Friday, February 25, 2011

Phones Review

Phones Review

Block’em Stereo 3D Game App via Android Market

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:39 PM PST

If you can't wait until LG releases the first mobile phone with a stereoscopic 3D screen… you can always give this 3d Tetris clone a go: Block'em 3D. A fun retro game, with or without the funny colored glasses.

Before you think "3D Tetris, what a novel idea!" it's not. Way back in the day an MS DOS game called BlockOut did exactly that. Still it's always nice to see old idea's revamped in a retro package, which is just what Block'em 3D is. An addictive and fun way to kill the time and even test and develop your special recognition skills.

Prepare to look silly though, walking the streets with red/cyan glasses, but it really does work well. I do recommend only using it that particular feature at home though. You'll need either one of these three possible glasses to see the real stereoscopic 3D: Red/Cyan, Red/Green, Red/Blue or Green/Magenta. Maybe you still have a paper one lying around from a magazine or from one of those older 3D movies. If not, you can get them online for next to nothing.

Even if you don't use the stereoscopic 3D, it still is a fully-fledged game on its own. With the addition of Nukes, Chain bonuses, Online highscore and many different controlling scheme's, this game can keep you busy for hours and addicted in minutes.

Available through the Android Market as a free LITE version and the FULL version for €2,50.

Motorola Atrix 4G PC Sync: Wi-Fi, USB, Secure & Google

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 11:11 AM PST

How would you like different ways to sync data between your phone and PC? Well a new four way sync has been introduced for the Motorola Atrix 4G by CompanionLink Software, who are providers of data synchronisation for mobile phones and CRM software and services.

The software introduced by CompanionLink offers four ways to sync with the Atrix 4G: a wired USB sync, secure hosted wireless sync service, automatic wireless sync via Google and local Wi-Fi sync.

The wired USB sync works in conjunction with DejaOffice, which is a free Android app that operates on the Atrix 4G and enables the sync of contacts, calendar, tasks and notes between the smartphone and PC.

Please note the the automatic wireless sync is triggered when the Atrix 4G is in close proximity to the user PC thus, providing a secure and convenient sync. The sync via Google, transfers PC data to any Google account, which through its data connection then syncs automatically with the Motorola Atrix 4G.

The local Wi-Fi sync uses the user Wi-Fi network to automatically sync data between DejaOffice on the Atrix 4G and PC.

We are also informed by a CBR staff writer that the PC database software for the Atrix 4G supports Microsoft Outlook, Sage ACT!, IBM Lotus Notes, Novell GroupWise, Palm Desktop, Highrise and Salesforce.

I would also like to add that we previously wrote about the Motorola Atrix 4G HD dock, which would make a great addition to this device, for more info click on the above link.

Please let us know about your thoughts on the four way PC sync for the Motorola Atrix 4G, by leaving your comments below.

Bluetooth Headset Hands-On Review: ECO Sound Engineering V268

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 11:01 AM PST

Our good friends WirelessGround recently sent us the ECO Sound Engineering V268 Bluetooth Wireless Headset and it is that time where we give it our hands-on review, obviously we will give you first impressions, out of the box, about the device itself and of course our verdict.

Before we start we also have plenty of photos we have taken for you to have a look and see what you think about the product, we will try and make this painless and not too boring.

First Impressions – Out Of The Box
Got to admit, when we first saw the ECO Sound Engineering V268 Bluetooth Wireless Headset there was no excitement just a simple box with the headset on show through the plastic insert within, but the box has all the info you need to get an idea what the device can offer you. Keep looking at the box you start to realize it is nice packaging that is simple, to the point and quite cute to be honest. But come on now we are not here to chat about the packaging, this is a review so we will say all.

Let's Start of With The Size & Weight
Let's start with the size! WOW is what we think of the size because it is small and in the photos we have taken (See Below) we have put it side-by-side against a 20 pence coin, it is only L33 x W16 x H9.5 (mm) and weighs only 6.4 grams. Even with the ear hook attached it still weighs next to nothing, so if you are not looking for bulky then the ECO Sound Engineering V268 scores a point.

Design and Attractiveness:
The whole design is very good indeed, it is sleek looking and when in the ear you sometimes forget it is there and a few times got out of the car and walked around with the headset still in my ear looking like an idiot know doubt. It is very small indeed and was wondering if this is the sort of headset that would most suit a woman seeing as it is cute, but no is the answer to that because it works and fits well. It is black in colour so that it goes with and fashion or trend.

