Is This the Future of the Smartphone QWERTY?

Over the last several years, most smartphone users have had to adapt to all-touchscreen phones made popular by the iPhone and legions of Android devices. While you might find some qwerty keyboard options in the Android world, many have been mid-range sliders adding bulk. BlackBerry faithful have held on to their aging phones, because, to them, the keyboards just rock. Countless iPhone auto-correct memes can be found across the internet poking fun at the fact that, when it comes to typing without a physical keyboard, some people have two left thumbs.

Well, Tactus Technology, headquartered in Fremont, CA, is introducing some seriously cutting edge, smart device keyboard tech to attempt to put an end to the embarrassing text messages to mom. Imagine if you will, hitting the keyboard on-screen button or selecting a text field, and a physical keyboard permeates through the screen so you can begin typing. I did say seriously cutting edge.

The Tactus microfluidic technology is what will allow device makers to keep future devices slim and trim, but improve the experience of typing on mobile devices. For gamers, other potential applications could be controls that rise up and sink back into the screen when you're not fighting off the armies of evil.

Get a sneak peek at the future here:


Tactus Technology - CES 2013 from Tactus Technology Inc. on Vimeo.
Does this kind of keyboard tech get you excited or are you totally adjusted to the touchscreen experience?

Read More

I Might Leave Android For BlackBerry...Maybe.

The Past

I used to be a Palm OS guy. Owned several devices over the years. Anyone who knows Palm history well enough, knows they did very little to modernize the Palm OS, and lost their grip on the smartphone world to the likes of RIM, Apple, and Google with their respective OSes.

I'm a fan of hardware and software being made by the same vendor. I thought about an iPhone back when it was first released, but they were locked in with AT&T, and I was locked in with Sprint. I didn't want a BlackBerry. Just never grabbed me with all the menus and trackball. Palm tried to make a comeback with webOS. I was standing on line day 1 waiting for this new chapter in Palm's life. Those were happy times. Really thought webOS was going places.

Then Sprint turned its back on Palm, and wouldn't pick up any new webOS devices. I was crushed. I didn't want to switch carriers, but I wanted new, advanced hardware.

That summer, Sprint introduced the original HTC EVO. I took a dive and discovered Android. It wasn't as elegant as webOS when it came to multitasking and gestures, but between the hardware and the app selection, I was sold.

The Present

Almost 3 years later, and 3 Android devices later, I'm an Android fan. Maybe not fanboy status since I'm writing this, but definitely a big user of Google products: Google+, Voice, GMAIL, Calendar, Maps, Chrome, Drive, GTalk, etc, etc. Three years into the ecosystem, and you could say I'm pretty locked in. Or not. There's still something missing in my Android experience even after almost 3 years.

A lot of the things that make Android great also work against it. Openness, customizations, cutting edge, and choice are all hallmarks of the platform. They also bring inconsistencies at almost every level of the experience. Depending on what version of the OS, which hardware vendor, and which carrier, your Android mileage may vary. While the Nexus program/brand might be the future for Google to bring some consistency to the Android customer experience, it's not a one size fits all solution for everyone. For example, only one carrier in the U.S. has the latest iteration of Google's Nexus smartphone as of this writing.

So given my dissatisfaction with the disjointed experience one sometimes gets with Android, you would probably think I'd be headed towards iOS now that it is available on my carrier. However, I have owned an iOS device. An iPad 2. After a year of use, and running it side by side with Android Ice Cream Sandwich on my dual-booted HP TouchPad, I realized iOS just didn't work the way I worked. Just didn't have the same flow. Speaking of flow…

The new re-designed, re-engineered, re-invented BlackBerry 10 has been on a tear in the news lately. Admittedly, a year ago when there were rumblings of a comeback, I was truly skeptical. However, all of the recent image leaks, specs, talks about major carrier support, number of apps that will be available, and videos showing off the gestures and integration supported, have had me really intrigued. RIM also makes the software and hardware, something I've always been biased towards. From what I can tell, RIM has developers fired up and aims to market the hell out of the platform. Also the BlackBerry, like the iPhone, is iconic and has its own mystique amongst its fans. Even though I was never part of that collective, I was, however, a webOS fan. I can see some of the similarities between RIM's attempt at a revival and Palm's. On that note…

The Future

Recently, RIM's CEO, Thorsten Heins, told the media he would be open to selling off the hardware unit, and licensing the BlackBerry OS. That sort of talk gives me flashbacks of Palm, and I would hope Mr. Heins would look back in the not too distant past to see how that worked out for Palm. It makes me uneasy to think about jumping into the BlackBerry World if they are unsure about what direction they want to take the company long term.

