Smartphones that are Better than an iPhone

Contenders for the Best Smartphone Crown are Few and Far Between
No question about it, the iPhone is a wonderful gadget. In fact, it’s really more like a computer that fits in your pocket and just so happens to make phone calls and the number of fun iPhone apps is growing by the day. However, as good as it is, it’s not perfect and there are a couple of competitors to consider when shopping for a smartphone.

There are many cell phones with similar features like touch screens and accelerometers but none has come close to the iPhone. There are, however, two brand new phones that we consider to be serious contenders; the new Blackberry Bold should be the darling of the enterprise crowd while the Nokia E71 offers a lot of features missing in the iPhone.

Blackberry Bold
The Blackberry Bold also known as the Blackberry Bold 9000 is just now, starting to appear in markets outside North America and early reviews indicate this smartphone is going to be a winner.

The BlackBerry Bold has a big 480 x 320, dense pixel per inch, color display which some say looks better than the iPhone. In addition to having all the latest bells and whistles like 3G, WiFi, A-GPS (Blackberry Maps included), stereo Bluetooth, QWERTY keyboard, and microSDHC expansion slot, this phone gets high marks for style and design (some say it even resembles an iPhone). The BlackBerry Bold also features an improved Web browser that renders pages fast. It has a 2 MP camera like the iPhone but also, like the iPhone, no forward-facing camera. It also comes with BlackBerry Desktop Manager including Roxio PhotoSuite 9 LE and the new BlackBerry Media Sync application which lets users sync their BlackBerry with their iTunes music collection.

The Nokia E71
One reviewer called the Nokia E71, “the best phone Nokia has made to date.” The Nokia E71, at 10 mm is thinner than the iPhone by a millimeter. Nokia says it’s the thinnest QWERTY smartphone.
Besides all the latest features like 3G and GSM radios, the Nokia E71 includes Assisted GPS (A-GPS), WiFi, a 3.2 MP camera with LED flash, a forward facing camera, A2DP stereo Bluetooth, a microSD slot and an FM radio. It lacks an accelerometer and a TV-out port. The 2.4 inch QVGA (320 x 240) screen doesn’t get as high marks as the Blackberry Bold and is smaller then iPhone’s 3.5 inch screen and reviewers say the QWERTY keyboard is a bit on the small size.

Windows Mobile Phones to Watch For
To round out the group of contenders we felt we needed to include a Windows Mobile-based phone or two but we also wonder if they are going to have what it takes to take on the iPhone. Hey, at least you can run Flash applications.

Samsung BlackJack III
The BlackJack III just started selling in Korea for around $600. It supposedly runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, has a 3 MP camera. 528 MHz processor, GPS and WiFi. Some say the BlackJack III will be a Samsung i788 running Windows Mobile.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1
The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 is an impressive looking phone using an “arc slider design” where the screen slides up to expose a curved QWERTY keyboard. It has a large 3 inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen display, a 3.2 MP camera, A2DP stereo Bluetooth, A-GPS, WiFi, and a microSD slot.

Conclusion
We have to admit, it’s a tough call. Blackberry has a large number of loyal users who, we’re sure, have been considering making the switch to iPhone but the Blackberry Bold might be enough make keep them in the Blackberry camp. The Nokia E71 seems to have it all, reviewers love it, and there are a ton of Symbian apps to run on it but it’s a close call between it and the iPhone.

2008 Summer Olympics Spectacular Entertainment

Behind the HDTV Scenes at the 2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony on August 8, 2008 is a few weeks away. As we recommended, we think you should stay at home, save gas, and watch HDTV. NBC has promised to make this Olympics a high-def extravaganza using over 1,000 HD cameras to create thousands of hours of high-def programming. For a guide to all the high def Olympics programming check out this page on HD Sports Guide. A PDF file of the complete Olympic schedule for the NBC family of networks is available here.

Slo-motion in High Definition

Contributing to the high-def experience, will be high speed, high definition cameras named the Fastcam SA1 from San Diego-based Photron which is integrated into a new imaging system called SprintCam V2 from i-Movix, of Mons, Belgium. The SprintCam Live 2 HDTV cameras will be recording high definition images at 5,400 frames per second which will be available for immediate slow-motion replay.

