We were able to get our hands on the Crux360, courtesy of the folks over at CruxCase, for the Apple iPad 2. There are plenty of good things going on with this product and a few minor things we did not care much for in the design. We have spent nearly a month with this product trying it in different environments to see how it holds up in rigorous use. The case has a full motion hinge that sets this case and keyboard combination on another level. Check out hands-on video after the break.

Design and Exterior:

Right out of the box the Crux360 is enclosed in a thin black carry pouch. Once you take Crux360 out of the pouch you are met with the touch of a matte black finish that gives you a nice grip on the case. The choice to use matte material for accessories is always something we have found to be a good choice.

The top part of the case is thin with a lack of felt lining and detaches to accommodate sliding the iPad 2 inside. The lack of felt lining on the inside really makes it hard for the iPad 2 to be removed out of the case easily. It took quite a few tugs back and forth until we were able to remove the iPad 2 out of the case. We don’t always fancy when users have to put to much effort in removing their devices out of protective cases or accessories, but if your using this consistently then we suppose you won’t be taking the iPad 2 out to often anyway. There was a huge opening on the top of this case which leaves the Apple logo and much of the rear of the iPad 2 shell exposed to the elements. We suppose this exposure is present to either allow users an area to grip on their iPad for removing it out of the case or to leave the Apple logo bare for aesthetic purposes. Whatever the case we would have preferred some sort of covering in this area, whether it was translucent or not.

Around the right rim of the device is a Micro-USB port that is used for charging the 510 mAh battery that powers the Crux360, unfortunately that battery does not support power to the tablet itself. CruxCase rates the battery as having 120 hours of usage time and 1000 hours of standby time. The case adds 1.55 pounds of additional weight to the iPad 2 and its dimensions are sized at 9.7×8.0x.08 inches (WxDxH). Along the outer ridge of the keyboard there are four round rare earth magnets that assist in automatically turning the iPad on and off and acting as a smart cover.

One of the more intriguing things about this case was the 360 degree full motion hinge that was very versatile. We had it turning in some many ways using the device in the four main positions of function which include the Laptop Mode, Movie Mode, Tablet Mode and Carry Mode.

Shortcut keys and keyboard:

We did not find any issues with the keyboard, though we were very jealous of not having the Bluetooth trackpad that will be available on a similar, and more expensive, keyboard case from CruxCase called the Crux Reloaded. The power button located is located on the top of the keyboard right next to the bluetooth sync and reset button. There is also a charging/power/sync indicator light along the top of the keyboard. As you can see from the pictures of the keyboard in the article you will notice there is adequate spacing between the keys and there is also a shortcut row of buttons on the top of the keyboard. These shortcuts trigger multiple iOS gestures that you would normally control on the touch screen and include controlling volume, music playlists, photo gallery, spotlight search, and the iPad homescreens.

Conclusion:

The Crux360 is currently available for $149 for the iPad 2 and $148 for the 1st generation iPad. This bluetooth keyboard brings the environment of a laptop a little closer to the iPad, but with the lack of a trackpad, like on the Crux Loaded, and no native mouse control functions we were left wanting. The constant need to touch and control the screen with a mouse led us to use our fingers quite often on the screen, which was not always comfortable when using the keyboard in laptop mode.

If you need a more rugged design or more expanded features than this may not be the best choice for you. Look into the Crux Reloaded for more functions like a bluetooth trackpad and a backup battery that charges the iPad 2, unlike what we see here on the Crux360. Check out another iPad 2 keyboard we reviewed earlier from Logitech here to see more options and be sure to check out our hands-on video below!

Please excuse the minor issues with audio in certain areas of video below.

We just received an email from Otterbox announcing a new product release set for the coming weeks ahead. The email stated the following:

“Something new is on its way. OtterBox has an exciting product to reveal and as a trusted member of the media, you are among the first to know about it! Watch the video for a tantalizing tease and expect a delivery before the start of next week. Additional information will be included with the package; however, the URL shared will not be available to the public until next week. This new product will be offered for sale on www.otterbox.com in the coming weeks.”

The video below, posted on the YouTube page of Otterbox, gives the public a quick glance at what is to come. It is clear from the video that it will be an Apple iPad 2 version of the Otterbox Reflex Series cases. If you remember, we saw the Reflex Series brand of cases get launched at the Consumer Electronic’s Show 2011 (CES 2011) in Las Vegas earlier this year. We have provided a second video below of when we first met up with the Reflex brand back at the show where an Otterbox spokesperson gives us a rundown of their iPhone 4 made variant.

The fine people over at Trident Case sent us over one of their Kraken series iPhone 4 cases to try out. I must say that at first glance this case looks daunting.

The Kraken II case was easy to slip my iPhone 4 into. The case offers full protection for the iPhone 4 including dust protection, scratch protection, drop protection, and even covers up the silent button so it cannot be bumped. To offer the screen scratch protection, the Kraken case has a screen cover built right into the case. One unique feature is a kickstand built directly into the back of the case so you can easily prop up the iPhone 4 for easy viewing of videos.

This case is very nice, it feels very solid on the iPhone and very protective without limiting any of the function. The only drawback to this much protection offered by the case it the extra bulk. The Kraken II also came with a belt clip accessory in-case you need to attach it to yourself for easy access. Overall I would rate this case a solid 4.5/5 Gears which is damn good!

Full feature list below:

Key Features:

Three-Layer Protection

1- Impact-insulating silicone
2- Durable polycarbonate shell
3- High quality screen protector (with installation kit)

Double-Enforced Corners

All Kraken Series cases are designed to handle substantial drops and other impacts. Each corner of the Kraken II for iPhone 4 features reinforced, shock absorbing silicone for extra protection.

Dust and Debris Insulation

The case comes with permanently attached dust filters over speaker and microphone bays to block even the most miniscule speck of debris. Audio and power jacks are both covered under the silicone skin with firm, removable plugs.

Removable Sleeve for Easy Docking

The bottom of the case features a removable silicone sleeve which allows the case to be placed in a docking station without the hassle of removing the case.

Convenient Holster

The case comes with a simple but reliable holster. It clips securely onto a belt and has a quick-release clip for easy access.

Built-in Kickstand

The built-in aluminum kickstand allows the user to set the device up for media viewing without having to remove the case.

Materials and Dimensions

The plastic covers are made of polycarbonate and the skin is silicone. All materials are 100% RoHS compliant.

It has been over a month since I received the HTC Flyer for review and I have just decided to post my review on this device. I am sorry for the delay, but this device became one of those forgettable review devices that I receive and was placed below several review units and just got lost in the shuffle. I have used this device extensively for 2 weeks when I first reviewed it and I also have been playing with it for the past few days to refresh myself with any possible updates that may be available for the device. Unfortunately, Android Honeycomb has never come to this device and may never come at this late in the game. The Flyer is still running Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread), an OS designed for use on a smartphone specifically. You can currently find the HTC Flyer, which is WiFi only, in a Best Buy near you as well as online. Sprint is also selling the HTC Flyer, as the EVO View 4G, which is a 3G/4G enabled tablet. There is also an accessory, called that Scribe Pen, that is available to the Flyer that unloads a few noteworthy features which we will discuss more about under the software section.

