The Final Word - Nokia Lumia 920 AT&T Smartphone CZ Review

THE NOKIA LUMIA 920 GETS MY FINAL VOTE... HERE'S WHY

My review of the Nokia Lumia 920 via AT&T Wireless has come to a close! It has been a great review period, and I have a lot of closing thoughts and comments about the flagship smartphone brought to you by the Nokia/Microsoft team.

Let's start off with the hardware. The phone itself is the most durable build of a smartphone that I have tested to date. iPhones are breakable, and many Android phones feel too "plasticy" (that's the new buzzword). But the composite build of the Nokia Lumia 920 makes it nearly indestructible, and it feels good ergonomic-wise in your hands.

Under the hood you get a dual core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor. That's enough to push apps, run tasks, and surf the net as fast and efficiently as anything on the market. I had no problems with lag, even while multitasking. The 1Gb of RAM also gets credit for its ability to crunch the data with ease.

The display is incredible. It's a lovely 4.5" PureMotion HD display that packs in a 1280x768 pixel density. It's rich and robust. And the animation that goes along with the navigation is breathtaking.

Even with the big brilliant display, I noticed that the battery life was excellent during the entire time of my test. Standby time just does not drain the battery at all. But even hitting it hard for most of the day, that battery was a champ.

Call quality is at or above what I would expect from a smartphone. Something that I really like that is just a little silly an nostalgic is how you get a solid tone when holding down a number button while "dialing".

Most smartphones only "blip" the dial tone once when you hold the button. But the Lumia 920 makes me feel like I've got an old school land line phone. I know that doesn't make a hill of beans difference with anything, but I think it's cool!

The camera sports the Carl Zeiss brand name with 8.7 megapixel resolution. I would agree with those who say this is one of the best quality cameras on a smartphone. Picture taking is quick and efficient, and you don't have to wait long for the shot to focus and flash to activate.

Video is spectacular. The quality is also of the best I have seen in a smartphone. Audio with the video is superior. I have yet to test the ability to do post editing, but I am very anxious to know if I will have the same issues I have with Android and iPhone devices with video syncing problems.

Flipping through apps and programs is so easy. Windows Phone 8 is just plain intuitive. Any rank ameteur could pick this thing up and become a pro in no time flat. Microsoft has created an operating system that is nothing like iOS and Android. This is a breath of fresh air.

New things like "Nokia City Lens" really capture my attention on this device. You can launch City Lens and just point the camera around out in space. It will show you, in real time, what restaurants and points of interest are actually in the direction you are facing. This is augmented reality at its best.

Even the simple little things like typing on the virtual keyboard make this a device a wonderful thing to operate. I can say without a doubt that the soft keyboard on the Nokia Lumia 920 is better than anything I have tried. Period. It is by far the easiest and most accurate layout for a smartphone keyboard, and nothing quite feels the same.

Social media integration is unique on this smartphone. Once you register all of your accounts from various social platforms, the phone will "report" messages on the home screen as if they are coming from one source. That means you can carry on a conversation with someone over text, Facebook messenger, and other services, but have each message on one single screen. This makes it easier to get straight to the act of communication, instead of flipping through multiple platforms or apps.

Something I wish I had spent more time playing with is Office 360 on the Lumia 920. Just taking a stroll through the sample documents and presentations on the device is enough to get excited about. Office integration makes the Lumia 920 a potentially seriously productive device, to say the least.

I'm taking the Nokia Lumia 920 seriously, and I think the writers who make claims of its demise obviously have not spent any quality time with this handset. I'll agree with the prognosticators who say that Nokia and Microsoft could own the top-selling smartphone by 2015.

First of all, this is the best device on the market for first time smartphone buyers, thanks to its simple and intuitive operating system. Second, it makes a perfect match for the gazillions of people using Microsoft Windows based PCs, and MS Office. Lastly, we're starting to see people switching from Apple iPhone devices to the Nokia Lumia, and that is something I thought I would never see.

Add it all up and the future of the Nokia Lumia 920 is strong. There's so much more to this phone that I won't delve into at this point, but I'll leave any fence-sitters with a strong "buy" recommendation for this device. If you're seriously considering it, take the plunge. You will probably be satisfied, especially with the latest contract price of $69.99 through Amazon.

What are your thoughts about the future of Microsoft/Nokia and their Lumia line? Will it make a significant dent in the market, or fade to oblivion? Share in the Disqus section if you will!

Carlton Flowers
Telephone Tester

GET THE NOKIA LUMIA 920 AT AMAZON NOW!

The current price for the Nokia Lumia 920 through AT&T Wireless is only $69.99 for qualifying accounts at Amazon! Price not guaranteed to stay this low, so grab it while you can!

The Next Giant Set To Fall - Paradigm Shift Coming?

ON THE BRINK OF CHANGE - THE FUTURE OF TV

Newspapers thought they were invincible. They were rendered obsolete. The telephone companies bit the bullet next. Movie rental companies got moth balled. Then the bookstores. Is television the next slaying ground for a behemoth that needs to be laid to rest?

Yes. And the dinosaur is called the cable company.

I really never thought it could happen until now. Cable television is about to be put out to pasture. The cable companies are teed up and ready to be whacked right down the center of the obsolescence fairway.

All the signs are there, and the cable giants know that the clock is ticking. This will be the last hoorah for cable television as we know it. And the day that LTE coverage blankets the entire map, the final nail will be put in the coffin.

Have you ever thought about the fact that the average household pays well over $2,000 a year for TV programming, all while being given the worst possible service at the highest possible price? Up until now, we've been held hostage.

I've had fairly decent luck with my cable service provider. Customer service is decent, but response to problems is not. I've had instances where we were forced to wait 3 weeks for a service tech to fix an outage. We had no recourse, because there was very little competition.

But what will put this problem over the edge in short order is the fact that the majority of programming is now available over the Internet. I've never considered going the route of replacing my cable TV with a Roku box or something similar, because of one big missing piece of the programming puzzle...

Sports.

There's no way I could cut my cable TV and live without Monday Night Football. Or watching Mizzou basketball live. Or the NBA playoffs. Or the Minnesota Lynx with my cousin Maya Moore.

But times are a changing. The NFL now provides subscription services that allow you to watch games online. So do several other major sporting networks.

With this last significant piece of the puzzle quickly filling in, I could realistically pull myself away from my addiction to my cable TV service and just continue on with high speed cable Internet. But I would still be somewhat stuck... until LTE comes to Central Missouri.

The advent of LTE will set the captives free, while providing high speed wireless internet service at double the speed of the big fat wire. And how many times does the cellular network go down in comparison to cable TV? Answer that yourself.

My best guess is that LTE service from AT&T will be in my neck of the woods sometime this year. Verizon Wireless already has blazing fast 4G LTE service in Central Missouri as we speak, and wireless devices run on their network faster than you can even imagine.

The cable company won't give up easy, though. They have just rolled out a 105Mbps package for those that want ridiculous download speeds. But that comes at a cost.

The cable company had to decommission several analog channels to swap out the bandwidth needed to provide the 105Mbps service. All they are doing is running several frequencies in parallel to get the desired new high speeds. But their ability to expand beyond this point is finite.

Unless research & development comes up with a breakthrough way to compress data and get more speed out of the existing network of cables, their doomsday is already within sight. Plus they have to fight against a decrepit, aging infrastructure that takes an enormous amount of maintenance.

If 4G LTE service arrives before the cable TV providers figure out a way to continue ramping up speeds, it will be too late. All things being equal, why would I stick with the less dependable and overly expensive big fat wire when I could possibly combine my cell phone service with wireless Internet for my computer?

