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!

Boy how we did love us some Laser Tag.  We’re not talking about those stand alone Laser Tag geek centers.  Nope, we’re referring to the at home game that included a chest mounted sensor and black guns that looked like they were 20 years from the future.  The sensors allowed you to be shot up to 4 or 5 times and then you were “dead,” that is until the next battle ensued.  You could play the game any where at anytime, provided you had a direct line of site to your opponent and were willing to strip on the gear.  So how about getting back to your routes without all the plasticky parts?

The Xappr is a gun specifically designed to complement currently up to 10 iOS games on your iPhone.  It’s not clear how it works, but we’re assuming it links over either Bluetooth or the iPhone’s 30-pin port, allowing you to pull the trigger on the gun and pick off foes on your handset’s screen.  The company also plans to kick out a mini-Xappr, which we can only assume is a smaller, more portable version of its big brother. But wait, there is more!

And for those of you looking to get nostalgic, as in Laser Tag, MetalCompass, the maker of the Xappr, has plans to release the first real world multiplayer first person shooter for smartphones – ATK.  In other words, any where you go you’ll be able to play a game of would be Laser Tag with friends.  Just whip out the Xappr, mount your phone and you’ll be able to choose between three modes of plays (Death-match, Last Man Standing and Teams Mode) and a variety of weapons that include guns, rifles, grenade launchers and powerful pulse weapons.  We don’t know what ATK will look like, but clearly it will be a location based app that will allow you to virtually shoot your friends (or enemies) in the real world.

You can preorder the Xappr today for $30 plus $15 for S&H.

Motorola’s Droid Razr has proven to be a commercial success for Motorola and Verizon. One reason was because how stunningly thin the Razr is at just 7.1mm.

The Droid Razr Maxx isn’t thin. It’s the same phone, but 9mm thick. Why? That extra 1.9mm is all battery. And that makes all the difference in the world. Let’s see why.

Size

The Droid Razr is a better size than the iPhone 4S, both with a larger 4.3″ display and 2mm thinner. The Razr Maxx doesn’t have that second benefit, and is almost the exact same thickness as the 4S. The only difference then is the length and width, which the Maxx is certainly larger.

Whether or not a bigger phone is better is questionable, but the combination of a larger screen and thinner body certainly help. In this case however, the Razr Maxx, thanks to the overall design, doesn’t look or feel as small and comfortable as the iPhone 4S.

Winner: iPhone 4S, which is smaller and barely thicker, but a more comfortable and less dense device.

Appearance

Between the Droid Razr and iPhone 4S, it’s a tough call. Does the glass front and back sandwiching a metal band beat out hardened plastic and kevlar? Very tough, but once again the thinness set the Razr on a pedestal. With the Maxx, it’s the same general body but bigger. Fatter. It looks just as good from the front, but like a they say about mullets, it’s business in the front, party in the back. And this party’s got back.

Winner: iPhone 4S, thanks to stunning design and the Razr Maxx just being fat.

Display

Unlike some recent Android phones, the Droid Razr maxed out at 960×540, which is a slightly lower resolution than the iPhone 4S’, with 960×640. That means lower pixel density, so the screen won’t appear as clear as the iPhone. The Droid Razr Maxx has the same exact screen, a Super AMOLED display, which will provide better color and light contrast but is harder to see in bright conditions and isn’t quite as clear for reading text. The bigger problem isn’t the comparison between LCD and OLED, but the resolution itself. As a 4.3″ phone, it should have at least the same screen resolution, but it doesn’t.

Winner: iPhone 4S, with a smaller but higher-density display with a better screen resolution.

Operating System

This one should be a draw. After extensively testing Android 4.0 (full review coming soon), I like it. It’s a far better OS than Android 2.3, enough to make Apple concerned. But the Droid Razr Maxx doesn’t ship with Android 4.0. It ships with 2.3.5, and can be upgraded, but not the normal way. It’s not a simple “click to update” process, which for the vast majority of consumers is a problem. The 4.0 release is available for the Maxx, but isn’t officially supported by Motorola just yet. If it were, it would be a definite tie.

