Android 4.2, and the Nexus 4

Beginning with Android 2.1, Google has been releasing new Nexus devices annually. Despite Hurricane Sandy running through NYC, Google has released the new Nexus 4, available for order on November 13th.

Recap:
Nexus 4:

• 1.5Ghz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor
• 2GB RAM
• Choice of 8GB or 16GB options
• 4.7" True HD IPS Display
• 8 megapixel shooter in the back, 1.5megapixel front facing camera
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

My Thoughts on Android 4.2:

A new version of Android already? Although it is a minor upgrade from 4.1.1 released back in July of this year, a new version means extra fragmentation. From the recent distribution list, Jelly Bean is currently on only 2.7% of devices. The majority of users are still on Gingerbread, a whole two versions behind the current. 

I know, normals users do not care much for software updates, and some may even find them annoying. But for us tinkers, fragmentation is a true issue. Instead of getting updates fast from Google, we have to resort to rooting, and flashing custom ROMS. 

Android 4.2 packs some interesting things, such as multi-user support. Multi-user support is great for those that constantly have friends or family picking around their phone. By having this, they are unable to see certain things. Think of it like Windows, where you have different accounts to log in. It's similar to that. Also in 4.2 is a quick settings bar, which has been available on HTC and Samsung skinned devices for a while. Gesture typing is also added to the keyboard, giving it a Swype-like effect.

My Thoughts on Nexus 4:

The Nexus 4 is the first Nexus phone made by LG. Yes, LG. Some may complain that LG lacks the build quality of others, or the support given to their phone is lacking. However, the Nexus 4 proves you wrong. LG has come up with a design slightly similar to the Galaxy Nexus, while improving it with a designed back, and a chrome finish. The exterior of the device looks extremely nice, while the inside packs a punch. Wireless charging is also a bonus, giving you the ability to charge wirelessly and on the go. 

For the price, the Nexus 4 is definitely the phone to get. For $359 Canadian, you can get a phone, unlocked and free of contract. No more 3 year contracts, and $60/month phone bills. There is no phone in my mind that comes close to the Nexus 4 in terms of specifications and price. For $359, it is a steal for a quad core phone. 

Is it worth the upgrade?

Yes, and no. If you're coming from a decent device that you have just gotten, such as the S3 or the One X, it's better to stay with what you have. If you're coming from a lower end phone, by all means, upgrade. This is an excellent phone for its' value. 

HTC J Butterfly: The Phablet Trend Continues...

HTC J Butterfly

HTC has recently unveiled a new phone, the HTC J Butterfly geared towards the "phablet" crowd. With Android 4.1 Jelly Bean onboard, the HTC J Butterfly is running the newest software at the time of release. Of course, with version 4.2 looming, there are no guarantees as to when the next software update could be available. Like any other HTC device, the HTC J Butterfly has a Sense overlay.

The screen of the HTC J Butterfly is nothing short of spectacular. It features a 1080p display on a 5 inch Super LCD 2 screen. Inside the device is a 1.5Ghz Quad Core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and 2GB of RAM. There is 16GB of onboard storage available, with a microSD card slot.  On the back of the phone is an 8-megapixel camera with a f/2.0 lens and on the front is a 2 megapixel front facing camera. Powering this device is a 2,020mAh battery.

Compared to the Galaxy Note II, the J Butterfly lacks the massive battery that the Note II has. This gives us the question, is a 2,020mAh battery enough to power the 5-inch device throughout the day? The screen is wonderful, and I am sure it will attract much of the phablet crowd, but how many?

Patience for updates growing slimmer and slimmer

Source: Mobile Devices phone

How long are you willing to wait for the next version to upgrade? One month? Six months? A whole year? Android updates, as widely known as they are, take forever to update. Some phones don't even get a single update! My HTC Wildfire S, for example, has never received an update. It has been stuck on version 2.3.3 Gingerbread since I got the phone, and looking towards the future, does not seem likely to receive an update anytime soon. So what were my options? Either stick to Gingerbread, or go through the process of rooting, and install a custom ROM. I opted for the latter, but I do wish that I could have gotten an update from HTC themselves.