Sounds of the Olympics in 5.1 Channel Audio

Adding to the high-def experience, NBC has selected five Calrec Omega with Bluefin consoles as part of its coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. “This is the first time the games will be produced totally in high definition with 5.1 discrete channels of audio,” said Bob Dixon, NBC’s Director of Sound Design and Communication.

Sony HD Cameras Going to Beijing

NBC Universal will use Sony XDCAM HD systems as its primary ENG (electronic news gathering) source. The Sony PDW-700 uses big 2/3 inch CCDs to records 1080i or 720p high quality, MPEG HD422 video on 50 GB optical discs. NBC will also be using Sony’s companion PDW-HD1500 decks.

The Olympics on Windows Media Center

Wavepress’ TVTonic will put high quality video of the Summer Olympics on your Windows Media Center. Users will be able to subscribe to their favorite sports and then watch the events on any Windows Vista Ultimate or Home Premium PC.

“This service will provide a fantastic viewing experience for Olympic fans with Windows Vista Media Center,” said Wavexpress President Michael Sprague. “They can choose their favorite sports, from diving to water polo to gymnastics, and extended coverage is automatically synchronized to their PC in the middle of the night.”

Motorized HD Cameras

Camera Corps of Shepperton, UK-based will have more than 200 HD camera systems including 18 motorized tracking systems, remote heads and large camera cranes. According to Camera Corps, “The inventory of cameras to be positioned in and around Beijing includes 39 Camera Corps HD MiniZoom, 68 Hitachi, four Iconix and four Toshiba cameras. An Abakus fisheye stadium lens will be installed above the Velodrome at Shi Jing Shan to cover the 250m-circumference cycle track. “

Special HD Olympic Programming

In addition to the thousands of hours of programming that NBC will be generating, other channels like MOJO HD will offer a 10-Part series of high-def profiles exploring the mindsets and motivations of U.S. Olympic athletes, beginning July 28. Experts in each sport will be featured, detailing the psychological and body strength needed to compete including how to overcome injuries and setbacks and how these new competitors compare with previous champions.

Top Rated Camcorders for Buyers

If you are thinking of purchasing a digital camcorder, there are a number of compact digital camcorders available in the market. They are all good choices and all of them are a little different, offering different features and different recording media. Every year camcorder manufacturers release number of models. Here are some suggestion on camcorders from best brands.

Sony offers the best features at very affordable prices. Sony Handycam DCR-HC28 is one of the best products by Sony. This is the absolute finest home quality camcorder. The zoom switch is a very nice feature to have. A Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens makes sure everything stays in focus. Minimizing blur and camera shake is simple with built-in Super SteadyShot image stabilization and you’ll be able to keep all your video bright with Night Shot Plus technology. The DCR-HC28 gives you everything you need to capture vivid video every time.

Panasonic PV-GS85 is a powerful 32x optical zoom camcorder with O.I.S. This model offers the High-Picture-Quality Wide Mode, which produces images that make for beautiful, dramatic viewing on a wide-screen TV. The image is processed on 16:9 area of the CCD. You get beautiful images and all the excitement and dynamism on either a wide 16:9 screen TV or a conventional 4:3 TV. This model also features a wide 2.7-inch LCD, making it easier to frame shots when you’re shooting in 16:9 mode. You can enjoy shooting wide, and view wide.

Canon is also a popular brand offers entry-level digital camcorders which are designed to deliver the latest in style, features and advanced technology at a most affordable price. The Canon ZR950 is the top of the line of ZR camcorders. This latest addition to the ZR family also includes an array of features that turn your camcorder into a digital still camera, including 9 Point AiAF (Auto Focus), Progressive Photo, Simultaneous Photo Recording, Special Scene Modes, and Image Effects. This is the perfect choice for capturing all of life’s precious memories.

Best Accessories for iPhone 3G

Behind the HDTV Scenes at the 2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics has begun. As we recommended, we think you should stay at home, save gas, and watch HDTV. NBC has promised to make this Olympics a high-def extravaganza using over 1,000 HD cameras to create thousands of hours of high-def programming. For a guide to all the high def Olympics programming check out this page on HD Sports Guide. A PDF file of the complete Olympic schedule for the NBC family of networks is available here.

