Android App – Livescore – Review, Features, Ease of Use

The Livescore app is an ingenious way to stay abreast with your favorite sports. Livescore, updated on august 13^th 2011, delivers what it promises; continuous updates of the live scores of your favorite game. If something important springs up and you can’t watch an important game live, Livescore will keep you updated. The app pulls its data from the website livescore.com. It currently includes live scores for soccer and tennis games.

Livescore - Android App

Features:

The app has a user-friendly interface. It essentially tells you the live scores for soccer and tennis games. The app refreshes every once in a while but you can also set the frequency of refreshes and the time between them. The app shows the names of the teams of players currently playing, the live score and how much has the game progressed. The app also shows you which games are coming up later in the day and tells the schedule according to your local time.
The app does not show the details of the teams for the match. Neither does it tell the name of the referees or other secondary information. Also, the app does not allow a lot of customization and you are essentially stuck with the same orange and grey theme and viewing options.
The developers of the app claim that they will soon add other sports to the app since not everyone enjoys tennis and soccer. They have indicated that cricket, hockey and basketball will also be included in the same app in the near future.

Livescore - Android App

Ease of use:

The app has a simple interface. Using Livescore to stay updated is a much easier and efficient way rather than using a website for the same purpose. The website uses up internet and the broadband signal strength is not always smooth or ensured. Livescore is a much more efficient way to stay abreast with a game.

Verdict:

This free app is a must have for sports lovers. It delivers what it promises by providing up to date scores of your favorite games. The only issues are that the app displays limited information and includes only a limited number of sports. The developers have promised to add other sports to it pretty soon so that it deals with the biggest issue the app has. Livescore can prove extremely useful when the season for your favorite sport kicks off. Keeping track of more than one game is an issue once different tournaments are being played around the globe. Livescore helps you in staying updated with all the games without much hassle.

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HTC Droid Incredible 2 From Verizon Wireless – Review, Specification, Features, Price

The HTC Droid Incredible 2 is actually the Droid Incredible S and was introduced to the Verizon Wireless smartphone lineup in April 2011. This smartphone is the successor to the popular and successful Droid Incredible line.

HTC Droid Incredible 2 From Verizon

Specifications

• Display: 4 inch (480 x 800) 16 Million Color S-LCD Capacitive Multi Touch
• Screen: Gorilla Glass
• Operating System: Froyo, Android 2.2.1
• Interface Enhancements: HTC Sense
• Processor: 1 GHz Scorpion
• Graphics: Adreno 205
• Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon
• RAM: 768 MB
• ROM: 1.1 GB
• Storage Removable: microSD 16 GB Installed (32 GB Max)
• Network 2G: Dual Band CDMA, Quad Band GSM
• Network 3G: CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, HSDPA 900 / 2100
• Data 3G: Rev. A, up to 3.1 Mbps; HSPA
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
• Bluetooth: v2.1 with A2DP, EDR
• USB: microUSB v2.0
• Camera Primary: 8 Megapixel Auto Focus (3264×2448)
• Flash: Dual LED
• Video Recording: 720p HD at 30 Frames per Second
• Camera Secondary: 1.3 Megapixel
• Radio: Stereo FM with RDS
• Geo Location: GPS and A-GPS
• Audio Out: Standard 3.5 mm Jack
• Battery: Li-Ion 1450 mAh

HTC Droid Incredible 2 From Verizon

Features

The HTC Droid Incredible 2 has a clean minimalistic design; comparatively it is larger than its predecessors. The HTC solid design philosophy has influenced this smartphone also and handling it gives a sense of robustness and solidity. The new S-LCD (Super LCD) sports a wider viewing angle than the display used in the Droid Incredible. The very responsive multi touch screen, accelerometer and proximity sensor all work well together to give a smooth experience when navigating through the phone and using applications and features. The keys on screen virtual keyboard are well spaced and though a bit slower than its competitors, it is completely usable and does not interfere in activities involving lots of typing. The bottom of the screen sports the traditional four touch haptic shortcuts for Home, Back, Search and Menu are back lit only when the Droid Incredible 2 is not locked, as an additional feature these buttons rotate when the phone is rotated to landscape mode. The dual mode compatibility and auto switching between CDMA and GSM give it the world roaming capabilities. Verizon Wireless provides a pre-installed locked SIM which if you satisfy their policy will unlock for you to enable switching the SIM for a prepaid one from a non U.S carrier. The HTC Sense is as always there giving the widget based customizable home screens, notification area with toggles for 3G, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth and general notifications. As this is basically the Droid Incredible S, and the S is scheduled to receive the Gingerbread upgrade, it would not be a bad idea to wait as the Incredible 2 is surely to follow suit.

Verdict

The HTC Droid Incredible 2 has improved on its predecessors in many ways and is overall competitive in the market. There are however a few areas where the smartphone falls short of its peers which hurts its edge. The two critical things that hurt its potential to woo customers are the missing 4G capabilities and the older Android 2.2.1 Froyo where others are using Gingerbread. The larger and sharper display protected behind the scratch resistant Gorilla Glass, improved processing capabilities, wider network support and more internal storage are just few of the improvements the Droid Incredible 2 has to offer over its older siblings. The 720p HD recording capabilities from the good quality 8 Megapixel camera make it competitive in the market. The front facing 1.3 Megapixel camera allow for much improve video call quality and self portraits. The HTC Droid Incredible 2 is a very viable option to consider when shopping for a smartphone in the $200 range.

Price

Verizon Wireless is offering the HTC Droid Incredible 2 is available for $199.99 with a two year contract. Verizon Wireless offers 2GB per month data package for $20, with each additional MB costing 5 cents. With the data plan also comes the capability of using the Incredible 2 as a Wi-Fi hotspot and allows up to five devices to connect to it.

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Samsung Exhibit 4G From T-Mobile – Review, Specification, Features, Price

The Samsung Exhibit is the latest 4G capable Android smartphone that was added to the T-Mobile line up of six HSPA+ network compatible devices. T-Mobile introduced the Exhibit 4G sometime in June 2011.

Samsung Exhibit 4G From T-Mobile

Specifications

• Display: 3.5 inch WVGA (480 x 800) 16 Million Color AMOLED Capacitive Multi Touch
• Operating System: Gingerbread, Android 2.3
• Processor: 1 GHz ARM Cortex A8
• Chipset: Hummingbird
• RAM: 512 MB
• Storage Expandable: microSD 4GB (max 32 GB)
• Network 2G: Quad Band GSM (800, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
• Network 3G: HSDPA 1700 MHz and 21 MHz
• 3G Down-link: HSDPA, 21 Mbps
• 3G Up-link: HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot
• Bluetooth: Stereo v3.0 with A2DP
• USB: microUSB 2.0 + Charging Support
• Audio Out: Standard 3.5 mm Jack
• Camera: 3.15 Megapixel (2048×1536)
• Flash: LED
• Video Recording: D1 (720 x 480 pixels)
• Camera Secondary: VGA
• Geo Location: GPS with A-GPS
• Battery: Li-Ion 1500 mAh

 Features

As with all the Samsung Android smartphones, the Exhibit 4G comes with the TouchWiz user interface enhancements. This includes the standard up to 5 customizable homes screens, shortcuts, and applications. Each home screen has the fixed four buttons for the phone dialer, contacts, messaging and applications; however in the applications list the application button is replaced with a home button. The default pull down notification area lets you toggle the WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, Silent Mode and Auto rotation. This panel also shows the list of notifications in one place. The TouchWiz enhancements do not interfere with operating system updates and do not slow the phone down. Samsung Exhibit 4G from T-Mobile also comes with some applications specifically loaded by both Samsung and T-Mobile. These applications include Qik for video chat, Samsung Media Hub, TV and Movie Rental Portal. There is also the T-Mobile TV for live and on-demand streaming and videos. T-Mobile has also included WiFi Calling, Visual Voice Mail and shortcuts to online Android stores.