Winner: iPhone 4S, because the Maxx isn’t shipping with Android 4.0, and upgrading to the far better OS version isn’t a simple one-step process.

Processor

Processor speed and power is really based on how the software utilizes it, but based on speed alone the Droid Razr Maxx is a faster chip at 1.2GHz. It has the same ARM Cortex A9 build, which gives the Maxx 400MHz over the iPhone 4S. This makes the CPU alone potentially more powerful than the iPhone 4S’ A5, but we’ll have to see how well Android can make use of it.

What really wins this is the battery life. More powerful CPUs require more power, so it’s not always better for the phone as a whole. With the additional battery life, the CPU power almost doesn’t matter. If anything, I wish Motorola gave the CPU a speed boost in light of the bigger battery, but even without it, the processor is 50% faster than the iPhone.

Winner: Droid Razr Maxx, with a beefier CPU.

Storage

The iPhone 4S has three models: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. The Razr Maxx has 16GB of internal memory and is expandable with 32GB cards. With excellent pricing on flash storage these days, the Maxx is a better choice even if it doesn’t have as much space as the iPhone because SD cards can easily be swapped in and out.

Winner: Droid Razr Maxx, because flash memory is cheap and the Maxx has expandable memory.

Wireless Connectivity

The Razr Maxx has Verizon LTE while the iPhone 4S is still stuck on AT&T’s “4G”, which is anywhere from 5-10x slower. ’nuff said.

Winner: Droid Razr Maxx, because it has LTE.

Camera

We’re expecting the Droid Razr Maxx, but based on initial reports and reviews of the Droid Razr, the iPhone 4S has a stronger camera. We’ll have to test this for ourselves, to be sure, but by all accounts the iPhone 4S wins this bout. I’ve been using the iPhone 4S camera as well, and so far haven’t found a better smartphones camera that wasn’t a Nokia device. And even that’s a stretch.

Winner: iPhone 4S, because the Droid Razr camera isn’t as good and the Maxx shares the same camera.

Battery Life

The one major change to the Droid Razr to make it the Maxx is the battery. It takes up another 1.9mm of space alone, thickening the body from the previous industry-standard slim 7.1mm. And what did Motorola do with that space? Shove in a mind-boggling 3300mAh battery, which nearly doubles the iPhone’s 1420mAh battery. 21.5 hours of talk time? 6 hours of continuous video streaming over LTE? Nothing gets that close, except for tablets, and even they can’t claim such ridiculous battery live. Nothing can compete with that.

Winner: Droid Razr Maxx, with the largest smartphone battery ever used, almost doubling the iPhone 4S and nearly every other phone out today.

Carriers

The iPhone is available on AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. Any phone named Droid is owned by Verizon, since they own the copyright, so the Droid Razr Maxx is also a Verizon exclusive. This has been a serious problem for non-Verizon users who wanted the Droid Razr, and it’ll happen again with the Maxx.

Winner: iPhone 4S, which is available on more carriers.

Price

The iPhone 4S is $200 base, and $300 for the 32GB model and $400 for 64GB. The Droid Razr Maxx ships for $300, which ships with less memory. With an extra $30 you can get a 32GB SD card and more closely match the iPhone, but even then it’s more expensive. Verizon also has the most expensive service pricing, compared to both Sprint and AT&T.

Winner: iPhone 4S, with more pricing options and better service pricing across multiple carriers.

Overall Winner

It may seem like a big gap, but it really isn’t. I added two points for the Droid Razr Maxx because it practically doubles the battery life of the iPhone 4S, and because battery life is an extremely important aspect of smartphones that most of us don’t put too much weight behind because battery life generally sucks. It doesn’t on the Maxx. Battery life makes the Maxx worthwhile.

