Smartphones & Gear

Nokia Lumia 900 Now Available for Pre-Order from AT&T

News & Features March 30, 2012

Nokia Lumia 900 Now Available for Pre-Order from AT&T

For those chomping at the bit for the Nokia Lumia 900, AT&T is now offering the phone up for pre-order on their website. Retailing off-contract for $449.99 or $99.00 with contract, this has been a heavily anticipated phone in Windows Phone circles. For me, this device will mark my departure from the Android realm for the first time in nearly two years, so I am very excited to give the Lumia 900 a whirl. Sporting a 4G LTE, a 4.3″AMOLED screen, Carl Zeiss optics with an 8 MP primary camera with dual LED flash, autofocus, a 1 MP front camera…

Nokia Backtracks on Lumia 710 Backplates

News & Features March 27, 2012

Nokia Backtracks on Lumia 710 Backplates

When Judie was in New York last month we had the opportunity to attend a special Nokia event and spent some hands-on time with the Nokia Lumia 710, 800 and 900 Windows Phones. We were, and are, impressed. And we left the event with our own shiny new Lumia 710s courtesy of Nokia! They are nice phones that, on contract, can be had for no more than a song. (You can read Judie’s full review here.) They look quite nice and feel good in the hand. Yes, there is something to be said about smaller phones that actually fit IN…

Is Microsoft Going to Get Smoked by Their Own Challenge?

News & Features March 26, 2012

Is Microsoft Going to Get Smoked by Their Own Challenge?

When your platform is at a very delicate time, you really cannot afford having negative press about a promotion get more viral attention than the promotion itself. This is a problem facing Microsoft today based on some stories related to the latest version of their ‘Smoked by Windows Phone’ challenge. The challenge started out simply enough – timed simple tasks with a $100 prize. The tasks required user interaction, and were obviously designed to favor Windows Phone. But last week Microsoft upped the ante to a custom Hunger Games PC worth $1000! That obviously brought in more challengers. Of course,…

BodyGuardz HTC Titan Armor Carbon Fiber Review

Reviews March 23, 2012

BodyGuardz HTC Titan Armor Carbon Fiber Review

I made the mistake of buying a carbon fiber skin from a company I had never heard of, when I decided that I didn’t want to keep my HTC Titan in a case. My disappointment with the product started when I realized that there was a huge cutout in the back so that the HTC logo would show through. No offense to HTC, but I don’t need to see their logo to know that the phone was made by them. I was able to easily get all of the pieces installed, but the skin just didn’t seem very substantial. I…

News Flash - You Can Use Up Your Data Plan Faster on Your iPad With 4G Speeds!

Gear Bits March 22, 2012

News Flash – You Can Use Up Your Data Plan Faster on Your iPad With 4G Speeds!

We already know that Dan is a heavy data user – AT&T has him nationally ranked, after all! Today Dan mentioned that in the first week with the new iPad he has already exceeded 2GB of usage. My usage has been much lower, but I am surrounded by WiFi much of the time – but the 4G service has been indispensable, as has the WiFi hotspot! But Dan isn’t alone – there have been several articles about people suddenly finding themselves going over their 2GB data limit and having to pay an extra $10 per GB of data. In the…

The Wilson Electronics AG Pro 75 Was Worth the Upgrade

Reviews March 15, 2012

The Wilson Electronics AG Pro 75 Was Worth the Upgrade

It’s no secret that if you live or work in an area that isn’t in the middle of a strong cellular coverage zone, your mobile phone signal is going to suffer. That’s one of the things I knew I would have to deal with when I moved to the ranch, but I wasn’t about to let it be the deciding factor.

Phiaton PS 20 BT Stereo BT Headset Bring Advanced Technology

News & Features March 15, 2012

Phiaton PS 20 BT Stereo BT Headset Bring Advanced Technology

Phiaton’s PS 20 BT Stereo Headset may look like any other pair of Bluetooth headphones but they pack in a huge amount of new technology that makes them stand out fro the crowd. The PS 20 BTs have Bluetooth 3.0 capability and use the 2.4GHz frequency for things such as pairing and taking phone calls but for activities that use heavier data they switch to Wi-Fi (802.11). That, for example, allows “more information to be sent to your listening device, providing drastically improved sound quality”.

Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver Review

Reviews March 15, 2012

Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver Review

Update: This contest is now closed, and the winner has been announced on Facebook. Thank you for playing, and keep an eye out for more Gear Diary giveaways! =) Whether it is via AirPlay or through my Sonos system, I’m into wireless music these days. I love not having to physically dock a device in order to get the music flowing. More than that, I love being able to keep my device with me and then, regardless of where I am in the house, change the track or the volume. The problem is that the least expensive Sonos speaker component…

Should We Stay or Will We Go with Windows Phone?

Editorials March 12, 2012

Should We Stay or Will We Go with Windows Phone?