Ease of Use
To start of with it comes with a little instruction manual, we say little because it is small. The directions are so easy to follow even a non-tech person could follow it; trust us when we say it is VERY easy to use. Read the next bit just to get an idea, and we will make it sound easier than the directions sheet it came with.

Our Quick Directions
Grab your mobile phone and then switch it off to refresh it (You only need to do this once) this is not needed but good to refresh handset. Now turn it back on and go into your settings and turn phone's Bluetooth on, now grab the V268 Bluetooth Wireless Headset and hold the button (The one with the phone picture) down for 6 seconds, it will flash blue and then you will be prompted on the phone for a code, enter 0000 and job done your paired.

How Much Is It
This is the best part; the regular price is normally $29.95 but thanks to WirelessGround stamping a 67 percent saving on it you can buy for only and get this ONLY $9.95. Now that is a bargain

Operating Distance and Usage Times
You can use this device up to 10 meters away from your device and it will give you up to around 4.5 hours talk time and up to about 100 hours standby time. Charging the device will take about 2 hours for full charge.

Our Overall Verdict
Got to admit it is fairly small, you know the part where the word "Dainty" comes into play, it only comes with 2 Buttons; +/- volume and multi-function button for easy call answer, reject, end, redial, and voice dialing, simplicity is always a good thing. It is lightweight and the call clarity is reasonable, a little bit distorted at times but that could have been the area I was in.

I did receive phones calls and out of about 10 people one said that I sounded like I was in a fish bowl, does kind of make me wonder how many fish bowls they have sat in but hey. The price tag of only $9.95 is fantastic and you are getting a decent Bluetooth headset, the LED light is great because it responds to your input. This is good value for money.

Please do head on over to WirelessGround and bag yourself a bargain, only $9.95 and with free shipping. Please do look at all our photos of the ECO Sound Engineering V268 Bluetooth Wireless Headset and below that you can watch the YouTube video of WirelessGround's Larry Greenberg video review.

The Photos

Apple iOS Dominates Just About Everywhere Apparently

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 07:46 AM PST

There’s always going to be some contention as to whether Apple’s iPhone and Apple iPad mobile operating system is falling behind relative newcomer Android, and many have said Android is gaining rapidly on iOS, we even had a visualisation of the rise of Android the other day, which can be seen (here).

However according to an article over on Mobile Syrup, an infographic has been created by iCrossing, which shows the global percentages of Apple’s iOS dominance as of February this year.

According to the infographic, Apple dominates Canada with 77 percent of the mobile OS market share, the USA with 35 percent market share, and the UK with 42 percent market share.

In Canada, the US and the UK, Apple is followed by BlackBerry with 8 percent in Canada, 28 percent in the US and 36 percent in the UK.

However when it comes to India, Egypt, China, and Tunisia, Nokia dominates the mobile OS market share. In Australia Apple dominates with 74 percent while in Japan Apple dominates with 58 percent.

When it comes to Android, in the US, Canada and the UK, Android takes third place with 27 percent of the US market, 8 percent of the Canadian market and 12 percent of the UK market.

For those that are interested in this type of thing you can check out a large image of the infographic by heading over to Here.

Is iOS more widespread than Android? iOS fanboys will tell you yes, the Android faithful will say otherwise, which side do you come down on?

Android Froyo Samsung Galaxy S 4G Review Video

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 07:04 AM PST

For those that are on the fence about possibly picking up the new Samsung Galaxy S 4G smartphone on the T-Mobile HSPA+ network, we have some nice review footage of the Samsung Vibrant variant for your viewing pleasure below.

The Samsung Galaxy S 4G review footage comes our way courtesy of Jon Rettinger over at Technobuffalo and delivers ten minutes of checking out the smartphone to see if it is worth you laying out your hard earned cash for and signing your life away to T-Mobile for 2 years.

They apparently rate the Samsung Galaxy S 4G handset 4.5 stars out of 5 due to the handsets call quality and says customers would probably be happy with the Android 2.2 Froyo Samsung Galaxy S 4G.