Even though the Wildfire S is a seemingly low-end device, there may be some justifications as to why it did not receive an update. The amount of RAM available, and the devices' internal memory is just not sufficient enough to run Ice Cream Sandwich, let alone Jelly Bean. But what about devices that have enough memory and RAM to support the next and newest update? Some are being left to dry alone, like the Motorola Atrix 4G. The Atrix 4G has 16GB of internal storage, and 1GB of RAM. It even has a dual-core 1Ghz processor. In what means is this not capable of running Ice Cream Sandwich? It is more than capable, and better specifications than the Nexus S, currently running Jelly Bean.

Jelly Bean, released back in July of 2012, is currently only running on the Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus S for Android phones. Now, September of 2012, updates are slowly rolling out to users with a Galaxy S3 in Poland, getting the long awaited Jelly Bean update. Two months seem like a long time, but do you think it's worth the two month rate? Do you think it could roll out quicker?

What's really at the root of this problem? Is it the skins that are running atop of stock Android? Is it missing the hardware acceleration? This problem has plagued Android, and many users are flocking to alternatives, such as the less cumbersome iPhone or Windows Phone options. Both of these devices are capable to update once the update has been pushed out. There is a minimal amount of wait, you are guaranteed an update at least once a year, until you are unsupported.

What is your opinion on this issue? How long are you willing to wait for an update?

Choosing a Phone that is Right for YOU

Source: Gizmodo

In this day and age, many flock to the Internet to find out more on their future cell phone. What makes it difficult now, is the amount of "fanboys" and "fangirls" lurking around. They each claim that a certain platform is better than the other, without giving a fair credit to the other platform. How must we choose with so many variables?

Scroll to any iPhone 5 Review post, and you will see in the comments that "iPhone sucks" or "get an S3 instead." This information does not help you in any way, and often makes you even more confused. Why would someone say that? Am I missing something in my research? The point is, that many try to sway you to one side, and persuade you into getting a phone that may not be right for your needs. This isn't right, so how shall we pick our phones without sucking into peer pressure?

My opinion is to check out more than one review. Know the pros and cons to the phone, and visit different sites for different opinions. Try to find a balance between the reviews, as some may be biased. If one review says that "the screen is inadequate," and others believe "the screen is beautiful," find the balance. Take note into what most people say, and ignore the outliers. Go into the research with a clear mind, and lots of time. Write down a list of things that you require the most, for example, battery life, or LTE connectivity. Find matches based on what you need, and then go further into which operating system you would like to use. Take your time. Technology moves at a rapid pace, but it can only go as fast as you want it to go. Remember that you will be using your phone for at least two years, so choose the right one for you.

However, most importantly, you must try out the phone before you purchase the device. Play with the phone in store for as long as you want. If the retailer pushes you to another phone, try it, but don't be too swayed to  what they want you to get. Try to go to a retailer that does not work based on commission, as they will be more honest to you. Don't be afraid to ask questions, the more you ask, the more you will know about the phone.

Different phones are right for different people, and no two phones work the same way. Don't suck into peer pressure and get what your friends get. It's okay to be different and unique. So what if you don't have iMessage or BBM? You can always text each other. Find your perfect phone, and keep using it, until you find the next perfect phone that is just right for you.

Maluuba: First Impressions

Maluuba, a Google Now type app, offers a very simple and clean look. This look is extremely similar to Windows Phone 8, offering tiles, and swiping left and right to go between "folders." Maluuba offers more than Google Now, giving you restaurants, movies, businesses, and more.

"My day" offers you a simple agenda layout on your appointments and meetings of the day. If you do not have anything scheduled for a day, a similar layout pops out with suggestions for movies, or businesses.

Weather is laid out very cleanly, information popping out at you quickly. However, I could not find the option to change from Fahrenheit to Celsius, one that is useful for me daily.

Movies are shown quickly, with listings that are now playing, and opening soon, Clicking on an individual movie will give you information about the movie, such as the genre, director, cast, and the ability to view the trailer. You are also given the option to share the movie by email, Twitter, Facebook and SMS.

Now for the voice search. Answers are given in three sections: answers, wikipedia, and more sources. The answers category is powered by Wolfram Alpha, giving a list, general information, and an image. Information is laid out very nicely, and it does a nice job of recognizing what you say.

Maluuba is quite impressive, and although I have access to Google Now, I may be using it in conjunction with it. This app simply brings more to the table, more information, with a clean and easy to use layout. This app will be staying on my phone.

Give it a try! Download now here!!

Is jailbreaking or rooting really necessary?

Source: HowToGeek

Jailbreaking for iPhones and rooting for Androids are words commonly thrown around, but how many actually know what these two words mean?

