Smartphone Warranties - Are They Worth The Extra Cost?

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iFUBAR SERIES - MY ADVICE ON BUYING IPHONE WARRANTIES

In today's iFUBAR series, we're gonna discuss a topic that I have completely flip-flopped on since my original stance. It's an important consideration for current and prospective iPhone owners.

I have long been an advocate for passing on extended warranties with electronics purchases. The reason? It's almost pure profit for the seller (the store, not the manufacturer).

Back in 1990 when I graduated from college and started my first engineering job, I discovered the "extended warranty option" when I went out on my first shopping spree to furnish my appartment.

I was very proud to buy a home CD player (the old kind that measured 2' by 1' that stacked on top of your stereo receiver) for about $100. But when I went to check out, I was offered an "extended warranty" for $20.

I turned it down based on the fact that the CD player should be dependable enough to last without an extra extended in-store warranty, and if the manufacturer couldn't stand behind their quality, I shouldn't buy it in the first place.

For the next 20 years, my advice has always been against buying extended warranties on electronics because they go straight to the pockets of the retailers. Often times, manufacturers would still directly cover a defective device if you dealt with them directly.

But in this day and age of the amazing iPhone, my mindset has most recently changed. When you're buying a $700 pocket computer, you are risking a whole lot more of your hard earned cash than what I was putting at risk with that first CD player I purchased.

It's a great thing that Apple covers defects with their phones when they are sold with pre-existing problems. But the problem is, the phones are so fragile that googles more are broken by the consumers than the number that are sold with factory defects.

When you buy expensive stereo components for your house, you're not going to pack them around in your back pocket, sit on them, and crack them. When is the last time you carried your 52" plasma TV with you every where you go?

Your iPhone 4S that you currently carry everywhere you go costs about the same as a decent-sized flat screen LCD/LED/Plasma TV. Its easy portability means you are at constant risk of breaking it.

Therefore, unless you don't mind burning $700 in the blink of an eye, you better take extra means to protect your investment.

You can get a warranty that will cover your stupid clumsy mistakes and foul-ups for about $100, plus a $50 deductible. They'll let you tear up your iPhone any way you want 2 times within your 2-year contract.

If you're like me, a clutz who is hard on smartphones, this is a no-brainer of an investment. I managed to break both of my iPhones (a 3GS and a 4) and did not have either one under a warranty to cover my own stupidity.

My bottom line advice to you is that if ya gotta own that slick little iPhone 4S (or a 4, or even a 3GS), get the extended replacement warranty. It's only about 15% more than the value of the phone.

You'll be glad you did if the unfortunate day comes that your iPhone becomes iFUBAR.

Carlton Flowers
iFUBAR Advisor

 

Android Facebook App Update Lets You Get Social More With Video!

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FACEBOOK FOR ANDROID ALLOWS VIDEO WALL POSTING

I'm a huge Facebook user, and one thing I love to do is posting video messages on other people's walls. It's a great way to give a personal message and stay in touch. But you couldn't do that from your smartphone, until now!

The most recent Facebook Android update that rolled out last week comes with some new video tweaks. You used to only be able to post videos to your own wall using your smartphone. You could only post pictures to other friends' walls.

Now you can drop a direct video message to your friends straight from your smartphone. I think this will revolutionize the way Facebook will be used, because it promotes more multimedia use. Rather than typing boring messages on your friend's wall, they can see all of your emotional expressions with a video.

Posting video content to Facebook can be quite the promotional tool when you are a public speaker, singer, comedian, or politica figurehead. Now that you can share video messages directly, you'll be able to have a greater impact on others.

Previously, I would use my desktop computer and the Flash video app to post video messages on the walls of my friends. But the app is very buggy, and sometimes you would have to record multiple times just to get the video to take. That gets quite annoying.

But with the Android Facebook app, I have had zero problems or bugs when posting videos to my friends walls. Plus, the quality of the video is much higher than that of using a USB webcam to create your message.

The audio is rich and full when creating a video using my Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone. I was not expecting it to be this good. You can choose the resolution of the video from your phone, but I'm not sure if Facebook truncates the size by decreasing the resolution on the server side.

Whatever the case, this is something I have been waiting over a year to see on Facebook for Android. Let the video messaging begin!

Carlton Flowers
Avid Video Facebooker Extreme

 

Samsung Galaxy S3 Due To Hit The Scene In June

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THE US CARRIERS SET TO RELEASE THE GALAXY S3

Hot new rumors are swirling about a June 20th 2012 release of the epic new flagship phone, the Samsung Galaxy S3 on all carriers!

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint have all confirmed the eventual landing of the new Galaxy superphone, and it's looking highly likely that we will see it hit the carrier stores this summer. The colors of white, blue, and gray have been kicked around, and it will definitely feature a fully redesigned form factor.

One big change that I had originally not suspected to come to fruition is the addition of a physical home button. It looks like the single home button and 2 soft buttons on the left and right are actually going to appear on the phone. I think this will be a welcomed addition that will add to the simple functionality of the phone.

In the previous generation, the Samsung Galaxy S2 and also with the Galaxy Skyrocket, the European versions featured a physical home button while the US versions had the standard 4 Android soft buttons. Now we will see a unified design for worldwide release.

I'm excited about the new 4.8" diagonal screen form factor and thinner design. This should mean that the "bigger is better" design is here to stay with top flight Android smartphones. As the demand for multimedia content increases due to widespread 4G LTE service, it only makes sense.

We still don't know for sure if Samsung will release the Galaxy S3 ahead of the upcomming iPhone 5, but knowing that the next iPhone will also feature a new form factor and bigger screen, you can guarantee that they will not be in a rush to release it early in the summer.

With the rapid growth of the Android market, it might not make a difference. There are enough people in the US that have firmly committed to the Android platform that I don't believe you'll have many ship-jumpers switching from Android to Apple. Both platforms will have a huge level of success, and there's plenty of room in the market for mega growth.

Right now, 50% of the population of this country packs a smartphone. But there is still a significant number of people who have yet to make the transformation from "feature phone" to smartphone. This pool of people might be large enough to even allow the Windows Phone Mango platform to make a serious splash, but at this point I truly believe that Apple's iOS and Android handsets will reap the greatest reward.

We'll be watching for more details as they become more solid. But there's enough exciting information about the Samsung Galaxy S3 superphone to all but guarantee that this will be my next early upgrade in October of 2012!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Watcher

 

 

iPhone Backlight Repair - The Ugly Truth

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iFUBAR SERIES: WHY IPHONE BACKLIGHT COIL REPAIR IS A FARSE

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December 13, 2018 Update

I wrote this article back in June of 2012, and it remains as the most popular post on my blog site to date. Every month, it continues to pull more traffic than any post I’ve written on my blog site. I’m amazed at how this issue remains, so I have decided to update the article and continue to provide more information about the topic.

The original issue was centered around the scam of eBay suppliers selling backlight replacement coils on the iPhone 4, despite the fact that the repair is nearly impossible for the average person to perform, in addition to the fact that the repair would eventually fail even when performed by a skilled technician.

The issue popped up again with the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, and continues to remain an issue for that generation model. The 6S design caused two problems: First, the blowing of the backlight coil when improperly installing a new screen, and second, its tendency to blow the coil when exposed to water damage.

When installing a new LCD assembly on the iPhone 6S/Plus, inexperienced techs often blow the backlight coil by shorting out the circuit when pressing on the LCD connector plug into the board’s port. This is due to the exposed metal connector coming into contact with the pins surrounding the backlight coil, which is placed right underneath the edge of the connector plate. It’s a common mishap that many installers unfortunately stumble upon.

Also, the exposed pins on the backlight coil would equally short out when exposed to moisture trapped inside the phone after being submerged in water, or from the evaporation and/or migration of water inside the phone after being exposed. It’s an issue that has caused a tremendous amount of frustration among iPhone 6S/Plus owners.