Network/Software:

The HTC Flyer, as I mentioned before, is running Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) on a tablet form. Gingerbread is a great experience for most users and still gives you access to thousands of applications for this device. But all the tablet applications, few that there are, will not be accessible to this device since it does not come with the version of Android designed for tablets called Honeycomb. Even though the screen on the Flyer is just 7-inches, compared to the 8.9 to 10.1-inch tablets out there, it is still a tablet and should be treated as one in software capabilities. The device definitely has the specs to run Honeycomb but, for one reason or another, HTC has decided to not bring it to their tablet as of yet. At initial release you could accept that HTC did not want to place an unstable and buggy early version of Honeycomb on their first tablet to market. But now Honeycomb has been revised and improved upon in a few build updates and HTC no longer has any excuse for bringing Honeycomb to their tablet. Now there are consumers who are capable of rooting their devices and placing any Android software build they would like to on their Flyer or View 4G. Those users are not limited to what HTC chooses to release or not and the sky is the limit for them. But for the general consumer masses who are not savvy in that respect and are hostage to what the manufacturer release in software; they are without any resolution. There is very little that is different between the WiFi only HTC Flyer and the Sprint HTC EVO View 4G, aside of the color difference seen in the pictures above and the 3G/4G modems in the Sprint version of the Flyer. There is also a difference in some of the applications as the Sprint variant will come with a slew of Sprint applications pre-installed on it such as Sprint Navigation, music and a few others.

I like the carousel homescreen movements that we see with HTC Gingerbread devices. The Flyer may not be running the tablet oriented Android Honeycomb, but it does have the latest version of HTC Sense with version 3.0. HTC Sense is the user interface (UI) that they lay on Android that sets the experience apart from other manufacturers such as Samsung and others who use their own unique UIs. Sense brings lockscreen features of an animated weather update widget with a set of four shortcuts to jump to located on bottom of the screen. After you unlock your screen you are greeted by 8 homescreens on the carousel of HTC Sense and there are plenty of spots on these homescreen to add shortcuts to applications and even customize with plenty of fun widgets. But without Android Honeycomb there is no way to reset the size of widgets at your level of choice, instead you will have to take whatever default size the widget is offered as in Gingerbread. Besides the animated graphics you do not see much difference in the homescreen look as compared most Gingerbread HTC devices. Certainly, for a tablet, you would expect a high level of differentiation from smartphones. But there appears to be little present.

HTC has introduced a new experience though the split views in the browser, calendar and gallery applications. When you browse the web you can view previews of tabs on the top of the browser and can really be helpful when you are multitasking through your web experience. The gallery app allows you to view a gallery of photos while still viewing the other albums to the side for simple navigation through them. The calendar also follows this advantage by letting you view a day’s schedule one side while dually providing another side to view daily, weekly, or monthly schedules as well. While these features are nicely implemented there is not much else which leaves us with a feeling of lacking. Yet again another example of a an Android tablet manufacturer not taking true advantage of the screen real estate that they have built for their tablet.

Now with the the Flyer comes some new apps and services from HTC that are useful on tablet but only compete marginally with better similar applications. The first would be HTC Watch which is a application from HTC that allows users to rent and even purchase movies through their tablet. The prices are similar to what you would see with the Blockbuster application, but why not go subscription streaming with Netflix, for rooted users that is, and only pay one low flat rate for unlimited monthly viewing. We do appreciate the ability to watch a movie while downloading another in the background. Now we get to the HTC Scribe Pen that we mentioned in the introduction. This is an accessory that should have been included in the package with the HTC Flyer, but HTC decided to sell it separately for $79.99. Because of the integral part the pen can play in note-taking, the total of tablet and pen came out initially at $579.99 in most retail channels. It adds to the value of tablet by functioning with the Notes application in an dedicated manner for painting, drawing, and writing as you will see in our unboxing and first look video of the HTC Flyer at the end of this article. There you can annotate, highlight, and doodle all types of cool and fun things while another cool thing you will see in the video is how you can draw from almost anywhere on the screen on an application in the Scribble mode that HTC has implemented on this device.

The additional cost of the Scribe Pen along with the fact that there is no convenient out-of-the-box way to carry it along side the Flyer, not even like a magnet, is what continues to plague this accessory. There might be more development behind this from app developers if HTC had placed Honeycomb on this tablet, but for now we can only hope for the future. There is also an OnLive gaming application that allows us to take advantage of streaming gameplay from OnLive and works pretty well given you have a good speed connection.

Body/Hardware:

The hardware of the device is pleasing in some areas and lacking in others. Let us start with the bad things first. The HTC Flyer weighs in at 14.8 ounces with a thick looking frame compared to tablets that are much bigger in size, such as the Apple iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and for a 7-inch tablet (1024×600) resolution that is only powered by a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm single core processor with no dual-core goodness we expect a smaller frame. One feature that plenty of consumers use or want tablets for has been to use video calling applications such as Skype and other video programs. The device does come with a 1.3-Megapixel camera to take advantage of video calling applications and is located on the right side of the bezel of the device. The rear 5-Megapixel camera, that has no LED Flash I should add, overs acceptable quality still shots as long as your in very good lighting. HTC claims the device shots 720p HD video, but I have to say that it was a joke compared to what smartphones are capable of producing. The quality seems to be ported up poorly and seem more like SD or 480p resolution recording.

There is 16GB of internal memory with the option of expanding memory via a Micro-SD card slot located under the back cover around the rear camera. Even though, we think, given the smaller size of the display that the Flyer could be thinner and lighter I can still appreciate the solid feel of the device. Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP, WiFi b/g/n support, and DLNA are a few of the other things on board this tablet. Besides Scribe Pen there is not much that sets this device apart from others.

Conclusion:
The HTC Flyer has a $499.99 MSRP before the cost of the Scribe Pen is taken in to account, and to be honest, that is a bit much for a 7-inch tablet running Android Gingerbread. Given the present landscape of HP TouchPads for $99 and iPad 2 tablets running for the same price as the Flyer, then I would have to recommend the competitors. Drop the price a few hundred, lets say $249-$349 and we have something to talk about.

Don’t get me wrong I love the aluminum construction, responsive interface, and the idea of the magic pen. The display, while only being a TFT display, is still a beauty to behold and the device as a whole is still a solid piece of exterior work and size. While the HTC Flyer shows a probable good future for the tablet future at HTC, we would advise against picking one up until the price drops. Better yet, why not wait for the second generation of tablets from HTC to be released. Be sure to check out our video before of the HTC Flyer in action and chime in on the comments field below if you already took the plunge on this tablet and would like to share your own experiences in a few sentences.

I have always been in the pursuit of the perfect case for my electronic devices, and the LifeProof case for the iPhone 4/4S comes genuinely close at achieving that goal. I am not usually prone to accidents when it comes to my smartphones as I have always been very careful with them by making sure they are equipped with the best protective cases around. I do this because I want to ensure my electronic devices retain that brand new look and finish they had when I first took them out of the box. What can I say? I enjoy their original condition.

In the past I have used many protective cases for the iPhone 4, including the OtterBox Defender, the Ballistic Hard Core, and the Trident Kraken. Those specific cases and many more like them provide ample protection against shocks and drops to your device, but they offer little to no protection against submersion in mud, water, or sand. A case that could protect your device when those hazardous environments present themselves would be a great asset. However, the level of protection that many heavy duty cases provide has usually come at the expense of the size of the case itself. They are usually big and clunky and that can sometimes be the case before you even factor in a belt clip attachment. The LifeProof seems to have succeeded in the task of combining nearly 100% protection with a slim and sleek design for the price of $69.95, albeit there is no belt clip included.

The case is exactly 13mm in size, slightly larger than the 9.3mm width of the iPhone 4 without a case. That is just 4mm in additional width and given that this case is waterproof, I would have to say that is impressive. The exterior of the case has a non-stick rear shock absorbing cover. The case shell is made of a tough polycarbonate material along with a shock absorbing elastomer and this all helps to provide military grade IP-68 protection against water and dust. The depth of underwater submersion tolerance for this case is up to 2 meters or 6.6 ft. The camera and led of the iPhone 4 has a double coated anti-reflective lens to help with clear photo and video capture under the seas. All mics and speakers have waterproof acoustic vents, along with waterproof & dirt proof seals on the headset jacks and physical buttons. LifeProof cases have a motto called the “Four Proofs” which consists of Water Proof, Dust Proof, Snow Proof, and Shock Proof and the case seems to hold true to those proofs so far. The case comes with a 90 day warranty which can be extended to up to 1 year, provided that you register for it online and complete an online operating checklist. In addition to the standard black variant of the case, there are also pink and white options as well.

