Mass Effect 3 will be expanding its narrative and providing players some more combat via its new iPad iOS game, Mass Effect Infiltrator. While the Mass Effect series is a sci-fi role-playing game known for its over-the-shoulder shooter gameplay, its iOS version will be all about fighting.

The backstory on the new iOS game is about a soldier named Randall Ezno and his travels to track down alien species across the universe. It starts to overlap with the storyline from Mass Effect 3 as he starts to feed information and various items to Commander Shepard, the protagonist of Mass Effect 3. And to keep players interested in the new iOS game, items and info collected in it will also appear in the console game for Shepard to use. While Mass Effect Infiltrator gameplay will focus on short bursts of action, its graphics are pretty on par with those of the actual console game. As one of the best-looking mobile games, players control Ezno via touch-based analog-sticks, with shooting controls working by tapping on enemies for aiming.

The game will be available for all iOS devices, including iPad, iPod and iPhone. There’s no news on price or an exact release date yet, but EA reps mentioned that it would be released around the same time as Mass Effect 3.

Avid has provided an special Avid Studio app for the iPad that is supposed to complement its AVID Studio on desktop PCs. It’s classified as a “prosumer” app and will supposedly do most things desktop editing suites can do, but it really won’t be able to execute on everything. Some downfalls to the new app include: pro-level editors working on a smaller screen, not having the ability to export a Flash video fire and burn video files to a CD or DV and users won’t want to export lots of large, high-def. video files on the iPad because it’ll take up too much space. But at $4.99, the app is pretty cheap, but the price will jump to $8 next month.

Getting your iPad home in one piece is a no brainer, provided of course you don’t live in a war ravaged area, such as Afghanistan.  But for those of you that have to remain weary of mortar fire, explosions, dust and water gushing into your work spot then you might want to take a look at Pelican’s i1075 case.

This tough as nails case has been designed to specifically accommodate the iPad or iPad 2.  It will protect your iPad from a 3-foot fall, water, dust and pretty much everything but a gun shot.  A watertight gasket creates a tight seal, while an automatic purge valve keeps water and dust out while balancing pressure.  There is also in integrated easel allowing you to view your iPad in landscape or portrait mode, an accessory storage area, removable should strap, cushion inserts designed to mold to your tablet and room for a Bluetooth keyboard.

You can grab one from Amazon for $63.

It seems Apple has a lot more in store of its magnetic MagSafe connectors the company uses on its MacBook laptops, reveals an AppleInsider article. First introduced in 2006 and now a signature design element for all of Apple’s notebooks, the magnetic connector isn’t just beneficial for Apple’s iconic design elements, but lasts longer than using cable and port combinations with male and female connectors that can wear down with time. According to the article, Apple is working on new ways to use MagSafe connectors across several of its products, including the iPad and more.

An example of one new patent by Apple reveals that the connector might replace their 30-pin dock connector. Connections would be made as they are now, but the magnets would be coded with info that would be transmitted when the magnets are connected with one another, allowing different accessories to use a single connector port on a variety of Apple products. So the new cables would act as a universal port that would detect the coded magnet and its info then reconfigure itself accordingly.

But that’s not all since Apple’s patent also involves a new stylus technology for the iPad that would include coded magnets around the tip of the device and allow it to be placed in a doc connected to the iPad (or iPhone, etc) to exchange data. This is all in conjunction to its regular function as a standard stylus pen. All this info on the possibilities and expansion of magnetic MagSafe connectors was first filed in July 2011 and there’s no concrete plans or word from Apple if these ideas will become a reality.

Belkin is targeting the latest generation of Macbook owners with an autumn release of the Thunderbolt Express Dock.  We took a brief look at it at CES 2012 and we were impressed to say the least.  The finish and weight of the device is something we relish to hold in our hands again.  The dock itself jacks into your lappy via Thunderbolt and supports Gigabit Ethernet, 3x USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire 800 port, a 3.5mm headphone jack and two thunderbolt ports  (one upstream and one downstream) for daisy chaining other devices.  But that’s not what we really loved about this dock.  In addition to all of these wonderful ports you’ll also found an HDMI port, allowing you to easily connect your Macbook Air to not just an LCD monitor, but a LCD or Plasma TV.

There is one small caveat, though.  It will cost $299 when it launches later this year.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that comparisons between the iPhone and Playstation Vita were abound, even though they are very different devices. The iPhone, obviously a phone, and the Vita, obviously not a phone, still carry a lot of the same characteristics. And for better or worse, even game consoles like the Nintendo 3DS, DS, and PSP have had a run for their maker’s money because of products like the iPhone.

Then again, considering how the two devices are so vastly different, this comparison won’t be a direct head-to-head. Instead, we’ll compare both based on equal ground, or as close as they get to it.

Display

From my testing of the Vita and the iPhone 4S, along with a number of other handhelds and smartphones, this is a tough call. The iPhone 4S has Apple’s retina display, a 326ppi 960×640 resolution screen that is extremely dense. It uses a high-quality 3.5″ TFT capacitive touchscreen that has, ever since the original iPhone, worked well in direct sunlight.

Meanwhile, the Vita has a 220ppi 960×544 OLED display, which is significantly less dense while on a 5″ screen. On the one hand that means that colors will be more vibrant and saturated, with darker blacks, but the downside is that the display won’t be nearly as visible in bright conditions. Recent OLED displays I’ve tested, including the Samsung Galaxy S II and Epic 4G Touch, are visible in direct sunlight, but that’s thanks to Samsung’s double-pane SuperAMOLED+ system. Sony uses a different glass model for their OLED display.

The benefits of OLED are this: more vibrant colors (to the point of exageration), deeper blacks, and less power drain. TFT, however, is brighter, more accurate, and has been used for decades (and is thus a more refined technology). So what really makes the difference here is the size and density. The Vita is bigger at 5″, and for video and gaming the density won’t be as important as for reading text.

Winner: PS Vita, but it’s close. If the iPhone were larger, or perhaps if we compared a different phone like the HTC Rezound (which has a 720p TFT display), the results would be different.