Fortunately, this design flaw was addressed in future models and the instances of backlight coils burning out was nearly eliminated on the iPhone 7 model. But there is still apparently a large amount of iPhone 6S/Plus models in use, and that is probably why this post continues to draw so much attention.

My advice to anyone experiencing this problem with a 6S model is to have a certified IC repair shop perform the repair rather than attempting to do this on their own. I have only found a handful of IC board level repair outfits that can successfully do this service, and they are located in Florida, Texas, and New York City. The repair will usually cost anywhere from $25 to $50, and it requires sending the phone off through the mail for the repair, and having it returned to the owner.

I would exercise caution when selecting a repair shop, and only chose those who have an eBay rating of 98% or higher with lots of experience to perform the repair. There are lots of shops claiming to have the ability to do IC board level repairs, but it is extremely important to chose one that has proof of experience.

If you have had a good or bad experience with this repair issue, post your comments below, and I will keep this article updated with any developments as long as it continues getting a large amount of attention.

I’m truly grateful for all of the traffic and comments made to this post. I look forward to keeping you posted with developments, and please take a moment to check out this intriguing program that will help to support the continuation of the blog if you are an avid iPhone photographer! The original post follows below after my affiliate banner. Thanks again!


ORIGINAL POST FROM JUNE, 2012

This is the first of a series of iFUBAR (fouled up beyond all repair) articles that I will be writing, covering all of the pesky iDevices that I have tangled with during the past year.

There are so many things that make after-market iDevice repair folks want to bang their heads up against the wall, I felt like a series was in order. My goal is to educate and warn people of some of the issues they will face before spending piles of cash on fragile Apple devices.

So let's get on with our first topic of discussion, the iPhone dim screen problem!

I actually hate to post this follow up to my previous article on the iPhone dim screen issue, but someone needs to blow the whistle. I have uncovered the ugly truth about repairing iPhones with damaged backlight coils and/or backlight IC chips.

Here's what generally happens...

You drop your iphone in water, turn it on, and there's no backlight. The screen is jet black. The only way you can see the icons on the screen is if you hold it in bright light. Or, you drop the phone and shatter the screen, and upon replacing the digiitizer/LCD assembly, the phone has no backlight.

What happens when you turn on your screen and you see no shining brightness? You have a backlight coil or backlight IC chip that is burned out.

The actual damage done to the phone isn't the culprit. What happens is, you damage the motherboard, and the ensuing short surges the coil/chip and burns it out.

The coil is what regulates the lighting of the LCD panel. When the coil goes, you get no light. The same is true when the backlight IC chip goes out.

The coil is about the size of a grain of rice, and the IC chip is the size of a baby's pinky fingernail. They have to be removed from the board, and new ones soldered in to restore lighting to your iPhone.

THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT IPHONE BACKLIGHT COIL REPAIR

I uncovered the real story surrounding iPhone backlight repair when I offered to help a young friend of mine with his shattered iPhone 4. When I disassembled the phone and installed the new LCD/digitizer panel, I noticed everything worked with the exception of a lit up display. I never would have realized the phone was even functional had it not been for the charging alert sound that fires off when you plug in the data cable.

I searched and searched for articles covering this issue, and finally found information that pointed me in the direction of a faulty coil. Some sites claimed that the coil was the sole issue, and other sites claimed that the backlight IC chip would also potentially be damaged if the coil had sustained damage.

Next, I searched for advice on making a possible repair. I found a few articles that talked about replacing the actual coil and IC chip. I then discovered several sellers on eBay offering replacement coil and IC chips for around $15 to $30. They all made claims that the repair was reasonably doable if you had the right equipment.

In order to remove and reinstall a coil and IC chip, you need a hot air soldering station or an infrared rework station to set a very specific temperature to prevent damage to the iPhone's circuit board. Some claimed that you don't need a soldering stencil to make the install, while others claimed you do.

I decided to look into buying the equipment needed to perform this repair, because no local shop offered such a service. All I needed to do was to find a good repair video or step-by-step instructions on doing the actual repair.

But what raised a red flag for me was when I noticed that the replacement coil/IC sellers on eBay had no suggestions for repair videos on the net. One even assured me that I would find several on YouTube, yet I found nothing of the sort.

My suspicion grew when I noticed that none of these sellers were performing the actual repair service, but only selling the replacement parts. So I did more digging before purchasing the repair equipment.

I finally made contact with an iPhone repair service shop in Springfield, Missouri that mentioned repairing iPhone 3GS coils on their website. After the discussion that ensued, all of my suspicions were confirmed.

The gentleman who I spoke with told me that they charge $100 to replace coils on iPhones, and that no warranty or guarnatee was offered. The reason was that most iPhone replacement coils burn out within a few days of installation. In fact, 2/3rds of the replacements go out within a month of the repair.

The reason this does not work is because it isn't the coil that is malfunctioning. A short circuit on the board causes a surge to the coil that burns it out. So if you replace the coil and you don't fix the short on the circuit board, the new coil will eventually (if not immediately) burn out.

THE ONLY "SAFE" SOLUTIONS TO THE DIM SCREEN ISSUE

It's sad that there are so many scam artists on eBay and Amazon collecting the money of unsuspecting hard working individuals who think they can install replacement coils and IC chips. But until enough people get writing and reporting about this issue, it will probably persist.

There's really only a couple of ways that you can safely remedy the dim screen of an iPhone without completely risking losing all of your investment. That's either replacing and installing a brand-new circuit board, or installing a used board from a broken iPhone.

The sad news is that the integrated circuit board inside an iPhone isn't cheap. It's the most expensive component inside the phone. It has all of the memory, the CPU, the graphics adapter, the backlight coil and IC chip, and more. Everything that makes the iPhone an iPhone is on the circuit board.

To buy a new motherboard (or sometimes called "logic board") for an iPhone 4/4S on eBay, you can plan on digging out $150 to $200 from your pocket. If you're lucky, you might find a used "certified working" logic board for around $100 to $150.

Elsewise, you can take your chances on buying a broken iPhone 4 and plucking out the logic board, but broken iPhones with good backlight coils will cost as much as the logic board alone.

By the time you add up the cost of purchasing a replacement logic board, paying someone the labor to have it installed, and possibly replacing a broken or shattered display, you could spend upwards of $300 or more to get your iPhone 4/4S functional again.

But beware of what you buy. For some reason, there are sellers on eBay who are pushing bare iPhone logic boards for $20 to $30. Upon first glance, it looks like you're getting a steal-of-a-deal buy, until you realize that there are no chips on the board whatsoever.

What in the world can a person do with a bare iPhone 4/4S circuit board? I have no idea. Even if you were gutsy enough to attempt installing all of the components onto a bare iPhone circuit board, you'd have to get special soldering stencils for all the chips, and have some serious IC soldering skills to pull it off.

THE "TOUGH-TO-SWALLOW" IPHONE REALIZATIONS

Here comes the hard truth... the facts that you must understand and accept when it comes to buying and owning  iPhones of any model. If you're thinking about buying an iPhone for the first time, here's what you need to understand!

The iPhone Is A Handheld Computer

Just because you only paid $200 for that iPhone with your 2-year contract doesn't mean you can replace it for $200 if you lose it, break it, or destroy it. What you are holding in your hands is a $700 handheld computer.

That little device has more technology packed into it than what most super computers could boast just 10 years ago. It is a highly functional technologically advanced work of wonderment, not a $200 phone with cute little icons.

If you're not protecting that iPhone 4/4S with a full insurance plan, you had better be wrapping it up in a big fat ugly 1' thick Otterbox case. Okay... maybe the Otterbox isn't really a foot thick, but it might as well be.

Why Apple creates such a fantastic but fragile device that has to be put in big blocky brick-like case to prevent shattering the screen is byeond me. But buyer beware, you better protect your investment or you'll be crying all the way to the bank when you drop it from the slightest height to a hard surface.

