The Olympus OM-D E-M5 is arguably the best micro four-thirds camera Olympus has to offer. We’ve had issues with past m4/3 iterations like the EP1 and EP3, like awful color reproduction and slow auto-focus. The same problems don’t persist here, and anything that impresses John on the photography front is a rare gem certainly worth consideration.

In terms of specs, we’re looking at a 16-megapixel sensor with removable flash, a digital viewfinder, and obviously interchangeable lenses working with a retro design. It’s compact, and in the words of John, we “really like the solidity of the device.”

In his testing he also found that it’s quite fast to shutter, and that color on this thing is a huge improvement from past iterations. Our one issue of resistance would be the price point, but the best of the best deserves a high price point, which in this case is $1,000 for the body alone ($1,200 with lens).

It’s a bit hard to officially review the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight as it’s almost exactly the same as the previous version but with one important improvement: it glows.

Arguably, the Nook and the Kindle are equal contenders in the race to the e-reader throne and although I do prefer the Kindle Fire over the Nook Tablet, I feel the Nook Simple Touch is still an excellent choice and one of the best e-readers on the market. Luckily, it just got better.

How does it work? When you hold down the Nook button, the internal backlight smoothly winks on, offering a bright black-and-white reading surface. The backlit text and images are crisp and clear and the device is finally readable at night. In short, if you’re a frequent traveler or someone who often reads in the dark and you don’t want the harsh glare of an iPad or tablet device, this is the Nook for you.

Using the backlight reduces the battery life from 2 months to 1 month and the light adds $40 to the price of the device ($99 for the original vs. $139). All of the other features are the same – the store, the Wi-Fi connection, the ability to take notes and share chunks of text.

Should you buy this version of the Nook over the previous, non-backlit version? If you have the money, I think the added cost is worth the investment. You’ll also want to remember that a similarly outfitted Kindle is definitely in the works so soon fans of Amazon will be able to grab a similar e-reader.

As it stands, however, the new Nook Simple Touch is definitely a fly.
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Opinions on the new break-out social location app Highlight certainly aren’t in short supply.

Alexia thinks that friend-of-friend notifications should be customizable and that women may have trouble getting on board with the idea of constantly broadcasting their location. Eldon thinks that Highlight goes past social networking to be a potential business card swapping service, leaps ahead of a similar style app called Bump. He also thinks that the new update is quite clever. Then of course, Mr. Butcher over in the UK thinks that Highlight is a recruiter’s wet dream, while 500 Startups mentor Brenden Mulligan feels like SXSW wasn’t necessarily the best launchpad for Highlight.

But a few extra thoughts on the SXSW sweetheart can’t hurt, right?

That’s why The Daily tech writer Nicholas Deleon and I sat down in the studio to chat it out. Nick seems cynical about the app’s mainstream attractiveness, while I’m wondering whether or not we actually want or need yet another social network.

It’s a tough call to make, predicting the future of a product, and this one seemed more difficult than ever.

Two weeks ago at the Crunchies, Dan’l Lewin, Microsoft’s top executive in Silicon Valley, came up to me and handed me a Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phone. It was out of the box, fully charged, and ready to go—alive in my hand. It’s a beautiful phone. Thin, solid, bevelled, and bright. Later that evening, I pulled it from my pocket and I’ve been playing with it ever since. This is not the first Windows phone I’ve seen, but it is the first one that’s made a lasting impression.

The Lumia 800 is the flagship Windows phone. It’s not available yet in the U.S., although an unlocked version is rumored to be coming on Valentine’s Day (for the absurd sum of $899, which includes a bundle of other gear). This is a standalone $500 phone unlocked, which means it could go for $200 or less with a contract. Its cousins the Lumia 710 and 900 are priced at $50 and $99, respectively, in the U.S. John Biggs and I talked about the 710 last month on Fly or Die, and that one is okay too. But the 800 is potentially an iconic phone.

When you hold one in your hand, it’s clear that the smartphone wars are far from over. It is too easy to dismiss Windows Phone 7 as being too little, too late. (That was our first reaction too). No, it’s clear that Windows Phone has more than a fighting chance. Microsoft will make sure that the economics are much more attractive to the carriers than the iPhone’s so that they push Windows Phone. If consumers bite, Windows Phone could emerge as a very strong smartphone platform.

The biggest drawback right now is the apps. There are 50,000 of them, but they are mostly hit or miss. They will get better over time. It’s still early. The few games I’ve played are solid enough, but the social apps need some work. They are too bare bones and stripped down, but I’ll give them this: they don’t look or act like iPhone apps. Windows Phone apps have their own look and feel, with a common theme being swiping sideways to get to a different tab or screen.