Verdict

The Samsung Exhibit 4G is a very viable option to consider for those who are looking for an Android powered smartphone. The Multi Touch Android device is feature rich and offers respectable performance for price value when looking at the other options out there. The 1 GHz Cortex A8 processor may not be able to compete head to head with the dual core processors out there, however, this phone is well balanced between performance, features and usability. The AMOLED Capacitive Multi Touch3.5 inch screen does not offer enough space for the on screen virtual keyboard for those with bigger thumbs. The dedicated camera button is missed here and would have made it very convenient to take pictures and start-stop video recording. The camera software is also a little slow and there is enough of a delay between button press and the actual image capture. This setup is less than ideal for fast moving scenes. Overall, for it’s under $100 price tag, this smartphone offers the full range of features that any Gingerbread powered smartphone should have.

Price

T-Mobile is offering the Samsung Exhibit 4G with a new two year service agreement for $79.99 after a mail in rebate. The T-Mobile TV will cost another $9.99 per month, and the phone comes with a 30 day free trial for the service. Exhibit 4G may also be available without commitments for approximately $345.

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iOS Applications Lawsuit of Viacom and Cablevision Settled on Live Television

iOS Applications Settled on Live Television

Giant Cablevision along with media powerhouse Viacom announced on the 10^th of August that the lawsuit of Cablevision’s airing of Viacom’s TV channels on Cablevision’s “Optimum” application on the Apple’s iOS gadget was settled. The press release announced that both companies have agreed upon the issue and that Viacom channels will continue to be aired on the Optimum App by Cablevision for the iPad along with IP devices. The agreement was settled to the both company’s mutual satisfaction; the settlement encompassed an iPad matter and another unrelated business agreement. Neither side however is letting go of its initial legal position nor will comment further on the issue.
Viacom is seen at the center of a storm of controversy as cable companies want to push what Viacom has to offer to gadgets like the iPhone and the iPad. Time Warner initialized the using of Viacom’s content to a live TV application to be used for the iPad, but quickly backtracked on it after Viacom lashed out at Time Warner, arguing that such kind of usage was illegal under the existing contracts.
Cablevision after that released its own application offering the airing of all channels as long as the customer subscribed to the package that it was offering, and challenging the Viacom stance on the issue. The dispute however then made its way into court, with Time Warner also looking for a judgment that would allow the airing of Viacom’s channels from its application whilst Viacom then sued Cablevision as Cablevision refused to draw back the airing of Viacom’s channels. At that time however it was rumored that a soon-to-be-settlement would ensue between Time Warner and Viacom and even though no apparent verdict has been reached on that matter, the verdict of the case of Cablevision and Viacom might very well turn out very positively for Time Warner and its customers.

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Arnova Second Generation Android Tablets Set To Be Released From Archos

Arnova Android Tablet From Archos

If you really reflect on it, the status quo of Android tablets which are cheap is really not going to remain. The exponential growth in technological progress is going to make the first generation obsolete pretty quickly. The competitors will soon be giving you a more quality experience for similar prices. Hence we are now seeing the G2 of Android tablets. The Arnova line of tablets is now being sold by Archos, and very recently we have witnessed the second generation of Archos’ tablet. However the company is not going to stop here: Arnova 7 second generation and also the Arnova 10 second generation are soon to be released, these are the 7 and 10 inch tablets respectively.
What is to be expected from these new second generation tablets? If you have one of these babies, it will definitely be a wise decision to not immediately buy the second generation. However if you are planning to get one, you might want to wait to get this second generation which are set soon to be released. The second generation has Gingerbreak OS (better than the last) and much more receptive capacitive touch screens. G1 had as their OS Froyo and along with it Éclair — not as good as the new Gingerbread and with a few less features. Their touch screens were also resistive: while the capacitive touch screen delivers a much better experience when it comes to touch screening compared with generation one. The second generation tablets also will be equipped with a 1 Giga-Hertz ARM Cortex-A8 processor; similar to the second generation 8-inch model. So basically the second generation of these Android phones is going to be considerably better than the current ones but they are not worth spending too many dollars on
The phones have been set at a price of USD 215 in Honk Kong already but the released date is yet to be set. They will reach the shores of the USA a bit later than their Hong Kong counter-parts as they will have to pass FCC before they get here.

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iPhone 5 Will Launch on the 7th of October – And the iPad 3 in 2012

iPhone 5

Rumors, speculation and excited media flurry has surrounded the possible launch dates of the iPhone 5, which may very well come to light within a few weeks. On the 12^th of August, Friday a possible launch date of September 7^th appeared on the media: only to be quickly debunked. Rumors have also been on the rise that the launch date may very well be in October. The frenzy and excitement is growing and is expected to grow when and until the official release dates are announced.

iPad 3

TiPb has recently weighed in and claimed that the next-generation iPhone of Apple could very well debut in October, on Friday the 7^th in the USA, although TiPb is yet to say where it got this information from. This report from TiPb has also suggested that the iPhone in question is most likely not to be an iPhone 5 but be more of an iPhone “4S”: basing itself on the previous iPhone 4 rather than be a completely new revamped next-generation iPhone 5. TiBp however has acknowledged that there is considerable debate and confusion over the matter: Apple could very well be in preparation to come out with both models almost simultaneously. It said that Apple’s next iPhone, whether it be an “iPhone 4S” or a new and original revamped “iPhone 5” has the possibility of going on sale on the October 7^th in the USA. Which would make it a Friday: a phenomenon not uncommon in the launches of iPhone’s?
The report’s source states that Apple will not be launching a next-generation iPad this year, and will most probably be releasing the iPad next year, in 2012. TiPb interestingly has not usually been the source for gadget rumors in its history and does clandestinely express a considerable amount of skepticism pertaining to its own publishing.

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Android Manufacturers Royalties Go To

Motorola has recently announced that Android manufacturers from now on will be giving patent royalties to Motorola. Motorola’s CEO Sanjay Jha explained that this move would make it apparent to the world Motorola’s strong IP position. He said that that with the passage of time the importance and position of Android manufacturers would become apparent, and that this would be to the benefit of the company.

Android

Motorola makes this move for the following reasons:
1) Revenue generation:
Collecting royalties on their patents is just an additional way to earn more revenue. The worth of patents has increased considerably recently and they plan to profit from that.
2) Imparting a blow to their competition:
Patent royalties collection would mean that the cost incurred for their competition would be higher than theirs: hence that provides a competitive edge to Motorola that few companies will be able to match.
3) This move gets a nod of approval from Microsoft:
Motorola has been in negotiations recently with Microsoft over using WP7. Even though Motorola has said in the past that they do not really give much significance to the usage of WP7, but after Motorola got sued by Microsoft Motorola acknowledged that they will use WP7 provided Microsoft offers them the same contract as they offered Nokia.
Motorola and good image does not seem to be two compatible things these days. Motorola is these days in a relatively bad standing from the press and from its past admirers as well. The Android lovers of today will not be very happy with the blow that Motorola is going to give its competitors companies now. The thing about likers of Android is that they not only buy cell-phones for the sake of the cell-phone itself, but also because of the brand-image of the company. Should Motorola be so aggressive towards not only their competitors but also towards the Android network, this could lead to them losing their popularity, and also lead to the lessening of Android’s popularity with other companies because of the rise in cost.