Cracked Screen Repair = Potential Further Damage When Reassembled

Just because your iPhone worked after you shattered the screen doesn't mean that it will work after you have it taken apart to install a new LCD/digitizer.

When you drop that precious piece of equipment down to a hard surface and you shatter the screen, there's a good chance that you damaged your logic board. If you're lucky, the logic board survived without any internal damage.

But there's a chance that the micro-sized wires, connectors, and soldering on the circuit board could be cracked or pulled apart or short-circuited due to the shock of the drop. The only thing keeping the phone working is the fact that it hasn't been disassembled.

When you take that poor broken iPhone apart, the force the tightly packed components in the case may no longer keep a broken circuit wire or connector touching and conducting electricity across the crack. Once you get the phone put back together, you could have the ugly surprise of a non-functional smartphone or certain components not working correctly.

A Burned Out Backlight Coil/IC Chip = iFUBAR Disaster

So your iPhone screen is completely dim, and you need a new backlight coil? Well forget fixing it. It's fouled up beyond all repair. Either replace the logic board, or throw the thing in the nearest trash receptacle.

Think you'll get a nice price for your FUBAR'd iPhone 4 or 4S on eBay with no backlight? Think again... it's worthless. There's practically zero demand for used iPhones with burned out backlight coils, because salvagers know better than to try to make use out of a damaged IC board inside of an iPhone.

If you own an iPhone, you better not ever think about risking dropping it in water or getting it wet. If you do, and you short out your backlight coil, you just sacrificed a $700 device.

CONCLUSION

iPhones are fantastic, highly advanced smartphone devices. I owned an iPhone 3GS, and an iPhone 4 myself (I have converted to Samsung Android products). But they are extremely fragile, breakable, and FUBAR-able.

If you're in the market for a new iPhone, you need to realize that the cost of owning one of these devices is not the purchase price that comes with a 2-year contract agreement. There are a few other things you better consider that factor into your overall cost. They are as follows:

  • Otterbox case - $40 to $75

  • Good screen protectors - $10 to $20

  • Insurance and/or Replacement Plan - $60 one time fee to $9.99 per month

  • Data/voice/text plan cost - $69 to $199 per month

If you have taken these things into consideration, you might be ready to own an iPhone. But now you know the ugly truth about what happens when you break or water damage an iPhone without insurance. Be educated and empowered!

Do you have an iPhone 3GS/4/4S repair story to tell? I'd love to hear about it! Also, please share your repair tips if you are a seasoned veteran. We'll see you in the comments section!

Carlton Flowers

iFUBAR Specialist

The Dreaded Dim Screen - iPhone 4 Backlight Coil Repair Issues

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REPLACING BACKLIGHT COIL & IC CHIP ON IPHONE 4

So you've dropped your iPhone 4 and shattered the screen, or you've accidentally submerged it in liquid, and you go to have it repaired.

You have the screen replaced and/or the battery, and you find out that the phone turns on but has no brightness on the screen. You've just entered the "No-Backlight Twilight Zone!"

Here's the deal... when you shatter the dispay, there's a chance that you can damage the component that controls screen brightness and the backlight when you get it put back together.

Having water damage is an even greater cause for burning out the screen's brightness function. Either way, there's only one way to fix that problem, and it involves replacing chips on the IC board (integrated ciruiut board).

There are two compnents that control the backlighting on your iPhone. They are the Backlight IC chip, and the Backlight Coil (see diagram). The backlight IC chis is about the size of a large grain of rice, and the coil is a miniature Cheerio that isn't much bigger.

Usually, it's just the backlight coil that is out and needing replacement. But sometimes, the backlight IC chip can also sustain damage and need replacement.

Replacing these two components involves desoldering. You can't use a regular soldering iron, either. You've got to have one with temperature control, preferably one that uses hot air. If you heat up the IC board beyond what it can withstand, you'll ruin it. A damaged IC board = buying a new phone.

There are lots of people selling replacement backlight IC chips and backlight coils on eBay and Amazon, and there are a few discussions going on at www.ifixit.com on this topic. But I have yet to find one single video or guide that shows a technitian successfully performing this repair.

This might be due to the difficulty of the repair. Either there aren't many people out there who can do this because it is harder than what is described by the parts sellers, or the few people who can actually do this are protecting their market by not sharing any information on how they have accomplished this.

If you have come across a video showing the replacement of the backlight coil and IC chip, share it on this thread. I would love to see this actually being done.

As of the time of this article, I have not found a single after-market Apple/iPhone repair shop that offers backlight coil replacement in the State of Missouri. Knowing how common this problem is, I'm thinking someone could corner the market and make quite a bit of steady income if they figure this out.

This just reinforces my less-than-positive view of the iPhone 4 construction. It's an ultra-fragile device that is prone to breaking, and the burned-out backlight issue seems to run rampant. Maybe we will see some type of improvement on the iPhone 5 that will guard against these issues.

Are you an expert with the backlight coil replacement process? Please chime in!

Carlton Flowers
iPhone Breaker/Fixer

 

 

Best Android Phone Deals - Samsung Galaxy S2 Price Drop!

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AMAZON WIRELESS DROPS PRICE ON GALAXY S2 PHONE

By now you know that the Samsung Galaxy S2 smartpone is one of my favorite Android devices, and it's one that all of the members of my family own. I purchased my own Galaxy S2 the month it was released, and I also purchased two additional S2's for my college "kids".

My wife has a Samsung Galaxy Skyrocket, which was released only a month after I purchased my Galaxy S2 smartphones. But the SGS2 is still a great deal, especially with the price dropping action going on at Amazon Wireless!

You'll get 16 gigabytes of storage, a gorgeous 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus display, a fantastic 8Mp rear camera, a 1.3Mp front-facing camera, HD video capability, fast HSPA+ 4G download speeds on the AT&T Network, and a whole lot more with this steal of a deal smartphone.

Go check out the Galaxy S2 right now on the Amazon Wireless store if you are in the market for a great smartphone at an extremely low price. I will always keep you posted when great deals break over on Amazon when it comes to the best Android devices on the market. Enjoy!

Carlton Flowers
Android Watchdog

GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 NOW FOR AS LOW AS $19.99 ON AMAZON!

Best Android Phones of 2012 - The Big Phat Note

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LOOKING BACK AT THE PRE-RELEASE OF THE GIANT GALAXY NOTE

So... continuing on my series of writing about the best deals on Android smartphones, I want to reel back and re-post one of the lost blog articles that I wrote before the gigantic Samsung Galaxy Note hit the market.

Let's take a look back at what my thoughts were, and then we'll hit the fast forward and talk more about the Galaxy Note and what has become a surprising success of a device!

Here's the "Blast From The Past" post for your enjoyment!

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE SET TO LAUNCH IN FEBRUARY ON AT&T NETWORK

The Samsung Galaxy Note is back in the news! Samsung is set to launch the tremendously-sized tablet/smartphone hybrid on February 19th, 2012 via AT&T. If you have $300 to spare and a hankering for a Texas-sized display, your day is coming!

Bloggers and tech writers are calling devices of this type the "phablet", which is a ridiculous yet catching-sounding nickname for this prototype. The Galaxy Note certainly isn't the first phablet to hit the market, but may very well be the first successful device to enter the high tech mobile market.

In the past, we saw the Dell Streak 5 do a big fat belly flop when it entered the world of smartphones, and it fizzled just as fast as it entered. But Samsung's Galaxy Note has taken a different approach to the phablet concept, and they've added a pile of features that we have not seen in the past.

The Galaxy Note will sport a whopping 5.3" Super AMOLED 1280x800 display and it will be packing a 4G LTE radio. But there's something unique that the Note will include that others have not. The Galaxy Note will attempt bringing back the stylus.