I am not quite ready to give up my iPhone 4S, but, as I argue in this episode of Fly or Die, if I had to choose between a top of the line Android and the Lumia 800, it would be a toss up. The 800 does not feel cheap. It is a sleek device that shows off Windows Phone 7 in the best light possible. A lot of care was put into getting many of the details right in Windows Phone 7—little things like the animated transitions when you launch an app or open up a new window. It’s a device that makes you want to swipe just because it is a pleasurable experience. (Be sure to read Robin’s and MG’s takes on Windows Phone also).

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is packed this year, yet its relevance seems increasingly in decline. Microsoft is bailing, no iconic products launched this year, and Apple’s presence can be felt everywhere even though they don’t exhibit at the show. In this episode of Fly or Die, TechCrunch Gadgets editor John Biggs (who is running our CES coverage) joins me remotely from Las Vegas to discuss the big question: Does CES have a future?

There are certainly plenty of announcements. There are thin Android phones galore, even waterproof ones. Lenovo’s got its agile YOGA laptop/tablet. Makerbot unveiled its latest 3D printer. Samsung is trying to make smart TVs its stronghold in the home. But it’s not a place that defines the world of gadgets and digital electronics anymore because release cycles are defined by software and the web, not hardware. (To see some of these devices in action, watch our Gadgets Show).

CES is certainly not going anywhere. It is still an important trade show for electronics manufacturers. But does anyone win at CES? Listen and tell us what you think.

I’ve been playing with the Nokia Lumia 710 for a week or so now and I’m pleased to report that Nokia may have a chance. The phone, while a bit chintzy, is inexpensive, fast, and feature-rich. I doubt you’d be able to find a device as easy to use and comfortable as the 710 at a $50 price with two year contract.

We also tried the Meizu MX and came away, well, un-awed. It’s a cool phone, it’s only available in China right now, and there are a few bugs to work out before it could consider a second life on this side of the pond. I was more kind to it than Erick, but we’re both equally trepidatious.

Look for a full Lumia 710 review in a few hours and until then, enjoy our handsome mugs and even more handsome cellphones.

There’s been a recent interesting trend in the tablet market: devices 8 inches and smaller that are as powerful as their bigger cousins but considerably more portable and convenient. In this episode of Fly Or Die we talk about the mid-size trend and decide whether a smaller tablet makes for a better tablet.

The devices we discussed, the Motorola Xyboard 10-inch and 8-inch, are interesting because they are approximately the same device but in a slightly different form factor. It’s worth noting that I like the 8-inch better than the 10 and would even posit that a smaller, 7-inch iPad would be a hit. Here’s hoping.

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s a new, new Twitter world out there and we’re just living in it. The new Twitter interface is very, for lack of a better word, “appy” and although the desktop apps are abysmal, the website is pretty strong and interesting. This week Erick and I take a closer look at this improvement and assess its value in our lives.

Changing a web interface is a big deal and it seems that companies are no longer squeamish about mixing things up. It’s interesting, as well, to see Twitter head towards the tablet-style interface as more and more Tweeters head off the desktop and go mobile.

Erick and I are both parents so we know from tablets. The $99 LeapPad from Leapfrog is cool, to be sure, and fun if junior’s aunt or uncle is picking it up, but we both found it lacking, especially when compared to other devices. Obviously if you don’t want the wee ones slobbering all over your iPad, this is a huge winner. Otherwise, the lack of apps, especially for geeks like us, was disheartening.

Kids love toys and this is a toy. It’s very powerful and even has a rear camera, but in my high-tech household it is often the tablet of last resort, relegated to the toy box while the iPad takes center stage. However, as a fun, portable, and rugged device for kids too young for iPod Touches, it’s a winner.

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Erick isn’t much of a gamer, which is why he’s particularly suited at assessing the new Xbox 360 UI, dubbed Metro by those in the know. Aside from the obvious changes in design, the UI actually makes it easier for guys like Erick to use the Xbox to watch movies, Youtube videos, UFC fight, and other media ephemera that thus far has been lacking in the Xbox experience.

Microsoft knows that the 360 is reaching the end of its life cycle and next gen stuff will probably be announced by the next E3. That said, this update allows the stragglers – folks who have been thinking about an Xbox but who may not play games – to purchase the device as a media center rather than a games machine.

We look at the UI and some of the apps in this episode of Fly or Die and, most important, assess just how good a sniper Erick is in MW3.

The new Path app has been out on the iPhone for about a week, and it’s been getting good reviews among the early-adopter set. In this episode of Fly or Die, John Biggs and I go through the pros and cons.