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Fusion Garage Grid-10 Tablet That Operates On Android – Inclusive Of Awesome Custom UI

There has been much hype as regards to the Grid-10 by TabCo recently although as suspected — TabCo turned out to be a completely fake company made by the Fusion Garage people. Yeah, the people who were behind the JooJoo. It turned out that the people at Fusion Garage are using Android kernel on their so-called recently announced Grid-10 tab. But please do not relate it to the Android operating system, of course it might be able to run Android applications from anywhere in the world but just please, do not call it that.

Fusion Garage Grid-10 Tablet

The Fusion Garage folks are not sure even as to the popularity of Android, and think, perhaps believe that each and every one of the Android tablets are all the same. Hence, they have come up with and created the Grid OS (as it is called by them) and apparently it not only powers their created tablet but moreover, it will also seemingly be able to power a new cell-phone that Fusion Garage has developed.
The new cell-phone is going to come with a 16GB space and will cost USD 399 (Q4) whilst the tab, operating on a Grid 10 operating system. It will feature a 4-inch touch screen display, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor (dual-core). The phone will be entirely free of buttons and will be completely operated by touch. On the down-side after some test runs, the phone appears to be surprisingly heavy for its size. But that was more than compensated by its amazing animations.
It shall be offered for sale for USD 499 with operational WiFi only. However, if you want, you can pay USD 599 for connectivity options of 3G. Now the question remains: Are you going to buy it?

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iPhone App – Rivet-Build Your Focus Review – Features, Ease of Use

The Rivet-Build your focus app, released on the 10^th of August 2011, is a very unique and helpful app. When you are bombarded with a barrage of distracting apps which you fool around with all day and compromise your productivity, Rivet can help you get back into focus. This clever app trains you to focus on your work rather than get easily distracted and leave it unfinished. In an age of the internet where there is much that can distract you, apps like Rivet are a must have for all.

Rivet-Build Your Focus - iPhone App

Features:

This $1.99 app has a very simple homepage with a theme consisting of shades of blue and brown to sooth your senses. The homepage gives you three options to choose from. The first option can be used if you need to focus on something for a specific amount of time. The second option is to focus while songs play and the last option lets you choose from a host of routines that you’ve saved from before.
If you choose to focus for a specific amount of time, you can set a timer. Once that time is up, the app rings a buzzer to indicate that you can take a break now. This helps you set little goals for yourself. You can increase the time slowly to train yourself. To focus with music, you are required to create a playlist with sings from your library. You can listen to your playlist while you work.

Rivet-Build Your Focus - iPhone App

The bottom end of the app has two buttons; Report and Settings. Reports show you your level of productivity. This way you can compare results from before you started using the app, and afterwards.

Rivet-Build Your Focus - iPhone App

Ease of Use:

Rivet-Build Your Focus - iPhone App

The interface is extremely simple with nothing fancy or too colorful to distract you. The app guides you through the process step by step. If you wish to write everyday for at least 30 minutes without any distractions, just click on your saved routine and the timer will automatically start. Each time your timer is up, the app displays an adorable message which says ‘happy productivity’.

Rivet-Build Your Focus - iPhone App

Verdict:

The Rivet – Build your focus app is an ingenious way of helping people focus on their chores. The increase in internet usage has resulted in people getting distracted too easily by numerous time wasting websites and applications. The Rivet helps you set little goals for yourself. Accomplishing these little goals boosts your morale and helps you focus for a longer time in the future.

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Nokia X2-01 From T-Mobile – Review, Specification, Features, Price

The Nokia X2-01 was released to the market in January 2011. It is a full four row QWERTY keyboard smartphone from Nokia running the Symbian OS. The messenger phone with some smartphone features is priced in the low mid range.

Nokia X2-01 From T-Mobile

Specifications

• Display: 2.4” QVGA (320 x 240) 256K Color TFT screen
• Network GSM: Quad Band 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• Keypad: Four Row QWERTY Keyboard + Navigation and Control Keys
• RAM: 64 MB
• ROM: 128 MB
• Storage Internal: 55 MB
• Storage Removable: microSD (up to 16 GB verified support)
• Data: GPRS, EDGE Class 32
• Bluetooth: v2.1 with A2DP
• Connectivity: micoUSB 2.0
• Audio Out: Standard 3.5 mm Stereo Jack
• Java: MIDP 2.1
• Camera: VGA (640 x 480)
• Video: QVGA at 24 Frames per Second
• Battery: Li-Ion 1020 mAh

Features

The phone is positioned as a basic messaging and telephony device which includes some extras that make the Nokia X2-01 a bit more attractive for those who are comfortable with not moving into the Smartphone realm. The X2-01 has a respectable address book size and can store up to 1000 entries on the phone, this number can be augmented by the 250 entries that the SIM card is capable of storing. As with all phones today, each contact entry is a set of information covering multiple phone numbers, email address, web address, birthday, nickname, photo id, notes; the address book also allows organizing contacts into groups. There is a voice recorder, PC syncing through USB or Stereo Bluetooth. The X2-01 also covers your basic Facebook and Twitter social networking through a Community portal, and gives access to messages and service support through the My Nokia application. The phone also supports software to access your email through the common POP3 and IMAP4 services as well as instant messenger services from the major providers. There is a custom dedicated portal for your T-Mobile email account. Sadly, the email and instant messaging is provisioned through a web interface and the experience is not something that is smooth and likable. The phone comes with a basic music player which allows you to organize your collection into playlists.

Nokia X2-01 From T-Mobile

Verdict

The Nokia X2-01 (not to be confused with the Nokia X2) is a simple messenger and voice cell phone that sports a good four row QWERTY keyboard and with some basic extras that allow it to act like a smartphone, however it is not. At best, the Nokia comes with the solid build quality, reliability, and the familiar and easy to use interface of the Symbian operating system. The comfortable keyboard along with messaging and telephony options make it a good phone to consider if you are not looking to use this to extensively surf the web. The bad news is that the low resolution display and 256K color depth leaves a lot to be desired in overall daily use user experience. Nokia may have done better to have included a slightly better display and a better VGA to make this phone more competitive in the market. The data speed options were also limited and only offered GPRS and EDGE over GSM network. For the price you may be able to consider alternatives that have overall better specifications than the Nokia X2-01.

Price

The phone is available without contract for about $79 without contract, and it is a decent messaging and telephony feature phone under the $100 mark.

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Android App – Lightbox photos Review – Features, Ease of Use

The lightbox photo app lets you take pictures, apply filters and effects and upload them to either the lightbox account or any social networking websites like Google + and Facebook. The app, updated on 11^th August 2011, includes camera and flash settings which is very convenient and easy to use. The app can also pull pictures from your social networking accounts so you can add effects to them. The interface is pretty neat with a plethora of effects that one can play around with.

Lightbox photos Android App

Features:

The only thing that sets this app apart from the many other photo effects apps out there is that the Lightbox has a very neat looking interface. Otherwise, the features offered in the lightbox are pretty much similar to what other similar apps like picplz have to offer.
He different filters the app offers are all labeled and appear on top in portrait view and on the left in the landscape view. Filters range from the usual black and white to retro, X pro, Lomo etc. A big green OK button he bottom right corner can be used to save the image with the desired filters. The app allows you to label the new photo and add details of it like where and when the photo was taken.
The app pulls all the photos of your friends that are present in your twitter feed or on your Facebook homepage. The lightbox has a gallery of its own where it saves all these photos so you can add filters to them and make them more vibrant. The functionality of the app is very smooth and is one of the plus points of the app. The app proves extremely useful for taking and uploading pictures on the web.

