Here's to enjoying the dying embers of summer this Labor Day weekend!
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
As with Twitter, friend-to-friend connections are asymmetrical, so a famous musician can pick up zillions of followers without having to follow each one back. You can set up your own profile so that anyone can follow you, so only people you approve can do so, or so no one can. Once you have a few friends, you can exchange messages in a Facebook-like manner, see what music your friends are downloading, and even receive a top-ten music list that summarizes the most popular music your friends are downloading.
HDR photos use a technique called "bracketing," in which three photos are taken in quick succession, one exposed at the camera's best guess, one underexposed, and one overexposed. The three photos are then combined algorithmically, which can often provide noticeably better results, as details and colors that are visible only under different exposures are merged. For example, a blue sky that gets blown out to white under normal circumstances would appear blue in the underexposed photo (leaving foreground elements nearly black); when merged, the sky and foreground are properly exposed. The original photos remain available in the Camera Roll too, so you can compare to see if the HDR version is better or not.
That said, Martin was very amiable and funny (as well as sounding pretty good playing solo on the piano):
"This is a new song we're doing, it's called Coldplay 2.6. It features 7 chords. None of our competitors have it. Jony Ive designed it. It's in the key of iMinor."
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
As expected, Apple made a big play to turn its Apple TV hobby into something more mainstream (and better monetized for the company) with a reboot of the Apple TV device. The gadget retains its name (no iTV), but it is shrunk in a number of ways.
Physically, it's smaller by about 80 percent from the original silver aluminum enclosure to an easily palm-able black box. And it also no longer houses a sizable hard drive to where you previously would sync your digital bits from iTunes and let sit there until ready for consumption. The new, deep black Apple TV is streaming only. And it not only hooks into TV and movie rentals from Apple's iTunes store, but it also hooks into streaming content from Netflix (as long as you're a subscriber).
I should have guessed something like this would happen since I recently just purchased a Roku HD-XR box primarily for streaming Netflix video (but also checking out content options from Amazon Video on Demand and other providers). And the Roku even got a price break (to $99.99) to match the Apple TV.
Here's the skinny on the new Apple TV:
Later this fall, Apple will also be rolling out its rejiggered AirTunes functionality, now called AirPlay, which will allow you to stream media content from an iOS device (i.e., iPhone, iPad, iPod touch) through the Apple TV and onto your HDTV. That will come with the iOS 4.2 update, which is expected in November and will be available for the full iOS lineup.
In other news, Kevin Rose (founder of Digg.com) is wrong once again with his Apple predictions, stating that the newly renamed iTV would run iOS and provide a marketplace for TV channel apps. Yeah... that didn't happen. But he got the price point right.
The new Apple TV is currently available for pre-order, with shipping expected by the end of September.
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
iPod nano
The nano (seen in hand at the right) gets the biggest overhaul of the three, shedding the tall, slim profile with clickwheel of its previous iteration and going with a square, shuffle-like design with multi-touch display. And speaking of the iPod shuffle, it includes a clip on the back for easier wearability when working out.
You control all playback with the 1.54-inch display (240 x 240 pixels), and you can touch and drag various function icons (artist, songs, Genius, Photos, etc.) around to place them on the screen where you want them. The nano also includes a clock (so you could conceivably wear it on your wrist), an FM radio, voice recorder, and a pedometer (as well as compatibility with the optional Nike + iPod Sport Kit). While the iconography and UI looks familiar, it's not an iOS device, so you won't be able to download apps from the iTunes App Store.
The iPod nano comes in 8 GB and 16 GB capacities and a rainbow of colors ranging from silver to orange to pink.
iPod touch
Getting even slimmer, the iPod touch gains the retina display that debuted on the iPhone 4 earlier this summer as well as its A4 processor, FaceTime video chat capabilities, and HD video capture. It also brings in the iPhone 4's 3-axis gyroscope for improved gameplay, which is a good set up for Apple's introduction of its Game Center social gaming platform. Macworld further describes it thusly:
In practical terms, GameCenter will allow developers to better implement multiplayer into their games and players will now be able to easily challenge their friends to matches. Cumbersome leader boards are a thing of the past; other iPhone social networking systems, like OpenFeint, could be obsolete after GameCenter is released.
