Smartphones & Gear

Flight Commander by ColorStone for Windows Phone Review

Introduction Have you ever wonder what it’s like to work as an air traffic controller?  Well, Flight Commander by Color Stone Ltd now gives you a taste of what it’s like by putting you in charge of airport landing fields. Features:- Insanely addictive Beautiful graphics 2 airports for different strategies 2 additional game modes for eve more gaming pleasure Real life airport recordings


Living With A Motorola Droid: My First Week

Actually, make that “Living With Motorola Droids.”  Yes, Droids, plural.  My initial intention was to post my first impressions of the Motorola Droid after just a few days with it.  However, the first Droid that I picked up started locking up and spontaneously resetting itself on the first day I had it, and it continued to do so two or three times per day.  A few times it wouldn’t power on at all, and I had to pull the battery in order to get it to restart.  The upside, if there is one, is that none of the resets seemed…


iPhone 3G/3Gs Razor Skins from JAVOedge Review

JAVOedge has released a new case for the iPhone 3G and 3Gs.  The Razor Skin is a lightweight silicone style case that’s rubberized texture offers a good grip and slip protection yet it remains soft to the touch. The case is available in two unique styles.  Blossom and Cortex.  Each style features a laser cut out etched pattern on the back that includes a translucent layer which allows your iPhone to shine through the back. JAVOedge was kind enough to give me both cases to review.  Here are my thoughts.


Otterbox Commuter and Commuter TL Colors for iPhone 3G &3Gs Review

A few weeks ago Dan and I took a look at two new cases for the iPhone 3G & 3Gs from Otterbox. The Commuter and the Commuter TL both offer Otterbox’s tremendous quality in a slimmer, less bulky manner than Otterbox’s most famous case, the Defender. When the cases first launched they were both available in only black with the promise of various color options to come. Fast forward to today and the color pack add-on backs for the Commuter and the colored Commuter TL cases are now shipping.


iSkin Vibes and Vibes FX for Blackberry 8900 and 9000 – Review

Shock One- Elana agreed to give up her Palm Centro and try a Blackberry Shock Two- She “loves it”!! and would not go back to the Centro now Shock Three- My wife who hates using a case has found one she LOVES thanks to iSkin. She seriously loves the iSkin Vibes case I was sent for her to try and review so here’s a look at the iSkin Vibes for Blackberry Curve 8900 and Bold.


Archibald’s Adventure by Rake in Grass for Windows Phone Review

Introduction Archibald’s Adventure is a unique action puzzle platform game. The story of Archibald’s Adventure goes something like this:- Archibald and his friends were near a dump behind a mysterious mansion of inventor – professor Klumpfus. Accidentally Archie fell down a pipe and ended up in professor’s basement. In the same time some crazy experiment went wrong and all genetically engineered creatures escaped from their containment in laboratories, while paranoid central computer locked the whole complex up! Now both Archibald and professor got stuck in the mansion! It’s up to you to help Archie to overcome all of the pitfalls…


Review: Kanex High Capacity Battery for the T-Mobile G1

After using the G1 for about three months, I came to one conclusion.  The battery life just sucks.  You can’t get through a day with light use and if you are a heavy user, like myself, you will need to charge before you even get halfway through a day.  The Kanex High Capacity Battery for the G1 solves this and gives a heavy G1 user like myself all day battery life.


Boost Mobile i9 is thin, solid and dependable

I stopped into my local Best Buy this afternoon and was amazed at the great selection  of prepaid cellular phones. As recently as a year ago the prepaid phone aisle was limited to cheap plastic throwaways. Fast forward to now, and the shelves are lined with current model BlackBerry and Motorola phones available on no contract prepaid plans.   Boost Mobile has been one of the leaders in selling affordable prepaid phones that don’t make you ashamed to use them in public.  Last week we looked at the i465 (great texting device and solid call quality). This week we’re looking…


HTC’s Sprint Hero Review

To watch the commercials for the Verizon Droid, being released tomorrow morning, one might get the impression that this is the very first android handset to be released. It certainly has garnered more attention and excitement and previous devices, but there are already a number of android handsets on the market that are actually quite good. I recently had a chance to spend a week with Sprint’s version of the HTC hero, and I found myself more than a bit impressed. So with that in mind, I thought we might take a good look at a fantastic Android device that’s…


Kanex High Capacity Battery for the Palm Pre Review

One of my big complaints about cell phones and mobile devices generally is that the batteries are never able to adequately handle all of the advanced features which tend to be included.  The Palm Pre is a perfect example of this, with its WebOS interface, and always connected email (not to mention Internet, Wifi, 3G, and Bluetooth).  Generally, if I do not have a charger handy, then I am going to lose my phone before my day ends.  Add to that equation the fact that I love to go camping overnight, and the battery is quickly unveiled as typically inadequate.  …


Mailtones Redux – Now For Blackberry Too!

I reviewed Mailtones for the iPhone a few weeks back and really like it. The app allows you to assign different sounds to various contacts so that you know who has emailed without even looking at your phone. Now every time Judie emails my phone cheers. Every time Larry emails a fire alarm goes off. And every time my assistant emails there is the sound of impending doom. I love it! Now Mailtones has rolled out a version for the Blackberry. What do I think?? I LIKE!!