Unless something catastrophic happens, or the cable company has a huge trump card, I give it a year before I dump my cable TV service in the same trash can that my land line phone service is sitting in right now.

The changes we see in the next year should be exciting. And we might be hearing a resounding THUD as the giant we call cable TV breathes its last breath and goes the way of the newspaper, the record player, the telephone, the bookstore, the DVD rental store, and the portable CD player.

Carlton Flowers
Technology Prognosticator

In Your Face With The Nokia Lumia 920 (AT&T)

SIDE SWIPED BY THE NOKIA LUMIA 920 - INITIAL THOUGHTS

Well it's test time again, and the newest device up to the plate is the Nokia Lumia 920 on the AT&T network. I've only had the device for a day, but I have enough of a reaction that I'm ready to tell you about it now.

There's a reason I said "side swiped" in the header. That's what Windows Phone 8 experience practically makes you feel, compared to iOS and iOS on steroids (Android).

The Windows environment on the Nokia Lumia 920 hits you upside the head with a completely unique and different way to interact with a smartphone. With zero smartphone experience, you canpick up this phone and figure out how it operates immediately.

I haven't even thought about breaking out the users guide for this device yet. It's just way too simple to operate. This is the epitome of intuitieve operation, period.

The look and feel of the Nokia Lumia 920 is strikingly similar to the previous version, the Lumia 900. But don't be fooled, there are several upgrades on the new edition. We'll get into that later.

After a day of use, I have yet to plug the phone up to the wall charger. I don't know what Nokia has done differently than the competitors, but it appears that they've got the jump on conserving the juice.

I seem to drain the essence of my Samsung Galaxy S2 a lot faster, and there's no question that the iPhone 4S and even the iPhone 5 have less battery power. I'm impressed with that.

The phone feels like the most solid of all the devices I've tested. I would give the iPhone 5 second place to the Lumia 920 as far as quality of build. But the Lumia 920 has a much smoother feel than the iPhone with its gorgeous rounded edges and composite body design.

As far as text input, the Lumia 920 is by and far the champion of all smartphones. The combination of the responsiveness and the soft keyboard layout make it super easy to text accurately and quickly.

Today I got to play around with the Carl Zeiss camera that the Lumia 920 is packing, and it lives up to all of the hype. I can safely say that it will perform and compete with the best of what's on the market.

So that's my initial "out-of-the-box" thoughts on the Nokia Lumia 920 smartphone from AT&T Wireless. Next, we'll talk about the hardware, and we'll also look into why a lot of people who formerly owned an iPhone have made the switch to Nokia's flagship device. Plus we'll talk about whom it is that I think this phone would be the best fit!

Stay tuned, Nokia fans.

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Master

CHECK OUT THE NOKIA LUMIA 920 ON AMAZON NOW! GREAT VALUE AT ONLY $99!

Microsoft Surface Tablet - A Message To The Crack Heads

MY MESSAGE TO THE CRACK HEAD CRITICS OF THE MICROSOFT SURFACE TABLET

Last week I had the opportunity to get my hands on the new Microsoft Surface tablet computer. It's the first time I've seen this device out in the wild.

After playing with the Surface for fifteen minutes, I was mesmerized. It definitely earned a spot on my gadget wish list. But what I want to know is what kind of crack is being smoked by the critics who have lambasted Microsoft over this device.

What is wrong with you people? Are you stupid?

Anyone who has owned a Windows-based PC or laptop, like myself, would LOVE this device. I can see this replacing my big heavy 17" laptop when the time is right.

The Surface has the best of both worlds: it is a thin, light tablet but it is also a fully-functional laptop computer.

The keyboard/case made a great impression on me. I cannot stand typing on the Apple iPad. Without a physical feel for keys, I just can't find a use. But the keyboard case that comes with a Surface solves this issue. The keys are raised, but they don't move. You can touch them, but without the right amount of pressure they will not respond.

That's a big thing. You can rest your fingers on the keys and not have to worry about activating characters on the screen before you are ready. You can get the keyboard/case in two different thicknesses: 3mm and 5mm.

What I really loved about this device was the operating system, Windows 8 RT. Again, I don't get all the criticism over the new environment rolled out by Microsoft. It does so many new convenient things I can't name them all. Just swiping from off-screen to the active desktop unveils several new navigational and functional features.

People are attacking the Microsoft Surface like it is the biggest blunder to date. But I look at this in the same way that I view the Samsung Galaxy Note II. There are tons of people who find it useless, but a very strong niche of people that it hits a sweet spot for.

I don't see this as a perfect laptop replacement, but I want something lighter, more portable, and versatile than my current laptop. The Surface seems to be that device.

I have yet to find a tablet device that you can connect a USB mouse to. The operating system was created to support touch, and also to support mousing. You cannot mouse with an iPad, period. It's not even designed to allow it.

For the tasks that I need to perform, an iPad is out of the question. But with a Microsoft Surface, I could get my design work done, and have the full freedom of manipulating spreadsheets with a mouse. Plus I can enjoy the device as a touch tablet.

Call me nuts, but I love this device. I'm definitely in the niche of people who would find this a valuable device at $600. I'll be looking to buy one in 2013 and have it serve as my main portable computer, and retire the laptop.

Do you think that I am the crack head for loving the Microsoft Surface, instead of the critics who constantly cut it to shreds? Post your thoughts in the comments section!

Carlton Flowers
Diving Under The Surface

Caught In The Wild - Hands On With The iPad Mini

MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THE IPAD MINI - INITIAL THOUGHTS

I had the chance to get my hands on the latest tablet offered by Apple, the iPad Mini. My good friend and Apple enthusiast Tim Largent purchased his new iPad Mini in December, and it was one of two left in the store inventory.

Just picking up the device was a treat. I've kind of had my eyes on the iPad Mini since the rumors were first swirling about the release. I will admit, it is even more impressive up close and personal.

The device is super thin, much more than I had envisioned. Along with Apple's magnetic case, it's pretty spiffy. I would much rather clutch the iPad Mini than the full-sized model, which I find to be way too big for comfort.

iOS looks plain gorgeous on the smaller cousin to the iPad. You don't get the Retina display with the Mini, but it's not that big of a deal. Yes, I could tell the difference in video quality, but it's not really necessary to have a Retina dsiplay on a budget device.

If I were to buy an iPad, this would be the one for sure. But I still can't decide if I would part ways with $329 of my hard-earned bucks for a device that does not reflow text when you zoom in. In keeping with Apple tradition, text reflow (or word rapping) does not work on this device.

I tried downloading the Opera browser to see if it allowed text resizing. I can't say for sure, but I don't think it will resize text and reformat the paragraphs. But it does not dynamically reflow text when zooming in, that's for certain.

As much as I read on my smartphone, and would read on a tablet device, I can't get beyond the lack of this one simple feature. The good thing is that the device is bigger than a smartphone, so you can at least enjoy larger text within the screen.

But the sad fact is, the websites that I visit to read on are not optimized to be read on a tablet. As soon as I zoom in to a comfortable text size, I find myself panning back and forth because the sentences go flying off the right side of the screen.

For me, that is maddening. It makes reading a serious pain in the rear end. If Apple could solve this, or if I knew that there was a browser capable of enabling text reflow, I would think about saving up the money to get one of these.

I would like to have an Apple tablet to run certain iOS apps for my business. This would be the perfect device to do it on. But we'll just have to put that on hold and see what "pans" out for text reflow.