Jailbreaking refers to changing things in iOS products that generally could not be changed. For example, jailbreaking gives you access to Cydia, an "app store" for themes, apps, settings, and much more. With a jailbroken device, you are able to change the icons of each app, the keyboard colours, and lock screen settings. From what I have experienced, a jailbroken device is much more unstable, and may lead to lag, crashing and unexpected errors. It has gotten so bad that I restored my device back to factory device settings.

Rooting refers to unlocking the bootloader, and have full control over the device. With a rooted phone, one is able to install a new ROM, change notification icons, and can almost change anything imaginable. Popular ROMS, such as CyanogenMod, is available for many devices. Those that have a skinned device are now able to have stock Android. Another plus for rooting your phone is that you are able to "update" your phone before your carriers release them. For example, a developer may decide to port a ROM to your device, and have it based on Android 4.1. Not only can you change the ROM, you can make your speakers act differently, such as installing Beats Audio. There may also be speed improvements, as scripts such as the V6 SuperCharger. Similar to jailbreaking, you can also restore back to factory default settings, and wipe the number of ROM installs on the device.

Is this really necessary? For the average user, rooting and jailbreaking is not necessary for the phone to function. Advanced users, users that enjoy tinkering with settings will enjoy the freedom to add things they aren't allowed to. The user freedom is something that many will enjoy, and rooting and jailbreaking may fulfill that joy.

Note: I am not promoting jailbreaking or rooting. Please note that jailbreaking or rooting WILL void your warranty. 

Google associated Apps on iOS now obsolete

Source: MacRumors

In the recent iOS6 update, Apple has controversially decided to get rid of YouTube and Google Maps as applications pre-loaded on devices. To get YouTube, one must download it off the App store. No warning, nothing. The uninformed about the update may just go ahead with the update, and not realize that YouTube will no longer be pre-installed. Small task, but many rely on YouTube as there is no Flash support in iOS. Google Maps on the other hand cannot be reinstalled in any way after updating to iOS6. Your only option is to use Apple Maps, or wait for Google Maps to come to the App Store.

Apple Maps created uproar on the Internet because of its' many inaccuracies. Bridges somehow melting, highways suddenly sloping upwards at 90 degrees, and incorrect placings of landmarks shows that it is nowhere near Google Maps league. Although this iOS6 update brings you turn-by-turn navigation, it still does not match up to the standards of Google Maps.

I understand that Google Maps has been out for a long time, and has gone through these phases as well. Misprints, and little errors plague every software, but landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty are not well represented in Apple's Maps. A popular landmark, known to almost everyone in the world, is hardly seen in Apple's maps. To me, this does not seem to be an application up to Apple's standards. Apple's motto, "It just works," no longer applies to this specific application. It just doesn't work the way you want it to. There is no transit map available, with only a button leading you to a third party app. Buildings are misrepresented, and there is no option to downgrade back to Google's Maps.

So what does this mean for Google? Google now has a viable edge to this game. Pushing out their own application to the App Store could gain much of their traffic back. Could this mean that Apple users are in frustration, and turning to other operating systems in the future? Certainly possible, but I highly doubt it.

Apple has also released a statement about the app, stating that "this is just the beginning...improvements to come." We'll just have to wait and see.

What do you think about Apple's decision to steer away from Google? Do you think they will be successful in the future with this plan? Let me know!

HTC 8X and HTC 8S

Another day, another...wait Windows Phone 8 device? That's right, two new Windows Phone 8 devices were unveiled in New York today by HTC. Sporting bright new colours, this seems to be the new style of Windows Phone 8 devices.

HTC 8X on the left, and HTC 8S on the right

WINDOWS PHONE 8X:

Looks like a Lumia, eh? The HTC 8X is the flagship of HTC's Windows Phone line and comes in blue, white, yellow and red. Similar to HTC Android phones, it comes with Beats Audio.

Inside the hood: Inside the 8X is a dual core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5Ghz and a 1GB RAM. 16GB's of internal storage is included, with an option to have expandable storage via microSD cards of up to 32GB. An 1800mAh battery is included, enough for you to go through the day. The battery is non-removable. 

Outside the hood: The 8X has a 4.3" Super LCD 2 display with a pixel arrangement of 1280 x 720. The back camera is 8 megapixels and records at 1080p. The front-facing camera is 2.1 megapixels and also can record at 1080p.

