Tuesdays at the Polls: Do you want a smartwatch?

In this weekly feature we want to give our readers the opportunity to provide some point-and-click style input on some of the questions we have been pondering. Got a great poll idea? Drop us a note!

Wristband technology is nothing new. Many manufacturers, including Motorola and Sony, have tried to capture the essence of the smartwatch in the past. Their results were lackluster, to say the least, but with the recent success of the Pebble, and the rise of the rumor mill surrounding a possible iWatch, the smartwatch is a hot topic.

Are you dying to have a smartwatch? Or do you not understand the concept with the current glanceable information available via a smartphone? We want to know your thoughts on the matter in this weeks poll...so get to voting!

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Xaminations: The Droid Mini Hands On

Fellow TechXaminer, Andrew Allen, and I are always chatting about why cell phone manufacturers are constantly stripping the power away from devices as soon as they slap the word “Mini” on them. The "new" Motorola Mobility (a Google Company in case you didn’t know) is looking to reverse that trend with its recent launch of the Droid Mini. This is not an in-depth review since I have less than 24 hrs to ship the device to Mom. Maybe I will follow up this post with her review. Let’s get into it.

Hardware

First of all I have to give Motorola props for not insulting consumers by attempting to make us think a 4.3 inch device can’t handle the power of a 5.0 inch device. Other than physical size, battery, and screen type, the differences between the Mini and big Droid brothers, Ultra and Maxx, are negligible. The Droid Mini is based on the same Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System architecture as its larger brethren. All 3 DROID devices, like their cousin the Moto X, have dual core 1.7 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processors that still pack a lot of punch in 2013, and can hang with most quad core smartphones on the market. The Droid Mini includes 2GBs of RAM, and a fairly decent 16GBs of storage onboard. Sorry folks, no SD card slot to expand that storage. That's something to keep in mind if you want to store your entire video library on your 4.3 inch device. This year’s Droid family, including the Moto X, are all being marketed with 10MP Clear Pixel rear cameras, and 2MP front facing cameras. The Clear Pixel, in theory, is supposed to provide better low light photography. I won’t have time to really put the Mini’s camera through the paces, but I do have possession of its big bro, Maxx, so I will possibly share some images and thoughts down the road. Afterall, it’s the same exact camera. The few pics I have taken all seem social media approved to me. You can’t knock Moto’s hustle when it comes to device stamina. Motorola’s battery technology is unmatched in the industry so far in terms of cramming a lot of juice in small packages. The Droid Mini has a 2000 mAh battery, which Motorola claims will give you up to 28 hrs on a single charge with mixed usage. Honestly, these days, if I could squeeze 18 hours on a single charge, I’d be happy since I’m not awake 24 hrs a day. Even if the claim is slightly off the mark in any way, I like Moto’s focus on what may be everyone’s biggest pain point with their smartphones: battery life. Motorola also made their little workhorse easy to charge by including wireless inductive charging, which makes me reminisce a bit about my webOS/Palm Pre/Touchstone days. Wireless charging really reduces the wear and tear of the micro usb charging slots since you’re not plugging and unplugging constantly. I’ve had a few go bad on me with normal daily usage. 

When I first held the Droid Mini in my hand, it felt tiny. It’s not iPhone tiny, but pretty damn close. The bezels are thin, almost edge to edge, but the Mini feels solid in your hand, not like a cheap plastic toy. The size is ideal for one handed use. I can move my thumb from the top left corner of the screen to the bottom right without any shuffling of the phone in my palm.The back is glossy, so it does pick up prints, but it’s not unbearable. I don’t spend a ton of time staring at the back of my phone. With a nice case on it, it won’t matter at all. 

Not a whole lot to say about the display, except it’s 720P, bright, and beautiful. Motorola opted for a TFT display, rather than the Amoled displays of the Ultra and the Maxx. Again that’s one of the minor differences in the new DROID family, which quite honestly makes no difference at all. With its 342 ppi screen, the Droid Mini is really a pleasure to look at.


Something I haven’t personally heard anyone speak about is the sound quality. The Droid Mini packs a nice loud speaker. I won’t go as far as to say it’s the HTC BoomSound quality of the HTC One, but it sounds really great for a little device.

Software

I spent more time on the hardware than I meant to, but the truth is, that’s really only where the Mini parts ways with the bigger Verizon Droid devices in 2013. Everything else, Verizon bloatware included, is identical. 