However that doesn’t mean the Samsung Galaxy S 4G ticks all the boxes in all the areas, so how well does the Samsung Galaxy S 4G stack up? Well you are going to need to jump on down and hit that play button to find out…enjoy.

Apple iPad 2: More Details Surface

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 06:30 AM PST

Not long now until Apple hopefully pulls their finger out and unveils the next generation Apple iPad which is expected on March the 2nd, however more rumoured detail has again hit the net waves concerning the Apple iPad 2.

According to an article over on Phone Arena, the guys over at Engadget have some further detail on the Apple iPad 2 and they say their sources are “highly reliable” and claim that a couple of Apple iPad 2 features that were expected have now been reserved for later iPads.

The first rumour to be quashed is that the Apple iPad 2 will sport a high resolution display; apparently the iOS device won’t have this feature due to “engineering issues,” and apparently the device will remain the same as the original Apple iPad in that area.

Secondly expandable storage via an SD card won’t come with the Apple iPad 2, the device will not carry an SD card slot contrary to quite a few rumours that the second generation tablet would come with an SD slot.

So there it is, if all turns out to be true, looks like there won't really be that much difference between the original and new Apple iPad, other than a slimmer profile, a more powerful processor, more RAM and the addition of a front facing camera of course.

Android Apps Play Nice on BlackBerry

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 05:57 AM PST

A while ago we reported that BlackBerry maker Research In Motion was working on software so that Android apps could work on the new BlackBerry PlayBook, you can check out that report by hitting up (here), but apparently it’s not just the BlackBerry PlayBook.

According to an article over on Slash Gear and by way of the Boy Genus Report, mobile app developer ShopSavvy is reporting that their Android app has apparently been caught being tested on several BlackBerry handsets.

Word is those RIM handsets running the Android -only app were caught by Flurry and were the BlackBerry 8600 on the 17th and 24th of Jan, the BlackBerry 8300 on the 31st of Jan and the BlackBerry 8520 on the 7th of this month.

ShopSavvy have posted the Flurry logs to their website as evidence that Research In Motion is indeed testing Android apps on their smartphones.

iPhone 5 Not 4G LTE, 4G iPhone Delayed Until 2012

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 04:36 AM PST

There have been quite a few rumours concerning the next generation Apple iPhone, currently being referred to as the iPhone 5, and along with the rollout of 4G LTE networks there has been speculation that the iPhone may release with 4G LTE support.

However apparently the iPhone 5 won't be 4G LTE enabled as that little piece of tech has been reserved for the iPhone 6.

According to an article over on Pocket Now, The Street is reporting that Sam Greenholtz, an analyst for Telecom Pragmatics says the iPhone 5 which is expected this summer will not be 4G LTE as the next in the line, the iPhone 6 will deliver LTE support sometime in June 2012.

Apparently Geenholtz bases his comment on speaking with the usual unnamed and unconfirmed “people close to the matter.”

Furthermore according to the Street report, checks with several analysts and industry insiders support Greenholtz’ comments, while neither Apple nor Verizon would comment on the matter as usual.

So it would appear that the iPhone 5 won't be playing nice on a 4G network and will be coming quite late to the 4G game with the 4G iPhone 6.

Angry Birds to Play Nice on Windows Phone 7 in April: Update

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 04:07 AM PST

A little while ago we posted an article stating that Rovio had finally decided to deliver their highly popular multi-platform mobile game Angry Birds to the Windows Phone 7 platfrom sometime in the not too distant future, you can check out that article (here.)

Well that “not too distant future” isn't that far away as according to an article over on Ubergizmo and by way of Winrumors, Microsoft has now confirmed that the green pig crushing addictive mobile game will play nice on the Windows Phone 7 platform as of the 6th of April.

Furthermore, not only will Angry Birds be making its way to WP7, but apparently Rovio will also add a further five titles to their line up and those will be Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1, Doodle Jump, Hydro Thunder Go, Plants and Zombies, and geoDefence.

Word is all the mobile games will have Xbox Live integration, leaderboards an achievements, so it looks like April will be a busy gaming time for Windows Phone 7 smartphone owners out there.

