also joining the party.

Here is a quick round-up of each bank's mobile deposit limits:

Chase: QuickDeposit (Android / iPhone) $1000/Day, $3000/Month (Link)
Schwab: Mobile Deposit (Android / iPhone) (Link)
State Farm Bank: MyTime Deposit (Android, iPhone) (Link)
Paypal: $1000/Day, $3000/Month (Android / iPhone) (Link)

Free MP3s from Amazon

2011-06-06T22:12:00.002-04:00

Free MP3s... enough said: link here.

Google's Mobile Web Weather Widget is Well Done!

2011-05-31T21:08:00.002-04:00

At this point, I think Google's web programmers are probably the best when it comes to understanding mobile web development, almost every single web services offered by Google has some type of mobile equivalent (and well done at it). If you often search for weather on Google.com, you will notice a very well designed widget with an interactive slider to boot. As a mobile marketer/strategist... Google has always been used for my references.

CAP-LOCK FOR iOS DEVICES

2011-05-22T11:48:00.002-04:00

BlackBerry PlayBook blocked for Hulu.com

2011-04-21T14:28:00.000-04:00

In modern society where most companies are rushing to make their content/goodies available for mobile devices, Hulu apparently goes out of its way to block some mobile devices, in this case the BlackBerry Playbook. I am sure there is some monetary reason behind all of this but from an ad-viewing audience standpoint, this move stinks. How do they draw a line between the Playbook Tablet versus a Netbook with similar screensize? Is the basis here OS? What if someone were to port a Playbook OS to a Netbook (a hardware that is arguably less mobile), will such blockage still make sense?

In the internet age, streaming media is a fiercely competitive business. All I know is that some companies like Netflix put its streaming services on various mobile devices and set top boxes while others like Hulu run the other way. (Shaking my head in disblief)

Review: Griffin PowerDock Dual

2011-04-18T22:05:00.004-04:00

Griffin, the maker of the popular Powerdock 2 and Powerdock 4 charging station came out with another innovative solution to charge multiple devices at one time, including your iPad or iPad 2. Dubbed the PowerDock Dual(MSRP $59), is the latest creation that combines a desktop valet, iPhone/iPod and iPad charger in one. Conceptually, this may sound like a "big" solution but in reality, this charging station has a relatively small footprint since Griffin designed it with an L-shape in mind.

The PowerDock Dual, much like its relative Powerdock series, gives generous spaces to the charging dock so that iPhone or iPods of different generation can fit (with or without a case), I love this feature! There are some plastic inserts can help you stablize the front and back of the charging cradle, in my scenerio, I only affix the back support which gives me more room to charge my iPad2 with the magic cover attached. The valet is nice as it can hold your small belongings (ie. pens, cufflinks or keys).
With the PowerDock Dual coupled with the original PowerDock4 was really handy around my household. Over the past weekend, we've had a few guests visiting, there were no less than 5 iPhones, 1 iPod Touch, 2 iPads at once... everyone was happy and their devices were charged, at the same time!

Review: Griffin Elan Folio Slim for iPad 2

2011-04-03T16:37:00.002-04:00

Now that the iPad 2 has been released for almost a month, the accessories makers are finally putting out some cases to offer protection and add functionality to your beloved iPad 2. I typically prefer a folio style case just because it protects all sides and some provide a stand-like feature. Griffin's Elan Folio Slim for iPad 2 is a good candidate for me. Elan Folio Slim as its name has suggested is a very thin case which is good because Apple went out of its way making the new iPad 2 thinner so it's best that you keep the cover slim as well. There are proper cutouts for all the switchs/buttons/cameras/dock connector. Elan Folio Slim can be folded into a stand with two positions but both are limited to landscape stance (sometimes having portrait stand is better).

Elan Folio Slim is made of a faux-leather material with lighter color threads stitched giving it a sporty look. The inside cover has a felt like finish keeping your screen from being scratched

Overall, the Elan Folio Slim case works as promised, a lightweight, low profile folio that protects your iPad 2 and looks very professional while doing so. To perfect this folio, Griffin should add in a pocket or two for business users (keep business cards or loose notes handy).

Review: Otterbox Reflex Series for iPhone 4

2011-03-28T14:50:00.001-04:00

Otterbox needs no introduction for its toughness and protection for your beloved gadgets. Their latest entry is the "Reflex" series to protect the lovely iPhone 4. Unlike the traditional Otterbox protection which can have up to 3 or 4 components, this one is fairly minimal with a 2-pc. design. The 2 pieces are composed of two hard plastic halves that slides towards the center locking the iPhone 4 in place. I believe Otterbox did this to allow people quickly remove the bottom half so they can dock their iPhone 4. There is a small flaw here since the case is fairly precise, if you affix the screen protector that came with the case, the constant sliding on and off of case may cause the screen protector to peel away from the edges.

Once applied, the Reflex case is as sturdy as what you'd expect from Otterbox without the usual Otterbox bulk. While the case does add a little heft to the iPhone, I still find it bearable. The backside of the case has small strips of rubber fused into the case which I assume its for added traction (keep case from slipping in and out of pocket). Personally, I would have preferred slightly more traction on its sides so the case can be picked up easier from a desktop.

Overall, the Reflex case (MSRP: $45) from Otterbox is a pretty good choice for those looking for ample protection without the bulk. The package comes with the case and a screen protection kit. Otterbox offers up to 4 color combinations to choose from.

Hemispheres Magazine Free on iPad

2011-03-27T16:30:00.000-04:00

One of the most convenient things to do on an iPad is to use it as a reading device; I have personally transitioned my reading from a laptop to iPad. While Google Reader and a few news apps are indispensable, I have been rather disappointed with Magazines in general largely because the controlling interest of major publishers all want to charge you the same subscription fee as you would with print... makes little sense to me.

I was able to find a few magazines for free including the Hemispheres Magazine brought to you by United and Continental Airlines. I can add one more leisure reading material to my iPad... sweet!

Solution to iPhone "Reply-To" or "Sent From" Email Address

2011-03-21T20:48:00.004-04:00

I don't know why Apple makes setting "reply to" email address so difficult (and I remembered it being much easier in earlier versions of the iOS) but it seems like Apple doesn't really want you to set this up. A typical email client will allow you to setup a different email address as a "reply-to" email address from the real email address/account, but this feature appears to be missing from the iPhone. I finally was able figure out how this can be done in a two part step. Note that this instruction involves Gmail as the email account I'm using (but I think it can be done via other email systems).

Step 1: Setup your Gmail on your iPhone as "Other"
Your iPhone email client gives you several options to setup your gmail account; most people use the native Gmail presetting or Exchange method if they want to have push-email. Here are the exact steps (must follow every step!):
1. Settings>Mail, Contacts, Calendar>Add Account
2. Choose "Other"
3. Choose "Add Mail Account"
4. Fill in "Name" (it can be anything you want)
5. Fill in "Address" (use your Gmail Email, for now)
6. Fill in "Password" (matching Gmail password)
7. Fill in "Description" (this is just a label for this email account for reference)
8. Hit "Next" and allow system to validate
9. In the next screen, iPhone will prompt you options to setup Incoming and Outgoing Mail Servers (both are required, even if it says optional, this is whats going to be referenced for later step)
10. Add Incoming Mail Server (imap.gmail.com), Add User Name (same as step 5), Add Password
11. Add Outgoing Mail Server (smtp.gmail.com), Add User Name (same as step 5), Add Password
(If you are using Google Apps to host your domain and email, you have to enable SSL and select Port 465 instead of using the Non-SSL and default port of 587)
12. Hit "Next" and if everything checks out, Hit "Save"
13. Hit Home button to take you out of the settings Men
14. Settings>Mail, Contacts, Calendar> and choose the account you just setup
15. Select the Account again to edit the settings of said account, this is where you would change the "Address" field to a different "Reply To" or "Sent From" email address you desire
16. Hit "Done" when you are done

Step 2: Enable Gmail to "Send Mail From Another Address"
This step is needed or required by Gmail to ensure that you are not just pretending to send out a bunch of emails like you are someone else (like pretending you are your boss or Bill Gates). Gmail offers a good step by step instruction here. In short, once you login to your account, go to the upper right hand corner and go to "Mail Settings". Go to the 3rd tab "Accounts and Import" and go to the 3rd section "Send mail as". Gmail would walk you through a couple of more steps to validate that you have the rights to the said email.

Once both steps are fulfilled, you should be able to respond to the email account with a different reply to email address. It's a few steps but this is the much needed missing options for the iPhone folks.

Pricing Strategy is Key for non-iPad Tablets Survival

2011-03-17T21:33:00.002-04:00

Prior to writing this entry, several headlines popped into my head, some of other runner-ups are:

How other Tablets can compete in the iPad 2 World?

Non-iPad Tablet Survival Guide

Why Motorola and Samsung Doesn't Get Apple

The purpose of this entry is not meant to take jabs at other tablet makers, it's more of a realization as I was looking in the market for iPad alternatives or the lack of. Apple is known to produce "premium" gadgetry and their loyal fan base understand that there is a hefty Apple design and premium "tax" involved when paying for Apple goods (iPad, iPhone, MacBook, etc...), and they are willing to pay for the price at Apple's asking price because its the "in" thing. While I appreciate Samsung (Galaxy Tab MSRP: $749) and Motorola (Xoom MSRP $799) attempting to create for their version of high performance and top quality gadget specs., their pricing strategy is simply too expensive; if a consumer has the financial means to afford goods in this premium category, my guess is that they'd rather buy the iPad2 instead. This is not to say that the Galaxy Tab or Xoom is not as good as the iPad2, but I venture that if they are already paying for the premium price, they might as well go after the one everyone lusts after.

Without knowing the cost and margin of these Android-based tablets, its easy for me to say if they lower their prices by atleast $100 below the lowest costing iPad 2 ($499), one would expect a stream of cost-conscious consumers trickling in. From a conversation I've had with a co-worker who is willing to buy a couple of tablets for his kids for entertainment/education/road trips, he simply cannot justify the Apple premium since his kids are still in grade school and probably will not take care of a $500 tablet as they should. If there are respectable Android-based tablets at $300 range, my co-worker would be willing to buy them... as it stands, he's only option is to hack a $250 Nook into a full on Android Tablet which is kind of ridiculous. I think there is a tremendous opportunity for competition to create $200 to $400 tablets (much like the "netbook" craze).

NY Waterway Web Chat worked on Mobile

2011-03-12T12:31:00.003-05:00

On my iPhone 4 at least...

I took a 12:00n Ferry from Hoboken into Manhattan, as part of their free service, you can jump on any number of cross town buses upon arrival. On weekdays, these bus runs very frequently, but this is the first time I am taking it on a weekend.

Having sat in an empty bus with 3 passengers for 10 minutes, I pulled up their website for a weekend bus schedule, and was prompted a chat agent for Q&A. Surprisingly, the chat function worked fairly well on my iPhone's mobile Safari. It would have been sweet if they had a mobile friendly web page with this functionality enabled or even if they simply redesigned the chat box with more of a portrait box which would fit all mobile devices better.

Long story short, the support agent was able to confirm that my bus will depart at 12:30 on weekends... So I decided to blog about it to kill the time. Overall, I'm not all that happy about the wait but given support and clarity while sitting here makes it more bearable. (next question, it's now 12:31, where is the bus driver?)

My Quick Impression on the iPad 2

2011-03-11T20:09:00.001-05:00

With all the rage and buzz taking place throughout the day with regards to the iPad 2 launch event and the insane number of people getting in line to buy an iPad 2, I was surprised how easy and mellow for me to find the one I want in a nearby store and walked out within 20 minutes. Nearby my office, there is a Walmart. I kinda figured if I might be able to find one here during launch day. At 5:15PM (15min after its official launch), I walked in, asked for the store associate for one, a manager pulled out a stack of remaining iPad inventory sticker and found a sticker for the 64GB White WiFi edition that I was looking for. I then waited in line for approx. 15 minutes, paid for it and walked out. Pretty glad I do not have to wait hours in line (or in rain in NYC) for that.