What keeps the Razr Maxx from winning, or at least tying, is the lack of an easy Android 4.0 upgrade. If the Maxx shipped with Android 4.0, or if Motorola offered it as an easy upgrade, then it would be a no brainer for most users. The problem is only educated users will even know how to do it, and many won’t want to because the OS isn’t fully tested on the device.

The Maxx was also a perfect opportunity for Motorola to improve in a few key areas, including the CPU, but the company didn’t. They made the Maxx the exact same phone as the Droid Razr, just with a bigger battery. And there’s nothing wrong with that; the Razr is only a few months old and is still considered an excellent phone. However, every part was developed specifically for that phone. The Maxx wasn’t. It was developed as the smaller Droid Razr…with a bigger battery. That larger battery life isn’t taken full advantage of, and that’s a shame.

However, even though the Maxx doesn’t win this comparison, just remember that for some of us battery life is the most important thing. If the phone doesn’t last all day for you today, the Droid Razr Maxx is the best phone you can get. If only it wasn’t tied to Verizon, then I would consider switching over myself.

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

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

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

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.

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As of today, I have some of the latest smartphones available. I have the iPhone 4S and Galaxy Nexus. Both are good phones with even better software. But have we reached the point where reporters no longer need to sit at a computer an type up their articles?

At this year’s CES, I tested just that, using both of these devices in all of their glory to cover the show as best I can, without reverting to my laptop. In fact, I even decided to forgo using a full DSLR to boot. The only hardware I have available are the phones and a single Bluetooth headset. No extra batteries or cases, no external keyboards, just the phones and an earpiece.

Do you think it’s possible? Keep an eye on this page because as the days go by I’ll update my findings to see if, in fact, all you need these days is a good smartphone.

Updated 1/13

Now that CES is over and I’m driving back home for the long haul, I have an answer: no, but maybe yes. I faltered within a few hours and reverted to my laptop, but not for the reason I expected. It’s not that I wasn’t capable of covering the show with just my iPhone or Galaxy Nexus. The sole reason I couldn’t possibly cover CES with a smartphone was because of the lack of a keyboard.

It may be obvious, but there’s a reason the keyboard has been around for several hundred years. It’s optimized for putting words down, be it on paper through a typewriter or on a computer. Steve Jobs famously said that it would take a generation to die out for touchscreen-only devices to completely take over, but I disagree. The speed of typing even for seasoned hands on a touchscreen just doesn’t match the speed anyone can get with a physical keyboard, and that’s for a few reasons. The most important one is the feedback we receive from the press of a button. After all, we are human, and require constant physical feedback for our senses to properly work. We don’t need the generation to die out to adjust to touchscreen typing, we need an evolutionary change.

The second problem I started to run into was the limited capabilities of smartphone cameras. For solid photography in relatively poor conditions, you can’t use a smartphone. The iPhone 4S, HTC Vivid, Samsung Epic 4G Touch, and Samsung Galaxy Nexus all have fairly decent cameras (with the Nexus having the worst of the bunch), but with the artificial lighting of the convention center and further low-light conditions within booths, taking decent shots is next to impossible. See my hands-on of the Razer Fiona, which I used my iPhone 4S to shoot instead of my far more powerful Nikon D7000.

Furthermore, for professional grade shots I believe there are two major components to consider nowadays: being able to set manual controls and post processing. None of the smartphones I tested had significant manual controls, if any, for exposure settings, light aperture, color quality, sharpness, etc. The Vivid does, but it would have taken far too long just to make those adjustments prior to the shot to be worthwhile. Even then the ISO would be too low to shoot properly in the darker conditions. As for editing, I think any professional should shoot in RAW for the best possible picture quality (and the simplest editing), and that simply isn’t available on smartphones, and likely won’t be for several years. Heck, it’s only available on the highest-end point and shoot cameras currently.

