We’ve seen iTunes releasing some apps for free lately, and now the latest in that line of limited time offerings you can download Episode 1 of the Law and Order: Legacies game. Based of course on NBC’s popular series you can become the investigators and solve each case like an expert. Episode 1 is about a maid being murdered in a five-star hotel and while investigating this case a deep conspiracy involving hacking is uncovered. Definitely an interesting game with great graphics now available for free, and who could argue with that logic?

A $3 discount makes this app free!

Looking for a bigger Macbook? B&H Photo has you covered on that front and has a new discount price available on the 15.4-Inch model of the Macbook Pro line-up. With this setup you not only get the latest in processing technology from Intel but also some dedicated graphics for gaming and design applications. This model is powered by an Intel Core i7 2.2Ghz Quad Core processor and also houses 4GBs of DDR3 RAM and the graphics come powered by an AMD Radeon HD 6750M Discrete card. You also get 500GBs of storage with this model, in addition to a fully backlit keyboard for easy usage at any time. You also can enjoy its FaceTime HD camera, USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt ports, SuperDrive DVD Burner, Bluetooth connectivity and of course full Wi-Fi Wireless-N options.

This is the best deal we’ve ever seen for this computer.  It’s $1698 with free S&H and includes your choice of free software (Filemaker Bento 4 or Parallels)

Thanks to this new discounted price from Amazon the newest edition of the slim 13.3-Inch Macbook Pro is closer into reach. Right now you can save $70 on your purchase while also getting free shipping and no additional tax added to the price. If you’re into Macs then there’s definitely something to say for their new line-up which comes powered by the latest Intel Processors. This one itself comes with an Intel Core i5 2.4Ghz processor and also comes with 4GBs of 1333Mhz DDR3 Memory. Along with that comes its 500GB hard drive for storage, Intel HD 3000 graphics, Backlit keyboard for ease of use in any lighting, new thunderbolt port, FaceTime Camera and microphone along with much more.

$70 off and no tax makes this laptop $1129 with free S&H

Kodak was a big dog in the camera industry in the 20^th century, promoting photography for hobbyists while providing innovative camera technology like its popular Instamatic cameras and even creating the world’s first digital camera in 1975. Basically, Kodak could have been the Apple of photography, but somehow down the line, their focus on new and innovative products ceased to be the focus of their attention and it was all down hill from there. Stuck in the mindset of being a “film” company, Kodak failed at keeping up with the times and wasn’t prepared to face the digital age as well as its competitors (who churn out digital cameras what seems like every month).

Apple was once a company in peril, but thanks to many innovations and a constant eye on the future, they’ve become the company everyone else wants to be and can learn from.

Here’s a look at the history of a what used to be a great American company (they’re 133 years old), who had a promising future only to fall behind the times and become a thing of the past.

The Beginning

1888: The name “Kodak” originates eight years after George Eastman begins commercial production of dry plate for photography. It’s also the year that the Kodak camera is marketed with the slogan, “You press the button, we do the rest.”

1892: Eastman Kodak Company of New York is officially formed

1900: Hobby photography is officially within financial reach for many as Kodak releases the first Brownie camera that sells for $1 and uses film that costs 15 cents a roll.

1929: Kodak takes to Hollywood and releases its first motion picture film.

1935: Kodak introduces its Kodachrome film and is the first commercially successful amateur color film.

1951: Kodak releases a new low-priced Brownie 8mm movie camera, followed by the Brownie movie projector the following year.

1962: Kodak’s work force reaches 75,000 and has U.S. consolidated sales that are more than $1 billion for the first time. Things are looking good for the camera company!

The Golden Years

1963: The popular easy-to-use Instamatic cameras with cartridge-loading film are first introduced.

1969: A Kodak camera was used in by US astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 to film the lunar soil from only inches away.

1972: Instamatic cameras are so popular that Kodak releases five new pocket-sized ones that use smaller cartridges.

1975: The year that Kodak invents the first digital camera; a pivotal moment in the evolution of film. The prototype is the size of about a toaster and captures black-and-white images at a resolution of 10,000 pixels (.01 megapixels). Kodak executives will sit on this new revolutionary technology scared it will take away sales from its core business of selling films.