My bottom line recommendation is that the iPad Mini is a great device if you don't mind panning when zooming in to read. It's also fine if you don't mind that Apple portable devices do not display Flash enabled sites.

If you're a serious Apple fan, and you want a smaller tablet, get it. You'll save $300 off the price of a full sized new iPad, and still have the functionality that you want.

Carlton Flowers
Half Apple Fanboy

Samsung Galaxy S IV Derails My Clear Plan Of Action

UPGRADE DECISIONS: GALAXY S IV OR GALAXY NOTE II?

I'm starting to get caught up in the rumors surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S IV that is to be released sometime this spring. My heart was set on the Galaxy Note II after my 2-week review of the AT&T device, but one new rumor on the S IV could change my mind...

Will the Samsung Galaxy S IV have an S Pen?

Some tech blogs are saying that Samsung won't do this, because it would make the Galaxy S IV compete directly with the Galaxy Note II, and it would be too early in the life of the Note II to offer up a direct competitor.

But over the past few days, more and more tech prognosticators are saying that the Galaxy S IV will in fact have an S Pen. If that's the case, I'm going to definitely opt for the S IV when my upgrade is available in May of 2013.

It looks like you're going to get everything that the Note II offers, and then some, plus with a slightly more managable 5" diagonal display. The S IV will rock the quad core CPU just like the Note II, and I would expect to see even more features since it comes 6 months further down the developmental highway.

If this pans out, and the Galaxy S IV comes packing an S Pen, we'll have a device with the best of both worlds. All of the magic of the Note II should be included in this new smartphone that might get upgraded into the "Phablet" category, plus all the latest bells and whistles that Samsung has to offer. And of course it would also include the latest Android operating system, Key Lime Pie.

Let's watch and see what happens over the first few months of 2013. I think it will be an exciting time for tech and gadgets.

Having the extended early upgrade requirement might end up as a blessing to me after all.

Carlton Flowers
Samsunged

The Samsung Galaxy Note II Test - Final Parting Words

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II (AT&T) FINAL ANALYSIS - DOES IT PASS?

It is with great pain that I write this post. My test of the Samsung Galaxy Note II (AT&T) has concluded, and it has left my longing hands to go back to AT&T St. Louis. I will try my best to get through this without getting emotional.

This is the second day of my Galaxy Note-less life, and I'm considering grief counseling. I've never been hooked to a more fabulous device than this phantastic phablet. It has forever changed my smartphone experience. Why?

It is because I must now take a step back in time and return to my once-beloved Samsung Galaxy S2, which is a far cry from the larger-than-life magical device called the Note II.

No more will I effortlessly whip through websites and tremendously fast picture downloads with the quad-core-packing Galaxy Note II. No more super-sized 5.5" Super AMOLED HD display. No more convenience of popup video windows and superior multi tasking. It's all over... until I can upgrade.

The Galaxy Note II suprirsed me, and then spoiled me. I had serious reservations about the size of the device since I have smaller-than-average man hands. But when I first unboxed the Note II phablet, I knew that its largeness would be a plus, not a detraction.

I did not predict that I would be able to operate the Galaxy Note II with one hand, but found that it was never really an issue. In fact, I quickly adjusted to the large display and wider, taller form factor. It happened almost instantly.

My brain set a new reference point for how a smartphone should fit and feel in my hand. Now that my test period is over, my Galaxy S2 feels like a toy in my hands. It's almost the same feeling I had when I switched from the iPhone 4 to the S2, only worse.

The Note II erased any desires that I had for a 7" tablet. There's really no need for an in-between device when you have a display that is large enough to be a tablet, yet small enough to be a smartphone. I found that I am definitely in the "phablet" niche.

After reading all of the blog posts and comments about the Note II being ridiculously big, I've decided that the people who enjoy this device make up a niche to be reckoned with. The global sales of this device prove this to be true.

Last year, I had a brief opportunity to review the Galaxy Note 1st generation device, and the Note II makes huge strides over its predecessor. With a slightly slimmer width and taller height, plus the thinner body, it makes the device much more ergonomic.

I enjoyed the 1st generation Note, but that ever-so-small difference in width made it nearly unusable to my small hands. I'm surprised that such a small change in dimensions would make a huge impacct on my user experience. But it truly does.

One-handed operation with the first generation phablet was not good. I couldn't reach the letters on the virtual keyboard, and it cramped my hand after extended periods of time. The Note II never caused me any grip fatigue, and having the added feature of the compact soft keyboard solves any issue of reach.

The biggest things that stuck out in my mind were the smoothness and speed of loading apps, the blazing fast graphics processing, and the apparent quality of the build. Many writers downgraded the Galaxy Note II for feeling "cheap", but I can honestly say I don't understand why.

The device is light enough that it won't self-destruct when it is dropped. But the plastic housing is pretty enough to give the appearance of quality. The silver color was my favorite of all available choices.

I've got 5 months left before my next upgrade. I don't think I will make it. When my finances allow for it, I think I will be purchasing a Galaxy Note II off-contract. I may even consider buying a used or refurbished device once they are readily available.

In my opinion, I think Samsung has set the mark with the Note II when it comes to the hardware, the features, innovation, and overall design. I can't find a valid complaint after heavily using the device for a period of two weeks.

There have been several devices that I have tested that I gave high marks. But the Galaxy Note II is clearly may favorite of anything that is available on the market today. I won't be surprised if other manufacturers start releasing devices that are similar in size and also including some type of smart stylus like the S Pen.

I did find myself using my laptop a lot less while using the Note II. Plus I cut back on taking notes at work and at home with paper and pen. I'm a sticky note addict, and this is the first device that can cure me of my bad habit of cluttering my desk with notes.

For me, the Galaxy Note II has high utility. I found it extremely useful for a much wider variety of tasks. Reading content on the web was purely enjoyable, taking notes was a snap, and having the stylus available is the next best thing to a mouse with a computer or laptop.

But the "fun factor" of the Note II is off the scale. Watching YouTube videos, viewing pictures, and using the drawing applications makes for endless amounts of enjoyment. Plus the speed of the camera "shudder" had me taking more pictures than I ever have with any other smartphone.

2 weeks was definitely not enough time to discover all of the amazing tricks and features of the Galaxy Note II. There were so many creative and innovative things you could do that probably would take a few months just to get through.

I would be willing to pay a premium for the Note II, and recommend to anyone that it is well worth the extra amount you'll shell out to get your hands on one. I leave you with a solid "two thumbs up" if you are on the fence with choosing this device.

The Galaxy Note II is the future in the present time. I only hope that Samsung doesn't distract me with their "next big thing" before I'm able to make my move and get one. Finally I can say that I hope that technological advance would slow down enough to let me enjoy this to the fullest, once I get my very own Note II.

Until then, it's sad, slow mobile computing for me... and all I can do is hold on to my precious memories.

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Note-Broken

Facebook Holdouts In 2012 - Wise Reasoning, Paranoia, or Social Ineptness?

A VIEW OF FACEBOOK HOLDOUTS IN 2012 - THE PHENOMENON EXAMINED

It is the final month of the year 2012, and the global Facebook population is at an astounding 1 billion people. Yet in your community of educated professional people, there are still holdouts.

What are the common reasons for the restistance to participation? Are some of the reasons logical? Are they fear-based, anti-social, or with valid reason?

Whatever the case may be, one thing is for sure. We have experienced a paradigm shift in the way that we as a people communicate and interact in this society, and whether you like it or not, it's called Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg has forever changed the world with the idea he hatched over a decade ago.