Now with all this good protection I have noticed a few small things I have disliked about the case. Firstly, the front of the screen has a type of scratch resistant waterproof screen protector which is built onto the case but has one downside. It leaves a layer of spacing between the screen and the protector which requires pressing down on the screen more physically then you would if the device were out of the case. This kind of screen protection is more perfected by other manufacturers. We have not yet established whether this spacing is deliberate or a defect as this is still a new case. I have also noticed that as I taken the case apart a few times, the bottom corners of the case where the 2 parts of the case connect have started to gap slightly. From what I can tell, this has not affected the water protection at all in any way. In fact the only reason I mention it here is because of the below warning that I read in the “reviewers guide” for the case:

“The LifeProof case was designed to protect the iPhone in daily use. Therefore, it should only be taken off infrequently. It has very precise latches, and the back of the case has a lifetime of approximately 50 opens and closes.”

Those statistics are not very good for your average technology reviewer, because my job may require me to try different cases on a regular basis. As I said before the case itself is $69.95, but LifeProof has an extensive list of replacement parts and accessories that can be purchased from their site to help in the maintenance of your case. This was a sour point for me, as I have seen other heavy duty protective case manufacturers offer lifetime warranties which usually bypass the need for such parts to be purchased. They sell the front and back panels of the case along with a host of other parts that may deteriorate due to the very things the case protects against. However, LifeProof is new and growing company and like any business I guess they have to seek efficient means of achieving profit everywhere they can. More detail about those additional products can be found in the LifeProof case review/testing video displayed at the end of this article.

For now, it looks like the iPhone 4 is the only device that has a case made by LifeProof that is available for purchase. There is an mock up rendering of what the iPad 2 LifeProof case will look like, but pricing and availability is still to be announced. I do believe that given the benefits of the case that the price, $69.95, is worth given that cases near or equal to that price do not provide water proof protection. I would like to see the belt clip that they plan to sell at a “to be announced” price be repackaged as an included accessory for the case. That would make the price down right a bargain. So if you are in need to take video while you snorkel with the fishes or listen to some tunes while you are in the shower than this may be the right case for your iPhone 4.

Updates after original posting below:

UPDATE(08/11/2011): LifeProof has contacted me shortly after my review has been online to respond to my comment on the spacing between the screen protector that I mention in the review. Its is clear that this was not a desired effect according to their statement below. They have stated the following:

“new batches of cases now have a tighter screen protector. Those will now be available to all who purchase the case. “

UPDATE(09/09/2011): While the case is indeed pocketable, the material that is used on the exterior back of case is very easy to scuff and offers no coating to resist such abrasion. Though very protective, the black case can look undesirable to those wanting to maintain the out of the box aesthetic appeal. Results may differ on other color options.

UPDATE(10/08/2011): We have been reassured by LifeProof that their case will work flawlessly with the iPhone 4S as well. As well it should, given that the phones are exact dimensions and shape.

UPDATE(10/08/2011):The LifeProof Case – Gen 2 is available for the new higher price of $79.99. The belt clip they make is still not included with case. I will be conducting a comparison video of the Gen 1 and Gen 2 cases on video and providing the video below the original video below next month once I receive the newest case.

UPDATE(11/29/2011):
Hey guys we received the LifeProof for iPhone 4/4S Generation-2 and have completed a visual review of the case in contrast to the LifeProof Generation-1. Check out this link to watch the video!

I have been waiting for the day when a decent keyboard equipped Android phone would be released. In my perspective there have either been satisfactory keyboards released on terrible Android devices or good Android phones released with crappy keyboards. Well it seems that Motorola has finally found a way to merge good keyboard with good phone in the Verizon Wireless Droid 3 and may I say, “me likey.”  If I were to personally have Verizon Wireless for my main carrier then this Android device would definitely be one of my first choices for to purchase, even with the lack of the envious 4G LTE network.

Network/Software:

Motorola has done plenty of right things with the Droid 3, so I might as well start off with my only real gripe so far and that is the lack of 4G. This device has almost everything checked off on the list of what smartphones have today except for the newest in 4G LTE technology. Given that this device is on the Verizon Wireless network I am unable to hate that exclusion totally. Moving on to the good stuff, and there is plenty of it on this device. The Droid 3 runs Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) right out of the box without the overbearing MotoBlur experience that many people have disliked and come to expect on Motorola Android phones for some time now. The Android experience and menu systems are pretty much identical to what I mentioned in my review of the Droid X2.  The difference is in the hardware and we will get to that soon enough. The Droid 3 is not only a device with CDMA bands, but it is also a World Phone that has GSM bands and can be used overseas. We have started to notice that several post-iPhone 4 Verizon Wireless smartphones without 4G have been GSM enabled for overseas usage. This almost seems to be a consolation for no 4G inclusion on those respective devices. Whatever the reason, I would say it was a big win to business users who travel overseas and want a better selection of World Phones besides just Blackberry devices.

Body/Hardware:

Motorola has included a nice arsenal of hardware features on this Droid 3 and I am not quite sure where to begin. Why not start off at the brains of the device, which happens to have 2 with a Dual-Core 1GHz Processor which powers this beast of a device. I would like to note that while the device has many demanding features the dual-core processor on the Droid 3 still feels sluggish compared to what you would experience on an Android device, such as the Nexus and Nexus S devices, running stock Vanilla Android Gingerbread without any manufacturer User Interface (UI) on top. But the Droid 3 still holds up very nicely in comparison to other similarly specked devices. The next thing that we have not seen on other Motorola Android devices on Verizon Wireless is the lack of a front-facing camera which has been rectified with the Droid 3. In fact not only do we have a VGA front-facing camera, but the Droid 3 has a 8-Megapixel camera with LED flash bumped up from the 5-Megapixel on the previous Droids 1 & 2. The Droid 3 can also record 1080p HD video and that has been increased from the 720p HD capture rate that has been the limit on almost all smartphones to date. I do want to note that the autofocus on this device seemed to go bonkers when I was in little to non-lit areas. It could not steady the autofocus until after several attempts.

The previous Droids 1 & 2 had 3.7-inch displays with resolutions of 480 x 854, but that is no match to the Droid 3 which sports a beautiful 4-inch qHD (960 x 540) display. That display is made of Corning Gorilla Glass and identical to the quality we find on the Droid X2. The 4-inch display is probably my favorite idea size for a smartphone, especially if it is accompanied by a full Qwerty keyboard. Oh and what a keyboard we have on the Droid 3. The Droid 1 & 2 both did not have a dedicated numerical line of buttons, but on the Droid 3 we have a full 5-row Qwerty keyboard with the first top line consisting of dedicate keys for numbers. This was something that was not present on the previous predecessor models and caused quite a bit of angst for avid “texters” everywhere. In addition to that the keys on the Droid 3 have even more space between them compared to the Droid 2 and that allows our fingers more breathing room as we are typing. There is also a nice feel to the click of the buttons as they are not flat and yet not to bubbled either so that they provide a great experience which is fair to say is unmatched on any Motorola Droid device so far. I have always been a fan of qwerty keyboard smartphones. Back in the days of Windows Mobile, before the iPhone, all my smartphones had both keyboards and touch screens. It was only after the iPhone and high adoption of Android did we such a proliferation of touchscreen only smartphones to the point of the scarcity of keyboards on smartphones. When manufacturers would come out with keyboards on Android devices, those phones would almost always be low to mid range smartphones which were not the powerhouse phones I tend to prefer for my personal use. The Droid 3 seems to answer that need, or at best 90% of it, but the lack of 4G is what may prove to be fatal to the wide spread adoption rate of this device among tech enthusiasts.