1979: Larry Matteson, a Kodak executive, produces a report that predicted the switch from film to digital all by 2010, he was about five years off, but was still pretty spot-on in his predictions.

1984: Kodak enters the video market with their Kodavision Series 2000 8mm video system and introduces Kodak videotape cassettes in 8mm, Beta and VHS formats, along with a line of floppy disks for computers. It seems they’re innovators of their time, providing consumers with at-the-time current technology, but not entirely focusing on the future of their niche industry and paying any attention or focus to what Larry Matteson predicted for the future. They also pass up being the offer to be the main sponsor of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, which the relatively unknown Fujifilm takes and introduced them as a major competitor to Kodak.

The Beginning of the End

Mid-to-Late 1990s: Digital camera sales increase, competitors look to enhancing the digital future of the camera, while Kodak sits back and doesn’t do much. Film is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Kodak also starts to patent much of the technology used in today’s digital and cell phone cameras. They fail to really market to a youth-driven consumer who, as Apple has experienced, can make or break a product.

Early-2000s: With film sales down, Kodak tried to make money in other markets like drugs to chemicals, with mixed success.

2003: Kodak launches its Easyshare printer dock 6000 that prints durable, boarderless 4” x 6” prints. Digital cameras has exploded in the industry and Kodak now faces many competitors. It seems the Easyshare’s easy-to-use concept would be used and perfected by other companies instead of Kodak building upon its success for better and newer products. Instead of trying to create cell phones using their patents, they focus on printers.

2004: Kodak is ejected from the Dow Jones, begins its digital makeover years too late and cuts thousands of jobs and factories. It’s the wake-up call they needed a few years back.

Mid-2000s: Despite Kodak’s transition to rebrand itself, it can’t compete or assimilate into the digital age and create compelling digital cameras for the market.

2010: Kodak sues Apple and Research in Motion, claiming the smartphone makers are infringing its 2001 patent for technology that lets a camera preview low-resolution versions of a moving image while being able to record still images at higher resolutions. Kodak should have used their own technology and developed their own phone and if they did, they might be sitting happily next to Apple on stock charts instead of becoming a long-lost thought in history.

July 2011: Kodak starts to shop around its 1,100 digital-imaging patents to see if anyone will bite.

September 2011: Kodak hires Jones Day, a law firm that lists bankruptcies and restructuring among its stop specialties.

January 2012: Kodak files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. It has 18 months to turn itself around and get back into shape after being given some credit from Citigroup. The future of Kodak is unclear.

Lessons Learned

Companies, especially those in tech-related industries, can certainly walk away with how not to become obsolete, as Kodak has done.

The biggest lesson to be learned from Kodak’s demise is no matter how big of a company you are, you can never be comfortable in your niche. Companies need to be and stay innovative to stay relevant an in business. Just take a look at Apple who keeps innovating its most popular products into better iterations of themselves. Apple is always working on new projects and looking to release game-changing devise…that it will then perfect with various editions.

In essence, even though Kodak was first at releasing the digital camera, they didn’t follow through with their technology and was left behind. When they didn’t take advantage of what they had, they stopped trying. Unlike them, Apple continues to lead the market because they’re not resting on their laurels and are continuing to think as innovators and leaders.

Looking for a free game to play and pass the time? Why not check out the latest of the free apps from the iTunes library; Jetpack Joyride. In this iOS game you take on the roll of Barry, who has just got his hands on a very powerful jetpack. You pilot him through various stages and utilize some powerful weaponry to annihilate your foes along the way. Each level allows you to earn some cash and upgrade your guns for even more destructive power. It’s a simple and fun game, while at the same time utilizing some heavy reflexes as stage increase in difficulty. It’s won some awards in 2011 for being a best iOS game so it’s definitely worth a shot, not to mention that it’s free.

We’ve seen iTunes offering free downloads before, and now JetPack Joyride is among them for a limited time.

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.

With the iPhone getting so much attention people seem to forget about it’s little brother with just about the same functionality but half the price. That is the iPod Touch, and in this case you can grab this 32GB model from Amazon at some extra savings, making it just $273 and with free shipping. The iPod Touch utilizes iOS similar to the Phone itself, but instead of including 3G and Talking it’s main purpose is to take advantage of all available apps, Play Music and videos, and have an incredible experience online portably. Of course the center stage goes to its 3.5-Inch screen and the previously mentioned 32GBs which gives you plenty of space for up to 8,000 songs or 40,000 photos. The battery squeezes out about 40 hours of audio playback on a single go, amazing for a trip or vacation and 7 hours of video playback. While not a phone, the iPod Touch gives you plenty of other features you crave portably.

