BlackBerry vs. iPhone

The BlackBerry Storm Review

admin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:05:43 +0000

Finally the day has come when RIM has completed a device in the BlackBerry Storm that should be able to compete with the iPhone. If it contains most of the features that BlackBerry users have come to love from BlackBerrys then it should have the advantage, but will it?

The BlackBerry Storm is the first touch screen device that has been made by RIM. It even has a unique click screen technology, SurePress, which gives you the impression like that of clicking a mouse. Since the touch screen is the main idea behind the Storm, it is the first thing that gets recognized and should be one of the best features. However, there are a few drawbacks that will need to be improved:

There does appear to be some backlighting leaking through the sides of the screen, which hopefully doesn’t take anything away from the build quality.

When using the SurePress technology, the screen seems to slide around a bit while pushing down with a finger.

The SurePress technology is apparently supposed to give users an advantage by hovering without selecting, as well as a nice click feeling when typing and navigating. However, typing and navigating can actually be slower on the Storm because of the SurePress technology. It’s not that the SurePress is bad, but rather, the OS on the Storm is basically the same as that of previous BlackBerrys that happen to be very different devices than the Storm. This could, and should be remedied in the future, to give users a more controlled feeling and a better typing and navigating experience.

How Does the Storm look?

The Storm does look quite impressive with its 3.25 in. touch screen. It is .55 in. thick with a plastic silver band that runs around the sides, while the remainder of the device is made up of black plastic. The phone, back, menu, and power keys are directly below the touch screen, a convenience key along with the microUSB can be found on the left, the 3.5mm headphone jack along with another convenience key and volume control can be found on the right, up top there is an LED light along with lock and mute keys, while the battery and flash camera can be found around the back. If RIM wanted to give the Storm an impressive look, then they succeeded.

How’s the keyboard?

As you know, BlackBerrys are known for having great emailing capabilities, among some other things, so the keyboard is an important part of any BlackBerry device. The virtual keyboard on the Storm, even with the SurePress technology, will probably not be getting high ranks anytime soon. Once a key is pressed, the press must release before another key can be pressed, which will probably mean much slower typing, however, the Storm obviously wasn’t built to compete with previous BlackBerry devices. Although a software component that guessed what users were attempting to type would be more helpful on the Storm.

How’s the rest?

On screen, copy and paste is as good as usual, and hovering over links and items while browsing is very helpful on crowded webpages. The overall appearance of the screen is not disappointing at all, although it’s probably not comparable to that of the Bold, which again, is not a big deal at all.

Browsing through the web and through apps seems to be actually a bit slower than compared to previous devices. The OS allows for crossfades and sideways swipes which is nice, however, response time seems to lag behind a bit which can become annoying.

Other advantages include; quicker page loading, better navigation, and better scrolling, which is a much needed improvement for BlackBerrys.

Email and messaging are still in great shape on the Storm, however, the formatting for the larger screen could have been improved.

Media management is standard, video playback is great, however, third party software remains to be weak at best.

The software that comes with the device is great, and the applications will allow you to edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. However, a major drawback is that syncing to a Mac cannot be done at all, unless a download is found and purchased itself. Something that should have been planned better if the Storm was to compete with the iPhone 3G.

The 3.2 megapixel camera is good, however, focusing and snapping seems to take more time than it should. Recording video is another nice function that the Storm allows.

Call reception, sound quality, and speakerphone are as good as can be expected. GSM radio is also supported so users can take advantage of HSPA around the rest of the world.

Early testing shows that the battery life of the Storm may be above average considering its capabilities.

The Storm is a very nice device, but it’s probably not going to be any kind of iPhone killer. Not too many iPhone users will probably be crossing over, and neither may BlackBerry lovers who are used to the traditional devices.

RIM has come up with a nice device that may attract some users not falling in the above categories, however (seems like there’s been too many howevers), improvements must still be made in some areas to make the BlackBerry Storm a true competitor.

Purchase the BlackBerry Storm here.