My other concern with RIM is how long it's actually taken them to arrive at this point. To be on par with iOS and Android. Can they innovate rapidly going forward, or will they end up like Palm?

There's also the fact that I use so many Google apps, and so do millions of others. Will Google provide a level of support with applications for the new BlackBerry platform as it has with iOS, or see it has a threat to Android? Even if Google doesn't see BlackBerry 10 as a threat to Android, because of a smaller user base, will it think it's worth developing for? Maybe. If all the other big names are there it might follow. Or it could ignore BlackBerry, essentially crippling the platform, since Google apps are some of the most widely utilized apps. Just check the iOS App Store for most popular apps downloaded and many of Google's apps are listed.

In reality it's not life or death. I could try out BlackBerry 10 for a while and love it. I could also hate it, just rejoin the legion of Android users, and hope Android gets its act together by then. Either way, the industry's future looks a bit brighter now that there actually may be other viable choices on the horizon.

Read More

Tumbling over Instagram

When Instagram was finally released for Android last April, I said to myself, let's see what all this hype is about. After all, iOS users LOOOVED Instagram. Must be a "magical" app with tons of cool features I thought. I played with the filters. I did the obligatory food and drinks while I'm out shots. Took pictures of random things. I tagged stuff. I liked people's pics of their food, drinks, random stuff, and dozens, if not hundreds, of self portrait shots. I shared to Facebook and Twitter.

Then I got bored. Fast. Eight months later to be more exact. Maybe I'm not using this right I thought. What else does this thing do?

Having had a Tumblr account for a while, which I recently rebooted, I started asking myself, what does Instagram offer me that Tumblr doesn't already? For those of you unfamiliar with some of Tumblr's goodies, I put this list together:

1. You can also follow people, like, and comment on their posts in your stream.


2. You can share pictures… and animated gifs, and videos, and quotes, and have your own blog.


3. You can also share posts to Facebook and Twitter.


4. You can easily re-share posts through the Tumblr reblog feature. It's just like retweeting on Twitter.


5. You can upload up to 10 pictures in a photo set if you want to get fancy.


6. You can use Tumblr from the web! It's not limited to just your mobile device.


7. You can select from hundreds of templates, both free and premium, to customize your Tumblr page, and really give it your own look and feel.


8. You can use your own personalized domain so you don't have to have a: myinsertfunnyname.tumblr.com.


9. You can also tag your posts with hashtags, and search Tumblr for those hashtags to find similar posts.


10. You can have multiple Tumblr pages for different topics or interests under one account and switch between them easily.


11. Oh and the mobile app for Tumblr is pretty slick.

Other than built in filters to apply to photos, which I can get through many other mobile apps available out there, I couldn't find any real reason to keep my Instagram account. Tumblr is a much more robust, versatile, and easy to use social platform for image sharing, and anything else I want to share in the moment.

Read More

You May Need a Loan for Your Next Smartphone.

Economy be damned! Carriers must be struggling more than their customers since some are considering no longer footing the tab for you to have your next new shiny device on their networks. Towards the end of last year, T-Mobile shocked the industry by announcing they are looking to scrap the popular marketing strategy of carrier subsidies. What does that mean? Well, remember when the $199 price tag on that iPhone didn't seem so bad? With an end to subsidies, you'll be paying FULL price for that device. Yep. A 16GB iPhone 5 could run you $649.

Now while some smaller carriers who offer pre-paid service have always operated this way, not subsidizing your phone, T-Mobile is one of the first of the larger carriers to say they are doing away with the practice all together. The upside? In exchange for the sticker shock, T-Mobile says it will provide lower monthly plans. However, you will have the option of one of its "Value" plans that lets you finance your device. Basically, you'll be able to spread the cost of the device over a number of months by paying extra on your bill.

Most Americans are already feeling the effects in their wallets from payroll tax increases that kicked in this year, not to mention, other cost of living expenses. With a bit less disposable income, they've got to figure out if upgrading everyone on the family plan is going to be friendly to their personal economies. While some may argue this is the best way to own your phone, and not be tied to long term contracts with carriers, you have to wonder what the impact to smartphone sales will be if other big carriers follow suit. Verizon's chief Exec seems to think it's a great idea, and AT&T is waiting to see how things pan out for T-Mobile.

Are you willing to pay more upfront for lower monthly fees? Do you think this move will improve or be detrimental to the industry and smartphone sales?

