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Sprint's Tour is like Verizon's Tour, almost to a tee. Can you spot the differences? Noah will help, promise. Unboxing!

The editors at Wirefly Learn have ranked the best video camera cell phones and published sample clips of each. Well worth reading and watching if you want to ditch your clunky video camera and get on board the cell phone video revolution. Video capture technology on cell phones has come a long, long way, baby. Check it out. [...]

Look, I'll be the first to admit: I like BlackBerry devices.  Despite the troubles and manufacturing issues I've had this year, I do think RIM makes a good product, with a lot of potential (now, how to expand into that potential is an entirely different story).  By the same token, though, I'm not exclusive to the device by any means.  I've owned several different platforms, with the most recent one being webOS (Palm Pre).  They all have their strengths and subsequently, their weaknesses (including ).  I say all of this to admit that, though I like BlackBerry devices, I am by no means a fanboy.

The Android concept has always interested me.  There was a short period where I carried the G1, but I found that the battery life, keyboard, and overall design weren't my cup of tea.  With the advent of the myTouch 3G, I figured I would give it a run through, to see how an active BlackBerry user would approach Android.  I'll tell you, though: I am by no means the expert on Android - that would be John.  He does fantastic work on the development of Android.  And my goal isn't to step into his field by any means; my goal is to find out whether the myTouch 3G, in all of its Android goodness, is a device that die-hard BlackBerry users could feasibly switch to.  BlackBerry users complain about their device and desire a switch to a different platform, but due to work or e-mail constraints, have to stay with the BlackBerry.  Could the device be a worthy replacement for the e-mail warrior?



The first thought that hit me after opening the cool box and checking out the exterior design of the phone (and it's a natural one) is how dramatically different Android is versus the BlackBerry OS I've come to know and watch evolve over the years.  Despite their entry into the consumer market, RIM has always kept the BlackBerry OS very pro-business, from the security measures to the overall look and feel of the device.  Some would argue that it's RIM's Achilles heel (consumers and geeks) and some would argue the "why change something that's secure and works?" mentality (business users).

Secondly, I was struck by how seamlessly the device connected and synced with Google's services.  Yes, I know, by this point you're probably thinking that I'm Android-challenged, but I'm doing my best to approach this as if I was a BlackBerry user transitioning for the first time, and not a die-hard phone geek.  Very easy transition, and e-mail setup (for Gmail and my non-Google account) was a breeze.  I was up and running in just a few minutes.  Synchronization came shortly thereafter, and my contacts, calendar appointments, and the like were all integrated in.

The blinding issue that I see with this device that would hinder business users is the lack of a full QWERTY keyboard.  To be completely honest, the on-screen keyboard that comes with it in the box is useless.  Don't bother typing e-mails on it; your words will be so butchered that you'll automatically lose the business deal for not proofing the e-mail.  That being said, the HTC stock keyboard can be downloaded from various places on the internet, and does work a bit better.  I would characterize the stock keyboard as better.  Not good, not perfect, but better.  The auto-correction seems to be correct most of the time, with the exception of typing e-mail addresses and things that aren't easily recognizable.  Bottom line: it's not the easiest solution when it comes to typing.  If you need a device to fire off numerous e-mails a day, it's not for you.

Ever used a wireless device that had everything that you wanted, but lacked the one thing that you actually needed?  The myTouch 3G is that device.  Phenomenal Gmail integration, smooth web browsing, an ample selection of apps in the Android Market.  But the keyboard is a deal breaker.  And it's exceptionally frustrating, as the Google integration is absolutely perfect.  For those that use Gmail, or Google Apps for Your Domain, the e-mail experience is second to none.  But making 14 errors when sending a message comprised of "hello, how are you, thank you for the information" (with the stock HTC keyboard) makes the device one that business users can't use.  The landscape keyboard helps to eliminate some of the erroneous typing, but the overall device lag persists, leaving you to wonder whether the myTouch recognized your gesture, or if you'll need to re-enter it again.

So, much to my irritation, while the device offers a great deal of phenomenal features, the keyboard is such that BlackBerry business users couldn't use the device.  I'm not talking about consumer users, or those that use their BlackBerry device for media and other purposes over e-mailing; I'm referring to RIM's bread-and-butter class.  For those that pound out more than ten e-mails per day, this isn't a viable replacement.  

Rest assured, I'll keep looking.  I'm sure there are alternative options out there somewhere.

Smartphone + Messaging Phone = Smartphone for Tweens? The odd but interesting Nokia Surge is a full on smartphone in a messaging phone's body. Noah checks it out.

When I reviewed Opera Mini 4.2 for Android, I was less than impressed - not because the browser didn't perform well or because I didn't like the interface. I enjoyed my time with Opera Mini. But I spent the entire relationship thinking about the browser's more powerful and robust big sister, Opera Mobile.

I am a fan of Opera on the desktop, and love what they're doing with server-side technology to minimize the volume of data transfer and speed up the experience for end users on mobile devices. I was just miffed to see the lite version of Opera running on what I consider to be a smart phone. It was an ouchy experience, Opera.

Thankfully, Opera Software's CEO, Jon von Tetzchner, recently told PCMag that they are indeed working on an Android version of the program. That means widgets, Opera community integration, and killer bookmark management - not to mention Opera's famous caching benefits [EDIT: and Flash!]. Unfortunately, Mr. Tetzchner didn't say when we can expect Opera Mobile in the Android Market.

Please, Opera. Don't rush, but hurry! Internet everywhere!

Via App Scout

Android's public profile is growing rapidly, and as its previously-overlooked power and flexibility become more apparent to the masses, companies are finding ways to maximize the operating system's potential. Last month, I wrote about the direction Google is taking in terms of social networking in Android and how they are gearing it towards devices other than phones and computers - devices like home security systems.

Today, the New York Times published a piece on a microprocessor design firm called MIPS technologies. And they are tweaking Android for Hi-Def video applications. They expect Android to be found in set-top boxes, digital picture frames, and home media players - a catch-all term for frames that go beyond photos, with audio and video.

NYT interviewed MIPS VP of marketing, and he provided some interesting bites regarding Android's impact and potential:

"In my 25 years in the electronics industry, I have never seen a new technology take off as quickly as this one. It is moving very rapidly out the of mobile handset space."

"It works on a variety of platforms. It's easy to customize. It's really a beautifully architected system. Once people saw how straightforward it was to move from a handset to a netbook, then it began to be an ‘aha' moment: ‘What if I migrate this to a DTV or set-top box?' "

While I'm unlikely to be able to afford any of this stuff soon, I'm excited at the prospect of availability. MIPS passes their technology on to OEMs, who, in turn, create concept gear, test it out, and eventually bring something to market. So it'll be a little while before we see these gadgets. My primary question now is, "When will Google enter the video game console arena?!" Guess I should buy an EVO before complaining.

Via NYT Technology Blog

I just live-streamed my first video with my G1, and wow, are my arms tired. Seriously though, despite the fuzzy audio and grainy image, it's a huge step for social interaction and broadcasting for the Android platform - especially since this new version of Qik adds speed sharing and on-device editing.

This is one instance where the Droid nerds can thumb their noses at iPhone loyalists, as live-streaming means Qik isn't available in the Apple App Store. Because, you know...people would constantly be leaving the scenes of accidents, bodyslamming themselves in school buses, and offering up extremely shaky bootlegs of concerts - all live. And who wants to see any of that, really? O.K., I do.

Check out the screengrabs I made below, followed by one that I pulled from Mobile Crunch so you could see what the whole thing looks like with proper contact icons. Check out those sharing options! Sweet! You can see Qik's own video on the new features here.