Processor

At this point, it’s safe to call the iPhone’s A5 processor old. It’s been around since last April in the iPad 2, and the chip in the iPhone 4S is even underclocked to 800MHz. The Vita, according to some developers, has an average clock speed of 800MHz but can go up to 2GHz. However, at that high speed the power drain will be significant, so most games are expected to play between 800MHz-1GHz. Both are based on the ARM Cortex A9 design, but Sony’s chip also shares many similarities with the PS3′s Cell processor. It’s a quad-core chip (compared to the iPhone 4S’ dual-core), though as of now it’s unclear just how powerful the chip is. It will take developers some time to really stretch it out, as it did with the Cell CPU.

The only big difference here is that the next iPad, likely to release in the April/May time-frame, will have an updated processor, likely the A6. The next iPhone won’t have it until the holidays, but I expect it to have the same 1GHz frequency but be a quad-core chip. The Vita, on the other hand, won’t receive any major upgrades, but it will remain more powerful than the next gen iPhone and all other competing smartphones for at least two years. Still, that isn’t a long time. However, today, the Vita clearly has the more powerful processor.

Winner: PS Vita, thanks to a CPU with twice the cores and the potential to be 2.5x as fast as the current iPhone.

Storage

Storage is a big deal…but in this case, not to Sony. The PS Vita requires some sort of storage to play games and get apps, but doesn’t come with any whatsoever. Vita owners have to buy external storage, and specifically need Sony’s new Playstation Vita Card storage, not SD cards. The pricing isn’t bad: $20 for 4GB, $30 for 8GB, $60 for 16GB, and $100 for 32GB. I’ve asked Sony a few times concerning the speed of these Vita-specific flash cards, but haven’t received any response as of yet. SD cards are known to be unfortunately slow, so slow in fact that pro-grade camera manufacturers are dropping the format and creating their own for their cameras.

The iPhone 4S starts with 16GB and goes up to 64GB, with $100 between the three models. There’s no expandability with the iPhone, but at least it has internal memory to begin with. The Vita actually requires it and forces owners to put down at least an additional $20 just for 4GB. That means to match the iPhone 4S, in terms of storage today, you’d have to pay $310 for the Vita and a 16GB memory card. Then again, put down $350 and that amount of memory storage is the same as a 32GB iPhone 4S, which retails for $400 (plus 2-year service contract).

Winner: iPhone 4S, because it comes storage to begin with and doesn’t attempt to cheat buyers out of more money for required data storage. Until Sony gets back to me regarding their memory card speed, and unless it’s faster than typical (slow) SD cards, the iPhone is the winner, though at higher densities the Vita is a less expensive prospect.

Wireless Connectivity

The PS Vita comes in two models, Wi-Fi only and with 3G. The iPhone 4S meanwhile is a phone, though is also limited to 3G speeds. The kicker for the iPhone is that on AT&T, it has access to what AT&T loves to call 4G (though Apple refused to agree to such marketing for the device because it isn’t true 4G), though both Sprint and Verizon iPhone models are stuck on the slower 3G network. 4G allows for up to 28.8Mb/s data transfer rates, and in my experience is as fast as Sprint’s 4G network, offering roughly 8Mb/s down and 1Mb/s up.

That immediately dings the Vita, because it could, theoretically, have double the transfer speed. Worse yet for the console, contracts are only available in the US through AT&T. Without LTE online gaming is impossible, and with only 3G speeds apps and streaming videos will be slower than what nearly every smartphone released in the past six months. Including the iPhone 4S.

Winner: iPhone 4S, thanks to faster speeds and availability on more carriers.

Camera

The Vita has two VGA cameras (640×480), one on the front and one on the back. The iPhone 4S has an 8MP rear camera and a 1.3MP front camera. If that’s not enough, the iPhone 4S is today considered one of the best camera phones available.

If, for some reason you think I need to go on…the Vita has no flash, no hope for taking great pictures, and is only there so developers can potentially make use of it.

Winner: iPhone 4S, because it isn’t a tacked-on piece of junk.

Battery Life

Judging battery life between a gaming console and a phone may appear unfair, but in fact it’s the PS Vita that has the unfair advantage, especially if it’s the Wi-Fi only model. Not only does it sport a beefier 2210mAh battery, compared to the iPhone’s 1432mAh. The Vita’s 5″ display may be more power hungry, but OLED is less power intensive than LCD displays. And the iPhone is always connected because it’s a phone. Even then, Sony averages 3-5 hours of gameplay, 5 hours of video playback, and 9 hours of music playback. The iPhone 4S claims twice the video playback time, 4.5x the music playback time, and can browse the internet for 6 hours over 3G or 9 hours over Wi-Fi.

As for gaming? There aren’t specific numbers for the iPhone 4S yet, but I’ve been playing games like Grand Theft Auto III and the recent update to Rage HD, and it certainly lasts over five hours.

Winner: iPhone 4S, which has a smaller, less-dense battery but still creams the Vita.

Price

Normally, price would be easy to determine because every year a new iPhone released alongside a new iPod Touch. That didn’t happen with the iPhone 4S, meaning the current iPod Touch is the same as last year. It’s as powerful as the iPhone 4, so the iPhone 4S stands alone. Pricing for it is simple: $200 plus a two-year contract, with a $54.99 base price on AT&T. That comes out to roughly $1520 over two years, for the very minimum, and that’s assuming users have the older pricing scheme. Based on today’s minimum pricing, it would be $1640.

Meanwhile, the PS Vita will retail for $250, or $300 for the 3G model with a base $15/month, without a contract.  If there were an equally powerful iPod Touch, the story would be very different. The only alternative for the same power is the iPad 2, which at the base model retails for $500, double the price.

Winner: PS Vita, thanks mostly due to no new iPod Touch.

Gaming Capability

Gaming prowess is by far better on the PS Vita than the iPhone 4S, for three reasons. First, it has physical controls on top of the full touch controls found on the iPhone and any smartphone. That means not only do users get essentially a PS3 gamepad built into the Vita, the large 5″ display is a multi-touch touchscreen, and the back is a touch-sensitive panel to boot.

Second, as mentioned above, the processor is faster, more powerful, and has more cores. And third, the display is much larger (as mentioned above), providing a more inclusive gaming experience.