WINDOWS PHONE 8S:

The 8S is the lower-end one of these two devices, but it is not lacking on the specification front.

Inside the hood: Inside the 8S is a single core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1Ghz with 512MB of RAM. It comes with 4GB of memory, and can be expanded via microSD card of up to 32GB. A 1700mAh battery is included, but is non-removable.

Outside the hood: The 8S has a 4" Super LCD  display with a 800 x 480 resolution giving it 233ppi. The back camera is 5 megapixels capturing video at 720p. There is no front-facing camera on this device. 

Does this change your view on Windows Phone 8? If you had the choice, would you choose the 8X/8S/Lumia 820/Lumia 920?

What would you change about Android?

Continuing the operating system changes theme, today, we will discuss some changes I would like to see in Android. 

The implementation of skins over the stock Android overlay gets quite intrusive. Skins such as TouchWiz, Sense, and LG's UI turn the stock image, to something completely different. Comparing the skins, all three look different from each other. Placing an overlay not only is intrusive, but also slows down update rates. As Android updates are pushed out, manufacturers now need to make it compatible with their own overlay. With the time frame getting longer, this proves to be a problem with Android. For fragmentation to lower its impact, I suggest that when one turns on the phone for the first time, they are able to choose either stock Android or the manufacturers overlay. This should also be very easy to change through settings.

Pirating. I'm not a developer by any means, but pirating has got to stop. Developers put a price tag on their app to gain revenue. The developers had worked hard on these apps, and deserve a little money for the time they put into making the great app. Being open sourced, it is extremely easy to grab the .apk file and install it on your phone. Something has to be done to combat those that pirate apps.

Lag. This is a common complaint. Most of the higher-end phones do not lag as much, and much of it is fixed with the Jelly Bean update. However, only the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S, and the Nexus 7 have Jelly Bean. No one likes lag, at least no one that I know of. Everyone enjoys getting the information at an instant. With many of the lower-end to mid-range phones, lagging is very prominent. Simply put, the processor cannot handle the amount of widgets placed on the home screen. The only way to work around this is to have less widgets, or to buy a phone with more RAM and processing speed.

What would you like to change about Android? Would you like to have less control of your device, or the ability to have a choice if your phone was based on the manufacturers overlay or AOKP?

In no way am I bashing Android, only pointing out things that annoy me as an Android user. I try not to be biased in my opinion.

What would you change about iOS?

iOS is not perfect, and neither is any other operating system. Over the next few days, I will discuss what I would change about iOS, and Android.

Have you ever wondered why your iPod/iPhone or iPad had certain icons that were animated and some were not? For example, the calendar app icon shows the number corresponding to the day of the month. However, the weather app icon constantly shows the same 23 degrees year round. Why not make it animated as well? Have the clock AND the weather icon animated, and we would have uniformity.

You know how on Android, the notifications show on the top? Well, why not on iOS too? I know many will start flaming and say that they are copying Android, but in all means, it is very useful. Currently, there are notifications coming in, and one does not know you get a notification unless you pull the bar down. How often will you do that? For example you're browsing the web. How would you know that someone texted you if your phone is on silent? You don't. Unless you pull down the notification bar. Annoying.

I constantly have the need to put my phone on silent during school hours, and it is essential for me to see quickly that it is on silent. When I am finished school, I like to turn my ringer sound on. I understand that on the left side of the iPhone, there is a little switch which shows ringer on and off. But what about on the screen? And how loud is the ringer exactly? It is on, but how loud? The only way to check that is to use the volume controls up and down. It would be nice to have a little icon on the screen.

Customization. The iPod/iPhone and iPad all lack in customization options. The only things you can personalize without jailbreaking is your home screen and lock screen wallpaper. I would like to be able to change the picture of certain icons. Like themes in Cydia, it would give the user a lot more freedom.

What would you like to see in iOS? What would you add, change, or remove?

On the other hand, iOS is certainly very stable, and a pleasure to use. My rant is predicated on what I would like based on what I have seen on other operating systems. In no way am I bashing iOS, only expressing some concerns for the operating system.

Another day, another Android phone. LG Optimus G officially launched

The well-rumored device, the LG Optimus G has been leaked over and over again, with top of the line specifications. Finally, it has come out, and to no surprise, with top of the line specifications.

