Smartphones & Gear

BlackBerry Pearl user describes the Storm upgrade experience

Reviews

BlackBerry Pearl user describes the Storm upgrade experience

Thinking about buying a BlackBerry Storm? My sister Lynn recently traded in her BlackBerry Pearl for a Storm. I asked if she’d give her un-filtered feedback for those of our readers who might be in a similar situation: Well, after much deliberation, I decided to give the Storm a try. I have had the Pearl for almost a year and the keyboard was driving me crazy. Although I was getting used to it, I was envious of how quickly my kids could text and be onto their 3rd message before I’m done with my 1st. Don’t get me wrong—I liked…

Nokia E63 Review

Reviews

Nokia E63 Review

About six months ago I bought the best phone that I have ever owned: a Nokia E71. Obviously this is a personal thing, since the E71 wouldn’t suit everyone’s needs or tastes, but for me it just fitted into every situation I put my phone in. It is the perfect messaging device, with it’s QWERTY thumboard that has excellent feel and feedback, it has outstanding battery life thanks to it’s enormous 1500mAh battery, it is as thin as possible without being uncomfortable to use, it has an bright, rich display, that while low on dimensions and resolution, looks absolutely great…

The HTC Touch HD One Month Later

Reviews

The HTC Touch HD One Month Later

[Ed. note – This is a joint review between Mitchell Oke and myself. My comments will be in black, and Mitchell’s will be in blue italics. Before reading this, you might want to first read Mitchell’s article “HTC Touch HD = Stands for Hot Damn!!” and my “HTC Touch HD Walk-Around and First Impressions” and “A Quick Tease: the HTC Touch HD and Nokia N85″] It seems like it’s been ages since there was a Windows Mobile phone with a nearly 4″ screen. The last one I can remember was my much loved HTC Universal, and that was back in…early…

Windows 7 on the HTC Shift

Editorials, How to Do It Yourself!

Windows 7 on the HTC Shift

There have been two activities that have become the norm across the world of technology blogging in the last couple of years: unboxing, and loading Mac OS X onto netbooks. As a person who is lucky enough to have the opportunity to play with lots of phones, notebooks and other “unboxable” items, I’ve done the former a fair bit, and as an owner of a MacBook Pro for the past few years, I can understand peoples need to load OS X onto any device with an x86 processor. Another trend that’s come up in the last month or so is…

The Nokia N85's Killer App

Gear Bits

The Nokia N85’s Killer App

There are many reasons to like the Nokia N85, but the one thing that has blown my hair back and made me truly appreciate this talented little device is something I had never before seen in a mobile phone…an FM transmitter*. And not just any weak wannabe transmitter, I’m talking about one that is just as strong – and allows the music to sound just as rich – as the dedicated transmitter on my Sirius box does.

iPhone 3G vs BlackBerry Storm

News & Features

iPhone 3G vs BlackBerry Storm

Judging from the quantity of Twitter questions asking for purchasing advice on the “BlackBerry Storm vs iPhone” – it looks like plenty of people still are undecided between both these devices. While I typically have a one sentence response of “If you want email buy a BlackBerry otherwise buy an iPhone” – I realize that the analysis isn’t always so cut and dry. There’s the touchy issue of AT&T’s signal quality, the ability to capture video, ease of on-screen keyboard use, integration with iTunes. James at JKOnTheRun has done an excellent job with comparing and contrasting the iPhone and Storm….

Openmoko Neo Freerunner from SDG Systems Review

Reviews

Openmoko Neo Freerunner from SDG Systems Review

It’s been over a year since I have looked at anything from SDG Systems, but it is time to do so again.  SDG is now working with Koolu on the Openmoko Neo Freerunner.  Not only are they working with the standard Openmoko firmware, but they are also working on getting Google’s Android Operating System working on the Freerunner.  I will touch on both operating systems in this review, but first let’s look at the hardware.

Help my phone is in the toilet!! Guide to replacing your phone without getting fleeced by a carrier

How to Do It Yourself!

Help my phone is in the toilet!! Guide to replacing your phone without getting fleeced by a carrier

Hey, it happens. You’re sitting to answer nature’s call and without warning or provocation the phone you thought was securely clipped to your hip goes for a swim. Sometimes you’re lucky and can fish it out of the water fast enough and there will be minimal damage. Other times you’re not so lucky and the water shuts your phone down – forever. Unless you’re signed up with an extended warranty company such as Squaretrade – you are out-of-luck because water damage is not covered under most carrier insurance plans (this is the first thing they check – and they know…

Killer Pool for iPhone by SD Games

Reviews

Killer Pool for iPhone by SD Games

I’ve been looking at a number of iPhone games lately.  Some of these games take excellent advantage of the iPhone hardware and some don’t.  Some are excellent ports of web games or Windows Mobile games, and some are not.  Killer Pool is a title unique to the iPhone, it’s not a port, so I would expect it to take good advantage of the iPhone hardware.  Let’s take a look in more detail…

T-Mobile's BlackBerry 8900 - why the lack of 3G may not matter as much as you think

Reviews

T-Mobile’s BlackBerry 8900 – why the lack of 3G may not matter as much as you think

Have you been pondering whether to purchase a BlackBerry 8900 or T-Mobile? Every review I’ve read says the lack of faster 3G data (the 8900 is EDGE only) is a deal killer. Nobody wants the pokey stuff now the blazing 3G speeds are available for about the same monthly fee. I agree in concept. Given a choice – faster cellular data is always better. Always. However before you write off T-Mobile’s 8900, let me give you my pitch about why I just bought an 8900 and why you should take a serious second look at this device.