Winner: PS Vita, because it’s built to be a gaming machine.

Games

It’s a long-standing tradition that game consoles sell because of the number and quality of games released for it. The iPhone (and smartphones in general) have slowly changed that thanks to how easy it is to develop games and how so many people have smartphones.

When the PS Vita releases outside of Japan, it will have 12 launch titles. That number is expected to grow to 30 within the first few months after release. The iPhone, in the meantime, will accumulate at least another 1,000 games between the time you read this and the Vita’s actual release. The sad truth is most of those games will be 99 cents or free and not provide a “true” gaming experience.

However, the iPhone has a large number of excellent games available to it. They may be hard to find, but the fact is the Vita will be lucky to have the kind of game sales that iOS developers get.

For games, the dealbreaker for anyone, there are three important questions: will the quality of Vita games far surpass what we see in iPhone gaming today? Will there be a lot of PS Vita games, both full releases and mini games (ie board games, card games, minor apps that are fun for a few minutes at a time; not traditional console games)? And will the Vita see a lot of hacking, game emulation, and remote gameplay through the PS3? There’s no reason not to expect a higher quality of games coming to the Vita than the iPhone, though there are only 34 planned full-release games that we know of thus far. The Vita has already been hacked for remote play of PS3 games like Batman: Arkham City and Battlefield 3, meaning that the portable console can play full-fledged home console games via Wi-Fi streaming.

However, we already know that the iPhone can do the same thing through OnLive (though the service isn’t currently active on iOS; it is available on Android and waiting for Apple’s approval). Plus games on the iPhone can be played with an external controller, so long as the game supports it. Big-name titles like Infinity Blade 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies are only found on iOS.

There’s no denying that the iPhone has more games, and because of the sheer number will likely always have more better games than the Vita. Furthermore, because of how many iPhones are out there (and all iOS devices), it will take a few years before some developers take the Vita seriously, if at all. It’s sad, but for now, true. So many of the current iOS games sell so well that they can keep lower prices. High-end games like Infinity Blade 2 go for under $10. There are so many deals from developers that many drop down to a buck. The state of gaming on iOS is, right now, way better than not only the Vita when it releases in February, but frankly better than any dedicated console period. It may even be better than the PC.

Winner: iPhone 4S, because the current gaming ecosystem on iOS far surpasses any other gaming machine, dedicated or not.

Overall Winner: iPhone 4S (by a hair)

It’s close. Very, very close. However, what the better gaming device really comes down to, as it always does, is the value and quality of the games that are available for said device. In this case, Sony is fighting an uphill battle with the PS Vita, at least for now. With the potential to make not just most, but all PS1 (and even potentially PS2) games available for the Vita through the company’s Playstation Certification program (or just making those games available period), that can change. That tide can change overnight.

However, as of now the Vita doesn’t have that capability. Everything else regarding the games available has been bettered by the iPhone, and without the push from PS1 and PS2 games, the Vita will likely never prove to be the better gaming device because of a lack of content. It’s a sad, but clear and apparent truth.

Even then, it’s very close. The PS Vita has better gaming controls and is a better designed device specifically for gaming, even if the display has a lower resolution and is less visible in bright conditions. 5″ vs 3.5″ for a gaming screen is no comparison. The Vita beats the hell out of the iPhone when it comes to control, not only because it matches the touchscreen and has physical buttons and analog sticks, but because it combines both for gameplay and has the rear touch panel to boot. It really is a mobile game developer’s dream.

The iPhone 4S takes the cake in too many categories though. It kills the Vita with a better camera, at around double the battery life (for gaming, and way more for almost everything else), and carriers available for 3G. We all know that the rise and fall of portable game consoles has depended on battery life, and just as with the PSP this is a weakness with the Vita. Only this time, it’s weak against not a Nintendo offering, but against a very capable cell phone.

A few very close points are pricing and storage. If there were a new iPod Touch released with the A5 processor, then pricing would be a clear win for the iOS device. But as it stands now, the iPhone 4S is the only one available (the iPad 2 would lose in pricing because of it’s high $500 price tag), and the two-year contract cost far outweighs the potential pricing of the Vita, even the 3G model for $30/m. And with storage, on the high-end the Vita could win (assuming users purchased the 64GB card and 3G model), but because Sony is releasing the Vita with no internal memory, the result is confused consumers who must spend more money to do the console’s basic functions…like saving games and using downloadable apps. Even then, the storage pricing is still more expensive than all iPhone 4S models (with a 2-year contract) except for the 64GB model, and, once again, only if you get the Wi-Fi Vita.

Based on our scoring method for comparisons, the Vita could have easily won if it shipped with internal memory. External memory is always slower than internal memory, but until I hear back from Sony regarding the speed of their memory cards, that’ll remain a mystery. If the Vita were available through other cell carriers, or if it at least had AT&T’s 4G (HSDPA/HSPA+ 28.8Mbps), it would score better.

What I don’t doubt is that over time these scores will change. The Vita will eventually ship in bundles that are more price friendly and with some storage options. The next-gen iPhone will also likely ship with a new iPod Touch. By this time next year there will also be a handful of Android competitors, and tablet gaming will finally come into it’s own. But when the Vita releases, it will face the fiercest competition Sony has ever faced in the mobile space, from a device that isn’t going away anytime soon. The only way I can see Sony staying ahead is by utilizing it’s enormous catalog of PS1 and PS2 games, and by making prices of those games competitive so everyday iPhone gamers will actually be coaxed into buying a dedicated mobile games console instead of just living the one-device life.

Update~ As TheVerge just wrote, minutes before this article was published, the PS Vita now has a second launch bundle that’s the 3G model with an 8GB memory card, one free PSN game, and a month of free 3G data. That bundle is available for pre-order now through Amazon. Does it change our score?

Because the score is so damn close – not only is it 4-5, but it’s a point of contention in nearly every category – and because this new bundle offers a reasonable amount of storage for the console, it may indeed turn the tide.