Save 9% on this product instant when you buy it from Amazon.  Checkout price is $272.95

Looking for a fitness coach to assist you in your running on the go? There’s an app for that! And this time that app is free! Thanks to iTunes being so generous and just giving away popular apps we have today a fitness assistant which provides multiple layers of information and tracking to keep you going on the schedule you need. With this app you can track and calculate all of your runs via GPS navigation, but at the same time can also schedule and plan them out based on how far you would like to go or even to the point of how many calories you want to burn. Keep it all timed so you know exactly where you are in it, and improve yourself if needbe. Calories are all taken into account, so you can always know where you are with that, and beyond the simple calculations it provides this app also boasts sexy voice feedback in either English or German if that’s how you roll.

Get this, today only, for FREE!

iTunes of offering this HDR Photo Camera App for iPhone for FREE!

Looking to expand upon the built-in camera the iPhone provides? Well here’s an app just for that, and in this case you can get it for free. The HDR Photo Camera is designed to of course give you the ‘High Dynamic Range’ lighting and clarity to any photo you take. Now it does this by snapping three photos at once at different exposure levels and combining them together to create one perfect shot. Your mileage will vary of course depending on what you’re trying to capture, but they do suggest that the photo include some dark and some light areas for the absolute best results overall. But since it’s free you have nothing to lose in trying it out!

Now you can get this App as a free download straight from iTunes!

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.

Klipsch’s has unveiled three new speakers that are all Apple AirPlay-enabled audio solutions, and the Klipsch Stadium speakers 2.1 tabletop sound solution that features dual 1-inch, horn-loaded tweeters and 3-inch midrange woofers. In addition, these components are combined with dual 5.25-inch, built-in subwoofers to ensure high quality bass output and sound quality. To complement the premier sound quality, the Stadium speakers showcase brushed aluminum cabinetry with soft-touch accents, which perfectly integrate with any size and style living arrangement. The new Stadium Speaker was designed to seamlessly stream high-quality audio directly from any iPod, iPhone or iPad without the need for wires or cables that’s to embedded AirPlay technology within the piece. iTunes can also be streamed form any Mac or PC to the system and it can also charge most 30-pin Apple devices thanks to its USB inputs for direct digital connection. No pricing has been released, but the Klipsch Stadium Speakers will hit retailers this coming Fall.

Klipsch has released its newest model of nose canceling headphones with its Mode M40 that boasts superb audio as well as elegant looks. Built from the same durable materials that are used in high-end eyewear with cloth cables that are used in premium, hi-fi sound systems, the Mode M40 headphones provide uninterrupted listening at the highest levels. Featuring 15mm tweeter that delivers crisp, clean highs and two detachable cables that fit any device, you’ll never want to use another set of headphones ever again. These state-of-the-art headphones provide active noise cancelling (ANC) for up to 45 hours on a single battery or use without battery as a stereo headphone. Its high-grade leather ear cups offer nothing but comfort for as long as you use them. The Klipsch Mode M40 headphone features an Apple-based mic and three button remote system for taking calls and controlling music on iPhones, iPads or iPods. They’re now available for $349.99.

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).

Mac Connection has a new discounted price for this Apple MC700LL/A MacBook Pro 13.3-Inch Core i5 Notebook!

Thanks goodness for holiday sales! Now for a limited time you can save big on a brand new 13.3-Inch Macbook Pro! For those of you looking for a sleek and stylish solution for portable computing here you go. This Macbook is powered by an ultra-fast Intel Core i5 2.3Ghz which also has Intel HD 3000 Graphics along with 4GBs of internal DDR3 Memory to keep up with your multitasking. This model has 320Gbs of hard drive space paired up with a SuperDrive DVD Burner. It of course has connectivity with b/g/n and Bluetooth as well as gigabit Ethernet connectivity.Top that off with 7 hours of battery life which will keep you on wherever you are.