Palm Pre vs. iPhone 3G Video Demo

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:49:31 +0000

The Palm Pre has accomplished something that its competitors have failed to do so far, and it has mainly to do with multitasking. This video will show you how the Palm Pre compares side by side to the iPhone 3G. The iPhone has been extremely popular due to its apps, and other multimedia capabilities, however, there are a few reasons why the Palm Pre might win a head to head battle.

Thanks to webOS, which is the new operating system for the Pre, users have the ability to open multiple apps (at least 12) at one time and go through them.

The Pre itself is actually smaller than the iPhone, however, the screen is just about the same size and is actually a bit more crisp in appearance.

The scrolling is actually about equal on both devices. Both move to the touch, and both appear to move very smoothly.

The keyboards of the Pre and iPhone are very different. The Pre has a slide out QWERTY keyboard, while the iPhone has a virtual keyboard. The slide out keyboard should give you an advantage, unless of course you do very well with the virtual keyboards.

The browsing experience is quick on both devices and both are also equipped with the multitouch function, which allows zooming in on a specific area.

These are the main aspects that are shown in the video. Both devices work very well, however, the webOS and the slide out keyboard give the Palm Pre a slight advantage over the iPhone 3G.

How do you think the Palm Pre compares to the iPhone 3G?

The Palm Pre Review

admin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:24:01 +0000

If mutitasking is what you are into, which is what many of us do these days, then the new Palm Pre might be just the device that you could get into. When it comes to multitasking capabilities, the Pre looks to be first in its class. For the most part, other mobile phones fail at delivering an acceptable multitasking experience, however, the Palm Pre is here to save the day for the overall power user.

You probably know that switching between apps on any device can normally be a huge pain. Palm has remedied this with the Pre, which allows users to launch an app without shutting down the program currently in use. Simply swipe your finger across the Pre’s screen and open multiple apps without interrupting whatever else you were doing. This is exactly how a smartphone experience should feel.

Multitasking is not the only advantage that comes with the Pre. The screen looks just as good as that of the iPhone, if not better, and is a 24 bit color HVGA with 320×480 resolution. It is of course a touch screen, however the keyboard is not virtual like that of the iPhone. The keyboard also does not consume half the front of the device like that of the Bold. Instead, the Pre’s keyboard slides out from the bottom allowing the best of both worlds, although it is fairly cramped to the touch.

How does it look?

The Pre actually does look really nice, and should fit into a pocket with ease being .67 inches at the thickest. The screen seems to run from edge to edge with a small earpiece above and a button bottom center. The volume buttons are around to the left and the microUSB is located on the right. There is also a power/hold button on the top right corner, along with a handy switch to turn the ringer on/off. The headphone jack is located on top, and the flash camera can be found on the back.

When the keyboard is slid out you can find a mirror on the backside of it, however, the Pre shouldn’t be considered partial to either gender. The slide out keyboard seems to be a bit on the flimsy side, and moving it faster rather than slower seems to work the best. The keys appear to have the rubbery feel of previous models, and while the spacing may not be as good as it gets, typing errors should be cut down compared to the virtual keyboards of other devices.

Overall the appearance is great, but viewing anything in sunlight could be trouble as could be expected.

How’s the camera?

The 3.2 megapixel flash camera is also great. It can actually be used like a camera thanks to the shutter lag that has been resolved by the webOS. Feel free to take as many pics as you like without waiting for the normal backloading.

How does it sound?

The audio is also great on the Pre which comes complete with speaker phone. It may not be quite as good as that of the Bold, but it’s nothing to be concerned about either.

How’s the webOS?

The webOS is really good, which allows the Pre to do what none have been able to do thus far. However, since it is 1.0 there will be things that need to be addressed, but Palm states that updates will be available as necessary.

Apps may require a bit more time to load, but you won’t be required to close one to open another, so steps to get from one action to another become greatly reduced. With very little effort you can go from a call to an application, and back again to your call, or jump from SMS to a webpage. The point is, things become easier to accomplish and save time as well, which should make the Palm Pre very appealing to those who love to multitask.

