The arrival of Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus will bring a whole new era to the Android-based smartphone market, specifically the beginning of the Android 4.0 era that’s been nicknamed Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s been talked about for months as the replacement, or really upgrade, to the current OS system for Androids 2.3.4 Gingerbread, and the Nexus will be the first phone to done the highly anticipated operating system. As the newest phone to come onto the scene of the already oversaturated Android smartphone market within the past three months, the Nexus is pegged to be the “iPhone Killer,” but will it really kill the iPhone 4S’ popularity? Here’s a helpful comparison that might help you decide whether or not to ditch the Apple and head on over to the Android side or stay an everlasting Apple fan.

Size

The iPhone 4S fits some pretty big features into a small package with its latest smartphone that measures in at 115.2 mm x 58.6 mm x 9.3 mm (H x W x D) and weighs only 140 grams. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus sports some heftier dimensions of 135.5 mm X 67.94 mm X 9.47 mm and is only 10 grams heavier than the iPhone at 150 grams.

Winner: Apple’s formula can’t be beat on size as the iPhone 4S is lighter, smaller and thinner than the new Galaxy. While both can be easily maneuvered with one hand, the iPhone’s compact dimensions are a highly desirable quality since it can also easily fit into a small purse, a back pocket and more.

Appearance

The iPhone 4S is sleek thanks to its glossy exterior that was carried over from the last model and still comes in black and white color options. In the looks department, the Galaxy Nexus looks like a grand competitor for the iPhone, but is really more of a coy given its cheap plastic feel. However, it does sport a gentle curve on its body that does give it a bit of style.

Winner: Apple really knows how to dress up its gadgets and the iPhone 4S is no exception with its glossy and sleek exterior. While it’s not always about looks (remember, you can’t judge a book by its cover), sometimes cheap plastic doesn’t always get you a great first impression.

Display

The Galaxy Nexus may be larger than the iPhone 4S, but it’s for a purpose, which is a larger screen that measures 4.65 inches compared to 3.5 inches that Apple place on the latest version of its popular phone. But Apple also added a 640×960 Retina display that sports 330 ppi on the iPhone 4S, while the Nexus has a 1280×720 HD Super AMOLED contoured display (curved glass, really) with 316 ppi.

Winner: While both will provide crisp and sharp images, the iPhone’s 330 ppi seems to still reign higher. 

Operating System

The centerpiece of the Galaxy Nexus is that it will ship with Ice Cream Sandwich or Google’s Android 4.0 that’s supposed to represent a huge leap forward for the highly popular OS system. Said to bring an entirely new look and feel to Android phones with simple layouts, subtle animations and an entirely revamped home screen, web browser, email and everything in between. But this still in the beginning phases and the kinks haven’t been worked out yet (or really seen), leaving the iPhone 4S’ iOS 5 still easier to use. It also has 5 GB of free cloud storage so that you can sync your photos, contacts and more with your other Apple products.  The Nexus has Google’s Gmail and its cloud services, so it’s a win-win situation there.

Winner: Until it’s been tested, the iOS 5 still seems to be easier to use since it’s been proven. But this can always change as more and more Androids upgrade to the new OS.

Processor

Both pack some powerful dual-core processors, so neither smartphones will be slow. The iPhone 4S has Apple’s A5 1 GHz processor, while Samsung’s phone carries a 1.2 GHz from Texas Instruments (the first time Samsung’s used such a processor. It also has 1 GB of RAM, while the iPhone 4S only has 512 MB of RAM.

Winner: Samsung’s 0.2 GHz is a bit more than the iPhone’s and that’s enough to beat it out on this category!

Storage

Both phones feature 16 GB and 32 GB internal storage options, but the iPhone 4S comes with a 64 GB option. Neither come with a SD Card slot.

Winner: The iPhone 4S has that 64 GB option, making it the winner here.

Wireless Connectivity

The iPhone 4S can still only get 3G, while the Galaxy Nexus will sport 4G speeds thanks to its LTE status since it’s debuting on Verizon. So the Nexus will have faster download speeds. They’re both Bluetooth-enabled with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n.

Winner: The Galaxy Nexus’ LTE status says it all!

Camera and Video

The iPhone 4S packs a 8 MP rear camera and is capable of 1080p video. It can also produce high quality images in medium to low lighting with its f/2.4 aperture and features face detection and image stabilization The Nexus only has a 5 MP rear camera and boasts Panorama photos, zero shutter lag, and “silly faces” (think Apple’s Photo Booth software on the Mac and iPad).

Winner: The iPhone 4s’ camera is the clear winner here.

Battery Life

The Nexus sports a standard li-ion 1850mAh battery that has up to 270 hours of stand-by time and up to about 18 hours of talk time. The iPhone 4s claims 8 hours of talk time on 3G or 14 hours on 2G.  They say it will standby for up to 200 hours, will playback video for 10 hours and you can surf the web for up to 6 hours on 3G and 9 on Wi-Fi thanks to a 1432mAh battery. But remember that 4G is a battery drainer, so expect a lot less from the better connectivity.

Winner: Since the Nexus has a 1850mAh battery vs the iPhone’s 1432mAh one, we gotta give it to Samsung’s newest smartphone.

Carriers

Verizon will be the first to carry the Galaxy Nexus while the iPhone 4S is already available on Verizon, AT&T and Sprint.

Winner: More customers can enjoy an iPhone since it’s on more carriers.