Pros: The app’s design is gorgeous, with elegant little flourishes like the various status updates pop up in a quarter circle on the lower left of the screen when you hit the “+” button or the timestamp clock that hovers over each item as you scroll through your feed. The app has moved beyond photo-sharing to broadcast where you are, who you are with, what music you are listening to, status updates/thoughts, and even if you are awake or asleep. “It has all the best features of all the best apps that I use,” gushes John.

Cons: It’s still a mostly-private network, although you can share specific photos and other updates to Twitter, Facebook, or Foursquare on an individual basis. The private default could also be a pro in that you feel more comfortable sharing things to a small circle that you wouldn’t otherwise. But many people will still encounter the empty-room problem of not knowing too many other people on Path yet. The other con is that it might be trying to do too much (photos, videos, location, music, status updates, sleeping patterns), and is competing for mindspace with some other already-dominant apps like Instagram and Foursquare to soem extent.

Overall, this is a very well-designed app with a lot of promise. They’ve built it. Now, will users come?

Last night, Flipboard released its long-awaited iPhone app. The app is a companion to its popular iPad reader which renders feeds and realtime streams into a magazine-like experience. The iPhone app is already so popular that it took down Flipboard’s service earlier today.

In this episode of Fly or Die, John Biggs and I take the iPhone app through the paces. (You can watch our episode on the original iPad app here from last January). The iPhone app is gorgeous, as you would expect from Flipboard. Biggs thinks it’s more busy than beautiful. It’s certainly not the most efficient way to go through your information streams, but that is not the point.

It strips down the iPad app and presents it on the smaller screen. You flip vertically through your stories, headlines, and Tweets instead of horizontally and there is a promising new feature called Cover Stories that attempts to pull together the best stories from all your feeds.

Cover Stories, I confirmed after the taping, is based on the relevance-matching technology Flipboard acquired with Ellerdale in 2010. (Ellerdale’s founder, Arthur Van Hoff, is now Flipboard’s CTO). It is based on reader interactions with stories in Flipboard—these would include likes, retweets, and stories from sources you tend to read—and there may be some manual curation involved as well. This is one of the first steps Flipboard is taking to try to filter the stream.

If Flipboard’s iPhone-only Cover Stories can bring you the best stories, photos, videos, and tweets in your social streams, it will become as addictive as the iPad app. But if you don’t like big pictures adorning your tweets, like John and maybe two other people, maybe this app isn’t for you.

What are your goals? To walk the length of the Golden Gate bridge? To run a 5K? To plant a tree in a magical forest? The Striiv lets you do all of those things and more. This wee device is a fairly basic pedometer that measures your steps as well as flights of stairs taken during the day. However, there’s a bonus – it has a nice, bright LCD touchscreen to display your current steps as well as other information like “badges” you’ve won for walking certain distances. The cherry on top? There’s a goofy little game that you can play, selling your “steps” for magical trees in a some kind of weird Farm-ville Hobbit world.

Erick and I took a closer look at the Striiv in this episode of Fly or Die and, while I’m sort of a convert, Erick is unimpressed. To be honest, the Striiv is a bit tough to love. It’s not wireless, like the Fitbit, and it requires you to sync and charge it with a USB cable. However, because most of the goodness happens right on the device, it’s a bit more useful than I originally expected. Pedometers are all the rage this year, and the Striiv is probably one of the better ones.

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Does the world need another photo-sharing app? That is the question John Biggs and I debate in this episode of Fly or Die (watch the video above). We take a look at one of the latest photo apps to hit iTunes, Batch, which launched ten days ago and is currently one of the Top 50 photo apps for the iPhone (currently at No. 48). The mobile app is a new product from DailyBooth, whose CEO Brian Pokorny joins us after we each give our verdicts on the app.

Batch does one thing really well: it lets you group photos together from your iPhone into albums and share them with friends via the app itself, Facebook, Twitter, or email. (Here is a batch I took during the taping of the show). The nice thing about it is that you don’t have to keep on sending links to individual photos. With one link, you can share 10, 20, or 100 photos, and as you keep adding photos to a batch, the album updates automatically.

Biggs thinks the batching feature will become part of Instagram at some point and, thus, you will no longer need Batch. But I disagree. If an app is well-made and fills a need, it can gain its own following no matter how crowded the field. Instagram could add albums, and it should, but that will never be Instagram’s core feature. Instagram is about sharing one great picture at a time. Batch is about capturing events and organizing the photos on your phone into discrete albums.