Ease of use:

The app has a simple interface with a black and grey theme. The font is large enough to be comfortably read and navigating through the app is simple. The app’s functions are very basic and thus not too difficult to understand.

Verdict:

The lightbox photos is a free app for now. It has a great interface and some pretty cool filters. It also has a built in camera app so one need not exit the app to take a picture. However, other photo applications available these days have more options for effects etc in them. Whatever lightbox photos are offering can be found in other, better apps. The app can be used to easily upload pictures to Facebook with added affects. The lightbox seems promising and hopefully new additions and updates will follow.

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LG Rumor Touch From Virgin Mobile – Review, Specification, Features, Price

LG introduced the Rumor Touch to the market in March 2010 as the next iteration to its successful Rumor series that sport the sliding five row QWERTY keyboard. To remain competitive, LG has upgraded the display to 3 inch touch sensitive screen. LG has also included definitive internal changes to the phone to make it a worthy successor to the Rumor line. This phone was first available in the prepaid line up with Sprint, and with the Virgin Mobile being owned by Sprint, some of the same phones have appeared in the Virgin Mobile lineup also.

LG Rumor Touch From Virgin Mobile

Specifications

• Display: 3 inch (240 x 400 pixels) 262K Color TFT Touch Resistive LCD
• Keyboard: Sliding Five Row QWERTY keyboard; Control & Navigation keys below screen
• Network: Dual Band CDMA2000 1X (800 and 1900)
• Connectivity: Stereo Bluetooth v2.1 with EDR
• Camera: 2 Mega Pixel
• Image Resolutions: 320×240, 640 x 480, 1280 x 960, 1600 x 1200
• Video Resolutions: 176 x 144 (QCIF), 320 x 240 (QVGA), 128 x 96 (Sub QCIF)
• Digital Zoom: 15x
• Audio Out: Standard 3.5 mm Jack
• USB: microUSB 2.0
• Storage Removable: microSD, microSDHC (32 GB Max)
• Navigation: GPS
• Java: Java, MIDP 2.1
• Battery: Lithium Polymer 1250 mAh

LG Rumor Touch From Virgin Mobile

Features

The LG Rumor Touch comes with a not so competitive 600 entry address book. Though, each contact can store up to seven phone numbers, email address, web site address, street address, instant messenger name, birthday, a short memo, job title, employer name and photo ID. There is the standard array of applications; tools and features like vibrate mode, speaker phone, SMS and MMS support. Notable features include, Stereo Bluetooth and GPS including the Spring Navigation support. The phone can also act like a USB flash drive with the Mass Storage mode. Wireless backup allows saving your data on the phone without physical connections. The phone supports web email from AOL, G-mail, Windows Live or Hotmail, Yahoo mail and other personal and work email services. Dedicated applications for Facebook, Twitter and MySpace enable you to keep up to date with your social networks. The phone supports EV-DO Rev 0 and the 3G support gives reasonable performance for Sprint 3G services. The music player is simple and functional, allows the management of your media through playlists and offers simple playback options. Images from the 2 Megapixel camera are sharp but acquire a orange tint in low light situations. The video recording capabilities were also reasonable, and both the imaging and video controls are shared between the two modes.

Verdict

The Rumor Touch from LG is a touch screen feature phone aimed at the messaging and telephony users. The phone has good voice call quality, social networking support, music and emails. The full five row QWERTY keyboard is well designed and keys spaced for ease of messaging and extensive typing in mind. The overall interface on the phone is very messaging friendly. However, with just average imaging quality and less than ideally responsive screen score major negative points for an overall good solution for those interested in messaging and voice calls only. Overall, for the price range, the phone is well designed with solid construction and decent performance and is a strong contender for the target market.

Price

The LG Rumor Touch is available for $149.99 without contract from the Virgin Mobile prepaid lineup. In this range there is tough competition for this feature phone as there are some decent smartphones also available in this price range with contract.

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Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 Review – Specification, Features, Price

The GALAXY tab 10.1 is Samsung’s reply to Apple’s iPad 2. The galaxy tab 10.1 does outdo apple in one respect and that is the size and weight of the tablet. The galaxy tab 10.1, released on 08^th June 2011, has taken the crown for the lightest tablet in the market. Its look is sleek but the covering is made out of plastic. Its display is above average and makes it stand out in the vast array of tablets available in the market these days. The quality of the HD video recording is excellent. The tab does lack a few basic items which put it at a disadvantage but its looks are sure to pull a few apple customers.

Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1

Specifications:

• 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor
• Android 3.0
• 6800 mAh Battery capacity
• 10.09 x 6.81 x 0.34 inch – 20.99 oz
• 10.10 inch touch screen with 1280×800 resolution
• Multi-touch, light sensor, scratch resistant screen
• 32768 MB built in memory
• 3 MP LED autofocus camera
• HD video capture
• Proprietary USB
• a/b/g Wi-Fi
• 2.1 Bluetooth
• DLNA, Tethering
• Calendar, Alarms, Document Viewer, Calculator

Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1

Features:

The package of the tab includes one Galaxy tab, one USB cable, a wall charger, a US plug adapter, a start guide and warranty guide along with health and safety tips.
The tab has speakers on both its left and right side for a stereo effect. On the top end of the tablet lie the volume controller, the headset port and the power button. The mic is on the rear end of the tablet. The galaxy tab is missing the slot for the MicroSD card and the MIcroHDMI port. At the back of the tablet is the 3.2 MP camera with the LED flash just beside it.
The tablet does not offer too many personalization options except resizing widgets etc. Samsung hasn’t included its TouchWiz UI technology to the tablet but it’s expected that updated versions of the tablet might include them as well. The galaxy tab currently includes the honeycomb experience with subtle changes and updates. The galaxy tab offers three different themed on-screen keyboards to choose from. Web browsing is smooth and G-mail usage is especially convenient with its 2 panel layout etc.

Verdict:

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a smooth sleek and paper thin device which has set a new standard in light weight and thin tablets. Its display is amazing at 1280×800 resolution. The results of the camera are sharp and as good as any 3.2 MP camera should produce. The battery easily lasts an entire day of video viewing.
On the other hand, the plastic construction of the phone does not give it many points in the endurance category. The tablet has compromised on MicroHDMI and microSD slots for a thinner look. Also, the tablet runs more smoothly in landscape rather than in portrait mode. Overall, the tablet is a must for those who want a good looking tablet and some amazing display. However, other tablets are available which offer better features and cost much less.

Price:

The price of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is currently 505 US dollars.

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Motorola Clutch i475 From Boost Mobile – Review, Specification, Features, Price

The Motorola Clutch i475 is a candy bar four row QWERTY keyboard handset that Boost Mobile introduced in its contract free prepaid lineup on May 13 2011.

Motorola Clutch i475

Specifications

• Display: 2 inch 65536 Color (220 x 176 pixel) TFT
• Keyboard: For Row Full QWERTY, Navigation and Control Keypad
• Network: Dual Band iDEN (800 MHz and 900 MHz)
• Storage Internal: 8 MB
• Camera: 0.3 Megapixel (VGA)
• Bluetooth: v2.0 Stereo with EDR
• USB: microUSB 2.0 with Charging Support
• Radio: FM
• Geo Location: GPS
• Push To Talk (PTT): Yes
• Battery: Li-Ion 1130 mAh

Features

The Motorola Clutch comes with a 600 entry address book, and up to seven phone numbers, email address, PTT (Press To Talk) Number and notes can be stored against each contact and all contacts can be organized using groups and PTT groups. Other usual basic features includes vibrate mode, speaker phone, text and voice memos, call timers and calendar and date book, Bluetooth is also available on this messenger phone. The Boost Mobile Push-To-Talk service compatibility helps in getting in touch with your contacts across the nation through walkie-talkie style communications. Text and multimedia messaging and treaded message management helps in keeping track of conversations. The Clutch i475 supports web mail access through the POP3/SMTP service; it also supports the popular internet messenger services. A good feature to have as a plus for a simple messenger phone is the GPS. The VGA camera is only able to take still images at four resolutions between 640×48 and 220×176, and the camera application allows for rudimentary image adjustments before taking the picture. The Clutch i475 comes with Java support and a number of Java apps can be downloaded. The image storage is limited to 8 Megabytes and you have to be careful when using it because the phone does not support a microSD slot for memory expansion.