Active Notifications let you see a glimpse of what notifications you have pending by displaying specific application icons when you simply pick the Mini up, and without unlocking your phone. It’s an elegant solution rather than trying to decipher the blinking light morse code. I did notice that it's pretty sensitive to any movement. For example, if you shake the table the device is resting on, the display lights up.

Touchless Controls, the heart and soul of Droid cousin Moto X, can be found in the Droid family from Mini on up to the Maxx as well. Train your Droid Mini to respond to your voice, say the magic “Ok Google Now” phrase, and you can command your Droid to navigate you to whatever destination you desire without laying a finger on it. It’s slick, futuristic, and at times quite practical. I wish you could customize the trigger phrase that brings the phone to life, but hey, the cool factor is not lost.

Droid Zap allows you to share images with other 2013 Droid owners who are within range with a two finger swipe up that “throws” the images into the cloud. With a two finger swipe down they can “catch” the image. Um... yeah. All I can say is that it works, but I seriously wish I could have a chat with the Motorola marketing department about that branding.

One of my favorite software features is Motorola Connect. The software works in conjunction with a desktop Chrome Plugin that essentially syncs your phone’s texts, calls, and contacts with your computer. In other words, it’s similar to having Google Hangouts, Facebook, or iMessage messenger-like capabilities as long as you have Chrome running on your PC, Mac, or Chromebook. Your phone can basically sit on the charger across the room, while you respond conveniently to text messages coming in, or even compose them! Well played Moto!

The Quick Capture feature is intended to be a quick double twist of the wrist to launch the camera software without unlocking the phone, and hunting for your camera shortcut. This takes some getting used to. I’ve been successful launching it about 85% of the time. It’s a bit gimmicky, but hey it’s there, and used enough, it could become second nature.

The Bottom Line

There’s a lot of Maxx in this Mini frame, from the hardware internals, to the software, and even wireless charging. It’s a great comfortable size, and lives on the opposite end of the embarrassing, “too large to put to your ear” Android phone trend. In fact, I think there is a huge advantage for Motorola. When it comes to OS software upgrades, Motorola will have a much easier time rolling those out given the near stock Android experience, and hardware consistency across this year’s Droid family. I’d expect no new Droid device to be left behind including the Droid Mini. If the Droid Maxx didn’t exist, I’d seriously consider the Droid Mini for myself, which is why it’s getting shipped to Mom. She’s getting, in my opinion, a powerful device with a budget friendly price tag at $99 on contract with Verizon Wireless. Not to steal any shine from the Moto X, but I think it would behoove Motorola to consider releasing the Mini in a few different colors. Other than the glossy back, and possibly if you have a preference for larger screen sizes, there’s nothing to dislike about the Droid Mini. It puts other “Minis” on notice.

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SOCCKET looks to light up the world through a soccer ball

Many of the world's homes are not fortunate to have permanent options for power. Millions are forced to use rudimentary means of providing artificial light to alleviate the darkness caused by nightfall. A new foundation, by the name of Uncharted Play, has made it their mission to help alleviate this issue. Their answer is the SOCCKET ball.

SOCCKET is an impressive product with a simple purpose: To provide a clean energy power source. The unique, soccer ball uses harnessed kinetic energy, produced through play , to create electricity. Uncharted Play's testing has shown that as little as 30 minutes of play will produce approximately 3 hours of light from the included 6-watt LED light.

Uncharted Play is the brainchild of Harvard graduates, Jessica O. Matthews and Julia Silverman. The two met in college on a previous project and reunited to found the new social enterprise that would become Uncharted Play. The team then enlisted engineer, Victor Angel to design the first prototype SOCCKET.

It is genuinely refreshing to find a tech product that is truly innovative. Giving those less fortunate a chance at a clean energy source is inspiring, and I wish the Uncharted Play team the best of luck in the future of their project. You can find more info, and preorder, on the SOCCKET via their website.

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Glass, Flass, and Other Wearable tech Q&A (Date Change!)

Join TechXaminer for this exclusive HangOut on Air with TechXaminer's own Will Lassalle-The Next Great CIO and Nathan Myers- Inventor of Flass as they discuss Glass, Flass, and other wearable tech including pros and cons of each. Feel free to send your questions in advance in the comments and/or join live!