My first, raw, impression of the iPad 2 is that it is "slightly" better. Aside from the front camera for video conference (unsure why the rear camera is necessary), everything else is marginal. The dual core A5 CPU is nice but I have yet to be able to tell the performance differentiation (perhaps not until much later iOS upgrade). The thinness and weight savings is nice but not that noticeable. I was pleasantly surprised (and happy) to find out that it will fit inside most of the folio style cases (while not the most snug fit), will be able to provide sufficient protection until my real protective case arrives. (Pictured is the iPad 2 inside a Griffin Elan Passport Case for my original iPad, my review here)

iPad 2 (What it Should've Been!)

2011-03-10T23:16:00.001-05:00

So the iPad 2 is finally here. Apple tweaked its internal hardware some and finally gave us the Cameras that was badly missing (Front-Cam is nice, but not sure why the rear cam, oh well). The new iPad 2 will be smaller than its predecessor. This time around, the App market is ready for its reception (as oppose the original iPad barely had anything). This time around, I actually think its worth it. It can almost double up as your laptop for short trips. My remaining gripe is the lack of external SD Card slots (for file transfer, downloading pictures from your SLR, etc...) and lack of a file management system in the OS so you can run/modify full on MS office files (like excel reporting, etc...).

Redbox DVD Rental Integrates with Convenient Mobile Solution

2011-02-16T07:33:00.001-05:00

Did you know that the Redbox $1 DVD rental kiosks in front of your Grocery Store (You know, the one next to the other Green Coinstar kiosk) is actually owned by Coinstar? Did you also know that Redbox DVD rental service has evolved to a point where you can identify the location of a movie in a nearby Redbox and even reserve them online so that you can pick it up on your way home or to the Grocery store?

What is even more impressive is its mobile-app integration allowing customers to find a title by location and reserve and pay for it via mobile on the go. Redbox App is now available on Android devices and iPhone giving customers access to real-time inventory to over 26,000+ Redbox locations. The company took a basic kiosk-based solution and have taken it to new heights with a very strong internet/mobile integration. It makes total sense and just seems like the smart thing to do. Kudos to Coinstar!

PS. Last bit of fact, Did you know Redbox DVD rental takes coupons? You can sometimes find them on coupon sites for a free rental code.

Review: Cleverwraps Ringer Wraps Protection for Smartphones

2011-02-10T20:47:00.001-05:00

Picture this:
6AM, one December morning in 2010, light rain in the city. Destination: Catskills area for a Snowboarding day trip. My buddy Yann and I thought for a minute and decided to go for it… just incase its not raining up in the mountains. 2 hours later… the rain continues and was coming down even harder at Hunter. “Lets do it!” we said, and proceeded to gear up and went up the mountain. I kept my iPhone 4 in a mid-layer jacket pocket, covered by another layer of outer parka. Yann, kept his G-1(yes, I know, very dated device), in his exterior jacket pocket. After four runs, completely drenched, we found shelter at the resort cafeteria to assess the damage. Pants wet, Jacket soaked, Wallet is damp and my iPhone 4, being inside of another layer, stayed dry. Yann’s G1 on the other hand… had water leaking out of its mini USB port.

Just like that, a perfectly working (albeit outdated) smartphone is finished. Mother nature pwn’d it. In hindsight, we talked about bringing a Ziploc bag with us next time or leave the phones in the car. When the folks at Cleverwraps contacted me about a product called Ringerwrap, it immediately caught my attention. This story popped up in my head and immediately recognized the importance of such innovation. Ringerwraps come in 3 sizes: Small (for iPhone, iPod Touch), Medium (for vertical/flip phones), Large (for horizontal slider phones). It offers a low bulk solution to hostile environments like the snow, rain, beach, and muddy terrains not friendly for your gadget. At around $2 per sleeve, I think this is a no brainer. It would have saved Yann’s G1 for sure. I think everyone should consider keeping a couple of sleeves in their backpack for their next outdoor adventure.

Cleverwraps

Visa Brings NFC Contactless Payment to iPhones, adds Heft.

2011-02-01T09:34:00.000-05:00

It seems like VISA could not wait until the future generation of smartphones to get its paw around the NFC buzz, so it released a little dongle called iCarte for our European friends to attach to their iPhones (iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS/3G w/ iOS 3.1+) for contactless payment. Instead of going at it with a less "bulky" integration such as the use of NFC stickers as can be seen usedby Softbank and Bling Nation, VISA's solution is arguably more cumbersome (a. it assumes people will remember to bring it and attach it and b. it might be drawing power from iPhones battery).

I would have gone down the path of making a case with a slim batterypack and integrated NFC so it'd entice people to use it since it went from 1 function to 3 (NFC+Protection+Extended Battery)... Just a thought!

Source: Engadget via ComputerWorld

A Little Lesson I learned about QR Codes and Mobile Video

2011-01-27T19:01:00.001-05:00

2D Barcodes or QR Codes are all the rage. They are the trendy marketing gadget of 2010. For those unfamiliar, patterns of a QR code simply translates into a string of characters; there are no licensing required, much like the way you can generate a UPC code to represent a string of numbers without licensing. The lengthier the characters (up to 4,296), the more complicated the QR code becomes (hence the larger the QR Code needed for a better scan). For marketers, unlike a URL which is owned by the marketer, a QR code can't be owned... its just an alternate way to embed characters (and its benefit is to allow smartphones or devices to scan in the said characters set quicker than typing). Many marketers embed different messages or URLs into QR Codes when used as marketing material and many are using it to launch a short clip of video to add a rich media element to an otherwise plain print media (in magazines or billboards).

When I first played around Mobile QR / Video concept for work, I simply embedded a .MP4 video into a QR code. Then I got a little fancier by encoding the URL into a bit.ly shortner so my QR Code pattern is less complicated. I quickly ran into an issue with compatibility. It turns out, .MP4 is good with iPhones and late model Androids but older Androids or BlackBerry devices doesn't always render the video format. Thankfully, we work with a video platform provider and they've quickly come up with a solution for us. They've essentially created their own version of bit.ly URL for me to embed into the QR code, when a mobile device reaches that URL, their platform will detect the device and find the most common denominator of video format and serve it up. In some cases, they would even serve a YouTube clip given that majority of handhelds out there have a default YouTube app/player.

In short, if you are a marketer and starting to dabble in QR codes for Video and do not have the budget to pay for a video platform service provider for your ecommerce business, encoding a YouTube URL might be your best bet since it is free and most compatible. For those with deeper pockets, push your video platform providers to give you the ability to generate unique QR codes based on your marketing source (ie. different codes by print ads, or regions or stores, etc...).

How many Data Plans does one family need?

2011-01-17T19:59:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time, mobile device with internet data was a luxury reserved only for the upwardly mobile professionals. Internet on mobile was paid for by the KB and it was slow. Today, its not unusual to see young professionals rocking out a smartphone with unlimited data plan. In some cases, an individual might end up with two phones connected to internet data (business issued BlackBerry and personal iPhone). Housewives now rock smartphones with data plans as well as children as young as 7 years old.

This is pretty insane given that the network carriers are selling you the same internet to everybody without really the need to incur incremental expense. It is in their best interest to re-package their wireless data network and sell them to you as many times as possible. Below is an example of what a typical family might encounter:

1. Dad (at least one smartphone with data, possibly two if work issues a blackberry)
2. Mom (at least one smartphone with data, possibly two if work issues a blackberry)
3. Either spouse might have a work-issued Wireless Modem or Mobile Hotspot like MiFi)
4. A 3G iPad or Netbook with integrated wireless package/card
5. In-car mobile/data account like GM's OnStar, Mercedes mbrace or BMW's Assist
6. Children in grade school probably has a smartphone with data package and unlimited text plan

At one point, we had 5 devices that are connected to mobile internet... its down to 3 today. Crazy!

Verizon iPhone 4: What does it really mean?

2011-01-12T09:15:00.003-05:00

The hype is all over the place, the Verizon iPhone 4 is really happening. (Yawn!)

What does this mean:
* After all the years of speculation and waiting, Verizon finally gets the iPhone 4 which is 6 months old (this is a long time in Mobile years)
* iPhone 4, despite the "4" in reference is only 3G, Verizon is launching a 3G device amidst the 4G storm right after CES 2011
* Verizon's 3G apparently does not allow you to take voice call and surf the web at the same time
* Verizon's CDMA network limits their version of iPhone 4 to be used within the USA only, although ATT's iPhone 4 uses the micro-SIM standard, you still have some options to run another SIM card if you really wanted to (albeit ATT's iPhone is locked to itself making this point a wash, but there are other countries selling GSM iPhone 4s unlocked)
* The only improvements I see are better Antenna design (avoid the antennagate mess) and ability to run as a mobile hotspot up to 5 devices

In short, the announcement is much needed for both Verizon and APPLE to maintain/grow market share but disappointing as far as it being practically the same thing we've seen with lesser features.

CES 2011 Takeaway: Crap Load of Smartphones Upon Us

2011-01-05T21:12:00.000-05:00

CES 2011 is the talk of town right now. If you have been following the usual tech blogs (Engadget and Gizmodo), you'll notice no shortage of Android-powered phones and tablets on the horizon. If you think choosing a smartphone in 2010 was getting tough, I pity the fool that is looking to pick one this year. In short, 4G is everywhere, CPUs are on steroids and Android 3.0 is hot. Some interesting ones include:

Smartphones to look out for:
Motorola Atrix (ATT 4G, Dual Core CPU with Laptop Docking!!!)
Motorola Droid Bionic (Verizon, LTE 4G)
Samsung Infuse 4G (ATT 4G phone, Android, 1.2GHz)
LG Optimus Black (2MP Front-Cam, Thinnest for now...)
Sony Xperia Arc (Sony's comeback to Mobile Phone?)

Tablets to look out for:
Motorola Xoom
BlackBerry Playbook (RIM's attempt to win back marketshare)
Asus Eee Pad Slate (i5 CPU, Windows 7)
T-Mobile (LG) G-Slate (Android 3.0, 4G)

Noteworthy: Pioneer's in-car infotainment decks of the future: Pandora connected via iPhone

Vehicle Diagnostics on your Smartphone, Thanks Griffin!

2011-01-04T20:38:00.000-05:00

Griffin announced an interesting gadget at the CES today. It's a hardware called "CarTrip" which allows you to plug in to most late model vehicle's onboard computers diagnostics (OBD-II) to decipher your car's error codes (when the "Check Engine" diode is on). It also captures various other data points like fuel consumption and engine acceleration and calculates a "Carbon Score" based on the vehicle owner's driving pattern.

The hardware dongle uses bluetooth technology to pass said data back to your smartphone (iPhone or Android App, available Q1 and Q2 in 2011 respectively). It also has a built-in SD card slot to record all the vehicle data you can throw at it.

Personally, this sounds interesting since historically, accessing a vehicle's OBD has been limited to professional mechanics or amateur grease monkeys. I'm wondering to what extent will folks with Force-induction engines like the BMW 335i or Mitsubishi EVO X can do with a gadget like this... can Griffin give us tech geeks the ability to tune up our daily drivers and become the all mighty Vishnu Tuning at home?

3G Video Conferencing with Smartphones (Amazing Mobile Experience)

2011-01-03T21:19:00.001-05:00

Few days back, Skype announced an update to the iPhone 4 app officially supporting full on Video Conferencing over 3G and WiFi (unfortunately, not for Android for now), in an effort to play catch-up to services like TANGO, FRING and YAHOO Messenger apps which are good for both iPhone and Android using 3G or WiFi for quite some time.