Verdict

The Clutch +i475 from Motorola is a basic and affordable messenger and voice cell phone. The compact and round cornered candy bar design makes this phone easy to use. The well spaced keys on the QWERTY keyboard are easy to use and the rounded bevel allows easy identification of keys by touch. The Clutch +i475 has good voice quality which along with the easy messaging capabilities makes this phone an attractive deal for those in the market for a messenger phone. The build quality is not that great and does not give the confidence that its predecessor instilled. The VGA camera is good for images only and not of very high resolution, quality is limited. There is no microSD support to augment the 8MB of internal memory. No significant change in overall specification from its predecessor also works against it. This Motorola Clutch is not a multimedia phone, but a functional messenger and telephony device and should be considered as such.

Price

Motorola Clutch i475 is available for $99.99 without a contract from Boost Mobile. For under a $100, it is a decent messenger phone to select from the Boost Mobile lineup.

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iPhone App – Photo 365 Review – Features, Ease of Use

Can you imagine having a calendar with thumbnail images to remind you what special activity you did on that particular day? Photo 365 allows you to add pictures to every single day of the year so that you have a lively calendar which at a glance tells you which picture was taken when and indicates your liveliest weeks and months. All you are required to do is take an image from your camera or choose one from your gallery and add it to a certain day on the calendar. You will end up with not just a calendar with dates but one that reminds you how much fun you’ve had.

Photo 365 iPhone App

Features:

The app has a very pretty theme consisting of maroon, brown and grey shades. The app shows you a monthly calendar indicating month, year, date and day. Each date has a box of its own which can be filled by pictures and notes. All you have to do is tap on one date box in the calendar to add a photo or note. The app gives you the option of either taking a picture there and then with your phone’s camera or choosing one from your gallery. The end result is a calendar with thumbnail images on every date.
The app allows you to change the pictures as well and add pictures to past dates. One good feature for forgetful people is that you can set an alarm so the app indicates everyday that you should take a photo and upload it. This feature can prove useful if you are on vacation.
The photos and the filled calendar can be shared on social networking websites as well. The app includes an I button which, besides setting the daily alarm, also gives you the option to write to the developers any issues that you might be facing.

Photo 365 iPhone App

Ease of use:

The app is extremely simple to use with a very beautiful interface. The font is big and easy to understand. The bottom of the screen shows five buttons which allow you to share photos, take photos, move back and forth and add notes to the photo.

Photo 365 iPhone App

Photo 365 iPhone App

Verdict:

The app is a fun way to store photos according to date and you also end up with a lively calendar. The app also has the option of setting an alarm in case you forget to take the image of the day. The app is useful for people who like to be a little creative with everyday things or those who travel a lot and wish to record their journey. The application currently costs $0.99. Overall, Photo 365 is a fun and creative way of documenting your journey in the form of photos on a calendar.

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Samsung SPH-M380 Trender From Sprint – Review, Specification, Price

The Samsung Trender (SPH-M380) was specifically released for Sprint in July 2011. This is not a smartphone in the true sense; it is also not a GSM device and will only work on CDMA networks. The Trender is an entry level messaging phone.

Samsung SPH-M380 Trender From Sprint

Specifications

• Display: 2.8 inch QVGA (240 x 320) 56K Color TFT Resistive Touch
• Network 2G: CDMA 800
• Network 3G: CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
• Data 3G: Rev 0 2.4 Mbps (Max)
• Storage External: microSD (32 GB Max)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• USB: microUSB 2.0 (Charging Support)
• Sensor: Accelerometer
• Audio Out: Standard 3.5 mm Stereo Jack
• Camera: 1.3 Megapixel (1280 x 1024 pixel)
• Battery: Li-Ion 1000 mAh
• Talk Time: 5 Hours (Claimed Max)

Features

With similar design to the Samsung Messenger Touch, it seems to be a bigger non-android bigger brother non-smartphone smartphone. The compact form factor is easy to handle and the weight gives it a solid feel. The brightness and contrast on the 2.8 inch screen gives the display content the clarity in text and crisp graphics. There is no multi touch available on the display, however, the interface has been designed for single-tap navigation and is easy to get around. The content on the phone is organized under the Favorites, Main, Fun and Web tabs. Navigation in each tab is made easy through recognizable tap enabled shortcut icons for the applications and tools. The three hardware buttons for Back, Home or Select and Phone Menu are below the display screen. The Phone Menu pulls gives access to the Favorites, Contacts, Call History and the Dialer. The hardware camera shutter button is available on the right edge. The Trender address book stores 600 entries, and each contact entry can have multiple numbers, multiple email addresses, IM Name or ID, Web Address, Birthday, Memo, Street Address and Photo ID. The Web mail application gets you access to your internet email addresses.
The Phone is not designed for extensive internet data usage, and does not support the requisite data throughput at the budget price. The Trender has a decent music player though does not support album art. There is a pull down menu which gives you access to applications running in the background. The 1.3 Megapixel camera comes with three shooting modes, six white balance settings, night mode, color effects and additional adjustments for image taking. Over the Sprint Dual Band CDMA network, the Samsung Trender voice call quality is good at the phone end, however, at the other end, there may be voice crackling, that just may be a Sprint issue.

Samsung SPH-M380 Trender From Sprint

Verdict

The Samsung Trender SPH-M380 slider QWERTY keyboard and the familiar TouchWiz interface makes this a very usable phone at the entry level for those who are heavy on texting and phone calls and want a smartphone-ish experience at a budget price. The Flat keys on the QWERTY Keyboard made it difficult to distinguish the key that the fingers were over and were difficult to type with. The camera is nothing brilliant to boast about and will take dull looking pictures. The 3G CDMA network led to slow data rates. Overall, for its budget price, it is a good option to look at if you are more interested in messaging and voice calls than data plans.

Price

The Samsung Trender (SPH-M380) is available from Sprint for $29.99. There are two available colors, Amethyst and Sapphire. The data on this CDMA phone may end up being less cost effective than the Android smartphone data plans from Sprint in the case of higher data usage.

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Pantech Breeze III From AT&T – Review, Specification, Features, Price

Pantech introduced the Breeze III entry level messenger phone through the AT&T carrier on July 19 2011. It is not a Smartphone and is specifically designed for those who are more interested in only making calls, receiving calls, and sending and receiving text and multimedia messages.