HTC Touch HD = Stands for Hot Damn!!

Reviews

HTC Touch HD = Stands for Hot Damn!!

Only a few days ago Judie posted her first impressions of HTC’s hottest new devices, the Touch HD, and I am lucky enough to be able to follow that up with my own! For several weeks I have had my cursor hovering over a Touch HD in Hong Kong on eBay, but I wanted to try it out before I committed over $1000 to purchasing one. At last, the Touch HD was released here in Australia, and HTC’s local PR agency received their review units! Having gotten my name on the list some time ago, I was set to receive…

Mili Power Pack Review

Reviews

Mili Power Pack Review

My biggest complaint about the iPhone 3G is its battery life. Sure, the lack of being able to run 3rd part apps in the background stinks and the crippled Bluetooth unnecessarily limits the device, but the battery life is a CONSTANT struggle since I use my iPhone so much during the day. Thankfully there are a host of options available for juicing up the device on the go. This week I’ve been using one of the newest- the Mili Power Pack from PhoneSuit – and I’m more than a bit impressed. Let’s take a look-

Nokia N85 Walk-Around and First Impressions

Reviews

Nokia N85 Walk-Around and First Impressions

This has got to be one of the most agonizing weeks I have ever spent with any two devices. Why? Because I have had to struggle over which PDA phone I would carry each day – and which would get left behind. Such has been the daily dilemma while acquainting myself with both the HTC Touch HD and the Nokia N85. I know; you don’t feel a bit sorry for me, and it’s okay because I wouldn’t either…

No Picture

Reviews

Spb Traveler 2.0 Review

Editors Note: This review appears both here on Gear Diary and on Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com! As I have stated many times throughout my reviews here and at Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com!, I travel quite a bit for my “day job”. Just so everyone is clear: American Airlines Executive Platinum isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It means that you have had a lot of time on airplanes. But I digress…. Understanding this, anytime I am able to find a tool that makes travel easier I’m automatically going to be interested. Once such tool has been Spb Traveler. Traveler…

Boxwave T-Mobile G1 Case Review Roundup

Reviews

Boxwave T-Mobile G1 Case Review Roundup

Boxwave sent me three cases for me to try with my T-Mobile G1. First up is the Boxwave Armor Case.  I was sent the black version, which is made of anodized aluminum and has a protective Plexiglas window over the screen.  There are openings for all functions of the phone, allowing you to use the phone while it’s in the case; this makes it convenient when making or taking calls.

HTC Shift - Shifting OS from Vista to XP

Reviews

HTC Shift – Shifting OS from Vista to XP

While several members of the Gear Diary team have been loading up their netbooks with Mac OS X (and why wouldn’t you, it’s great!), I recently changed OSes on a device that highlighted the shortcomings of Windows Vista: the HTC Shift. I reviewed the Shift last year, and found it disappointing. With its low res screen, pokey keyboard and poor battery life, it was hard to recommend at its staggeringly high price tag. The worst thing though was the performance of Windows Vista. With its paltry 800Mhz processor, it just crawled along trying to run Microsoft’s bloated OS. It’s unfortunate…

Wi-Gear iMuffs for the iPhone Review: Giving Your Ears a Break

Reviews

Wi-Gear iMuffs for the iPhone Review: Giving Your Ears a Break

Wi-Gear has upgraded the iMuffs for compatibility and optimization with the iPhone. Previously reviewed October 2007 here at GearDiary, the wireless headphone consistently delivers good performance and comfort for extended wearing periods whether sitting on your duff, driving, walking or exercising. Last year’s model had some initial compatibility issues with the 1st edition of the iPhone, but has been resolved with both iPhone models (3G) with an improved range and less susceptiblily to radio interference The iMuffs use Bluetooth 2.0 and Advance Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) via the dongle that plugs into the base of your iPod or iPhone. iMuffs work…

Palm Centro: A Wise First Smartphone Choice For Those With Tiny Fingers

Reviews

Palm Centro: A Wise First Smartphone Choice For Those With Tiny Fingers

Sprint recently introduced two new colors to their lineup of Centro by Palm smarphones. These new colors, olive green and vibrant rose, don’t add any new features however they create a different look to the phone which may attract someone whose criteria in phone selection is color. The question I had when Sprint asked us to take a look at the phone is not whether a power user would like the phone (I think the answer is no). Rather I was curious to know if the Centro would be a good phone for your wife, kids or significant other to…

Motorola Krave ZN4 on Verizon Wireless Review

Reviews

Motorola Krave ZN4 on Verizon Wireless Review

We all know that Apple changed the game when it came to cell phones. The iPhone’s interface is second to none currently; everyone and their brother is now trying to out do Apple. Motorola has come up with a really interesting take on a touchscreen interface that has a lot of influence from Verizon.