Here is the last installment of our ongoing Gear Chat from Gear Fest 2012 series. In it we touch on Android operating system updates, Samsung smartphone naming confusion and Apple’s consumer care. Apple’s walled garden may cause its fair number of issues but the fact that even the iPhone 3GS will get iOS 6.0 and most of its functionality has us pretty impressed.
I do agree that iOS has become a wonderful mobile gaming platform, but not in the way I would have first imagined. For me it is not about high quality graphics and blockbuster titles. Simplicity and the ability for quick play is far more important. My phone is always with me and there are many times during the day I am waiting or taking a break. These times are usually only a few minutes long and are fun to fill with a quick game. Puzzle games are perfect for these situations because the are fun, fresh and often quit addictive….
OK, so the title really isn’t true – there are so many multi-faceted elements interwoven in the international legal cases between smartphone makers that summing them up simply would be impossible. But when you look at phones from Samsung and HTC and others … this one picture tells a singular and undeniable truth: all current popular smartphone designs lead back to Cupertino and the original iPhone. Source: Cult of Mac
I have a habit of playing name that tune and artist with my wife when we are listening to music. She hates it because she never learns who artists are, just listens to music. Music plays a huge role in my life and I have always been one of those people who always know who is playing the song on the radio for certain genres. In fact, I always wanted to compete on Rock and Roll Jeopardy when it was on VH1. I recently saw a former high school classmate posting information from SongPop on Facebook and thought it looked…
July 4th is long gone, but before you put away your flags and USA-themed partyware, check out Griffin Technology’s latest case line for iPhone 4 / 4S. Arriving just in time for the 2012 Olympics, this protective gear will keep your smartphone looking festive and patriotic. As a company known for their innovations in the world of electronic accessories, Griffin builds sturdy, well-designed cases to keep your i-baby safe from harm. “The Nations Cases are not only festive, but they deflect everyday bumps and scratches, without hindering your access to the Multi-Touch display, controls and connectors,” said Todd Word, Sales…
I’ve seen a lot of clever iPhone cases in my day, but TopKase’s Aegis Aluminum iPhone Case strikes me as one of the more interesting and potentially rugged case line developments of late, turning a bare iPhone 4/S into an armored tool, and adding a bit of techno-cool to your cellular repertoire. Let’s face it, how accessories look for Apple products is almost as important as how they work, right? This case offers both style and substance. The case is constructed from an inner metallic plated sub frame with a tough outer anodized aluminum cover. This together with its 8…
I am fascinated by the ways technology can open up the world and make it more accessible for people with disabilities. What is a convenience for you and me may be a life changer for someone else. Unfortunately, sometimes technology outpaces itself, and leaves the accessibility features playing catch-up. It is something of a mixed bag in many areas, especially for the deaf and hard of hearing community. According to Slate, closed captioning is not required on Netflix, Hulu, and other digital media options. While Netflix does offer some closed caption titles, not all of their library is set up…
iPhone protection has become such a priority for many owners. It seems like every friend who tells me they are finally getting the iPhone always asks, “what case should I get” in their next breath. Protecting an expensive device that is with you virtually every waking moment is important not only because of the price, but also for fear of begin without the phone. There are many options on the market with varying levels of protection and style. I like a case that brings style along with protection, but without making the phone the size of a shoe box. The…
Image courtesy of headlondon.com Siri is an interesting innovation. I remember back in my early days in the tech biz, when I read about and heard plenty of people talking about a) how voice recognition was just around the corner, and b) how voice recognition was dang hard, and it was going to be a long ways out in the future. Of course, in those days a 500 MB drive was considered “wow, that’s big!”, so you can guess how naive both sets of opinion were! Now we have Dragon Dictation and any number of other voice recognition software apps….