But getting back to the topic at hand, the Facebook Holdouts come several different flavors. We'll take an in depth look at each one, and then hold a general discussion. So let's have a look at the variety of the common Facebookless citizens of our world!

THE FOUR FACEBOOK HOLDOUTS - "PROFILES" DEFINED

The Technologically Challenged Facebook Holdout - this holdout doesn't participate on Facebook because they simply don't know how to. They are either elderly or unplugged from all technology, living off the land somewhere deep in the woods. This type of holdout could care less, because they don't have the wherewithall to figure out any type of technology more complex than a feature phone. They get a pass for not participating.

The Paranoid Conspiracy Facebook Holdout - due to an enormous fear of "big brother" watching every move they make, this Facebook Holdout wouldn't dare post a single detail on such a public forum for fear that the government will use it against them whenever they round up all the people and throw them in concentration camps. Forget the fact that this paranoid individual doesn't break the law in any way. That doesn't matter. But the fear of retribution from posting about posting your favorite cookie recipe is real.

The Ostrich Facebook Holdout - this individual is antisocial and would rather bury their head in the digital sand and not be known. They are happy in isolation, and could care less about interacting with people. Facebook would only be an intrusion into this person's perfect quiet life in isolation.

The "I-Don't-Trust-My-Spouse" Facebook Holdout - Infidelity fuels this holdout's funk with Facebook. With the divorce rate as high as it is, and the growing number of affairs that start on social networks, the IDTMS types not only stay off the network themselves, but they also forbid their philandering significant others from flirting with the Facebook family. Sadly, Facebook forbiddance fails to fend off the frivolous behavior.

Enough about the obvious Facebook Holdouts. We've seen these types, and they are no surprise. But what really gets me are those that don't have an excuse to hold out on the world's largest social community.

What leaves me confused are those who would obviously benefit from having a Facebook profile and interacting with people. This would include business owners, sales professionals of all types, those in medical professions, consultants, attorneys, and others of similar nature.

People with these backgrounds have no excuse to hold out on Facebook whatsoever. It goes against the very purpose of their profession - to interact with people and transact business.

Let me paint a scenario...

It's 1975. A new business opens up in a local town. It's a bakery. The owner has the greatest tasting pastries and breads that any tastebuds could ever experience. He wants everyone to experience his award-winning goods, and is excited to open for business.

But before he opens, he tells the phone company that he refuses to have a listing. He chooses to keep his number unlisted. He also is against signs. He will have no part of any signs being erected on his structure.  He also has a beef with the local newspaper, so he refuses to place any ads for his bakery in the paper. Plus he doesn't own a radio or TV, so he can't see spending money advertising with either.

Do you think this would be a wise marketing strategy for a startup business? Of course not! Sure, maybe this guy could generate a fair amount of traffic from the waft of fresh bread baking in the ovens. But he would be turning a deaf ear to the majority of his market by not making his presence known.

I know what you're thinking... that was a stupid example. But it's no more stupid than a professional or business owner in 2012 that refuses to leverage theirself with a Facebook presence.

It is an undeniable fact that the majority of the eyeballs in this world are plastered on Facebook. It's the new town hall, the new phonebook, the new high-tech hangout. Call it what you want, this is where people now live and play.

But for the Facebook Holdout that can find no credible reason for their refusal, what fuels their fight against the most obvious free marketing opportunity on planet Earth?

Carlton Flowers
Self-Proclaimed Facebook King

Coming Soon: How I Figured Out The Golden Path to Facebook Marketing Success Without A Single  Advertisement!

Samsung Galaxy Note II Review - Feast Your Eyeballs On This

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II REVIEW CONTINUES - THE EYE CANDY REPORT

I spent an entire day focusing on one single aspect of the Samsung Galaxy Note II... the display. I did this by watching movies, videos, and viewing my favorite blog sites. Here are my thoughts.

First and foremost, I'm hooked to the 5.5" diagonal size of the Galaxy Note II. I don't feel I can go back to "small" now. Viewing content on a phablet is the only way to live. And with the 1280x720 HD display this thing is packing, you can't do much better for your eye's pleasure.

For this smartphone, Super AMOLED = Super DELICIOUS display! The colors are very vivid, the contrast is amazing, and the overall balance is just right for reproducing reality. It actually makes it better, in fact. It's not overdone at all, but just takes video to another level.

Watching YouTube videos was a blast. The longest one I viewed was 1 hour and 45 minutes. It was a graphics-intense type of presentation, and it gave me goosebumps. It was as if I were watching a miniature LED TV. I enjoyed it just as much. And with headphones on, the experience was even better.

The other activitiy that my eyeballs thoroughly enjoyed was viewing my favorite tech blog sites. Just sitting the Galaxy Note II flat on the table and thumbing through Engadget and TechCrunch was enough to make me get emotional. Lucky for me, I had a box of Kleenex nearby. It was just a beautiful and touching geek experience.

And not to beat a dead horse, multitasking on the Galaxy Note II takes this smartphone to a level above all. Surfing through my pile of emails with a floating video window open is a dream-come-true for someone with ADD/HD of my magnetude. I will truly miss this feature.

So here's the bottom line, folks... if you enjoy consuming video and blog content on your smartphone, and if viewing such content is high on your list of most-frequent activities, then the Galaxy Note II is a complete no-brainer. Period.

Until they find a way for a geek to pack a 60" LED TV in your pocket with a portable battery, the Note II is the way to go.

Carlton Flowers
Note Lover

LOWEST PRICE ON SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy Note II at the lowest possible price through Amazon Wireless! Prices starting at only $174.99 for new individual accounts signing a 2-year contract.

Hit the link now and check out the details, and save a chunk of money on this device that retails for $299 under contract!

 GET IT NOW

Samsung Galaxy Note II Report Continues - More Discoveries

2 GALAXY NOTE II FEATURES THAT RISES ABOVE TABLETS

Continuing on with my review and test of the Samsung Galaxy Note II, there is one thing I mentioned previously that has to be one of the biggest most usable features of this device...

Popup windows.

Having the ability to open up individual floating internet windows makes this phablet more valuable than anything else I have tried. As far as I know, you can't do this on any other smartphone. I'm not even sure that you can do this on another tablet.

Multitasking on a smartphone is not all that great of an experience. If you have a good multi-core processor and a lot of RAM, it can be okay. Sometimes when you switch from one application to another, then return to the first, it will "forget" where it was and return to the start screen of the app.

I don't see that happening as often with the Galaxy Note II. But the biggest multitasking benefit of the Note II is opening up a window that is small in size, which floats above your active screen. That means I can watch a video from YouTube or a website while surfing through my long list of emails.

That is what I call "true" multitasking, not just the ability to switch from one app to another. I want to be able to stack them up and do two things at once. The Galaxy Note II is the only smartphone that gives this functionality.

The second thing I discovered in the past few days is the amazing camera app. When I first used the camera, I didn't think it was working. I kept tapping the shudder button thinking it wasn't activating. After pressing it several times, I noticed that I had twenty pictures in storage!

Instead of tapping the button and getting a pause, then the fake camera shudder sound, the Galaxy Note II snaps the picture almost instantly. And it's ready for the next one right off the bat. I would attribute this to the quad core processor and the gigantic pile of RAM installed in this device.

There is a tremendous difference between the lag time of hitting the button and the picture snapping on my Samsung Galaxy S II and the Galaxy Note II. One you have to wait for, the other is instantaneous. You miss a lot of photo opportunities when you have to wait for the camera to "catch up". Taking pics with the Note II takes it to another level.