Extras

The Galaxy Nexus come equipped with Android Beam, which allows you to share contacts, web pages, videos, directions and more just by touching two NFC-enabled Android phones back to back. The phone also introduces a new way to unlock your phone with its Face Unlock. The facial recognition feature lets you turn on your phone with your smile. On the other hand, the iPhone 4S features Siri, the “smart assistant” that helps make life a bit easier thanks to its useful information and quirky sayings.

Winner: The Android Beam is pretty cool and beats Siri for now, given Google is probably working on their own voice app comparable to Siri.

Price

The iPhone 4S is priced according to its GBs, with the 64 one the most expensive. So The 16 GB is $199, the 32 GB is $299 and the 64 GB is $399. Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus is said to debut at $199.99 and will require a two-year contract with Verizon.

Winner: Since the iPhone 4S is price according to its storage, the price differences makes it more affordable for those with varying incomes.

Overall Winner

One of the best Androids on the market, definitely. An iPhone killer, not this time. Sorry Samsung, looks like your Galaxy Nexus didn’t exact have the gusto to take out the iPhone (at least not yet, anyways). While it may sport some very impressive abilities and be the beginning of a new generation of Android phone, it still didn’t make the cut standing up against the highly popular iPhone 4S.

Size

The iPad weighs in at 1.33 lbs., while the Kindle Fire is only .09125 lbs., so the Fire wins here. But it’s smaller, with size specs that look like: 7.5 x 4.7 x 0.45. The iPad measures in at 9.5 x 7.31 x 0.34. Amazon’s claim to fame here is that it’s “easy to hold in one hand, so it’s small enough to fit anywhere….but so is an iPad, really.

Appearance

Apple likes black and white, so guess what? Those are the two colors available for the iPad 2! Amazon kept it simple and left the Kindle Fire in only a black option. But it did give it a sleek appearance that somewhat resembles the iPad 2.

Display

Amazon didn’t want to make the Kindle Fire too big, so it opted for a pretty standard 7-inch 1,024 x 600 touch screen. On the other hand, Apple’s iPad 2 boasts a 9.7-inch screen that’s almost about the same in terms of resolution, coming in at 1,024 x 768. But Amazon is claiming that its Fire display is state-of-the-art and is “chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 20 times harder than plastic,” making it very durable. Another feature worth mentioning is that the Kindle Fire and an IPS display while the iPad is LED Backlit AND IPS. This IPS screen allows you to lay the Fire down and still be able to look at it from the edge and see everything clearly since IPS screens have a 178-degree viewing angle.

Operating System

Amazon’s Kindle Fire is Android-based, running a customized version of the OS, but it’s unknown just how customized it is. It has a proprietary web page processing system that’s part of the OS though. So everybody knows that Apple’s stuff runs off of the iOS, so knowing that fact puts the iPad 2 over the Kindle since there are no surprises when it comes to the OS. Also, iOS is a lot easier to navigate and is much more user friendly. But Amazon does have some cool web processing stuff going on with its new Kindle Fire thanks to its “Amazon Silk.” It’s claim is that it’s a “revolutionary, cloud-accelerated browser” that uses a a “split-browser” architecture, which leverages the computing speed and power of Amazon’s Web services cloud. It also learn which sites you visit most and saves them, sort of like how Amazon stores what you look for and then suggests things to based on what you buy most. Oh, and it supports Adobe Flash Player, too!

Processor

Like most of Apple’s products at the moment (or at least their latest ones), the iPad 2 features an A5 process. Amazon decided to put a dual-core TI OMAP 4 processor in the Kindle Fire. Really, both are based on the same dual-core ARM processor, so it’s pretty even here.

Storage

Well, Apple is known to have various options when it comes to storage capability for its devices and its iPad 2 is no different. It comes in various versions, including 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB options. The Fire has only 8 GB of internal storage (with no micro SD slot to ad more, which is a bummer). However, you might not be able to save that much stuff on the tablet itself, but Amazon is offering unlimited storage on its cloud service, but you’ll need Wi-Fi to access it though. With that said, the Kindle Fire has 16,683 apps available, while the Apple iPad 2 has a whopping 500,000 with 90,000 made for the iPad alone!

Wireless Connectivity

The Kindle Fire is Wi-Fi based with no 3G option. Apple offers BOTH a Wi-FI and 3G option on all of its iPad 2 GB models, but the 3G ones increase the price. Both have Wi-Fi specs of 802.11 b/g/n. Oh, and if you’re wondering about Bluetooh ability, the Fire has none while the iPad is Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR.

Camera and Video

Sadly, Amazon skipped putting in a camera so that obviously means no video, either. The iPad 2 has a front and rear camera, allowing you to take pictures and more. The back camera has HD video recording (720p) up to 30 frames per second with audio, as well as a still camera with 5x digital zoom. The front camera features: Video recording, VGA up to 30 frames per second with audio; VGA-quality still camera.

Battery Life

Amazon made its Kindle Fire have an 8-hour battery life, but the iPad boasts up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video or listening to music.

Carriers

So far, Verizon and AT&T are the only carriers for the iPad 2, with Sprint later jumping on now that they offer the iPhone so who knows. But, with carriers, there is extra data plans, which means more money to your monthly bill! There’s no carrier for the Kindle Fire, with Amazon being the main and only place that can light your Fire…literally. But Amazon offers this “Prime” membership ting where Kindle owners can enjoy: unlimited instant videos, Kindle Owners’ Lending Library and more for a yearly price of $79 a year and a one-month free trail.

Price

Amazon has priced its Kindle Fire reasonably low at only $199 for a tablet of its caliber, which features a heavily modified version of Android, can download books from Amazon’s huge store and is designed to be an e-reader and more! Although Apple has been dropping its prices on many of its older gadgets, the iPad 2 didn’t get that price drop and goes for $499 all the way up to $829 depending on the size of GB you want and if you want it to be 3G or Wi-Fi.