With FaceTime, you'll be able to have video chats with others who possess an iPhone or 4th-generation iPod touch over Wi-Fi. Apple still has sequestered this feature solely to its camera-enabled iOS 4 devices, but it's hoped that one day it will get opened up in iChat on the Mac. The iPod touch will also be compatible with the iOS 4.1 update that should be available in a week.
iPod shuffle
Finally, the iPod shuffle gets a slightly retro design reshuffle as the clickwheel returns after the previous iteration ditched it. It also morphs from its previous slim shape back to a square with clip on the back, but it retains the VoiceOver feature that tells you the name of a song or playlist from last year's model.
The iPod shuffle features a 2 GB capacity and it comes in multiple colors.
To see all the latest iPod releases, check out this page. They're all available for pre-order and should start shipping next week.
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
Steve Jobs and crew are going to be pulling some rabbits out of their hats today--new iPods, most likely a new Apple TV with some subscription/streaming service, and possibly announcing availability for iOS 4 for the iPad--and we'll be wrapping things up later this afternoon. If you have time, you can check out the live stream of the event (which TUAW notes will be stress-testing Apple's new North Carolina-based data center) from Apple's site. However... you have to be running the Safari web browser on an Intel-based Mac or on an iOS 3.0-minimum device (i.e., iPhone, iPad, iPod touch).
For those of you not possessing the magical components listed above, check out the real-time stream of Apple-y goodness from some of my fave liveblogging sources:
We'll see you on the other side later this afternoon.[UPDATE] The Apple streaming video link is live now.
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
As the annual chill of late summer hits Seattle, it's time to pull Bites from the Apple out of its summer hiatus and get ready for a full blast of Apple-y goodness coming our way next week with an Apple special event taking place on Wednesday, September 1. Invitations started hitting the middle of this week for this now annual roll-out of this year's model of iPods, so it didn't take many by surprise. However, this year's now annual will-it-have-a-camera-or-not debate over the iPod touch has been trumped by a certain hobby that seems ready to step into the prime time.
The Apple TV has long been the odd duck of Apple's product lineup, famously referred to by Steve Jobs as a "hobby" and has thusly had the possibilities it possesses only been marginally tapped. For those unfamiliar with this box (as many still are), the Apple TV allows you to play video and music stored in your Mac or PC's iTunes library on an HDTV--either synced to the device's hard drive or streaming over Wireless-N networking. It has a few extras like playing YouTube videos and displaying photo slideshows from your iPhoto library or from a Flickr account, and you can also encode your own videos into an iTunes-friendly format for playback on your HDTV. But it's designed mainly as a way to tap into iTunes purchases and rentals, making essentially walled garden with a limited amount of plot space.
(I know this from having owned an Apple TV since 2008 (when I helped my pal/colleague Jeff Carlson update his Apple TV Pocket Guide), and getting frustrated with its limited capabilities. I've since turned to the ATV Flash package of software enhancements to open up its usability--from adding more external hard drive space to providing compatibility with more video formats, including AVI.)
So, with competition for the living room hotting up with its Google TV initiative (which will be found on several pieces of hardware starting this fall), Apple needed to step up and make its little hobby more of the real deal. And thusly, next week's annual iPod trot-out show will most likely bring with it a new Apple TV--and probably dubbed iTV (as long as the UK's ITV television network doesn't put the kibosh on it).
According to the rumors flying about the gadgetosphere, the new ATV/iTV will bring the iOS environment (i.e., the iPad/iPhone/iPod touch operating system) to the party, making it play friendly with current video streaming apps already available to those devices (such as Netflix and Hulu Plus) as well as your games, news apps, etc. For an interesting take on what it could look like, check out this guest post at The Apple Core by Alain Grignon (where the image at left comes from):
No doubt the new ATV/iTV will include some spare-buttoned remote like the current physical Apple Remote (seen in the image at the top of this post) for control right out of the box, but the consensus is that this new iOS-powered device will have something more touch-based for additional controls, such as via a newly redesigned Remote app for iPad/iPhone/iPod touch. Or perhaps a newly designed iPod touch nano with a 1.7-inch touchscreen and powered by iOS (image mock-up via The Apple Blog).