SKYPE's value-add is its vast user-base and the massive Desktop-to-PC enablement; enabling mobile video conferencing over 3G (even if only on the iPhone for now) is a huge advancement in mobile experience evolution. Take for instance, over the new years weekend, we took a family trip out to the Poconos to do some site seeing and snowboarding. While there, I was keeping in touch with friends and family via SKYPE video conference everywhere I went. We used SKYPE video on SKI Lift, in a moving car (someone else in the car is using it) and while sitting down at various places (ice cream shop, IKEA, etc...). The experience was nothing short of breathless. The last time I felt this mobile-empowered was when I used my iPhone 4 on Virgin America in-flight WiFi service for a TANGO conference call with another friend using iPhone 4.

The official SKYPE 3G mobile-video enablement is a huge break-through for advancement of internet-computing-mobile technology. Although the picture quality via 3G is still a little blurry for now, it won't be long before the next generations of smartphone featuring 4G or 5G data allowing us to stream HD video conferences or HD Netflix content over the web. Welcome to the future my friend!

Skype Video Call over 3G and WiFi for iPhone, Finally

2010-12-30T07:31:00.001-05:00

It's finally here, at long last. Personally I think it's about 6 months behind schedule(Tango, Yahoo Messenger, etc., have already been there and done that). But I am still happy.

Review: new Griffin Threadless Cases for iPhone 4

2010-12-18T09:09:00.000-05:00

Griffin Technology and Threadless Tees continues their partnership introducing colorful cases for the latest generation of iPhone 4 and iPod Touch 3. I received a couple samples for new designs from a collection and as usual, the cases are thin (in a good way, not adding to the bulk) and of solid quality as you would expect from Griffin. The colorful design is a good match for your unique personality with match t-shirts.

Griffin Radio-Activity (Spread Music Love) Case ($34.99) Pictures:

Griffin Everyday Life Would be Cooler with Sound Effects Case ($34.99) Pictures:

Review: NEXUS S, Best Android Phone To Date!

2010-12-16T22:33:00.000-05:00

Android Smartphones have come a long way. I remember when I got the G1 in the beginning, I thought to myself, this phone is significant to the mobile world but I'm not impressed. Last Christmas, when we got the original Nexus One, I felt it was much polished but it didn't blow me away. Over the summer, when we got the HTC EVO 4G, I started to feel like Android OS and hardware is getting serious... especially with the support for Flash animation via Froyo 2.2 build. This year, when I picked up the NEXUS S for the first time, I was blown away. This phone is polished!

In terms of performance, the HTC EVO 4G has always been impressive, in a heavily modified Camaro SS kind of a way. Its fast, powerful but bulky. With the NEXUS S, it feels more like a refined sports sedan like the BMW 335is. First impression, LCD is crystal clear, the touchscreen and feedback is precise and the phone is light and thin. Samsung did an amazing job with the hardware and Google's Gingerbread 2.3 is the pennicle of mobile OS. With an all-star support around the OS, GMail, Google Maps 5.0 (released today), Google Talk, Account Sync, this phone is ready for action right out of the box (no wires needed).

I haven't played around with the features too much, but the camera speed and quality is comparable to my iPhone 4. I already downloaded Google Maps 5.0 and will try out the offline cache mode. This feature would have been Amazing for my last trip to Barcelona and will pay dividends for all my future trips abroad. So far, the NEXUS S has been the best designed mobile phone to date. Google is definitely setting newer standards for its vision on Android and with the embedded NFC chip, mCommerce is going to be very different in the near term.

Review: Plantronics BackBeat 903+ (Bluetooth Stereo)

2010-12-03T22:05:00.001-05:00

Chances are, if you are an iPhone or iPod touting urban warrior, you have a set of stereo headphones or earbuds that you traverse the city with. They are handy, low-maintenance and easy to carry. There is one thing that drives me nuts is the cords; they simply get in the way and a simple body or arm gesture can yank one or both of your ear buds right out of your ears not to mention how they tangle up each time.

This is where a nice set of bluetooth stereo headset such as the new Plantronics BackBeat 903+ comes in to play. Design wise, the BackBeat 903+ isn't anything crazy, it reminds me of two Plantronics Voyager Pro+ strung together as a stereo headset. Control wise, the headset offers all the essential buttons that can be found in a bluetooth ear piece: Power/Pair button, Volume+ and Volume- and a button on the right ear bud for music Play/Pause while the left ear bud has the Talk/End button.

The headset is pretty light weight despite its looks, although it looks bulky, it is pretty comfortable to wear over time. The music quality is decent but doesn't offer enough BASS for my taste, much like the Plantronics BackBeat 216 I reviewed. The voice talk function is nice although the position of the mic is actually part of the right ear-bud so you must talk fairly loud to ensure your recipient to hear you clearly. The noise level in a phone call is comparable to any other premium headset I've tested, what is surprising is having both ear buds in doesn't muffle my own voice to the point where I feel like I need to shout inorder to here myself.

The nicest thing about having a stereo bluetooth headset is no more cords to deal with. The freedom of turning your head and moving your arms around is great. Since both ear buds clamps on your ear lobe, you might even be able to wear this headset for some light exercise although I wouldn't recommended if you sweat a lot. Note that using while bluetooth headsets are very cool, it does drain your device's battery considerably faster; BackBeat 903+ itself can last about 7 hours of playback so what I prefer to do is sync'ing up with my iPad which also has decent battery life to watch videos or stream internet radio.

The BackBeat 903+ goes for $99 MSRP and is available at Plantronics website.

International Mobile Experience: GOOD!

2010-11-29T07:26:00.002-05:00

For this year's Thanksgiving, we decided to take a short vacation and spent 5 days in the beautiful city of Barcelona. My last trip to Europe was about four years ago and the mobile experience is obviously much better today but to my surprise, it was beyond "better"... it was GREAT!

Before I begin to describe my experience, I want to address that while my experience is based on an iPhone 4 I do believe any eligible smartphone running other OS like BB should provide similar experience.

For starters, I noticed considerable amount of more WiFi connection everywhere I went this trip, albeit most are secure and I have no access, I managed to find a decent open network to stay connected (mostly from larger hotels like the Hotel Mandarin, Hotel OMM, etc.). I was lucky enough to have free WiFi at the hotel where I stayed. Within 4 days, I was able to take 4th position on foursquare of all Barcelona.

WiFi also provides another layer of comfort while traveling abroad. I was able to use the SKYPE app and TANGO app to keep in touch with friends and family in Spain and back at home. It was really amazing that at one point, I was having a drink at a small local pub and holding a video call with my pal Dan over Tango via the free WiFi in the pub (I'm sure the Catalans must thought I was a major geek but you really get a sense that you are now living in the "future"). I was thankful to have access to wireless internet without being charged $20/MB via AT&T's international rate.

Mobile apps helped the experience considerably. I have always have had the habit of setting up a custom My Maps within Google Maps to set various pin-points we wanted to visit. I was able to download a cool little app on iPhone called "MyMaps". It allows me to save map tiles on my iPhone and import the custom maps I created from Google Maps. Even though I had my 3G data and Cellular Data turned off abroad, while standing outside, I was able to get the embedded GPS chip to pickup my position making me ditch the fold-able maps. This experience is very empowering...

Other things like dictionary apps and powerful camera/camcorder is very helpful as well. When we visited a famous spot, La Sagrada Familia, my amazing Canon SD4000i had ran out of power. Thankfully, my iPhone 4's decent camera and HD recording was able to step in and fill the void.

Since we only have access to one of those European wall-outlet adapter, every night, we struggle to decide which device to charge before going to bed. Given the flexibility and the necessity to keep my iPhone powered up, priority was always given to the iPhone. The lesson is to remember packing more than 1 outlet adapter moving forward.

$19 iPhone 3G (Refurb) from AT&T

2010-11-22T20:43:00.001-05:00

$19 iPhone 3G... why don't they just do one of those $0.01 deals or give it away as a free phone with contract... go nuts!

Google Voice App for iPhone is here!

2010-11-16T14:41:00.000-05:00

It's finally here! I will be migrating to this shortly.

Review: Griffin Elan Passport Graphite for iPad

2010-11-14T16:15:00.001-05:00

This is a quick review, more photographic review of an update to a popular iPad case (Elan Passport) that I've already reviewed. Structurally, the new Elan Passport Graphite is identical as the non-graphite version, the main difference being a faux-leather surface versus a faux-Graphite finish. I happen to be a big fan of Griffin's "Graphite" series of cases as the Elan Etch is still my iPhone case of choice in terms of looks and practicality.

The other noticeable difference with the Elan Passport Graphite (MSRP $49.99) is it seems like the fit is a bit tighter, or snug(er) than the original which is a good feeling to have. The Griffin Elan Passport series, in Graphite, continues to be a solid performer and very business-oriented with all the pockets/folder inside the front cover. It just looks sharper than ever. Enjoy the pics.

Review: Griffin MyPhones (Headphones for Kids)

2010-11-10T21:50:00.001-05:00

Chances are, if you own and iPad and have kids, your iPad is likely to be served as your children's companion especially during a vacation or road trip. One of the most important accessories to own is a pair of headphones for kids. This is where Griffin's MyPhones come in to save the day (or trip). Calibrated at 85 decibels, recommended level by many auditory health organization, this headphones can be safely used by your child even if you set the iPad volume to max. (Warning: be sure to set the volume back down after use just incase you decide to plug in a headphone for yourself afterwards). The headphones fit small children nicely and is adjustable making it fit children across different age group.

What I like about Griffin's MyPhones is the entire package and when I say entire package, I literally meant the product packaging which can also be used as a storage case for the headphones. It also comes with three sets of earcap designs for your child to customize the look accordingly. There are even more creative designs available at http://myphoneskids.com. Griffin MyPhones is $39 MSRP and I think its a must-have for your children if they use any audio device that requires headphones!

Google TV is being hate on...

2010-11-10T20:53:00.001-05:00

I find it appalling but not surprising that all the major network stations seems to have band together and stopped working with Google TV. On one hand, as a consumer and TV watcher, I think its pathetic that network TV is doing this and all they are doing is sending viewers to obtain the programmings some other way (hooking up a Computer to a TV or hit the torrents). On the other hand, if I were a network TV exec., I'd be concerned about Google and/or other media center solutions coming along, streaming my content while losing out on the ability to monetize on the viewership in a traditional sense (going through what the newspaper publishers felt).

To me, the problem lies in traditional media failing to react and anticipate to the internet age. Most execs have been so used to the traditional way to making money that they failed to come up with a strategy early on to handle "internet". If you look around, its the same story across just about any business who's failed to adapt, look at Blockbuster vs. Netflix or even the cable companies.

Review: iFrogz Ronin Over-the-Head Style Headphones

2010-11-08T21:03:00.000-05:00

It seems like these days, a pair of over-sized DJ style headphones is a required accessory to an urban hipster. That is why iFrogz's new Ronin headphones (MSRP $49) may be that missing acessories from your wardrobe.

The Ronin DJ Style Headphones come in four colorful variations. It sits comfortably over your head with a soft and cushiony ear pads with just the right amount of tension. The headphones are adjustable and the cords are plenty long and durable. In this iPhone crazed era, I would have liked the headset to come with an inline mic for more practicality.

The audio performance from the Ronin headphones is nice but nothing extreme. Given its frequency range is quite narrow between 20-20,000Hz, it doesn't hit the lows or the highs compared to other headsets that I'm used to. The higher priced Mogul headphones in the iFrogz line-up may be a better fit for those looking for more sound bite (10-30,000Hz).

Tips on Building a Mobile Web

2010-11-05T20:50:00.001-04:00

2010 is the year of the mobile web. There seems to be record number of internet retailers converting their website to their mobile/smartphone audience. Yours truly is engaged in the middle of a mobile web project which will hopefully be revealed soon enough. Along the way, here are some of the tips I used and examples I've collected amongst some of industry's best practice. I'm here to share three design tips to help you engage in a better mobile experience for your customers/audience:

1. Keep it simple and make it "Finger Friendly".
Best Example: Hotels.com
Hotels.com's mobile website is probably the best of breed based on my research. Their user interface is clean and easy to use. Menus are bold and easy to engage with fingers for touchscreens. It seems like the project manager for their mobile web really understood their mobile clientele and offered all of their most relevant and important links right up front. A customer can easily get to "View Reservation" or choose between different "Customer Care" numbers that engages the phone function with ease. Another tip on "Finger Friendliness", its ususally the text-based hyperlinks where mobile webs run into trouble... don't be afraid to bump up the font size for a much better interaction.