Winner

The iPad is by far a more impressive tablet, but that doesn’t mean anything to a lot of users. For those who want an e-reader disguised as a tablet, the Kindle Fire will rock your world! But for those that want more from their tablet, might still want to ask Santa for the iPad 2. The Kindle Fire ships November 15, but it’s now available for pre-order now.

Tomorrow, Apple will unveil the next iPhone, presumably the iPhone 4GS or iPhone 5.  Not only will it be faster and have an upgraded camera, but it will be powered by iOS 5.  Here are the top 30 new and improved features that users are going to love.

1. Wireless Sync and activation

Literally right out of the box, new iOS devices will be able to activate without a PC with wireless activation.  That’s something that Apple customers have been screaming for as some don’t want a computer, they just want an iPad.  This new feature fills that need.  And iOS devices don’t have to sync through a USB connection to iTunes.  Using a WiFi connection, users can backup to iCloud, as well as sync to iTunes on their PC.  And with new over the air (OTA) updating, users won’t have to sync to iTunes to get the latest iOS updates, something Android users have enjoyed since day one.  And any time you plug your iPhone into an AC outlet to charge, the iPhone will automatically sync to the Cloud via WiFi and look for a software upgrade.

2. Notification Center

The next new feature is another that isn’t really new to Android users, but that iOS 5 does quite elegantly … it’s the new Notification Center.  When users receive a message, whether text or email, iOS 5 will drop down a notification bar in the upper edge of the screen without kicking users out of the app they’re using at the moment.  Users can then swipe down to pull down the bar for more details. If there’s multiple messages, users can simply swipe to reply to messages.  For messages that come in when the iOS device isn’t being used, the Notification Center has lock screen notification, and a simple swipe will reveal and swipe to reply.

3. Greater Accessibility

This is so high on the list because Apple has always made accessibility to iOS a priority.  And these tweaks really help those who are hard of hearing or blind to further use their devices.  Features include LED Flash and vibration activation for incoming calls, improved voiceover support, a hearing aid mode for altering voice and voiceover, and custom gestures to perform key tasks.  Other improvements include a  larger text option, New speak selection, New assistive touch settings, and the ability to Set Mono Audio left or right.

4. Twitter Integration

With iOS 5, Twitter comes built in.  All users need to do is go into settings, select to install the official Twitter app and sign in.  New users can register within iOS 5 without having to launch the browser and go to Twitter to sign up. Once installed and activated, users will find Tweet options in several places from the Safari browser, the camera app, maps, and contact information where Twitter handles can be added.  Additionally, the keyboard has been redesigned for more prominent #(hash-tag) and @ (mention) keys.  Location services can also be added to any Tweet, making Tweet ups easier to create.

5. Greater phone support

You remember that the iPhone is actually a PHONE right?  It can make and receive calls!  That’s what my wife likes to joke about.  Well with iOS 5, users have greater phone support including deleting of individual phone calls with a wipe, unsecured call warnings, location notifications for calls not in contacts, and users can now edit their phone number in settings.

6. Enhanced email features

With iOS 5, users can now add a little more flair to their emails with rich text editing of italics, bold, underline, and even indenting.  And to make addressing an email even easier, users can now drag email addresses to address fields.  Email also will have the ability to organize messages easier with the addition of custom folders. And users can now select & mark multiple emails as read.

7. Enhanced contact features

iOS 5 brings a few extra fields for contact management.  Users can now add family relations, as well as social media links

8. iMessage between iOS devices

Users can also send unlimited messages directly to users of other iOS devices with iMessage.  iMessage allows you to send pictures, video, text messages, group messages, and contacts to any other iOS device – iPhones, iPads, and the iPod Touch.  Users can set up to receive delivery notification and receipts.  iMessage works on both 3G and WiFi, and messages are encrypted.  And just for fun, users can now use animated GIF images in iMessage (only).

9. Airplay wireless mirroring

Airplay mirroring comes to iOS 5, allowing users to use their iOS device through AppleTV on their TV set.  Suddenly, that iPhone or iPad screen is 50″, making it ideal for meetings or even game play.  And the image will also rotate on the TV as it does on the iOS device as you alter it.

10. Enhanced camera control

Users have been screaming for this feature and now they have it.  In iOS 5, users will be able to take capture those instant moments with a Lockscreen camera control, meaning that they don’t have to go into the camera app to snap a picture.  Additionally, users can use the up volume button to snap photo.  And users have greater control over what the iPhone focuses on with one tap auto focus.  In camera editing features are also added including with red eye reduction, rotating, and cropping.   Users can also organize their photos in camera roll with the addition of albums. And here’s a great additional option – users can use their iPhone earbuds as a remote trigger by using the Volume UP button.

11. Photostream

Through Photostream, users can now automatically upload images and videos to the Cloud and directly to all iOS devices and their Desktop PCs.   Additionally, iCloud stores every photo for 30 days and every iOS device will store the last 1000 snapshots.  Your Desktop, however, can store them all.

12. Improved Facetime features

Apple has also finally freed Facetime from the confines of WiFi.  Users can now video conference over 3G.  And they don’t need a SIM to initiate a call either as calls can be made via phone number or email address.  And what could be better?  How about airplay support?  Facetime now enjoys airplay mirroring for video conferencing over your TV set through AppleTV.  And video quality is improved.