Price drop!  This computer now sells below $1k.  It’s $999.99.  It includes free S&H and no tax in most places!  Beat that Apple Store

The upcoming ASUS Prime Transformer is perhaps the first tablet to really compete with the iPad in every way: build, design, power, and even price. So which is the best? Let’s take a look.

Size

The iPad is a 9.7″ tablet, and is 241x186x8.6mm. The Transformer Prime is larger, with a 10.1″ screen, and measures 263x181x8.3mm. That is to say, it’s longer and wider, but thinner still. Comparing the size of tablets where the screen varies by .4″ is ludicrous, but what I will say is this: as you look below, you’ll find that the display is denser, the look is cooler, and the screen has a better aspect ratio for media. This is all due to the size, so the Transformer Prime wins this one.

Winner: Transformer Prime

Appearance

Apple’s iPad (and frankly all of their products) has an iconic design. It’s striking. ASUS didn’t try to copy it, they went a different path by using the same concentric-circle design on their recent ultrabook, the Zenbook. It looks great, and I think that in the hand the iPad really needs a case because otherwise it feels cold. But even then, with all that, the iPad 2 still does look better than the Transformer Prime, though it’s great to see companies getting closer and closer to Apple in terms of design.

Winner: iPad 2

Display

The iPad’s 9.7″ screen has a 4:3 aspect ratio, which works well for most applications but has those vicious black bars when watching HD media. The Transformer Prime is slightly larger at 10.1″, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and has a higher resolution 1280×800 (compared to 1024×768), which is 16:10. The ASUS has a (barely) denser display and HD video won’t completely fill the screen, but it will fill more of it.

Both have IPS screens, though so far what we’ve heard and seen from reviews, the Prime Transformer has a better display than the iPad 2, thanks in part to it’s IPS+ display technology. It’s bigger, brighter, has better contrast and viewing angles, and has a lower power setting that cuts the quality by 5-10% to save battery life. The iPad and iPad 2 have great displays, but after a year and a half it’s no surprise a competitor has a better one.

Winner: Transformer Prime

Operating System

iOS 5 vs Android Honeycomb 3.2 That’s sadly an easy one: iOS 5. Android’s tablet-specific OS just doesn’t compete with iOS, though the coming of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) may change that, though based on reports thus far it isn’t as much of a game-changer as Google would have us believe.

However, that may not be true for tablets, but that remains to be seen. As of now, iOS 5 is better. ASUS has promised that the Transformer Prime will be updated to Android 4.0, though no date has been given for when that update will kick in. And until we get to see Android 4.0 in action on a tablet, iOS wins this bout.

Winner: iOS 5 (iPad 2)

Processor

Apple’s A5 processor has been the benchmark for all phones and tablets, and while it’s only a 1GHz dual core CPU, thanks to proper software implementation it runs the iPhone and iPad buttery-smooth. ASUS has taken a decisively different turn with the Transformer Prime, working with NVidia on their latest Tegra 3 processor. This thing sounds like a beast.

The Tegra 3 is a 1.3GHz quad-core CPU, which is actually more power than some netbooks get (in terms of straight up processor speed). Quad-core laptops don’t really exist; they’re a rarity. Dual-core tablets are still relatively new, and Android has only recently updated its software to make better use of two cores.

Now four? It’s great for benchmarks, and great for making sure the tablet will be relevant for at least two years. But the sad truth is that power will likely go unused for at least 6 months. Yet even then the processor is, in general, way faster than what the iPad 2 has to offer. Most benchmarks currently available show that the Transformer Prime is faster than the iPad, though the GPU performance still lags behind ever so slightly.

My opinion is that the Transformer Prime is faster in day-to-day use, though the iPad 2 is still better at graphics processing.

Winner: Tie

Storage

This one is fairly simple. Apple offers three storage options with the iPad: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. The ASUS Transformer Prime offers two sizes: 32GB and 64GB. Both tablets have the same starting price, meaning the iPad’s 16GB model is the same price as the Transformer Prime 32GB model, which is better for price, but not storage!

The kicker? The Transformer Prime has MicroSD card expansion with up to 32GB cards. That clarifies the winner in this category.