Read More

Samsung Mobile announces the Galaxy S II Plus

Today, Samsung added another phone to the Galaxy S family with the announcement of the Galaxy S II Plus running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean powered by a 1.2GHz dual core processor. Also on board is a 4.3” Super AMOLED Plus display, 8GB of memory, 1GB of RAM, NFC, 1650mAh battery, 8 megapixel rear camera, and a 2 megapixel front facing camera. From the Press Release:

Seoul, Korea - January 10, 2013 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced today Samsung GALAXY S II Plus, which combines the performance that have made the GALAXY S II one of the world’s most recognized phones, together with nature-inspired user-interface and intuitive features that greatly boost its usability and functionality.

The GALAXY S II Plus runs on Android™ 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) enabling faster and smoother screen transitions, and providing an enhanced user interface featuring a new, easier-to-use notification panel. It is powered by an impressive 1.2 GHz dual core processor that enables easy multi-tasking, smooth screen transitions and superior graphics for some of the most demanding applications and games.

The GALAXY S II Plus’ nature-inspired user-interface is complemented with intuitive features that make the phone really easy to use. Direct Call enables users to automatically dial a call by taking the device to the ear. Smart Stay recognizes whether the user is looking at the screen to dim the screen accordingly; while Smart Alert lets users know about missed events or status updates just by picking up the phone.

The GALAXY S II Plus also sports a range of additional features that boost performance and the overall experience in entirely new ways. Popup Video allows a video to play anywhere on the screen in a resizable pop-up window while simultaneously running other tasks, eliminating the need to close and restart videos when checking new emails or surfing the Web. S Voice lets users control the phone using their voice; and Voice Unlock lets users unlock the phone using their own voice.

A 4.3” WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display offers a generous viewing experience and enables photos captured with the powerful 8MP camera to be enjoyed in true clarity.

The rear camera features a zero-lag shutter speed that captures moving objects easily without delay. The innovative ‘Buddy photo share’ function also allows images to be easily and simultaneously shared with friends pictured in an image directly from the camera or the photo gallery. Additional features include Group Facetag and Face Zoom to deliver a complete photographic experience. The device is packed with the latest Samsung content services including AllShare Play, which lets users share content across Samsung devices using a single account and password. Users can also enjoy all the benefits of Samsung Hubs, including the latest versions of Readers Hub, Video Hub, Game Hub and Music Hub.

More details along with full specs can be found here. Source: Samsung Mobile[gallery ids="10548,10549,10550"]

Read More

Three reasons I think BlackBerry 10 has a shot

The general consensus right now is that BlackBerry is in the gutter and doesn’t have a chance of getting out. However, I believe the once king of mobile has a legitimate pedigree to achieve a rebound. I don’t think they can ever regain the top spot in the near future, but the mediocre sales of Windows Phone 8 have left the third spot still a viable option.

With the groundwork laid in the past, and the innovations of the present, BlackBerry 10 has a chance to succeed. First, and foremost, BlackBerry still has a huge brand name, and user base. Currently, BlackBerry still has over 80 million users worldwide. Granted, all of those users are running BlackBerry 7, they still have a Berry in their hands, and allow RIM the opportunity to continue on their current path. BlackBerry doesn't have to blow things out of the water. It just needs to be on par with the iOS and Androids of the world, and offer BB7 users an upgrade path. If RIM can bring in top name developers, many current users will stick with what they know.

From the demos we've seen of BlackBerry 10, the software seems to offer some fresh ideas on a gesture based UI. I know that some of these are refreshes on things we've seen from the likes of Meego and webOS, but RIM has tweaked them all into a single idea of the “Flow” interface. The new way to interact with the UI with gestures in BB10 looks promising, and can really take over for the initial wow factor left wanting for apps. Both webOS and Meego showed how passionate a fan base can be around an intuitive, and new, paradigm of how to use a touch screen device. While the companies backing those operating systems have failed them, RIM has the opportunity to do something completely different. They just have to do it well.

Last, but not least, I still believe there is a huge benefit from smartphone software and hardware being produced by the same company. There is no arguing that part of the success of Apple directly correlates to the fact that the software is built for that specific device in mind. BlackBerry has always had a similar philosophy in Waterloo and I think it will translate well with BlackBerry 10. With launching with a select few handsets all running similar hardware, RIM has a chance to create a nice harmony between software and hardware and produce a fluid end experience.