The other big component of the new ATV/iTV device looks to be the ability to rent TV shows for $1 (allowing you to watching them for a 24- to 48- hour time period) as opposed to buying them (and being able to own the files for as long as you want to store them and rewatch them to your heart's delight). Leander Kahney at Cult of Mac adds an even more interesting twist of rumor: $1 gets you a month's rental subscription to all episodes of a particular show.
In addition to the tiny iPod touch nano (or whatever it's to be called), we can also expect a 4th generation iPod touch with a camera on the rear. Additionally, we could also see the roll-out of iOS 4 for iPad, though probably not the rumored 7-inch iPad. We'll be back on Wednesday afternoon to wrap up all that is actually released, so be sure to check back. In other links:
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
At the University of Michigan, a study found that people learned significantly better after a walk in nature than after a walk in a dense urban environment, suggesting that processing a barrage of information leaves people fatigued.
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
The latest Android-based Samsung Galaxy S variant got its official release last weekend, and it just might be the greatest (so far). The Samsung Epic for Sprint includes the same primary specs under the hood as other Galaxy S models like the Captivate (AT&T), Vibrant (T-Mobile), and and the still-to-come Fascinate (Verizon)--including a 4-inch Super AMOLED touch display, 1 GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor, Android 2.1 OS, Wireless-N Wi-Fi, and 720p HD video recording.
The Epic adds a slide-out physical QWERTY keyboard, a front-facing camera for mobile video calls (using the Qik service), and Swype keyboard technology.
Check out this video from Michael Sherlock demonstrating all three of the Epic's keyboard input methods--virtual QWERTY, Swype input, and physical QWERTY:But, most importantly, it takes advantage of Sprint's growing 4G network to jump ahead of the others in terms of connectivity speeds--which provides an average of 3-6 Mbps of download speed compared to Sprint's 3G network at 600 Kbps to 1.4 Mbps. You can check to see if 4G has come to your area with this Sprint coverage page (click the popup menu to see if your state and city are currently included). Additionally, the Epic features wireless hotspot capabilities, allowing you to share either the 3G or 4G connectivity with up to eight other devices via the phone's Wireless-N Wi-Fi.
And it's been garnering glowing reviews, such as from Ginny Mies at BusinessWeek:
Out of the Galaxy phones I've tested, the Epic 4G is definitely the best and definitely one of the top Android phones available. The nicely designed physical keyboard paired with the 4G goodness and front-facing camera makes it hard to beat.
And from Gizmodo:
Placed aside the other Galaxy S phones, the Epic still comes out ahead. It's the only one of the four that has 4G ... and the only one that has the slide-out keyboard. Most everything else across all four carriers are the same, except for small details in pricing and data plans. But when you're trying to decide between three skinny brothers and a stronger (but fatter) fourth brother, it's clear what the choice is.
The Samsung Epic 4G is available for pre-ordering right now (with shipment starting around August 31).
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
The
Picsios' touchscreen handles all of the camcorders functions and
even works while wearing gloves for fun in almost any situation.Both new camcorders will be available in September 2010, but are now available for pre-order.