We haven't seen styluses since the days of the Palm Treo. Unlike the stylus-packing "somewhat smart" phones of the past, the Note will have a capacitive screen just like the regular line of Galaxy S devices.

You'll be able to operate the phone with your fat little fingers, and you'll also be able to make much more accurate delineations with the stylus, dubbed the "S Pen".

The S Pen will take you to new levels of functionality. You can make hand written notes on web pages and documents, convert handwriting into standard text, and even take screen shots on the fly. This is something we have never seen in a smartphone, and what I believe to be the biggest missing feature of all the tablets on the market including the iPad.

The Galaxy Note is not packing the latest processing power, however, as it will only feature a dual core 1.0GHz cpu. Honestly, I don't think this is going to cause any lagging or other serious issues with operation, but I sure would have liked to see the 1.5GHz Exynos processor in this device for what they are charging.

Nonetheless, it's going to be a versatile gadget that will stand out in the crowded Android smartphone market. If I wasn't on month number 3 of my current upgrade, and if I had $300 burning a hole in my pocket, I would probably be the first in line to buy the Note.

It would be perfect for the engineer type that I am. Is the Galaxy Note in your crosshairs? Do you think $300 is a fair price for a monstrous phablet? Sound off and let me know what you think!

Carlton Flowers
Phabulous Phablet Watcher

GET THE GALAXY NOTE NOW AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Take advantage of the price drop on the Galaxy Note! The price has come down to $189 at the Amazon Wireless store when signing up for a 2-year contract! Get all the details on this fantastic "Phablet" by clicking the link above or the picture to the left, and grab yours while the special is still on!

Best Android Smartphones of 2012 - Pantech Burst 4G LTE Review

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PANTECH BURST 4G LTE SMASHES THE TEST!

We're rolling right along with my series on the Best Android Smartphones for 2012 as I hit the rewind button and share a post that I did on the Pantech Burst 4G LTE smartphone offered through AT&T Wireless.

As I have mentioned before, this little smartphone is one of my all-time favorites of all the Android phones that I have tested for AT&T. I was truly not expecting to enjoy this handset as much as I did.

It not only passed my test, it smashed it to smitherines! If you want a smaller smartphone that will fit snugly in your pocket, and one that you can operate one-handed, then the Burst is one to consider.

Check out my review, and then watch the YouTube hands-on video posted at the bottom of this article. Click the pic to the right to jump to Amazon Wireless and get a great deal on this little gem!

Pantech Burst 4G LTE (AT&T) Review

I can tell you right now that the Pantech Burst has already impressed me, right out of the box. It's a 4G LTE smartphone with a 4" Super AMOLED display that packs 800x480 pixels.

I turned it on and was impressed with the bright and vivid display. The capacitive screen was very responsive to my touch, and I had no problems navigating around the interface. Something else that I noticed right off the bat was that the phone feels "solid" in my hands.

Other tech blogs have reported this phone to be "plasticy", but I completely disagree. It feels as heavy as my Samsung Galaxy S2, which is a bigger phone, but seems to be more dense.

When gripping the Pantech Burst 4G, I feel like I have a quality smartphone in my hands. The phone comes with a standard USB charger and AC adapter, but you don't get any headphones. That's not a biggie for me, especially since most headsets that come with phones are not of the best quality. Additionally, my Galaxy S2 did not come with headphones.

The Pantech runs on the latest operating system which is Android 2.3.5 "Gingerbread". Navigation is a snap, and I do like the custom overlay that is included on the phone. You get 7 home screens to jam pack with all of your shortcuts and widgets, and the nice pull-down menu that allows you access to the most used switches (like WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.).

The phone seems to load apps lightening fast. This is probably due to the dual core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Scorpion CPU. I did a little bit of research and found that the Pantech Burst actually beat out the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Droid RAZR on benchmark testing. That's pretty impressive for a low-cost entry level smartphone.

The Pantech Burst comes with a 5 megapixel rear camera, and it also features a front-facing camera for video chatting. The rear camera is an entry level camera that gets the job done for a phone, but I wouldn't say that it would replace the need of a high quality digital camera. But again, for the price, I would have no complaints with this dual-camera smartphone.

The Pantech Burst is being offered by AT&T for $59.99, but you can find it on sale at Amazon.com for a penny with a new 2-year contract. For existing contracts, the Amazon price is $59.99. Click the link to check out your eligibility on Amazon, and your purchase will help support the CZ Blog!

Check out the video below for my full hands-on report on the Pantech Burst 4G LTE smartphone and post your thoughts in the comments section! Thanks for watching!

Carlton Flowers
Supreme Android Phone Tester

Best Android Phones - Pantech Burst 4G LTE

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HANDS ON WITH THE PANTECH BURST RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX!

Pantech Burst Is A Great Deal For A Penny At Amazon Wireless

Here's a post and a video that I had previously published on the Pantech Burst 4G LTE smartphone from AT&T. I would say without a shadow of doubt that this is most definitely one of the best Android smartphone buys out on the market.

I absolutely fell in love with this phone, and surprisingly felt that the 4" display was the perfect size for a smartphone. It fit so well in my hand, and I could reach the far corners of the screen with my thumb. For ergonomics and functionality, this was probably the #1 phone I have tested thus far.

The Pantech Burst was my first phone that I got in my hands to test and review for AT&T. I have since tested about 6 other devices and one tablet computer. The Burst still remains one of my all-time favorites. It's a durable well-built little phone that has a snappy operating system, and extremely good funtionality.

Anyhow, check out the video that I shot when I opened the box the day it arrived from AT&T. Then hit the link below and jump to Amazon to check out the Pantech Burst for one penny with a 2-year contract agreement!

BLAST FROM THE PAST - PANTECH BURST ARRIVAL

In today's video, I'm unveiling the Pantech Burst 4G LTE smartphone from AT&T. This is the first phone I'll be officially testing out for AT&T! I'm excited to have the opportunity to test out phones and other devices from my very own cell phone service provider, and this first device gets a "thumbs up" from me right off the bat.

You can check out the details on the Pantech Burst 4G LTE phone on my previous post on this device. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be putting the Pantech Burst through rigorous testing, and you'll be the first to get the full report.

In the meantime, enjoy the video, and watch for more details! If you like what you see, click the link below for a special sale price on this device from the Amazon Wireless store!  

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Nerd Extreme

PANTECH BURST 4G LTE SMARTPHONE AT&T - ONE PENNY AT AMAZON!

 

Upgrade Madness - Android Conversion, My Personal Story

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BLAST FROM THE PAST - MY SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 D-DAY

Howdy folks! Here's another post from the former blog that got eaten by the ugly blog host provider switch monster. This was a really good story about my most recent upgrade, when I moved from my iPhone to the Samsung Galaxy S2.

What got my blood pressure up was the fact that they released a better phone only 3 or 4 weeks after I made my purchase. I'm still satisfied with what I've got, but this is quite an entertaining story. Enjoy!

Getting Off The Upgrade Merry-Go-Round (October 2011)

Yesterday, BGR ran an exclusive story about AT&T launching the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket and the HTC Vivid for $100 less than the expected release prices.

The Skyrocket was reported to be $150, and the Vivid $99. As soon as I heard the news from my good buddy Tim Largent, I nearly stroked out. My heart rate raced.

I quickly did the math in my mind to figure out if I was still within my 30-day grace period of purchasing my Galaxy S2 smartphone. I figured that I had two weeks left. My first thought? Get this thing back to the AT&T Store and trade it straightway for a Skyrocket.

When I bought my Galaxy S2, the selling price was $199. However, it was being sold on the Amazon site at $149. I’m an Amazon affiliate, and I had planned on purchasing my SGS2 online. But I sold my iPhone 4 so fast, I had to get my SGS2 locally so I could reset the iPhone and get it shipped out in the promised time frame.

I called my local AT&T Store and asked the sales staff if I could possibly purchase my SGS2 for the same price that it was being sold on the Amazon website, and also at Walmart for $50 less, and they agreed. I was ecstatic.