RIM still has a lot to do to make BlackBerry 10 a success, and not all of the pieces are in house problems. They still have to find a way to make developers excited about the new platform launch, but RIM isn't quite ready to just become a chapter in smartphone history books either. With the launch event on January 30, we will really begin to see just how this story may unfold.

Image Credit: Tinhte.vn

Read More

Is 2013 the Year for GUM (Google Unified Messaging)?

It's no secret Google's got communication problems. What are they you may ask?

GMail. Google Voice. Google Talk. Messenger. Hangouts.

All great tools on their own, but would be vastly more powerful under one communication umbrella. In this regard, Google is definitely trailing behind. As it stands, competing platforms have been building their user bases and grabbing mindshare.

iMessage, WhatsApp, and KIK are some popular messaging clients all trying to be our messaging platform of choice, but each has its limitations. iMessage is iOS only. WhatsApp and KIK lack desktop clients. With almost a billion members, most of our families, and friends, Facebook's own platform agnostic Messenger is setting itself up nicely to become the de facto standard for ubiquitous communication. Every iteration of the mobile app has improved with features that are easily supplanting existing SMS text messaging.

Google's communication offering is fragmented. Yes I know choice is great, but Google's going to have to start sending a clear, um, message about how it wants its users to use its tools to connect. This is all part of the Google/Android experience, and right now it's totally disjointed. Last summer, Google purchased Meebo. Will we finally see its technologies integrated this year? It's something I know I'm definitely hoping for when Google I/O comes around. If we're lucky, we'll see it in the release of Android 5.0, Key Lime Pie, and permeate Google's full suite of services this summer. It's a massive endeavor, but an expectation I think we're all starting to have of the tech giant.

Are you waiting for some GUM with your Key Lime Pie this year?

Read More

CES 2013 Favorites: Day 1

Well, the Consumer Electronics show is off and running in Las Vegas this week. Although Tuesday is officially day one of the show, the parties began over the weekend and hinted at what was to come as the show went into full swing.

As expected, day one brought with it a stream of exciting news from the show floor. Here are a few of our favorites.

Asus Qube with Google TV

Ausus has jumped into the Google TV fray with the announcement of the Qube, coming to the US around March for around $150. It sports USB ports all around, HDMI in/out, RJ-45, and a couple of IR recievers. It is powered by a Marvell Armada 1500 chipset, 1GB of RAM, and 4GB of flash storage. Besides the standard buttons on the remote control, the flipside contains a QWERTY keyboard. If you feel like ditching the remote altogheter, apps are available for the Nexus 7 and other Android devices.

Source: Engadget

Time Warner brings the love to the Roku box

Time Warner cable subscribers will be able to receive up to 300 live TV channels on existing Roku boxes at no extra charge.This will enable customers to ditch their cable boxes and the monthly fees that come with them. The TWC TV app is already available on iOS, Android, Mac, and PC’s, and will be available in Roku’s ever growing app store in the first quarter of 2013.

Source: CNet

Huawei one-ups the Galaxy Note with massive 6.3 in. Ascend Mate

Chinese-based Huawei has taken the covers off of one of the largest smartphones seen to date- the super-massive Ascend Mate sporting a 6.1 inch, 720p display. The phone runs Huawei’s Emotion UI over Android Jelly Bean and features a 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, and an 8-megapixel camera. This thing is huge, folks! How much bigger can these phones get?

Source: The Verge

Lenovo goes big with 27-inch Table Computer

While we’re on the huge devices kick, how about Lenovo announcing a giant, 27-inch “table PC” - or at least that’s how they describe it. It weighs 17 pounds and runs Windows 8 on a third-generation Core i7 processor. The “table tablet” is also adjustable so it can be viewed at various angles. One giant tablet for the entire family to enjoy on the table at breakfast time.

Source: All Things D

Fitbit Flex activity tracker gets stylish

Fitbit has announced the Flex- the 3rd product in its lineup of fitness monitors along side the Fitbit One and Fitbit Zip. Along with tracking calories like its Fitbit brethren, the water-resistant Flex counts steps taken and distance, transferring data to a personalized website wirelessly via bluetooth. The Flex is $100 and available for per-order today with a release sometime in the Spring.

Source: Engadget

Here are a few of our writers favorites from Day 1 of CES

Greg Madhere: Sony Xperia Z with 5 in. 1080P display

Likes: 1080p display resolution, 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, LTE connectivity, and a 13-megapixel Exmor RS camera sensor. 3 color options. Water resistant and includes a microSD card slot.

