"Life-Proof" iPhone LifeJacket Case - Stupid, Or Super Smart?

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IPHONE LIFEJACKET MAKES A POINT... AFTER THE INITIAL SHOCK

I was perusing the web and came across something that just struck me as plain stupid. It was the LifeProof "LifeJacket" iPhone case made for the iPhone 4/4S. My initial reaction? This is just plain dumb! But then I got to thinking about it...

First of all, whenever I see big, thick, ugly cases made for the iPhone 4S like the Otterbox, I just shake my head. Why in the world would you want to wrap a gorgeous, thin, sleek phone in a big ugly brick-like case? I've never been a fan of the Otterbox, nor have I ever been happy that an iPhone requires the need of such a monstrosity.

So when I saw the iPhone LifeJacket waterproof case by LifeProof, I just shook my head. Why in the world would someone want to put their iPhone in something that was even bigger and uglier than an Otterbox? But then I started to think about this...

I myself have submerged and nearly ruined an iPhone. I decided that I could not part with my beloved iPhone 3GS when I went on a 4-hour float trip. I put my iPhone in a Ziplock bag (yes, that was stupid) and thought it would survive the trip. Well, it didn't. The bag took on water, and I almost ruined my phone.

I also thought about how quickly I destroyed my iPhone 4 (within 3 months of purchase) and how devistated I was to stare at the ugly, shattered display. After breaking the device that I could not live without, I thought it would have been much better to have spent the extra $75 on an ugly Otterbox case rather than to stare at the horrid cracks running the length of the phone.

The bottom line? The iPhone is far to expensive and fragile of a device NOT to put it in something that can protect it. It is not a rugged device, and was not made to survive active life. Therefore, you have to protect your investment.

The LifeJacket looks like a joke, but it is shock-proof AND water-proof. If you're anything like me, water-proof is a great thing to have. I like to run, swim, bike, and play in the rain. I would much rather do all four of those things with my smartphone at my side than to do without. Therefore, the LifeJacket suddenly makes good sense.

If I still had an Apple iDevice, this is something I would probably consider buying. Fortunately for me, I'm no longer stuck in the world of super fragile smartphones as I now own a super-durable Samsung Galaxy S2. But I would highly recommend that people check out the LifeJacket before they drop their phone.

Furthermore, now that I have as much experience as I do in repairing iPhones, I can tell you that the quickest way to FUBAR your iPhone is to get it wet. There's no turning back once you burn out your backlight coil & IC chip.

If you're an active person and you own an iPhone, give this a look and protect your investment. You won't be sorry the first time it takes a dive in the toilet.

Carlton Flowers
iDevice Advisor

GET YOUR LIFEPROOF "LIFEJACKET" CASE NOW AT AMAZON.COM!

Own an iPhone 4/4S? Protect that investment now with a LifeProof LifeJacket case on Amazon.com for only $45! It is shock-resistant and waterproof and made for active smartphone owners that don't want to leave their iPhones at home while they are out and about. It is far better to pay $45 now rather than $200 or more later. Be safe, not sorry... and get your LifeJacket today!

 

"Flexibility" - Why The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Could Be A Great Investment

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GALAXY NOTE 2 FLEXIBLE AMOLED HD DISPLAY COULD BE NEXT BIG THING

We could be hearing news about the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 on August 15th, 2012, and a possible US release this fall. The Galaxy Note 2 could be breaking ground on the next paradigm shift in smartphone display design.

With its huge 5.5" display design, the Galaxy Note 2 could be a seriously breakable device. Stuff it in your back pocket and sit on the wrong surface, and you're sure to end up with a broken display (and a broken heart).

Sure, it might not be as breakable as an iPhone with its heavy design and glass surfaces, but it certainly would not be invincible... unless it had a flexible screen. That's the great news. The Galaxy Note 2 is reported to feature a Flexible AMOLED HD display.

If you're gonna get ridiculous with smartphone sizes, as we are seeing with the emergence of the "phablet" niche, you had better address the cracking screen issue.

The larger the screen, the greater the propensity for breakage. To solve that issue, the Galaxy Note 2 purportedly has a 4mm thick UBP (Unbreakable Plan Technology) digitizer screen.

I don't think this means you'll be able to bend the phone, but it might be slightly flexible enough to provide the ability to mold to a concave design similar to the Galaxy Nexus. But it would also provide super durability to guard against shattering when dropping or sitting.

As expensive as the new generation of smartphones are, the fragility of these devices is a serious issue. Each time a new smartphone is released, thousands are broken on the very first day. Replacement screens are seriously expensive until enough units are broken, thus raising the demand for replacement parts.

But the Galaxy Note 2 could start a new trend. Knowing how hard I am on smartphones, having a flexible display ranks fairly high on my list of desirable features. I would be ecstatic if I could own a smartphone that would last to the end of the contract period without me breaking it, or requiring me to pay extra money for replacement plans.

Even with a replacement plan, who wants to plop down a $200 deductible when they break their new smartphone the first few weeks that they own it? I sure don't. I'd rather buy one from the jump that would go the distance with me.

Do you have a horror story of a shattered display with a brand-new smartphone? Would you be motivated by your unlucky track record to invest in something like the Galaxy Note 2 if it has a nearly unbreakable display? Sound off in the comments section!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Note (Owner) 2 Be

 

Galaxy Note 2 Touching Down This Week?

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GALAXY RUMOR: AUGUST 15TH COULD BE D-DAY FOR NOTE-2

There's a Samsung event coming up on August 15th. That's Wednesday of this week. Rumor has it that Samsung is going to drop the news on the Galaxy Note 2. I'm ready to hear the details!

The mobile event is called " Meet The New Way". I'm almost certain that this is going to be centered around the new "S Pen" stylus that will have new capacitive capability. That could be the "new way" they are eluding to.