UPDATE: We had an email quoting -

“To clarify, the Must Have Games program will be launching late this spring with a new title each week including, "Angry Birds," PopCap's "Plants vs Zombies," "Hydro Thunder Go," "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I," "geoDefense" and "Doodle Jump." We do not have a specific date to share at this time but we will follow-up when we do. We would appreciate it if you could update your story and send a link to the revised post as soon as it goes live. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly and for more information on Must Have Games, please head to Xbox.com: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/Live/Mobile/MustHaveGames/home“

HTC Incredible S On Sale in UK Today

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:44 AM PST

For those here in the UK who have been waiting for the Android HTC Incredible S smartphone to release and have been expecting the device to become available in April, you don't need to wait any longer as the HTC Incredible S released today.

According to an article over on Engadget and by way of Slash Gear and Pocket-lint potential customers could pre-order the device as of yesterday, but you can now purchase the HTC Incredible today, which apparently is exclusive from Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy UK.

However apparently there is a slight catch with nabbing the HTC Incredible S and that is if you are expecting the device to come packing Android 2.3 Gingerbread then you’re in for a little disappointment as the device will ship with Android 2.2 Froyo.

However the word is the HTC Incredible S will see an update to Android 2.3 Gingerbread in the not too distant future, so maybe that isn't so bad as long as the wait for Gingerbread isn’t a lengthy one.

So, anyone going to grab the HTC Incredible S today?

Mobile Mouse Pro Remote App: Server Discussions & Download

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:33 AM PST

Mobile Mouse Pro is one of the best apps to use if you wish to sync your iOS device to your computer and today we will discuss a little about the app, the features, what we think of it, server problems and your own discussions.

Mobile Mouse Pro (Remote / Trackpad) is an app that we would recommend you installing onto your Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad, we did this earlier on today on the iPad and must say how fantastic it is. We had a few teething problems trying to get it working but the official Mobile Mouse Support Page really helped a lot seeing as we are not clued up on a few things.

This app as said is fantastic and as said installed the app on our iPad and onto our MacBook Air, once all done you can control your computer with the iOS device that works beautifully.

Sit back and relax with your iOS device in your hands and use the Mobile Mouse remote to surf the Web check your emails, control your music library etc, you know basically whatever you please. We tried on the iPad and the iPhone and must admit it works nice on both but controlling is much easier on the larger iPad screen.

It is like the trackpad, you get left and right buttons and the rest of the screen is where you stroke for gestures. Check out the main features below:

Main Features Include: Accelerometer based mouse controller, Full screen vertical and landscape mode full screen trackpad, Ability to hide keyboard (Using the shake gesture if you like), Application switcher, shake in landscape mode to show, Media Remote where you can control the up and down volume and eject buttons, Web Remote, Numeric keyboard, Presentation mode (Keynote/Powerpoint), plus Remote keyboard with function and arrow keys, Application notifications, Programmable hotkeys and Scroll pad.

The Specs List Continues: Left and Right mouse buttons, On screen typing, Sleep/Wake your computer, Multitouch gestures (scroll & right click), Modifier Keys, Custom sensitivity settings, Foreign language keyboards, Password protection, High resolution graphics for retina display on iPhone 4, Supports Bonjour or static IP, Works with multiple monitors and much more.

Requirements: Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7 (32/64bit), Mac OS X Tiger/Leopard/Snow Leopard (Intel/PPC), Mobile Mouse Server Software and WIFI router.

Please visit iTunes if you wish to download the stunning Mobile Mouse Pro: Click for iPhone/iPod and please click for iPad. You will also need to visit Mobile Mouse Here to install the server application on your computer so that the Mobile Mouse app can connect to it, just follow the onscreen instructions for either Mac OS X or Windows.

Server Problems: Many customers who have installed this app on their iOS device s and installed the server application on computers have said that they had issues getting the two to sync, well please do not worry it is very simple process to get it all working and we do RECOMMEND you visiting the SUPPORT PAGE for in-depth help details. Do not worry just visit the support page it is very simple to follow.

For even more information about Mobile Mouse why not check out a few reviews via Cnet, The New York Times and Mac World, or you could just visit the Reviews Section.

If you already have this app installed please do post all your personal reviews and opinions in the commenting area provided below. Thanks, watch the video below – enjoy

HTC Thunderbolt Best Buy Release Date Delayed Even Further

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:18 AM PST

I’m not quite sure just what is going on with the release of the Android 2.2 Froyo HTC Thunderbolt on the Verizon network, but that release date for the device seems to keep on slipping further back from the original expected release date.