I made the purchase for $149, bought a couple of accessories, and off I went to the post office to ship off my iPhone 4. Life was good, and I was glad to have finally settled in with my new Android phone.

What a relief it was to step off of the smartphone upgrade merry-go-round… or so I thought. A few weeks later, and this bogus story on BGR pops up about the Galaxy Skyrocket.

Compared to the Galaxy S2, the Satellite has a 1.5GHz Qualcomm dual core processor (which is slower than the Exynos 1.2GHz CPU), plus the bigger 4.52” display that would suit me well. Plus, it is equipped with an AT&T LTE radio.

I have been perfectly happy and content with my Galaxy S2, and I actually like the 4.3” size a little better than the bigger 4.52” display. But for the same exact price, LTE capability, and a faster CPU, I figured this was well worth the $35 restocking fee for a straight trade.

It took 4 attempts before I finally got through to a sales rep at the local store. But during the time that passed before I got to a live person, I started to doubt whether or not I really needed to be doing the trade in the first place.

The big worry I had was the larger display. Problem is, I can barely text with one hand using the 4.3” display. That extra little 1/8 of an inch would probably stretch my ability to use the phone one-handed.

Plus, I use my smartphone to track my running exercise. I do 5 mile+ runs three times per week, and I use the Runtastic app to track my time and distance. 4.3” is the biggest size phone I can comfortably grip when running for an hour.

Another thing that went through my mind was the fact that we may not even see LTE coverage in Jefferson City for another year or two. AT&T isn’t really slated to have nationwide LTE coverage until the year 2013.

So that meant the only advantage would be the slightly faster processor.

Well, I finally got through to a salesperson and asked whether or not I could do a trade. The sales clerk said yes, as long as I paid the $35 fee. I told her that I had heard the Samsung Galaxy S2 Satellite was being sold for less than the original price of the regular Galaxy S2,which was $149.

She placed me on hold to check and verify the price. She came back and told me that there was no such sale going on. The Galaxy Satellite was still $249, and the HTC Vivid was still $199. She had no idea where that pricing information had come from, and I told her that it was reported on a major tech blog site.

I thanked her for helping me, and hung up the phone relieved that I wouldn’t have to go through the trouble to switch, or put up with the 4.52” display. I decided to go back to the BGR blog post to see if I could find an explanation for such a glaring error.

Where did they get their information, I wondered?

To my surprise, they added an update to the post which explained that the sale pricing was apparently being offered only in certain regions.

I would like to thank BGR for sending me on a wild goose chase and getting my blood pressure up over nothing. I should have trusted my gut feeling and not even let this phase me or tempt me.

But this is what happens when technology moves so fast that you can’t guarantee your phone won’t be obsolete during your 30-day return period.

After being tempted by having LTE phone, I decided to take a look at the AT&T coverage map. Of course we won’t have LTE any time soon, but I wanted to at least check to see how the HSPA+ “fake 4g” coverage was in our area.

Come to find out, in Central Missouri, we don’t even have HSPA+ coverage yet. So why all the fuss anyway? I think I can turn a deaf ear to all of the new gadgets coming out and end my upgrade envy now.

And hey, I’ll be satisfied when the day comes that I can at least get the fake 4G download speeds on my Samsung Galaxy S2.

Do you have any crazy stories about upgrading, waiting to upgrade, or getting off of the upgrade vicious circle? Spout off in the comments below and tell me how you really feel about it!

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Man

Click the link below to see the deals!

SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 ON AMAZON WIRELESS AS LOW AS $9.99 WITH 2-YEAR CONTRACT

Grab your Samsung Galaxy S2 right now and you will enjoy a super capable smartphone with a 4.3" Super AMOLED Display, 1.2GHz dual core cpu, 16Gb of storage, 1Gb of RAM, 8Mp rear camera with flash, 1.3Mp front facing camera for video chat, blazing fast HSPA+ 4G download speeds on the AT&T network, and more! Grab one at a great price while the deal lasts. Only $9.99 for family plan upgrades, and $39.99 for single phone plan upgrades!

The Best Android Phones of 2012 - CZ Series Begins!

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BEST ANDROID PHONES OF 2012 REVIEWED

Samsung Galaxy S2 Price Drop Makes Great Buy

As the friendly neighborhood tech geek, I get a lot of questions from friends & family on what the best Android phone is on the market for 2012. Since there is so much to report on this topic, I've decided to launch a series!

We're going to start with my top choices and go straight down the line, showcasing the best Android smartphones that AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile & Sprint have to offer. We'll even talk about high speed cellular service from the big 4 carriers.

To kick off the series, I can think of no better place to start than the Samsung Galaxy S2 by AT&T. Why? Because I thought enough of this smartphone to buy three of them for my family, including one for myself.

The Galaxy S2 was my transitional phone for leaving the Apple iOS community. I had formerly owned an iPhone 3GS, and an iPhone 4. By October of 2011, I was ready to depart from the strange world of Steve Jobs, and enter the free and creative world of Android.

But back to the phone... the Samsung Galaxy S2 is a top-notch smartphone that is chock-full of first rate components and features. You have plenty of room to store apps, music, photos, and video with its built-in 16Gb storage space. Plus, you can ad another 16Gb via the SD flash card port.

Processor-wise, it has a capable 1.2GHz dual core Samsung Exynos CPU that will allow you to run several applications at the same time without a problem. I haven't had much trouble out of mine, with only an occaisional crash. Nothing like I had with my iPhone.

The cameras on this phone are superb. The rear cam (8Mp) takes excellent pictures and video in high def and has replaced my need for a digital camera. The front cam (2Mp) is also great for pictures and video, and using on video chatting programs like Skype.

I'm still enjoying the gorgeous Super AMOLED Plus display on my Galaxy S2 as much as I was the first day. There was an immediate noticeable difference in the intensity, vividness, and color quality of this phone compared to my iPhone 4. Watching movies, videos, and YouTube is superb.

Running the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system with Samsung's TouchWiz 4.0 overlay is smooth as butter, and I haven't been able to find a single serious glitch or issue. Plus, I've been able to load the majority of the apps that I had with my iPhone devices. That made the transition a lot easier.

One of the biggest things I have told people that I like about this phone is the durability. I'm hard on smartphones. They usually don't last long with me. But I have had this Galaxy S2 for 6 months now, and it's still functional! Some people say it is "too light", but I think that's a blessing in disguise. The lighter the phone, the less of a chance it will shatter if you drop it.

For surfing the internet, I would say that the stock Android browser is leagues better than the iPhone's Safari browser. It doesn't block Flash content. Sure, some Flash sites will run slow. But I'd rather have the ability to at least see what's there. With an iPhone, you don't even get a choice.

Surfing the net with the Samsung Galaxy S2 is great. It's an HSPA+ 4G phone that can download at speeds upwards of 10Mbps. That's faster than a lot of DSL services for home computers. This model does not have 4G LTE capability, but most areas still don't have that available so it's not an issue.

Lastly, it's just about the right size for ergonomic considerations and functionality. 4.3" is a sweet spot with smartphones. It fits well in your hands, but the screen is not so small like an iPhone that you have to squint to be able to read small type. That's truly nice.

My best reason for telling you that the Samsung Galaxy S2 is one of the best Android smartphone deals for 2012? The recent price drop on Amazon.com. Current AT&T customers can get this smartphone for only $39.99 as an upgrade, or $9.99 when you have a family plan. That's a killer deal!

Hit the link below and you will jump to Amazon Wireless where you can grab one now!

Carlton Flowers
Smartphone Advisor

Click the link below to see the deals!

SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 ON AMAZON WIRELESS AS LOW AS $9.99 WITH 2-YEAR CONTRACT

Grab your Samsung Galaxy S2 right now and you will enjoy a super capable smartphone with a 4.3" Super AMOLED Display, 1.2GHz dual core cpu, 16Gb of storage, 1Gb of RAM, 8Mp rear camera with flash, 1.3Mp front facing camera for video chat, blazing fast HSPA+ 4G download speeds on the AT&T network, and more! Grab one at a great price while the deal lasts. Only $9.99 for family plan upgrades, and $39.99 for single phone plan upgrades!

 

iPhone 3GS Battery Problems - Read This Before You Replace It!

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IPHONE 3GS DEAD BATTERY ISSUES - MY EXPERIENCE

This post is for the Apple folks out there who still own an iPhone 3GS (or 3G) device that has a battery that doesn't last. If your battery lasts for 10 minutes or so, and you are considering having it replaced, check out what I discovered before you push on.

I was contacted by a friend of mine one month ago. Her son had an iPhone 3GS in near-perfect condition, but with a battery that would not accept a charge. I immediately agreed that she needed to have the battery replaced.

We ordered a replacement iPhone 3GS battery from Amazon.com, and I jumped on the replacement project as soon as it came in. Taking out the old battery was no easy task. It involves gutting the entire iPhone, and forcibly un-gluing the old battery from the inside of the case.

I successfully installed the new battery, through much travail, replaced the components and put the case back together. I booted on the phone to a near-full charge, and called it a day. I thought I was done.

The day I told my friend to come get the phone, something told me to charge it up before she had arrived. I hooked up the phone to my OEM Apple iPhone charger, and whaddya know... it would not accept a charge!

I fumbled with the phone, rebooted it several times, and monkied with the cord. It was a work in futility. I finally realized that there was nothing wrong with the battery. The problem was in the connector port itself. Replacing the battery only gave the phone an extra few hours of life.

If you have an iPhone 3GS that doesn't seem to have a functional battery, make sure that the connector works. If you plug the phone up and you don't see the "charging" icon and hear the audible alert, you may have a bad connector. If that's the case, you can just about forget spending the money to fix your phone because it will not be worth the labor.

Hopefully you have a functioning connector, and your battery is truly no good. If this is the case, get a battery and find someone in your local town to gut your phone and replace the battery. It will cost you anywhere from $30 to $50 for the labor, plus the small cost of the replacement iPhone battery on Amazon.

Do you have a story about an iPhone 3GS battery replacement, or a faulty connector? Share it with us in the comments section! We'd love to hear about it!

Carlton Flowers
Apple iHacker

Samsung Galaxy S3 - Seriously Exciting Features!

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GALAXY S3 HAS AMAZING FEATURES IN STORE FOR SMARTPHONE SEEKERS

We're a few months away from the release of Samsung's next flagship device, the Galaxy S3. We're not sure at this point what the official name will be, but the hardware details on this phone are clear.

We've talked about the amazing display on this device, but let's focus on a few other things that have me chewing my fingernails in anticipation!

Wireless Charging

You'll be able to charge your Samsung Galaxy S3 without a cord. Instead, you'll be using a charging pad that utilizes magnetic resonance, or "inductive charging", to recharge the battery. Just set it on the pad, and the charging starts.

Lightweight Design

The Samsung Galaxy S3 will be sporting a huge 4.8" display, which all but blinds my eyes in comparison to the tiny 3.5" display found on the current iPhone 4S. But here's the "wow factor"... the S3 weighs in at 133 grams. The tiny iPhone 4S? A chubby 140 grams.

Smart Stay

One annoying thing about using smartphones that are in battery-saving auto dim mode is that the screen goes dim when you are trying to read something. The Galaxy S3 will use "Smart Stay" to keep the screen bright when it senses a user's hand near the screen, or the user's face. That's amazing.

S Beam

You'll be able to transfer files from one Galaxy S3 to another with the S Beam feature. It's like "Bump", but better. Just place the devices back-to-back, and you'll be able to transfer music, notes, pictures, or any type of file that is stored on your smartphone.

Tremendous Storage

The Galaxy S3 uses MicroSDXS storage card technogy. That means you'll be able to add a whopping 64 gigabytes of extra storage space to the phone if you so desire. Add that to the existing built-in memory of 16, 32, or 64 gigabytes, and you've got a lot of honking memory.

Best Photo

Your Galaxy S3 smartphone will be able to take 20 pictures in rapid fashion, then pick the best 8 for you to select from and save your favorite pics. Features like this truly gray the line inbetween high-end DSLR camera and smartphone camera.

Direct Call

Let's say you are having a text conversation with a friend. Just pick up your phone and place it on your ear. The Samsung Galaxy S3 will call that person automatically just from the gesture!

So that's a nice roundup of some of the things that really caught my attention with Samsung's newest Galaxy smartphone. I'm sure there will be more to come as details are unveiled, but this is enough to get my heart racing!

Are these new features cool enough to make you pull a couple hundred bucks out of your pocket for an upgrade this summer? Would you chose this smartphone over the next iPhone? Would you switch from an iPhone 4S to a Samsung Galaxy S2? Chime in, share your thoughts!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Gazer

 

Go shopping now and get great deals at Amazon Wireless!

Samsung Galaxy S3 Boasting Big Beautiful Display

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SAMSUNG GALAXY S3 UNLEASHED AND ON “DISPLAY”

The Samsung Galaxy S3 superphone is out in the open and scheduled to be released around the world in 2012. This is a significant and monumental leap from the current Galaxy S2 phone, and there’s a lot to talk about with Samsung’s newest Galaxy flagship model.

There are enough things to discuss about this smartphone that I could write a detailed 10-page report. But today, all I want to talk about is the display, it’s size, and the new form factor of the Galaxy S3 model.

Samsung has changed the world of smartphones with its Super AMOLED Plus display. I didn’t think it would be possible to create something of a noticeable upgrade on the quality of the display for the next Galaxy phone. But somehow, they pulled it off.

The resolution of the Galaxy S3 will sport a 1280x760 pixel density which will rival Apple’s Retina Display now seen in the current iPhone 4S. But they have not just jammed more pixels into the screen, they also upgraded the color saturation. From the sounds of it, I think the new display will seem more realistic and less “cartoony”.

The size of the digitizer is a whopping 4.8” in diagonal. That’s a big leap from the current 4.3” size of the Galaxy S2, but still less than the ginormous 5.3” display featured on the Galaxy Note smartphone/tablet hybrid. They claim that it is still operable with one hand with the extra half inch of screen real estate.

The bigger display is a welcomed idea to me, because each increase in size will only take me farther away from the "need" to own a tablet computer. Right now, the 4.3” size of my Galaxy S2 barely keeps me on this side of not buying a tablet. So 4.8” is even better in that regard.

The form factor of the Galaxy S3 has changed. I actually preferred the shape of the Galaxy S2 over the Galaxy Skyrocket because of the sharper corners versus the rounded oval shape. This might be a carryover from looking at my iPhone 4 for the previous year. I didn’t like the oval shape when I first saw the Galaxy S3, but it’s starting to grow on me.

The rounder, more oval-like shape is probably going to mean that the phone will jam into my pocket a lot easier. It’s also going to mean a smoother more ergonomic feel while gripping the phone. I guess I will quickly get used to that.

One of the biggest technological breakthroughs with the display on the Galaxy S3 is its ability to dim the screen when you aren’t looking at it. If you are paying attention to your screen, the camera will be able to “see” your eyes. When it detects that your eyes have gone elsewhere, it will save the battery and go into dim mode, but pop back on when your gaze returns. That is an amazing feat!

Lastly, I am hoping to see the US version of the Samsung Galaxy S3 to ship with the oval elongated physical home button on the bottom of the screen. From the pictures, it looks like the button will come with a software button on either side. I love the idea of this, maybe because of my iPhone background.

So there you have it. The big beautiful display of the Samsung Galaxy S3 which will certainly catch people's eyes when it is released in the summer of 2012. It's enough to get me dreaming of the third generation Samsung flagship device!