Slo-motion in High Definition

Contributing to the high-def experience, will be high speed, high definition cameras named the Fastcam SA1 from San Diego-based Photron which is integrated into a new imaging system called SprintCam V2 from i-Movix, of Mons, Belgium. The SprintCam Live 2 HDTV cameras will be recording high definition images at 5,400 frames per second which will be available for immediate slow-motion replay.

Sounds of the Olympics in 5.1 Channel Audio

Adding to the high-def experience, NBC has selected five Calrec Omega with Bluefin consoles as part of its coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. “This is the first time the games will be produced totally in high definition with 5.1 discrete channels of audio,” said Bob Dixon, NBC’s Director of Sound Design and Communication.

Sony HD Cameras Going to Beijing

NBC Universal will use Sony XDCAM HD systems as its primary ENG (electronic news gathering) source. The Sony PDW-700 uses big 2/3 inch CCDs to records 1080i or 720p high quality, MPEG HD422 video on 50 GB optical discs. NBC will also be using Sony’s companion PDW-HD1500 decks.

The Olympics on Windows Media Center

Wavepress’ TVTonic will put high quality video of the Summer Olympics on your Windows Media Center. Users will be able to subscribe to their favorite sports and then watch the events on any Windows Vista Ultimate or Home Premium PC.

“This service will provide a fantastic viewing experience for Olympic fans with Windows Vista Media Center,” said Wavexpress President Michael Sprague. “They can choose their favorite sports, from diving to water polo to gymnastics, and extended coverage is automatically synchronized to their PC in the middle of the night.”

Motorized HD Cameras

Camera Corps of Shepperton, UK-based will have more than 200 HD camera systems including 18 motorized tracking systems, remote heads and large camera cranes. According to Camera Corps, “The inventory of cameras to be positioned in and around Beijing includes 39 Camera Corps HD MiniZoom, 68 Hitachi, four Iconix and four Toshiba cameras. An Abakus fisheye stadium lens will be installed above the Velodrome at Shi Jing Shan to cover the 250m-circumference cycle track. “

Special HD Olympic Programming

In addition to the thousands of hours of programming that NBC will be generating, other channels like MOJO HD will offer a 10-Part series of high-def profiles exploring the mindsets and motivations of U.S. Olympic athletes, beginning July 28. Experts in each sport will be featured, detailing the psychological and body strength needed to compete including how to overcome injuries and setbacks and how these new competitors compare with previous champions.

World’s Thinnest Gadgets

Thin is in. Not only do thin gadgets look cool, they often use less power. Here’s a collection of some of the thinnest gadgets in the world.

MP3 Player

If you thought the Apple iPod Nano was thin then check out this MP3 player that’s as thin as a credit card. The Walletex Wallet MP3 player is about as thin as you can get and it’s waterproof to boot. It stores up to 4 GB and they claim you can get over 4 hours of play back on a single charge.

Thin TV Sets

This past January we saw the thinnest Plasma TV at CES, the 50″ Pioneer Kuro “concept” Plasma TV. It was 9 mm thick and was displaying video (honest it was). We haven’t heard any more about it since January although it might have something to do with the announcement that Pioneer is going to stop manufacturing their own Plasma TVs (they recently selected Panasonic to make the panels for them). Sony has started selling its 3 mm thick OLED TV that offers amazing image quality. Once you see the gorgeous picture quality of an OLED TV, you’ll want to own one.

Announced at CES 2008 and due to ship any day are two super thin LCD TVs from JVC. The 42-inch LT-42SL89 and 46-inch LT-46SL89 HDTVs. Both are members of the Procision family. Depth runs from 39 mm (1.5”) to 74 mm (2.4” inches) at the center of the panel. Joining the 39 mm club, Hitachi has a series of super thin HDTV sets which are part of the Director Series and the UltraVision V series. The sets are also 39 mm thick and include some impressive features like 120Hz, de-judder smoothing circuitry, and fanless ventilation.