--Brandon M. Baker
It seems there's a new Android phone hitting the streets every week lately, and with many of them using some variant of "Droid" in the name it can be hard to keep track of them all. Case in point: Motorola has just released not just one but two sequels over the last month to its original groundbreaking Droid--the Droid X and the Droid 2. The latter is the true sequel to the first Droid, while the former is the super-sized, non-physical-keyboard version. To help you keep your Droids straight, here's a score sheet with the key features and specs:
| Models | Droid | Droid 2 | Droid X |
| Android OS | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.1 (2.2 available soon) |
| Processor | 550 Mhz | 1 GHz | 1 GHz |
| Screen | 3.7" (480x854) | 3.7" (480x854) | 4.3" (480x854) |
| Text Input | Slide-out QWERTY + virtual keyboard |
Slide-out QWERTY + virtual keyboard + Swype + voice-to-text |
Virtual QWERTY + Swype + voice-to-text |
| On-board Memory | 16 GB microSD | 8 GB internal + 8 GB microSD |
8 GB internal + 16 GB microSD |
| Camera (Stills) | 5MP (dual LED flash) | 5MP (dual LED flash) | 8MP (dual LED flash) |
| Video Capture | DVD quality (720x480) | DVD quality (720x480) | HD quality (1280x720) |
| 3G Mobile Hotspot | -- | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g | Wireless-N (+ b/g) | Wireless-N (+ b/g) |
| GPS | Google Maps Navigation + VZ Navigator |
Google Maps Navigation + VZ Navigator |
Google Maps Navigation + VZ Navigator |
| HDMI Video Out | -- | -- | Yes |
| Droid | Droid 2 | Droid X |
Both the Droid 2 and the Droid X offer Verizon's optional 3G Mobile Hotspot capability, which enables you to connect up to 5 other Wi-Fi-enabled devices (from laptop to iPod touch) to the phone's 3G cellular connection in order to get onto the Internet.
Additionally, both the Droid 2/X include the Swype virtual keyboard, which allows you to input text by swiping the finger with one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard. You can check out some demo videos on how this tracing method works over at the Swype site.
The Droid 2 is available for shipping now over at AmazonWireless, while Verizon says that the Droid X will be shipping by the end of August.--Agen G.N. Schmitz
The newly revamped Bamboo Series laptop for ASUS is now available at Amazon.com, and you can get a $150 Amazon.com Gift Card with your purchase of the 14-inch ASUS U43JC-X1. Sleekly designed with a combination of brushed metal and rich, deep brown bamboo, the U43JC is specced out with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core-i5-450M, 500 GB hard drive, 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, LED-backlit 14-inch HD display, and up to 10 hours of battery life (with help from the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine's preset power profiles).
Additionally, it's outfitted with some new, bleeding-edge tech, including a USB 3.0 port for up to 10 times faster transfer speeds (as well as two USB 2.0 ports) and Intel's WiDi HD Wireless Display technology--which enables you to wirelessly transmit high-definition video to a compatible HDTV or external monitor.
It also features dual graphics processing--NVIDIA GeForce 310M with 1 GB of discrete memory and integrated Intel HD graphics--with NVIDIA Optimus technology, which seamlessly switches between the two graphics processors depending on the intensity level of your computing needs.
To purchase the ASUS U43JC-X1 and claim your $150 Amazon.com Gift Card, check out this promotion page (which explains how to take advantage of the deal, as well as explains the always important terms and conditions).
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
Taking a break from the international intrigue that Research In Motion (RIM) has found itself in of late, the company got around to releasing its new flagship BlackBerry smartphone--and the first to be loaded up with its BlackBerry 6 OS. Running on AT&T, the BlackBerry Torch straddles the line between old and new BB designs with a new form factor, featuring a capacitive touchscreen display (longer requiring the SurePress tap input of the Storm 2) and a physical QWERTY keyboard that slides out of the bottom.
Despite a sturdy design that's meant to please as many BlackBerry users as possible, it's what's underneath the hood with the BlackBerry 6 OS that's most impressive. Highlights include universal search that scours both your phone and the web for your search terms, improved touchscreen navigation, overhauled music and video players with better graphical interface for browsing through your library, Wi-Fi Music Sync so you don't have to tether your phone to your PC to load your latest album purchases, and a new Webkit-based Web browser with faster loading pages and tabbed browsing.
Check out this overview of the Web browser's strengths compared to the browser in the Bold 9700 from Crackberry (and also check out their extensive overviews of both BlackBerry OS 6 and the Torch):
And for even more on the Torch, be sure to check out Lasa Gade's 4-star review of the Torch over at MobileTechReview (with her video overview below):
The BlackBerry Torch for AT&T is available from AmazonWireless today for as low as $99.99.