On the topic of the camera, there is one more bonus feature that is well worth discussing. It's the ability to shoot MMS video from the front-facing camera for text messages. You cannot take MMS videos with a Samsung Galaxy S2 with the front cam. It doesn't even give you the option.

But on the Note II (and also the Galaxy S3, by the way), when you hit the camera flip icon you are given the same menu choices as the rear camera. You would think this feature would be the same across all Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich devices, but I guess it's not the operating system. It's in the ROM of the phone itself. So that's a huge plus if you prefer to communicate via MMS video on text messages.

So that's all we have for the most recent fun little discoveries with the Galaxy Note II from Samsung. Stay tuned for more, and share your stories in the comments section below!

Carlton Flowers
Phablet Explorer

LOWEST PRICE ON SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy Note II at the lowest possible price through Amazon Wireless! Prices starting at only $174.99 for new individual accounts signing a 2-year contract.

Hit the link now and check out the details, and save a chunk of money on this device that retails for $299 under contract!

 GET IT NOW

Samsung Galaxy Note II Review - More S Pen Tricks!

MORE AMAZING S PEN DISCOVERIES - GALAXY NOTE II REVIEW CONTINUED

If you can't tell, I'm probably headed towards an all-out recommendation for the Samsung Galaxy Note II. I have fallen in love with the device, and I'm discovering new tricks each day of my test.

I thought I was done reporting about the S Pen, but I have more to share! The S Pen has so many features I may not be able to cover them all before my review period expires. So let's talk about some more super cool things that this amazing stylus can do for us.

In the last article, we talked about hovering. I have to talk about this in more detail. I love the hovering feature of the S Pen because it gives you the power of a mouse. This is not something you can benefit from with any regular tablet or smartphone.

When you hover the S Pen a half inch or less above the screen, the extra digitizer layer for the stylus will detect it and float a small circular cursor on the screen. This has many uses that i am thrilled about.

First and foremost, it solves one problem I have had with my regular smartphone. That problem is forgetting which icons stand for "copy" and "clipboard". I am constantly selecting "clipboard" to copy and paste a phone number or name, only to have to start over again because I hit the wrong icon.

With the Galaxy Note II S Pen, I can hover above the icon before selecting it. When you hover, a small popup will tell you what the function of the icon is. There's no more guesswork with small icons that are not labeled on the screen when you have this feature.

Something else this crazy little thing does... pen gestures! Hold the magic button down and make certain pen strokes, and you get shortcuts. Make a carrot shape (^) and WiFi turns off. Make a star (*) and mute activates. Make a pound sign (#) and the phone number pad pops up. There are even more than this. But gestures create an entirely new smartphone experience.

Back to the popup windows and using 2 applications at one time, the accuracy of the S Pen is invaluable. A fat finger cannot select with the dead-on accuracy of the pointed stylus tip. And the finger-mimicking rounded rubber tip styluses made for standard smartphones does not compare.

Finally, I played around with the cropping feature. I can draw a circle around anything on the screen and copy that to the clipboard. Next, I can share that with a friend via text message or email. It's almost like clipping a picture out of a magazine, only easier. That has tremendous use for me.

So that's the update to the S Pen. I still have a lot more features to discover and report about within the next few days. I'll find as many as I can and share it with you soon!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Note II Enthusiast Extreme

LOWEST PRICE ON SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy Note II at the lowest possible price through Amazon Wireless! Prices starting at only $174.99 for new individual accounts signing a 2-year contract.

Hit the link now and check out the details, and save a chunk of money on this device that retails for $299 under contract!

 GET IT NOW

Samsung Galaxy Note II Features That Amaze Me

S PEN TRICKS AND FLOATING VIDEOS FLOAT MY BOAT WITH NOTE II

As we continue with my Samsung Galaxy Note II test (thanks AT&T St. Louis), I have a couple of features to report that I practically love. I'm just now getting into some of the advanced functions of this phablet, so this is where it starts to get fun!

What I want to talk about is the S Pen. I have yet to figure out all of the amazing things that the upgraded stylus can do, but we can start with a few of of things that jump right out at me.

As I mentioned before, the S Pen stylus takes texting and note taking on a smartphone to a new level. When you use the Samsung keyboard, you can chose the handwriting input mode to compose text messages. It will recognize both plain lettering and cursive handwriting. The accuracy in translating my handwriting is exemplary.

Instead of learning the heiroglyphic writing like the days of PDA's, all you have to do is write like you normally would. I can write on the screen and even go back to add letters to words, cross my T's and dot my I's, all before finalizing the text message. I was not expecting that to work so well.

Usually, when you are entering text that uses handwriting recognition, you can't go back and edit a word that you have written while it is on the screen. Somehow, Samsung has figured out how to add letters to your own handwritten words after they have been recognized. This is truly amazing. It makes writing very natural.

The next thing I noticed is the ability of the S Pen stylus to recognize how hard you are pressing on the screen when sketching. Apparently, there are 1200 levels of pressure sensitivity built into the stylus that allow you to sketch with amazing similarity to a pencil.

I can tell a difference betwen the use of the stylus on the Galaxy Note I and the Galaxy Note II. They have improved the accuracy of the stylus, and when doing artwork, it has the uncanny ability to track exactly where the tip is for maximum effect and realness.

Something else that I discovered by mistake was one of the hovering features. When you are on a website or using a social network that requires you to scroll up and down, all you have to do is over the tip at the top or bottom of the page and it will smoothly scroll the page in either direction.

There are other features of the S Pen like hovering for text message previews and actual video previewing that I have yet to test out. We will talk about that in the next post that covers advanced S Pen use, so stay tuned!

Carlton Flowers
Ophicial Phablet Tester

LOWEST PRICE ON SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy Note II at the lowest possible price through Amazon Wireless! Prices starting at only $174.99 for new individual accounts signing a 2-year contract.

Hit the link now and check out the details, and save a chunk of money on this device that retails for $299 under contract!

 GET IT NOW

Why Nokia Lumia 920 Is Converting iPhone Users

NOKIA LUMIA 920 WINNING CONVERTS - THE REASONS WHY

Last winter, I met several serious iPhone users who made the switch from iOS to Windows Phone. I was very suprrised to see this happening, but it seemed to possibly be a fluke. Since the release of the Nokia Lumia 920 with Windows Phone 8, I'm finding out that this is a slight trend, not a fluke.

iPhone owners tend to be the most brand-loyal users of any smartphone brand. That's why it stops me dead in my tracks wondering what is going on when I see a dyed-in-the-wool Apple fan making such a tremendous switch. And whey they do, they don't look back.

What could possibly be the cause for this to happen? It's quite simple, actually. After polling several new Lumia 920 owners, here's what I found out.

The first and most common reason mentioned by iPhone owners who made the switch is the simplicity of Windows Phone 8. For them, Microsoft's smartphone operating system environment is easier to pick up and function than iOS. They say that it is far more intuitive, and a break from endless icons and folders.

Another big reason former iPhone users made the switch is the Windows Phone 8 start screen and its live tiles. They say that the tiles show the user all the important things going on in their world without the need to dive into several different applications. They can customize the order of the tiles, and even the size and color to fit their needs.

According to the Live Tiles fans, they love the ability to monitor and respond to all social network conversations all from one single start screen for their favorite friends. The ability to even use apps like Skype to answer calls without opening the actual application is a huge plus, thus allowing them to stay on the home screen or within a certain running app they are working with.