Winner: Transformer Prime

Camera

Tablet cameras are silly. For video chat, they’re useful, but why anyone would want to hold up a tablet and snap pictures with it is beyond me. Or video, for that matter. That’s why it comes as no surprise that the iPad has a mediocre camera (the same as the iPod Touch, in fact), while the Transformer Prime features an 8MP that shoots 1080p video, and a 1.3MP front-facing camera. That alone makes it better than the older, though perhaps useless camera on the iPad 2.

Yet, to sweeten the deal for the Transformer Prime, early accounts on the camera show that it in fact is a decent shooter, and has the same quality at some smartphones released earlier this year. It’s no iPhone 4S or Samsung Galaxy S II, but it’s better than the competition.

Winner: Transformer Prime

Price

Both the iPad and Transformer Prime have the same bottom price point, $499. For that the Transformer prime ships with a bigger display, a better screen, a better camera, a faster processor, twice the space (with room for expansion), and it’s even thinner to boot. So while the price may be the same, in terms of hardware you get more bang for your buck with the Transformer Prime.

However, Android in general lacks the games and apps that are available on the iPad (and iOS in general). Infinity Blade II and Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies are just two recent examples of exactly that. However, that makes the question of price, in this case, dependent on what you plan on using the Transformer Prime for. For everything but apps (that means web-browsing, streaming media, watching and storing media, accessing flash content, productivity, etc.), the Transformer Prime wins. And in this case, that makes the Transformer Prime the winner, but by a close margin. Because apps are almost enough to balance against everything else.

Winner: Transformer Prime

Extras

The Transformer Prime comes with one awesome extra: a keyboard that the Prime plugs directly into, doubles the battery life, and helps transform (pun intended) the tablet into a laptop. The software may not quite be there to make the the two a laptop replacement, but there is nothing for the iPad that does anything even close to that. There are battery cases, and there are keyboard attachments, but nothing that does both.

Yet the iPad 2 has so many extras you can purchase and use that the comparison is almost unfair. You could spend a year’s worth of income on iPad 2 accessories alone, while the Transformer Prime has…well, that keyboard. As great as the keyboard is, it’s nothing new. The original Transformer had one just like it, and while that doesn’t take away from the newer model, the fact that there’s very little else available for the Transformer Prime, the iPad 2 has accessories out the wazoo.

Winner: iPad 2

Overall

The Transformer Prime doesn’t just look, from specs alone, like a better tablet. The testing available online thus far shows that it. But even then it’s a close call, because the iPad is a tough competitor. It has a deathgrip on apps, and has only barely been beaten in processing speed. And even Tegra 3, built by NVidia, a company who’s main business is graphics cards, isn’t as powerful in graphics processing as Apple’s tablet, as tested by AnandTech.

Even then, Tegra 3 is faster in regular use, the display is more advanced, denser, has better contrast and brightness, and even power adjustments. The Transformer Prime sells at the same price as the iPad 2 with double the memory and the option to expand with MicroSD cards. It can be purchased with a keyboard that doubles as a battery (which also doubles the battery life). And it’s thinner to boot.

As I use my tablet more and more these days, the question of whether apps for full web-access is more relevant than ever. For me, it’s a hard call to make. I want to play the latest games, which almost always come out on iOS and not Android, but I also want to have a real internet experience with Flash. Which is more important? I don’t know.

Yet in the end, based on the tally above, the Transformer Prime is our winner today. Look forward to it the week of December 19th.

Winner: ASUS Transformer Prime

It may come as a shock to some, but there are still millions of people who don’t use their phones as their media players. For iPhone owners, that must be a huge shock. Android-smartphone owners are now growing a similar sentiment thanks to Google Music. With so many people using their phones as their media devices, the Portable Media Player (PMP) is dying out. However, not all phones make for good PMPs. Android’s media center gets better with each passing day, but is still light years behind the simplicity of both iTunes and Windows Phone 7 with Zune. At the same time, not everyone wants to use their phone as a PMP. Some people just want a dedicated device to listen to music to, or to view all media on. Whether it’s for a jog or a family car ride cross-country, PMPs are still a necessity, and these days they come at better prices than ever before.

iPod Nano

The iPod Nano is still the king of the run. There’s no better companion than the tiny music machine, which not only stores 8/16GB of music, pictures, and podcasts, but has a full FM radio and multi-touch touchscreen to boot. Even with just software updates and a slight price drop, the iPod Nano is the best PMP of it’s class, and a great device in general. It also makes a great gift…perfect for the stocking, or for a game of find-the-gift.

iPod Touch

Like the Nano, the iPod Touch only received a software update, to iOS 5.0, but it’s still the best PMP available to date. It’s a shame that no cosmetic or technical improvements have been made, such as a boost like the iPhone 4S received (over the iPhone 4), yet even with just a firmware upgrade the iPod Touch has access to all of the App Store’s apps, as well as the full catalog of iTunes music, movies and TV shows. There’s no better full-size PMP than the iPod Touch.