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
Technology innovator Panasonic enters the Shoot-and-Share Video segment with their newest camcorder, the TA-1. Shoot-and-Share camcorders are compact, easy-to-use devices that allow for quick video capture and upload to online sharing sites like YouTube and Facebook. Panasonic enters this space with a slick new camcorder that offers new features and capabilities unseen in competitors.
The Panasonic TA-1 is the first shoot and share camcorder to utilize Apple's iFrame video format to allow for compact recording of high quality video. The TA-1 features an LED illuminator to help out in low light situations because often image quality suffers because your subjects are only partially visible. Another image capture benefit is resolution, the TA-1 records in full 1080P HD video and can also snap 8 MP still images.
Along with great capture technology, the TA-1 also allows for enhanced capabilities for users. The TA-1 has the essential of other shoot-and-share camcorders, like easy connectivity and video upload, but it also has the additional functionality to work as a webcam and microphone. You can use the TA-1 directly with Skype for face to face communication with friends and family anywhere with a data connection.
Panasonic's TA-1 combines a legacy of imaging expertise in a compact device you can take with you easily.
--Brandon M. BakerLast Friday, Steve Jobs pulled an Oprah when trying to put AntennaGate in its rear-view mirror, unleashing free cases to the iPhone 4 masses to deal with the furor over the long-gestating Death Grip.
If you've been too busy following the travails of Lindsay Lohan and aren't up to speed on the iPhone 4's technical woes, the gist is that placing your fingers on the black line on the lower left side of the iPhone 4's metal band (which is actually its antennae), you will degrade your reception (and transmission). This black line actually separates the two external antennae of the iPhone 4--one for cellular connectivity and one for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/GPS--and by blocking it with your hand, your body can absorb some of the signal and thus create dropped calls or poor reception. Thus, using a case to prevent your hand from touching the iPhone 4's antennae should improve things (as Consumer Reports suggested, which in turn prompted Apple to finally make its public statement last Friday).
Image courtesy of Macworld. |
(For a nicely thorough and very readable explanation of the underlying technical and scientific aspects to this kerfuffle, check out Rich Mogull's TidBITS piece--Why Using an iPhone 4 Case May Improve Signal Strength.)
Anyhoo, the takeaway from Friday's presser with Steve Jobs is that Apple will be offering free cases to iPhone 4 owners through September 30. Not that Jobs, who seemed rather testy on stage, was really pleased about this, as Farhad Manjoo in Slate picked up on:As Jobs sees it, the only problems with the iPhone 4 are the pesky "laws of physics," which pretty much ensure that anyone who holds a mobile phone in her hands is asking for trouble. The only reason people have been focusing on the iPhone is that blogs keep singling Apple out, perhaps because "when you're doing well, people want to tear you down."
Still, if you want to be a total jerk about it and keep insisting there's a problem with your magical iPhone, Jobs has an offer for you. "OK, great, let's give everybody a case," he said. Happy now, whiners?
So Apple will be offering its silicone Bumper case (which covers just the sides of the iPhone 4, not the back) for free. And there are reports that the Bumpers are no longer on sale at the Apple site. However, there is a caveat--Apple can't make enough Bumpers for all the current 3 million (and growing daily) iPhone 4 owners, so they'll be offering additional cases sourced from a variety of manufacturers. While the offer won't get official until probably Friday of this week (July 23), there are rumors floating around that the cases might be lacking a bit of style.
Personally, I haven't been that affected by the Death Grip throes, but free is free, right? However, I'm not a big fan of silicone cases as they're just too hard to slip in and out of my pocket--and even though the Bumper only covers the sides, I'm stilly wary about this sticky factor. And frankly, if I want a case for my phone, I want the one that's going to work for me the best--functionally and stylistically--not just any freebie. So, this is one free offer I might not take advantage of (the coupon-clipping, free-sample-lovin' Minnesotan who lives deep within me is gnashing his teeth right now).