The third and final most common benefit that I have heard from the Nokia Lumia 920 owners is the advanced features built into the camera that you don't get with an iPhone. The Carl Zeiss camera is said to have the best functionality, plus extra features like the ability to add filters similar to Instagram. Plus users can use pinch-to-zoom within the camera app, plus "Smart Zoom" which lets them take a pile of pictures and erase people or objects from the scene.

Keep in mind, this is not a significant trend. There will still be millions of iOS users that will never make the switch. But for the small minority of professionals that work in telecommunications stores that are making this switch, it is a tiny but significant trend that could spell possible success for the future of Windows Phone 8.

What is your opinion? Are you a former iPhone user that made the switch? What were your top reasons for changing over? Or is it possible that you are a Windows Phone user that switched to iOS? I'd love to hear your story!

Carlton Flowers
Phormer iPhone iPhan

GET THE NOKIA LUMIA 920 FROM AMAZON WIRELESS FOR AS LOW AS $19.99!

Check out the Nokia Lumia 920 at Amazon Wireless and pick up a new handset for as low as $19.99 with a 2-year contract agreement through AT&T Wireless!

Samsung Galaxy Note II Review - Size Matters

DOES THE GARGANTUAN SIZE OF THE NOTE II PRESENT A PROBLEM?

My review of the Samsung Galaxy Note II from AT&T Wireless continues tonight with my discussion of a singular topic: size.

Is the Galaxy Note II phablet too big? Are the critics right who claim it impractical, looks absurd, and has no serious potential as a smartphone?

Well if the 5,000,000 people who have already bought a Note II are any indication, the critics can shut it. Obviously, we are dealing with a niche market that has serious depth.

I am rounding out day 2 of my test, and I have been using the Note II all day long. I've surfed the web, made posts to the social networks, talked on the phone, and read emails. Here's my straight-talk opinion of the Galaxy Note II phablet and its enormous size after using the device for two straight days.

The biggest fear I had before thoroughly testing the phone was not being able to reach the corners of the screen thanks to my small hands. I also had a fear of not being able to text by tapping or using Swype. I figured my one-handed operating days would be over if I bought one.

Surprisingly, this is not an issue. I have small hands, but I have found a way to operate the phone with one hand. Just as I do with smaller smartphones, I balance the bottom of the Galaxy Note II with my pinky. My thumb can make it all the way to the left side of the screen to hit all of the keys when texting.

Sure, I can't get my thumb to the top left of the screen, but it doesn't bother me. I can't reach the top left of my 4.3" Galaxy S2 handset, so there isn't much difference here. But I don't mind reaching around with my other hand to tap an icon on the top row while I'm enjoying the lovely display.

Holding the Note II while having a phone converstaion is a different thing. It does feel a bit awkward in your hand due to its size. I could care less what it looks like to other people, but I think I would have to get used to the feeling of this form factor while talking. It's not a deal-breaker though.

The last point I will make is what my regular smartphone feels like after using the Galaxy Note II for several hours. When I pick up my Galaxy S2, it feels like a toy. The 4.3" smartphone that seemed so big after trading it in for my iPhone 4 now feels tiny.

The Galaxy Note II is a much better looking device as compared to my good ole trusty Galaxy S2. After handing the phablet, my S2 seems to have a cheap feel. Plus it just seems too small now. My perspective has changed. I don't want the small size anymore.

So the final analysis of the Samsung Galaxy Note II size is that it is a positive. The benefits outweigh the inconveniences. I definitely fall into the niche market of people who want a phablet with a gorgeous jumbo screen.

If you have your eyes on this device and want to know whether or not the size will be a problem, you need to go to the AT&T store and give it a test drive. If the features and fantastic display outweigh your reservations on size, get it. You won't be sorry.

Stay tuned for the next review where we will talk about some of the new features Samsung has packed into the Galaxy Note II. Got comments? Chat it out!

Carlton Flowers
Phablet Man

LOWEST PRICE ON SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy Note II at the lowest possible price through Amazon Wireless! Prices starting at only $174.99 for new individual accounts signing a 2-year contract.

Hit the link now and check out the details, and save a chunk of money on this device that retails for $299 under contract!

 GET IT NOW

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Test - Initial Thoughts

DAY ONE WITH THE GALAXY NOTE 2 FROM AT&T - IT BEGINS

This is not going to be a nerd post. No talk of gigabytes, gigahertz, or processing cores. I'm going to attempt to speak normal English and tell you all of my initial thoughts about the Samsung Galaxy Note II, no holds barred!

The package arrived today, and I was really anticipating what my first thoughts would be just pulling it out of the box and firing it up. I was still hanging on the memory of disliking the size when I handled the non-functional display unit in Ohio.

After I ripped the pagage open and unveiled the device, I powered it up and it was love at... second sight. I barely got the Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system loaded, and I was already in gadget heaven. Any thoughts of "it's too big" were immedeately erased.

Looking at the gorgeous jumbonormous screen overshadowed the size. I quickly isntalled my Google account and started downloading my favorite apps. The first app I went for was Handcent, because I wanted to know if I could text on such a gigantic monstrosity of a smartphone.

I pulled out the S Pen, and used the Samsung keyboard to swipe words in the same fashion that the Swype keyboard functions. The S Pen glided across the screen with absolutely no friction. It felt as smooth as my finger.

But when tapping out letters or swiping words with the S Pen, I enjoyed an accuracy that I've been craving since the days of owning my Palm Treo 650. Fat-fingering letters seemed so archaic after maneuvering around applications and entering text with the S Pen.

The next thing I did was to test out the alternative smaller keyboard. It's a setting that comes with the Samsung keyboard, where it shrinks down the size of the keyset and moves everything to the left or right so you can reach all of the keys with your thumb. It worked like a charm and "reduced" the size of the device.

Then something happened that I wasn't expecting. A popup note told me that the S Pen stylus was detected while texting, and asked if I wanted to use natural handwriting input! I said "yes" and the keyboard was replaced with a gridlike note pad. I could write text messages by writing with the S Pen, even using cursive lettering. It changed my entire texting experience.

Next it was time to play with the S Pen and the "Paper Artist" app. This is where I discovered how sensitive the S Pen is to the pressure you are exerting while drawing. You can actually sketch with the effect you would have using a pencil. Press hard, heavy line. Press lightly, light line.

I loaded all of the typical social media applications, and the experience was quite a bit more enjoyable with the huge screen. In fact, Pinterest just looked glorious on the 5.3" 16:9 aspect ratio screen. Oops, I apologize for that techno-nerd outburst! Anyway, they basically looked a lot better on the larger screen.

YouTube was a real treat. I could probably sit for hours and watch video content on this device. It's going to be hard to go back to my seemingly tiny Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone after watching video after video on the "big screen".

Something that was absolutely noticeable was the speed that apps would load, and the ability to quickly jump from one app to another without hestitation. What they are packing under the hood of this hog does make a significant difference load time and functionality of apps.

I made my first phone call, and I didn't feel as silly as all the tech writers swore I would thanks to the phablet size form factor. The phone call was extremely clear, loud enough for my aging ears to hear, and comfortable in the way it fit to my face. That's a biggie for me.

Using the device through the night, I found myself using the S Pen more than my fingers. One big advantage of this is not being forced to constantly clean the screen of greasy finger butter. I'm very obsessive/compulsive about cleaning my smartphone display, so use of the S Pen frees me from my disorder.

I previously thought I could get away with using the fat-tipped soft rubber styluses that are on the market, and not "need" something like an S Pen. That has all changed. The S Pen is sharp, accurate, and exact. And since it has a hard tip, it glides. The rubber styluses that are made to mimick fingers tent to start gripping and skidding on the screen after a few days of heavy use.

