Category: Mobile Tech

Google Nexus 4 Coming in Novmember, $299 Unlocked

The Google Nexus 4 by LG is now live on Google Play. Google was supposed to unveil the Nexus 4 at a press event in New York today, but had to cancel due to Hurricane Sandy. The unlocked prices are $299 for the 8GB model and $349 for the 16GB model. Google’s upcoming flagship phone boasts:

  • 4.7-inch Corning Gorilla Glass 2 screen
  • 1,280 x 768 resolution (320 ppi)
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor
  • 2GB of RAM
  • 2,100 mAh battery capable of wireless charging
  • Eight-megapixel rear camera
  • 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.
  • Android 4.2

Due to Google’s issues with CDMA/LTE carriers, the Nexus 4 will only be available as a GSM/HSPA+ model, initially.

Early hands-on reports claim that the screen is competitive with the iPhone 5’s and that the camera is greatly improved over the one in last year’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

I’m a little bit split on this phone. It sounds great on paper and I love what I’m hearing about the screen. While I’m disappointed that an LTE model won’t be available, I understand that carriers like Verizon are complete ass-hats when it comes to timely updates; Google wants to keep the Nexus experience as pure as possible by providing updates directly to Nexus customers. 16GB of storage also seems low, but so much is moving to the cloud and $349 for an unlocked 16GB phone is a pretty sweet deal. None of those deliberations matter though; as a tech nerd, of course I want a Nexus 4!

How about you? Any of you guys and dolls interested in the Google Nexus 4?

Source

 

AT&T, Richard Mourdock, and Credo Mobile

Indiana senate candidate Richard Mourdock was criticized for a statement he made regarding abortions in the case of rape. Those sensitive comments about a sensitive issue have made their way into the competitive world of mobile tech. For those of you not familiar with what Mourdock said, here’s the quote via CBS News:

I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize life is that gift from God and I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.

One of Mourdock’s corporate contributors is AT&T. Competitor Credo Mobile has started an advertising campaign condemning AT&T and Mourdock…that also happens to give new customers 40 percent off voice fees for a year.

No matter what side of the issue you’re on, doesn’t it seem in questionable taste to promote discounts on mobile phone service using such a touchy subject? It just seems tacky that Credo’s boast of, “We’re a staunch supporter of reproductive rights, and we’re proud to be the largest corporate donor to Planned Parenthood, with more than $2 million in donations over the years,” is capped by, “Call 877-346-0516 and mention offer code 402204 or join online today.”

On the flip side, it’s not like AT&T has a campaign stating that it proudly supports political candidates against abortions in the case of rape. If anything, I imagine AT&T supports Mourdock and other candidates that will help the company smooth things over on FCC matters.

Now, I rather not get into a political discussion on Mourdock’s stance. Rather, I’d like to hear your opinion on Credo Mobile using Mourdock to promote service discounts. Certainly it’s the company’s right to advertise its service to liberal consumers in such a manner, but isn’t the whole campaign a bit…uncomfortable? Please share your thoughts on Credo Mobile’s ad campaign in the comments section!

Source (Thanks to Tom Seery for the link!)

SwiftKey Flow Swipe-Based Keyboard (Beta)

As many of you know, I love using Swype on my Android phones. Tracing is just much faster than typing for me. Swype has its quirks and is far from perfect, so I was intrigued to learn that SwiftKey has a swipe-based keyboard in beta. A favorite of many Android users, SwiftKey is known for its powerful prediction engine. The company is combining that prediction engine and a swipe-based keyboard in a product called SwiftKey Flow.

In a recent post on the company blog, SwiftKey’s Joe Braidwood wrote: Continue reading “SwiftKey Flow Swipe-Based Keyboard (Beta)”

Today’s Poll: Most Exciting New Apple Product

Apple has declared war on Christmas by announcing a slew of new products set to ship this holiday season. While most tech nerds knew the iPad Mini was coming and many surmised that the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display was in the works, there were a few surprises. New models in the iMac and Mac Mini lines were also unveiled. While most Apple fans were thrilled by these new products, those that bought the “new” iPad earlier in 2012 were a bit annoyed that Apple unveiled a fourth-generation iPad too; the company typically refreshes its iOS products once a year, so this was a bit soon.

Out of all the products Apple announced today, I want to know which one excites you the most. Please vote in today’s poll and expand on your answer in the comments section.

[poll id=”168″]

 

 

Today’s Poll: Hybrids vs. Laplets

Tablet computers that dock into keyboard enclosures so that they can be used like laptop computers are going to be huge in the next year (from a product-release standpoint, anyway). A large number of PC manufacturers have upcoming Windows 8 products that fit into this category (whether people actually want them is another matter). Check out the HP Envy X2 pictured above, for example. Tech nerds have been arguing over what to call these computers. Many are using the term hybrid (hybrid computer), while others prefer laplet (laptop + tablet).

What do you think these things should be called? Kindly vote in today’s poll and explain your answer in the comments section.

[poll id=”167″]

Coffee Talk #527: Your Various Internet Communities

As I mentioned to RPadholic smartguy the other day, I’ve been thinking a lot about the various Internet communities I belong to and how they compare to Internet videogame communities. Obviously I can’t be objective about videogame communities, but for the most part I find them pretty excellent. There are a lot of nice people that love talking about games and I’ve read loads of informative posts by them (you guys and gals are the best of the bunch!). Of course there are trolls and nuisances and racial slurs thrown about, but in my experience that’s mostly the work of young and stupid gamers. I’m not excusing it, but I understand and will naively assume that they’ll grow out of it.