The Droid 3 is a bit heavier than its predecessor models weighing in at 6.49 ounces where the Droid 1 & 2 were both below 6.1 ounces in wait. So you can expect a more heavy build package, but the device remains to be one of the thinnest Android Qwerty devices I have seen. The lack of a spring loaded keyboard contributes to that thin design, so there is still a bit of push required when sliding the keyboard out as apposed to spring loaded keyboards on other devices that shoot right out at the slightest push. The device measures at 64.1 x 123.3 x 12.9 mm (HxWxD) in size. The right spine of the device has a very slim and changed volume rocker, while the power/lock button and 3.5mm headset jack are located on the top of the device. There is still that bit of protruding edge on the bottom of the Droid 3, a Droid staple seen on all the predecessor models, which is why the keyboard is so spacious.

When it comes to the memory of the device, alas, there is no Micro-SD card included with the device. But there is a healthy 16GB of internal memory located on the Droid 3 that should be more than enough to hold plenty of media and applications for most right out of the box. You will just have to shell out some more money at your local or online electronic retailer if you want a Micro-SD card for memory.
The battery life, at 1540 mAh, provides an adequate amount of power for this device so far, but I do believe something more powerful would have been warranted especially given the back-lit keyboard on this device. Motorola times it at 550 minutes of talk-time and 300 hours of standby.

Conclusion:
The Motorola Droid 3 is available for $199.99 with a 2-YR new contract and for once in some time I believe that the price is worth it for all this device has to offer in the specs department as well as the enjoyment I have had in it use. Especially with that nearly perfect keyboard, which I have to say I am truly thrilled with so far. If you want a powerful Android smartphone with good video capture, good processor performance, and you happen to be a heavy text enthusiast then this phone is really going to impress you. Business users will love it because it combines overseas capabilities while still retaining qwerty keyboard usage for those long emails and/or reports. Besides the lack of 4G, this device is a powerhouse of a phone and should be on the list of potential smartphone choices for new and existing Verizon Wireless customers when they do their shopping for there next new smarphone.

Network/Software:

The Droid X2 is another powerful device which is unfortunately only powered by the Verizon Wireless 3G network with now 4G to back it up. Motorola and/or Verizon Wireless have chosen not to include 4G LTE on this device for a reason that truly escapes my demanding side. I can only assume that either they do not want a huge proliferation of devices on their 4G network or manufacturers do not want to make only 4G devices until the technology has advanced and LTE internals get smaller in order to allow devices to remain less bulky in size. Whatever the reason, because it certainly is not cheaper consumer cost, Verizon Wireless still remains to offer one of the best networks in the United States for wireless coverage. So while Verizon 3G data may be slower than 4G LTE and other carrier networks on 3G/HSPA+ standards, they still provide more consistent service in more areas than even their own 4G network can provide for right now.

The Droid X2 is currently running Android 2.2 (Froyo) and should be upgradable to 2.3 (Gingerbread) in the near future. Thankfully though, we are not inundated with Moto Blur, Motorola’s overbearing proprietary Android User Interface, on this device. There will be no need for any Moto logins here on this device. The usual bloatware of Verizon apps and such are included on this device but were not difficult to uninstall. There is also an alternative to removing those pre-included applications by hiding them within the menu system and viewing just your choice of apps.

Body/Hardware:

The Droid X2 comes packed with the same size 4.3-inch display as the original Droid X, but with a major “qHD” difference. That is right, you read correctly, we have a brilliant 960 x 540 qHD resolution which really brings the huge screen on this device to life. The protection for that “full of life” screen, which was not revealed by Motorola at the release of the device, is actually made from Corning Gorilla Glass. I mean to say that, originally, Motorola only listed the device screen as “scratch resistant” and choose not to list whether it was Gorilla Glass or some other proprietary material of their own. The device itself weighs in at nearly exactly the weight of its predecessor at 155 grams with a 65.5 x 127.5 x 9.9 mm (H X W X D) in size.

Moving on to the spines of the device we have a Micro-USB and Micro- HDMI port right next to each other on the left bottom corner of the device which are situated in place nearly exactly as the original Droid X. That would be the same for the volume rockers, 3.5mm headset jack, and power/lock button. One thing that has disappeared around the spine, is the dedicated camera shutter button that was located on the Droid X. For some reason Motorola chose to do away with this button and we feel that it will be missed by many, including ourselves. The camera on the Droid X2 is located in the same area as the Droid X along with dual LED Flash, but the quality remains the same with a 8-Megapixel camera and 720p HD (30fps) video recording. I know 8-Megapixel may be one of the highest levels of Megapixel we get with smartphones today, but the camera itself almost seems identical in every aspect of quality and with no improvements. They have even chosen to add a front-facing camera to this device which is becoming an almost common feature on powerful smartpohnes today. Even the main functions buttons of Home, Back, Search, and Menu are still the same physical buttons you may recall on the first Droid X and some people may appreciate hard buttons while others would rather have more screen space be created for capacitive touch buttons instead.

Now don’t get me wrong there are still plenty of good things on this device which make it a powerful phone, albeit the lack of 4G. I have to mention that this device not only takes a step forward from the original Droid X with the qHD display, but it also is powered by a 1GHz Dual-Core Processor that really speeds up the performance of this device and helps in boot times, screen transitions, application functionality, etc. Now the battery life is at 1540mAh and that seems to be on par with the older Droid X and most Verizon Wireless smartphones in the current lineup except for the likes of the Samsung Charge which is a bit higher. The Droid X2 is a 3G only device, so you would think the battery life would be better than what 4G devices exhibit. But the Samsung Charge still beats the Droid X2 in battery life, albeit the Charge has a higher mAh count. According to Motorola, the Droid X2 should give us 480 minutes of talk-time and 220hrs of standby. We could speculate that the Dual-Core processor could be taxing the battery more, but that would just be an excuse. Like most Android devices the battery on the Droid X2 is satisfactory and should give you ample use for phone calls and what others may call “regular usage,” but when you start pumping music and movies it will only be a short matter of time before you are looking for your charger.

When it comes to storage, the memory on the Droid X2 has 8GB of internal memory while there is an included additional 8GB Micro-SD Card as well. I would recommend watching the video review that I do with the Droid X2 at the bottom of this article as you will see that I mention something about the memory included on this device which may be interesting to first adopters of the original Droid X who were wondering about the amount of memory included on this device. Lastly, I do want to point out that other recent Verizon Wireless smartphones lacking 4G capabilities like the Incredible 2, HTC Trophy, and Motorola Droid 3 all are World capable phones with GSM and CDMA bands. But for some reason the 3G only Droid X2 is not a World Phone in addition to being with 4G. The reason I point this out to you is because I presumed that Verizon Wireless and its device partners were giving devices without 4G internals the ability to be used overseas as a consolation for the lack of 4G, but the Droid X2 seems to counter that assumption.

Conclusion:

Currently the Droid X is available for $199.99 with 2-YR new contract in most mainstream retailers. While I retain that $200 for the Droid X2 may be a bit pricey considering the 4G landscape that Verizon Wireless has created and powerfully advertised, I can say with certainty that the Droid X2 is a internally powerful device to be reckoned with even though it has no major exterior aesthetic change from its predecessor. The Dual-Core processor and the qHD display make up for its small failings in ways that would be more than enough for most prospective buyers, not to mention a satisfactory battery life, large screen size for the worst of eyes, and relatively thin design. But if you are one of those that have been waiting for a 4G Verizon Wireless enabled smartphone with a Dual-Core processor than you, like us, are going to have to wait some more.