I could be dreaming this one up, but it seems that the voice input on the Samsung Galaxy Note II is far superior than the Galaxy S2 that I own. "S Voice" must work a lot better with a more powerful CPU and a higher amount of RAM. I've heard reports that S Voice is not quite as functionally efficient and accurate as Apple's Siri, but it is a tremendous improvement on this device.

Surfing the net on this device is ridiculous. And I mean that in a positive way. The screen is so vivid, and colors so rich, that all of my favorite tech blog sites seem to pop right off the page. I would say that my Internet use would be quite a bit higher using the Note than my 4.3" smartphone.

My last overall initial thought is that the Galaxy Note II feels like a small tablet, yet it is fine as a smartphone. I would have no need to purchase a 7" (or bigger) tablet device if I owned this phablet. I can see myself going with my plan to ditch the tablet idea and use a phablet, thus saving a small pile of money.

I'll be getting into more of the actual details and advanced features this device has very soon. And believe me, there are several significant features you need to know about. But thus far, I'm 100% impressed and pleased with the Galaxy Note 2 after 7 hours of general use.

Stay tuned for more blog posts, audio, and video. Comments? Please share in the Disqus section below!

Carlton Flowers
Phablet Man

LOWEST PRICE ON SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy Note II at the lowest possible price through Amazon Wireless! Prices starting at only $174.99 for new individual accounts signing a 2-year contract.

Hit the link now and check out the details, and save a chunk of money on this device that retails for $299 under contract!

 GET IT NOW

Is The Nokia Lumia 920 The Future Of Smartphones?

NOKIA LUMIA 920 HITS THE SCENE - IS THIS THE FUTURE?

Folks, you might as well get this straight in your mind right now... Nokia and Microsoft will be putting a major dent in the smartphone market in the next year. Mark my words.

With the arrival of the Nokia Lumia 920 4G LTE smartphone, the wild smartphone frontier is going to change. I will make the bold prediction that all of the tech writers who slam Microsoft and Nokia are dead wrong. Here's why...

The Nokia Lumia 920 shocked me when I first held it in my hand. I had the opportunity to review the previous Lumia 900, and I was impressed. But the Lumia 920 has gone above and beyond the call of duty. This is by far the best new concept for a smartphone on the market today.

But the reason that this smartphone will conquer the market is not just due to the quality build and fantastic functionality. With an entry level contract price of $19.99 on contract, Microsoft and Nokia will cause serious heartburn with the competitors on the market introducing smartphones at the usual price of $199.99.

If you know me by now, you know that I'm a huge fan of Android and Samsung. I am a previous iPhone lover who made the switch to Android in 2011. I still currently own an Android device, the Samsung Galaxy S2. And I love this handset.

But after spending 10 minutes talking to an AT&T sales associate in Ohio, my mind has changed about the future of Nokia in the smartphone market. The rep who let me check out his sleek new Nokia 920 informed me that he is a recent iPhone convert. He loves his Lumia, and he doesn't plan to ever look back.

Why is the Nokia Lumia 920 turning out Android and Apple customers? It's due to the build of the phone, which is solidly the slickest and most aesthetically pleasing of all smartphones I've seen.

Additionally, it's the operating system. Microsoft has hit it big with Windows Phone 8. It's far more intuitive and impressive than Apple's iOS and also Android 4.0. The action of the live tiles makes it easy to access all of your social media content without jumping in and out of apps, plus it's easy to get to all of your utilities.

The Nokia Lumia 920 has a fantastic 4.5" PureMotion HD and ClearBlack display that blocks incoming light reflections through a polarized layer to improve screen visibility under direct sunlight. I've never seen anything like it. It's the perfect size, and a glorious visual wonder.

The camera on the Lumia 920 is quite possibly the best on the market. It's a Carl Zeiss brand 8Mp dual LED flash camera with a front facer for video chatting. The quality of the pictures taken with this camera is a force to be reckoned with.

I won't drone on about all the techy details of this phone, but it's just super fast and efficient. It's the right combination of cutting-edge combined with affordability. They've definitely hit a sweet spot. There's no lag in loading apps and jumping from one to another.

I have yet to test out this device, but you better believe a full CZ Blog review will be forthcoming when AT&T Wireless of St. Louis hooks me up with a test device. Stay tuned and watch out. And watch as this phone blows up the market over the next year.

When I recommend a smartphone to people who have never owned one in the past, I confidently tell them that a handset with the Windows Mobile 8 platform would be the easiest and best to get started with. There's no question.

Even though I am in neck-deep with Android at the moment, I don't know how long I will be able to hold out before making the switch to Windows Phone 8. Once I get to the point where 90% of the apps I need are available for Windows Phone, I'll probably be jumping ship.

You heard it first right here on the CZ Blog.

Carlton Flowers
Closet Windows Phone Phan

GET THE NOKIA LUMIA 920 FROM AMAZON WIRELESS FOR AS LOW AS $19.99!

Check out the Nokia Lumia 920 at Amazon Wireless and pick up a new handset for as low as $19.99 with a 2-year contract agreement through AT&T Wireless!

DEAL ALERT! HTC One X For A Penny On Amazon

HTC ONE X IS A STEAL AT ONE CENT THROUGH AMAZON

Folks, I've told you about the HTC One X that I tested for AT&T Wireless in September this year. It is a rock-solid device that might have the best build of any smartphone I have experienced.

Amazon.com is offering the HTC One X for only a penny with a 2-year contract through AT&T Wireless. This is a steal of a deal for super-sized smartphone jam-packed full of features.

The qHD display is brilliant, and super-sized at 4.7" in diagonal size. It feels perfect in your hands with its rounded edges and smooth ergonomic build. Add Beats Audio by Dr. Dre, and you have a fantastic multimedia device at your disposal.

The One X has enough features to keep you entertained and impressed. Face Unlock is the newest security feature that is offered through this device, and you have all the fun that comes along with the latest version of Android's 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

Add an 8Mp camera with a 1.3Mp front-facing camera for Skype video chatting, 16Mb of memory, 1GHz of RAM, a 1.5GHz Snapdragon dual core CPU, and you have a complete smartphone that should remain current for quite some time.

I don't have much of a complaint about this smartphone. If you are a fan of HTC devices, this deal is a no-brainer. I recommend you get your hands on this device while the price is hot. Click the link below to jump to Amazon and buy yours now!

Carlton Flowers
Phonerizer Man

GET THE HTC ONE X AT AMAZON.COM

CZ Blog Reviews On Galaxy Note II Coming!

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II TEST TIME COMING TO THE ZONE

I got great news from my AT&T St. Louis contact today that I will be receiving a Samsung Galaxy Note II for review! It will be arriving tomorrow. I will be doing a thorough test, and will come to a complete conclusion on this device.

I've been dreaming about owning the Note II since the rumors first started swirling about the second generation phablet last spring. And after handling a non-functional display device, I had a brief mind-change on how much I thought I would like it.

Is the Galaxy Note II a device that would meet all of my gadget desires, or is it too big for my small hands to handle as my primary smartphone? We will find out the answer once and for all.

I think the contest will be whether or not I find that the Galaxy Note II has true "utility" for all the tasks that I would like to use it for. The enormous size could be offset by the functionality of the S Pen stylus. That will be the true test.

There are some tasks that I believe the Galaxy Note II could be super useful for. If after using the Note II for a week proves this to be true, it might end up back on top of my list of possible smartphone upgrades.