The Pre will also do what they are calling universal search. This will allow you to search through your contacts, your applications, or even Google, however, it does not allow you to search through other information on the device. Even though it’s not completely univeral, you can still pull contact data from the services that you use online, which is much easier than traditional means.

The 1150 mAh battery should be able to get you through the day, unless of course you are pushing an unreasonable amount of data on a daily basis, otherwise you probably shouldn’t expect much more or less from the Pre’s battery compared to the others.

What does it all cost?

Well, if you’re eligible for an upgrade and wouldn’t mind using Sprint, that looks like the cheapest option. With Sprint’s simply everything plan for $99, Verizon is beat by $60 on a comparable plan, as is AT&T by $50, and T-Mobile by $25. With all that the Pre can do, you will likely need unlimited data along with email and browsing, which makes Sprint’s package the most cost effective one.

All in all, the Pre is a great device, especially if you are an everyday multitasker. Thanks to the webOS, the Pre is even more compatible to a PC, which means that things are changing for the better here.

Whether or not the Pre has what you need is up to you, and that’s carriers aside. However, there is one thing that is certain, and that’s higher expectations now for the iPhone, BlackBerrys, and the rest.

Purchase the Palm Pre here.

The Nokia N96 Review

admin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:14:59 +0000

The Nokia N96 is a great looking phone, and it will do a lot of things for you, but it all comes with a high price tag.

The Nokia N96 is total multimedia with a 5 megapixel camera on the back, a smaller camera on the front, video recording, 2.8″ video display, 16GB memory which can be expanded, Hi-Speed USB, Nokia Video Center, GPS, and the ability to connect to the internet in multiple ways. It also has a kickstand in the back so you can put it down and watch videos easily.

The N96 really is a nice looking device isn’t it? It actually looks like a camera with the screen on the front and camera lens on the back. Like the iPhone, you can watch images on the phone in the vertical, or horizontal positions. The screen is just a bit smaller than that of the iPhone, and it is 320×240 pixels with 16 million colors.

Even though the N96 is a great looking phone, it is not without its own drawbacks.

What will the internet speeds be like?

As you know, connectivity will depend on what kind of service you can get in your area, and unless you can get 3G (which you may not be able to do), or WiMAX, downloading may be kind of a pain for you. Otherwise, it should be able to keep up with other phones in its class.

How is the battery?

The battery of the N96 is only 950mAh, which means that it will probably drain quicker than other phones based on everything that this phone can do, however, if you’re not using 3G or WiMAX perhaps you will get some decent time out of the battery. Although, you wouldn’t purchase a device like the N96 just to use it for talking and texting would you? I didn’t think so.

How is the keyboard anyway?

This is partly another downside to the N96. I realize that everyone is not a fan of the virtual keyboard, but it would be nice on this phone because it still has that old keyboard that slides out and contains three letters and one number on most of the keys, needless to say, it will not be a great experience to do any kind of writing on this phone. There is a foldable, wireless keyboard that you can get to go with the N96, but it will run you about $150.

How much can I expect to pay for the N96?

You can probably expect to pay as much as $800 for this device, and it will be available for pre-order on the 15th of October.

All in all, the Nokia N96 is a great looking phone that can do all kinds of things for you. If you happen to have a job where a phone like the N96 is a must have, then this phone should do you well. Your only worries; charging the battery everyday, getting the optional keyboard, and having good service in your area.

It looks like the N96 matches up well with other phones in its class, but is it a good value for the cost?

Purchase the Nokia N96 here.

The iPhone 3G Review

admin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:11:56 +0000

Approximately 1 year after the original iPhone had come out, Apple introduced the iPhone 3G, the latest and best model which came with plenty of new features.

It seemed like the iPhone 3G was ready to take over the world. With the exception of a few areas, the iPhone 3G was totally improved. The phone now has access to a much faster 3G wireless network, as well as Microsoft Exchange server email, and a wide variety of other software from the iPhone Application Store.

Many of us waited for this new and improved iPhone, it had improved call quality and reception, background noise was no longer much of a problem, while music and videos were as good as ever.