Thin Laptops: MacBook Air vs. Voodoo PC Envy (from HP)

First there was the Macbook Air, so thin it fits inside a standard-size manilla envelope. The MacBook Air is an impressive laptop but can be a little on the pricey side at well over $2,000 for a decently configured model. It also lacks some useful features like an ethernet adapter (you can’t be all WiFi all the time). HP is offering a Windows-based competitior to the Macbook Air with the Envy133 which comes from the Voodoo PC group and edges out the Air’s thinness by a fraction of an inch. The MacBook Air is 0.76” and weighs just under 3 lbs. while the Envy133 measures 0.70” but weighs a tad more than the Macbook at 3.4 lbs. Both laptops offer similar features like a 13.3” LCD display with LED backlight. The big difference is the Envy133 runs Windows out of the box.

Thin Cell Phones

There’s Motorola’s razor thin MotoRAZR V3 at 13.9 mm thick which started the thin cell phone movement and now there are other super thin cell phones starting to appear on the scene. Nokia has a very thin cell phone coming soon called the E71. It’s 10 mm thick and has all the E series features like WiFi, HSDPA, A-GPS, a 3.2 megapixel camera and a front facing camera for video chat. It’s not going to be cheap at over $500 when it goes on sale in the US which is any time now.

LG will be shipping a new addition to its Black Label Series which currently includes phones like the Chocolate and the Shine. The new phone called the Secret (model number LG-SU600, we think), is made of carbon fiber, weighs 116 grams (4 oz), is 11.8 mm (.46”) thick, has a 5 megapixel camera with face detection (who needs a camera now?), 120 fps video recording and includes a tempered glass, touchscreen display.

Thin Camera

BenQ’s new 8 megapixel T850 camera is 14.9 mm thick (at thinnest part) and includes a “swipe” gesture interface, which BenQ claims is unique among touch screen cameras. It will come in black and red and include a 3x optical zoom, 3-inch display, image stabilization and face technology. The price hasn’t been announced just yet, but you’ll be able to get this one in black or red when it launches in the (presumably) not too distant future. Casio’s Exilim EX-S10 is another skinny camera measuring 13.8 mm at its thinnest part. It’s a 10.1 MP camera with a 2.7 inch display.

Gadget Savvy Newlyweds – Cool Gifts

The wedding month is upon us and whether or not you’re going to take a chance and fly there, max your credit card out on gas to drive there, or just stay home, you’re going to need to buy a wedding gift. There are some great gadget gifts in all price ranges that will make any newlywed’s life more fun and fulfilling.

Gadgets That Capture Memories

Camcorders and cameras make great wedding gifts. A new camcorder should last a newly married couple well into the child rearing years. The latest crop of camcorders include some reasonably priced handheld camcorders and some consumer-friendly high definition camcorders that can fill the wide screen of an HDTV set.

The Canon Vixia HF10 has a 12X optical zoom with image stabilization and records to a flash memory card in AVCHD format. The Sony HDR-SR1 records 7 hours of 1080i video on a built-in hard disk and gets good ratings. Flip Video’s $179 Ultra took the camcorder market by storm with their very user-friendly flash-based camcorder that holds 1 hour of very good quality video and fits in your pocket or pocket book.

There are so many compact digital cameras to choose from the task of selecting a good camera for newlyweds can be difficult. We recommend features like optical image stabilization and face technology that make it easier to take good pictures. The Sony DSC-W170, is a fun new camera that performs some very cool image editing right on the camera. The “Smile Shutter” works with the face technology to detect “smiling” faces. The Canon SD1100 fits easily in a pocket or pocket book, offers 8 MP resolution, image stabilization and new face technology.

Digital Picture Frames

Just remember, you’re not losing a daughter or son….on second thought, just in case you do end up seeing less of them, there are a couple of ways you can stay in the picture and one of those is to literally put you and the rest of the family on a digital picture frame. Digital photo frames look great on a mantle or bookcase and won’t break the bank either. The Kodak SV1011 is a 10 inch digital photo frame that has built-in WiFi that can be used to manage the photos. The Pandigital PAN80-2 is an 8 inch 800 x 600 pixel frame that can store 128MB worth of images. You upload images using the card reader or USB connector.