Saturday September 14 07:30PM Eastern DST

Date Updated! Click on link above for more info and add event!

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Tuesdays at the Polls: How do you choose your mobile experience?

In this weekly feature we want to give our readers the opportunity to provide some point-and-click style input on some of the questions we have been pondering. Got a great poll idea? Drop us a note!

There are different needs to be met for every consumer in the market for a new smartphone. Will it have the features I want? Does the carrier have the coverage I need? Is it affordable? These are but some of the questions we face when jumping into a new phone purchase.

So, our poll this week is:  Which part of the experience sways your decision the most? We have listed 3 of the top variables involving a smartphone upgrade below. Let us know which takes priority in your mind.

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Samsung Galaxy Mega is coming to AT&T on Aug. 23

AT&T and Samsung are teaming up for a big phone announcement. No, really it's a HUGE phone! The 6.3 inch "hybrid" Samsung Galaxy Mega will be available on AT&T's LTE network on August 23. The device will be priced at $24 per month with the Next program, or $149.99 on a new two year agreement.

The "phone" marks the first of the Galaxy lineup that blurs the mobility of a smartphone, and the entertainment value of a tablet. Android 4.2.2 is on board with the usual Samsung customization. Check out the spec rundown below, and let us know if this new Zeus of the Galaxy handsets is something you have been waiting for.

• WatchON™ is a service that simplifies searching and recommends TV, movies and sports according to personal tastes.  With WatchON and the built-in IR blaster, the Galaxy Mega functions as a remote control for home theater equipment.
• Air View™ allows you to hover your finger over a calendar item or email to display a preview of what’s inside without opening it.
• Multi Window display offers split screen viewing and lets you view content in two windows at once, making it easy to multi-task.  For instance, you can take notes while watching a video or search the web while responding to a text message or email.
• Easy Mode settings give new smartphone users or simplicity seekers the option to start out with a basic version of your home screen that keeps your favorite apps and features within reach. 
• Story Album™ transforms photos you take with the Mega’s 8-megapixel camera into multi-media albums with music, videos and notes.
• S Translator™ helps you get your point across in a variety of languages.

As a side-note, I chose not to use the word phablet in the description above because I refuse to us that phrase (OK, I let that one slip). Sound off in the comments if this is the type of device that you could carry on a daily basis.

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Xaminations: TYLT VU wireless charger

Wireless charging can revoke very different reactions among the mobile community. Many find it an awesome feature that they can't live without, while others see it merely as a gimmick. I fall on the awesome side of things and had the opportunity to review the new Vu wireless charger from our friends at TYLT. Let's take a look at how this unique charger performs.

Design
TYLT has taken a rather diffferent approach to the VU charger. The design is very similar to a bookstand, and I find it quite appealing. The VU has somewhat of a 45-degree angle which allows for good viewing angles of video or slideshows while charging. There is a soft touch coating over the entire device to help prevent any harm towards your mobile device, and I found this a nice addition.

Size
The size of the VU is a gift and a curse. The stand-like design requires much more real estate than competing Qi chargers. If you don't have at least a good 6 inches of desktop space, then the VU may not be a good option. However, the larger size makes this a great solution for the new Nexus 7! I was disappointed that the Qi modules in that the two devices don't allow for charging in portrait orientation, but they work like a charm in landscape.

Cost
As with many Qi chargers, the VU is not the most cost efficient. The retail price is $69, and unfortunately, is currently out of stock on the company's website. While I find the cost worth it, I know many will not agree. However, as popularity of Qi chargers rise, I'm sure we will see more competitive pricing from OEMs in the future.

Charging
All of the other features of the VU wireless charger are irrelevant if the charging isn't up to snuff. I am happy to report that I saw no issues in this department. It produces the same output (5 volts), and the charge times are on par with that from standard USB measures. I would like to see a microUSB charging port to power the VU instead of a proprietary solution to allow the use of existing cables, but it may have been to lessen complaints over the required 12 volts of input needed for the VU.

Conclusion
I found the VU to have a solid build quality and unique design. I was more than happy to take up the additional space needed to have a dedicated Qi charger for my new Nexus 7. I would have loved to have the tablet charge in portrait, but hey, you can't have everything. Overall, I recommend the VU wireless charger to anyone who is in the market for one (that is as soon as it becomes available again). You can sign up to be notified, via email, on future availability of the VU on TYLT's website.