As mentioned above, games is the most important thing, which is why I’m going to say that, in this case, the new bundle won’t change the winner in this comparison. However, our scoring system for comparisons is pretty clear cut. So I’ll leave this decision up to you guys. What do you think? Does this new bundle put the PS Vita ahead of the iPhone 4S? Post your thoughts in the comments below and, if the majority of you think we should change the score, we will.

I hate Bluetooth headsets. They all have two problems: they’re uncomfortable and battery life sucks. Considering that making phone calls more comfortable is the whole point of a wireless headset, Bluetooth sets are generally garbage. But recently I’ve seen a positive change, thanks mostly to two recent headsets. One of those is the Plantronics Marque M155.

Unsurprisingly, the Marque is sleek and small, measuring at 2” long and a quarter inch wide and thick. It has one “home” button on the outside, an on/off switch on the bottom, and a volume rocker on the top. A microUSB connector fits snugly on the back. A glossy black finish with silver rims gives the Marque a very clean design, even though the glossy surface picks up fingerprints all too easily. On a device this small, that’s barely noticeable, if ever. I have to say that it looks very similar to the iPhone 4/4S. Or at least the black model.

While I wouldn’t call it an innovation, the key ingredient to the Marque’s success as a BT headset is the lightweight build. It’s tiny, and after wearing it for several hours on my admittedly sensitive ears, I wasn’t bothered by it whatsoever. No other on-ear headset I’ve tested has worked so successfully like the Marque. Plantronics offers a number of different wear styles, including a speaker cover (designed to stay in the ear without pressing against it tightly), which can be worn with or without the plastic ear claw. In any case, users have four major choices of how to wear the Marque. My personal preference has been to use the claw, which delegates the Marque’s weight between the top and inside ear.

Battery life is spectacular. Claiming just five hours of talk time, I’m impressed by the idle time. I left the Marque on for several days while making calls on and off and it lasted – on the original charge – for four days. That is to say, without even charging it once myself. Straight out of the box, it lasted four days with moderate use. After fully charging it for the first time, the Marque can last up to a week with conservative use, and easily several days (anywhere from 4-6 hours of consecutive talk time per charge).

Another long-time problem with Bluetooth is the difficulty in setting it up. Pairing devices is cumbersome, even for seasoned technophiles. Plantronics solves this with two methods. The first is a voiced step-by-step walkthrough when first turning on the device, which is exceptional. The second, specific to iOS and Android devices, is an app that helps users pair the Marque (or any Bluetooth device) to the phone. The app may seem overkill for just a pairing process, but Plantronics includes a number of additional features in the app to make it worth keeping.

When first testing the Marque with my iPhone, I was surprised to find that immediately after pairing an icon of a Bluetooth headset with a gauge sat beside the battery life percentage. I don’t know how Plantronics managed it (and will update with an answer when I get one), but that gauge actually shows battery life of the headset. To my knowledge the Marque is the only headset to do this, and it only works on the iPhone. Android devices did not display any icon specific to the Marque.

Because the Marque is capable of voice commands (internally, not the phone’s voice command functions), there are a number of useful features found only on this headset. Every time the Marque is powered on, it states how much battery life it has left, for talk time. Users can answer calls by simply saying “answer”, or “ignore” to ignore the call. This feature isn’t perfect; I’ve found that about 25% of the time the Marque failed to answer the call because it either didn’t hear what I said or didn’t understand the command. When it does work, it makes for a really hands-free device. Users don’t even have to press the talk button on the headset.

The aforementioned app, MyHeadset(which is different on iOS and Android, with far more options on iOS), includes a pairing guide and walkthrough, a sound-check (so you can confirm that the headset is working properly before making a call), two (dumb) games, and even product support. For confirming that the audio works alone the app is invaluable…I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve made calls with BT not activating for some reason. Or how many times I’ve made test calls just to confirm that the headset is indeed active

I made it clear that Bluetooth headsets have been a pain in the ass for the majority of the technology’s existence. The Marque, as the lightest and most convenient Bluetooth headset I’ve ever tested, would with nothing else already be a great headset. Combined with simple voice commands and gestures and a strikingly useful app, the Marque M155 is the best on-ear Bluetooth headset, period. Nothing else compares. If you have hated using Bluetooth headsets and have stuck with wired sets that come with the phone, the Marque will convert you.

Editor’s Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Bottom Line: The Plantronics Marque M155 is the best in-ear Bluetooth headset I’ve ever tested. Highly recommended.

Pros:

• Excellent battery life, both for talk time and idle time
• Very lightweight, comfortable to wear for hours at a time
• Voiced phone answering and spoken battery life are both extremely convenient
• For iPhone users, battery life displayed on the phone is brilliant
• Free app is useful for setup and general use

Sound techs are no longer confined to the sound booth when working live shows thanks to Mackie’s DL1608 iPad controlled mixer that combines the power of a full-featured digital mixer with the mobility of an iPad. Mackie’s compact mixers are used in recording studios everywhere and the 16-channel DL1608 features all the controls you’d find on regular compact mixers thanks to its Master Fader app that provides groundbreaking DAW mixing features and functionality to the live environment. Engineers can easily wander the venue and still adjust and fine-tune the mix from anywhere in the concert.

The Master Fader app comes with multiple screens that provides fader control, EQ and compression and gate setting, as well as access to reverb and delay effects. Users can save mix snapshots and recall them with a simple touch. If the mixer is part of a permanent installation, the iPad can be locked down, but it also has a wireless connection, allowing engineers to undock it and adjust mixes on the go. It can also support up to iPads at the same time, allowing multiple engineers to control the mix at once. Featuring a modern, sleek design, the Mackie iPad controlled mixer will become available in May or June and be priced at around $1,000.

The Razer Blade is the talk of the town among gamers. It’s got a similar look and feel to the MacBook Pro 17″ from Apple, plus the guts any game can love. But the recently updated MacBook Pros are no laughing matter; just put Windows on it and you have a formidable gaming machine, one that’s slick and offers some of the best battery life you can get on a laptop. So how do the two compare?