Pantech Breeze III From AT&T

Specifications

• Design: Clamshell
• Display: 2.2 inch (240 x 320 pixels) 262,144 Colors
• Display Secondary: 1.38 inch (128 x 138 pixels) 65K Color
• Camera: 1.3 Megapixel (1280 x 1024)
• Camera Features: Video Recording, 4x Digital Zoom
• Storage Internal: 80 MB
• Storage Removable: microSD, microSDHC (up to 32 GB support)
• Bluetooth: Yes
• USB: microUSB (with Charging Support)
• Network GSM: 850, 900, 1800 1900 MHz
• Network UTMS: 850, 1900
• UTMS Data: Yes, EDGE
• HSPA Data: HSDPA 3.6 Mbps
• Navigation: GPS
• Battery: Li-Ion 920 mAh
• Talk Time: 5 Hours (Claimed)
• Stand By Time: 336 Hours (Claimed)

Features

The Clam Shell design for the Breeze III closely resembles the design for the Breeze II. When close the cover sports a color secondary display which is used to show the date, time and Caller ID along with Caller ID Picture if it is set to. Below this display, there are three LED icons that turn on where there are unread messages, missed calls or if the battery level drops below a certain level. The main screen and key pad are revealed on flipping open the Clamshell. The 2.2 inch main display on the Breeze III offers good contrast colors and sharp graphics and text. The interface comes in two modes, “Breeze Mode” and “Advanced Mode”. The former is designed for ease of use and can be set for senior citizens and teens that are getting their first phone, and the Advanced Mode opens up the complete functionality of the phone for those who are more experienced. The address book stores up to 1000 entries and each contact can be tagged with six numbers, Photo ID, three email addresses, five Instant Messenger IDs, web site address, display name, street address, birthday, social network ID, company name and more.  A leading feature of interest is the Pill reminder for medications that may be useful for all age groups. There is also basic mobile email through which you can access your internet email services. The GPS is accessible by using the AT&T Navigator and a basic att.net web browser allows you to browse the internet. There are a few games pre-installed and more can be downloaded from the AT&T App-center.

Pantech Breeze III From AT&T

Verdict

The Pantech Breeze III has a slim and stylish clam shell design that is easy to pocket and handle. The bright color display is clear and readable and the interface is customizable. The well spaced navigation keys make it easy to control the phone and the numeric keypad keys spacing is also comfortable with enough tactile difference that after a bit of practice you can dial numbers and compose text messages without looking at the screen. The two interface modes cover both the novice beginner as well as the advanced experienced users. There are not many design and feature improvements over its predecessor, the Breeze II. There are also some Advanced Mode features that are either not available or disabled in the Easy Mode which can be a bit annoying. Overall, the Breeze III from Pantech is definitely not a smartphone and does not pretend to be, and for the budget price it is a very good option to consider as your first phone, or even if you are looking to remain in the budget phone and want a phone with all the basic telephony and messaging features, as well as some advanced features.

Price

The Pantech Breeze III is available with the AT&T carrier for $39.99 after a rebate and a two year contract. The Mobile Email Service is an additional $5 per month subscription over the regular monthly charges.

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Android App – Visidon Applock Review – Features, Ease of Use

You must have seen movies where a safe or a secret location is protected by a facial recognition lock. The protected vault or door can only be opened if the camera recognizes your face as matching the one in its database. The Visidon Applock, updated on 12^th August 2011, offers something similar for your phones. Now you can protect applications in your phone by choosing to lock them with a pin code or the facial recognition option. Just place your face in front of the front-view camera on your phone while the application matches it with the pictures you’ve provided. If the face matches, the app will allow you to access those applications.

Visidon Applock - Android App

Features:

The Visidon Applock has a list of all the applications installed in your phone, along with tick boxes. You can choose which application to protect and which ones to leave out. The application offers three levels of security; low, medium or high. The app gives you the option to let it start when you turn the phone on. This way, it automatically starts once your phone is activated.
The application then uses the front-facing camera to start a calibration process in which it takes several pictures on your face in order to recognize it properly. For medium security, you require about 3 to 4 pictures while for high security you require up to 10. The accuracy of the facial recognition is lowest at the low security level and subsequently increases as you increase the level.
The app only gives you the option to lock your applications through facial recognition. The phone itself does not unlock with this application.

Visidon Applock - Android App

Ease of use:

The application starts automatically and does most of the difficult work itself. The user is only required to face the camera and the app reads the face and unlocks your applications within seconds. The app requires that you have a front-facing camera in your phone. Not every phone has that so it can prove to be an issue. The setting up of the app is very easy and the use is even simpler.

Visidon Applock - Android App

Verdict:

The Visidon Applock is a fun application which does away with entering pin codes every time you need to access an application. It offers a unique and fun way to protect your phone. The app does lack in a lot of respects as well. The one serious lag in security is that since the phone is not locked with this app, any user can go and uninstall the application to get past the security. Also, at the low and medium security level, pictures can be used to get through security as well.
The app should include facial recognition security to unlock the phone as well. That will further improve this free app and make it more useful rather than just a fun app one can toy with.

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HTC Sensation 4G From T-Mobile Review – Specification, Features, Price

The HTC Sensation 4G smartphone was announced for the T-Mobile carrier in April 2011 and was available through the carrier early June 2011. It is the 4G successor to the HTC Sensation and comes with some improvements over its predecessor.

HTC Sensation 4G From T-Mobile

Specifications

• Operating System: Gingerbread, Android v2.3
• Interface Enhancements: HTC Sense 3.0
• Processor: 1.2 GHz Dual Core
• Graphics: Adreno 220 GPU
• Chipset: Qualcomm MSM 8260 Snapdragon
• RAM: 768 MB
• Storage Internal: 4GB (3GB System, 1GB User Accessible)
• Storage Removable: microSD (8GB Included, 32GB Max)
• Data GPRS: 114 Kbps (Max)
• Data EDGE: 560 Kbps (Max)
• Data 3G Downlink: HSDPA 14.4 Mbps
• Data 3G Uplink: HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
• Wireless: WiFi 802.11 b, g, n; DLNA; WiFi Hotspot
• Bluetooth: 3.0 with A2DP
• USB: microUSB 2.0 (MHL, Mobile High-Definition Link)
• Display: 4.3 inch qHD (540 x 960) 16 Million Color Capacitive Multi Touch S-LCD
• Screen: Gorilla Glass
• Network 2G: GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• Network 3G: HSDPA 900, 1700, 2100 MHz
• Camera Primary: 8 Megapixel Auto Focus (3264 x 2448 pixels)
• Camera Secondary: VGA
• Camera Flash: Dual LED
• Video Recording: 1080p HD at 30 Frames per second with Stereo Audio
• Radio: Stereo FM with RDS
• Geo Positioning: GPS with A-GPS

Features

As with all Android Gingerbread smartphones coming from HTC, the user interface is enhanced with the HTC Sense customizations (in this case version 3.0). One of the really interesting features is the drag and drop app shortcut to unlock the screen. Traditionally, you’d unlock the screen, and then navigate to the application. With Sense 3.0, you can select four most common applications and place them on the lock screen, and instead of unlocking, drag and drop the app icon you want to use on the lock circle and voila the smartphone is unlocked and application loaded. Besides the usual applications coming from HTC, the smartphone also sports applications like the Polaris Office, Lookout, TeleNav GPS Navigator and T-Mobile TV to name a few. It also comes with the new HTC Watch Video store and the HTC Listen Music store. The HTC Watch and Listen stores are allow you to rent or buy movies, TV shows directly to the smartphone from Saffron Digital. One smart feature with the Watch store is the option for watching streaming media.

Verdict

The HTC Sensation 4G is similar to its 3G sibling the HTC Sensation in almost all features. The high quality build along with the 4.3 inch qHD multi touch display and the HTC Sense customization makes the total experience truly enjoyable. The 1.2 GHz Dual Core processor powered user interface enhancements and animated interface is smooth and offer a rich experience. Images from the 8 Megapixel camera are clear and video recording is of high quality as well. The 4G tag in the name of the smartphone does not live up to the expectations of 4G data experience. The HTC Sensation 4G does not have enough user accessible memory internally, however this can be augmented by the microSD removable storage. The speakers are not up to the standard expected from a smartphone in this range. Overall, the HTC has as usual maintained a high quality of build and software design that is expected from all HTC smart devices. This is amongst the smartphone top picks for T-Mobile customers. The main completion for the Sensation 4G is the G2X , also available from T-Mobile.