2. Collapsable Menus and Sub-Menus are Mobile Screen's Best Friend.
Best Example: Wikipedia
There is no better way to manage the relationship between giving your audience a good overview while offering the flexibility of viewing details of each section or sub-sections. For retailers with product descriptions and reviews or media sites with news headlines and stories, Javascript Collapsible menus are the best way to go. The website that demonstrates this best is WIKIPEDIA. With so much content, Wikipedia uses this technique to hide & show the information with various sections. By default, all the sections are collapsed so the viewer can browse its categories and each section can be expanded individually. Alternatively, some mobile web chooses to take the user to a different page entirely, while its an option, I personally find the collapsible menus more engaging on mobile. Another tip around menu design is to give as much preview to your audience prior to an engagement (ie. if you are selling something within a category, provide a product count or if you are taking viewers to see customer reviews, provide a review count or ratings average); bottom line is to empower a user's mobile experience by saving them time and guess work.

3. Make sure all of your eCommerce Pages are Mobilized (cover all of your bases)
Many retailers assume that a consumer's mobile experience begins with a visit to their homepage from a mobile browser. As a basic step, they've setup a simple user-agent detection and redirects a that user to a mobile homepage to begin the mobile experience. They often forget that a consumer may enter their site using a mobile phone mid-way (ie. Received a marketing email or saw a blog post from their handset). For me, this is something I'm always conscious of because other hats I wear at work involves other marketing initiatives and I always want to tie everything together harmoniously. While I was drafting this blog post, I ran three examples and here are the findings; feel free to try this your self on a smartphone:

Product Detail Page:
* UrbanOutfitter (SKU #18151712) - Successfully Rendered this page in Mobile
* BestBuy (SKU #9558089) - Successfully Rendered this page in Mobile
* Sephora (SKU #1283712) - Successfully Rendered this page in Mobile
Category Page:
* UrbanOutfitter (Men's Top) - Successfully Rendered this page in Mobile
* BestBuy (iPod & MP3) - Successfully Rendered this page in Mobile
* Sephora (Skin Care) - Successfully Rendered this page in Mobile

Bonus Tip: Keep the Search Box available on each page, preferably on the top of each page. Mobile users will grow frustrated if search is not readily available on everypage. Site search is probably your most powerful eCommerce tool, it will prove to be even more powerful on mCommerce. While you are at it, make sure the mobile search results page (SERP) is optimize for mobile!

Building a mobile website has been fun thus far; being as passionate about mobile experience makes me think about every ecommerce website component in a different light on mobile devices (ie. site search, menus, images, videos, product display, recommendation engines, store locator, etc...). When in doubt, keep things simple and go to as many websites as you can to gather ideas and best practices. If you run into a hard time with keeping things simple, rely on your web metrics to tell you what is important to keep for mobile.

Review: Plantronics BackBeat 216

2010-10-30T22:24:00.000-04:00

Plantronics recently released a new set of stereo headsets with inline mic and I've had the opportunity to review them. As I've mentioned in the past, high quality stereo headphones with built-in Mic seems to be a rare breed, so I'm always excited to welcome new ones to the club.

The Plantronics BackBeat 216 sells for $49 a pair which makes it almost a premium headphone but not quite. From the design of it, it sure looks and qualifies to be considered a premium headphone but the nice thing here is that its price-point is quite affordable. The typical bells and whistles are there, 3 different ear buds sizes, inline microphone with volume control and cloth-wrapped tangle-free cord.

I was anxious to test out these headphones because one of the advertising points printed on the front of the box is "Bass Boost Headphones" and I love my headphones with good low-frequency response rate. Upon testing, I was a little disappointed by the Bass response, or the lack of. Upon closer inspection, I realized the frequency range for the BackBeat 216 is 20Hz to 18500Hz as oppose to some other headsets like my V-Moda Vibe II goes both lower and higher at 12Hz to 22000Hz. The mid to higher range frequencies are as advertised which is crystal clear. I suspected Plantronics engineers had voice-conversations in mind since building phone/bluetooth headset is the name of their game. The headphones do offer excellent noise shield with the size-adjustable ear buds and the audio control is great with the inline remote/mic.

Overall, I'd say this set of headset is really good if you are not looking for strong Bass (some might find too much Bass response headache inducing), at $49 MSRP, this headset gives you a lot of premium design, feel without the premium price tag.

Surge 2G Waterproof Headphones, Atheletes Best Companion

2010-10-28T22:47:00.000-04:00

If you are an avid athelete/runner, you've probably since upgraded your music player from that clunky Discman to one of the many iPods variant long ago, but one thing that has been bugging you must have been the headphones. They get sweaty, dirty and you never know how to best clean them. I've heard from a hardcore athelete that dirty headphones can even cause problems like ear infection.

Thankfully, Surge 2G Waterproof Headphones is here to please. At $49 a pair, these headphones can be washed and cleaned off after each run (it can even be submerged under water... talk about hardcore). It has been re-engineered to produce even better musical performance. There is even a $69 version that sports a waterproof in-line microphone for those preferring jogging with their smartphone. Head on over to H20 Audio and browse a set for yourself.

Review: Griffin Standle Case for iPad

2010-10-21T22:03:00.002-04:00

It feels like in the world of iPad users, there are two types of user preference. There is the carrying case (folio) kinda folks and there is the stand (prop) kinda folks. Some carrying cases allows for you to prop up your iPad but it doesn't look good as a stand. Some stands look nice but offers no protection. Then, along came the Griffin Standle, the name even suggest that it would be an hybrid of sort. Sure enough, it is.

The Standle is a hardcase for the iPad offering some protection around your precious hardware. What makes it different is its ability to prop up the iPad in both Portrait and Landscape mode and, while propped, actually looks very good as if its on an actual hardware stand. The case comes in two pieces, you simply snap it together sandwiching the iPad in the middle. Those of you familiar with my reviews will know that I'm generally not a fan of the 2-halves design because of one incident where my original iPhone (EDGE) actually fall out of the case upon impact. Therefore, I would not rely on this case too much for impact related protection, there are other suitable choices for that.

Overall, the Standle is very easy to use and is truly a versatile case for your iPad. The black, glossy finish is good looking in a Darth Vader kind of a way but attracts finger prints just as much as your iPad screen. For basic protection that can be used as a stand, this is one of the most creative iPad case design I have ever seen. The case is now available online for $49.99.

Visit Jawbone MyTALK Website for BT Headset Updates!

2010-10-20T22:39:00.001-04:00

It seems like A2DP Bluetooth capability is all the rage these days. If you've purchased a late model Jawbone headset, make sure to visit mytalk.jawbone.com to get the latest updates to your bluetooth headset.

Jawbone actually offers various app updates to like "Audio Apps" to change to voice of your Bluetooth Headset or various "Dial Apps" to facilitate dialing or listening to your emails or voicemails.

Installation is simple and it is actually done over the browser (with a small installation file to your OS first). I updated my Jawbone ICON within minutes and was able to get A2DP update to an already amazing headset, giving it an instant makeover..

Review: Griffin Elan Folio for iPad

2010-10-19T19:51:00.000-04:00

I have decided to give my iPad a real go and replace my paper notebook and pens at work to see if it can become my right hand man at work. As part of the preparation, I wanted to find a good case/cover for the iPad so I can protect it from the day to day. When Griffin launched their new Elan Folio case, I thought it'd be great to go for a test drive with it.

Griffin Elan Folio is a porfolio style case that allows you to slide your iPad into the case providing ample all around protection. The cutouts for all the ports, switches, speaker are perfectly aligned so you can have full control of your iPad. The case allows you to prop up your iPad into two standing positions (both for landscape view). All in all, the Elan Folio is a very professional looking case; the iPad looks very handsome inside this case.

There are a couple of feedback that I thought could be improved: unlike the Elan Passport for iPad, this case doesn't have the pockets lined up the inside of the case cover (which proved to be handy when I'm at off-site meetings). Also, the case can only be setup to prop the iPad in landscape view, it would have been nice to be able to prop via picture mode as well.

If you are looking for a handsome looking case to protect your iPad that can be used to prop up your screen in landscape mode, Griffin Elan Folio (MSRP $49.99) case should be one of the consideration.

PS3 Netflix 1080p Streamin (No Disc)

2010-10-18T21:58:00.001-04:00

Prediction Corner: Next Gen iPad to Cost Less and Feat. Cameras

2010-10-18T19:55:00.000-04:00

I am starting a new recurring column on theMobileExperience.com called "Prediction Corner". Given that I've argued so passionately about many of the mobile-related subject-matters, I'd like to officially document my predictions and then follow it up weeks or months after to see if my prediction comes true.

Date: 10/18/2010
Company /Gadget: Apple iPad
Prediction: The next generation of iPad will include at least a front-mount camera and will be priced cheaper than today's $499/$599/$699 pricing tiers
Rationale: Given the lackluster sales and enthusiasm about current generation of iPad and the Android-based Tablets heating up the market place, lowering of price while offering some basic hardware spec that should have been in the first generation is the obvious move for Apple to either convince the first generation owners to upgrade and try to win more purchases from those sitting on the fence.

(----------- I will update this portion below in the future to validate my prediction -----------)
Date:
Reality:

Review: Otter Box Impact Series Case for HTC EVO

2010-10-17T18:20:00.001-04:00

If you own a smart device other than Apple's, you will know that it's pretty hard to find accessories for them. Things get harder to find when it comes to devices that are one off design for selected manufacturers, for instance, all of the HTC phones. Well, if you happen to own the best HTC Android smartphone today (IMHO), then your HTC EVO 4G is in luck. OTTER BOX just released it's Impact series case for the EVO and in short, it works and fits very nicely (and I like it!)

Otter Box is famous for it's high quality and durability in cases (see a handful of my reviews on various Apple products here). That same ruggedness is now available to protect your top dog 4G smartphone. The Impact series case is a one piece silicon sleeve, albeit one thick silicon case offering ample protection. In Otter Box's own description, it's toughness is rated level 2 out of 4, those looking for ultimate levels of protection should look into their level 4 case, the DEFENDER series (see my reviews).

I was surprised at how much I liked the Impact case for the EVO, it fits the device perfectly, as if the case and EVO have fused together the instant they met. The cutouts are precise and the texture (especially) on the backside looks amazing, even better than stock. Since the EVO has a smooth/high gloss finish, using the case provides addition grip with it's rubbery finish which also decreased the devices tendency to slide off surfaces on an incline. The case also offers extra padding around the front of the phone to make sure that gorgeous LCD will not make contact with the flat surface thus avoid unnecessary scratch; this is on top of throwing in a free LCD protector laminate film.

All Otter Box cases tend to add some thickness or heft to the devices but it didn't feel this way with the EVO. Prior to trying out this Impact Series case (MSRP: $19.99), the EVO was used naked in it's default state, now this EVO will always be rocking inside the Otter Box Impact Series case.

Bottom line: One of the best cases with a good balance of pricing, fit and performance, its a little nugget of protection for your top of line Android device.... If you weren't sure, just go get it, you'll love it!

Review: Otter Box Impact Series case for iPhone 4

2010-10-17T18:00:00.002-04:00

Otter Box, manufacturer of tough cases, recently introduced a new series of gadgetry protection called the Impact Series for the iPhone 4. The Impact Series offers the least amount of protection amongst the Otter Box line but make no mistake, this case is still big on toughness nut light on the cost ($19.99).