The stylus on the first generation Galaxy Note was good enough for me, but some complained that it wasn't exact. There were problems calibrating the tip, and lines could be drawn that were a millimeter or two off of the tip. I did notice this when I tested the device, but it wasn't a deal breaker in my opinion.

Enter in the new capacitive S Pen which would in fact be a breakthrough feature. If you somehow add capacitive capability to the stylus, the sensitivity and accuracy should be out the roof. I'm terribly excited to try it out.

The freshest rumors state that AT&T may have exclusive rights to sell the Galaxy Note 2. It is said to be sporting a huge 5.5" 720p display and possibly a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 cpu. That means plenty of muscle combined with a gorgeous display and a breakthrough stylus.

For the operating system, it is being said that it will feature Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" with a new version of Samsung's proprietary overlay called TouchWiz Nature UX. Add double the RAM at 2Gb, and expect upgraded front and rear-facing cameras on this jumbo chunk of technology.

All this adds up to me waiting patiently for my October 2012 upgrade to lock and load on the phattest phablet to hit the scene this fall. Bring it on, Samsung!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Note Rumor Tracker

 

The First Infallible iPhone 5 Design Prediction

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THE CZ BLOG IPHONE 5 BOLD DESIGN PREDICTION IS HERE

With the release of the Apple iPhone 5 around the corner, it's time for me to make a bold prediction about the design that will stand above all. Here it is: All of the current iPhone 5 design predictions are 100% crap, and I can back that up.

No matter how much "proof" that the current prognosticators have, no matter how credible they may be, they're gonna be dead wrong when the actual device is released. Something we have learned over the years is that Apple has successfully guarded their product releases without fail.

Right now, all eyes are on the alleged iPhone 5 digitizer from China that is featured in a Youtube video being circulated around the net. The video shows a new screen that is the same exact width of the iPhone 4, but about a half an inch taller.

First of all, if this is the only modification we see of the iPhone 5, I would be sorely disappointed. Stretching out the digitizer only in the vertical direction would make no sense. That would mean changing the aspect ratio of the new device.

If you do that, none of the 1.7 bagillion apps currently available for download would work on the iPhone 5, requiring developers to rework their apps to fit the new dimensions. That's not going to happen, folks. Just because we see this fake mockup digitizer does ont guarantee that the odd proportions will end up on the next iPhone.

All we have to do in order to completely discount this garbage story is look back to the release of the iPhone 4S in 2011. How many times did we see stories released which outed iPhone 5 cases that had a new display size? I lost count.

They even went so far to say that entire container loads of new iPhone 5 cases were shipped to the US and stocked in carrier stores. The story sure was believable, but I don't think a single person actually saw a container of these vaporware cases.

Fast forward to the future, and the fake iPhone 5 digitizer with the vertically-stretched design. I call shenanigans. This is complete bunk. If Apple really does have a new bigger display about to hit us in the face, it's not going to be with a different aspect ratio. They will protect the integrity of their App Store products and make it as easy on developers as possible to make the new phone compatible.

So my bold prediction for the iPhone 5 is that it will not look like anything the insiders predict that it will be. I think we will all be in for a surprise, and the suspese will be tremendous. Circulate THIS around the net if you dare.

Carlton Flowers
iPhone 5 DeBunker

 

 

The Most Famous Tech & Gadget Battles Of All Time

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TECH GADGET BATTLES - A LOOK BACK AT THE GREATEST

I came across this fun infographic and I had to share it. It's because it takes me back to the beginnings of my own gadget experience when the first battle raged between BetaMax and VHS. I'm sure the majority of you don't even know what those are.

Over the years, we've seen some epic battles rage on between competing standards in the tech sector. From the VCR to the tape deck to the CD player, history continues to repeat itself as the strongest fight for emergence.

But in the end, both winners and losers become obsolete and a faint memory as technology storms on faster that we can even conceive. It's just a sign of the current times. The minute a new product hits the shelf, it has already been made obsolete by something right behind it about to exit research & development.

Enjoy the infographic and feel free to share your memories and experiences with some of the battles displayed below!

"Dare To Compare" Why Sprint Unlimited Is Useless

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SRPINT THINKS DATA CAP-FREE BUT CRAPPY SERVICE DEAL IS GOLDEN

Sprint is launching a campaign on their "Dare To Compare" webpage that attacks AT&T over data caps versus their unlimited data package.

Is it just me, or did someone forget to tell Sprint that unlimited crappy service is not better than limited service that works? The last time I checked, Sprint has the outdated dinosaur "4G WiMax" network that they are phasing out, while the company attempts to make the change to 4G LTE.

Right now, Sprint has a boatload of money tied up in their WiMax network. It's not helping the company at all, being forced into abandoning their version of 4G service for the newer LTE standard. Give them a year, and we'll see what happens as they promise to unlease a nation-wide LTE network.

I was a Sprint customer for 10 years, even before they were Sprint (Bell Telephone was the name in our market). I enjoyed their service, but had to let them go as AT&T nailed the first smartphone market with the iPhone, leaving the other carriers in the dust.

But the main reason that forced me to finally switch from AT&T to Sprint was the simple fact that there exists a huge dead spot in Sprint coverage where I work. Our offices moved in 2005 from central Jefferson City to the East side of town, into a dead zone. AT&T had great coverage, so I had to make the switch.

I haven't regretted making the switch. I've been very satisfied with AT&T in Jefferson City, and nationwide as a whole while traveling. I'm on pins and needles as AT&T expands LTE coverage in the State of Missouri, starting out in the St. Louis market area.

I'm hoping Sprint makes it through the pinch and ends up with a viable LTE network. Competition is good in this industry, and the more healthy competitors we have in the field, the better the products will be. But for now, if I were Sprint, I wouldn't be "daring" to compare anything until they get their network together.