The Verizon HTC Trophy is the first Windows Phone 7 device to grace the halls of Big Red and its an adequate device for those looking for a median range smartphone which just happens to be Global Ready. This is not what you would call a super-phone but it does offer cool features in a lightweight compact form factor without being to small. So as little red riding hood might have said if she saw this smartphone…Not to big, not to small, but just right!

Network/Software:

The HTC Trophy is a 3G enabled device with no LTE 4G support which always brings a tear to my eyes. Indeed we are amiss when any new smartphone with Verizon comes without that LTE 4G goodness that we have come to love. The Trophy still has the carrier with the most 3G nationwide coverage powering its service. So data reliability should not be an issue even though speeds will not be LTE laced.

Right out of the box you get Netflix, Slacker Radio, HTC HUB, and Office pre-installed on this device. All you need after that is a live email address (MSN,Hotmail,or Live) to access the Windows Marketplace to download even more apps onto this device and personalize it to your likes. Nothing really super exciting about this device to set it apart in software from other Windows Phone 7 options on Sprint, AT&T, or T-Mobile.

Body/Hardware:

Even though I personally prefer 4-inch displays and larger for smartphones the Trophy just feels truly great while I hold it in my hands. Both the weight and size are agreeable to my hands and pockets. It features a 3.8-inch WVGA TFT capacitive 480×800 display and weighs 4.94 ounces. The screen resolution is not in the upper tier of display quality when you compare to some other Verizon Wireless devices, but again that is why I believe that the Trophy is not, by any means, meant to be a super-phone. The entire rim of device along with the back is a nice coated black color with a matte feel to it which makes it easier to grip onto as well.

The device may not have 4G but it makes up for it to business users and travelers by being a World Phone with both CDMA(800/1900 MHz) and GSM(850/900/1800/1900 MHz) bands so the device can be used in other countries in addition to here in the states. The HTC Trophy is also powered by a 1GHZ Qualcomm MS8650 single core processor. The battery life of this device has been more marginally sufficient so far based on my usage. The reason I have been impressed is because the device has a 1300 mAh battery which at first alarmed me as most smartphones come with 1500 mAh or higher and can still have poor batter battery life. I guess Microsoft has figured away to minimize the amount of power that their operating system needs on the mobile platform.
A few things that were missed on this device was a lack of front facing camera which a feature equivalent device on Verizon like the Android powered Incredible 2 even has and is also made by HTC. The Trophy can record video on the rear 5-Megapixel camera with LED flash which records 720p HD video but there is no Micro HDMI port so no way for instant corded viewing on an HD television. There is a hardware camera button which is always a physcial plus to me on these devices these days as many manufacturers choose to only have camera controls on the screen. Besides that, the Trophy also includes Bluetooth and WIFI with b,g, and n support, a 3.5mm headset jack, Micro-USB port for charging/syncing and 16GB of internal memory along with 576MB of RAM. Disappointing to see is there is no expandable memory card slot to allow you to get additional memory on the Trophy besides just the internal.

Conclusion:

The HTC Trophy is currently priced at $149.99 with 2-YR new contract in most mainstream retailers so the price is under the $200 price range. However, I believe that the included features and lack of others should have this device priced at around $99.99. Now that personal suggestion of a lower price tag is not to belittle the device. That is quite the opposite as it has been a reliable device so far, I simply set price limits in my mind based on features. No complaints on my end for call quality, battery life seems reasonable so far, and the weight and size is definitely going to be a selling point to many who may want the device to “Rule The Air,” but not to rule their hands or pockets. I have mentioned what it has and lacks so far and I hope based on that you can see what you may want in a new smartphone or what you cannot live without.
If you need one or a combination of LTE 4G, front facing-camera, a 4-inch or larger screen, and maybe expandable memory than this may not be the right device for you. But if you are new to smartphones and the included features on this device alone are enough and you would like Microsoft integration between such things as Office or XBOX Live than the HTC Trophy may just be your next device! Check out my video unboxing of this device below to see it live and up close with my first impressions out of the box!

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the new version of the well-known Galaxy Tab 7, one of the first Google certified Android Tablets. So far, it has been released in one store only: New York Cit’s Best Buy, Times Square location. It will be released in many other stores on Friday the 17th. Samsung was happy to hear that we wanted to do a review of it, so they expedited one to us, so that it could then be praised in this review for all to read.

Hardware
The dimensions of the 10.1 Tab are 256.6mm x 172.9mm x 8.6mm. That is .2mm thinner than its competitor, the Apple iPad 2, and 35g lighter than it, too, coming in at 565g. The .2mm difference in thickness is not enough to make it a selling factor. In my opinion, though, the 35g difference is noticeable. The Tab’s build quality is superb. The back of the device is constructed out of plastic, which is what makes it lighter. The plastic backing is just as sturdy as any other tablet. It all depends on whether you need the back of your tablet to be constructed from Stainless Steel in order to make you feel more secure with it’s degree of sturdiness. I don’t mind sacrificing the steel backing so I can use a lighter device. There are only 2 buttons on the whole tablet. One of them is the power button, and the other is a volume rocker. Above the 10.1 inch screen there is a 2 megapixel front facing camera for self photos and video chat. There is also a rear 3 megapixel camera with a LED flash and autofocus for taking photos and videos. The guts of the device are the same as all of the other honeycomb tablets.

Screen
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 contains a 10.1 inch screen which is obvious with the unusual name. The 10.1 inch screen packs a 1280 x 800 pixel display which contains more ppi than any other tablet currently on the market.

Operating System
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 comes loaded with Android 3.1 honeycomb. Android 3.1 is quite unlike an Android smartphone’s OS. While I think Google’s Honeycomb user interface is amazing, it is hard to get used to the new OS compared to the previous versions of Android. After having used Android 3.0 and Android 2.2 simultaneously for about 2 months I have now decided that Android 3.0 has features that I prefer much more compared to the previous versions. Samsung has created a customization called TouchWiz that was shown on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 at CTIA. I hope that Samsung comes out with this for the 10.1 device. I have TouchWiz on my Infuse 4G and love it. I would like Samsung to incorporate a feature that allows you to turn on and off the TouchWiz interface as needed.

The home screen allows users to swipe from one screen to the next with ease, and also has a 3D feel to it. You can configure each homescreen with shortcuts, sizable widgets, and even live wallpapers. I appreciate that apps can easily be uninstalled by dragging them to the trash can, which will then remove all data from that app. The navigation buttons are located in the lower left hand corner of the display. The icons are confusing, but once you know what they are, they work beautifully. The biggest change for me from previous versions of Android was the Honeycomb notification system, which is located in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. There is no more notification curtain, replaced with a list of notifications that are accessed by tapping or swiping on the digital clock. Doing so lists all of the notifications and some quick access functions.

Connectivity
At the moment the Tab is Wi-Fi only, but Verizon has a 4G LTE version coming out soon.

E-mail
There are two pre-installed e-mail applications on the Galaxy Tab 10.1. One of them is the same e-mail application that comes on any android device. In addition to this, there is a Gmail application. I prefer the Gmail application due to the UI and how it accesses your e-mails.

Applications
The main downfall of Honeycomb is the lack of tablet-built applications. There are few tablet-built applications at the moment, and compatibility with older titles can be somewhat spotty at times. Most of the 200,000 android applications will work on the tablet but most will not scale for the full display. New tablet oriented apps are being added daily to the Android Market.