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Tech products you may want in the event of a zombie apocalypse

My wife is a true warrior when it comes to constantly being aware of an impending zombie outbreak, and she has presented me with a question: "What gadgets would you want in the real event of the zombie invasion?" In true nerd fashion, I pondered and researched this inquiry over the last few weeks. I have put together a brief rundown of some of my must have technology products for when the zombie virus breaks out:

Motorola RAZR flip-phone

The original RAZR was a well built, thin phone that was highly successful, and somewhat before its time. It had limited web capabilities, as well as, stripped down app environment. With the phone's wide popularity, it could make for a good choice, and parts might be readily available if repairs need to be made. The RAZR was also released on most of the global carriers, so tower service shouldn't be an issue.

Garmin fenix GPS Watch

If you're stuck in a post-apocalyptic situation, you need to know where you're going. The fenix from Garmin has a pretty good feature list that includes: tagging of surrounding landmarks, downloadable maps, and path tracking of your previous trails. When things get scarce in your neighborhood, or the zombie population is too much to handle, you have the tool to get outside your normal boundaries.

Solar-Powered Backpack

Every good gadgeteer is going to need a fair amount of portable power. There are several solutions on the market that allow for a solar powered battery pack in the form of a knapsack. With these backpacks, you have the powerplant to charge all your portable devices while storing them on the go.

Laptop

Dude! Does this one really need explaining? Every nerd on the planet needs a good laptop, and the zombie apocalypse is no exception. Assuming Wi-Fi is still available, you will have the go to device to manage your war on the undead.

Lighters

Ok, so we conquered fire thousands of years ago, but come on! You're still going to need it in this situation. Pocket lighters are a dime a dozen, but could prove one of the most important on this list. From food preparation when power is not an option, to keeping you warm on a cold night, a lighter is an oldie but a goodie.

Crank radio

When the first zombie attacks start to hit the airwaves to the zero hour, you will want to stay informed of the bigger picture of what's happening in the outside world. A simple crank FM radio could just be your ticket. With a few cranks every half hour or so, you have the solution to possibly knowing what's in your surrounding area.

Shake Flashlight

In the same vain of the crank flashlight, this is a self-sufficient solution to not being stuck out in the dark. With less than a minute of shaking the flashlight, you will be rewarded with around 10 minutes of LED illumination. The induction technology uses a free-floating magnet to travel between metal coils to produce the voltage needed to shed some light on things.

Gun

I know this one is outside the normal realm of our usual posts, but in the given scenario, it seems like it should get an honorable mention. In dire times, such as the zombie invasion, protection is a must. I won't go into the do's or don't's surrounding firearms, but it had to be mentioned for my list.

There you have it. In the event of the zombie apocalypse, we have a nice set of items we might need to get us through this horror. Now many of these items will require certain networking pipelines to continue working in this scenario, but I enjoyed the theoretical research. Let us know if you share this fear, and what you would want to help stay among the living. Sound off in the comments for any suggestions or added items!

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Xaminations: The BlackBerry Q10

BlackBerry has been in a complete rebuild mode over the last 3 years. They have started to change the face of their smartphone lineup with BlackBerry 10. They have also released their newest, all-touch device with the Z10. Despite the Z10 selling several million units, the company has not forgotten their heritage of QWERTY keyboards.

Enter the new BlackBerry Q10. BlackBerry has been the king of the QWERTY keyboard for more than a decade, and the Q10 is well in line with that heritage. The Q10 is a solid smartphone with a throwback design, but how does it matchup against the new generation of mobile computing?

Hardware
The Q10 is a well built, sturdy smartphone. The 3.1" touchscreen is bright and responsive. The keyboard is exactly what you would expect from the BlackBerry. Keys are slightly raised and easy to press. Internally resides a dual-core 1.5Ghz processor and 2gb of RAM. Flash memory is set at 16gb and the Q10 allows for 32gb of expandable storage via micro-SD. Outside the casing, you have a 8 mega-pixel camera on the rear and 2 mega-pixel on the front.

Software
The Q10 runs BlackBerry 10 version 10.1 by default, and is the first device to have the point one update at launch. Many of the new features of the OS are tuned towards the physical keyboard of the Q10, with things like keyboard shortcuts seeing some love. Quick Actions allow you to start tweets, or Facebook updates, without launching the apps via the keyboard. All your basic BB10 stalwarts are here. Swipes and gestures are your friend, and the Hub is your central station for all your notifications.