13. iCloud

Here’s the biggie.  Users can take advantage of the Cloud with wireless backup and restore.  Users can also schedule daily over the air backup or disable iCloud syn via 3G to save bandwidth.   As previously mentioned, iOS 5 will also automatically sync and backup to iCloud every time users plug in their phone to recharge and look for updates.   Images, videos and files are also backed up to the Cloud and synced down to other iOS devices as well as your PC via iTunes.  And speaking of iTunes, users have the option of a free 256kb upgrade of songs if backing up to iCloud, with any apps or music purchased not counting towards their monthly cap.  Users get 5GB free, with additional storage options ranging from $20-100 annually.  And  Find My iPhone is also available as a part of iCloud integration with an option to disable it.

14. Calendar enhancements

Calendars become more useful with a tap to add event option, tap and drag to adjust time and duration of an event, swipe left or right to view a different day, and viewing of event attachments.

15. Location based Task manager

iOS 5 makes people more productive now with the Reminder Task Manager.   Tasks can be created and checked off, as well as syncd w/ iCal and Outlook.  Reminders can also be location based, meaning when your iOS device sees where you’re in the vicinity of a task, it’ll remind you to do it. reminders. Reminders — Instead of taking notes on your iPhone’s notepad app or putting a reminder in your calendar, you can now use Reminders in iOS to create a digital to-do list right on your iPhone. The geo-location abilities will trigger surrounding events for you to choose from.

16. Storage usage and clean-up

Here’s a nice feature for housekeeping of your iOS device.  iOS 5 brings Storage Usage Clean Up so that we not only see what files have taken up space but also the option to empty that space of Apps, Game saved data, Music, Videos etc. with single wipe.

17. The Assistant

iOS 5 brings a Voice activated assistant feature.   With a long press of the home button, your iOS device will interact and respond to voice commands. Users will be able to drive hands free and tell the phone to send email, texts, get maps, tweet, and even make phone calls.  Based on the popular Siri app, which Apple recently purchased.

18. Split keyboard for iPad

If you’ve ever used an iPad, you know how hard it is to thumb type.  So iOS 5 adds a split keyboard option to make it easier to type in portrait mode.

19. Video and music now separate apps

With iOS 5, the iPod app is retired in exchange for separate video and music apps.  Seems kind of odd, but it was actually done with the iPod Touch, so this change makes it consistent across all iOS platforms.  Users can also move between tracks with a swipe to the left or right (iPad only) and a slide will delete a song right away.

20. Custom Tones

To make the iOS experience more personal, users can now add custom tones for Calendar events, send/receive mail, voice mail, week view on calendar, year view on calendar (iPad) and more.  And of course, that means a new TONES App store!

21. Dictionary

Not an earth shattering feature, but it’s nice that dictionary has been added and is available in every app.

22. News stand subscriptions

Available through iBooks, users can now subscribe to magazines and newspapers.  Searching by popularity of subscriptions is also a plus.

23. Cellular Network for App Store

If users want to be stingy with their bandwidth and only download apps over WiFi, they now have the option to Enable or Disable App Store downloads via GPRS and 3G.

24. Faster Safari

Safari has become streamlined and is faster to load.  Users can also save web pages in reader mode which eliminates all ads to make them easier to read.  They can also be saved off line to read later.  And in the iPad, Safari also offers Tabbed Browsing support.

25. Alternate Routes in Google Maps

Ever frustrated when Maps gives you a route that’s longer or goes out of the way?  In iOS 5, users can choose alternate routes that are more to their liking.  For those who prefer things old school, users can now print directions from their iOS device.

26. HD YouTube

Users now have the option to stream HD/HQ videos through YouTube over 3G.  For those concerned about bandwidth, the ability to disable HQ video playback is also available in settings.  Nice.

27. Disable In-app Purchases

As a dad, I really appreciate this option.  With iOS 5, users now have the option of disabling in-app purchases.  No longer will I have to pay for things I didn’t want to buy because the purchase was done in-app without our knowledge or consent.

28. Game Center Enhancements

By contrast, Game Center now allows in app purchases of games.  Users can also further personalize their account with photos, and decide if your profile is private or public.

29. Weather updates

The iOS weather app becomes more useful with hourly updates, local weather, and the ability to swipe the weather widget in Notification Center to see a 5 day forecast.

30. MultiTasking

Users can now do gesture based multi tasking (iPad only).  With a swipe of 4 fingers, the app switcher appears.  Pinch will return to home screen.  And a swipe left and right to switch between  any actve apps

There are over 200 new features to iOS, and depending on which iOS device you use, some or all are available to enjoy.  But it’s certainly a well thought out and welcome update which will only get better with the addition of the new iPhone!

Staples is offering the lowest price we’ve ever seen on this BlackBerry PlayBook 7-Inch 16GB WiFi Tablet!

Unbelievable indeed! For a limited time you can grab this feature packed Blackberry tablet for almost half the price and with free shipping to boot! This tablet is fully Wi-Fi capable and that means some serious Internet connectivity can be had from it, and with Adobe Flash and Webkit support you will miss out on nothing the Web has to offer. You will be blazing through every application too, thanks to its included 1.0Ghz Dual-Core processor and 1GB of RAM while also retaining the data you want with its 16GBs of internal storage capacity. This model has a 7-Inch compact touch display and it definitely means business with its high 1024 x 600 HD resolution which is plenty for viewing Web Pages smoothly and even seeing HD content for all its worth. 3G network access through your BlackBerry smartphone is also available, as is Wi-Fi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR! To make it even better it also comes with 10 hours of battery life on a single charge! This is a deal not to miss!