Originally the HTC Thunderbolt was due release on Feb 24th, then Feb 28th and as we recently reported the release date slipped further to the 4th of March with Best Buy; however apparently that 4th of March has now changed again.

According to an article over on Android Community, they have been given an image, which shows that the release date for the HTC Thunderbolt on Best Buy Mobile is set at the 10th of March.

Thus it would appear that the official release date for the seeming ever delayed HTC Thunderbolt is indeed March 10th, going by the presumption that the picture is real of course, although the Android Community guys seem to come down on their tipsters side for being truthful.

So there you have it for what it’s worth, if you are hoping to snap up the HTC Thunderbolt on the 4th it looks like you’ll now have to wait a little longer.

Android 2.2 Froyo Update for HTC Aria Releasing Today, Captivate Too

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 02:54 AM PST

For the Android faithful with the AT&T HTC Aria who have been waiting for the Android 2.2 Froyo update to roll out to their smartphones, you may be overjoyed to hear that AT&T has finally announced the your HTC Aria should see the update as of today the 25th of Feb.

According to an article over on the Boy Genius Report, AT&T used their official Facebook page to deliver the news to customers by stating…

“Alright HTC Aria lovers, we said the Android 2.2 update was coming soon–and we meant it! Check back on the page TOMORROW for a link to learn how to download the update. Dante Martin, our Android Senior Project Manager, is back in the video below with more details on what 2.2 entails and what’s coming for Androids on AT&T.”

Furthermore, Samsung Captivate owners have also seen the Android 2.2 Froyo update rolled out by AT&T as they posted…” Hi all! We know you are all very excited about the Android 2.2 update for the Aria. We are, too! Stay tuned to the AT&T Facebook wall tomorrow for the link! And for the folks asking about the Captivate update, well, we will have that soon!”

When asked… @AT&T what the hell is soon ? AT&T replied…” it’s coming today…thank for being patient.”

So it would appear that both the AT&T Samsung Captivate and HTC Aria are finally seeing the Android 2.2 Froyo update, feel free to let us know if you have any problems with the update.

Motorola Xoom In-depth Video Review

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 02:28 AM PST

If you are still sitting on the fence pondering whether to pick up the Android 3.0 Honeycomb Motorola Xoom tablet over waiting for the Apple iPad 2, perhaps a lengthy in-depth review video may help you make up your mind, so that’s what we have below for your consideration.

The Motorola Xoom Android tablet review video comes our way courtesy of the guys over at Daily Mobile and by way of Mobile Tech Review, who have got up close and personal with the Android tablet for some 23 minutes.

As you are probably aware the Motorola Xoom is the first tablet to sport the tablet specific Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system and has a 10.1-inch multi-touch capacitive display with a 1280 x 800 resolution which also makes the Motorola Xoom the highest resolution Android tablet currently on the market.

I could bore you with all the specs, but I’m fairly sure you already know them all and would much rather skip past all this and get to that in-depth review so you can make a knowledgeable judgement on whether you want to purchase the tablet device or not, so don’t let me keep you, jump to it and enjoy.

Samsung Galaxy S 4G T-Mobile Intro Video

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 02:09 AM PST

Looks like T-Mobile isn’t just claiming that they have the largest 4G network in the good ole US of A, even thought technically their HSPA+ network isn’t 4G, T-Mobile is now claiming that the Samsung Galaxy S 4G is the fastest phone running on the 4G network.

T-Mobile makes the claims in their latest promotions video for introducing the Samsung Galaxy S 4G, which we have for your viewing pleasure below courtesy of the guys over at Daily Mobile and by way of the T-Mobile YouTube page.

The video last the usual slot for a promo video and features the T-Mobile girl and someone who is apparently a blogger who’s impressed with the Android 2.2 Froyo running smartphone that also comes with a copy of Inception preloaded.

According to the Daily Mobile article the reason the Samsung Galaxy S 4G is T-Mobile’s fastest device on their network is because the device offers 21+ Mbps speeds while previous smartphones such as the T-Mobile myTouch 4G and T-Mobile G2 are both limited to 12.4 Mbps speeds.

Anyway, for those who may be considering picking up the Samsung Galaxy S 4G, head on down, hit that play button and check out T-mobile’s intro for the device…enjoy.
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