Price

The HTC Sensation 4G has been available from T-Mobile for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a two year contract. The mobile hotspot ability will cost you another $15 a month.

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HTC EVO View 4G Tablet Review – Specification, Features, Price

The EVO View 4G is a 7 inch tablet that has inherited all the strong points of HTC products. The tablet has a beautiful design and a sleek charcoal and red look. It has an above average interface and many new widgets and better animations. The hardware of the tablet is solid, with an aluminum body. The EVO View 4G, released on 24^th June 2011, cannot compete with the tablet leaders the present, like the Galaxy S and iPad, but its versatility makes it a good device to buy.

HTC EVO View 4G Tablet

Specification:

• 1500 MHz single core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
• 1024 MB RAM
• 4000 mAh battery capacity
• 32,768 built in memory
• Micro SD, Micro SDHC slots
• 7.70 x 4.40 x 0.52 (h×w×d) – 15.00 OZ.
• 7 inch display at 1024×600 MP with multi-touch and light sensor
• 5 MP LED camera
• HD video capture and video calling
• Android 2.3.3 operating system
• Accelerometer, Compass
• HDMI & DLNA
• MicroUSB
• 3.0 Bluetooth

Features:

The EVO View 4G has a sleek look that sets it apart. The covering of the device is made out of aluminum so it is solid and reliable. The back has slopes on each side which helps you carry the device very easily in landscape mode. The micro SD slot under the back cover is red in color and adds a nice touch to the phone. Unlike most tablets, the EVO View 4G has three buttons on the device rather than in the screen. The three buttons helps you navigate through the device, taking you directly to Menu, Home or Back. On the right side of the tablet is the volume controller. The bottom has the USB port with a power button on the top of the tablet.
The tablet has the latest user interface called the sense 3.0. It offers more widgets and larger display space with improved animation. Users can also buy the Scribe pen designed by HTC which helps you write notes and draw on the tablet. The media player in the tablet has two panes which helps you browse through the videos or the music but also play them on the right panel.

HTC EVO View 4G Tablet - Back side

Verdict:

The tablet scores very good points when it comes to aesthetics. The tablet is also solid due to its aluminum covering. The camera quality is good and the battery can stand 2 days of frequent usage. The biggest thing lacking in the HTC tablet is the fact that it does not run Google‘s software which has been optimized for tablets like this one. Overall, the EVO View 4G might find it hard to attract Apple and Samsung customers until it comes out with a honeycomb update.

Price:

The tablet EVO View 4G costs 699.99 US dollars.

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LG GT-950 Saber From U.S. Cellular – Review, Specification, Features, Price

The GT-950 Saber from LG is an entry level phone and messenger device that covers the core basic telephony and short messaging needs in a very attractive budget package.

LG GT-950 Saber

Specifications

• Display: 2.2 inch (172 x 220) 262K Color TFT LCD
• Network: CDMA2000 1x
• Band: 800/1900 MHz
• Bluetooth: v2.1 EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
• User Memory: 85 MB
• Camera: VGA
• Camera Images: 120 x 160, 240 x 320, 480 x 640, 176 x 144
• Navigation: GPSONE
• Audio Out: 2.5 mm stereo headset jack
• Data Connectivity: micro USB
• Battery: 950 mAh

Features

LG chose well to select a relatively large 2.2 inch display on a pure voice and messaging phone. The display supports 262K colors on a 172×220 pixel display, though not a better choice of resolution and color depth, it is reasonable and makes reading the display easy. The interface is customizable, the font sizes and style, and the dial font can be changed. The clock format, calendar, menu style and display back light timer are also adjustable. The Sable sports a slim narrow navigation and control array of buttons below the display and above the QWERTY keyboard. The keys are well sized and easily pressed without serious errors. The main QWERTY keyboard is a bit small however after a bit of use it becomes easy to use. The LG Sable address book can store up to 1000 contacts and each contact can have up to 7 phone numbers, two email addresses and a memo field; the contacts can also be assigned pictures and organize them in caller groups. Usually LG stuck to the slider keyboard or flip type phones when shipping messenger phones; however this QWERTY keyboard layout is a fresh start. The LG Saber offers a threaded view of messaged which keeps your conversations organized.
The phone also offers standard features like speaker phone, vibration mode, a decent calendar, world clock and calculator. There is also voice command support, Bluetooth for pairing with other devices, voice recorder and a basic web browser. The VGA camera application allows taking pictures and videos at a number of resolutions, the application also offers simple controls for color effects, white balance, night mode, frames, multi-shot, image brightness and quality. The phone comes preloaded with Pac Man, City ID and access to U.S. Cellular ring tone store, the Tone Room Deluxe. Additional applications are available through the Easy-edge online shop.

Verdict

The LG Saber GT-950 (is not to be mixed with the LG GT950 Arena). This is a basic CDMA phone, with a functional screen a full QWERTY keyboard and navigation and control keys. The build is lightweight without giving an impression of being fragile. There is no internet related application feature support like emails and instant messaging. The VGA offers low quality images. The voice quality is not the best around at this price level. For a basic phone with not a lot of processing going on, the phone sports a humble 3 hours of talk time; perhaps LG could have done better service to the phone by introducing a slightly larger battery. The LG Saber is a reasonable entry level super budget phone for those who are in the market for only messaging and text.

Price

At an unreal low price of $9.99 this absolute entry level messenger phone is available with U.S. Cellular. The price alone should have you aware that the phone will offer nothing but the most basic features that are needed for communications.

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iPhone App – GLMPS Review – Features, Ease of Use

The GLMPS app, updated on 09^th august 2011, is an app for those who like to experiment with their photography. GLMPS helps you create moving pictures absolutely free. The app records a five minute long video before taking your picture. This adds a little story of its own to the usually still pictures.

GLMPS iPhone App

Features:

The app requires you to sign in with social networking websites. Otherwise, you can’t use the app. Once you tap the camera button, the video starts shooting automatically after a little loading. The app helps you upload your five minute videos to twitter, Facebook etc. The app also stores your videos on your GLMPS account. The videos can also be managed under the popular category. The videos are stacked with 24 on one page. A thumbnail of the photo taken shows as the icon for every video. Sharing the videos on social networking websites is relatively easy with share buttons at the base of the app screen.

GLMPS iPhone App

Ease of use:

The app only works if you have accounts on social networking websites. Some people do not have these accounts or do not wish to disclose them. This is quite a nuisance since making videos does not necessarily mean you would share them online as well. Any video of a private nature cannot be taken by this app.
The interface is simple enough with the video automatically starting once the app is opened. Navigating through the app is simple. Recorded videos are stored in an organized way and can be played by tapping the thumbnails.

GLMPS iPhone App

Verdict:

The GLMPS requires a lot of changes at present if it aims to become a useful app. The requirement for a social networking website is absolutely unnecessary. Usually the option to upload videos of your choice suffices, rather than it becoming a necessity. The quality of the picture at the end of each video is also not too good. The picture essentially is just a still from the video so the quality is seriously compromised. This is not an app one would choose to generally take pictures. Also, the video begins automatically and films a video 5 seconds before the picture is finally taken. The issue with this is that you have no time to prepare for the video and usually the video captures you setting up the camera. It would have been better had the developers added the option of either filming five seconds before or after the picture is actually taken.
The app does not cost anything but the usefulness is limited and a lot of improvements are still required until the app is taken seriously.