The sharing model is also key to what makes Batch useful. When you sign on, it automatically matches you with all your Facebook friends already using the app so you can see their photo batches in your stream from the get-go. You can add a comment or thumbs up to any photo, and tag people in the batches you upload. Batches can be private, shared only to your friends in the app, or distributed more broadly to Facebook and Twitter. But you decide what to share on a batch-by-batch basis and who to share it with.

In my mind, Batch is less like Instagram and more like a cross between Path and what Color was supposed to be. It isn’t quite as private as Path and has a simpler way to group photos than Color. Batch strikes a balance in between. Although I do have one feature request. Right now, only the person who creates a Batch can add photos. Other people should be able to add photos to a Batch with the permission of the person who created it—that would make it even more social.

Erick and John take the iPhone 4S and its built in voice activated personal digital assistant Siri, for a spin in this episode of Fly or Die.

Right off the bat Erick says he is impressed with reception he receives when using the iPhone 4S and points out how the iPhone 4S streamlines notifications from various sites (Twitter, Foursquare, Instagram) by having them scroll in one fluid stream. Erick also demonstrates how Twitter is integrated into the phone (with sound effects) before having Siri set up a meeting for him and Biggs.

Erick comes away impressed with Siri while John is somewhat less excited, saying the service is “almost a gimmick in one way, but it is also actually fairly useful.”

So where will Erick and John ultimately come down on the iPhone 4S?  Make sure to watch the video to find out.

With Halloween around the corner, what better way to celebrate than to watch us animate my desiccated, lifeless limbs with jolts of fiery electricity? In this episode of Fly or Die, Erick and I look at the Compex Sport Elite. It zaps muscles to improve fitness, recovery, and general strength and it can, in a pinch, stand in for a massage. It also looks wildly freaky when turned on.

At $849 it’s a pretty hard sell but I found that it did help my shin splints and, when set to strength training mode, I noticed a definite improvement in tone. I figured the TC audience tries to stay in shape and had I had this device back when I was training for a marathon (long story), I wonder how much better my recovery would have been? Regardless, it looks hilarious when turned up to about 50.

Erick doesn’t agree with my assessment but does love watching me jump around like frog muscles sprinkled with salt.

If you get your DVDs from Netflix, soon the name on the familiar red envelope will be Qwikster. But how long is Qwikster for this world? In this episode of Fly or Die, John Biggs and I dig into the pros and cons of the service.

Earlier this week, Netflix announced it will be separating its DVD-by-mail service from its streaming movie service. The DVD-by-mail business will be renamed Qwikster and include videogames. The streaming business will keep the Netflix brand. Customers can still subscribe to both, but in my mind Netflix is effectively hastening the death of its DVD business by making it inconvenient to manage both services. Instead of one site and one queue of movies and TV shows, the two services will require different accounts. Netflix is really forcing customers to choose which service they want and it is hoping that they choose the streaming one.

All of this is going on while Dish Network is trying to revive Blockbuster, which now will offer its own streaming-plus-DVD service to Dish subscribers called BlockBuster Movie Pass. (Which brand do you think is stronger? Take our poll).

Erick and I did a quick Fly or Die on the Windows 8 pre-release tablet they sent along with us from Build this year and we were split right down blue (screen of death) state/grey (screen of death) lines. I found the pre-release to be lacking and buggy (I’m not alone) but I know the future when I see it. Like it or not, this is the next Windows 8 and, as I noted, this is a “PC” operating system, not a tablet, laptop, touchscreen, or mobile OS. It’s Windows.

Erick, on the other hand, wasn’t much impressed but I’m sure he’ll come around once he realizes that the interactive panels are actually pretty cool and that the goofy Windows/Metro transition will be less of an issue once more apps support the full-screen UI. I agree that this build is quite odd and needs considerable work, but this is Microsoft’s big push and they have to make it incredible. I’m willing to give them a little more time, but I’m not sure how much longer they can futz around in the slate market before Android and iOS sew them up.

In this episode of Fly Or Die we go through a few popular gadgets including the MacBook-alike HP Probook 5330m, the EFun Nextbook, and the Nokia N9.

We found most of the devices to be acceptable but we were in agreement about the crablet EFun Nextbook which is about the worst piece of garbage imaginable (based on our extensive test that involved us looking at the thing as it crashed constantly.)

We’ll try to have more Fly or Dies over the summer as Erick and I go our separate ways to various vacation hotspots including, in my case, Warsaw and potentially Yonkers.

That’s why it’s interesting to see him calmly dismantle the TouchPad in this episode of Fly or Die. Gone is the red faced anger, the spittle, the curses. Instead, he tries it out and comes away disappointed and nonplussed.

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