Design

Comparing any laptop to the MacBook has been trouble when discussing design. The aluminum unibody design, simple logo, light power brick…it’s simplicity at it’s finest. Razer takes a lot of those same elements and implements them into the Blade. It’s black instead of white, but otherwise could be mistaken for a MacBook closed except for the Razer logo. The Blade really is the darker, more devious brother to the MacBook Pro. In a strange twist of irony, the Blade is actually larger but thinner. Here are the dimensions of both:

MacBook Pro 17″ – 15.47″ x 10.51″ x 0.98″, 6.6lbs (2.99kg)
Razer Blade – 16.81″ x 10.9″ x 0.88″, 6.6lbs (3kg)

Based on size alone, the Blade is longer and taller, and has a bigger display, but is 0.1″ thinner and almost exactly the same weight.

Open both up and the main design difference is abundantly clear: the trackpad on the Blade is not below the keyboard. Instead, it’s based on the Razer Switchblade, a device with only LCD-backlit and completely adjustable buttons. On the Blade, users can pre-assign different functions to all ten buttons above the 3″ LCD display. That display also acts as the trackpad, so there is no chance of accidentally palming it with your other hand. And because it’s an LCD display, it can double as almost anything, from a secondary screen to watch YouTube videos to a number pad. Apple uses the extra space on the MacBook for speakers, which is nice. But for gaming, no laptop is going to be good enough.

It may seem like a tough call, because on the one hand people who like using their left hands to mouse just won’t like the Blade’s trackpad. It’ll be impossible to use. On the other hand, Razer matches the excellence in design from Apple and takes it a step further with something no one has ever done before.

Winner: Razer Blade

Ports

Ports may not seem so important, especially on a laptop, but if you’re buying a 17″ model for over $2500, you’re looking for a desktop replacement. Docks are a pain and expensive, so everything needs to be built directly into the machine.

The MacBook Pro features 3 USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire 800 port, Ethernet, audio in and out, and the new Thunderbolt port. The Blade has 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 USB 3.0 port, an HDMI 1.4 port (which supports 3D, 4K resolutions, 7.1 surround out, etc.), and a single audio in/out combo port. Deciding which is better appears tough, but based on today’s technology landscape, it’s a fairly simple choice. There simply aren’t Thunderbolt devices, but USB 3.0 is the up and coming standard. Video out is also hugely important, and right now Apple owners have to buy a mini-DV adapter plugged into the Thunderbolt port.

Winner: Razer Blade

Parts (components)

Here’s a look at the spec sheet:

The two machines are very similar in components, which isn’t surprising considering the pricing on both. There are three notable differences: the GPU, battery capacity and price (we’ll get to the latter two in a bit). AMD’s 6770M is a great card, and can definitely handle any and all of your gaming needs (though  OS X can’t). However, the GT555M is, while not the top-of-the-line mobile GPU (that would be the GT 580M), it’s damn fast. However, it’s not so much about the GPU speed in this case, but the GPU RAM. The Blade’s GT 555M comes with 2GB, compared to the 6770M’s 1GB. That will make the biggest difference in gaming (and application) use. Then again, with 8GB of RAM, most users won’t actually notice that except in heavier games. Other applications won’t take advantage of it, for the most part.

Update: As many astute readers pointed out, there are two major differences between both machines that were not originally discussed. The first is the CPU. The MBP has a quad-core processor, while the Blade uses a Dual-core processor. Both are i7, though the MBP will perform better with applications that utilize more than two cores.

However, the vast majority of today’s applications, including high-end apps, do not utilize more than two cores. Most only use one core. Most people who use two cores are running multiple applications simultaneously. The question here, frankly, is whether faster performance is more important than more cores (more simultaneous processes).

For someone purchasing either computer for gaming, the Blade is the clear winner. Faster is better, and there are only a handful and a small one at that, that use even two cores. Most use just one. However, the L3 cache is the big differentiator, and the base MBP CPU has 6MB of L3 cache, compared to the upgraded 2.5GHz with 8MB. Ultimately, I’d need to test both machines out, but what is clear is that the upgraded CPU will have better overall performance (perhaps not with today’s games and applications, but definitely over time) than the Blade’s i7. The base model CPU, however, likely will not be as powerful.

The second is using 3rd party hardware. The fact is most of us don’t do that, and likely never will. There is certainly the option to upgrade the RAM or from a HDD to SSD, but once again those are expensive steps to take. They’re not Apple expensive, but it’ll cost you no matter what. The same options will be available with the Blade as well, so they weren’t even discussed.

Finally, price. For the most comparable machine, Apple fans need to put down $750 more and still get a slower processor and a lesser GPU. If the SSD is scratched on the MacBook and replaced with a 750GB 7200RPM hard disk, then it’s roughly the same price, but as we’ve found with today’s applications and operating systems there is a pretty stark difference in speed and quality between HDD and SSD. But, again, for a desktop replacement more space may be the more important thing.

Winner: Razer Blade

Battery Life

The MacBook Pro has a denser battery, one that promises to last for 7 hours per charge. Razer isn’t advertising battery life on the Blade because it isn’t that great, but at CES I was told 1.5-2 hours of heavy gaming per charge. We’ll have to wait and see how it performs for daily use, because lord knows getting a laptop like this doesn’t mean we’ll be playing games on it every second of use.

Winner: Apple MacBook Pro 17

Features

Based on the specs, Razer wins thanks to a few minor upgrades over what Apple currently offers, such as Bluetooth 3.0 (over 2.1), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (a/b/g/n can cripple networks for users if one person is connected through the “a”, so eliminating it altogether is better for everyone). Apple does include the DVD-R drive (does anyone use those anymore?) which for some gamers who don’t download all their games will be a major loss with the Blade. Then again, who buys a $2,800 gaming machine and uses discs? Apple also has a denser 1200p display, compared to Razer’s 1080p. Apple also has an option for glossy or antiglare displays, while Razer ships only with glossy screens.

The big feature, of course, is Switchblade. We’ll have to wait and see how good it is in actual use, but even if you don’t use it to it’s every capability the mouse all the way to the right may prove to be an excellent design choice, so long as you aren’t left handed.