Unlike previous cases I have tested, which can be made of two or more pieces, the Impact Series is a single silicon sleeve (plus the usual screen protector). Installation is straight forward and once installed, there is no mistake that you've got an Otter Box on your baby! For one, this silicon sleeve offers more protection area by covering both the top and bottom portions of the iPhone 4 screen up to the point where the amazing Retina Display LCD begins. The case also adds some thickness around the frame so that your LCD will not touch the surface when laying down. You can tell it's an Otter Box by it's extra thickness in material thus offering more protection. Some folks might find the case a bit thick for the pocket (albeit it's already the smallest and most compact when compared to other Otter Box I've
tested).

If you are looking for a case that can offer legit protection without breaking the bank, the Impact Series case for the iPhone 4 is definitely a good choice if you don't mind the slight thickness.

(Size reference, I put it up against a Griffin Elan Etch case, with the extra bulk, you will get the extra padding and protection)

HTC EVO and Adobe Flash 10.1 Problem (Resoultion)

2010-10-17T17:45:00.001-04:00

A while back, as I was testing the Android Froyo 2.2 featuring Flash capabilities, I also agreed to install an update to Adobe Flash 10.1 shortly after. Ever since that installation, my mobile Chrome has gotten buggy, constantly crashing for no reason. Once I've made the connection, I attempted to uninstall Flash 10.1 but to no avail (the uninstall button is grey'd out in Settings>Applications>Manage Applications).

For a while, my work around was to use Opera Mini for Android (which, to my surprise, is really pretty fast for web surfing) but it's as if I had thrown the towel. Over the weekend, I am glad to have found the fix. Search Market Place for "Adobe Flash" and you will find an update to 10.1.95.2, click install and you be on your way to Flash/Web/Chrome bliss!

Keywords: How to uninstall Flash 10.1
Keywords: HTC EVO Flash 10.1 Browser Chrome Crash

Griffin Elan Passport iPad Hack

2010-10-17T09:40:00.002-04:00

Griffin has launched a new folio case which will address this, but for those of us still using the first generation Elan Passport case, this is an easy hack allowing you to prop up the iPad screen to allow for better viewing angle when working with your iPad over a lengthy period of time.

I wedged my Swiss Army knife underneath. Other objects should work just fine.

RIM Playbook, they might be down, but not out!

2010-10-15T20:00:00.001-04:00

Just as I was almost going to write off RIM as a formidable player in the gadget space given its struggle to produce enticing smartphones, out comes a new tablet called the "PlayBook" that just might offer the right play (pun intended) for RIM to take back some uncharted market share.

Everything I am gathering is based on what Engadget has gathered, but looking at the specs tells me that the RIM execs have gotten this one pretty right, they basically added features that addressed all of iPad's flaws. Some of the notable features that beats the iPads are:

*Front & Rear Mounted Cameras (3MP and 5MP respectively)
*Supports FLASH and HTML5
*HDMI Output w/ 1080P Video Support
*Weights even less at 0.9lbs (compared to iPads 1.5lbs.)
(For more spec, check out Engadget)

No words on how the device can handle file management or battery life (checkout my post about a recent business trip relying only on my iPad), target launch date is early 2011. This could be just the device that puts RIM back in the center of action, if it can withstand a slew of Android Tablets that are on the market or coming soon. A word of warning for RIM, the longer you wait to launch, the harder it becomes to gain market share back... hurry!

Tango App is Awesome!

2010-10-13T23:18:00.001-04:00

I don't usually review apps unless they offer the ability to enhance one's mobile experience. Tango App is definitely one that enhances mobile experience. It fills a huge void in the premium smartphone space: Cross-platform Video Chat over 3G or 4G data network (with ease).

Its what Facetime and Qik should've been. Simply download Tango on your iPhone 4 or HTC EVO. Then dial your friends from your address book via Tango. Tango has no registration process and will tell you if your friend has Tango installed so you can call them. Video call over 3G data is decent and I had no problem doing so with other iPhone 4 or HTC EVO users. There are some bugs that needs to be iron'd out, for instance, somehow my iPhone won't ring when a friend is Tango-calling me even though Tango is running in the background (yet, it works on my friend's iPhone 4) [UPDATE: There is no bug, the app will not alert you if during installation, you've disallowed push notification, albeit they could have explained it better or provided some reference in the settings menu, it can be fixed if you go to your iPhone's SETTINGS>PUSH NOTIFICATION>ENABLE Sound and Display for Tango, thanks to my friend at KRAPPS for the tip!]. In any case, the application is still working pretty good, doing the job that Facetime or Qik should've done.

Tango is an amazing app and I highly recommend it!

Mobile Experience: Relying on an iPad Entirely for Business Trip

2010-10-13T22:47:00.001-04:00

I attended a 2-day conference in Chicago this week for the first ever Mobile Commerce Forum (more on my feedback later) and I've decided to not take my work laptop to see how an iPad can fare. I wanted to minimize my traveling weight and see just how the iPad can live up to its name. Along with the iPad will be my iPhone 4 which works out great for two reasons: 1). both devices can share one charger to further minimize my weight and 2). I'll be using SimpleNote app on both so I can update conference or meeting notes on either device and both are sync'd to the cloud.

Setup: iPad 32GB, iPhone 4 32GB, SimpleNote App, Griffin Elan Passport

After spending two days at the conference with the iPad, I was very impressed with its battery life. After a full day of turning it on/off, taking notes, surfing the web via WiFi, checking/sending emails, the tablet still has over 60% of battery life at the end of the day. Typing on the iPad was a total pain in the ass, I really hated it. I pretty much typed with two fingers and constantly struggle with spelling, caps, auto-correction and switching for symbols like (* or %). I did noticed a lady several seats away from me brought her Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, I think she definitely 1-up'd me on that front. SimpleNote worked out great for the conference; it would save a copy of my notes on the server so I can pull them up from my iPhone while walking the Exhibit hall to make edits or add more notes on the fly via my iPhone. The iPad case I used was the Griffin Elan Passport which worked out really well, not only would it protect my iPad during the traveling, the card slots helped me organized all the business cards I had been collecting throughout. The iPad helped me keep connected for almost all of my normal work (reading emails, reports, etc...) with one exception where I could not fetch a file that was on my laptop for a co-worker. I still need to figure out a solution to the work file access in the future.

Overall, I was pretty happy with the iPad's performance. It's light weight and long battery life (no Laptop I've been issued from work has lasted more than 3 hours at the conference). I will likely bring my iPad along for future business travels.

Review: Plantronics Voyager Pro+ (plus)

2010-10-10T23:11:00.002-04:00

Plantronics recently launched a wave of new bluetooth headsets, amongst them, is an update to the solid Voyager PRO headset dubbed as Voyager PRO+(plus). I've always had a pair of the original Voyager PRO and have always thought of it as one of the best bluetooth headset, with the new "+" model, Plantronics added A2DP bluetooth audio as well as some of its advance audio features like GPS streaming or TXT capabilities using the new Vocalyse service.

The Voyager PRO+ (MSPR: $99) is still a rock solid performer. While its considerably bigger and heavier than some of the other leading premium headsets, I love the way its hook distributes its bulk and sits comfortably/securely on my ear. I can wear it for hours without any cramps. The Voyager PRO+ is also very serious looking, with a long mic extension in stainless steel, it is meant for folks seriously depending on their headset and it backs its good looks up with a solid 6 hour talk time. While I prefer some of the newer headsets mechanical power switch (instead of a button that requires one to hold it down for a few seconds), the headset is still quite manageable given its dedicated call/receive and volume (+/-) buttons. One can easily tell the power status by looking at the battery meter displayed on the iPhone after an easy pairing process.

Calls are loud and clear with the new PRO+ (as was the original), Plantronics Audio IQ2 noise reduction is always hard at work. One of the indicator that PRO+ is a serious performer is that it comes with an additional micro USB cable which is handy to be used with any USB based charger (think of the convenience of using any spare USB chargers you have around at home or for your car). The headset will also speak most of its function or battery status to you which is a good improvement over the original.

As mentioned earlier, the original Voyager PRO was already a rock star, now that A2DP is available, Plantronics has perfected a solid design. I highly enjoy the new Voyager PRO+.

iPad Programming: A Quick-Start Guide for iPhone Programmers

2010-10-08T22:27:00.000-04:00

Alright would-be iPad programmers, its time to stop your procrastination and get your app ideas developed. If you need a little primer, checkout O'reilly's new title "iPad Programming: A Quick-Start Guide for iPhone Programmers".

I, for one, am tired of not finding enough good apps for me to maximize my iPad's value. For now its just acting like a big iPod Touch. Hopefully, with more books and programmers interested in developing more apps, some day I will be able to leave my laptop at home and use my iPad in solo.

Publisher's Description:

It's not an iPhone and it's not a laptop: the iPad is a groundbreaking new device. You need to create true iPad apps to take advantage of all that is possible with the iPad. If you're an experienced iPhone developer, iPad Programming, will show you how to write these outstanding new apps while completely fitting your users' expectation for this device.

Retrevo App for Windows 7 Phone Ready to Roll

2010-10-08T22:18:00.001-04:00

Are you one of those hardcore Windows 7 Phone fanboys and just could not wait to get your hands on one? Retrevo.com, one of my favorite reviews/news site is already on standby with an app build for the the Windows 7 phones. The app is called RetrevoQ, developed by Retrevo, a Microsoft BizSpark One partner, will feature the same reviews, product comparison and online purchase options as you would find on the desktop version. Head on over to this photobucket album to check out the rest of the screenshots for yourself. From the looks of it, it ain't too shabby... can't wait to see how it will run on Windows 7 phones.

Review: Plantronics Savor M1100 Bluetooth Headset

2010-10-04T22:51:00.005-04:00

Plantronics just launched two new premium bluetooth headset to its line-up. 1). The Savor M1100 and 2). Voyager PRO+, an update to the popular Voyager PRO. I've arranged review units for both and will cover the Savor M1100 today.

The Savor M1100 bluetooth headset is a lightweight in terms of its, well..., weight; its probably one of the lightest headset I've ever encountered which is a good thing. But make no mistake, it packs big features. Pairing the headset is really easy on an iPhone, I was up and running within 30 seconds. Once connected, you'll notice the battery meter appearing on the iPhone which is a really cool feature in advance headsets these days. On a quick glance, the M1100 headset has a very minimalist appearance and it seems like there are not buttons or switches, upon close inspection, you'll find four, yes 4, buttons on the device which makes it really friendly to use for any "headless" device. There is a button to answer/drop calls, button for voice command and access it's Vocalyst feature (for voice text message features, twitting, etc...), button for volume control and a real on/off switch which is something I really enjoy/must have on any blue-tooth headset (a physical switch that is on or off). The only complaint I have is the fact that due to all the button arrangements, it becomes difficult for me to get a good grip to push the headphone in without depressing the buttons (most notably, the answer/end button). After some practice, I learn the best way is to hold the two sides using my thumb and middle finger while pushing one of the corners with my index finger. This won't accidentally disconnect a call when I try to wear the headset while someone is calling.

This bluetooth headset supports A2DP stereo streaming and that is the first thing I tested. This is actually the first time I've ever tried streaming MP3 or Movie audio via a Bluetooth headset. The quality is decent but I wouldn't toss away my VMODA headset just yet. I placed several test calls and the first impression is that the volume is very clear and very loud. It appears that the Plantronics Audio Engineers are not messing around with the SAVOR M1100, they want you to hear the conversations loud and clear! There are a handful of quick keys and short cuts for the headphone like redial, voice recognition (works surprisingly well!), reconnect, etc... The Get Started guide is very handy to get you up to speed.

The SAVOR M1100 (MSRP: $99) is a worthy premium bluetooth headset in a very competitive marketplace. It is one of the lightest headset I've ever encountered with amazing 4hr talk time and 7 Day Standby (no tradeoff here!). Plantronics's noise filtering technology (AudioIQ3 and DSP) and Triple-Mic technology does ample job keeping the calls nice and clear. I think this is one of the best Bluetooth headset on the market today. Plantronics is offering 1 year free Basic Subscription of it's Vocalyst service for free, go get 'em!