Stay tuned for more details and opinion on the Galaxy S3, and please post your comments about what excites you most about the new display! Or not...

Carlton Flowers
Samsung Gadgeteer

SHOP AMAZON WIRELESS NOW FOR GREAT SMARTPHONE DEALS!

Blast From The Past - iPhone 3GS Dead Home Row Issue

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IPHONE REPAIR - HOME ROW ICONS UNRESPONSIVE TO TOUCH

I'm in the middle of an iPhone 3GS repair. I thought I had successfully finished the job, but found a dead icon home row when I got the phone booted up. I did a search to find out a solution to this problem because I have long since forgotten what causes this, and I stumbled upon a reference to one of my prior posts.

I'm still trying to figure out what causes the iPhone 3GS to work when the phone is in the lock screen, but then go dead on the bottom home row after the phone boots into the operating system. While I get this solved, I thought I would share an old story of my first 3GS repair attempt. Enjoy!

MY FIRST SHOT AT REPAIRING A CRACKED IPHONE 3GS DIGITIZER

A few months ago, I dropped my iPhone 3GS and destroyed the glass display. It still worked, which was a miracle, but the glass was shattered with cracks running throughout. I decided to look into replacing the broken glass display, which is called the "digitizer", on my own.

I ran into problems, and found that there wasn't much information that I could dig up on this issue on the Internet. I'm starting this blog post to provide people with my findings and share what I found to be the problem.

I purchased a replacement digitizer on Amazon.com for $11 including shipping. I was not expecting to be able to get one that cheap, but they are evidently selling a pile of these things and are able to price them cheaply.

All of the replacements that I found claim that they work on both the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS. I watched several of the videos available on YouTube that show you how to disassemble the phone and install the new digitizer. All of them claim that the process is easy, and only takes around 20 minutes to a half hour to complete.

Being that I am an experienced computer builder and hacker, I thought this would be an easy task to take on. I received the replacement digitizer in the mail within one week, and I was ready to attempt the replacement.

I made a couple of big mistakes. First, I tried to pry the iPhone apart from the antenna seam, NOT from the glass display at the surface. I ended up damaging the speaker, and killing the phone's vibration capability, but it still worked otherwise.

The second mistake I made was not being careful enough when prying the digitizer away from the sensitive LCD display. If you put too much pressure on the LCD with the prying tool that comes with the replacement digitizer kit, you will ruin it.

I pryed too hard and ended up losing about a one inch square's worth of display space when I reassembled the phone and turned it back on. I would caution anyone to be extra careful when removing the digitizer glass from the bracket and LCD display.

The videos did not stress this enough. As a side note, I have to mention how difficult it was to remove the old digitizer from the bracket that holds it inside the phone. You have to use a hair dryer to blow heat on the glass for about 10 minutes to get the glue soft enough that will allow you to pry the glass off of the bracket where it is glued on the top and bottom portions of the screen.

That was not an easy task, and it was a very disconcerting feeling trying to pry it apart after heating it up.

But getting back to the story... After reassembling the phone and seeing that I heavily damaged the LCD, I did not notice the impending problem I was going to have with the touch screen not being in sync with my finger.

I had to order a replacement LCD panel from Amazon.com for about $35. Once the new one came in, I put the phone back together with the new digitizer. I fired up the phone and had a perfect display, to my great excitement!

But the celebration didn't last long when I noticed that I couldn't get the slider to move across the screen to unlock the phone. I fiddled with it for several minutes until I noticed that I had to touch the screen 1/2" above the slider button to get it to "grab".

Once I got the phone unlocked and on the home screen, I noticed that all of the buttons were off-base. You'd touch one icon, but it would activate the one to the right, and up one row. All of the icons were off, and there is no way to calibrate the screen to fix this.

I also noticed that the bottom row was off, but in a different way. Instead of being out of sync to the right and up one notch, it was just to the right. The bottom home row evidently is handled in a different way than the icons as far as iOS works.

I searched and searched on the Internet and found only 2 or 3 obscure blog posts where others had described having the same problem. I surmised that the digitizer was no good, so I sent it back for a replacement.

The replacement came in, and I had the same exact problem. That's when I really started to dig. I found exactly one post on a blog that a person made reference to what could be causing this problem. The person stated that the digitizer for the 3G is not compatible with the 3GS version.

I don't know if this is true or not, but it is the only possible answer that I have found to date. I got frustrated with trying to find a solution to the problem, so I packaged up my 3GS, all of my accessories, the 2 replacement digitizers, and sold it all on eBay for $180.

The broken digitizer still worked, so I took off the replacement and put it back on so the buyer could get the phone loaded and jailbroken. The buyer had plans to unlock the phone and use it on the Verizon network.

I used the proceeds to cover my cost of an early upgrade to the iPhone 4, which I absolutely love. Since going through this ordeal, I have come across several people with cracked iPhone displays asking me for advice on replacing them.

I'd like to find out more about this calibration problem before I recommend a course of action for anyone. If you have had any experience in repairing iPhones, or if you know of a person who has some insight on this syncing issue, please post a reply below. I'd really like to get a good discussion going on this!

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Repair Man

Samsung Galaxy Skyrocket Is One High-Flying Gadget

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GALAXY SKYROCKET REVIEW- DOES IT ACHIEVE TOP BILLING?

My wife has had a Samsung Galaxy Skyrocket 4G LTE smartphone now for 6 months. I bought it for her after Thanksgiving on a "Cyber Monday" sale for an undisclosed ridiculously low price. Now it's time to spill the beans on how it has performed!

First of all, let me tell you this... I had just purchased my own Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone one month before buying my wife's Galaxy Skyrocket. I am still pretty salty the whole deal, because I am the gadget nerd, not my wife, and she has the more technologically advanced device.

While I am seriously jealous of my wife's Galaxy Skyrocket, I am still 100% pleased with my Galaxy SII smartphone. We'll get into that on my next post. But for now, let me tell you what I love so much about the wife's Skyrocket.

First of all, the screen size is ever-so-slightly-larger at 4.5" in diagonal size versus 4.3" on my S2. The Super AMOLED Plus display is just spanking amazing. For me, bigger is better, and I love the extra size that the Galaxy Skyrocket sports. From what I have observed, you're not going to find a better display on the market than that of the Samsung Super AMOLED.

Watching video content, whether it be movies, television shows, or YouTube videos, cannot be beat on this device. Somehow, the engineers who came up with this display have perfected the contrast and color brilliance to where it is almost more vivid than real life. And that is no exaggeration.

Surfing the net and downloading content on the Samsung Galaxy Skyrocket is an absolute pleasure. This is a 4G LTE phone running on AT&T's latest greatest network, plus it drops back to the enhanced HSPA+ 4G network when you're not in an LTE coverage area.

While visiting St. Louis a couple of weeks ago, I was downloading on my wife's Skyrocket at 32Mbps, while uploading at 6Mbps. Comparitively, my Galaxy S2 was downloading at 11Mbps and uploading at 2Mbps (still respectable). Internet data transfer speeds are insane when using your device in an LTE area.

The Galaxy Skyrocket is no slouch when it comes to functionality and computing power. It is packing a dual core 1.5GHz processor, and has no problem pushing applications and multitasking. You've got 1Gb of RAM to help run several programs at once with no observable lag.

No review of mine would be complete without talking about durability. The Galaxy Skyrocket ranks super high, just like the Galaxy S2 when it comes to its ability to survive drops. The phone is super light, and the screen is made of a Gorilla Glass product. Unlike heavier smartphones made by HTC and Apple, this one is not going to shatter in a gillion pieces when it hits the ground.

As far as looks, you can't get any better than the white Galaxy Skyrocket with the gorgeous sliver trim! This has got to be one of the sweetest-looking smartphones I have ever seen. I ordered the standard black version for my wife, but the new white model comes with the silver trim on the outer edges.