If you're looking for just the right case for you, be sure to check out the full range of iPhone 4 cases (as well as other compatible accessories) available at the Amazon Cell Phones & Accessories store--such as the chrome Hard Candy Bubble Slider on the left or the Gumdrop Skater Nation soft-touch polycarbonate case on the right.--Agen G.N. Schmitz
Competition is hotting up in the Android space, where Samsung is taking on HTC for high-end handset supremacy with its Galaxy S line of Google-ized smartphones. Last week, T-Mobile rolled out its Vibrant variant and now comes Samsung's Captivate for AT&T, which Bonnie Cha from CNet calls "AT&T's most powerful and feature-rich Android device."
As with other handsets from the Galaxy S line, the 3G-enabled Captivate is powered by the Android 2.1 operating system and features a 1 GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor and 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display (with 480 x 800-pixel resolution). In Ginny Miles' review over at PC World, she explains what Super AMOLED is all about:
Super AMOLED technology puts touch sensors on the display itself, as opposed to creating a separate layer (which Samsung's old AMOLED displays had), making it the thinnest display technology on the market. Super AMOLED is fantastic--you really have to see it in person. Colors burst out of the display, and animations appear lively and smooth.To show off what a graphics powerhouse the Captivate is, check out this benchmarking video from Android Central (where the Captivate screen definitely shines in comparison to the Evo 4G, Droid X and now officially discontinued Nexus One):
Head on over to AmazonWireless, where you can pick up the Captivate for just $99.99 (for new contracts).
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
Part of Samsung's Galaxy S lineup of Google-powered smartphones, the 3G-enabled Vibrant runs the Android 2.1 operating system and is outfitted with some prevmium specs--including a 1 GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor and 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display (with 480 x 800-pixel resolution). The folks over at Engadget previewed the Galaxy S handset launched overseas in London back in June and were very impressed with the display's handling of direct sunlight. It should definitely give the iPhone 4's retina display some good competition and, frankly, kicks the HTC EVO 4G's tuchus (with its 65K color depth, compared to the Vibrant's 16 million).
Check out a comparison of the Vibrant's screen to the Nexus One in this hands-on video from Howard Chui of Howard Forums:
To show off its processor and display chops, T-Mobile is loading the Vibrant up with the Sims 3 game and the block-busting Avatar. But wait, there's more... You also get the recently released Amazon Kindle for Android app, six months of free Gogo Inflight Internet service, and a free 30-day trial of MobiTV mobile for live and on-demand TV on your phone. Other specs include a 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture, 16 GB of internal memory with microSD expansion capabilities (maxing out at 32 GB), Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking, and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity.
Check out more about the Samsung Vibrant, now available for pre-order... and in your hands potentially by the end of this week.
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
If you've even just been dipping your toes into the waters of the gadgetosphere, you'd think that the iPhone 4 was the only show in town. But AT&T, the iPhone's carrier, is also currently launching its second phone based on Google's Android OS--the HTC Aria. And if you've been feeling that the iPhone 4 is a bit rich for your wallet (at $200 for the 16 GB base model), the Aria might be just the ticket for smartphone goodness.
Running the Android 2.1 OS, the Aria surprisingly include the free Google Maps Navigation Beta for free turn-by-turn voice direction--a direct competitor to the AT&T Navigator monthly subscription service. It also features HTC's widget-happy Sense overlay, a 3.2-inch touchscreen, a (tiny) optical joystick, and 5-megapixel camera/camcorder as well as some of the other standards in the smartphone arena--Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth stereo music streaming, and microSD memory expansion.