I know I am old and have finally become “that guy”. You know, the one that tells the kids how gas went sky-high during high school during the first Gulf War. It actually went over $1 a gallon, and we could not cruise town near as much as we could the summer before. Wow! Were those not the days? Driving across town seems to break the bank with today’s gas prices. My wife and I have a habit of watching gas prices as we travel. We do not always stop when we see a deal, but one of us always…
My iPhone has become an invaluable tool while playing the guitar. Two apps pretty much cover everything I need, and both are developed by Agile Partners. GuitarToolkit takes care of tuning, chords and scales and TabToolkit keeps all of my tabs in order. As a hobby guitarist, I love to collect all of my favorite song tabs in one place. When playing on the deck with friends, it is best to have the chords and words to look at. TabToolkit has been my go-to app for both my phone and iPad to keep everything with me at all times. When…
With temperatures soaring over 100 degrees here in South Texas, my boys and I have had to find some inside activities for the heat of the day this summer. We go to the pool around 9 am, then venture back out for trampoline and bikes in the evening. During the afternoons we are staying inside and trying to find new ways to entertain ourselves. Between movies, coloring, toys and video games we have done pretty well, but the boys wanted something new to try. I searched around and found a game called Propel Man. It looked interesting, so we downloaded…
Apple’s WWDC 2012 kicks off tomorrow, and the keynote begins at 1pm EST. While we wish we were there, we’re going to do the next best thing — follow a number of the feeds simultaneously, and offer you the highlights on the day’s doings with a touch of colorful commentary and a full team conversation in the comments section. Of course, the rumors are flying but, as always, until the news is actually announced, it is nothing but rumor. One rumor that does seem likely to come true is that iOS 6 won’t support the original iPad. The rumor certainly…
The iPhone is an elegant device. So much has gone into the design, yet we all seem to cover them with cases. Most cases are used for protection, but there are also people who use them for style. I do prefer to protect my device, but if it is to be covered, I prefer protection also. Large, bulky cases protect the phone well, but I find them to be extremely ugly and hate the bulk. Most options available that keep bulk down provide a limited amount of protection. I recently had the chance to try to try out the Life…
I live an active lifestyle and work an active job. One thing I hate is carrying things in my pockets. Wallets, keys etc weigh me down and tend to bounce around too much when I am coaching or working out. As a result, free pockets are just as important to me as the comfort of my clothes. If you do not know what I am talking about, try going “pocket empty” for a day… it is liberating. There is,, however, one item that always finds a way to stay with me regardless of what I am wearing or doing. That…
Trygger Camera Case: iPhone 4/4S Polarizing Filter Case Status: $6,919 pledged of $25,000 goal Closing Date for Funding: Tuesday Jul 3, 7:05am No offense to you, or your burgeoning photography skills, but cellphone cameras suck. Even with the iPhone 4’s auto-focus and auto-exposure features, it’s hard to create frame-worthy images. While capturing beautiful moments isn’t impossible, it’s certainly a challenge to even the most deft photographers. Indie casemaker Trygger is ready to change that. With the introduction of their KickStarter project, the company aims to enhance iPhone photography through a polarizing filter attached directly to their new case. Maybe it’s…
Using an iPhone and or iPad throughout most days, there is one thing I have learned. My hands can sure make a touch screen smudged up and grimy. While coaching my high school softball team this year, we used the iPad to collect all of the game stats. While this was awesome, I found myself cleaning my iPad after every game just to be able to see the screen. At one point I thought using a stylus might be best to keep it clean while also making the stat keeping easier, but did not have one to use. Recently I…
Tired of going to Best Buy and looking through hundreds of boring, repetitive case designs? Skinit.com thinks they’ve got you covered. Today, the website launches an innovative line of customizable cases for the iPhone 4 and 4S. As a site known for their high-quality protective skins and casings, the company’s aptly named Infinity series offers up a two-part accessory featuring a protective skeleton and a fully personalized “Switchplate.” As seen in the image above, the switchplate locks directly in to the casing, and is both removable and completely interchangeable. Once you’ve got the case, you can purchase additional switchplates separately….
As we approach summer, I had to keep with last week’s theme to celebrate baseball season. Not to gloat…but yeah I will…my 1st grader ripped a double in the first inning of his last baseball game this weekend! The game of baseball brings me back to a wonderful time in my life that shaped who I am today. If you have already mastered Flick Home Run! and looking for a more complete baseball game for iOS, I have found the solution. Baseball Superstars 2012 can take you back to those awesome summer days as a ball player as well as…
When the iPhone was first released, it was clear that the device was awesome but not meant for enterprise. Sure, you could surf the web, listen to music, make calls and much more, but the device was not for people doing serious work. Fast forward a few years, and all that has changed. There are now dozens and dozens of serious productivity apps for the iPhone and iPad, and the devices are finding their way into an increasing number of business settings. And beginning this morning there is a new business app available in the iTunes App Store. Best of…
Yesterday, the HTC Titan that Judie is loaning me for this experiment arrived on my doorstep. I opened the box she had packed it in, saw the AT&T HTC Titan box inside, and I actually stared at it for a few minutes pondering how this process was going to be a lot of fun. But it was also likely to be kind of painful. After all, I’ve been heavily into the iPhone space since its initial release in 2007. I had Windows Mobile 6.5 before that, and in the meantime I have also had a couple of Android devices from…