Dan: This is the fourth and final part of our look at Windows Phone and the HTC Titan. In Considering the Move from an iPhone 4S to Windows Phone Titan, we talked a bit about the operating system and its history. In Comparing the iPhone 4s Hardware to the HTC Titan and Dipping into the Windows Phone User Interface, we addressed the user interface and some of Windows Phone’s key features. In Checking Out Windows Phone Speed, Apps, Camera, Music Player and Games, we looked more closely at the applications that we are using as well as the camera and a few additional aspects of the…

Buh-Bye Android Market, Hello Google Play

Gear Bits March 6, 2012

Buh-Bye Android Market, Hello Google Play

The Android Market has been around for a while now, but Google has begun using it for more than just Android apps; they have added Music, Movies and Books over the last year.  So, in an effort to unify things a bit and get a less ambiguous name that describes the service, Google is re-branding the Android Market as Google Play.  The website is active now, and the Android Market app on your devices will be replaced with the Google Play Store app.  You can also expect to see updates today for the Books, Music and Movies applications. For more, check out…

DBEST London Duo Bluetooth Rechargeable Mini-Speaker Set Review

Reviews March 5, 2012

DBEST London Duo Bluetooth Rechargeable Mini-Speaker Set Review

The other day we looked at one of two DBest speaker sets I have been using for the past week and a half. Here’s what DBest has to say about their products: The most important thing in music are not the lyrics, but the way of receiving. The way music is transferred determines how much we like our music. To be short: the better the quality of our speakers, the better we can enjoy music! DBest speakers provide premium sound quality that is considered the finest in the world. This way they can give you maximum pleasure listening to your…

Samsung Galaxy S II Now Available On US Cellular

News & Features March 2, 2012

Samsung Galaxy S II Now Available On US Cellular

I had mentioned recently that U.S. Cellular was bringing the Samsung Galaxy S II to their network ‘soon’ … which turns out to be NOW! Here are some details: The Galaxy S II is ideal for the multi-tasker who also wants easy access to entertainment wherever they go. You can quickly update your calendar and browse the web to read the latest news, check the weather or get driving directions. The multimedia functions allow you and your family to keep up with your favorite TV shows and keep the kids entertained while you’re traveling with HD Games. With its superior…

Judie's Mobile World Congress 2012 WrapUp via Vonage Mobile

Events, Travel March 2, 2012

Judie’s Mobile World Congress 2012 WrapUp via Vonage Mobile

Judie is on her way back From Barcelona where she attended Mobile World Congress. We had a chance to use the Vonage Mobile app (read the Sponsored Post/Review here) to catch up a bit and talk about the hits and misses of MWC 2012. Here’s the call with some of the pictures she took while she was there along with her wrap up video. What we saw… What we brought…

DBest Solo Bluetooth Mini Speaker Review

Reviews March 1, 2012

DBest Solo Bluetooth Mini Speaker Review

Since getting my JawBone JamBox some months ago I’ve had a “thing” for small Bluetooth speakers. Most recently I’ve been using two offerings from DBest. Here’s what DBest has to say about their products: The most important thing in music are not the lyrics, but the way of recieving. The way music is transferred determines how much we like our music. To be short: the better the quality of our speakers, the better we can enjoy music! DBest speakers provide premium sound quality that is considered the finest in the world. This way they can give you maximum pleasure listening…

JustMobile Encore for iPad and Other Tablets Review

Reviews February 29, 2012

JustMobile Encore for iPad and Other Tablets Review

We’ve become big fans of JustMobile’s offerings. The company has a great way of merging sleek aesthetics with a high degree of functionality. This time out we are taking a look at the JustMobile Encore stand for iPad and other tablets. Let’s take a look.

Pictures and Video from the Sony Press Conference on the Xperia Line of Smartphones

Events, News & Features February 27, 2012

Pictures and Video from the Sony Press Conference on the Xperia Line of Smartphones

Sony had three phones in their Xperia line to show off yesterday. We posted on them at the time and you can get details here. Today we’ve got loads more pictures AND a video from the Sony Press Conference. Let’s start with the Press Conferences video and then you can check out all the pictures in the gallery.   Check out the entire gallery of pictures from the Sony Press Conference.                              

HTC One Line of Smartphones Hands-On in NYC

News & Features February 27, 2012

HTC One Line of Smartphones Hands-On in NYC

Yesterday we brought word of HTC’s new line of Android smartphones, the HTC One. There are three phones in the line and each has its own unique screen size and feel. What is particularly unique however is the fact that the phones are NOT UNIQUE. No, the enhanced camera, sound and build-quality is the SAME across the line. As one of the HTC reps put it, “The great thing this time out is that you only need to make the choice with regard to the size and feel you want, the camera, sound etc is the same across the line…

Nokia Makes a Number of Big Announcements at MWC

Events February 27, 2012

Nokia Makes a Number of Big Announcements at MWC

Nokia had a number of announcements from their huge MWC press conference. Here are a few of the highlights with links to the Nokia site covering each of the items: Nokia advances on its new strategic direction, rolls out range of new mobile devices and services Nokia has extended the range of products with Windows Phone by introducing the Nokia Lumia 610, the most affordable Lumia yet, as well as targeting availability of the widely acclaimed Lumia 900 to additional markets beyond the U.S. Nokia also today ushered in a new era in high-end smartphone imaging. The Nokia 808 PureView…

The World's First Ice Cream Sandwich Dual-SIM Smartphone Announced at MWC

Events, News & Features, Travel February 26, 2012

The World’s First Ice Cream Sandwich Dual-SIM Smartphone Announced at MWC

UPDATED with Judie’s pictures from MWC ViewSonic not only announced some great new tablets at MWC but they are also announcing a host of new smartphones. Among them is the first Ice Cream Sandwich Dual-SIM Smartphone. Why dual-SIM? Dual-SIM phones are expected to see an 80% growth rate in the next two years and, according to market research group Strategy Analytics, 206 million dual-SIM handsets will be sold worldwide in 2014. That compares to compared with 41 million in 2010. As the ViewSonic Press Release notes, Dual-SIM phones are expected to grow as users prefer to carry one handset for…