This is simply a deal that won’t last; it’s the best price we’ve ever seen for it.  $200 in instant savings cuts the price to $299.  That means the original retail price was $499.  If this deal sells out, Office Depot also has it for $299.99.

2.5 out of 5 stars

RIM just hasn’t been able to make an all-purpose touch-based handset. They tried with the Storm, the Storm II, and the Torch (and subsequent models), but each new offering has failed in halting the shift of users leaving Blackberry for an iPhone, Android, or even Windows Phone 7 devices. The company once exalted by everyday consumers and businesses alike is giving it another go with the Blackberry Torch 9850, one of the company’s first phones running the latest operating system BB 7.0. Does the aging OS have what it takes to take on the relatively recent newcomers, or is RIM only beating a dead horse?

As one of the oldest cellphone manufacturers, RIM has produced hundreds of phones and has become exceedingly efficient at it. The hardware they design is rarely below average, though it simultaneously lacks the artistry and finesse seen in some handsets. The 9850 has a sleek, curved design with no sharp edges and is made to be held in the hand for long periods of time. Just like Blackberry owners expect and desire.

The front face features a 3.7” display with a bezel that curves carefully off the sides, connected to a reflective bezel which in turn connects to the removable battery panel on the back. Four buttons on the right side are easy to feel, yet difficult to spot, and manage to stay out of the way when in a pocket or in the hand. There is no accidental button pressing here. On the left is the micro-USB connector, and on the top is the lock key shaped like part of the phone, not like just another button. Four face buttons and a touch-sensitive button rest below the screen.

One notable aspect, which is true of many Blackberry devices and, sadly, not many other smartphones, is the removable battery panel. It has a simple one-button mechanical lock, where when pressed the aluminum panel comes off and reveals the battery, micro-SD card and SIM card. The micro-SD can be taken out without removing the battery. And, reflectively, it’s nice to see such a clean design on the inside of the phone. Most phones I test are a maze of circuitry and off-color panels, whereas the 9850 is crisp, simple, and to the point. Above the panel is the 5MP camera and LED flash.

Brightness on the display is good; the screen is visible in direct sunlight, though in general color depth and contrast is lacking. The 840×400 screen is dense and pictures are accurate, but because of the color issues they don’t have the vibrancy found on some displays, notably Samsung’s OLED-ready phones. Besides for excellent brightness, the display is average.

Touch sensitivity has been more problematic, though it’s unclear whether this is a software or hardware issue. In my testing I gave up on using the screen to click on links or words, instead using the touch-sensitive mouse nub as Blackberry users so often do. Unfortunately the touchscreen just isn’t perfectly suited for the finger, and I’d mostly use it for scrolling up and down emails and web pages, but little else.

That’s where the 9850’s greatest fault is: its keyboard. With no physical QWERTY, users must type away on the screen, and with poor touch accuracy, typing even tweets or text messages is a chore. In an awful twist of irony, I discovered Blackberry’s most attractive features (BBM, chat, email) and couldn’t make the best use of any of them. Typing on the keyboard is an exercise in futility; the faster you type, the more frequent and terrible the errors become. Blackberry’s aren’t made for slow thumbs, but with this virtual keyboard, answering emails, chat messages and texts will either force you to type with a turtle-like speed or spend equal time typing and correcting errors.

The hardware specs alone show a slightly different story from the handset itself: 1.2GHz dual core CPU; 768MB of RAM; 253ppi display; seven hours of talk time and six hours of video playback; 5MP camera with 720p video recording. These parts, however, don’t make the whole. Instead, they are limited mostly by a poor, repressed OS which RIM has refused to seriously change in a world that has already moved to touch-only smartphones.

In West LA Sprint’s network held up well, and making calls and sending and receiving data is fast. The 9850 connects quickly to the network and calls are clear. Driving around in both residential and commercial areas the 9850 maintained a solid connection, though in less populated areas and smaller roads the once dominant cell network now regularly drops calls and is as stable as the rest of the big four. Locally, however, Sprint’s network has deteriorated in Los Angeles county as a whole.

The 9850 atop the HTC Evo 3D, a significantly larger phone. The 9850 is pretty small compared to today’s smartphones

What I’m both surprised and dismayed about with the 9850 is that while it’s a 3G handset , what you can do with Sprint’s network is limited to the phone only. There is no hotspot connectivity, which for an enterprise-ready phone can be a death sentence for business users. The way Blackberry works, the BB Store only downloads via 3G and not through Wi-Fi, which considering the poorer status of Sprint’s network, as well as the overwhelming difference between Wi-Fi and 3G, makes me question the fundamental design of the phone.

Browsing the BB Store and installing applications isn’t nearly as easy as it should be. It’s a slow process. Too many applications require accepting their specific terms and conditions. There is no true multitasking. Switching from one app to the next is slow. Installing apps, and then installing updates for those apps, is painfully slow. Finally, plenty of cross-platform apps are very clearly worse on Blackberry.

Battery life on the 9850 is what I’ve come to expect from today’s smartphones, about a day with moderate use. In poor connection areas the battery drain is terrible, where some of the other handsets I currently have in testing can sit for days with low- or no-connectivity.

The camera is fairly good, though it tends to take grainy photos which are then post-processed to sharpen them. Viewing pictures taken with the 9850 directly on the phone looks great, but on a computer screen or blown up they are mediocre at best. The flash is powerful, and tends to wash colors out, but it’s the only way to take low-light shots. The plethora of shooting modes is good, though the automatic mode shoots the best and has in nearly every shot used the proper settings. Close shots automatically go to macro, night shots switch to the night mode, and even the neat text mode automatically detects properly. Sample shots below.