Using videogame communities as a measuring stick, here’s how the other communities I play in compare…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, getting hyped for the start of the NBA season, Lance Armstrong getting stripped of his Tour de France titles, or Apple continuing to cut off Samsung as a parts supplier, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As I mentioned to RPadholic smartguy the other day, I’ve been thinking a lot about the various Internet communities I belong to and how they compare to Internet videogame communities. Obviously I can’t be objective about videogame communities, but for the most part I find them pretty excellent. There are a lot of nice people that love talking about games and I’ve read loads of informative posts by them (you guys and gals are the best of the bunch!). Of course there are trolls and nuisances and racial slurs thrown about, but in my experience that’s mostly the work of young and stupid gamers. I’m not excusing it, but I understand and will naively assume that they’ll grow out of it.

Using videogame communities as a measuring stick, here’s how the other communities I play in compare. Naturally, I’d love to hear about the different communities you participate in and how they’re different from gaming nerds.

Tech: In general, the tech communities I play in are civil and informative. Commenters are mostly mature and I’ve learned a lot from them. AVS Forums is a particularly wonderful place that’s mostly free of stupidity. Tech conversations get exasperating when it comes to mobile phones. The Android vs. iOS discussions often devolve into Fandroids vs. iSheep arguments. It’s almost as bad as PS3 vs. Xbox 360 flame wars. Aside from that, the blogs and forums I read are mostly fun, interesting, and civil places.

Boxing: As much as I love boxing, I’ve come to the conclusion that many boxing fans are morons. Promoters, sanctioning bodies, and cable networks make it difficult to be a boxing fan. People that post in boxing forums, like Doghouse Boxing, almost make me want to stop watching the sport. The thing is, boxing isn’t that popular and there aren’t many places to discuss the sport in detail. Doghouse Boxing has some great posters, but it also has an alarming number of idiots that spout all kinds of slurs, can’t string together intelligent sentences, and don’t know how to carry a civil conversation. Too many of the threads there devolve into flame wars between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. fans (FloMos) and Manny Pacquiao supporters (Pactards). These discussions are worse than any PS3 vs. Xbox 360 flame war I’ve seen.

Vaping: I’m really enamored with the vaping community at the moment. The crowd at E-Cigaratte Forum is really knowledgeable and supportive. With vaping tech moving at a rapid pace, it’s great to have lots of people that are familiar the various parts and mods. Since everyone that posts is a former cigarette addict, the environment is really encouraging, especially to newcomers. It’s all about helping people find the right gear and juices that will help them quit tobacco smoking forever. I’m going to write more about this in a future Vaping Diary.

Now it’s your turn! When you have a chance, please tell me about the different Internet communities you participate in and how they compare to videogame communities.

Google October 29 Press Conference and You

Google is holding a major press conference on October 29, 2012. With tons of rumors and some photo leaks of an LG Nexus phone floating around, most experts are certain that product will make a debut at this presser. Earlier in the year, it was rumored that Google will have multiple partners for the next round of Nexus phones.Perhaps the “playground” theme on the invite indicates that multiple children will be frolicking in the Nexus world.

Last month I wrote about a possible Nexus 5 by HTC. Recent rumors point to a Nexus phone by Sony. One interesting, but somewhat disappointing, guess is that Samsung will release a Galaxy Nexus+ that uses the same body as the previous model but with updated innards.

Other guesses have included an updated Nexus 7 and the release of Android 4.2.

What do you think of the Google presser rumors? Are any of you interested in a new Nexi? If so, which rumored Nexus partner interests you the most? (The right answer is HTC, btw.) Please gaze into your crystal balls and predict the Google presser happenings!

Apple October 23 Press Conference and You

Apple has sent out invites for a presser on October 23, 2012. All signs point to the iPad Mini being unveiled, but there are other product rumors floating around. Some pundits believe that a 13-inch Retina Display MacBook Pro will also be announced. Other think that the iMac will be getting a (much-needed?) refresh. There are even rumors of Apple going big with cloud offerings, starting with streaming music with a video coming next year.

Are any of you interested in the iPad Mini? How about the other rumored products? Please leave a comment with what you’d like to see announced during Apple’s October 23, 2012 presser.

Coffee Talk #526: Obama, Romney, and Apple

During last night’s presidential debate, moderator Candy Crowley asked President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney about Apple and outsourcing to China. The end of her question was, “How do you convince a great American company to bring that manufacturing back here?” Unsurprisingly, neither candidate gave an adequate or honest answer to the question. Steve Jobs told the President the deal in early 2011…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the depressing collapse of the NY Yankees, the world being darker because Austin Aries is no longer TNA Champion, or your favorite piece of chicken, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

During last night’s presidential debate, moderator Candy Crowley asked President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney about Apple and outsourcing to China. The end of her question was, “How do you convince a great American company to bring that manufacturing back here?” Unsurprisingly, neither candidate gave an adequate or honest answer to the question.

Romney talked about China’s currency manipulation, patent stealing, and cheating without offering a cogent solution. Obama was slightly more honest when he said, “There are some jobs that are not going to come back because they are low-wage, low-skill jobs.” The President knows better than this. He knows that the vast majority of those manufacturing jobs are not going to come back. Steve Jobs told him so.

During a high-powered dinner featuring some of the biggest players in Silicon Valley, President Obama asked Steve Jobs what it would take for Apple to bring some of those jobs back to America. The reply was unsurprisingly brusque in that charmingly arrogant Steve Jobs way: “Those jobs aren’t coming back.” I’m sure the President and his staff have explored many ways to entice Apple to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. I’m also sure that they came to the conclusion that the government doesn’t have any realistic way to change the situation in a meaningful way.

As a tech nerd, I’m glad a tech-nerd topic came up in the debates. It’s just disappointing that neither candidate gave an answer that meant anything. Though I suppose that could be said about most of the answers given in all the debates thus far.