Dislike: Not sure how I feel about the glass back trend and the video HDR sounds gimmicky. Also 5 inches might be too big for my paws.

Source: The Verge

Andrew Allen: I really like what the auto industry is doing. They seem to be headed towards an app revolution of sorts and heavily courting the idea of opening the car infotainment networks up to developers and 3rd party applications. This will make for interesting times ahead to see what type of apps are brought forth for on the road use and what kind of current apps may get heavy integration upgrades.

Source: All Things D

Read More

What I'd like to see at CES 2013 this week

The Consumer Electronics Show is taking place this week and is one of the tech worlds biggest events of the year. Open to those in the industry only, the event showcases products and services that companies hope will make it to consumer homes in the current year- or at least in the near future. Some products do... many don’t. It’s always exciting to see what may end up on store shelves this year.

After attending CES in 2012, there were quite a few surprises I was looking forward to seeing hit the market that year- few did; most were duds.

Here were a few notables:

Nokia Lumia handset with Windows 7.5

Nokia unveiled the Lumia 900 handset with LTE support at CES 2012, and we saw the Nokia Lumia 710 hardware for the first time at the event. The Lumia 900 wound up with the much coveted Best Smartphone award at the show and both handsets went on to become big sellers in 2012.

Lenovo K800 Smartphone

Lenovo sold its mobile phone division in 2008, and then paid $200 million to buy it back in November 2009 in order to focus on smarphones and tablets. The Lenovo K800 was unveiled at CES 2012 running Gingerbread and sporting a 4.5 inch 720P display. The phone was only released in China.

Ultrabooks!

Ultrabooks were BIG at CES 2012. Many of the Ultrabooks you see on store shelves today were unveiled at the show. Many, however, have failed to make a dent in the home with tablets, and the iPad, being the #1 choice for consumers computing needs.

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx

The Droid Razr Maxx was unveiled to the public at CES 2012 sporting 4G LTE on Verizon and a massive battery at 3300 mAh. It promised the longest battery life on a phone at the time and it failed to disappoint in that respect.

Original Galaxy Note

The Galaxy Note was first introduced to the world at IFA 2011 in Berlin and was released to the public first in Germany in late October 2011. The US version of the Galaxy Note made its debut at CES 2012 in all of its 5.3 inch goodness. We either love the Galaxy Note, or hate it. Many loved it and it went on to become a big seller. Its successor, The Galaxy Note II, is on its way to becoming a big seller along side the Note I.

So, what would I like to see come out of CES 2013?

Smartphones

While phones aren't the headliner at CES (most manufacturers hold separate events later in the year) I would like to hear more about innovations in battery technology when it comes to extending the battery life of phones. Also, Corning will surely be showing off Gorilla Glass 3 at the show, promising to reduce visible scratches by 40 percent and retain 50 percent of its strength compared to previous versions.

Home Automation

I believe smartphones and tablets will be at the center of home automation systems. Whether its checking your laundry, or checking off items in your refrigerator to help your grocery shopping, tablets and smartphones will do it all. Although there are many items already on the market to support home automation, I hope to see more of this integrated into homes as they are constructed.

TV and Media Streaming

Hundreds of TV’s will be showcased at CES again this year. I would like to see more options for streaming media, including additional partnerships that can expand content on streamers like the Roku (a personal favorite).

Fitness Gadgets

Being a fitness nerd myself, gadgets that can help log your workouts or day-to-day activities can be of big help to make sure you’re keeping up with your fitness goals. Of course, there is discipline involved to make sure your gadget doesn't end up in the junk drawer. I’d like to see improvements on the technologies that go into fitness gadgets like the Fitbit or Nike Fuel Band.

We hope to bring you more of all the goodies coming out of CES this week, so stay tuned!

Sources: CNet.com, PCWorld

Read More

Facebook Messenger Rolls out Voice Messaging Feature

Facebook has begun to roll out a new feature in its iOS and Android Facebook Messenger app that allows users to send short voice messages to each other. The update is rolling out now and should appear in the app list shortly.

Facebook is also testing Voice calling through the messenger app using the VOIP (Voice Over IP) protocol (think Skype), although it will only be available in Canada at the moment. We can pretty much bet this is going to cause big waves in the phone carrier landscape should it go world wide.

New in Messenger 2.2:

• Send a quick voice message when you have more to say


• Call friends for free right from Messenger (Canada only)


• Other improvements and bug fixes

How is it working for you?

More updates as we get them along with a test drive!

Source: The Verge, The Next Web

Read More