Carlton Flowers
Callin' 'Em Like I See 'Em

 

HTC Jealous Of Samsung's Phabulousness - Plans Counter-Attack

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WILL THE PHABLET PHASE PHLARE UP WITH HTC ENTERING THE NICHE?

Now this has to be the best rumor I have read this week... HTC is said to be entering into the phablet arena with their own jumbo 5" smartphone device. They just could not let Samsung rule the phablet roost without tossing their own version into the ring.

This comes from the professional leak-artists over at Digitimes. They claim the HTC phablet will be 5" with pixel layout of 1794 x 1080 at 1080p HD. The new monstrosity is supposed to be announced in September or October of 2012.

This might sound a bit far-fetched; but if you think about it for a while, it follows the pattern. HTC has gone blow-to-blow with Samsung for the past year in cranking out similar smartphone devices. They've done a great job, too.

I happen to be of the opinion that Samsung takes the slight edge over HTC with their devices, but HTC certainly pushes the limits in making what I believe to be one of the best product lines on the market.

People didn't predict a tremendous success for the Samsung Galaxy Note 1, and I think everyone is surprised at how solidly this unit has been selling over the past several months. Sure, it's not breaking records, but it has had respectable sales and has proven the phablet to be a strong enough niche to take seriously.

That's why I think this rumor will turn out to be fact. HTC is not going to sit back and let Samsung exploit a potential strong niche without providing a competing product. I'm just wondering which one will spec out in the lead between the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the HTC "Behemoth" phablet-to-come.

One thing is for sure, however... I don't see Apple jumping into this fight ever. Theyr'e still stuck in the 4"-or-less smartphone display size paradigm, and the best possible related product would be their iPad Mini (IF it even comes to fruition).

Share your thoughts! Are phablets the next strong gadget niche, or will it pass in the night?

Carlton Flowers
Phablet Rumor Watcher

 

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 - Unpacking Fresh Rumors

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SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 2 TO BE UNVEILED AUGUST 29TH

The excitement is starting to build, and I can hardly stand it. At the end of this month, we will know all the glorious details about the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. All will be told at the "Unpacked" event on the 29th.

The freshest rumors about the Galaxy Note 2 that we can believe are as follows:

  • Quad-core 1.4GHz Exynos cpu
  • 5.5" display
  • Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system
  • Advanced S Pen
  • Galaxy S3 styling
  • $199 to $249 price tag

That is enough of a technical lineup to get me to sign on the line when my upgrade becomes available in mid-October. I will be ready to jettison my Galaxy S2 and roll the dough into a Galaxy Note 2.

I am most excited about the advancements that are being made with the S Pen. The accuracy is said to have been improved, and there are also rumors about it using micro conductivity (the same principle that allows a finger with a capacitive inductance display to work).

If I am able to land a Galaxy Note 2, you can forget any plans about the need of buying a tablet. I won't have any reason to waste the money. The Galaxy Note 2 will be big enough to serve as a tablet with a 4G LTE radio, but small enough to pack as a smartphone.

That will make me one happy gadget camper indeed.

Are you in the market for a Galaxy Note 2? Is this your perfect device, or do you think it's too much phabulous phablet for your phront pocket to handle? Sound off!

Carlton Flowers
Phuture Phablet Man

 

iPhone 5 - Breakthrough Device Or Boring Do Over?

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IPHONE 5 PROMISES TO KEEP ME YAWNING

So we are on the cusp of another grandioso Apple announcement as we near what could be the release of the iPhone 5... would someone wake me up when it's over? Sure, this might be a great device. But I'm seriously doubting that Apple gets me excited like the days of old.

The former iPhone fanboy has lost his love for the sacred fruit of Cuppertino. I miss the "magicness" of the next-iPhone rampups. That magic has faded since I bought my iPhone 4 in 2010. Now that we are about to see what the iPhone 5 will entail, I have no excitement left whatsoever.

Many of my iPhone fan friends are super excited about the 6th generation of the Apple flagship smartphone. They say it will be a breakthrough device that further seperates itself from the Android competition. But looking at the comparison of the rumored digitizer in the photo, I'm disappointed.

The new iPhone, if this happens to be the real McCoy, will look a lot like the current iPhone 4S but only stretched taller. The diagonal on the display will be 4". That's bummer number one. To me, the standard minimum size for a smartphone is 4.3".

They seem to have stretched the limits of the display to the edges, which is kind of nice. But the display is still too narrow, and too small. The home button looks like it will be slightly smaller, and there is a bit of rearranging going on the top of the face.

There are lots of rumors flying about what the iPhone 5 will be packing on the inside. We can fully expect a 4G LTE radio, 1Gb of RAM, and possibly more storage space than previous models. There might be NFC (near-field communication) and a couple of other tricks, but that's about it.

The data connector/charger cable will be different. They are going to have a plug that looks similar to the Micro USB connector, but it will be a proprietary Apple connector.

Rumors are aslo swirling around to the tune of an improved digitizer glass that is less succeptible to scratching and cracking. As fragile as iPhones are, this would be a humongous improvement. But that wouldn't make me want to run out and get one.

From what I gather, the new iOS6 environment will only get Apple caught up to what Google has already accomplished with Anroid 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich". I'm not expecting to see anything relatively new with mobile operating systems with this device.

So while this might be a great device for Apple fans, it just doesn't excite me. I might end up buying one just to have an Apple phone to test out the apps my company develops, but it wouldn't be my primary phone. My Android device will still reign as my main gadget.

One interesting fact is that each new iPhone has outsold all previous models combined. They are predicting the same for the iPhone 5. That being the case, it really doesn't matter how boring the new iPhone is. They are serving their customer base fine enough, and they are gathering new fans to boot.