Much like my experience with the Z10, the Q10 is handicapped by a lack of quality apps for the BB10 platform. Big name developer houses are simply not producing applications for BlackBerry. The lack of Netflix, Amazon, Rdio, or Spotify, to name a few, hampers the positive experience of the operating system. There are some very good 3rd party apps to fill most voids, but the lack of key apps makes the OS hard to use as a replacement for iOS or Android.

Performance
The Q10 is a snappy device to say the least. I found the overall performance of 10.1 on the Q10 slightly faster than the same OS version on my Z10. It could be that the 3.1 inch screen allows the system to process information faster, but either way, the Q10 is quite responsive. Battery life also was slightly better on the Q10 in comparison. I easily had it last all day with no issues.

Conclusion
I am torn with the Q10, and BlackBerry 10, as a whole. Honestly, the Q10 reminds me of a NFL fullback. It's not flashy. It's stocky, solid form factor make for a quality player, but never makes it stand out as a superstar. The physical keyboard makes for a solid member of your roster, but is somewhat of a dying position.

The same can be said for BlackBerry 10. The underlying operating system is fast, and responsive with some truly good UI elements and ideas. However, the lack of top-level apps, and the chicken-egg problem this presents for the platform's future success, I just can't recommend the OS to most consumers. I just don't see any big names moving to support BB10 with the current financial state of BlackBerry, and this, unfortunately, directly correlates to the success of the OS.

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Tuesdays at the Polls: Do you use the Android recent apps feature?

In this weekly feature we want to give our readers the opportunity to provide some point-and-click style input on some of the questions we have been pondering. Got a great poll idea? Drop us a note!

Multitasking is a key feature in the age of the smartphone. As a longtime webOS user, I tend to put an emphasis on how a mobile OS handles this feat. It has recently occurred to me, through talks with less enthusiastic smartphone users, that some may not even care how a phone utilizes bouncing from app to app.

A friend at work was recently using his phone at break, and I asked "Do you even know what the far right button does on that Droid?" He replied with a casual, "I never use it." He continued to explain that he simply goes to his home screen to go from one task to another. So, my question this week is for all my Android users. Do you actively use the recent apps option on your phone?

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Quadriplegic In Wheelchair Makes A Plea For Google Glass

Most of you probably haven't seen the video, as looking on YouTube it shows under 600 views, but if you have a heart at all, take a watch.
This quadriplegic has made a plea for Google Glass to show us things from her point of view. Things that we normally won't get to see. One of the reasons she is asking for Glass is because she could then video without having to have someone set up the camera for her, she could just ask Glass to record!
I think we could raise enough money among the tech community, or even get Google to donate it! What do you say? I think if we can get enough people to share her video on different social media outlets, and enough people to bombard Google, we could help her out!

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Xaminations: JLab Shaker Mini Bluetooth Speaker

The JLab Shaker is an awesome little Bluetooth speaker. It's small, yet packs a good punch. The Shaker doesn't sound like a $400 Bluetooth speaker, mainly because it isn't. Yet, it doesn't sound like a $70 speaker either. It's great sounding for what it is, and what it is is a $70 Bluetooth speaker and microphone, with a twist. 

The Shaker isn't your average speaker, it uses something called "Vibration Technology," which is very nice and makes the speaker sound much better than without it. You can use the speaker in one of a few ways, on a wall, on glass, on a hard surface, or just holding it in your hand. Holding it in your hand isn't the best way to listen to it, because it can't shine with the Vibration Technology. The best way to use this speaker is honestly on glass or on a hollow drywall, well, wall.

I have used this Shaker for many different things, from in construction as we renovate my basement, to in the car driving from Nashville to Chattanooga and using it as a Bluetooth speaker for my phone. 

The charge time is very good on it, I was able to get a few days of moderate use from it on a single charge. The charging cable is very unique, it is not only a USB charging cable, but it also doubles as a 3.5mm headphone input/auxiliary jack so you can even use it with non-Bluetooth devices! See below for our video review.

All in all, the Shaker is an awesome device for the price, and sounds fairly good. It has the microphone, which is just an added bonus. If you're looking for a good speaker that doesn't break the bank, check out the JLab Shaker!

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