Video quality on the 9850 is very good. The microphone does a great job at picking up audio from the front and back, while also minimizing the sound of oncoming wind. At full 720p videos aren’t as clear as they could be, and the camera frequently has trouble focusing, while simultaneously switching between light and dark spots quickly. It’s overall a good camcorder, but there’s no tap to focus feature.

RIM, out of all the other smartphone manufacturers, has the biggest opportunity to make it right. They produce so many phones, have so many users worldwide, and have enterprise wrapped around its finger. That’s been changing thanks to iOS and Android gobbling up RIM’s market share, and phones like the Torch 9850 aren’t helping. The phone is a legacy device, not different or upgraded enough from its predecessors to put a dent in its main competitors. Add onto that an inaccurate touchscreen and you have a Blackberry, with everything a Blackberry is good for, sans keyboard. The 9850 is a device I really want to like, but RIM just makes it too hard.

Bottom line: It’s a Blackberry, with all the good except for a working keyboard. Interested buyers need to seriously consider if they want a Blackberry that’s no good at typing, that isn’t really business ready, and already feels outdated.

Pros:

• Solid build with a removable battery panel, which everyone should copy
• Blackberry’s revered email and instant services work marvelously

Cons:

• Touchscreen is inaccurate, makes typing a headache
• No hotspot or 3G-sharing supported
• App store needs a complete overhaul

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Amazon has a new exciting offer on this Amazon Kindle 3G on AT&T eBook Reader in Graphite which is now only $189 – $50 instant off + free delivery = $139!

The Kindle has quickly become one of the most well-known and popular eReaders around, and this is for good reason. Now you can get your hands on the new 3G model for a much lower price! The Amazon Kindle is the best way to read not only at home but also on the go. It features a design which is thinner and more intuitive then ever before along with much more memory capacity and the super advanced Pearl E-Ink display which makes reading the same as paper. This model specializes in FREE 3G which requires no contract and no worries and allows you to access and purchase books anywhere you go. You can also browse the web using the new Webkit browser and the best part of the device is its incredible 2 months of battery life.

unlockedcellphonekings via eBay has a super low price available on this Palm Pixi Plus GSM Unlocked AT&T 3G Phone for $89.99 + no delivery = $89.99!

Get Cell Phones on your terms, when you buy unlocked you choose how you get your service, and now you can do that for a super low price! The Pixi Plus by Palm offers you a compact and feature packed mobile solution for connecting to friends and family alike. It contains a fixed QWERTY keyboard and a compact 2.63-Inch touch display operating on Palm OS. With this OS you can view all of your friends statuses on social networks from across the net all in one view and access it all with quick and intuitive gestures. This phone includes 8GBs of flash memory and also has a 2.0MP camera.

unlockedcellphoneking via eBay has a very low price on this HTC MyTouch 3G Smartphone in White for only $119.99 + Free Shipping = $119.99!

If you’re in need of a powerful smartphone experience off contract then check out there savings! This HTC MyTouch is going for a much lower price than normal and is offering a combination of many useful features which make it great. This compact smartphone comes with a slim 3.2-Inch display and runs the Android Operating system for ultimate customization. It utilizes 3G data connection for fast wireless speeds and is compatible with WiFi and Bluetooth along with GPS. It also has a 3.2MP camera which can also take videos and allows you to instantly upload online for friends and family to view.

UnlockedCellPhoneKings via eBay is offering this HTC MyTouch 3G Magic Android Phone (unlocked) for a super low price of just $179.99 – $30 Instant Discount + Free Shipping = $149.99!

If you’re looking for a super slim phone experience then check this out! The HTC Mytouch boasts a super compact 3.2-Inch Display and is powered by Android to give you the ultimate customizable experience combined with feature-rich Google tools you’ve come to rely on from your home PC. You have a full Web Browsing experience with Flash in the palm of your hand as well as a nearly limitless supply of Apps from the Android App store and online. It also has a GPS service which supplies you with turn-by-turn directions from Google Maps, full Wireless-N networking with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and a 3.2MP camera for taking photos anywhere. It has 7 hours of talk time on a single charge.

Cell Hub is offering an amazing deal on this HTC myTouch 3G w/ $75 Credit for T-Mobile and Free Bluetooth Headset which comes to $279.99 – $279.99 – $75 Mail-in-Rebate + Free Shipping = You Get $75!

If you’re looking for the proper motivation to start a smartphone plan then check out these compounded savings and earnings! For free you can start up your new phone service, it boasts 2-Day shipping and you even make $75 and score a free bluetooth headset! The HTC myTouch is a 3G phone which runs on the super fast and customizable Android Operating system which brings all of most important tasks right to you. It features a complete web browser and applications that let you connect with all your friends and family right away. It has a compact 3.2-Inch touch screen with virtual keyboard and can quickly snap 3.2MP photos to instantly share online. It comes with 8GBs of storage from the bundled MicroSDHC card which can be upgraded up to 32GB.

Amazon is offering a super discount on this Kindle DX Wireless 9.7-inch Reading Device for just $379 – $80 Discount + Free Shipping = $299 Today Only!

The new Kindle by Amazon is by far the best reading device available, and it’s even better with the DX! The DX features a huge 9.7-Inch E-Ink screen for optimal contrast and clarity for reading all of your favorite books and novels on the go. It’s easy to look at and designed to look just like the pages of a real book, so it will never strain your eyes. It can fit 3,500 books at a time so you will never run out of reading and with free 3G connection you will always be able to find more books online no matter where you are. It’s as thin as a magazine so you can easily take it with you anywhere and features a super impressive 1 week of battery life on a single charge with wireless on, or 3 weeks with wireless off so you never run out of reading time.