The final and perhaps most pertinent problem for most users is battery life. None of the phones I used individually would have the battery life to not only remain powered on, but to be constantly connected to the internet, accepting emails every few minutes from PR firms and marketers, all while typing away furiously. I regularly had to recharge my phones or switch between them when one died, and that was just walking about using the phones for calls and emails.

One additional problem I had was that I simply couldn’t type on the keyboard fast enough, with the clarity I needed, to take notes. I carried a pen and paper for notes on products, and with a pen it is easy to write in shorthand or full-form and do so quickly. On any of the smartphones I used the constant problem was that I couldn’t type fast enough without making too many mistakes (and autocorrect putting the wrong words in), nor could I express what I needed for myself for note taking. As someone who has done tremendous note-taking in school (on rare occasion) both by typing and writing, there is a very strong reason why writing notes is better: it’s less rigid. For simply writing, yes, using a laptop is better but if you need to draw a line from one point to another, or have a picture, or any of a million things that can simply be drawn out in a second instead of 5-10 minutes of software manipulation to achieve…paper wins every time.

What does it mean? It means that for smartphones to really take the place of other devices like cameras, laptops, and even the pen, there needs to be a significant jump in the performance of the miniature cameras built into them, some way for typing to be made easier (possibly through voice dictation, though as I discussed with colleagues at the show, that may require a generation to die out before it can be accomplished…why do you think Star Trek characters all needed to be trained theater actors? They knew how to speak well). Battery life may not need the improvements anymore, as we’ve already seen with the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx. However, the combination of these things just makes it highly improbable.

There is one thing I can, and will, do next time, and that is bring a keyboard, and potentially lighting equipment. With a physical keyboard it would be far easier to get articles written and published, and applications like Pages or WordPress make it very easy to add pictures and video. The bigger problem on that front is having a solid data connection (something that can’t be controlled by phones as of yet). But I’ll have to save that for next time.

Bang and Olufsen has provided news to launch its Beolit 12 iPhone Speaker later this month at B&O stores and through the Apple store, which will be released under its B&O Play sub-brand that will focus on high-quality portable audio-video products. As a line geared to the “digital generation,” items will cost lower than Bang and Olufsen’s high-end audio installations, but don’t expect any huge price breaks since the items will still cost a pretty penny.

The Beolit 12 is definitely a premium portable iPhone speaker with a price tag of $799, but its specs will defend its steep price. With a full-grain Italian leather carry strap, the speaker features a sleek, minimalist design with its anodized aluminum speaker grill. It’s going to launch in a grey color scheme, but more colors will become available at a later date. Its top is finished in rubber and is supposed to be non-slip so you can place you iPhone on it with no worries of damage when charging or playing tunes. It’s AirPlay compatible. It measures in at 230 x 150 x 188mm and weighs 2.8kg.

The speaker’s insides feature a 120-Watts class D-power amplifier, two 2-inch full-range tweeters and a 4-inch woofer. Which is more than enough to fill a medium-sized room with your favorite music. It also has an internal battery that’s supposed to provide 8-hours of playback (with wireless switched off) and charge your iPhone (or iPod) via a USB port hidden down the side.

The Beolit 12 is designed to be portable so comes with an internal battery that is said to give you 8-hours of playback (with wireless switched off) and will charge your iPhone (or other device) thanks to a USB port hidden down the side.

For a limited time iTunes is offering this iGun Zombie Game for iPhone for FREE!

In the mood to shoot things? Than iTunes has you covered and for a limited time you can download the iGun Zombie game straight from their stores for free. iGun Zombie of course features the gameplay you would expect from reading off that title, so don’t worry about complicated storylines or dealing with cute and fuzzy animals. Just sit bad and shoot things, and in this very case things that should already be dead. The more zombies you splatter about the more opportunity you have for upgrading your armory of weapons thereby allowing more methods to splatter them about. Over 150 missions are available here and every gun is customizable to suit your style. It’s free for now and the developers are promising an update very soon so grab it while it’s still available!

Nothing beats free!