Browser
The Honeycomb web browser is quite different from the previous Android smartphone browser. It offers true tabbed browsing, just like it’s big brother, the desktop version. The browser even supports Chrome’s “Incognito” mode, which leaves no cookies or history behind. You can also have it synchronize with your desktop’s Chrome bookmarks. This browser is fast and smooth. It has full Adobe Flash support. There are three settings for Flash on the device: On, Off, and On-demand. When you have Flash on, the browser tends to be a little bit unstable on pages with high amounts of Flash. I like the on-demand feature because it loads the page without Flash but gives you the option to manually turn on whichever Flash element you would like.

Camera
While using any tablet to take photos or record video is awkward, this tablet does a good job. It takes really nice 3 megapixel still photos and shoots decent 720p HD video. The main camera features autofocus, an LED flash and a superb microphone. Samsung did some tweaking to the camera interface. I like this interface much more. You can change settings and change cameras much more fluidly. This device is a great video viewer with its 10.1 wide-screen display paired with stereo speakers.

The LG Revolution is the third 4G powered Android smartphone from Verizon Wireless and it retails at a hefty $249.99 w/2YR new contract. Is it a device that is worth that premium cost? Will it attract high sales in the crowded smartphone environment over at Verizon Wireless? Well I think I will have to let time answer those questions. What I will answer is what it offers out of the box; what I liked and what I did not! Lets get into it…

Network/Software:

The Revolution sports 3G and 4G LTE networks on Verizon Wireless and like it’s 4G counterparts on “Big Red” it also features some other similarities in hardware. On a funny side not, the Revolution almost seems like the first quiet release of a 4G Verizon Wireless Smartphone device since the HTC Thunderbolt. The reason I say that is because the Thunderbolt received so much press associated with its delay of over a month for whatever reasons and the Samsung Droid Charge received a bit of notice in the media because of the huge Verizon Wireless 4G outage that caused the device to also be delayed. Even though the Charge was only delayed for just over a week, it still caught much heat for that delay. However, the Revolution came out right on time with no fuss of a delay, so it almost amusingly seemed to be a somewhat boring launch. The device itself on the other hand is not that boring.

The LG Revolution is running Froyo Android 2.2 with a simple LG Optimus UI on it that has a cool new category separation feature in the applications pane. You will be able to see what I mean visually in my unboxing and review video of the device at end of this article. Hopefully the Gingerbread Android 2.3 update will not be that far behind for this device and I think the “out-of-the-box” inclusion of Netflix on the Revolution may be a potential sign that LG has intentions to be prompt in updating the Revolution than they have done with earlier Android devices in the past.

Body/Hardware:

The LG Revolution has a bit of a heavy build, at just over 6 ounces in weight, when you compare it to the likes of the iPhone 4 and Droid Charge. It is aesthetically mute of anything that is heavily innovative in design. Now although it may not be jazzy in the “looks department,” it is still a solid build of a device right down to the nicely recessed camera lens. The camera is recesses into the battery cover of the device in an apparently good attempt to protect the camera from exterior scratching and a simple removal of the battery cover will allow you to clean the lens very easily.

The Revolution shows all its color on its 4.3 inch capacitive touch display which is 480 x 800 pixel resolution. On the rear of the device there is 5-Megapixel camera with LED flash and Auto-focus along with 720p HD video recording support as well as a front-facing 1.3-Megapixel camera. Inside the device there is a 1500 mAh battery and I have to be honest that it has not been meeting up to my expectation for battery life in the past few days that I have tested the device but I am also not your average user and can tend to over work devices. In addition to the 16GB Micro-SD card pre-installed on the LG Revolution the usual other suspects in tow on this device as well; WIFI (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 3.0, 4G/3G Mobile Hotspot, 3.5mm headset jack, Micro-USB charging/syncing, and Micro HDMI port as well.

The Revolution is being driven a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and yes it is only another single core processor device. “We Want Dual Core,” when will they learn as I have said in the past single core is a thing of the past and dual core is the future. Well at least its the future for at least the rest of this year.

Conclusion:

Overall the LG Revolution is at the same price, screen size, and 4G power as the Samsung Droid Charge nearly the same cost. But the Revolution is heavier and is not a practical in the display category when you compare it to the Super AMOLED Plus display that we see on the Droid Charge. So if it you are deciding between those 2 devices for your next or first Android device, which it seems to be from many people that have asked me about those device, than I would choose the Charge for the moment. I say for the moment because that may change if one device takes longer than another to get officially updated to Gingerbread. Be sure to check out my hands-on video of the device below and you are welcome to leave any questions or comments below!

The HBO GO Application for iOS and Android devices is a great addition to the world of apps for content consumption. It offers many people who are fans or occasional watchers the ability to access HBO content from virtually anywhere on the go. Currently they have nearly 1,500 titles that include movies, documentaries, original series, comedy stand-ups, and even late night content. Now some of you may say that some of this content may already be available on Netflix and what would be the need for something like this if you have Netflix. To a certain degree, you may be correct, as you are limited to HBO content. But the one major flaw with Netflix is that they provide catalogs of shows once they pay for a license to show those titles. Those licenses usually last for a limited amount of time and many people have seen many old and new titles disappear at a faster pace from the instant availability on Netflix in the past 2 years.

While Netflix continues to not always renew their content licenses many people get left with an option to rent a physical disc only which can defeat the purpose of content consumption on the go almost entirely. Now although the HBO GO Application will only show us content available with HBO service with your television provider; that content is quite extensive across many genres.

The HBO GO application is free to download but in order to use it you have to be a customer of AT&T, DISH, VERIZON, DIRECTV, and Comcast among others in addition to be paying for an HBO subscription with that provider. For those of you that use windows tablets, netbooks, and even laptops on the go, there is no need to fret, you can also access HBO GO on the web.

In conclusion I think the HBO GO Application was a great idea for HBO to create and cannot wait until other companies such as Showtime, Starz, Cinemax, to name a few,  realize that this type of content consumption is the way to go. HBO seems committed to placing even current series on HBO GO in a fast and timely manner as well. I would only request that HBO offer one more thing that they do not currently provide. That is to offer a type of direct subscription of their own. Why not bypass the cable companies altogether and offer this application in a small $5-$10 a month subscription for those that may not have cable or may have a provider who is not on the list of providers who have access to the HBO GO service. That would be something that cable companies would fear…content providers bringing their service directly to consumers over the air without proprietary cable boxes, satellite dishes, and fiber wire. However, I doubt that this would be something we would see anytime soon.

Another year goes by and HTC and Verizon Wireless release another Android Incredible. This time it is the Droid Incredible 2; the second generation device in the Incredible series. Check out my hands-on video below to see it in action. The Droid Incredible 2 features a Android 2.2 operating device with a Super LCD Display, next generation 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a 8-Megapixel rear camera with 720p HD video recording and a 1.3-Megapixel front camera. Lets get into it…

Network:

The Incredible 2 on the Verizon Wireless network is a 3G enabled device only and will unfortunately not be equipped for 4G LTE service. Why HTC and Verizon chose to follow up a 3G handset with a non-4G successor in the midst of past and imminent releases of 4G devices is beyond the realm of odd. Especially with the relatively high contract price tag the device is currently listed at which is $199.99.
One right decision that HTC and Verizon Wireless made with this device though was the choice to make it a Global device so users may use device overseas. The Incredible 2 is a Quad Band world device operating on all four, 850/900/1800/MHz, GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies. Still the lack of 4G service on the Verizon Wireless LTE network has me wanting on this network.