The appearance of the iPhone 3G is not too much different from that of the older model. If you turn it on its side you will easily be able to tell that the back is now plastic, there is a silver mesh behind the speaker, and the silver rim is also thinner. The change is only slightly different, and may not catch your eye at first, but it is there.

The iPhone 3G and the older model both measure 5.5 inches high, by 2.4 inches wide, and the 3G model weighs just .1 ounce less with a total weight of 4.7 ounces. You will quickly notice that the edges are tappered on the 3G model, which means that it will not like to sit still on a flat, hard surface.

The new display is the same as before, 3.5 inches and 480×320 pixels, which makes for a pleasant picture. The graphics, the colors, and overall quality of the picture is great.

If you are used to using an iPhone then you should not have any problems with the 3G. The home button is located below the display, the volume and mute buttons can be found on the left side, and the power button is on the top. On the bottom you will find the speaker, microphone, and charger port. The USB is still found in the same place as on the older model.

What are those screws on either side of the charger port?

Apparently those screws are there to be able to get at the battery, but not so fast, they say that the battery is still not to be replaced by the user. Lame.

What’s in the box?

Besides the device you will also find documentation, SIM removal tool, electric outlet plug, cleaning cloth, syncing cable, as well as the headset.

How fast is the iPhone 3G?

Well, the speed of your phone will differ based on 3G coverage in your area, but you should be able to expect download speeds to be at least twice as fast as the original.

What about the email?

You can set up email quickly and easily with Microsoft Exchange or MobileMe, and the iPhone can handle multiple POP3 accounts at one time, however, it only syncs with one exchange server and only one calender of contacts at a time with Microsoft Exchange, while MobileMe service will make things a bit easier. The syncing in WiFi is obviously quick, and for the most part, just as quick in 3G. The email is good overall, and definitely improved, although it still will not match up with that of the BlackBerry.

How much does the iPhone 3G cost?

If you are eligible with AT&T you can get the 8GB iPhone 3G for $199, or the 16GB iPhone 3G for $299.

Check the 3G coverage in your area, if it is not good, then you may want to stay with what you have now. However, if 3G is definitely available then the iPhone 3G may be what you have been waiting for, whether you want to upgrade from the older model, or you want to purchase an iPhone for the first time.

The BlackBerry Curve Review

admin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:05:01 +0000

The BlackBerry Curve may look like just another business device, but if you don’t judge a book by its cover, you will find that it is hiding some toys on the inside.

The BlackBerry Curve is more advanced than any previous BlackBerry phone. The Curve looks good overall, as it has a good solid build, durable construction with rubber side panels, and positive resistance on the keys which are as comfortable to use as ever. Backlighting also allows for all of the keys on the keyboard to light up.

The Curve is a little larger than most mobile phones out there, which is not unusual for a BlackBerry, but with the slight increase in size comes an even greater increase in features. The Curve comes with a 2 megapixel camera, and has the ability to play QVGA quality video and music.

The keyboard is not quite as large as some other phones that use a slide out keyboard, but it is still comfortable and very usable. In the center of the phone you will find the trackball. The trackball is used to navigate the menu and the web. If you happen to do a lot of navigation the trackball may get a little tiring to use.

On the left side of the Curve you will find the headset jack and a mini USB port capable of handling sync and charge duties. Just below that you will also find the push to talk button.

On the right side of the Curve you will find the volume buttons, as well as the camera button.

The Curve is powered by a 312 MHz Intel processor, which is what you will also find in previous models. The operating system runs well, and it also has little problems, if any, running applications.

If you are going to be using the internet a lot, be prepared as the browser on the Curve is a bit ugly and also limited. Download speed is fast, but the end result is still not good if the web page ends up looking awful. Stick to mobile device oriented web sites, or your web pages may end up disappointing you.

Email on the Curve is great, with the exception of web based email on the browser, and the keyboard and trackball work well together as you don’t have to reposition your hands at all.

Videos and photos look good on the 320×240 pixel LCD screen. If you are used to BlackBerrys, you will notice the improvement on the screen of the Curve. Pictures taken from the camera also look good, but they could still be better.