Winner: Razer Blade

Price

Pricing is tough in this case. The MacBook Pro 17″ can be purchased anywhere from $2,500-$4,100, and there are a lot of options to change. A jump between 2.4 and 2.5GHz may not seem like much, but the L3 Cache is 2MB bigger, which is a big deal. 4GB to 8GB is a big deal. The dealbreaker is Apple’s ridiculously expensive SSD drives. The 128GB SSD is only $50 more than the 750GB 7200RPM HDD, but the 256GB SSD is $450 more expensive. Add on $1K for the 512GB. SSD pricing has always been crazy, but as always Apple raises the bar.

Then again, for a gaming machine with 8GB of RAM and at least 1GB of VRAM, an SSD will help, but not all that much. Unless gamers plan on playing while in a car (which is going to be hard on a 17″ laptop), a standard HDD would be fine. The problem is even sticking with the faster HDD keeps the MBP at $3,050. You may say, “at these prices what’s a couple hundred dollars”, except that in this case you are paying more for slower parts.

Normally we award the winner in price to the product with the most choice, but in this case the Blade is more affordable. Even though it comes in only one size, compared to the customization of the MBP, the Blade is simply more bang for your buck.

Winner: Razer Blade

Of course, if you’re looking for a gaming laptop, the Blade my not be your best bet. After all, the RAM and GPU, and even the SSD, are all fairly limited when compared to what you can get on larger machines like the Alienware M17x or Maingear’s Titan-17. On the M17x alone, for the same price I can double the RAM, get a much better GPU and a hybrid HDD/SSD, and a 3D display for 3D gaming.

However, today there is nothing that offers the build and design of a MacBook and makes it game-worthy. The Razer Blade offers to do just that, and for the gaming industry and hardcore gamers, that’s exciting. It means we don’t have to lug around giant heavy laptops to play, or be ashamed of how big and bulky they are. There is a bright future, and perhaps it’s in the Razer Blade. We’ll see when it comes out, in February.

Apple provided some important information regarding education and its technology at today’s event held at the Guggenheim museum in NYC. It seems Apple has their eyes set on reinventing the textbook even though it already has 20,000 learning-themed apps and 1.5 million iPads that are currently being used in education.

Today’s event touched upon iBooks 2, which will provide a larger push toward education for Apple’s already popular iPad tablet. Titles are already available for purchase in iTunes and are priced at around $14.99 and below. However the size of the books were quite large, ranging from 800MB to 2.77 GB, which will take up quite a lot of space on your iPad when taking several classes.

The event also talked about iBooks Author, with focus on its ease-of-use that requires dragging and dropping things like images and videos into templates for easy creation. Once you’ve created your book, users can publish it for free (pending Apple approval) and charge a maximum $14.95 for it. Apple also spruced up their iTunes U that has more than 700 million downloads. Usually known for proving lectures, iTunes U will be getting its own app, where you can get a syllabus for the class, teacher bio, course description and an overview. Additional features will include being able to keep tabs on homework and course material, highlight and take notes on accompanying texts (you can buy in iBooks) and more.

Apple has already been working on digital textbooks with publishers Pearson PLC , McGraw-Hill and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt , who are responsible for 90 per cent of textbooks sold in the United States.

Apple will focus tomorrow’s NYC event on digital textbook publishing tools and talk about tools that will make publishing interactive textbooks and other digital educational content a lot easier. Bloomberg found this out by two anonymous sources that weren’t authorized to speak about the event and its focus publicly. Bloomberg’s article reveals that the sources mentioned that Apple’s plans are “re aimed at broadening the educational materials available for the iPad, especially for students in kindergarten to 12th grade.”

By focusing more on the educational values of the tablet, Apple hopes to get a piece of the pie of the $10-billion-a-year textbook industry. It always wants to encourage students to use tablets instead of heavy books that can often be very expensive and to switch over to digital books that can be updated anywhere via the Web. Apple’s new software is supposed to be designed for authors to be able to easily publish their content in a digital format, similar to what Amazon.com does with its direct publishing tools, the sources also told Bloomberg. The event goes down tomorrow at 10AM Eastern.

Projectors aren’t typically impressive to most of us, though that’s due to their high price and, well, our perception of classroom projectors. Those clunky things really are a thing of the past (unless you’re still in school), because today you can just plug your iPhone in and stream movies directly through the projector, no hassle. At CES, BenQ revealed the Joybee GP2 Mini Projector, which not only provides video out for your iPhone, but for any device you can think of. Or, even with nothing plugged in at all.

The Joybee GP2 is is a big step up from the GP1, which acted as an any-device projector utilizing a USB port and iOS 30-pin connector. It wasn’t really an any-device projector unless you had the right cable and had the device on and streaming, which for a projector may sound OK but will kill the battery life of cameras, laptops, and anything else with undue haste. So the GP2 makes one basic change that completely changes the way the projector handles media: it has more ports, including an SD-card slot reader, HDMI, standard USB and a USB-mini port. And, of course, the iPod dock on the top of the GP2.

These extra ports improve on the original not just by making it more accessible, but by releasing many external devices from handling data as intensly as on the GP1. Any computer with work with the GP2, either through HDMI or USB (though as we’ve seen in the past with USB-powered media streaming modules, USB isn’t suited for high-resolution video without a high-performance processor). Devices that use SD cards can remain powered off, and users need only swap the card into the projector. Devices without SD cards can also be plugged directly in using the USB port. If that means your phone, then you don’t have to worry about power, because it’ll charge the phone and stream the data to the projector.

The GP2 is very light and very easy on the eyes. The glossy top has a simple control scheme, and it’s small and weighs just 565g. When we get one in for review, it’s the sort of device I’d take with me on trips to watch TV shows or movies I normally store on my phone, instead of holding the relatively tiny display close to my face.

While the GP2 supports 720p video and recommends 44″ between the projector and a screen or wall, BenQ representatives told me that it’ll hold a solid image up to 160″ (the image can be up to 160″ diagonally). Even at 44″, that’s huge compared to a smartphone screen. BenQ promises 30,000 hours for a single bulb at regular brightness settings, which is about 3.5 years of continuous use.