Get it fast! Offer expires 4/15.2011 at 11:59 PST!

Wirefly is offering this Droid X for Verizon Wireless with Renegate Bluetooth Headset for $599.99 – $599.99 Instant Off + Free Shipping = FREE with subscription to new cell phone service.

Power up your mobile experience with a phone that can do it all, and pay for nothing but your new service. The DROID X for Verizon is powered by the ultra fast Android operating system to bring you closer to all your important tasks than ever before. Connect to the speedy 3G network and take the full Internet experience with you anywhere you go with a browser powered with fully functional flash player built right in. You have access to thousands of apps and widgets at all times from the Android marketplace as well, so you will never run out of things to do. It has an ultra large 4.3-Inch Touch display so HD viewing is also possible on the go. You also get a renegade bluetooth headset for perfect hands free chatting and the deal still remains free.

Wirefly is offering a huge discount on this Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0-Inch Tablet!

Access all of your media and social networks easily with this light and portable tablet! The Samsung Galaxy Tab features a large 7.0-Inch High Definition touch display to view everything in style. It is powered by the Android 2.2 interface and allows you connectivity to everything you need, from social networks to music and video and even games with the huge selection of applications available for the Android platform. It offers you 3G connectivity for speedy internet on the go as well as Wi-Fi with full Bluetooth 3.0 support for maximum connectivity no matter where you are. It also includes a rear facing 3.0 Megapixel camera with auto focus and flash as well as a 1.3MP front facing camera for video chats.

The deal comes to $199.99 – $100 Coupon (SAMSUNG100) + Free Shipping = $99.99!

• Unlocked quad-band GSM cell phone compatible with 850/900/1800/1900 frequencies and US/International 3G compatibility via 850/900/1700/1900/2100 UMTS/HSDPA plus GPRS/EDGE capabilities
• 3G-enabled smartphone in gray with 3.5-inch AMOLED touchscreen and Symbian^3 operating system
• 12-MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics and 720p video capture; Wireless-N Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 3.0; 16 GB internal memory; microSD expansion; HDMI output
• Up to 5.8 hours of 3G talk time, up to 400 hours (16.7 days) of standby time

Update: HP just announced the HP Touchpad, the would be iPad killer.

These may look like photos of a delicious tablet, but they’re only renders. HP and Palm got together to build the Topaz webOS tablet, and someone working for them was kind enough to leak these images for the rest of the world. It’s just the way things work.

Topaz is the 9-inch model, while a smaller, 7-inch tablet was baptized Opal. They’re both adhering to a push for a no-button design, they have a front-facing camera, micro-USB port (I hate these) and a three-speaker layout that’s reminiscent of the Vizio tablet. Two speakers on the left side and one on the right, giving stereo audio in both landscape and portrait mode.

Both tablets should start shipping somewhere around September, with versions for WiFi only, 3G from AT&T, and Verizon LTE.

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Lockheed Martin is making a case for the iPhone? Never thought I’d see the day when the legendary American military tech company would get into the iOS aftermarket add-on business. I never even thought about never seeing the day. The thought of never seeing never crossed my mind, that’s how shocking this is.

A ginourmous case that has the looks of a tank and the heft of a battlecruiser, the MONAX lets you gain access to the military’s own 3G network, which spans the globe with infrastructure all the way up to dedicated satellites. Well, not you – you, but you the soldier who will be given access to the MONAX.

Lockheed’s attention was drawn by most calls in Iraq “happening over commercial cell phones, not military radios.” So an iPhone is more usable than a military radio? Who’d have thought.

Is the MONAX going to be the most expensive iPhone case? I don’t know for sure, but at $1000 it’s got a good shot at the title.

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Clearly technology is not capable of mixing phones and cameras seamlessly, with a high degree of performance from both donor devices. Maybe when we get mixed species animal clones we’ll also manage a good camera phone, but until such exciting sci-fi times the LG L-03C will have to do.

And it does do well enough, especially as a camera. It’s a point and shoot with a 12.1 megapixel sensor capable of ISO up to 3200, shooting through a Pentax 1:2.6-5.5 lens with 3X optical zoom. If that means what I think it means, it’s an awfully wide lens, or just a very small sensor that turns it into a regular lens.

It’s even capable of 720p video recording, and on top of that it’s phone side promises GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G, so you’ll never get lost, or bored or become out of touch with anyone, which, as far as cameras go, is quite the accomplishment.

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Rebate can be found here.

Every since it was announced, I’ve been envious of those with a MiFi, be it on Verizon’s network or anyone else. It’s such a great idea, and a cool little device, but of course you need a locked-in contract to get to use it. Starting next week, that all changes, as you can buy a MiFi from Virgin Mobile (via Sprint) for $149 that lets you add a data plan to it without a contract. That plan ranges from $10 for 100MB of data to $60 for 5GB. If you don’t like being tied down to contracts and need some wireless, it might be a great way to go.

AT&T announced today a complete revision of their data plan pricing, affecting all of the smartphones on their network and even the iPad. There’s a lot going on here, so let’s break it down:

There are now two options for a monthly data plan for new subscribers: $15 for 200MB (DataPlus) and $25 for 2GB (DataPro). Users already subscribing to a $30 monthly unlimited plan can continue on that plan, but can switch to either new plan whenever, with no changes made to their contract. If you go over 200MB on the DataPlus, you’ll be charged $15 for every 200MB. If you go over 2GB on DataPro, you’ll pay $10 for each additional 1GB.