Inside the hood: Inside the Optimus G is a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor. It is clocked at 1.5GHz, and surprisingly a quad core. This processor is also capable of LTE network speeds. Also inside is 2GB of RAM, 32GB of onboard internal storage. It houses a 2,100mAh battery and the standard WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC, and proximity sensors. The Optimus G runs Android 4.0 with LG's custom interface.

On the outside: The Optimus G is fairly light, only 145g in weight. A| 4.7" TrueHD IPS+ display houses the front, with a 1280 x 768 resolution. On the back of the phone is a huge 13 megapixel camera and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera.

Are you interested in the LG Optimus G? Do you think it compares in the league of the Galaxy S3 or the One X? Let me know in the comments below.

Motorola's New Phones: Edge to Edge screen, humongous batteries and much more!

From L to R: Droid Razr HD, Droid Razr M, and Droid Razr Maxx HD

Motorola recently announced three new phones to their Droid line, the Droid Razr HD, the Droid Razr M, and the Droid Razr Maxx HD. Which one is right for you?

Droid Razr HD:
The Droid Razr HD runs Android 4.0.4 and features a "rugged" look, making it waterproof. With a 4.7" Super AMOLED display with resolution of 720x1280 (312ppi), this phone will impress. It holds a large 2530mAh battery, enough for 9 hours of talk time! Inside the hood is a Snapdragon S4 Plus clocked at 1.5Ghz. There is 16gb of onboard storage, with the ability to have expandable storage up to 32gb. The Droid Razr HD has an 8 megapixel camera with flash and an aperture size of f/2.4. A front facing camera of 1.3 megapixel is included for video chatting.

Droid Razr M:
The Droid Razr M is the first to have an edge to edge display. Running Android 4.0.4, it is also waterproof. The Droid Razr M has a 4.3" Super AMOLED screen. Despite a 4.3" screen, it is only slightly taller than the iPhone 4S. Inside is a 2000mAh battery giving you 20 days of standby time. Inside the phone is a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 clocked at 1.5Ghz. There is 4.5Gb of onboard storage, and an expandable storage of up to 32gb. Like the Droid Razr HD, it has an 8 megapixel camera with flash and auto focus. However, the Droid Razr M only has a 0.3 megapixel front facing camera.

Droid Razr Maxx HD:
The Droid Razr Maxx HD is similar to the Droid Razr HD (hence the name), but offers a massive 3300mAh battery capable of 21 hours of talk time. 26GB of onboard storage is available to the user, with a micro SD slot capable of up to 32GB. The camera is the same as the Droid Razr HD.

All 3 phones are upgradable to Jelly Bean (4.1) by year's end.

Which of these phones is right for you? Do you need the extra battery that the Droid Razr Maxx HD packs? Or do you fancy the edge to edge display found on the Droid Razr M? Let me know below in the comments!

What would you change on the iPhone 5?

Source: Dravide

The iPhone 5 may be an excellent phone, but no phone has no faults. For example, the Galaxy Nexus came out with an underwhelming speaker so soft, that I could never hear when my phone would ring. Or the Galaxy S3, a battery issue causing the phone to drain immediately. Heck, even the iPhone 4 came out with antenna problems, where gripping the phone "wrong" would lose signal. No phone is perfect, and the iPhone 5 is in no way, a perfect phone.

For one, I personally would have liked a change in design. Beginning with the first iPhone, it had rounded corners (let the jokes begin) and was iconic for that time. Then the iPhone 3G came, blooming with 3G capabilites and a new design. The iPhone 4 was announced, again with a dramatic change to a flat back. Now the iPhone 5, another jump in the number of the name, but the same design as the iPhone 4, but with an elongated design. Perhaps a teardrop design like many of the rumored photos and ideas, or an edge to edge screen like the Motorola Droid Razr M?

Also missing from the iPhone 5 is NFC capabilities. For those not aware of what NFC does, or is capable of doing, it essentially enables you to be able to send files wirelessly by placing two NFC capable phones together. Not only can you send files, you can also pay using your phone. With Passbook being added into iOS 6, I hardly see it being fully functional without NFC. Although NFC does not work well with a metal back, Apple could have made a plastic back.

This last one is a personal preference, but I believe that the headphone jack would work better on the top of the device. I feel that when in my pocket, it is more natural to leave the top of the phone sticking out rather than the bottom. Again, personal preference, but this is something that I would have enjoyed.