Personal Navigation Devices (GPS)

Helping the newlyweds find their way in life may be more than should be expected from you however, a GPS for their car or outdoor adventures might be just the thing to help point them in the right direction. The Garmin nuvi 260 has text-to-speech (TTS) and a large 3.5 inch display and sells for under $300. The TomTom Go 920 is a popular GPS that has Bluetooth built-in for hands-free phone calls.

HDTV

HDTV sets are not cheap but they can be a very sensible gift in times of high travel costs when taking a vacation at home becomes more common. Don’t forget how great the Summer Olympics are going to look in high definition. If you can’t swing an HDTV set by yourself, get a few other friends and relatives together and buy the newlyweds their first HDTV set. The Syntax Olevia 747I is a 47 inch LCD TV that does 1080p and gets very high ratings and very good reviews. The 42 inch Vizio VU42LF, does 1080p and can be purchased for well under $1000.

Roomba Vacuum Cleaner

Some people treat these little creatures like pets. The iRobot Roomba 4150 is the entry level Roomba vacuuming robot but for less than $200 it could go a long way toward matrimonial bliss.

Gadget Gift Card

Why not let the newlyweds have the pleasure of selecting a gadget for themselves. Just get a gift card from your favorite gadget seller like amazon.com, Best Buy or Circuit City and let them pick out their own gadget.

Prepare yourself for the Coming Digital TV Switchover

From February 2009, analog signals will be turned off and only digital TV signals will be transmitted over the air. Cable-based systems should not be affected since cable companies should continue to offer analog signals for most basic cable channels. Satellite systems already transmit digital signals and should not be affected either by the switchover.

If you happen to have a TV or device with an analog tuner you have two choices. You can buy a converter box and possibly use a government issued coupon to get a discount or you can replace the old analog-based TV with a brand new digital one. TVs can receive digital signals over the air, often using the same external antennas but they’ll need to have an ATSC digital tuner in order to hear or see anything.

A converter box will most likely be the cheapest solution, but you’ll have another remote to deal with. Some DTV converter boxes are already available like the Insignia Digital to Analog Converter Box which costs around $60. The federal government is offering $40 coupons that consumers can use on a basic converter box. You can request up to two coupons per household now through March 31, 2009.

If you are planning to be buying a new TV – The Syntax Olevia 527V can be purchased for just a shade over $500 but it offers 720p HDTV in a big 27 inch LCD TV. The Samsung LN-S1951W is a 19 inch LCD TV that gets good user ratings and costs around $400. The Toshiba 20HL67 is a 20 inch HDTV that gets good reviews and will cost you around $450. The Sharp AQUOS LC-19DV22U is a 720p LCD HDTV that you can buy for under $500.

Moreover if you don’t know if your TV set is digital & have misplaced the manual. You can find manuals and reviews for all popular gadgets and gear including GPS , Digital Cameras, Camcorders, Printers, and more from manufacturers including Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Nikon, and more.

Best Gift Ideas for Professional Dads

Dads love gadget gifts too; and especially more if it’s multi-functional camera, GPS, cool phone or electronic books. Your Dad might already have a good collection of gadgets but there’s always room for more cool gear that will enhance your Dad’s digital lifestyle. Here are some ideas of gadget gifts to give that new or expecting dad in your life.

Ultimate Father’s Day Gift: Here’s a wild suggestion; buy your father a new Apple Macbook Air. This super svelte laptop is so thin it fits inside a manila envelope yet it still boasts a full size keyboard and 13.3 inch LED backlight display.

Digital Photo Frames: In the briefcase, on the bureau, or on the desk at the office, digital picture frames are starting to replace the old wood and glass picture frames. You can buy an 8 inch frame or even a smaller one to take on the road for under $200. The Pandigital DPF802 is an 8 inch 800 x 600 photo frame that gets good ratings and sells for around $150. The Westinghouse DPF 0561 is a smaller 5.6 inch photo frame that can be purchased for around $80. The Kodak SV811 is a similar frame that sells for a little over $100 but gets some mixed reviews. For the ultimate in portability load up a keychain photo frame with some pictures of the family and gift it to Dad.