Galaxy Player 4.0/5.0

Apple may seem to be the only competitor in this field, but earlier this year Samsung showed off the Galaxy Player, similar to their Galaxy S phones. While the Korean and Asian models included functions to watch TV over the air, the US models are strictly on-device or Wi-Fi media players – no over the air. In two models, 4″ and 5″, the Galaxy Players are the first Android-based PMPs on the market.

Like the iPod Touch, both Galaxy Players run on last-year’s Galaxy S hardware, and still fully-capable of meeting all of your media needs. But unlike the iPod Touch, the Galaxy Players come with only 8GB of internal memory and include a MicroSD card slot that supports up to 32GB per card. The Galaxy Player also has an FM Tuner, though you’ll need headphones to activate it.

The more musically-inclined will enjoy the Galaxy Player 4.0, though it’s music store and media organization pales in comparison to iTunes (except for Google Music), while the Galaxy Player 5.0  is smaller than a tablet, but has a great size for watching movies or TV shows on the go. 

So what should I get?

For exercising or music always on the move, the Nano is the obvious choice. The real question comes up with the full-size media players, between not only the iPod Touch and Galaxy Player, but between the iPod, Galaxy Player 4.0 and 5.0. For strictly music and gaming, the iPod is by far the best, with the biggest App Store for games and iTunes for excellent music purchasing and synchronization. For video, the iPod Touch certainly surpasses the Galaxy Player 4.0 because of it’s Retina Display, though lack of flash playback means the 4.0 has access to a significantly larger amount of content.

But when it comes to the 5.0, hands down the Galaxy Player wins. The larger display, plus access to flash video while still being pocketable (and practically acting as a tablet) makes it more comfortable to watch videos on in any conditions, be it a cramped airplane or at home on the couch.

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.

Sprint has been the #3 cell provider in the US for years now, but has somehow managed to have one of the best networks and least dropped calls, which combined with the first nationwide 4G network has made the company adored by business users everywhere. Plus their truly unlimited plan is the only one left, where AT&T and Verizon both only offer limited data and T-Mobile slows down data speeds after 2GB/m. The company hasn’t managed to pick up the pace when it comes to new smartphones, and likewise has been losing ground to LTE networks in data speeds, but more and more customers are switching over, and for good reason. Take a look at the best the company has to offer.

And Amazon Wireless has an amazing deal on all Sprint phones that don’t start with the letter “i”: they’re a penny each! Offer ends November 28th at midnight, so don’t wait!

Apple iPhone 4S

While the other carriers were pretty cut and dry with the best phone, Sprint’s was a doozy, between the iPhone 4S and Epic 4G Touch. The iPhone 4S, while a better overall device than Sprint’s version of the Galaxy S II, doesn’t have 4G or the great design of the S II, but the Epic 4G Touch is literally too big, something that makes it a tad uncomfortable for users. Comfort is extremely important when it comes to the device you use daily, and the iPhone 4S has a tried and true design, even if it lacks the data speed of its closest competitor.

Samsung Epic 4G Touch (Galaxy S II)

Like last year, Sprint’s version of the Galaxy S phone is different from all the others, although this time it’s not because of a slide-out keyboard and 4G connectivity. Instead, the Epic 4G Touch touts a 4.5″ display and very slight modifications over the standard Galaxy S II models. The Epic 4G Touch is a little bit faster, has a lighter better battery, and it’s just a little bit bigger. It’s a great handset, though frankly some users may find the width a bit much. It’s still one of the best phones out there, but make sure it’s comfortable for you.