Review: Griffin Prophetik Folio for iPhone 4

2010-10-03T23:11:00.002-04:00

Griffin recently teamed up with the good folks at Prophetik and introduced a very fashionable Folio case for the iPhone 4. Each case is custom-made using reclaimed leather (ECO-friendly and sustainable) by the designers at Prophetik and comes in brown or black leather. The case is both rugged and rustic offering a unique style that is soft and supple. These cases are stylish and offers a lot of characteristic than your typical iPhone cases.

I gotta be honest, the Prophetik folio (MSRP: $59), isn't for everybody, its definitely not for the "suits". Its a perfect fit for those wearing classic Levi's jeans, Converse All-Stars, vintage t-shirts and consume MUD coffee. In other words, the case is very organic and stylish. The folio case offers a card and bill compartments which can double as a small wallet.

Installing the iPhone 4 into this case was a bit of a struggle for me, once installed, the iPhone 4 stays plenty snug inside the case and has ample protection. There are cutouts for the headphones, data port as well as the cameras. Accessing the volume button is tight and the silent switch is not possible (no cutouts). Bottom line, I think this case is gorgeous and luxurious but is not meant for everybody. Chances are, if you are a fan of Jack Spade or JCrew, this is probably for you!

Take Advantage of Optimum WiF, if you are a Cablevision Customer

2010-09-25T09:35:00.000-04:00

I noticed Cablevision (Optimum Online)'s free WiFi advertisement on my DVR the other day and just last night, I noticed Optimum WiFi appearing as I was scanning for a wireless hotspot while dinning out. I decided to look into exactly what it is and how to go about accessing it since it is free to its cable/internet subscribers. Here is the breakdown for you:

1. You must be a Cablevision/Optimum Online customer with a valid account(number).
2. You must be within the coverage area (map), in the Northeastern region of NY/NJ
3. There appears to be 3 different types WiFi network, indoor hotspot Optimum has arranged at local businesses, outdoor hotspot and partner hotspots
4. You must create an account in order to access the WiFi hotspots, this can be done using your account number (minus the last digit) here and it has a feature that automatically remembers your login and password

I think this is a pretty good solution for those on the go. Given that iPhone 4 and iPod Touch 4G's Facetime requires WiFi, this could be a good solution for those living throughout the NY/NJ region. For more information, go here.

Multi-Channel Retailers: Is Smartphone Friend or Foe?

2010-09-14T22:17:00.002-04:00

Several weeks ago, in preparation for a company golf outing, I stopped by a local Walmart to pickup a dozen of golf balls. When I finally decided which one I wanted, I launched the Red Laser app on my iPhone 4 to check if the price is comparable. It turned out that most of the online stores are offering the same price or slightly less plus shipping charge. Knowing this is a fair deal, I proceeded to check out.

Thinking back, I've run into countless times where I find myself doing this at Brick & Mortar stores. I recall one time, I was looking at a pair of kitchen shear, the online price via Amazon was slightly cheaper but no sales tax and my PRIME membership shipping via 2-Day express convinced me to place an order via the Amazon iPhone App while standing in the store.

As a consumer, I feel badly about my behavior but I'm not sorry for being a smart shopper that is connected in the mobile/wireless world. As an internet retailer (my full time job), I am baffled and felt helpless because mobile-enabled websites/applications will give consumers more opportunities to compare product prices from offline to online. If you work for a national multi-channel retailer, you'll know what headache I'm referring to. In order to stay competitive, retailers with local stores often run a separate eCommerce business with better online pricing than their offline retail location. As you mobilize your eCommerce site for Smartphones, you better prepare your store managers for when customers bringing up the same product on their mobile device while asking for the online price in-store.

In the case if a vendor only has a small mom & pop's retail store, what can you do about of this? With a store lease, staff salary and other overhead, your in-store pricing might not be able to compete with direct discounters online. Will your store offer enough value added services such as customer support and provide the instant gratification to convince your customers to buy from you? Or is it better to find more ways to cut cost so you can price-match when the situation arise? I really don't know whats the best answer to all of these questions.

Review: iFrogz Luxe Lean Case of iPhone 4

2010-09-07T18:18:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, we reviewed a very slim/low profile case for the iPhone 4 and today we are featuring, yet, another super slim profile case for your beloved iPhone 4. ifrogz's new Luxe Lean case features a thin polycarbonate case that is covered with a metallic rubberized finish and padded with extra felt on the back to gently hold your iPhone in place.

The Luxe Lean (MSRP $24.99) provides ample protection on the back and two of the sides. The cutouts for the camera and volume buttons are precise and what I like about it the most is how it barely adds any thickness to the iPhone 4. iFrogz added some cutouts to the sides but the rubberized finish offers a good grip to pickup this case from a flat table top. This case comes in 9 colors so you are pretty much covered (no pun intended!)

Review: Elago S4 Breathe Slim Case for iPhone

2010-09-06T20:25:00.006-04:00

The iPhone 4 is truly an elegant looking phone, arguably the best looking phone ever produced. With the "antennagate" issue which requires the use of a case or band, tasteful individuals will search high and low for case that can match the iPhone 4's beauty. Well... one of the case worthy of consideration is the new Elago S4 BREATH case. The S4 Breathe cases are slim and fits over your iPhone 4 perfectly. The design pattern reminds me of the finish on a Mac Pro workstation. Although the material is polycarbonate finished with a gentle rubber like finish, it somehow appears to be raw steel which makes it the best of both world. Note that this case is very slim and is primarily designed to protect the back and two sides of the iPhone. This is great to keep the profile to a minimal but for those looking for full protection, there are other options.

At $11.99 MSRP, this slim, low profile case for iPhone 4 is probably one of the best value and best looking case for the money.

Griffin CinemaSeat & PowerJolt for iPad

2010-08-31T16:18:00.002-04:00

This summer's best iPad accessories for your road trip!

If you have small children, then you should be able to relate that road trips now takes more time to prepare and endure. For a long time, I've opted for a tablet-styled portable DVD player system such as this Philips dual screen system. As you know, taking a portable DVD player would require you to carry DVDs with you, again adding more inconvenience to the process. This is where your iPad with CinemaSeat + PowerJolt car charger comes in.

CinemaSeat (MSRP: $39.99)
The CinemaSeat is a horizontal faux-leather case that comes with velcro-adjustable strap for the back of your car's headrest. The case is elegant and has a finish that will blend quite nicely with the interior of any car (so long as your car's interior is lighter color). The velcro is designed to wrap in between the headrest and the car seat so it will not bother the driver or passenger headrests. There are no adjustments that can be made so if the position of the iPad is not at an ideal viewing angle, there isn't too much you can do. In my recent road trip, using the iPad to playback a movie for my child proved to be a very good thing. The iPad's screen lights up beautifully while the speakers provided ample sounds for the car ride. My only gripe (and its to no fault of Griffin's) is that I wished there was a way to remotely control the iPad so to restart a movie wouldn't require us to pull the iPad out of the CinemaSeat. I also wished the CinemaSeat would come with a black finish to blend into my car's interior. Note: CinemaSeat has a pretty tight fitment so you can't use a case with your iPad, the way I do it is to use the Griffin Elan Passport to transport the iPad so that it can be easily taken out for the car ride while providing ample protection for the rest of the trip.

Griffin PowerJolt car charger for the iPad (MSRP:

The PowerJolt for iPad is the other essential road trip accessory for your iPad. Unlike your typical charger which runs at 5V DC output at 0.5 or 1.0A, this bad boy pumps out the juice at 2.1A. In basic terms, this charger will charge your iPad at a much faster rate than the lower amperage chargers. The package also comes with a USB cable since that is the plug type at the back end of the charger. In theory, this charger would work and charge all USB devices as Griffin pretty much suggests it to work with most of the iPhones and iPods up to date. The PowerJolt makes a great companion for your upcoming road trip for obvious reasons. Note: Personally, I don't like to mix the chargers amongst my device when they have different amperage rating even if the output are all at 5V DC, I am not sure if the extra amperage/increased charge rate will do any negative impact to the battery of those devices.

Gmail Google Voice Integration: Call Phone Feature Live!

2010-08-26T21:37:00.001-04:00

I've always called it and I'll say it again. The future of Mobile is all about Google. With Gmail and Google Talk slowly taking over people's desktop communication habits and Google Maps dominating mobile users search volume, its just a matter of time before Google unleashes everything to Android such as this sweet Google Voice + GMAIL + Google Talk integration now available on the desktop browsers.

I'd be a little nervous if I were SKYPE. Here is a free tip for SKYPE... quit screwing around and enable your mobile application across all smartphone OSs and all carriers with video conference and a whole lot more. If you don't have this worked out in the next 6 months... you might as well forget about it.

Review: Griffin Elan Form for iPhone 4

2010-08-26T21:29:00.000-04:00

Griffin Elan Form, the popular household name for iPhone protection is back to serve the new iPhone. To date, I have reviewed almost half a dozen of Elan Form cases, and I'm pleased to introduce the latest Elan Form for the iPhone 4.

The Elan Form, Black Leather case (synthetic leather actually) for iPhone 4 is composed of two piece sandwich design. The two halves snaps together holding the iPhone 4 solidly in place. The synthetic leather texture reminds me of one of the fancier NCAA basketball texture but provides a solid grip/feedback when picking up the iPhone. All the cut outs are precise as expected with any Griffin case. My only feedback is that I'd prefer it if this was a one piece design as I generally try to avoid cases with these types of 2-halves sandwich design since it could come apart if you drop the phone (ref).

The Elan Form cases for iPhone is now available for $29.99, or you can step up to a platinum leather finish for $34.99.

Review: Griffin FlexGrip for iPhone 4

2010-08-24T20:56:00.000-04:00

Ever since the very first iPod, there has always been an interest for some people to find the most see thru protection so they can proudly display their beloved gadget while protecting it from being scoffed up. That said, the Griffin FlexGrip is probably something ideal for those looking for see-thru protection on the iPhone 4.

The FlexGrip is made of a rubbery-flexible material known as TPU entirely. There are two finishes and the one I have is the clear version; while it is not completely see-thru, this translucent case will display the back of your iPhone 4 clearly when installed and pressed up against the iPhone. Installing FlexGrip on an iPhone 4 takes seconds and the fit is nice and snug. When installed, it barely adds any thickness to the device.

I like the FlexGrip because it offers a clean finish and keeps the iPhone 4 to a minimalist style. The fact that the entire case is made of TPU which offers added grip traction which is always a good thing. At $19.99 MSRP, this is one of the better valued iPhone 4 cases on the market today.

Apple FREE iPhone Case Arrived

2010-08-23T20:03:00.000-04:00

I got home today and checked the mailbox and guess what I found...

Review: Griffin Elan Frame Graphite for iPhone 4

2010-08-22T21:11:00.001-04:00

If you oppose the idea of having a protective case covering up your gorgeous new iPhone but has succumbed to the "antennagate" issue surrounding the iPhone, then Griffin's Elan Frame Graphite is probably perfect for you. In short, the Elan Frame is just like the Apple iPhone Bumper, except that its available and ready to ship (apparently, Apple is currently not selling the Bumper to public right now since it was one of the few free choices offered in the make good free case program).

Elan Frame comes in three flavors, black/graphite/platinum. I've trained myself at this point to automatically take anything option that is either graphite or carbon fiber when its available because it has never failed me, these patterns (real or faux) always look great on just about anything. As expected, the Elan Frame Graphite looks amazing on my black iPhone 4. The case comes apart in two pieces and snaps together snugly. All the cut outs for buttons and ports are precise as usual. The overall effect is very slick, a little shiny and the graphite print just takes it home when you can see the pattern in the right amount of light.

The Elan Frame works as advertised and will help you dress up your iPhone 4 in a limited way while solving the antennagate issue, personally, I like to opt for a little more protection so the Griffin Reveal Etch Graphite (my review) would still be my preference.

Review: Otterbox Commuter for iPhone 4 (Hint: Excellent!)