Headphones: For the frequent flier Dad, a noise canceling headphone is always an appreciated gift. Put one of these headphones on and the roar of the jet engines vanishes, replaced by the soothing music from your MP3 player. Sony’s MDR-NC500D are even more expensive at around $400. The Bose QuietComfort 3 headphones get good ratings from users and experts. They’re light and small and aren’t cheap at around $350.

Electronic Books: If your Dad likes to read books, newspapers, magazines, or online articles one of the latest electronic books might make a great gift. Two popular readers using electronic paper are Amazon’s Kindle and the Sony Reader. The Sony Reader PRS 505 can be purchased for around $300. The Kindle which includes high speed 3G internet access for downloading books and browsing the web sells for $399. The Kindle has received mixed reviews due to some ergonomic issues but gets many rave reviews as a groundbreaking product. Books cost more to purchase on the Sony reader and you have to go through a computer connected to the internet to download them but the Sony gets good marks for style and usability.

Some Reasons to Wait for Good Blu-ray Player

The format war is over and Blu-ray prevailed over HD DVD. All HD programming currently comes over the air or cable at 720p or 1080i. If you have a “full HD” HDTV and don’t have it hooked up to a high definition TV you have probably have never seen it at its highest resolution of 1080p. The big question is, should you buy a Blu-ray player now or wait? Here are some reasons to wait:

Profile 2.0
The current Blu-ray standard is Profile 1.1 also called “Bonus View.” Profile 1.1 includes features like picture-in-picture commentaries. Profile 2.0 or “BD-Live,” will add online connectivity features including the ability to get trailers and other content over the internet. You’ll also be able to download firmware upgrades. This standard should be good for a while. The only problem is you can’t buy a standalone player right now with Profile 2.0.

Price
Blu-ray players currently cost around $500. Prices may drop by hundreds of dollars by next holiday season. Even though the competition is out of the picture a reason to cut prices could be the fact that the Blu-ray folks may want to establish a big customer base before downloaded movie transfers become the new distribution media.

New Models
New models from Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, and Samsung should hit the market as early as this summer, if not sooner. Sony just announced two new players that will incorporate Profile 2.0. The BDP-S350 will be available this summer for around $400 but will need a firmware upgrade for 2.0. The BDP-S550 will cost around $500 and will be available next fall with 2.0 included. The Panasonic DMP-BD50 will include Profile 2.0 and is expected to cost around $500. It will also offer “Deep Color” compatibility which works with HDMI 1.3 to deliver richer colors. This could be the one to buy.

Upconverting DVD Players
You can currently buy a standard definition DVD player that upconverts to 1080p for under $100. The image is no match for Blu-ray 1080p video but it could get you buy until prices drop and new models emerge.

Blu-ray DVDs Don’t Have Latest Features Yet
Because the standards weren’t implemented in the players the studios have been slow to add interactive features. It will take a while before Blu-ray DVDs include the features supported by profiles 1.1 and 2.0 but once they do there should be some very cool features like, “Backstage Pass,” that provides all kinds of info about things like costumes, sets, or even what the actors had for lunch, or “Peek Behind the Animation,” that lets you watch the actors create the voices.

Are you looking for High Definition Consumer Camcorder?

If you’ve seen a high def. recording, you can never settle for a standard definition. Sony, Panasonic, Canon, and JVC dominate the field of quality affordable HD camcorders.

There are few features that ensure the best purchase. Look for a large LCD screen and optical image stabilization for long optical zooms. The 3 CCD models offer better color fidelity and image quality than 1 CCD units. CMOS image sensors also deliver high quality results. An HDMI terminal and cable will make it easy to connect the camcorder directly to an HDTV or Blu-ray recorder.

The Panasonic HDC-SD1 is an affordable high definition camcorder with 3CCDs a 12x optically stabilized zoom, a large 3 inch LCD screen that stores AVCHD video of 4GB flash memory cards and deals can be found for under $900. The Sony HDR-CX7 is a slightly smaller camcorder with 3CCDs that also sends AVCHD video to flash memory and costs around $1,000.