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HTC Merge From U.S. Cellular – Review, Specification, Features, Price

The HTC Merge was announced and released in February 2011 for U.S. Cellular, Alltel and Verizon. It is also known as the HTC Lexikon and HTC ADR6325. IT is a mid-range smartphone running Android Froyo which is upgradable to Gingerbread and future models may come pre loaded with Android 2.3.

HTC Merge From U.S. Cellular

Specifications

• Display: 3.8” WVGA (480 x 800) 16 Million Color Capacitive Multi Touch S-LCD
• Keyboard: Slide Out QWERTY
• Operating System: Android v2.2 Froyo
• Processor: 800 MHz Qualcomm MSM7630
• RAM: 512 MB
• Storage Internal: 2 GB
• Storage Removable: microSD with 32 GB support
• Network 2G: CDMA 800/1900 and GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• Network 3G: CDMA2000 x1EV-DO and HSDPA 2100
• GSM Data: GPRS and EDGE
• 3G Data: Rev A up to 3.1 Mbps for HSDPA and HSUPA
• Wireless: WiFi 802.11 b/g/n and hotspot
• Bluetooth: v2.1 with A2DP and EDR
• USB: microUSB 2.0 Charging Support
• Camera: 5 Megapixel Auto Focus (2592 x 1944 pixels)
• Video Recording: 720p HD
• Navigation: GPS with A-GPS
• Battery: Li-Ion 1400 mAh

Features

Like all the Android smartphones from HTC, the Merge ships with the Sense interface enhancements. With Android, come the highly customizable home screens including the leap screen (accessed by pinching the multi touch display) which allows you to directly go to the home screen of your choice. The notification area pulls down from the top with the usual toggles and notifications. Below the screen the four dedicated touch buttons for home, menu, back and search. A long press on the Home button will pull the list of recently used apps. Sense also helps and organizes the information in a unified inbox. It comes preloaded with app through which the phone can be configured as a WiFi hotspot. Images and video can geo-tagged. Both HTC and U.S. Cellular have added some custom application like the Twitter App Peep, Footprings, City ID, Navigation App, Backup Software, and Flashlight.

Verdict

The HTC Merge supports both CDMA and GSM and has a GSM Sim Card slot; however GSM is not available from U.S. Cellular. If you plan to be travelling internationally, you have the option of taking this phone along and get a disposable number at your destination instead of opting for one of the roaming plans which do turn out to be quite expensive. The 5 Meg pixel camera offers good quality imaging and 720p HD recording and playback. The HTC metal body gives it a solid but hefty feel; however the metal trims give this phone a premium look. HTC changed the layout of the keyboard on the Merge however perhaps the older layout on the Desire Z was pretty good. Performance wise, the phone is sporting the older Single Core processor; however, there is enough capability to make things run smoothly on the Merge. The 800 MHz Qualcomm MSM7630 also powers the T-Mobile G2 and the Evo Shift 4G. The HTC Merge from U.S. Cellular is a decent mid-range Android Froyo powered smartphone.

Price

U.S. Cellular is offering the HTC Merge for $149.99 after mail in rebates, on a two year contract. At this price, this U.S. Cellular has positioned it with the other high end phones in its line up like the Samsung Mesmerize.

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Motorola i412 From Boost Mobile – Review, Specification, Features, Price

The Motorola i410 was introduced to the Boost Mobile line up of affordable phones in July 2011 as a budget device for voice calls and messaging. Boost Mobile is an affordable carrier offering budget plans and nation-wide boost walkie-talkie services through their iDEN support.

Motorola i412 From Boost Mobile

Specifications

• Display: 1.79 inch (128 x 160) 64K Color
• Form Factor: Flip
• Camera: VGA
• Messaging: MMS and SMS Support
• Navigation: GPS
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• USB: microUSB
• PPT: Push-to-Talk iDEN Support

Motorola i412 From Boost Mobile

Features

The Motorola i412 comes with the standard small format flip design for phone. There is a small mono-chrome display on the top which shows signal strength, battery level, and a number of icons for modes. There are two dedicated buttons for, mute function and quick access to call logs. The cover also has a simple VGA camera towards the hinge. Opening the phone reveals the functional 1.79 inch display, and the navigation and keypad on the other half. The interface is somewhat customizable, allowing the change of wall paper, text size, and display theme and backlight timer. The clock format and menu view can be changed also. The keypad and navigation keys are well spaced and raised to allow easy messaging or dialing by touch only. The address book stores up to 600 entries, with each entry supporting multiple phone numbers, email address, IP address and walkie-talkie number and organize them in groups. Each entry can be assigned one of 20 polyphonic tones

Verdict

The Motorola i410 fulfills its role as a basic phone with text and image messaging capabilities. You can stay in touch with your contacts through the Push-To-Talk feature that acts like a walki-talki, however this is only available over the Boost Mobile network. The VGA camera leaves a lot to be desired in this age of Megapixel competitors, and there are better displays out in the market. The phone menu navigation is complex and perhaps not well thought through. If you are looking for a really affordable basic phone, and your primary interest is only making calls and messaging, then this is a good budget phone to look at as an option.

Price

The i410 from Motorola is available for $69.99 without commitments. Boost Mobile offers simple budget contracts that are designed for those who have not decided to join the smartphone evolution.

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LG Optimus Pad Tablet Review – Specification, Features, Price

The LG Optimus Pad has certainly brought new things on the table, for example 3D video capture. The pad has two 5 megapixel cameras at the back with an inch of space between them. Thus you can start making 3D videos of your own. The pad also comes with anaglyph glasses for 3D movie viewing. The shape of the pad is perfect for landscape view typing as one can easily reach all the keys. The display is of a great quality with bright colors and a high resolution screen. The pad does not yet win the race against iPad 2 but still it is not lagging too far behind.

LG Optimus Pad Tablet

Specifications:

• 1000 MHz, Dual core, NVIDIA Tegra II processor
• Android 3.0 Operating system
• 9.57 x 5.87 x 0.47 (h×w×d)- 21.87 oz
• 1280 × 768 MP resolution with multi-touch display
• 10.2 Mbit/sec HSDPA support
• 2.0 Mbit/sec HSUPA support
• Hardware accelerator for 3D graphics
• 32768 MB built in memory
• 8.90 inches display size
• 5.0 MP LED camera with 3D 30 FPS video capture
• b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass
• Candybar form
• GPS, A-GPS, navigation
• 2.0 USB

LG Optimus Pad Tablet

Features:

The tab has an extended screen and is thus ideal for watching movies while also maintaining the ideal length for landscape typing as well. On the left side of the tablet, here are two ports for the mini HDMI and micro USB. On top of the tablet lies the on/off button, which rather hard to find but easy to use. On the top left side are the speakers, a headset jack measuring 3.5mm and the charging slot. On the right is the volume controller and the mic. The stereo speakers lie at the bottom.
The tab includes all that Google has to offer including Google maps and easy G-mail usage. There is an option to synchronize contacts with your G-mail accounts as well. The tab also recognizes voice commands, which can be used to navigate through Google maps and for other searches.

Verdict:

The tablet is one solid device with very good processing and internet browsing. The battery easily lasts an entire day. The Tablet includes not only cameras, which are a rarity in tablets generally, but also introduces 3D video recording. This can be termed the devices’ niche. However, the quality of the videos is not as good as expected. Picture quality is not too impressive either with pixilated results. The tablet is also a bit too thick and heavy to seriously compete with apple or Samsung. At the end, what is the most discouraging factor is the price.

 Price:

The price of the LG Optimus Pad stands at a staggering $1,385. Yes, you read that correctly – $1,385!

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