The GP2 also has 4W speakers, which while minimalist are more powerful than today’s mobile devices. Everything can be controlled either through the dial control on the top of the GP2 or with an included remote. I was impressed with the picture quality on two videos that were playing back in BenQ’s suite at the show, Burn Notice and Moneyball. I’ll need to play with a unit more before I can verify the screen quality, especially indifferent lighting conditions, but from a preliminary look I was satisfied with the video quality.

The BenQ Joybee GP2 Mini-Projector is out now, and can be purchased today for $549 from Amazon, though I’ve already found some lower prices down around $470. It may seem pricey, but for a 720p home projector that can be used for just about any purpose, including business, office, home video, or even travel, the GP2 looks like the kind of projector we should see in classrooms today.

OnLive, the cloud-gaming service, has just broken into the consumer space with OnLive Desktop, and iPad (and soon Android and phone) app that gives users free access to a Windows cloud-based space. With 2GB of free storage and access to Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint, along with some basic Windows 7 functions (like the Microsoft Surface picture viewing application, file storage, media viewing, etc.), you can now use your iPad as a Windows 7 device.

Yes, note the irony in that statement. The only way to get an authentic touch experience for Windows 7 without putting down $15K for a Surface table is with an iPad.

I got to play briefly with the service, and it’s pretty fluid and I was impressed with how it ran. iPad users can download the app right now here for free.

The service is currently only available for free with 2GB, though the company has revealed three additional enterprise plans. The first is $10/month and offers 50GB of storage, all of the features of the free service though with higher bandwidth priority, and the option to purchase and use additional software that developers make available through the service. That means applications like Adobe Photoshop or Autodesk may be available without any requirement to install or take up space, while having the backbone and muster of high-end servers running all the computational processing.

Two additional services will include full IT-managed desktops that will support just about any device and function required by the business, and a collaborative service that will offer voice and video conferencing for thousands of users simultaneously. Both services will be priced based on the needs of prospective clients.

So you wanna take your music wireless?  You could always opt for a Sonos setup, but that requires at the very least a $300 investment, not for the faint of heart.  There are other cheaper solutions, as found at Audio Engine, but that largely only works if you have a set of powered speakers or a prexisting amplified system.  The same caveat applies to Apple’s Airport Express, and while it doesn’t require any dongles or cases to plug into your computer or iPhone, you’ll need a set of powered speakers to draw tunes from the wireless hub.  That is until now.

Today, Griffin announced the Twenty Audio Amplifier.  At the core of the device is a 40 watt amplifier designed to power a set of stereo speakers.  But what sets it apart from the usual array of amps, is that the Twenty from Griffin has a slot specifically built for Apple’s Airport Express.  Plug it in and it can transmit lossless, wireless audio from any Airplay compatible device to a set of unpowered speakers.  It also boasts an active, autoswitching 80hz crossover so you can add a powered subwoofer to the mix.   There is also a Toslink connector and an included S/PDIF cord for adding a wired device, such as a CD player.

Griffin hasn’t said when and for how much, but will try to get an ears on while at CES.

Mustek Systems Inc. has created what’s supposed to be the world’s first integrated “Made for iPad” Scanner with its DockingScan S400 that’s compatible with both the iPad and iPad 2. Available in either glossy black or white to match the color of you iPad, the DockingScan S400 works with the i-Scan App that’s available on the App store for free. Users can scan photos and documents (up to legal-sized documents (8.5” x 14”) and there’s even a real-time preview of the photo/document while you’re still scanning so that you can see if you like the way it’s coming out or not. The convenient scanner is easy to use; all you have to do is connect the iPad’s USB plug into the scanner, download the i-Scan app and begin scanning. But it’s also more than a scanner and functions as both a docking cradle for hands-free viewing and reading and a charging station.

Die hard Apple fans will definitely want to get their hands on the newest Steve Jobs action figure available from Chinese toy company In Icons. Very realistic looking (down to the trademark turtleneck and glasses of Jobs), the toy company plans on selling the Jobs action figure starting next month for $99 (via Mashable). But that’s if Apple doesn’t send them a cease-and-desist letter since it’s doesn’t have the official stamp of approval from them.

Last time an unofficial bobblehead-type Jobs figure came out, Apple quickly shut down production with a cease-and-desist order with claims of copyright infringement. Apple followers will probably want to cross their fingers that if Apple decides to halt production on the latest Jobs toys it’ll be in mid-February, so they’ll still have some time to snatch one up before it’s too late.

In Icons teamed up with Hong Kong-based toy manufacturer Dragon In Dreams to create the 12-inch realistic figure (they also collaborated on the 2008 popular action figure of Barack Obama).

Terrestrial TV is a far cry from cable, but in a pinch it can serve a purpose.  At the very least you can catch some news, albeit mostly crap, along with a few home renovation shows.  And assuming you’re into that finite amount of content, you soon will be able to enjoy it right on your Android or iOS device using a very portable dongle from a company called FilmOn.

FilmOn came to fame in September 2010 when they placed not just TV shows, but TV channels, such as CBS, NBC and others online, as in streaming.  For a time there users could access the channels for free, but eventually the company started to roll out a subscription plan and added a variety of channels to their line up, including porn and movies.  Needless to say, FilmOn eventually found themselves in court for a variety of copyright reasons and caught in a legal battle that continues to this day.  But that hasn’t stopped them.

While it’s not really a workaround, FilmOn has announced plans for a dongle that plugs into your iOS or Android device that will allow you to receive and record terrestrial TV.  It’s called FilmOn Air.  And while there is nothing illegal about this particular setup, or at least grounds for a lawsuit, come February you’ll be able to buy the dongle along witha 1-year subscription to their streaming service for $149.95.  Alternatively, you can drop just $95.95 and you’ll score the dongle and presumably a free app.

The dongle’s battery life will last for up to 5-hours and can pass through power to your device for recharging.  From the above pic, it seems to support both USB connectivity as well as Apple’s 30-pin port, leading some to believe that one dongle will serve both types of devices.

2012 has officially arrived.  And while that might be a tough pill for some to swallow, it probably won’t be nearly as difficult to gulp down as this over sized iPod Nano pill speaker from Gavio.