It’s the end of 2011 and it’s been one hell of a year for music! Today’s Amazon Deal of the Day wants to share some of the year’s best music for one low price. Save on the 10 Top 2011 Albums from some of your favorite artists and download their entire album for $3.99 or Less. New albums by Coldplay, Rihanna, Drake, Dauaghtry, the Decemberists, Florence + the Machine, Mac Miller, Amy Winehouse, She & Him, and the Muppets are all available for MP3 download! For less than a cup of coffee, you’ll be able to enjoy the year’s best in music on your Kindle ire, PC, Mac, iPad, or Android Phone with Amazon Cloud Player. You can instantly gift these or any MP3s from Amazon.

Even though you might not be familiar with all the songs on the album, today’s Deal of the Day is a score for any music lover who wants to have a very robust music library. The Late Amy Winehouse’s last album is as amazing as her previous efforts, while Rihanna continues to steam things up with her Talk That Talk release. Coldplay never fails to disappoint, while “American Idol’s” Daughtry is pure magic. Everybody loves the Muppets while Drake is hip-hop’s latest golden child. Florence + the Machine is a musical delight, just as She & Him. Music lovers will definitely want to take advantage at the low prices for the album, while those who are looking for a new sound can easily indulge without breaking the bank!

Didn’t make it to the malls earlier this month and still don’t want to battle all the stress of trying to go today or even tomorrow? Then why not stock up on some cool last minute gifts for friends and family members that are all under $50! Here’s some quirky last minute gadget gifts that you’ll want to even buy for yourself. Even though some won’t be able to ship until after Christmas, you can always print out a picture of the gift, wrap it and surprise them with the gift they’ll receive later next week. Or you can opt for the simple gift cards (a la Netflix and iTunes) that you can score at any grocery or drug store.

15. 6-Month Netflix Subscription – $47.94

Not sure what to get a movie lover? Why not a simple and easy Netflix Subscription that you can easily buy online!

14. iTunes Music Gift Card – $10-$50

Any music lover will appreciate a gift card for some much needed new tunes for their iPod/iPhone/iPad! Nothing beats getting them a gift card that’s usually sold in any grocery store or drug store, making it a great last minute gift idea!

13. Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Fixed Blade Knife – $49.97

Everyone can benefit from getting Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Fixed Blade Knife, even if they aren’t the outdoor type. Designed to offer a multitude of uses in any environment, the The Ultimate Knife is the pinnacle of Gerber’s Bear Grylls Survival Series.

12. u-Control Silver Bullet Mini RC Helicopters – $29.95

The Silver Bullet remote control mini helicopters are fun gifts for the friend who hasn’t exactly grown up yet. Thanks to the latest easy-flight technology, the mini RC helicopter can fly incredibly fast and fit into small spaces.

11. Stormtrooper Fold-Up Headphones – $29.99

These Stormtrooper Fold-Up Headphones are the perfect present for that Star Wars fanatic in your life. It has 40 mm thumping power drivers featuring a Stormtrooper helmet on the side of each headphone along with the Empire crest on the soft pliable headband.

10. UPEK Eikon To Go Digital Privacy Manager Fingerprint Reader – 39.46

The Eikon To Go Digital Privacy Manager combines portable Eikon To Go USB peripheral fingerprint reader with the same Protector Suite QL software currently shipping on millions of notebook PCs today. A small gift for a paranoid friend!

9. iPhone iFlash – $39.95

The iPhone iFlash provides extra light for photos and videos on your iPhone and works just like a regular flash bulb so that you can take excellent pictures! Small and compact, this is a great gift for that person always going iPhone picture taking happy.

8. iHome iPad/iPod/iPhone Speaker/LED Table Lamp/Night Light – $29.95

The iHome combination desk lamp/speaker system is a great two-for-one product that doubles as a lamp and speaker! A great gift for anyone who loves music and convenience.

7. Gadget Charger for the Car – $49.95

Give the gift of tech on the go with this convenient Gadget Charger for the Car! The clever design gadget features 2AC outlets for laptops, DVD players, phone chargers, camera chargers, etc., one USB power port and fits conveniently into your car’s cup holder.