One thing that I do love, and will probably not be implemented on other phones is the ability to have a reversible charging dock. Although the iPhone 5 utilizes an 8 pin connector, and the only one to do so, they have made it reversible, making you able to put it into the slot with no difficulty. Other phones in the market use micro USB, and they have to be inserted a certain way. It's not a big thing, but I do love the option to have it reversible, and commend Apple for doing so.

So what would you change about the iPhone 5? Do you like it's aesthetic appearance? Or would you rather change some parts of iOS 6? Let me know in the comments below!

The "revolutionary" new iPhone 5: Does it excite you?

Source: livemint

The iPhone 5 came out on Wednesday, September 12, and many flocked to their computers waiting to hear what is to come in the much anticipated iPhone 5. While the presentation was ongoing, views were mixed. Some were claiming it was beautiful, and a "must-get." Others claimed it was falling behind, catching up to its'  competitors.

RECAP:

Software: The iPhone 5 runs iOS 6, the newest operating system from Apple. Alongside, it will have a Passbook application, giving you access to coupons and deals straight to your phone. Also on iOS 6 is GPS Turn by Turn Navigation. The GPS is not powered by Google, but rather by Apple, made by scratch.

Hardware (aesthetically): The first thing that you will notice about the iPhone 5 is its screen. Apple has bumped the screen size to 4", giving it a 1136 x 640 resolution (326ppi.) It features a nano-sim card, 40% smaller than the regular micro-sim. The aesthetics of the device are mostly the same as the previous iPhone 4S, with the exception of the headphone jack now located on the bottom, and a new dock connector. Apple has changed their proprietary 30 pin connector, to a smaller, reversible 8 pin connector. (Adapters are available on sale for $29, and a full adapter with cable is on sale for $39) It weighs in at 112g with dimensions of 123.8mm x 58.6mm x 7.6 mm. Also included in the box is their new "Earphones." These "Earphones" are designed by Apple, with research done to learn the shape of one's ear. Testing with over 300 people, Apple's headphones are claimed to be a good fit.

Hardware (inside the hood): Inside the iPhone is a new A6 chip based on a dual core ARM Cortex-A15 processor. The exact mAh of the battery has not been released yet, but Apple claims it will give you 8 hours of talk time. Apple has also improved the camera, giving the iPhone 5 an 8 megapixel camera with an aperture size of f/2.4. Panorama mode has also been added, giving the iPhone 5 the ability to shoot panoramic shots at 28 megapixels. The camera shoots at 1080p at 30fps. The front facing camera is 1.2megapixels and is available to use over Facetime and Skype calls. The iPhone 5 also includes 3 microphones, cancelling any noise.

The iPhone 5 is currently available to pre-order (not available on apple.ca due to shortages) at your carriers. It will officially be released on September 21 in 16Gb ($699), 32Gb ($799), and 64Gb ($899) options in either Black and Slate or White and Silver. Note that Apple will NOT be selling unlocked devices this year at their bricks-and-mortar store. Unlocked devices will only be sold at apple.ca. The devices sold in stores will be carrier-locked.

What do you think of the iPhone 5? Are you going to pre-order the device or grab it as soon as possible? Let me know in the comments below!

iOS? Android? WP? BB? Which do I choose?

There are so many choices on which phone to get. Even each carrier offers so many different choices, and to the average consumer, what are the differences? Why should I use this one, as opposed to the other one?

Finding the perfect phone may be easy to some, but extremely difficult for the less tech-savvy. I'm going to breakdown what I think are the reasons to go with each operating system.

iOS: In other words, the iPhone

iPhone. One word known by so many. Some may say the 'king' of mobile phones. But why should I use an iPhone?

PROS: 

• Easy to use, no matter how old or how young.
• Interface is used on more than one device. Learn one, know also iPad, and the iPod Touch
• Lots of applications available to download
• Lots of cases found everywhere, from $5 to $50.
• Used by so many taking advantage of iMessage and Facetime
• Timely updates. Once announced, available to download for almost everyone 
• Available in 16gb, 32gb and 64gb versions

CONS:

• Not as customizable as other competitors. Only options to customize are backgrounds.
• iTunes. The only way to put songs, movies, etc. onto phone is using their software. iTunes often becomes laggy and tiresome.
• No microSD card slot, for those who enjoy the extra storage
• Hard to unlock to use on other carriers

Android: Land of the deserts

Android, the current runner up to iOS offers a huge variety of phones from various manufacturers. Why Android?