HTC Evo 3D

The first 3D phone on the market, the Evo 3D had a lot to live up to, and for the most part it does. With two 5MP cameras, the ability to shoot HD and 3D video and stills, the Evo 3D is a solid platform to bring 3D out of the home and into the world. But even if 3D isn’t your thing, HTC based the phone off of their award-winning Evo 4G, and improved on the design, the 4G functionality, battery life and everything else. So don’t worry if you aren’t interested in 3D or any of that mumbo-jumbo extra dimension stuff. The Evo 3D is a great handset without any of that.

LG Marquee

This is an odd one. The Marquee is a low-end Android handset that in benchmarks is completely unremarkable in all ways but one: it has excellent battery life. As I discussed in the review of the LG Doubleplay, that’s not such a bad thing, especially if you aren’t interested in graphically-intense apps or heavy-duty processing on the phone, but just need something to get around, stay on calls, and last more than a day. If that sounds like you, the Marquee is an excellent device. It not only will last over a full day of heavy use, the NOVA display is extremely bright, and manages to be completely visible even in direct sunlight and the brightest conditions. It’s a phone first, and that’s what’s important.

Interested in a new smartphone from Verizon? The nation’s largest cell provider isn’t a bad choice. Verizon has the largest 4G LTE network in the country, the best data speeds, and some of this holiday season’s best phones exclusively for Verizon customers. So if you’re on the ropes about which provider to sign up with, want to switch, or are already a Verizon customer looking to upgrade, check out this handy guide of tested Verizon smartphones and find one that suits you.

And Amazon Wireless has an amazing deal on all Verizon phones that don’t start with the letter “i”: they’re a penny each! Offer ends November 28th at midnight, so don’t wait!

Apple iPhone 4S

It almost sounds like a copout to day that the iPhone 4S is the best phone available, but that’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it. iOS is still simply better than Android as an operating system, and while the iPhone isn’t the slimmest, the lightest, nor the fastest phone around, it is the best overall package you can get on a smartphone today. You can’t go wrong with the 4S, even if it lacks access to Verizon’s LTE network.

Motorola Droid Bionic

The Droid Bionic is the first Motorola handset to upgrade above and beyond their typical Droid series, and those changes really shine. It’s fast, the enhanced UI is sleek, and as a handset the Bionic stands out with a great gunmetal finish and top-of-the-line charm. You really can’t go wrong with the Droid Bionic thanks to it running 4G LTE, a great Super AMOLED display, and some of the best UI upgrades seen this side of Android.

HTC Droid Incredible 2

The Droid Incredible 2 isn’t what you’d expect in a lineup of high-end devices, but this mid-range phone isn’t to be taken lightly. It’s impressively fast, smaller than most of today’s phones but great in the hand and pocket, and it feels simple but isn’t. The internal hardware is powerful beyond the phone’s needs. It may lack LTE, but the Incredible 2 is, like the name implies, pretty darn incredible.

HTC Rezound

Closing up the bottom of the list, the HTC Rezound has three major first: the first 720p display, the first phone with Beats Audio integration, and the first 1.5GHz processor (in the US). Running on LTE, the Rezound is a speed demon, though all those features kill the battery real quick. It’s literally packed to the brim with features, and prospective buyers won’t be disappointed.

But What About…

Motorola Droid Razr

It’s the thinnest smartphone out on the market today, but we haven’t had a chance to get our paws on it yet. From all reports, the Droid Razr is one of the best Android phones to ever release (which isn’t?). If it’s as similar to the Droid Bionic as I’m told, then it’s likely an excellent buy, but without some hands-on time I can’t recommend it just yet.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Due out sometime this week (or perhaps next week, or sometime soon…there’s no set release date), the Galaxy Nexus has already received rave reviews because of it’s excellent design, great 720p display, brand new Android 4.0 software, and a slew of other things. However, with no word on when it’s due to release, as well as never having tested it ourselves (but expecting to shortly), we’ll keep the Galaxy Nexus under wraps. All I do know for sure is that it’s not quite as powerful as the Galaxy S II, but is intended to be the next “Google” phone, so to speak. Meaning that it’ll receive instantaneous updates to the operating system before most other phones and have limited interference from cell providers (in this case, Verizon) or handset manufacturers (Samsung). But once again, we’ll have to wait and see.