My prediction is that the iPhone 5 will continue the tradition and break records for smartphone releases, and the loyal following will happy. Some of the sensible fans will complain that it isn't on the bleeding edge, but they will be happy by the end of announcement day.

As for me, I think I'll sleep through this one until we get the news on the next Samsung Galaxy Note!

Carlton Flowers
Bored iPhone Reporter

 

 

Craptastic Samsung Galaxy S3 Reports - Debunking "HUB" Writers

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ARE TECH WRITERS SUFFERING FROM "HUB" ON GALAXY S3 CRITICISM?

Today marks Day 4 of my test for the Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone from AT&T. I'm not even ready to start my official report of this phone, but I have to rant... about the crappy reports circulating around the blogosphere about this great device.

What in the world is wrong with the tech writers out there who are seriously dissing this phone? Are they using the same device that is in my hot hands? I have come to the conclusion that the critics of the SGS3 are suffering from "HUB"... that's "Head-Up-Butt" disease.

I'm sorry to say that, but the only way that I can conceivably think that someone wouldn't like this amazing smartphone is if their heads were secured in a warm, moist place. That is because this is the single most incredible gadget I have ever tinkered with.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has gone beyond my expectations. Maybe that is due to the fact that so many writers dogged it, and didn't give me a chance to avoid preconceived notions. But it clearly gets the "best-of-show" for every smartphone I have tested this year. Or ever.

First of all, the design is beautiful and ergonomic. When I first saw pictures, I did not like it. I thought it was a mistake for Samsung to go away from the square, angular design of the Galaxy S2. I thought the rounded corners made the phone "weak" looking. But I was wrong.

The Galaxy S3 feels like a work of art in my hands, compared to the feeling of the squared-off Galaxy S2. Yes, the Galaxy S2 does feel 100% better than the archaic iPhone 4 with its hard edges and brick-like structure, but the SGS2 will never feel the same way for me.

I seriously did not think the design would end up being so lovely to the touch. But it is. Even the edges of the screen are rounded and contoured into the side of the phone, much like the HTC One X. It just gives it such a natural feel.

The physical home button is a grand slam. I love it. I miss not having a real home button on my SGS2. That is one thing I did like about my iPhones (besides the fact that they stopped functioning after 6 months). I think the design of the SGS3 home button will afford it long-lived usage.

What I really don't understand would be all the whining from writers about the Samsung Galaxy S3 feeling "cheap" and "plasticky". What in the world motivates people to think this? Since when do you need a phone to feel like a heavy brick? Do we want a solid, shatter-crazy design like the iPhone 4S? I think not!

The weight and feel of the Galaxy S3 is perfect, in my opinion. For me, lighter is better. If I wanted a heavy phone I would have bought an HTC device. I will be just fine sticking with the Samsung line of smartphones that do not feel like lead weights in my pocket.

As I mentioned, I am nowhere near ready to start to talk about the functionality of this smartphone, but I will tell you that I have been completely flabbergasted. I have not scratched the surface of what this phone can do, but it has amazed me thus far.

With the level of success in sales that the Galaxy S3 has already achieved, it just makes me wonder what the real motivation for slamming this device must be. Are these people trolls? Or are they just suffering a bad case of HUB disease?

I don't know... but if you'll stick with me for about a week, you will get the REAL review of this most amazing device withought any fluff or crap. See ya then.

Carlton Flowers
The Real Galaxy S3 Reviewer

Take "Note" Part Deux! The Galaxy Note Returns - Fresh Rumors!

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WHY THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II ANNOUNCEMENT HAS ME AT "HELLO"

Folks, I have not been this excited since the ramp-up to the release of Samsung's Galaxy S2 smartphone. There's a new phablet coming to town, and it's a perfection of the first-generation smash hit!

Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is said to be announced in August of 2012 at a special event. This could be a knock-out punch for Samsung, and they have my full undivided attention. My upgrade is due in October, and this is the #1 device on my short-list!

First of all, if you know me, I have been a fan of the stylus since the days of the Palm Treo.

I was super excited about the invention and introduction of the capacitive induction display when the first iPhone arrived, but the only down point is that you can't use a sharp, hard-tipped stylus with such a touch screen. So when the first generation Galaxy Note came to fruition, I just about did a back flip.

It's too bad that the Galaxy Note came after the Galaxy S2. Otherwise, I'd probably own one right now. But the Galaxy Note II looks like it could be taking some design cues from the Galaxy S-III superphone. That, to me, is a fantastic thing.

Not to get off topic, because I will address this later... but the Samsung Galaxy S-III is the most beautiful, functional, ergonomic smartphone that I have ever gripped in my greasy little geek fingers. Nothing, and I mean nothing comes close to its gorgeous design and cutting edge techno-features.

But I digress...

The only thing that will keep me from buying the Galaxy S-III in October would be a redesigned Galaxy Note II that has the nouveaux look and feel. We won't even get into the techie talk, because new design + S-Pen stylus = "enough for me to blindly buy".

What has me super excited is the fact that the new S-Pen could be a capacitive stylus, which would be a first. All of the capacitive styluses on the market have a fat rubber tip in order to mimick a finger. But the new S-Pen is rumored to be able to convey the micro current that a finger touch would give, but with a sharp, hard, pointed tip.

That means incredible accuracy, and action that would rival a real ink pen versus a fat, rubbery tip that doesn't have pinpoint accuracy. Add to that the fact that even the current version is pressure-sensitive, and able to give varying line width.

What has me so tanked-up about the Galaxy Note 2 is the fact that this will give me the best of both worlds: owning a smartphone plus a tablet. And not only will it be a fantastic, pocketable tablet, but one with the best stylus in gadget land.