PROS:

• Lots of choice between designs, manufacturers, price point
• Customizing heaven! Lock screens, launchers, keyboards all can be changed.
• Growing Play Store 
• Large displays, some HD, for great viewing
• For developers, lots of things to tinker with!
• MicroSD slot for more storage.

CONS:

• Fragmentation: No timely updates, may be 1-2 versions behind.
• Force closes: Many apps force close, but most issues have been addressed in Jelly Bean
• Open Sourced: easier for malware and pirating to happen.
• Lag: older versions of Android not yet optimized to their full advantage
• Poor battery life on many phones

Windows Phone: The newest competitor

Windows Phone 8, not yet as popular as iOS and Android but still offer a place in the market. Why should I go with WP8?

PROS:

• Clean, simple interface
• Fast, no lag as it is optimized
• Design very well thought out

CONS:

• Not many design options
• Lack of apps available

Blackberry 7: Lagging behind

Blackberry, once the leading brand of mobile phones, has dropped behind. 

PROS:

• Great physical keyboard
• Unified inbox shows all messages
• BBM

CONS:

• Lag
• Dated processors and technology
• Not a media device, more for business

I hope this has helped you in your decision for your next phone! Have fun with your new 'toys'!

Top Android Apps: August 2012

In no particular order, my favourite Apps!

Google Currents

Read all your news in a simplified format!

Google Currents is a RSS feed, giving you access to reading whatever you want in a clean and simple interface. What makes this different from others is that the interface is super nice and loading times are quick.

Light Flow Lite

Customize your notification light colour for each application

Ever want your notification light to tell you what kind of notification it is? Look no further! You can customize each notification colour to a specific app. If you have used a Blackberry before, this is similar to LED me know.

Tune in Radio 

Listen to the radio on the go

TuneIn not only provides you with your local radio like the pre-installed FM Radio on some phones, but is an internet radio that lets you listen to broadcasts from across the world!

Weather Neue 

Minimalistic view of the weather. 

Looks amazing! Clean interface that tells you all that you need to know about the weather. Only complaint is that there is no widget available.

Battery

Can't live without the battery percentage on the top! 

Just another battery percentage app. Seems like a no brainer but very useful.

OI File Manager

Simple file manager, easy to use, does its' job.

CamScanner

Changes pictures to scanner like quality. Helpful when taking pictures of text.

Silent Time

Never get distracted when you sleep because your phone automatically goes onto silent.

Tweet Lanes

Haven't heard of Tweet Lanes? Check out my first impressions post HERE!

Amazing Alex Free: Interesting Concept, Lacking the Challenge

Rovio, the creators of the popular Angry Birds has released a new game, Amazing Alex, this past Friday. Is it that 'amazing'? We'll find out.

Start Screen

Index

Index Part 2

In the free version of the game, 16 levels are unlocked. Full version is $1.01 CAD and the HD version is $3.05 CAD.

Level 1

In general, the levels were pretty easy, mostly guided with hints throughout. The purpose of the game is to get an object into its desired place. In this level, all you have to do is hit play as the soccer ball will fall down into the basket. Easy? Yeah.

Level 16, a little trickier

Here is level 16, the last level in the free version of the game. In this one, one must attempt to get the balloon through the arrow while capturing the stars. On the bottom are three boxes which you can arrange to help guide the balloon to its place. A little trickier, but does not take much to think of a solution.

Overall, it is an interesting game, but I don't believe I will purchase the full version to play further. These levels were quite frankly too easy for the average player, and lacks the 'oomph' to be casually addicted. This free version took no longer than 10 minutes to complete, and it wasn't that interesting. I was looking forward to a very addicting game similar to the finesse of Angry Birds.

To play, download the free version of Amazing Alex here.

Have fun!

Tweet Lanes: First Impressions

Another Twitter app bound to impress, Tweet Lanes. Tweet Lanes does not feel like a completely finished product, and rightfully so, as it is still undergoing many changes constantly.

Timeline of Tweet Lanes

Tweet Lanes provides a 'holo' theme creating a very clean and refreshing interface. There is a persistent status bar at the bottom for easy access to sending out new tweets. Another cool feature of this app is that there are picture previews on the side. These pictures can be from Instagram, Yfrog, etc. This makes it easy for you to view the pictures instead of clicking on the tweet, and waiting for it to load.

Loading times are very quick, as it has a minimal theme. I love the look of the app, and the usability is fantastic!