The features are pretty skimpy and no, it doesn’t expand or collapse for the sake of storage.  There is however a set of twisting controls found on either end of the pill, allowing you to adjust volume as well as skip tracks forwards or backwards.  Course, keep in mind that your Nano’s screen remains complete exposed, so you’ll be able to pick songs and switch to clock mode for those that place this funky device bedside.

Unfortunately, that’s all we know about the Gavio’s The Pill.  There is no mention of power, speaker size, price or a ship date.

The iPad single handily changed the tablet market as we know it.  Composing emails, jotting down notes, watching videos, playing games and even drawing on the touchscreen device is feasible.  However, you’ll need a stylus to achieve this last feat, that is assuming you want some level of detail.  To achieve another level of detail, though, you’ll need a stylus like no other, the iPen.

You see, other styluses for the iPad work in a passive manner.  In other words, they simply act or emulate a finger tip, but thanks to their point they provide a tad more accuracy; in other words not much more.  The iPen, however,  is the first active digitizer stylus that lets you write, draw and paint with accuracy never seen before on the iPad.  Much like those digital pens, which instantly transcribe your hand written notes to your computer, this devices uses a small dongle that plugs into your iPad’s 30-pin dock.  It uses a combination of infrared and ultrasonic technology along with the iPad’s touchscreen to provide pinpoint accuracy similar to that of a stand alone drawing tablet.  They’ve even managed to incorporate “palm rejection” technology, which detects when your hand is resting on the iPad’s screen and prevents it from interfering with what you’re working on.

Now, don’t get us wrong.  We’re not suggesting that design professionals should ditch their Wacom tablet, but for anyone looking to draw or take notes on their iPad should take a very close look at the iPen.  And as it happens so far over 1700 people have done just that on Kickstarter.com, raising the manufacturer $162,333.

Cregle Inc., the folks behind the iPen, plan to ship the product in January of 2012 for $89.  They’re currently working with a variety of app developers to integrate their technology. For a full list hit the source link, which is where you’ll find additional demo videos.

As a tech journalist who regularly reviews the latest smartphones, I’ve faced a serious decision concerning an upcoming week-long working vacation (meaning I’ll be on call, but on a sandy beach somewhere). It’s not a typical decision most people face, and it’s one that really got me thinking about the one thing we all take for granted, and also spend the most time on: our cellphones.

For now 50% of Americans (and more everyday), that cellphone isn’t just for making calls and texting. It’s an email device, a high resolution camera and camcorder, a data connection, a game player, an ebook reader, a media player…the list goes on and on. In my life, I’ve stuck with an iPhone because it fulfills my needs, though using an old 3GS my personal handset ends up sitting in my pocket more and more often, replaced by a horde of Android devices and even an iPod Touch 6th Gen and iPad.

Furthermore, as of this writing, I have an assortment of different handsets to choose from. The Motorola Droid Bionic, the HTC Rezound, the Samsung Epic 4G Touch, the LG Nitro HD, the HTC Vivid, the Samsung Focus, and the T-Mobile myTouch and myTouch Q. All of these are 4G devices, and the Rezound, Nitro HD and Vivid are LTE (though where I’m going that won’t matter; LTE isn’t available). Even though I’ve either reviewed or am in the process of completing the reviews on all of these devices, the decision isn’t an easy one. And here’s why:

1. I’m used to my iPhone. The fact of the matter is Apple has done a great job with the iPhone, and I’m used to it. It feels safe. I’ve used Android for over two years now, but it’s the iPhone that’s gone with me everywhere. Leaving it behind for another device doesn’t necessarily feel sacriligious…but it does make me feel a bit naked. Even though most of my high-end apps won’t even run on the 3GS.
2. There isn’t LTE or 4G…except on AT&T and T-Mobile. It’s not the true 4G (not that Verizon even offers a middleground between 3G and LTE, and not that Sprint’s 4G is much better), but neither of the two CDMA carriers offer 4G or LTE where I’m headed. Don’t worry, I checked. That means as much as I like, the Epic 4G Touch, Rezound, and Droid Bionic are all way behind, even though the former two are the most powerful phones of the bunch. In fact, before I even considered data speeds and coverage, those were my two top choices. With fast data available only through AT&T and T-Mobile, on only four of the possible devices, I have to decide on whether I want a faster overall phone more than faster data.
3. Should I leap onto the Windows Phone 7 bandwagon? Assuming data isn’t the bigger concern, I do have one phone that isn’t like all of the others. The Samsung Focus is a year old, but has the same basic specs as last year’s Galaxy S Android phones and is still a great device. Mango makes it even better. But do I bring that along, completely forgoing apps for function?
4. Smartphone vs Dumb-Smartphone. If we widdle away anything that isn’t 4G-ready, that leaves us with four. But T-Mobile’s phones are both low-end Android devices, aimed at customers who won’t pay anything or very little for the phones themselves. They both have great battery life and will run basic apps just fine, but they have low screen resolution, are generally slower, have significantly worse display resolutions, and won’t perform nearly as good as the competitors. But, once again, it’s a vacation…I’ll have my laptop and an iPad along, and I don’t expect to need any of the electronics except when duty calls. Or I need to make a call.
5. One, or give in and take two. It’s become a bad habit. You may laugh at people who walk around with two cellphones, one in each hand, but for many it’s just another part of everyday life. It certainly is for me. I usually carry around 2-3 phones at a time, depending on how many are in the queue. But it’s a vacation, and I don’t plan on bringing the whole russian army with me wherever I go. It’s bad enough to pack the bare essentials, packing extra is just extra hassle. Then again, if one phone ends up becoming a bad decision, at least I’ll have the other one to fall back on.

Update: the decision

As it turns out, my decision was to take the LG Nitro HD (which I’m currently testing and has 4G over AT&T) and the HTC Rezound. And you commenters were right. I should have taken the Samsung Focus. Even as an older handset, WP7 is a great and easy to use OS that more directly competes with iOS than Android (except in apps). Two very similar Android devices was unnecessary.

In my defense, my decision was rushed and I regretted it some 10 hours after starting when both batteries were dead. And based solely on my location, there was no need to carry two different carrier phones; call quality sucks all around and data is a joke, even where LTE is supposedly active. Now I know.