Thanksgiving might be today, but many of you are probably thinking way ahead to your Black Friday list and what stores you’ll be heading out to. Despite being a day to enjoy time with family and all the amazing food that comes with the highly appreciated holiday (and its four-day weekend for many), it’s also a time to start your holiday shopping and score everything on your Christmas gift list at discounted prices. But believe us, Black Friday is more than a day of shopping…it’s a day of strategizing, maneuvering and conquering and isn’t for the faint of heart. You have to be ruthless out there to make sure you get EXACTLY what you want. To help navigate this huge shopping day, we’ve provided some great spots that have the best deals. Some are (thankfully) online, while other will have you heading to the stores bright and early. Good Luck!

10. Logitech

Been eyeing a certain Logitech product lately? Well if you have, here’s your chance to buy it at a discount since they’re having a huge Black Friday sale! You can save up to 50% off on products like Logitech’s Mini Boombox, their diNovo Edge, a Wireless Headset and so much more! Jump on their site as soon as you wake up on Friday to score the great deals.

9. Costco

Known for their discounted bulk items, Costco is jumping on the Black Friday deals scene with their sale. Expect great deals on a variety of items that run the gambit from toys to tech, kitchen appliances and so much more!

8. Dell

For those in the market for a new laptop, Dell.com will is the perfect site to visit! With laptops starting at $299.99, you can never go wrong. The great thing is that you don’t have to wait in some stupid line and can ship from home. And with deals on desktops, TVs, digital cameras and printers, we think it’s a damn good deal!

7. Apple

Yes, Apple will participating in Black Friday madness, but don’t go thinking you’re going to score a laptop for, like, $700 or an iPad for $50 because you’re not. If interested, click on Apple.com Friday to get deals on various Apple products. Expect to see savings between $21-$41 on iPods, $41-$61 on iPad (depending on storage capacity) and $101 on Macs. Nothing too crazy, but hey, you’re still saving money and that’s what counts!

6. TigerDirect

Too lazy to get out on Friday? No problem since TigerDirect.com will have all the savings on some cool tech like TVs, laptops, digital cameras and more all online. A Sony Vio Corei i5 Llaptop will go for $599.99, 32-inch Hisense LCD HDTV will sell for $199.99 and an Epson Stylus NX430 all-in-one printer is half the price going for $59.99. You have to check the sight to see it all, and we’re pretty sure you’ll going to like what you see.

5. Newegg

Forget about all the mall madness and click on Newegg.com for all your tech needs. With special deals on Blue-ray players, cell phones and accessories, computer cases, and more, you seriously can’t go wrong. They have desktop computers as low as $289.99, an Olympus Stylus digital camera for $49.99, digital frames for as low as $29.99 and a ton more. These are just some examples of how cheap some of your most coveted gadgets will be.

4. Toys R Us

Pick up something for the kids (and some games, videos and more for yourself) at Toys R Us on Black Friday. You’ll be able to score on all the toys your kids have been nagging you for and then some. They have DVDs for as low as 9.99, popular video games for as low as $24.99 and a wide selection of toys and the like for prices that can’t be beat!

3. Target

If you’re a tough, rough and can handle the craziness of Black Friday, then venture to target to snag great tech that you’ve probably been wanting all year! They have a Nikon L105 12.1 MP digital camera for only $99, Memorex Pure Play iPod Dock for $29.99 and an extreme video rocker that’s normally $60 for only $32! Target is definitely a great place to get all your holiday shopping out of the way…but only if you’re brave enough!

2. Walmart

Walmart usually already has lower prices on the regular, but for Black Friday, expect nothing but jaw-dropping deals. They have a 65-inch for $998 (reg. $15,500), a Compaq laptop for $100 (reg. $198), a limited Edition blue Wii Console for $99.96 and an Xbox 360 4 GB Console with Kinect for $199.96 (a $299. Value). Not sure what’s up with their 0.96 cent thing, but hey, it’s cheaper than everybody’s 0.99 cents addition!

1. Best Buy

It seems that everybody is trying to score that Sharp 42-inch LCD TV at Best Buy that’s going for under $200 this Black Friday and are already camping out. But Best buy has more amazing deals like a digital photo frame that normally costs $60 for only $24.99, Sony’s Cyber-Shot DSCW570 that’s normally $159.99 for only $99, a Gateway Notebook for $149 that’s usually $300 and for those looking for a bigger TV, a 60-inch LCD HD TV from Sharp for only $799.99 that is normally $1,099.99.