6. Booq Boa Folio for iPad – $25.99

The Booqpad iPad 2 Case not only protects your precious tablet from harm, but also doubles as a notepad, making it an ideal gift for that busy professional who needs to jot down important ideas. Keeping a pen or stylus, business cards, cash or tickets close to your iPad and written notes has never been more convenient!

5. Back to Basics Egg N’ Muffin Toaster – $34.99

Forget about running to McDonald’s for breakfast when you have this Back to Basics Egg N’ Muffin Toaster in your kitchen. The all-in-one appliance simultaneously poaches eggs and toasts muffins or bagels to perfection.

4. Portable Micro Cool Mini Refrigerator – $46.49

The Portable Micro Cool Mini Refrigerator is perfect for compact spaces and will make a great gift for an office buddy. Thanks to its compact size, the mini fridge is portable and ideal for travel.

3. Ice Bottle Chiller Mold – $29.95

The Ice Bottle Chiller Mold is perfect for that wine connoisseur! Instead of chilling wine in an ice bucket, create a work of art made entirely of ice. Just pour water into the double-walled mold, and freeze for 24 hours. Unmold the resulting hollow column of ice, and place in its stainless steel stand.

2. Dual Fuel Old Fashioned Gas Pump Liquor Dispenser – $39.95

Inspired by the full-service days at the gas pump, this liquor dispenser is the perfect pumped-up way to enjoy your perfect octane of choice. It features dual chambers that hold nearly a half-gallon each, a silver toned ABS body, and two gas hoses.

1. Wyndham HouseTM 80oz Cooling Beverage Dispenser – $27.92

The best solution for warm beers and too many trips to the fridge is the Wyndham HouseTM 80oz Cooling Beverage Dispenser! Not only will it make the best gift for a special bud, but you’ll probably want to get one for yourself, too! This brilliant beer dispenser keeps 80oz of your favorite brew or drink at a finger’s reach and will keep it ice cold.

The iPhone 4S is still considered top dog, even though some recently compared phones like the Motorola Droid Razr and Samsung Galaxy Nexus have come closer and closer to overtaking Apple’s moneymaker. Then today AT&T announced, perhaps preemptively (LG has scheduled their own event to reveal something on December 1st), LG’s Nitro HD. So let’s take a look at how the Nitro stands up to the iPhone 4S.

Size

The iPhone 4S is nowadays considered a small smartphone; 4.3″ displays are the standard, and the Nitro HD is on the larger side of Android handsets at 4.5″. With a big display comes a big phone, and Apple’s long-time requirement of one-handed use really comes into focus past the 4.3″ screen. At 4.5″, handsets feel too wide in the hand.

Winner: iPhone 4S feels more natural in the hand and better fits a pocket or bag, even with a thick case.

Appearance

The iPhone 4 has an iconic look, even though it breaks easily thanks to it’s hardened glass shell. Meanwhile, the newer Nitro HD looks like almost every other Android handset to come out in the last six months. It’s sleek, has a nice display and a weaved back cover, but phone makers are going to have to try harder to beat the iPhone in looks alone. And the iPhone looks good in both black and white.

Winner: iPhone 4S is still the most visually stunning phone around.

Display

While the iPhone 4 has for a long time had the greatest screen density, recent phones like the HTC Rezound and Galaxy Nexus have revealed 720p ready displays with higher pixel density than Cupertino’s Retina Display. The Nitro HD is no different, and while the pixel per inch count is still in question, it’s 4.54″ display boasts the same resolution as the Galaxy Nexus, and presumably the same pixel density. Add to that the higher resolution display to clearly view 720p video content, and the answer is clear.

Winner: Nitro HD, with a bigger, sharper display at a higher resolution.