First and foremost, I want to try to see if I can eliminate the use of paper in my life. I'd like to try the Galaxy Note II in place of notepads and sticky notes while on my job. Instead of going to meetings with a legal pad and pen, only to end up with stacks of sloppy hand-written papers everywhere collecting in my office, I could collect all the info I need with the Note 2.

There's something about using an actual pen and paper that sparks creativity and makes it esier to get your thought processes documented. With the Note 2, I could take notes and draw diagrams just as if I'm using a paper notepad. I'd love to be free of the cluttered paper mess in my life at both work and at home.

Next, I would like to find out if the Galaxy Note II phablet would make a useful device for writing blog posts and updating all of my social media sites. I currently have to do this from my laptop and Galaxy S2 smartphone when I'm not at the desk in my man cave at home.

Depending on how well the Galaxy Note 2 can convert handwriting to ASCII text, this could be a lot more handy than pulling out the big 17" laptop or using my tiny smartphone and fat finger to write posts.

Lastly, I'm totally intrigued with the way you can draw on photos and crop out pictures from the web and save as GIF or JPG files. This could be a valuable tool when posting to Tumblr, or creating blog posts. I don't know if it will be as easy as it looks, so we will see.

Even though the enormous Samsung phablet seems to be entirely too big for my hands to operate, I don't think I would have a problem holding it up to my face to talk on the phone. Bigger is better in that regard. I was never a fan of the micro-sized cell phones that were all the rage a decade ago.

There's one feature of the Galaxy Note 2 that could counteract the size problem. You are supposed to be able to reduce the size of the touch screen keyboard and move it to the lower right portion of the screen. This would make all of the keys accessible with one hand. No need to stretch your thumb all the way to the left side if your hands are small.

Stay tuned and I will be giving regular reports on my test of the Galaxy Note II. I will plan on including some audio and video posts along with regular blog posts. Then I will reveal my final opinion at the end of the test period!

Big thanks to AT&T Wireless for the opportunity to review this breakthrough device from Samsung. This should be my most exciting review!

Carlton Flowers
On The Phablet Phrontier

LOWEST PRICE ON SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy Note II at the lowest possible price through Amazon Wireless! Prices starting at only $174.99 for new individual accounts signing a 2-year contract.

Hit the link now and check out the details, and save a chunk of money on this device that retails for $299 under contract!

 GET IT NOW

Black Friday Shocker - My Plans Averted

MY 2012 BIG SHOPPING FEVER LETDOWN

This has been a crazy year for gadget shopping and Black Friday. I had somewhat of a clear plan of attack, and it was derailed.

As you know, I've been salivating over the Samsung Galaxy Note II phablet. I was eligible for an upgrade in October (or so I thought). Once the price of $299 was unvelied for the second generation Note, I decided to wait it out for a while.

But something happened that forced me to change my plans. My daughter lost her Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone on the day before our family vacation. So I decided to go for the Note 2 now, and hand off my current Galaxy S2 to my daughter because she wasn't due for an upgrade.

I was really excited about getting the Note 2 even though I wasn't ready to part with the money. So I perused the web for Black Friday deals. The lowest price I found was $249 through Amazon.

Before ordering the phone, I decided to make a quick trip to the AT&T store in Ohio where I was spending Thanksgiving. I wanted to hold it in my hands for the first time. I had tested a first generation Note before, but I wanted to see how the new form facctor would feel.

Right off the bat, my first thought was "this smartphone is way too big". I was shocked that I had such a reaction. I've been wanting a humongous smartphone since the first generation Note was released. This was the moment I had been waiting for, and I didn't have that "magic feeling" that I was expecting.

The store did not have a working model, and I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to try out the new S Pen and all of its features. I thought that maybe my mind would change and I'd feel better about the size if I had a chance to test drive the stylus.

I played around with a few other smartphones, including the Galaxy S III, the HTC One X, and the Nokia Lumia 920. I was most impressed with the Lumia 920, and started having thoughts of making a switch in my game plan.

Even though the Lumia 920 with Windows Phone 8 was clearly the most intuitive and impressive operating system of all, I admitted to myself that I'm not ready to ditch Android and make such a big switch. So I stayed focused.

I fondled the Galaxy Note II one more time, then I left the store more confused than when I had arrived. I went back home to drop the dough on a new phablet.

When I logged into my AT&T account, I was met with a surprise: I wasn't eligible for an upgrade!

Apparently, AT&T changed the rules on early upgrades for the primary account holders of family plans. The old rule was that you could do an early upgrade and new 2-year contract at the end of a year. But the new rule is 18 months minimum time before you can do an early upgrade.

At first, I was frustrated and angry. But afer I settled down, I was actually relieved that this happened. I wasn't ready to pull the trigger, and I'm finding that I am undecided on what I want with a smartphone.

By the time I am eligible for an upgrade, I probably won't be getting a Galaxy Note II. I will have had enough time to make a well-informed decision, and I'll have a better gadget strategy.

I'm leaning towards going back to Gadget Strategy B, which is having a smartphone that is actually a phone, then a 7" WiFi tablet, and my laptop. Who knows... maybe I'll get my stylus craving settled with a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9.

In the meatime, my money will be staying in my bank account.

Carlton Flowers
Frustrated Gadget Addict

Lowest Priced Top Notch Anroid 4.0 7" Tablet Ever?

POLAROID ANRDOID TABLET - HIDDEN GEM OR HUNK OF JUNK?

I was perusing Walgreen's yesterday and I stumbled on something in the front of the store where they place impulse items. It was a 7" multi-touch Android 4.0 tablet made by none other than Polaroid.

My first thought was that it must be a complete piece of junk, like similar "Walgreens tablets" that have been introduced in the past with resistive touch screens and older versions of the Android operating system.

But curiosity got the best of me after looking at the list price of $129.99, so I picked it up and flipped it over to see what crappy specs the device might have. What I found was quite a surprise.

This little booger not only had Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich pre-installed, but it had a capacitive multi-touch display, 800x600 screen resolution, 4Gb of internal memory, an SD card slot, a front-facing camera, support for 3D games, plus native Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube apps.

I thought it was too good to be true, so I looked at more details on the device and found it to have 512Mb of RAM and a 1GHz cpu under the hood. The actual manufacturer is Southern Telecom, a name I had not heard of.

After discovering all of these details, I started to wonder, "how has this not been drawing any media attention?" Perhaps it's a buggy device. Maybe it can't push video well. Or maybe it has low-end construction with poor QA/QC.

But what if it is actually a good device? At this price, even having moderate functionality would make this a best-seller. At least in my mind it would be. I mean, it hasn't been too long since the world sat and waited for the first legitimate color touch screen tablet to break the $199 barrier.

But that's not the end of the story... apparently, if you register for free as a preferred customer on the Walgreens website, you can buy the device for only $89.99. How can this not be worth the risk, for such a cheap price?

Will this unit sell out rapidly? Will it become a smash hit for the holiday season? Or will people buy truckloads of these tablets only to return them to Walgreens the next week because they are junk?

I read lots of reviews on Amazon.com about this device, and the opinions vary widely. It seems like there are more positive ratings than average to low ratings. After digging in deep and reading as many ratings as I could stand, I'm still befuddled about this thing.

I am personally going to give myself 7 days before I break down and buy one, just to find out if it is a legitimate tablet. If I can read eBooks and blogs, watch videos on Youtube, and stream Netflix without problems, I would call this the best value for a tablet on the market today. And a good buy.

Stay tuned, you might be hearing more about this. And if you actually own one of these and have an unbiased review to share, please shout it out in the Disqus comments section below and stop me before I blow $89.99!

Carlton Flowers
Tablet Gambler