Here are the options

The menu button on your GB phone does not work in this app, and instead, one must press on their twitter name to reveal this drop down menu. Here, you can provide feedback and even get the app for free. According to the developer, new features will become premium, and cost money. As this app is currently in the start up stage, they are offering it to you for free once you click on that button.

Settings is currently not accessible. It would be nice to have the ability to choose how often the app is updated with new tweets. Also, push notifications have not been added yet to notify when someone has DM or tweeted you. 

Tweet Lanes also takes advantage of the volume rocker, giving you the ability to scroll through your tweets with ease. It's actually pretty cool to read through your newest tweets without placing your finger on the screen at all! This might be particularly useful with big phones such as the Galaxy Note.

So far, I like the app, and will be using it in conjunction with Scope Beta. Great idea, with a clean interface gives a promising future.

Grab the app on Google Play here

Angry Birds Seasons HD FREE on iOS!

The FULL version is free now, so go grab your iPod, iPhone or iPad and download now!

You can access BOTH 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Here is a screenshot of a Summer 2012 scene.

Is it too early for Jelly Bean?

Picture taken from CNET

The issue of fragmentation has plagued Android from the start, and just a mere 9 months after the release of the Galaxy Nexus, a new version of Android has come abroad, 4.1 Jelly Bean. Nine months from the beginning of Ice Cream Sandwich, no more than three months on other flagship phones, and the update process is to begin again. The Samsung Galaxy S II has been updated in April of 2012 in Canada, and less than 10% of consumers are running ICS on their device. Is it too soon to make another update?

Though a smaller update, Jelly Bean is evidently longed for from every consumer. No one wants to be stuck with the same boring version, and updates are begged for. 64% of consumers still run 2.3.3 Gingerbread, which came out in 2011! 

Jelly Bean brings new features such as Google Ears, Google Now, Project Butter, an improved notification system and much more. As of today, Google Ears can be downloaded onto any phone by installing the .apk file. Google Now can be downloaded, but with many limitations. Voice search cannot be used, and force closes plague the app. Project Butter focuses on the smoothness of the device, minimizing the amount of lag experienced. I'm sure everyone would like a smooth device, with no lags when playing games such as N.O.V.A. or the classic Angry Birds. This is not available though, and can only be achieved with an update through the manufacturer and carrier.

I'm sure Jelly Bean brings many functions in which many will enjoy, but how many are to enjoy it when updates take at least 9 months to push through? With only 10% enjoying ICS, even fewer will get to experience the smoothness of the operating system they advertise with Jelly Bean. I suspect that only 5% will be updated to Jelly Bean of the 10% on ICS before the next update. Updates are coming too frequently, and manufacturers are failing to keep up to pace. 

We love the updates Google, but please, slow it down so many consumers will be able to enjoy the operating system they currently have. 

Is Scope the next great social media app for Android?

Yesterday was the release of Scope Beta on Android. Socialscope has been a popular app on Blackberry, and is now ported to Android.

Scope integrates Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Foursquare, and Instagram into one app. Personally, I only use Facebook and Twitter, and I will show you some screenshots and usability in this post.

Here is the main page of the app, giving you easy access to your news feed, photos, videos, and much more. 

Here is quick access to your list of friends, which includes all the social networks that you have added. Popular refers to trends on Twitter. Settings are quite limited, being a beta app, it merely includes the option of turning notifications on, and off, enabling vibration, and refresh settings.

The plus sign located on the lower left gives you quick access to posting new updates.You have the option of posting text, check-in, photos, and posting your drafts.

Here is the main stream, and the interface integrates all your social networks. A small, informative, yet non-intrusive icon is on the side to show where the information is gathered from. 

The arrow, once expanded, gives you a tray of icons to quickly switch from photos, videos, check-ins, mentions, etc. You can also access your Direct messages, or Messages from Facebook.

Here is a screenshot of the photos stream, giving a big picture to see.

Overall, this is a very good beta app of Scope. This may give a run for the money to Tweetdeck. 

Is it enough for me to switch from Tweetdeck? Not yet. I have experienced some bugs, such as Scope continuously logging me out of Twitter and Facebook. This notorious notification occurs just almost every hour. Annoying? Yes. Until that has been solved, I will continue to use Tweetdeck. 

Update: They have fixed the issue, and I am now using Scope Beta full time :)

Perhaps the final release version of Scope will turn me over, but for now, Tweetdeck it is.

Want an invite? Comment below with your email, facebook, or twitter handle.