The Curve is not heavy for its size, but instead of holding the phone up against your ear you may want to use head phones, the Bluetooth headset, or the speaker phone.

The 64MB flash memory is capable of handling most applications, however, you will probably want an additional memory card if you are going to be adding a lot of files. To get to the microSD card you must first remove the battery, as it is behind the battery in the back of the phone, and this may be frustrating to users who would like to transfer files from the card.

The Curve can also be used as a modem for a laptop as it supports the dial up networking profile.

Music played on the Curve sounds good despite the size of the phone, and by using the headphones that come with the Curve you can enjoy distortion free music.

The Curve allows for 240 minutes, or 4 hours, of talk time with the 1000mAH battery. A larger battery would definitely be better, but as far as smartphone batteries go, the Curve will hold its own.

The Curve is definitely better than previous BlackBerry models, however, there is still room for improvement.

-Web browser is sub par

-Bad location for microSD

-No video recorder

-Needs more battery power

Despite the few negatives that surround the Curve, it is still a great phone for those who love BlackBerrys, or those who are looking for their first smartphone. The Curve is definitely capable of competing with the other phones in its class.

Purchase a BlackBerry Curve here

Get the BlackBerry Curve for free with a new contract here

The BlackBerry Bold Review

admin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:58:46 +0000

It’s the moment you’ve been dreaming about for some time now. That is, unless you are in one of the 31 countries where the Bold is already released. If not, then keep dreaming just a little while longer, and it will all be worth the wait. Now, if you despise BlackBerry phones then the Bold probably will not be for you, but if you love BlackBerry phones then you will love the Bold because of all the little improvements that have been made by Research In Motion (RIM).

When you look at the new Bold there are three things that you see; the screen, the keyboard, and the body. For BlackBerry lovers all of these features are excellent. The 480×320 screen of the Bold is so stunning with its pixel density you almost need to watch a movie on it, instead of doing a bunch of that other boring stuff. You could say that the keyboard is RIM’s bread and butter. It’s perfect in size, it makes texting fun, and the backlighting is wonderful. As far as looks go, the body of the Bold is the best yet out of any other BlackBerry, and it really does look like a professional business device.

The battery of the Bold lasts about as long as any other BlackBerry, and with all of the functions you may use everyday, you should easily expect to get through the day with this one.

As far as browser navigation is concerned, the Bold also gets number one in that category compared to any other BlackBerry. Once you get accustomed to using the trackball for surfing you can quickly and easily navigate through webpages.

The email in the Bold is just as good as any other BlackBerry, and why not, email is one of the best parts of using a BlackBerry. View attachments, full HTML, as well as pictures, and you can view your email in an almost perfect manner.

Download a video on the BlackBerry Bold, sit back, and enjoy. The speaker is good, and with a better media manager the videos on this thing could be top notch.

If you have used the BlackBerry operating system before then you should have no trouble with the Bold, and even if you are not familiar with the operating system, it should not take that long to get used to it. The menus are clean, with white text on black backround. The 624MHz processor says that this phone will run totally smooth, and after the initial startup it has been known to do just that.

The BlackBerry Bold is the best looking, and most powerful BlackBerry phone to date. If you love BlackBerry phones, then there is a good chance that this is the phone you have been waiting for, and are still waiting for. If you don’t like BlackBerry phones at all, then this phone probably will not do much for you. BlackBerry’s are great for business use, typing is a breeze, email is as good as you could want, and videos are great. Unless you are an Apple iPhone lover, what more could you want?

Purchase a BlackBerry Bold here.

Palm Pre - Is It Better Than BlackBerry?

admin — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:55:50 +0000

The Palm Pre, which was released earlier this year, is hoping to crush the competition of argueably the most dominant device, that of the BlackBerry. Generally, Palm’s devices have been unable to compete with the likes of BlackBerry and Apple over the years, however, the Palm Pre looks to make things more interesting than ever.