We don't know what this thing is going to look like, but if the Galaxy Note 2 is anything like the picture depicted, I'm game! Next post, we will get into the rumored technical specifications of the Note 2, and see how close we can get to the production model at announcement time!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Purveyor

 

 

Back-To-School Tax Free Gadget To Grab - Hot Deals!

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AWESOME GADGETS TO GET FOR YOUR SCHOOL KIDS ON SALES TAX HOLIDAY WEEKEND

For my "Missourah" readers, take note! It's Sales Tax Holiday Weekend! Any school-related items you buy this weekend (August 3rd thru 5th) are tax-free, and the state is even including smartphones & tablets along with the regularly-recognized computers and laptops.

I got a hot tip from my AT&T St. Louis contact about a few great deals they are running that you should look at for Sales Tax Holiday Weekend purchasing. Here they are!

HTC One X Smartphone

The new flagship smartphone from HTC is a force to be reckoned with. I tested this phone myself for ten days, and I was most impressed with the build quality and the super-vivid display. The phone has a smooth contour that fits perfectly in your hand, and is right at the sweet spot for size with its 4.7" HD 720 display.

On the inside, the HTC One X has a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor that is fully capable of pushing multimedia content and the most robust games available. Running apps and opening files is a piece of cake for this workhorse processor.

It sports 16Gb of internal memory, 1Gb of RAM, and blazing fast 4G LTE internet connectivity that can also serve as a WiFi hotspot for other devices (see service agreement for details).

The One X packs an 8MP camera on the back, and a 1.3MP front-facing camera for all your picture taking and video recording activities. Something the HTC One X has that no other smartphone can boast is Beats Audio by Dr. Dre for incredible music playback over the internal speaker.

Go get this super phone at your local AT&T Store for the special price of $99, or click the link for the Amazon Wireless store to snag one for as low as $79 on contract!

Pantech Element Tablet/Pantech Burst Smartphone Combo

This is a GREAT deal if I've ever seen one. You've seen my reviews for the awesome Pantech Element 4G LTE Tablet (which just happens to be waterproof) and the Pantech Burst smartphone. Just click the links to get to the device details that I previously blogged about.

The Pantech Element tablet is one solid device that has a super sturdy build, and smooth functionality. Its 8.9" size makes it perfect for portability but big enough to make readability good.

And the Burst smartphone is a perfect match for it. With it's vivid 4" touchscreen and super fast 4G connectivity, you can get all of your texting, talking, and social media interaction taken care of on the go.

AT&T is running a special where you get both devices for less than the current cost of the tablet alone. The price for both with a 2-year contract agreement is $199. Contact your local AT&T Store to take advantage of this offer or click here to see it online!

ZAGGfolio Keyboard for iPad

Here's a nifty little addition for your Apple iPad that will effectively turn it into a functioning laptop. With the ZAGGfolio keyboard, you can pound out all of your note-taking during class, or email at the speed of typing!

The ZAGGfolio keyboard also doubles as a hard shell case to protect your iPad from damage. The price is $99. Click here to see it in action at the AT&T Store online.

Well that's about all I have for now. Stay tuned and I will have more reviews on other exciting gadgets very soon. There are 2 devices that I am SUPER excited about, and neither one of them have fruit logos on them. You'll have to come back to see what they are!

Carlton Flowers
Tax-Free Deal Snatcher

 

 

Dr. Dre Brings The Serious Bass With Beatbox Portable Player

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BEATS BY DR. DRE IN PORTABLE STYLE DROPS THAT BASS

I've had a great week of rocking beats and thunderous bass in my home office, thanks to AT&T St. Louis and the "Beatbox", the latest music playing device that "Beats By Dr. Dre" produces. I haven't had this much portable enjoyment since the days of the tape deck boom boxes.

Way back in 1984, my brother and I saved our money and pooled our resources to buy a Jensen dual tape deck portable boom box that ran on 8 D-cell batteries. It created an instant party wherever we went. Portable music players stayed popular for the next 10 years but seemed to tail off in popularity by the year 2000.

I haven't owned a portable unit myself in at least 10 years. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind. But after streaming music from my iPhone 3GS to the Beatbox by Dr. Dre's Beats Audio, I'm ready to pack a portable pounding music box again.

What I love about the Beatbox is the audio quality, and the cleanness and strength of the bass. I don't ever remember getting such a rich, deep, booming bass response out of an equally-sized device. You will get distortion if you crank the volume to ten, but the bass is clean and full when the volume is reasonably set.

Mids and highs are super crisp and clean, and you almost forget you're listening to a portable music device after it has been on for a few song selections. After buying a good pair of Altec Lansing speakers and a subwoofer for my home computer, I have never been able to listen to music from portables. But the Beatbox is the first to raise the bar high enough that it creates acceptable sound.

The only brand that I can seriously compare this unit to would be Bose. Bose has mastered the huge-sound-from-a-small-device design skill, and the Beatbox gets the head-nod of approval to be placed on that same pedalstal for making micro musical magic.

You can stream music to the Beatbox from your smartphone via bluetooth, OR you can dock your iPod Touch or iPhone on the top of the unit and it will automatically pick it up. You have 3 touch buttons on top of the device, and they also interact with your iDevice while docked.

The price tag reflects the quality, at $449 retail. But this is no cheap bottom-shelf Radio Shack portable tape player. This is an audiophile's portable dream. If portablitly, high sound quality, and bluetooth streaming simplicity is what you seek, I recommend the Beatbox.

Check out the video below for my live review!

Carlton Flowers
Bustin' tha Bass

Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" Firmware Upgrade Failure Is Rampant

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SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 FIRMWARE UPDATE THROUGH KIES BRICKING PHONES

I own a Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone serviced through AT&T and I recently decided to use the Kies program to run my firmware update for Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich". I ran into major problems, and I would warn anyone to wait it out before updating and possibly bricking their phone.