Smartphone tethering will be an add-on to the DataPro plan for an extra $20 per month — so, $45 for the base big-data plan. But you’ll have to be more careful about how you use it. The iPhone will be officially supported for tethering with the release of iPhone OS 4.

The iPad $30 unlimited plan is gone, but people already on it can stay on it. In its place is the DataPro plan. I can hear grumbles about this already.

So, what do you think about AT&T’s changes?

T&T ANNOUNCES NEW LOWER-PRICED WIRELESS DATA PLANS TO MAKE MOBILE INTERNET MORE AFFORDABLE TO MORE PEOPLE

DALLAS, June 2, 2010 – AT&T*, the U.S. smartphone leader, today introduced new wireless data plans that make it more affordable for more people to enjoy the benefits of the mobile Internet. Customers can pick the new data plan that best meets their needs – either a $15 per month entry plan or a $25 per month plan with 10 times more data. Current smartphone customers are not required to switch to the new plans, but can choose to do so without a contract extension.

“AT&T helps mobilize everything on the Internet – your favorite web sites, TV shows, music, games and social networks. Virtually everything previously done while sitting at a computer can now be done on the go,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “To give more people the opportunity to experience these benefits, we’re breaking free from the traditional ‘one-size-fits-all’ pricing model and making the mobile Internet more affordable to a greater number of people.”

Each plan includes unlimited access at no additional charge to more than 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots in the U.S. Customers can also use unlimited Wi-Fi at home, in the office or elsewhere if available. AT&T will also help customers manage their wireless data usage by sending free text messages when customers reach different usage intervals, and by providing online tools, including a smartphone app that shows monthly usage information.

The new wireless data plans – including a new tethering option – will be available beginning June 7. Current AT&T voice and texting plans are unchanged.

More Choice

The new AT&T plans provide large amounts of data to enable people to enjoy their favorite online activities:

* DataPlus. Provides 200 megabytes (MB) of data – enough to send/receive 1,000 emails (no attachments), send/receive 150 emails with attachments, view 400 Web pages, post 50 photos on social media sites and 20 minutes of streaming video – for just $15 per month. This plan, which can save customers up to 20 percent off their wireless voice and data charges, is designed for people who primarily like to surf the web, send email and use social networking apps. If customers exceed 200 MB in a monthly billing cycle, they will receive an additional 200 MB of data usage for $15 for use in the month. Currently, 65 percent of AT&T smartphone customers use less than 200 MB of data per month on average.

* DataPro. Provides 2 gigabytes (GB) of data – enough to send/receive 10,000 emails (no attachments), send/receive 1,500 emails with attachments, view 4,000 Web pages, post 500 photos to social media sites and watch 200 minutes of streaming video – for $25 per month. Should a customer exceed 2 GB during a billing cycle, they will receive an additional 1 GB of data for $10 for use in the month. Currently, 98 percent of AT&T smartphone customers use less than 2 GB of data a month on average.

* Tethering. Smartphone customers – including iPhone customers – who choose the DataPro plan have the option to add tethering for an additional $20 per month. Tethering enables customers to use their smartphone as a modem to provide a broadband connection for laptop computers, netbooks or other computing devices. Tethering for iPhones will be available when Apple releases OS 4.0 this summer.

With the new wireless data plans, pricing for a smartphone voice and data bundle now starts at just $54.99 per month for an individual plan, or $24.99 per month for an additional line on a FamilyTalk plan, $15 per month less than the price of the previous entry level bundle.

For new iPad customers, the $25 per month 2 GB plan will replace the existing $29.99 unlimited plan. iPad customers will continue to pre-pay for their wireless data plan and no contract is required. Existing iPad customers who have the $29.99 per month unlimited plan can keep that plan or switch to the new $25 per month plan with 2 GB of data.

Wi-Fi at 20,000 AT&T Hot Spots

The vast majority of smartphones that AT&T offers have built-in Wi-Fi, which lets the devices automatically switch from the wireless network to a Wi-Fi hotspot without prompting, making Wi-Fi even more convenient and easy to use. This enables customers to use Wi-Fi in the home, office and at public locations where available. Using Wi-Fi does not count against a customer’s monthly data plan usage total. In addition, virtually all AT&T smartphone customers have access at no additional charge to more than 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, and other U.S. locations. Customers can get more information on how to use Wi-Fi and find the location of AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at www.att.com/wifiaccess.

Monitoring and Managing Usage

To help customers easily check their data usage, AT&T has made the information readily available in a number of ways:

* Customer Text Notifications On Data Usage. When customers begin to approach their monthly usage limit, AT&T will send three text notifications – when they reach 65 percent, 90 percent and 100 percent of the threshold. Customers will also be sent emails if AT&T has their email address.

* Data Usage Monitoring. Additionally, customers with iPhones and other select devices can use the free AT&T myWireless application to check data usage. The application is available for download in several smartphone app stores. Also, AT&T customers can call *DATA# from their wireless phone to check their data usage for the current billing period. They receive a free text message with their usage information. Customers can also go online to www.att.com/wireless to see all their usage information, past and present.

* Data Calculator. The easy-to-use online data calculator enables customers to estimate their mobile data usage and get a better sense for which data plan is right for them. It’s located at www.att.com/datacalculator.

Customers can learn more about the new plans online at www.att.com/dataplans, by contacting AT&T customer service at 1-800-331-0500, or by visiting an AT&T retail store.

AT&T expects these new data plans to have minimal revenue impact this year and to not affect previous guidance for 2010.