The Palm Pre through the eyes of a former Palm OS Treo Business User

I’ve been a business smartphone user since the category was invented.  I started with Palm and have been loyal to them through the years as the market has developed from a niche geek market to the fastest growing segment of mobile communications.  Analysts say it will easily overtake conventional cell phones in developed countries very soon. As a business user, I’ve always assumed the ‘next’ new device would be better than the previous device at getting the job done.  That job being primarily communicating with colleagues via voice or text.  Originally email was the exclusive text method, but of course…


Wunder Radio for BlackBerry is released

One of my favorite applications for iPhone is Wunder Radio (iTunes / review) . In addition to receiving radio stations both locally and world wide, police scanners, weather radio and more – the iPhone application allows me to listen to Sirius Satellite radio while away from my desktop computer. I’ve been waiting eagerly for Wunder Radio to appear on the BlackBerry and today it’s available in the BlackBerry App World for $9.99. Unfortunately the version that’s available only works on BlackBerry Bold and Curve. A version will be available later for the Tour and Storm. Also regrettably missing from the…


IM+ by SHAPE Services for Windows Phone Review

Instant Messaging (IM) has gained popularity over the years, and it has become part of our lives now in the communication world. With mobile devices gaining popularity, everyone would love to stay connected with their IMs. Some of the popular IMs out there include MSN®/Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo!®, and Google Talk. Those are all separate applications, requiring space on users’ devices and requiring them to juggle between each application when they want to IM their friends on the different services. What a pain! SHAPE services has come to the rescue, with IM+! IM+ is a messaging client that lets you…


Powermat Wireless Charging System – Review

Why should the Palm Pre have all the fun when it comes to cordless charging? Well now, thanks to Powermat USA, just about any device can charge without being directly plugged into a power socket. And if you have an iPhone, iPod touch or Blackberry device, all you have to do to charge them is… well nothing, you just put them on the table. Here’s a look at this innovative system…


Cordless Charging with the Powermat Wireless Charging System

We’ve mentioned WildCharge – the company that allows you to use inductive charging with nearly any mobile phone or other power hungry gadget – before on Gear Diary, but tonight I realized we hadn’t given any coverage to Powermat, another company with a similar premise (but a better looking design). What premise would that be? Why the one that says plugging your devices in to charge them is so passé; the idea that all you should have to do is lay your gadget on a mat to charge it, even if the trade-off is having to keep your phone in…


Add Personality And Run-time To Your Blackberry Bold With Case-Mate

I have really been enjoying the experience of using the Blackberry Bold over the last few weeks. It is a fantastic device for e-mail and IM;and the integration with Google voice, while not as good as you’ll find on a device running Android, is quite good. I cannot see giving up my iPhone, but I am glad to have the opportunity to use both devices in parallel. While I have not gotten into the practice of surrounding myself with accessories for the device in the way that I have with my iPhone, I have discovered a few key accessories that…


EcoATM inspects phone trade-in – provides cash

Need cash? If you have an unused cell phone and if it’s relatively current and in good condition you may be able to exchange it for cash at this special cell phone recycling ATM. Of course it helps if you were in Omaha Nebraska where this special electronics recycling machine is setup. The EcoATM accepts used phones and sensors in the machine inspect them for damage and assigns them real-time value. If the device is of acceptable quality it then issues in-store payment. The first test kiosk went up September 21 at the Nebraska Furniture Mart. EcoATM via Register Hardware


Impressions on Windows Mobile 6.5 and the AT&T Pure Windows Phone

This is a joint review between Wayne and me. Wayne is primarily a Blackberry and iPhone user, and he has also dabbled in Android, Palm, Windows Mobile and WebOS. I am primarily an iPhone and Nokia / Vertu user, with an extensive background in Palm and Windows Mobile. We were recently sent the new HTC Pure Windows Phone to review, because it is one of the first of several new Windows Phones to use the new Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system. Wayne’s comments will be the ones in black; mine will be in blue italics. Microsoft unleashed an upgrade to…


Review: Altec Lansing inMotion CLASSIC

I’ve never had a great iPod speaker.  I bought a cheap one at Kroger that didn’t last a month.  It also required you to have it hooked to the wall all the time which limited its use.  The inMotion CLASSIC that Altec Lansing sent me solves both the quality issues with my old speakers and let’s me be free of the wall. While the inMotion CLASSIC isn’t the first speaker dock to have integrated batteries, it is my first one and that has to be my number one favorite feature of the inMotion CLASSIC.  If I want some music while…


PodTrapper Podcast Manager for BlackBerry automates your podcast library

For many years I had no idea what people found interesting about Podcasts. These recorded audio programs are named for their typical method of distribution through iTunes where they are often downloaded to iPods. A podcast session typically lasts about an hour and features one or more hosts talking about specific news of the week. Topics can range from technology to politics to financial news. The rise in popularity of Podcasts means that their distribution has also spread beyond just iTunes and iPods. I’ve found my BlackBerry Bold to be an exceptional podcast player due to its super loud and…