After downloading the firmware update, Kies connected with my Galaxy S2 and started the process. As soon as it started, I received the error screen depicted above and was redirected to Kies to run the "recovery process".

I made several attemps at running the recovery to no avail. Each time, the recovery process halted and the phone could not connect with the computer. I also tried holding down the power button + volume down button to reboot the phone, but this also did not work.

I called my local AT&T store in Jefferson City Missouri for help, and described the problem. As always, I was greeted with a knowledgeable rep who was very sensitive to my "painful" situation, and he was as polite and helpful as could be.

He stated that there were reports coming in from others having similar results, but they did not have a solution at the store. He advised me that it would be best to call the toll-free technical support line through the corporate office.

I got in touch with the tech support staff through AT&T's toll-free number, and was given equal treatment on the phone. The rep was very apologetic and sensitive to my problem experience, and was as polite and helpful as he could be. After researching and identifying the problem, he referred me to the Samsung technical support center.

I called Samsung directly, and was again surprised to be greeted with a caring, sensitive customer service rep who was apologizing profusely for my trouble. I asked her if this issue was anything I could fix on my own, because I am a gadget nerd.

She stated that the phone would have to be completely re-programmed, and there was nothing that I could do to accomplish that. Furthermore, she stated that a failed attempt on my part could cause irreversable damage and permanently brick the phone.

I was strongly advised to send in the phone to Samsung to allow their technical staff to and re-program and factory reset the phone. They took down my email address and send a printable UPS 2nd-Day Air label, and told me to ship it to them as soon as possible, and that they would ship it back to me at no cost.

I had researched this problem on the internet until the wee hours of the morning, and nothing I tried worked. I was not able to get the Kies program to recognize the phone to resolve the issue and continue the update. It would stay stuck on "connecting", and never end.

Something else that I noticed was that the Kies program would not start the troubleshooting mode where you unconnect the phone and start the process over. When you'd click the "start" button, nothing would happen.

Without the computer being able to recognize the phone, I could do nothing. But the first 2 attempts at using the recovery mode seemed to work, but the process would fail and the firmware update would be unexpectedly halted. Then it wouldn't work at all.

I'm not sure if it was anything that I did. One thing I noticed was that the Kies program asked that I use the fastest USB connection possible. At first, I was using a regular USB connection. That might have caused the issue. During the first 2 recovery attempts, I was using a USB 2.0 connection. I don't think this was the culprit, however.

If you have not installed the update on your phone because you haven't gotten the "go-ahead" to run and install over the air, I would recommend against using the USB connection through Kies for updating at this point, until this issue has been solved.

It is frustrating and deflating to lose data on your smartphone that hasn't been backed up for a couple of months, but it is a learning experience. However, the outstanding customer support that I received from both AT&T and Samsung has eased the pain of this unfortunate smartphone catastophe.

Carlton Flowers
Appreciative AT&T & Samsung Fan

Nextel Push-To-Talk Punches Out, AT&T Plows In

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AT&T PUSH-TO-TALK SERVICE EVENT COMING TO 27 US CITIES IN 2012

Do you remember how popular the "push-to-talk" feature was around 10 or 15 years ago when feature phones ruled the market? If you are a business customer, you quite possibly could could still be using it to this day.

Sadly, Sprint will be shutting down the Nextel network that plays host to goo-gobbles of customers using legacy push-to-talk phones.

Apparently, Sprint is pushing their new Direct Connect push-to-talk phone devices that will run on the regular Sprint network.

All the while, AT&T push-to-talk service is rolling strong, and they will be marketing a new enhanced version with events occurring in 27 cities, including Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri.

AT&T will be knocking out a huge event called the "Field Force Automation Forum" on October 2nd in STL-MO, and October 25th 2012 in KC-MO to introduce the newly enhanced service. Check out the KC event registration page, and the St. Louis event registration page by clicking the links.

Push-to-talk is a convenient and often integral part of business communications, offering a much-needed method of 2-way conversations similar to a walkie talkie radio.

It is heavily used by construction site workers, engineers, police officers, service and repair professionals, event planners, taxi drivers, and more. The big benefit is the ability to talk to a group of people instantly, without waiting for someone to answer.

Carlton Flowers
Communications Collaborator

Rock Your iPod Touch 4th Gen With Mophie Pulse

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MOPHIE PULSE TRANSFORMS GAMING LIKE NEVER BEFORE

The Sunnyvale, California company Artificial Muscle Inc., a Bayer MaterialScience company, has created an iPod Touch enhancement that will blow your socks off and vault your gaming experience right through the roof with the Mophie Pulse, a device that you dock your iPod Touch 4th Generation gaming station into.

The Mophie Pulse will instantly turn you on with stereo sound enhancements and amazing vibrational feedback like you've never experienced with its ViviTouch technology. You'll never settle for the boring run-of-the-mill haptic feedback on your games after you get your hands on this device.

The enhanced "rumble feedback" will take you to the next level by providing solid haptic sensations that more accurately resemble a real world experience, unlike the "buzzy" regular vibration that you get with the iPod Touch on its own.

Once you play a game with the Mophie Pulse and then compare the feedback after turning it off, you'll feel like you've lost your sense of feeling. When you set Mophie Pulse in action with games like Tetris, Fruit Ninja, Labyrinth Lite, Sudoku2, Scrabble, Cut the Rope, Monster Pinball, and Doodle Jump, you'll never want to return to your old experience.

For example, a ball rolling across the screen with varying vibrational feedback will give you the impression that the ball is really there maneuvering on your display. Mophie Pulse promises to deliver bone-shaking vibrations and pulse pounding stereo sound that transfers what's happening in your games into what would be considered an "immersive" experience.

They've hit the mark and delivered in this promise. Honestly, I'm surprised that this type of haptic technology has not shown up in more devices by now.