Body/Hardware:

The Incredible 2 adds some nice improvements over the form of the first incredible. The most notable would be the increase in screen size,which went from 3.7 inches to 4 inches, while it may not sound that much of a difference it does make a visual difference especially with the Qwerty keyboard. The display is a super LCD WVGA capacitive touch screen display. On the front of that larger display in the top right corner is a front facing 1.3-Megapixel camera to help you with those self portraits and to also take true advantage of video calling applications. On the rear camera is an 8-Megapixel camera and Dual LED flash with 720p HD video recording. I would like to mention that the still shot photos I took on the device were clear but did not appear substantially improved from the same Megapixel camera in the first Incredible. The 720p out-of-the-box video recording capability was a nice, but expected, addition.

The device of course features GPS/AGPS, Bluetooth (2.1w/EDR) and WIFI (802.11 b/g/n) and the 3G mobile hotspot does what it can without the speeds of 4G LTE. You may listen to tunes through stereo bluetooth headphones or using the 3.5 mm headset jack for those of you who still like cords. The phone comes with 768MB RAM and also includes 1GB of memory internal and a pre-installed hot-swappable 16GB Micro-SD card. I am sad to see that the battery is a 1450 mAh battery, though this is not a 4G device, I still believe that all smartphones should have battery above 1600mAh to provide an adequate amount of power for power or regular users. HTC says the 1450 mAh battery will provide up to 390 minutes of talk-time and up to 361 hours of standby. We have got a plenty of internal sensors with Compass Sensor, G-Sensor, Proximity Sensor, and Light Sensor. HTC chose to place the charger port, which is Micro-USB, on the left side bottom corner. This is a port location that many people, myself included, felt was obtrusive to the hand when wanting to use device as it was charging.

I have to say the new rounded edges of the Incredible 2 are a major change in form from the more squared edges of its predecessor. I still hold that the squared edges would have been better on this 4-inch 4.77 oz device. There is a noise-cancellation microphone located on top of device and that improves the already clear voice calls you more than usually get on the Verizon Wireless network. Once thing that I would say it is unique to this Android device is the moving capacitive buttons on the home, menu, back, and search buttons. This will be more obvious in the hands-on video where you will those see buttons move just as the touch screen moves when you change orientation of the device.

Now for device speed we see a new generation of processor power in the Qualcomm MSM8655 1GHz Snapdragon and with the new generation of processor we can only hope and speculate that this device may be one of the devices to feature the Netflix application for Android devices once it is released. One final note on the body of the device I did not like and many other who rather carry device “case-less” in their pockets; the Droid Incredible 2 has a very thin open lining around bezel of the device which easily catches lint and debris from your pockets. In my case some small piece of lint strands seem caught in this space and is visually apparent. This seems to be a small issue and may not cause that much of an issue but it is noticeable.

Conclusion:

There is only one comment to make. Why is this not a 4G LTE smartphone? While it may pack some Android and 3G punches there is still a current price point of $199.99 (2YR-Contract Pricing) that seems a bit steep given the selection of Android phones one Verizon with similar if not exact features for less and 4G Android devices for not that much more. Lets not forget the 16GB iPhone 4 is also $199.99 (2YR-Contract Pricing) as well. While I do admit that anyone who has never had the first Droid Incredible or is new to Android period may enjoy this device I would caution most to wait for a price drop if they plan to pick up this device. Would you pay just a little more for more features and a better device or would you rather buy a device that should be priced lower than it is? Leave your comments below!

Sony was more than glad to send us at TekGoblin.com a product to review. They sent us the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 to review. Included is a video of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 unboxing. The first thing I noticed with Sony’s tweaked Android OS was what Sony called Timescape.

Timescape

Timescape allows you to bring information from your social networks, email, text messages, photos, ect. into one application. Timescape brings you your information to you in what Sony calls Splines. This feature is similar to the social networking features in the Windows Phone 7 OS and MOTOBLUR but it is more streamline. What this does is it helps you do is it brings you all of you social information with one application rather than having to go to each application separately. This in the long run can save you time in wanting to know quick information.

Mediascape

This is application is where you can access all of your available multimedia files. At the top of the application you can view your recently opened files. At the bottom it shows options for audio, video, pictures, etc. The picture gallery is also integrated with Picasa and Facebook.

Camera
The 8.1MP camera includes a LED flash taking photos at a resolution of 72dpi at 3264X2448 in a JPEG format. The camera includes video that is recorded in MPEG4 format with the resolutions of: WVGA at 800X480 with 15FPS, VGA at 640X480 with 16FPS, QVGA at 320X240 with 16FPS. A feature that I have not yet seen on a phone yet is the facial recognition and Smile Detection features. This phone includes both. The Smile Detection feature is a feature of the camera. If you set the capture method to a smile it will automatically take a picture when someone smiles.

Performance
I have seen problems with low in call sound volume. This phone had great in call sound volume. A very large downside is that it currently runs android 1.6. Sony representatives state that by the end of Q4 they will release an updated Android 2.1 OS. But it might come as early and November 1st. You might be mad at Sony for taking this long and then mad at them for nut going to Android 2.2. The reason for this is that Froyo (Android 2.2) has some bugs related to it and Sony did not want to accept an OS with bugs so they decided to wait a bit. Also they do not use just the basic Andrioid OS like in the Droid family. Sony tweaks their OS a lot to bring amazing features their customers. This phone has superb call quality. You are able to hear the person on the other end of your call more than fine and they can hear you great. The phone had a built in media hub for photos, videos, and music. Included in the photos is a comparison chart to other smart phones.

Pros:

• LED Flash
• 8.1MP Camera
• Facial recognition
• Smile detection

Cons:

• Android 1.6
• Slight glitch with unlock slide
• Slight glitch with opening Timescape
• Included in Android 2.2 update:
• HD 720P Video recording at 1280X720 with 30FPS
• Updated Timescape
• Faster loading
• Smother scrolling
• Automatic scrolling of long messages
• Social Phonebook
• Continuous Auto-Focus
• More Home screen capabilities

Conclusion
The hardware included in this phone is suburb. The phone needs an update because the software of the phone is slowing the phones full capabilities. With an update, I would defiantly recommend this phone to any person, especially someone who uses social networks a lot. Without an update the phone cannot compete well with other smart phones. I give this phone 7 out of 10 with Android 1.6 but a potential for 4.5 out of 5 with the android 2.2 update.

4.0 out of 5

Here is a review on the Microsoft Zune HD Sync Dock. There are two packages for the dock. The package in this review is the basic review. The basic package costs $49.99 and includes the dock with built in USB port for connection to PC or AC adapter. Instruction manual in Spanish and English. It also includes adapters for all Zune models. The extended package costs $89.99 includes the dock with built in USB port for connection to PC or AC adapter. Instruction manual in Spanish and English, It includes adapters for all Zune models. It includes a HDMI cable. And your standard composite video cable. In this review I show you how to set up your dock and Zune for use on a TV. Check out the Video below for more information.

Still going through all of our Gen Con 2010 coverage down at Indy and we have finished up our Costume Contest video for you to see. The video features highlights from the Costume Contest and Gen Con Indy this year and it also showcases the winners so check it out below or pick it up on iTunes.

Gen Con 2010 has concluded but we would have to give our kudos to one of the rising stars of the gaming industry. They might not be Solid Snake, Link, Gordan Freeman or Master Chief but they have provided us gleeful entertainment with their short drama series based on the MMORPG(Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) World of Warcraft. Our team, being a fan of the Guild, was looking forward to their presence at Gen Con 2010. Though we were unable to get a hands on interview with the members of the guild, we were able to shoot one of their interviews with the general public. For those who know the Guild and want to watch the interview, scroll down. For those who don’t know what the Guild is, read on.