The main reason why BlackBerrys are so successful is two way communication. Email, calendering, and messaging via BlackBerrys have been second to none. The reason why the Palm Pre may give BlackBerry some tough competition is improved communication ability thanks to the webOS and cloud messaging integration. In fact, the way that the Pre handles contacts may very well be the future of all contact management.

Unlike other devices, the Pre will pull all of your contact data from the services you use online (Google, Facebook, Exchange). The service oriented contact management system of the Pre makes it easier than ever to download contacts data, whereas it would be more of a hassle to access the data via traditional means that other devices use.

With webOS, cloud messaging, and the slide out QWERTY, your friends or contacts will be able to contact you at any time and may not even be able to tell if you are online via your computer or your Palm Pre. It’s easy to ignore messages when they pop up at the bottom of the screen, giving you the feeling of being constantly connected, but not constantly interrupted.

If you communicate mostly with those in your Gmail, Twitter, and Facebook accounts, or other email, SMS, and IM then the Palm Pre will be as good a messaging device as a BlackBerry is for your business use.

Palm’s former Apple Executive along with some other former members have created a communication device that may be able to do what the iPhone has been unable to do to this point.

Is The Palm Pre Better Than The iPhone?

admin — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:26:58 +0000

Several phones have come out in the past couple of years that have been labeled as “iPhone killers”, but the iPhone just refuses to go away. It’s not hard to imagine which phone is the best overall when other companies are constantly trying to go one up on it. We can’t really believe that the iPhone is just going to go away, but the Palm Pre is going to go ahead and give it a shot anyway.

The Palm Pre was released early on this year and boasts of 8 particular things that might make it stand out over the iPhone:

Multitouch Magic
Built for Multitasking
Slide Down QWERTY
3 Megapixel Flash Camera
Ability to Combine Inboxes
Compressed Calendar View
Amazon MP3 Store
Search Applications or Google From Home Screen

Those are some pretty cool features, but I doubt if we can say it’s an “iPhone killer”. Check out the video for a demonstration of the features described above.

Green Apples - Macs’ Impacts On The Environment

admin — Sat, 30 May 2009 21:39:56 +0000

In planning the design of the MacBook line of personal computers, Apple set out to make it the greenest, most environmentally friendly computer in the world. Their goal was to ensure that every new MacBook would be built using recyclable materials while at the same time avoiding many of the harmful chemicals and other substances that are present in other computers.

Some of the formidable goals Apple computer set out for itself was eliminating the toxic mercury used in CCFL backlights and the arsenic that is present in the glass of traditional LCD displays. To do this, the engineers at Apple replaced these outdated and dangerous toxins by choosing mercury-free LED technology and arsenic-free glass. Other toxins in personal computers included polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that is commonly used in circuit boards, connectors, insulators, internal cables and even more components. Another toxin the computer company wanted to eliminate was brominated flame retardants.

And the company has been completely successful. The MacBook laptop computers are produced without any of these toxins and the same is true for the Apple iPod family - the iPod touch, iPod classic and iPod Nano. The iPhone 3G and the Apple Mac LED Cinema Display are also free of those toxic elements.

The components in this computer are also highly recyclable. The enclosure - or body - is formed from a single piece of solid, recyclable aluminum. This single sheet technology replaces dozens of extraneous parts. The laptop computers’ displays are made of recyclable glass and can be recycled yet again. The raw materials used in the new MacBook computers can be reused again and again in other products.

But the company didn’t stop there in their environmental commitment. To reduce the energy consumed by the laptop, the new hard drive spins down automatically when inactive. The new LED-backlit display uses 30 percent less power than conventional LCD displays and the laptop’s display is designed to automatically dim when the user is working in a darker environment. When it comes to final energy consumption, the MacBook can run on one-quarter of the power of a single light bulb.

In addition, the battery in the 17-inch MacBook Pro can last up to five years - that equals roughly 1000 recharges with normal use. This means the laptop computer uses one battery during the time other companies’ notebooks use three. Longer battery life equals fewer spent computer batteries in our landfills, and that’s good news for the environment.

http://AppleLaptopShop.com specializes in finding used apple laptops, Apple laptop articles, and used macbook pro.

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