I've never been impressed with the vibrational response in gaming devices like the XBOX 360 or Sony Playstation 3 because the haptics are either "on or off", and without variation in intensity.

By simply varying the amount of vibration in sync with the gaming action, you get a much more realistic effect with the Mophie Pulse.

The Mophie also provides other useful enhancements to an iPod Touch 4th Generation device, like a built in 800mAH Lithium Polymer battery to extend the life of your iPod's battery, plus enhanced stereo speakers that take sound quality to the extreme.

Plus, the Mophie Pulse is a very durable unit with a rubberized soft touch grip that provides extra protection for your investment.

I'll be shooting some videos in the near future to show a live action demonstration of the Mophie Pulse, so keep your eyes peeled and come back soon! Carlton Flowers Gaming Gadget Geek

CHECK OUT THE MOPHIE PULSE AT THE APPLE STORE!

Click the link to the picture to purchase your very own Mophie Pulse right now from the Apple store for only $79! You won't be disappointed!

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Gaming Guru

 

The HTC One X (AT&T) Is ___ In My Hands

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TEST DRIVE OF THE HTC ONE X (AT&T) HAS BEGUN!

I am on day three of test driving the new HTC flagship smartphone called the "One X", and I already have a lot to say about this device. To answer your question, it feels GREAT in my hands!

Right off the bat, out of the box, I was impressed. The One X is super thin. Far more thin than any HTC smartphone I have tested to date. And it "feels" right in my grip. Besides feeling wafer thin, the edges are rounded off and the screen melds into the casing.

The case seems to be made of a polymer composite that has the color built-in. I could be wrong, but it seems an aweful lot similar to the Nokia Lumia 900, other than the edges have a glossy finish.

The power and volume buttons are different than my Samsung Galaxy S2, so that took some getting used to. But they are nicely located on the top and right side of the phone, with the power plug on the left.

Something I noticed that was different on this smartphone than any other was the audio quality. With "Beats Audio" by Dr. Dre, playing music over the internal speaker is much more enjoyable than my Galaxy S2. My phone sounds like music coming from a tin can as compared to the One X, that plays music with a wider and more even frequency response.

Stay tuned for the next post, where I'll tell you the big difference I noticed with the qHD display, as compared to the Super AMOLED Plus display. You might be surprised! Until then, enjoy the video, or jump to Amazon Wireless and get your HTC One X today for only $169.99 on contract!

Carlton Flowers
Smartphone Testerizer

 

The Nokia Lumia 900 - And My Official Opinion is...

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OFFICIAL CZ NOKIA LUMIA 900 SMARTPHONE REVIEW!

Okay folks, this is overdue. I had a 2-week long test period of the Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone (AT&T) and ran it through the ringer. Here's my official word on this device, and the Windows Phone Mango platoform!

Despite all of the reviews both positive and negative about this device, I am here to report to you that it gets an overall passing score, and my thoughts about the future of this device and Windows Phone Mango are still as positive as ever before.

First of all, I'll tell you that Windows Phone Mango is a breath of fresh air. It's not the same old mobile platofrm that we have seen for the past 3 years with Android and iOS. It's a "whole-nother" ball of wax. I picked up the phone right out of the box, and was able to understand how to navigate around instantly.

The Windows Phone Mango system on the Nokia Lumia is smooth, efficient, and super-intuitive. I didn't need to pull out the instructions to figure out how to operate the phone. Microsoft did a fantastic job in starting from scratch when they ditched Windows Mobile 6.5 to create the new platform.

Because of the ease of use, I see the Nokia Lumia 900 as an excellent choice for first-time smartphone buyers. I have told more smartphone newbies to look at the Lumia than any other device. It gets completely away from the old way of jamming hundreds of icons on a screen.

Knowing that 50% of the population still does not own a smartphone, I would say that all of the predictions of the Nokia Lumia 900 and Windows Phone Mango making a huge dent in the smartphone market over the next few years is absolutely true. The future of this device looks bright.

But getting back to the operating system, there are a few things that I absolutely love. First and foremost, the Live Tiles.

Everything you need to get to that you frequently use is located right on the home screen. And you can create a tile shortcut to your favorite things, even people. And what I also love is how all of the social media communities are combined into "news events". Rather than checking Twitter, Facebook and other sites, you get the latest "news" as a notification.

Something else that I found extremely useful with the Nokia Lumia is how messaging is aggregated. Instead of jumping back and forth between SMS messages and Facebook messages, for example, they all show up as generic "new messages" on the home screen. This saved me a ton of time. I was able to keep closer contact with all of my friends this way.

Some people prefer SMS, while others heavily use Twitter or Facebook. The Nokia Lumia 900 only looks at "current messages" rather than individual apps. That way, I can chat with everyone using their preferred method while only gazing at my home screen.

Accessing programs is a snap. If you swipe to the right, you see a verticle listing of all your apps and features, similar to what you get by clicking the "Start" button on Windows 7 with a PC. This was a big plus for me, since I am an avid PC user.

But the Lumia 900 is not just for Windows enthusiast. I'm starting to see more and more Apple iPhone users make the switch. As a matter of fact, one of the reps at my local AT&T store switched from owning an iPhone for 3 years to a Nokia Lumia 900, and she said she'll never switch back.

A big plus with the Lumia 900 is the solid build of the phone. It's a heavier and more solid-feeling smartphone than my Samsung Galaxy S2, but it's far more durable than a fragile iPhone 4S. The Lumia was built with a solid polycarbon composite body, and Gorilla glass for the display. It will survive drops, and the body of the phone is resistant to scratches because the color is built into the material.

The size of the display is 4.3" in diagonal measurement. That's the perfect size for people who dont' want a gargantuan "phablet", but also strain to read on the tiny 3.5" iPhone display. The resolution is 800x480 pixels, and while some gadget reporters complain about this, the average smartphone user will not have a single complaint about it. It looks great for multimedia and pictures, and doesn't have a lot of overkill.