And right now, the Aria can be had for a song over at AmazonWireless--just a penny for new accounts (and 2-year contract) or just $50.01 for those AT&T customers choosing to upgrade their phone.Check out this review by Lisa Gade over at MobileTechReview, as well as watch her walk-through video below:
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
For a look at the myTouch 3G Slide and how it stacks up to its predecessor as well as the Motorola Droid, check out this YouTube clip:
Additionally, T-Mobile announced today that it was debuting its 4G-like HSPA+ network in 15 new cities (including Atlanta, Houston, Seattle, Tampa, Orlando, and Pittsburgh). With HSPA+, T-Mobile claims its network provides download speeds comparable to that of Sprint's 4G network--with download speeds around 5Mbps to 8Mbps. And while Big Pink doesn't have any handsets that are HSPA+ compatible, Marguerite Reardon at CNet's Signal Strength blog notes that T-Mobile says that the new network should benefit its line of 3G phones:
That said, T-Mobile executives claim the network upgrade (particularly fiber links added to its backhaul, which is in place to ensure enough capacity for HSPA+) is also helping to boost capacity for existing 3G cell phones. This means that a handful of 3G phones, such as HTC's MyTouch, MyTouch Slide and G1, Motorola's Cliq, and Google's Nexus One, could see a speed boost in HSPA+ markets.Starting today, the myTouch 3G Slide is available in red, black, and white.
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
The successor to the rather lackluster Nuvifone (the original Garmin/Asus navigation handset for AT&T), the Garminfone for T-Mobile has been enhanced with the Android operating system (version 1.6 Cupcake) that allows you access to a wider variety of apps as well as a sleeker design (and CNet calls it a "complete package" of cell phone and GPS device). Like HTC does with its Sense overlay, Asus and Garmin provide a UI overlay that makes navigation more prominent on the home screen, but also includes a widget app on the right side of the screen that can take you to five customizable home screens.
But for this Android phone, the big draw of the Garminfone is its Garmin navigation software and built-in maps. From The Boy Genius Report:
(With) 2 GB-worth of maps locally, you’ll always have location information available regardless of signal, and with a myriad of GPS and location sensors, the Garminfone can get a lock relatively quickly. The maps include points of interest, and extra custom software allows you to plan routes and track logs. The big draw here is that the maps are pre-loaded onto the Garminfone, which means you’ll be able to navigate yourself without having to rely on a wireless data connection...
It's available for shipping right now for as low as $129.99 for new accounts via the AmazonWireless store. $199.99 for T-Mobile new customers $129.99 for new individual accounts via the AmazonWireless store.
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
The big deal about the HTC EVO 4G is that trailing spec in its title--connectivity to Sprint's new 4G network as well as Sprint's more mature 3G EV-DO network. And that latter fact is important as 4G coverage isn't very wide at this moment in time, with Sprint currently providing 4G service to 33 markets (according to this press release) ranging from Philadelphia to Raleigh in the east to Chicago and Dallas in the midwest and Portland and Seattle on the west coast. The presser also notes that 4G coverage will be coming to cities such as Boston, Miami, LA, and San Francisco in 2010 (check out the coverage tab on this Sprint 4G page to see currently available coverage). If your market doesn't have 4G, you'll automatically run on Sprint's 3G network.
And that's not too much of a sacrifice, what with the phone offering an extra-large 4.3-inch screen, Android 2.1 OS features, a nicely nimble 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, 8-megapixel camera, and the ability to use the HTC EVO 4G as a Wi-Fi hotspot--enabling you to connect up to 8 devices (laptop, iPod touch, etc.) to share the handset's 3G/4G cellular connectivity.
Much has been discussed about the iPhone 4's new FaceTime video chat feature, but the HTC EVO 4G also includes this capability thanks to its forward-facing 1.3-megapixel camera and partnership with the Qik mobile video service. And unlike Apple's FaceTime, the HTC EVO 4G allows you to make video calls via a 3G/4G cellular connection as well as Wi-Fi (the iPhone 4 is limited to Wi-Fi only). Qik is offering HTC EVO 4G owners free unlimited Qik-to-Qik video chat at up to VGA quality, but it's also offering a $4.99 monthly service that provides higher quality video resolution (see this Qik blog post for more details on features and pricing).
For more on the HTC EVO 4G, check out this review by Lisa Gade over at Mobile Tech Review (one of my favorite review sites) as well as her hands-on video review below (the quality of the ESPN clip over 4G is pretty astounding).
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