2010-08-22T17:53:00.001-04:00

Its been a little more than two months since the iPhone 4 has hit the streets (and along the way created a huge buzz around the whole "antennagate" issue which calls in the importance of needing a case) and case manufacturers have finally kept up with the demand and starting to release various iPhone 4 cases. As a consumer/reader, you probably have noticed the recent influx of case reviews all over the web and if you are reading this one, you are probably trying to figure the best solution for you. Well, as a favor to you, I'll go ahead and tell you upfront that this Otterbox Commuter Series case is pretty darn close to perfection. Put it this way, I'll be running around with this case for my own iPhone 4 for a while. Lets get right to the details:

Otterbox Commuter Series for iPhone 4 (Just right amount of Toughness!)
The Otterbox name is synonymous for durability. Every single one of my Otterbox cases (regardless if its iPhones, iPods or iPads) have always been tough cookies. In a very typical (and solid) design, the Commuter case is made of two components (three if you count the screen protector). A rubber inner sleeve and a plastic hardshell protection. The Commuter Series typically falls right in between the protection level amongst the Otterbox product line (Defender Series are extremely tough and Impact are entry level tough). Being in between is why I think the Commuter case for iPhone 4 is such a perfect design. It offers just the right amount of toughness without sacrificing the compactness.

With this case on my iPhone, I feel like its rubberize inner layer will help with impact reduction with the outer hardshell layer will provide protection against another hard object. While the iPhone glass LCD screen is known for its durability, its still nice to see Otterbox provide an extra layer of protection to apply to the LCD screen. Otterbox Commuter cases always provide the protective cover to all the ports/holes to prevent dusts and other objects from entering. Officially, the case is not water resistant or shock proofed but at $35 MSRP, I'll say that this case is one of the best for your iPhone 4 in terms of build quality and durability. Go get 'em!

Review: Griffin Stylus for iPad

2010-08-18T21:25:00.003-04:00

If you are one of those people that brings the iPad to every function you tend to, then I think this little gem might be the perfect accessory for you. Griffin's Stylus for iPad is a 4.5" extension between your greasy fingers and that gorgeous iPad screen. I was a bit skeptical at first when I start to notice the number of stylus products coming to market, but once I received this stylus, I immediately understood and appreciated its function. Here are some of the benefits I noticed:

Better Typing: having this light weight stylus offers better control when typing on the iPad, I noticed an increase typing speed with a nice and soft feedback since this stylus has a cushy air-pocket at the end made of rubber. The action of scrolling the page up or down took me a while to get used to with the stylus but it didn't take long before I was browsing the web like a champ.

Better visibility: I noticed an improved visibility to the screen while typing or navigating using the stylus since the rest of your palm is no longer blocking your view. I would almost preferred if the stylus was another half inch to one inch longer but it works just fine as is.

Greasy Reduction: If you are obsessive-compulsive like me, then you'll know how much finger smudge bugs. With the Stylus, you will be able reduce that problem. Although the grease reduction is only good until you have to use your fingers for the pinching (zooming) actions. I'd say this cuts down the unnecessary wiping down to 1 time per day instead of my usual 10 times a day.

Griffin Stylus for iPad is $19.99 and is available for sale at GriffinTechnology.com.

Review: Griffin Elan Form Graphite for iPad

2010-08-17T20:47:00.000-04:00

If you've read my review on the Griffin Reveal Etch (Graphite) for the iPhone, then you'll know how much I liked Griffin's Graphite texture/design. I think Griffin Technology's designers know the Graphite texture compliments well to Apple devices so they launched a new case for the iPad known as Griffin Elan Form Graphite for iPad (MSRP $49.99).

This hardshell case is very easy to apply, just snap it over your iPad and in 2 seconds you are ready to go. As far as the look goes, I really like the minimalist approach to the Elan Form Graphite, the case hardly adds any thickness to the iPad and the cut outs for the buttons and ports are precisely done; with this case on, you should still be able to use other Griffin accessories such as the A-Frame stand or the new CinemaSeat (I'll review this later). As for protection, it will prevent the back of your iPad from getting all scratched up but I would still use with care since I don't think this case will offer good protection against drops and since the front is flush, I would avoid setting the iPad face down using this case. For stronger protection, I would recommend something like the Griffin Elan Passport or Otterbox Commuter Series.

I think Griffin has produced another attractive, slim case for your iPad and compliments really well to its Graphite design.

TDAmeritrade App for iPhone, Android, BB and WM

2010-08-15T17:42:00.002-04:00

Whats that old saying? When it rains, it pours. Thats exactly how I felt when I noticed TDAmeritrade finally launched a mobile app for smartphone. Make that four mobile apps, one for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, and Windows Mobile. I'm sure TDAmeritrade customers have been waiting for far too long for this day to arrive and been a little jealous of E*TRADE customer's years of mobile application access. Jealous no more! Also, an iPad version is on its way as well. I'm always excited when financial institutions launch mobile services, its one of those tasks that people rely on their desktop/laptop machines and can now be empowered to carry out on the go.

If you are an iPhone user, I'm saving you a step, just click here to launch the iTunes link directly.

Montblanc Meisterstuck iPhone Case

2010-08-13T19:10:00.004-04:00

Montblanc,
purveyor of fine writing instruments, wristwatches and leather goods, launched an iPhone case from its Meisterstuck collection. I can't seem to find anymore information from its website but based on the email I received as well as the image used, it looks like a case for the iPhone 3G/3GS. I'm not sure if they have plans to make this for the iPhone 4 or not. I suppose I can pop my head into one of the boutiques this weekend to find out exactly what this is for.

The iPad and It’s Profound Impact

2010-08-09T20:10:00.003-04:00

Every once in a while, a unique product comes along, muddles up the mobile environment and changes the game; blurring the line amongst various appliances and interactions. When the iPad first arrived to the scene, I immediately dismissed it, my argument was a simple and utilitarian one: “The iPad was too big to be mobile but not powerful enough to compete with a netbook or an ultraportable laptop.” I still find that statement to be true (especially so from a recent trip) but I’m starting to embrace the iPad’s ultimate impact.

As an iPad user, I find myself using the iPad frequently despite my negative feelings towards this inadequate device (as a computer substitute given its size). The iPad bridges a gap for when I’m in a situation where a laptop would be cumbersome. For instance, I often browse the iPad while on the couch in front of our television set or laying in bed. It’s form factor and instant-on ability is why I find myself reading electronic Newspapers in the morning with my coffee at the breakfast table; prior to this, I’ve never brought my laptop along for breakfast to read the news.

As an online marketer and internet retailer, I’m starting to see iPads popping up the chart in the analytics software. Within Coremetrics' Emerging Opportunities report, the iPad within 3 month of its inception made its way up to become the highest converting and grossing mobile device. Again, in the beginning, I dismissed the iPad phenomenon thinking there is no need to invest in an unique iPad user interface since its large screen permits a full desktop web experience. That is until I made the connection with my own usage to realize that while the iPad is capable of most desktop web experience, its smarter if retailers/marketers cater a dedicated device experience (either via mobile web or application) for the iPad users.

Knowing that iPad owners incremental usage and their willingness to engage and transact, I hereby urge all marketers and internet retailers to embrace and offer an enhanced user experience for iPad users. Simple optimizations such as redirecting iPad users to an alternate website enlarging the text size/hyperlinks/buttons or changing Flash animation to GIF or HTML5 can probably improve conversion rate by a couple of percentage points. As I’ve stated, the iPad is not quite a mobile device or a laptop, therefore its best that you cater an experience that is just in between. If you are doubtful, take a look at your analytics software, see how your customers are using the iPad to engage with your brand. Cheers!

Victorinox Dive Master 500 PVD Automatic Watch

2010-08-08T20:56:00.002-04:00

I think I've mentioned this before (see my Casio Pathfinder PAW1300Y entry) and I'll say it again. Wristwatches are one of the most primitive gadgets to guys who loves gadgets. To this date, I have huge respect for a decent timepiece especially if its based on a solid automatic movement. I ran across the Swiss Army (Victorinox) Dive Master 500 Mechanical Watch recently and saw a really amazing deal on Amazon.com. This particular model features an ETA movement normally goes for $1200 on Victorinox's website but is selling for just a little over $700 shipped on Amazon.

The watch features a "black ice" PVD coating on all stainless steel so you know it'll last. It has the popular and reliable Swiss ETA 2892-A2 automatic movement. For the money, I'd say this is one of the best looking and best value mechanical watch for the bucks. If you are a watch collector, jump on it now.

Source: Amazon.com

Qik is kind of a mess...

2010-08-08T07:14:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to play around with Qik from the EVO 4G for some video call tests, immediately run into following frustration:

1. Can't seem to get Qik to work with a PC (no EVO to PC calls)
2. Can't seem to find "friends" on Qik unless you give them your email login credential, which I won't

Unless I can find another EVO user, it seems like this service is pretty limited, I had hoped that it'd have the ability to tie into a desktop application so EVO users can atleast do Video conferencing with people on a computer.

Review: Otterbox Commuter iPad Case

2010-08-04T20:08:00.001-04:00

I just received an Otterbox Commuter series case for the iPad, it took me not more than 5 minutes to get this bad boy onto my 32GB iPad, yes, its that easy to apply some of the best protection for your iPad. If you don't know about Otterbox, take a look at some of my reviews here; these guys mean business, the protection business for gadgets.

The Commuter Series iPad Case, like their iPhone cases, are composed of multiple pieces (3 to be exact). You have the inner silicon sleeve that is the contact point with your iPad, it gently caress and protects the iPad while the plastic hardshell slaps on the outside like an armor. When both pieces are added, its provides ample protection at the exchange of added weight of course. The Commuter case also comes with a full screen LCD protector that is very easy to apply. With two white tabs at each end, its one of the best LCD film protection application I've ever worked with. I was worried at first that I couldn't get rid of some air bubbles at the edges, but when you have the full case installed, the border where the air bubble shows are completely covered. All the ports, cut outs and switches are very maneuverable with this case and of course, very precise, they've even included a removable door so you can dock to the Apple OEM charging dock.

The Otterbox Commuter case for iPad is very sturdy and hefty, I feel very good about having it to protect my iPad which I take almost everywhere with. Normally, I would lean towards a portfolio style iPad case, but if I were to go with a enclosure-styled protection, this Commuter series design is by far the best protection out there. The Otterbox Commuter Series iPad Case is now available for purchase directly from their website at $65 (free ground shipping).

Those looking for the ultimate protection should check out Otterbox's Defender line, those things are crazy tough, I've had a couple to show for.

iPhone 4 (long overdue 2nd impression)

2010-08-03T22:17:00.001-04:00

Almost a month ago, I provided my first impression, a quick overview to the iPhone 4. I've been putting off this write up so here it is after one month of day-to-day usage.

The iPhone 4 is a very polished product of the iPhone family, as expected. Everything about it speaks elegance, refinement and class. To make that experience better, the new iPhone 4 is faster in every way (ie. transition speed, application launching/closing, multi-tasking, internet browsing, camera, etc...). Coupled with one of the best looking, 300dpi LCD screen, the end product feels like perfection. It empowers you to use your phone as the primary computing device, entertainment system and photography/camcorder solution.

For me, the device gives me a sense of confidence in the busy world. From a recent trip to Canada, I relied on my iPhone 4 for everything, directions, photography, restaurant recommendation, sight seeing advice, maps and so much more.

As for complaints, I have two. The first one is the most obvious of the Antennagate issue; while I'm always a big protective case fan, I find it annoying that the iPhone 4 has this problem unlike any other iPhone in the prior generation. The second issue I've noticed is the battery life, when you are hardly using the device, it has one of the best standby hours, however, once you start to use it more heavily, the battery usage is pretty severe and will barely last one full day of usage (as expected for any legitimate smartphone).

That said, I'm very pleased with the new iPhone 4; while there are amazing Android phones available on the market, I'll probably enjoy the iPhone 4 for the next year until I'm ready to think about the smartphone market place again.