Something else that many gadget geek reporters complained about is the single core 1.4GHz Qualcomm cpu. I don't understand the complaiing about this. The software written for the Lumia 900 is not "multi-threading", so it doesn't make a difference that it's not a dual core or quad core cpu. Speed-wise, I challenge any user to notice a real difference. It cuts through apps and functions with ease, and the majority of users won't tell a bit of difference as compared to other high-end smartphones.

The cameras on the phone don't just cut the mustard, they actually perform quite well. You have a Carl Zeiss branded lens on the rear 8Mp camera with 3X zoom plus a dual-LED flash, and it takes extremely high quality photos and video. The front facing camera is plenty good for video chatting at 1Mp, and is extremely clear.

I was impressed that I had no problems running apps and multitasking with the 512mb of RAM. Most smartphones are packing a standard 1Gb of RAM, but this does not seem to slow down the Lumia 900. It has more of a standard internal memory capacity at 16Gb for storing pictures, multimedia content, and files.

I don't know if it was just my excitement about the phone, or possibly that listening to music was a richer, fuller experience than other smartphones that I have tested. I seemed to have less trouble connecting to streaming music services, and using the music and video player was quite smooth.

Surfing the net with the Nokia Lumia 900 was also a thrill when running on a 4G LTE service area in St. Louis, but the HSPA+ 4G connectivity was also impressive. My download speed tests had the Lumia competing right in the ballpark of other devices.

Making phone calls with the Lumia was as I would expect it to be, and the sound quality when using the earpiece was fairly rich and robust. I'm picky about how a smartphone "feels" when smashed up to my ear, and I didn't seem to have any discomfort when having long conversations.

Last but not least, the battery life of the Lumia 900 impressed me. I noticed that the phone would stay charged when leaving it on in standby mode much longer than my Android device. I would put it on par or better than the battery life of the iPhone 4S. Battery drain is a real issue with high-end smartphones, but there's no worry here.

At the end of my test period, I was truly sad to see this phone go. When I first got the phone, my Galaxy S2 had experienced a malfunction and would not charge. I was forced to use the Lumia 900 fully. It was a big plus that picking up the new system was as easy as it was.

I could go on and on and bore you with more technical details, but I think the people who would consider buying this smartphone just need to know that the Windows Phone Mango system is truly a different experience, and the Nokia Lumia 900 was truly a "fun" smartphone to use.

I give it an overall resounding passing grade, and I would recommend this device first and foremost to new smartphone users. But anyone else who is looking for a change of pace should definitely give it a test drive, because I believe that Microsoft will only be offering more and more apps as developers start to give Windows Phone Mango more attention.

If you have a Nokia Lumia 900, I would love to hear your thoughts on whether or not you're going to stick with the Microsoft platform! Until then, I better bring this post to a close, because this is the longest article I have written about a new smartphone!

Carlton Flowers
Nokia/Mango Fanboy

GET THE NOKIA LUMIA 900 FOR $49 ON AMAZON WIRELESS!

You can own the Nokia Lumia 900 for as low as $49 with a 2-year contract from AT&T through Amazon Wireless! Enjoy the intuitive Windows Phone Mango operating environment with all of the hardware features you expect with a smartphone like 4G LTE internet connectivity, a Carl Zeiss 8Mp camera, front-facing camera for video chatting, 16Mb of internal memory storage, SD card expandabilty, and more! Get it now while the special lasts!

 

 

Introducing The Microsoft Surface Tablet!

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MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES NEW SURFACE TABLET ARRIVAL!

Well folks, all of the anticipation and rumor-mongering is over... Microsoft has officially announced the Surface, their very first branded tablet device!

The Surface Tablet will introduce Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system, and it appears to be a large 16x9 display tablet that comes with a kickstand and an industry-first folding case that comes with two types of keyboards that flip over like a book, or snap right on as an external component.

The "Touch Keyboard" is only 3mm thick, and snaps right onto the device. You can also get a "Type Keyboard" that is 5mm thick and features fully embossed keys that you can actually press down.

You get a 10.6" display made from Gorilla Glass II, and what they are calling the "VaporMG" case that is solid and durable. The thickness of the overall tablet is only 9.3mm deep. The Windows 8 "Metro UI" operating system is said to be very intuitive and easy to pick up, similar to Windows Phone Mango.

They are touting this tablet to be a potential replacement of a regular desktop PC, or a laptop. With the unobtrusive keyboard covers, I could see this device replacing my current laptop computer, but I would still want the muscle of a desktop for heavy duty computing.

Something else worth mentioning, the covers are magnetic (similar to the iPad cover) and they are multitouch. Plus, the kickstand action is easily employed to prop up the Surface for use on a desktop.

This is an ARM-based NVIDIA chip tablet that has the hardware features that I would expect coming from a non-Apple device, like an SD card slot, standard USB 2.0 ports, HDMI output, 32Gb or 64Gb of storage, and a 31.5Wh battery. Initial reports say that it is super slick, fast, and super-responsive to gestures.

But the biggest most exciting non-Apple feature in my opinion is the inclusion of a pressure sensitive stylus. It is said to be a "digital ink" stylus. I'm not sure what that means at this point, but it obviously indicates a greater-than-normal capability than that of traditional styluses.

My prediction on price is probably half of what this device will be sold for. Rather than a middle-of-the-road tablet, it looks like Microsoft is swinging for the fences in producting a fully capable computing device that will rival the funtionality of an iPad.

That's about all I have gathered information-wise at this point, and we'll keep you posted as more details come in. I might have to start saving up some money and put the Surface tablet on my Christmas wish list!

Carlton Flowers
Exposing The Surface