Without getting out of control on the geek talk, I'll wrap this up by telling you that I believe the Samsung Galaxy Skyrocket 4G LTE smartphone from AT&T Wireless is probably one of the best values on the market for the price. Currently, it's only $79.99 with a 2-year contract.

If you are an Android fan and you're due for an upgrade, there's no hesitation in my recommendation that the Skyrocket will will be your best bet. Hands-down.

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Reporter Supreme

GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY SKYROCKET 4G LTE AT&T SMARTPHONE AT AMAZON!

Grab the Samsung Galaxy Skyrocket 4G LTE smartphone from Amazon Wireless for as low as $79.99 with a 2-year contract through AT&T today! Enjoy the fantastic 4.5" Super AMOLED Plus display, the powerful 1.5GHz processor, and the blazing fast 4G LTE internet speeds with this popular handset made by Samsung. Get yours while the price is low!

 

Samsung Galaxy Note Price Drop On Amazon

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THE GALAZY NOTE - GREAT VALUE ON GIANT SMARTPHONE

It's been a while since I reported about the Samsung Galaxy Note 4G smartphone available from AT&T Wireless. I had the rare opportunity to test this handset a month ago, and I loved it. There's been a recent price drop on this monstrosity, so I thought I'd alert the troops.

You can snag this hybrid smartphone/tablet from Amazon for only $229 at the moment. No clue as to how long this price will stay low, so grab it while you can. It comes in black and white, and is yours with a 2-year contract agreement from AT&T.

To refresh you, I think this is the most amazing concept device ever released in the smartphone niche. The Galaxy Note is a super capable computer running on a dual core 1.5GHz processor and the ginormous 5.3" 1280x800 Super AMOLED HD display and the first stylus to hit the streets since the days of the Palm Treo series.

If you are anything like me, not sure of whether or not a tablet computer is a good purchase and justifiable expense, the Samsung Galaxy Note is the answer. You're getting a smartphone plus a tablet all in one, with a very unique feature...

The Samsung S Pen gives this device functionality that nother tablet can offer. It's a pressure-sensitive stylus that you can use to take notes, annotate pictures, scribble notes on maps, and even do artwork. There is no comparison between the S Pen and the older styluses that were basically resistance-touch operational only.

You can forget needing an extra 4G LTE wireless service agreement like those that carry iPhones and iPads, because the Samsung Galaxy Note is the perfect in-between device that covers communication and data consumption like a tablet. I think it's the perfect combination.

For all the critics out there who say that the Galaxy Note is "too big", they can put a lid on their constant complaining. How could 5.3" be a problem when people are so willing to haul around iPads at 9.7" in size? And I'm sorry, but the Galaxy Note is not nearly as big as the telephones and cell phones of yesterday!

Whatever the case, the Samsung Galaxy Note is an excellent value for those that want a wide range of functionality in a smartphone without the need of buying a tablet or laptop. I give it my highest recommendation, and I think you'd be pleased with what it can do and how it can make your work life more efficient.

I'll keep you posted if I see any more price movement, or if any fresh rumors pop out. Do you have a Samsung Galaxy Note? Chime in and let us know what you love the most about this device!

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Watchdog

GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 4G IN BLACK OR WHITE ON AMAZON NOW

Click the thumbnails on the left to jump to Amazon Wireless where you can purchase a Samsung Galaxy Note 4G smartphone tablet hybrid for $229 through AT&T Wireless on a 2-year contract! Get the best of both worlds with a cutting-edge smartphone combined with the most bombastic Super AMOLED display for a smartphone that money can buy with its 5.3" diagonal size and S Pen smart stylus!

Motorola Droid RAZR Penny Sale At Amazon!

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GET THE DROID RAZR IN THREE COLORS FOR ONE CENT ON CONTRACT

Okay Verizon people, there's a pretty decent sale going on right now in the Verizon Amazon Wireless store for the Motorola Droid RAZR smartphone. You can pick one up with a 2-year contract for only one cent, with your choice of black, white, or even purple!

I'm not a huge fan of Verizon, simply due to the fact that AT&T coverage is better in Mid-Missouri (among other things). But if you are a Verizon customer, you can't go wrong with this deal if you are in the market for an upgrade.

The Moto RAZR is a decent handset, and it's seemingly built to last. Durability is an important factor for smartphones in my book, because I am very hard on phones. Therefore, I can say that the RAZR would be a safe bet for the 2-year time period you would be contracting to use the service.

The RAZR sports respectable specs, too. It has a dual core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, a brilliant 4.3" Super AMOLED Advanced display, 16GB of internal storage, an 8Mp rear camera, 1080p HD video, and a front-facing 1.3Mp 720p camera for video conferencing.

It will run on Verizon's 4G LTE network, and will also even feed other devices with its data streaming mobile hotspot capability. That means you can use this device to feed high speed internet to your laptop or tablet computer.

Overall, you're not going to go wrong with this device. Motorola is a trusted name in the tech industry, and they have a solid foundation in manufacturing cell phone devices that last. They will probably continue their success with this device and many more.

Hit the link or click the piture and grab one of these now while the one cent sale is on. You never know how long they'll last!

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Deal Hunter

MOTOROLA DROID RAZR ONE CENT SALE AT AMAZON

Grab your Motorola Droid RAZR smartphone for only one penny with a 2-year contract through Verizon Wireless at the Amazon store! Offer good while supplies last, and no guarantee of how long the sale will be available. Surf the internet at blazing 4G LTE speeds on the Verizon network and enjoy one of the most iconic brands in cellphone history with your Droid RAZR smartphone!

The Pantech Element - My Surprising Final Analysis

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PANTECH ELEMENT TEST RESULTS FROM THE GADGET MAN!

I spent two quality weeks with the Pantech Element tablet, provided by AT&T Wireless. It has warped my traditionally negative view of tablets. I've officially been softened. Here's why...

The Pantech Element is an 8" HD tablet device that has every possible feature you would want, and I would put it squarely on the same level as an iPad 3. That's a bold statement, but it is fact.

Size-wise, I'm loving the smaller 8" diagonal display. It's about as big as I would want a tablet device to be. I have never been comfortable proping up a huge iPad with it's 9.7" dipslay. There is just no comfortable way for me to use it other than lying flat on a table.

But the 8" Pantech Element is small enough to hold without discomfort, and big enough to really enjoy multimedia content with its rich display.

A few of the things that I enjoyed on the Element that you won't find on the iPad 3 are Adobe Flash support, a fantastic haptic response on the display, and full waterproof casing. Those are 3 things that I find quite useful that add to the functionality and user experience.

I enjoyed using the Pantech Element to surf Facebook, watch YouTube videos, Netflix, and for reading articles on the Pulse News application. Even reading emails was a fun task on the Element.

The multimedia content viewing was further enhanced by the rich, full sound eminating from the speakers within the device. It was quite a suprise to hear the sound quality coming from the Element. I did not expect such a full sound, but something more "canned" and shallow.

If I were to spend the money on a tablet, which I am now considering in the future, it would be something on the order of a Pantech Element or smaller. I would mainly use it for consuming multimedia content, and for checking emails on the go.

With its 4G LTE radio service, you can download content at blazing fast speeds. When testing this unit in St. Louis, was achieving download speeds upwards of 37Mbps, and upload speeds of 12.4Mpbs. That was truly unexpected. This could almost cause a problem with rapid data consumption and blowing past the download limits!

In the final analysis, I would have to say that Pantech is a serious competitor on the market with the Element tablet and also the Burst smartphone. Both devices scored super-high in my testing, and I'm seriously impressed with the quality of their build and the ease of use.

Pantech is a sleeper. If they continue making great devices like this, I think companies like Apple, Samsung, and HTC better watch the back door... because Pantech could be in position to kick it in and grab center stage!

Carlton Flowers
Avid Gadget Tester