Android 2.2 (Froyo) FLASH Support Video, yes it works!

2010-08-03T20:28:00.001-04:00

I installed Android 2.2 update, aka Froyo. This update is highly antcipated at my household because the long thought after Adobe Flash support is finally here. I shot the video below to show you what it looks like, its not the best quality but you'll get the point. (the noise is coming from my central air conditioner).

Review: HTC EVO 4G, the Godzilla is Here!

2010-08-03T19:57:00.003-04:00

Godzilla! it was the first word come to mind when I held on to the HTC EVO 4G for the first time. I was grinning from ear to ear, whispering under my breath, "welcome home!" The HTC EVO 4G is a beast of a smartphone, measuring just a tick smaller than 5" x 2.5" and has the thickness slightly wider than a no. 2 pencil and the phone surface is largely covered by gigantic LCD that is full of HD goodness at 800x480 resolution (hey, is that TV in your pocket or are you happy to see me? No, its the HTC EVO :P )

While the finish is not quite as elegant as the iPhone 4's Glass/Aluminum combination, the EVO 4G holds its own with a glossy, dark/glass/plastic finish. It reminds me of the NEXUS ONE I've had but bigger, better and faster. The features on the HTC EVO 4G is nearly endless, aside from the screen real estate, its got 4G WiMAX +Hotspot (unfortunately not available for NYC area yet), 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, HDMI output, 8MP camera & 1.3MP front-mount HD camera plus even a lovely kick stand to prop itself up (this is really handy!). The only thing I have to complaint about, which is not limited to this phone but most of the HTC built phone, is the button response/feedback is not quite as firm and snappy as the iPhones, in this case, its the power button that bugs.

The operation is your typical Android 2.0+ experience, if you've owned or played with a NEXUS ONE in the past, you would not be blown away, other than the excessively large, and gorgeous LCD screen. I am tempted to drive myself to one of the nearby 4G markets to try out the 4G speed. Browsing the web and using Google Maps on the large screen is a real treat. The 8MP camera features auto focus and camera is very comparable in performance with the iPhone 4, except, well, takes higher quality photo; it's crazy to know that this phone makes my Canon Digital ELPH SD630 obsolete in every way! Today happens to be the day OTA 2.2 (Froyo) is available, I'll do a quick write up about its highly anticipated FLASH support after this post.

This won't be a comprehensive review, more like a first impression; I haven't played around long enough to comment on the battery life just yet but I will update shortly. In conclusion, this gorgeous-huge-smartphone is every bit I have anticipated and I absolutely love it!

Smartphones Trend: Android Up, BlackBerry Down

2010-08-02T21:55:00.000-04:00

Crazy news for a Monday, but not shocking:

Android phone sales up 886% in Q2 compared to last year. In the mean while, 50% of BlackBerry users are expected to ditch BB and headed two iPhone or Android.

Logitech Cordless Laser MX1100 Deal $35

2010-07-30T17:53:00.003-04:00

(Update 8/1/10: As of today, price is back up to $68)
Better hurry, offer is good until Saturday at your local Best Buy store (it is now back-ordered for online, in-store pickup is your best bet). I found out about this last night, verified it just now. Logitech MX1100 Cordless Laser for $34.99 in store pickup.

MX1100 Cordless Laser Mouse has a retail price of $79, otherwise around $59 online is considered a high end performance mouse, this sale is for brand new units so it ain't one of them Logitech Dented Box deals. It's got adjustable DPI settings up to 1600dpi and 10 programmable buttons with a battery life well over 6 months. I use one for work (I paid out of my own pocket just because I love it so much). This is a great mouse for gadget fans as well as bloggers. If you are still using a corded laser mouse, run to your local Best Buy now!

Review: Griffin Reveal Ultra Slim Case for iPhone 4

2010-07-29T23:14:00.002-04:00

Earlier this week, I reviewed the Griffin Reveal Etch case and loved every bit of it. Today, I'm going to review it's cousin, the original Griffin Reveal case for iPhone 4. Griffin Reveal (MSRP: $24.99) is anatomically identical to Reveal Etch. The "bumper" sides are made of a rubber/silicon material with a transparent protective back plate. Note: I personally think its mandatory to buy a case that has protective back plate than just a bumper.

The case is very easy to apply and its fits very snug as expected. All the cut outs (buttons, ports, camera) are precise and the cover over power switch and volume buttons are precisely molded for control. The case is very slim, hardly adding any bulk to the iPhone 4. It's biggest selling feature is having a polycarbonate back cover that is transparent to retain iPhones beautiful glass on the backside offering the best of both worlds. I did notice that small lints can get in between the backplate and iPhone which can drive some people insane (ie. me). Otherwise, the case is highly portable and functional for everyday use.

ElementCASE Vapor for iPhone 4, gorgeous!

2010-07-29T22:34:00.001-04:00

The folks at ElementCASE has pulled off the impossible. They've designed a case for the iPhone 4 called Vapor (arguably best looking smartphone on the planet) that makes it look better. There is an option to get the carbon insert as the backplate, it looks amazing! At around $80 a pop, its not for the faint of heart, but if you are looking for that ultimate accessory to define your passion for gadgetry, this case is a must have.

Review: Otterbox Defender Case for iPhone 4

2010-07-29T20:26:00.005-04:00

If you are looking for the ultimate protection for your iPhone 4, Otterbox Defender case is probably your best bet. Anyone who's unfamiliar with Otterbox products just needs to know one thing, Otterbox cases are TOUGH! See some of the previous reviews here and here.

Back to the iPhone 4 Defender case, this $49 proposition from Otterbox will definitely protect your beloved Apple gadgetry. Inside the box, you'll find 4 pieces of hardware (yes, four!) for protection. The very inner components are two-piece hard cases with felt lining and LCD screen protection that snuggly holds your iPhone in place. You'll then top off the hardcase with a rubber casing that holds everything together. At this point, you pretty much have the actual case/protection ready. Otterbox tossed in an extra belt clip hardware to allow you to snap (or dock) your iPhone into place.

Suiting up your iPhone 4 into the Defender case will remind you of the movie scene where Robert Downey Jr. suits up into Iron Man Mark-III for the first time. You've got a very precise assembly along with a cool see through window which reveals the Apple Logo. All the cut outs are precise and there are rubber flaps protect just about every ports there is to the phone. There will be no doubt in your mind that your iPhone is going to be pretty safe nested inside the Defender.

Otterbox cases are known for its toughness but not for its compact size and this Defender case for iPhone 4 is no different. Its got heft and some weight to it. It kinda reminds me of the Panasonic Toughbooks whereby if you see it, you'll respect it for its toughness. If you are interested in solid protection but wants to keep the bulk to a minimum, Otterbox does carry a couple of their smaller cases such as the Commuter and Impact Series.

AT&T Charges $15.36/MB for International Data

2010-07-25T19:40:00.000-04:00

Travelers beware, if you take your AT&T-powered iPhone to another country, make sure you either turn off data roaming or call ahead and buy yourself a international data package add-on (link). This is a SMS alert sent to me when I was driving into Toronto, Canada this weekend warning me about the charge of $15.36 per MB. I wonder why they bother with extra 0.36 cents at the end; atleast they were kind enough to send everyone a warning.

Review: Griffin Reveal Etch Graphite Case iPhone 4

2010-07-25T19:24:00.004-04:00

When I received the Griffin Reveal Etch case for my iPhone 4, I immediately ripped open the packaging and snapped it onto my iPhone. Why the urgency you ask? Well, these iPhone 4s are infamous for being damaged easily and I needed something to help address the "antennagate" drama.

The Griffin Reveal Etch case is an attractive, solid and slim case. Composed of a rubber/silicon casing with a beautiful graphite-patterned back-plate protecting the glass back while maintaining a good look. Personally, I'm all about low profile styling, and black is simplicity so this case is perfect in my mind. With the case on, iPhone 4 remains slim and the rubber surrounding covers up all the aluminum accents which some might dislike (but I do, its that Vadar-like design I've enjoyed from several Griffin cases in the past.. Unlike other cases I've used in the past (for iPhone 3G), there are minimal cut outs just for the camera, silent switch, data port and headphone jack. Because the case is made of rubber, buttons are covered but the molding is very precise so you can easily use the power button, volume buttons with ease.

In conclusion, I think the Griffin Reveal Etch has a very slick and functional case and I highly recommend anyone consider a silicon styled case to pick one up for $30 MSRP. Since Apple is offering free cases and Griffin Reveal Etch is one of the choices, I highly recommend pick this from the free offering!

SanDisk 32GB microSDHC Makes DroidX More Comparable

2010-07-21T20:35:00.000-04:00

By now, you should have seen the crazy DROID X marketing blitz hitting the TV/Radio/Internet/Blogsphere and if you have not updated your smartphone to the new iPhone 4, you'd be interested to know this. Droid X is a powerful little device built by Motorola, with 1GHz processor, super large LCD and 8MP pixel, its a worthy contender to challenge the Cupertino empire. However, by default, Droid X is only shipped with a 8GB onboard memory and an extra 16GB microSDHC card (a whopping 24GB) which is a perfectly good competition against the 16GB iPhone 4; what if you need more storage than that, like the 32GB iPhone 4 has to offer? Well, thanks to SanDisk, when you purchase a Droid X, you can pick up a 32GB microSDHC card for $99 (otherwise cost $149), that is a whopping 40GB of phone storage w/ an extra 16GB of microSDHC on the side for swappable content.

Lets do the math:
iPhone 4 (32GB) = $299
Droid X (8GB w/16GB Card) $199 + SanDisk 32GB Card $99.99 = $299

Thanks to SanDisk, Droid X is now positioned more competitively, if not better!

Full Press Release Here.

Pandora Cracks 60 Million Registered Listners!

2010-07-21T20:05:00.000-04:00

I love Pandora! Apparently so do 60 Million+ other people love them as well. Thats the number of registered listeners enjoying the music genome project. I've invited people over for dinner and left my laptop connected to Pandora and entertained via my multimedia stereo system. I've streamed Pandora over 3G on my iPhone on road trips. Congrats to Pandora for crossing this milestone and continue to provide an awesome service for free!

Full Press Release Here.

Review: Griffin Elan Passport Wallet (iPhone 4)

2010-07-18T20:52:00.001-04:00

Modern day men and women are empowered with all sorts of information and gadgetry. We are blessed with amazing technology but at the same time, tied down by them. A typical modern person's valet tray on their night stand may include the following: wallet, house keys, car key, iPhone(personal), BlackBerry(work), watch, jewelry, etc. That's a lot of stuff to carry around but Griffin might just have a solution, to help minimize some of the stuff you carry.

Griffin Elan Passport Wallet (MSRP $40) for iPhone 4. The concept is simple, a folio style case that looks like a leather business card holder that holds your iPhone 4 on one side and three holding slots which can be used to hold small amount of personal belonging. This case is perfect to double up as a wallet so you can now combine the wallet and iPhone into one item to carry around. I think its even more convincing if you already use a cool bluetooth headset such as the Jawbone Prime, then you can do most of your conversations with the phone in the case. Griffin has done a great job with precise cut outs for all the buttons and functions that needs to be accessed (ie. audio jack, camera/flash, speakers/mic, data port cutouts). The case looks sporty with a racing leather like surface and a dark chrome accent (which I could have done without). Overall, I'd say this is the perfect 2-in-1 case for your iPhone 4 and substitute for a minimalist who just need to carry a couple of cards; those with George Costanza's wallet probably should look else where :)

Apple to Give Away iPhone4 Cases, instantly destroys Accessories Makers

2010-07-16T18:37:00.000-04:00

Oh Apple, How'd you get yourself into this position where your every move seems to be a tough choice. Somehow you are reluctant to admit to the Antenna issues yet you are kinda giving in to the issue by offering a free case. I'm sure this doesn't make the 3rd party accessories/case makers happy, unless that 3rd party vendor provides one of the free ones Apple is giving away(assuming Apple would pay the selected few).