The Guild consists of a group of MMORPG addicts who have taken the game so seriously that the game has started to influence their real lives. The story is mostly told from the point of view of Codex, a healer for the guild called ‘Knights of the Good,’ played by Felicia Day, who is an insecure, nervous but innocent person. It is extremely hilarious and entertaining watching the Guild interact with each other and face with virtual and real life obstacles as a team and/or individuals. The humor mostly appeals to people who understand the concept of how addictive and influencing MMORPGs can get. With MMORPGs like World of Warcraft – having over 10 millions players – they are able to generate a substantial audience. However, anyone with basic ‘nerdy tendencies’ can also end up in fits of laughter after watching this. The episodes are generally between 5-10 minutes long but they are loaded with fun filled jokes which will only make you crave for more.

Right now, the Guild is a low budget production due to the lack of funding. However, thanks to the help from their loyal fans and sponsors, the Guild has released three seasons and are right now releasing season 4. For those of you who aren’t fans out there, you can buy their combined season 1 and 2 DVD for $19.95 and season 3 DVD for $13.45. Season 2 and 3 are also available in HD quality. Furthermore, you can watch Season 1 to 3 for free on youtube at the Guild channel and access them at iTunes Store(with their first episode free!) Their website also allows you to watch season 4 as they release newer episodes.

We are all excited to know what is going to happen next as Codex, Vork, Tinkerballa, Zaboo, Bladezz and Clara combine once again and tackle issues that influence their lives while maintaining the guild. Will Codex be able to save her reputation in the guild? Will Zaboo be able to get Codex’s love? What about Bladezz and Tinkerballa? Is Clara going to keep her family intact while maintaining relationships with the guild? What does Vork have planned for the guild? Like all of you fans out there, we are certainly hooked up to the Guild!

Gen Con 2010: The Guild Q&A from Matt Jurek on Vimeo.

We had a great time at Gen Con 2010, and the turn out was fantastic. Many people came dressed up as their favorite characters in fantasy and there was a contest held for the best costume. Well the contest was started out by a parade showing off everyones hard work and we got the video below.

Hey guys I know Gen Con is over but we still have lots of information and videos to bring you. While at the Konami booth at Gen Con we had a chance to take a look at their new Duel Terminal for Yu-Gi-Oh players. The Duel Terminal actually dispenses cards when you play that allow you to progress further in the game in later play times. The Duel Terminal also dispenses cards that are not available in packs as of yet, so they are exclusive to the game until they are released. I have included a demo of the game below for your enjoyment.

While at Gen Con we let you know that we stopped by the Wizards of the Coast booth. Well we left with a little treat for your soo deserving eyes. We had a talk with some of the Sony Online people that were in the booth as well. Wizards of the Coast and Sony Online Entertainment are bringing you a game called Magic the Gathering Tactics and we got an exclusive demo video to share with you. The game is scheduled to be released to PC in September 2010, and PS3 shortly after. Take a look below.

We all remember the Simon game where you had to remember colors and press them in order. Well Mattel has re-invented the game and created a game called Loopz. The game is now turned right side up instead of laying down and the pace has been increased. You have to move fast and remember the colors and positions at the same time. The game is only $30 so it is definitely worth trying out.

Loopz™ is a memory game that challenges you to repeat patterns of light and music. Get ready to rock your reflexes, tune up your timing, and have a blast!

When Loopz™ plays changing patterns of light and music, all you have to do is repeat them by waving your hands through the matching loops – you don’t need to touch anything! In certain game modes, you can even create your own music!

Video after the break.

Hey guys were still here at Gen Con, we got a chance to tour the Konami Booth here as well and we shot a video for you. Konami is here to promote Yu Gi Oh! as well as some of their video games. Konami was showing off a specific new game for card stores called a Yu Gi Oh! Duel Terminal. The terminal allows you to play duels as well as use Token cards won by playing the game.

Konami was also allowing attendees to play some of the World Championship Yu Gi Oh players at the show and giving out packs to winners and participants. Below we will include shots of the booth as well as the video. Enjoy.

Attendees will have plenty of opportunities to join in on all the action. They can jump into a casual game, enter into Win-A-Mat tournaments, battle in the ATTACK OF THE GIANT CARD!! event, or play against top-notch talent from around the globe at the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series tournament. Those interested in learning how to play can get a hands on demonstration from one of KDE’s experts at their booth in the main exhibit hall. – Konami

Rightfully proving that we are ambitious about the main highlights of the event, we walked right in the dead center. Over there is the booth for Magic the Gathering. Something caught our attention faster than we could throw an instant fireball at a fleeing frost giant – Yes, Magic the Gathering Tactics video game! We were highly impressed and took a video tour of the booth. So hold on to your magical shields because we will be consistently providing you all with volleys of interesting news.

Hey all, just a few days ago we got our hands on the, soon to be released, all new Motorola DROID X from Verizon Wireless. Check out our unboxing video below to see it in action. The MotorolA DROID X is sporting a vibrant 4.3-inch WVGA display, with an 8 megapixel camera and 720p video recording with dual-LED flash. It comes stocked with Google’s Android 2.1 Platform with some currently Verizon specific Apps such as NFL Mobile and Skype Mobile all running on a snappy 1GHZ OMAP Processor. In the retail box you will get the phone, a micro usb cable and an AC adapter for charging to use So Lets get into it:

Melodis offers an alternative to Shazam with their app called SoundHound. SoundHound does everything that Shazam does and more.

Upon launching SoundHound, you are greeted with a simple and easy to use GUI. The main screen offers you options to “Tap Here” to identify a current song, or you can press “Title or Artist” to speak an artist, or song title into your phone or, search with text. There are also 3 menus at the bottom of the app that include; History (displays your recent searches), Whats Hot (displays what people are searching most for), Now Playing (this menu will show you what song you are currently playing from SoundHound).

One of the coolest features I have seen so far is that when you press the “Tap Here” for “What’s that song?” you can even hum the song that you know and SoundHound will find the song for you (considering you are humming the right song).

An even cooler feature, if SoundHound finds a song that is in your library as well, it will have an iPod icon next to the song so you can hear it from your own library.

Official SoundHound Feature list from Melodis:

• Just hold your iPhone up to a speaker, and SoundHound names the tune in as little as five seconds!
• It even works if you sing or hum the melody, or if you do it while an iPod song plays – no more title or artist confusion for your iPod songs.
• Instant lyrics and lyrics text search for most songs – whether you find the song with SoundHound or have it in your iPod.
• The world’s first ever combined “My Music” and online search: when your SoundHound search results match a song in your iPod library, you’ll see an iPod icon right there to play your own version.
• Charts of the hottest songs, just grabbed songs, and SoundHound’s much-anticipated “Underplayed” list.
• Groundbreaking new design with instant access to previews, bios, top songs and YouTube videos.
• Sharing on email, Facebook and Twitter.

New Features:

• See lyrics for most songs
• Play the song right from your iPod if you already have it
• See lyrics, bios and more for any iPod song
• See top songs for the artist, and which ones you already own on your iPod
• Buy the song in iTunes
• Share it over email, Facebook, or Twitter
• Check out the whole album, or the artist – including a bio, photos, similar artists, and top songs
• Play a free preview or youTube videos without leaving SoundHound

Now I have tried out SoundHound and found it to be a feature rich and easy to use app to identify songs. I personally love the hum the song feature. I do recommend SoundHound to anyone who wants something better than Shazam and is willing to spend the money.

*** This app does require an active internet connection to identify your songs ***

Baby Carrot Studios has brought us a fun puzzle game called Daxterpieces. Daxterpieces features the creativity of artist Dax Norman’s artwork and makes a puzzle out of it. Each puzzle is unique, upon solving them you will be surprised with a unique animation of the puzzle pieces.

Daxterpeices has 15 puzzles, sound effects with each puzzle move, and an intuitive user interface. Now I found the game quite easy to play and I suggest anyone download it that likes to solve puzzles on their iPhone or iPod Touch.