Operating System

The Galaxy Nexus is the first phone that’s already found it’s way into the wild, though it’s still hard to find and impossible to buy on contract yet, and sports the latest Android 4.0 operating system. The Nitro HD doesn’t, and while Android 2.3.5 is a solid OS, iOS 5 is better. It’s unclear whether the Nitro HD will be bumped up to 4.0 either, or when for that matter, though LG has recently announced that their Optimus line of Android phones will (at some point) upgrade to 4.0.

Winner: iPhone 4S, because the Nitro HD isn’t shipping with Android 4.0 and we don’t know whether it’ll receive the upgraded OS, and if so, when.

Processor

The iPhone 4S’s A5 processor is underclocked to 800MHz. The Nitro HD has a 1.5GHz Qualcomm CPU, nearly twice as fast. That same CPU is blazingly fast in the HTC Rezound, and I have no doubts that the Nitro HD will be just as speedy.

Winner: Nitro HD, with a CPU nearly twice as fast.

Storage

The iPhone 4S comes in three flavors: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, while the Nitro HD sports 4GB of internal memory and comes with a 16GB MicroSD card. That means the base model iPhone has only slightly less storage than the Nitro HD, while the $50 more expensive iPhone model has 12GB of more space.

Winner: iPhone 4S, with more space and more space options with better pricing.

Wireless Connectivity

Both phones are available on AT&T, but only the Nitro HD supports both HSPA+ (what AT&T calls 4G) and LTE. AT&T’s LTE network is only available in 15 markets, mostly on the east coast, though the company is rolling out the faster network as fast as it can. The Nitro HD will be one of of the first phones to run on AT&T’s LTE network, while the iPhone 4S is stuck with HSPA+ until (presumably) next year.

Winner: Nitro HD, which has access to AT&T’s LTE network, however small that is for now.

Camera

Both feature 8MP stills and 1080p video, so the only way to say which is better without testing both devices side by side is to look at the history of each. The iPhone 4S already has a huge following, and the iPhone 4 is the most used camera phone on Flickr. It’s 1080p video beats out today’s competing devices to boot. Meanwhile, the few LG devices I’ve tested have had decent cameras, but they’ve typically lacked the speed and clarity that the iPhone is known for.

Winner: iPhone 4S, based on historical use alone.

Battery Life

As the news has been over the past few weeks, Apple has some battery problems with the iPhone 4S. They’ve released a fix for it, but that patch hasn’t actually solved the problem. Meanwhile, the Nitro HD has to sport a massive battery, though neither AT&T nor LG have released the numbers on it or how long they expect the phone to last in between charges. That’s no surprise for an LTE device. 4G phones typically drain their batteries quickly, but considering the iPhone 4S doesn’t have 4G and still has no fix, it can’t compete.

Winner: Nitro HD, at least until we get some significant numbers regarding call/4G time for the Nitro HD or the battery on the iPhone 4S is fixed.

Carriers

Apple’s phone is available on the three largest US carriers, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, though it can only call and use data simultaneously on AT&T. The Nitro HD is exclusive to AT&T.

Winner: iPhone 4S, which is available on more carriers (though it makes no difference for current or future AT&T customers).

Price

As mentioned earlier, the iPhone 4S is available at three prices: $200, $300 and $400 with a two-year contract ($650, $750 and $850 off contract). The Nitro HD is (so far) available only on a two-year contract for $250, which is right between the two cheaper iPhone models. Considering that the $200 iPhone 4S is a 16GB model and the $250 Nitro HD has 20GB of storage, it’s far easier to get more bang for your buck with the iPhone 4S in terms of storage alone. Plus, service contracts vary greatly between service providers, especially between Verizon/AT&T and Sprint, with it’s unlimited plans.

Winner: iPhone 4S, with more pricing options and better service pricing across multiple carriers.

Overall Winner

At 7-4, the iPhone 4S is the clear winner over the LG Nitro HD. There are a few key areas where LG’s phone could be more competitive, namely with Android 4.0 (or at least the promise of an upgrade from 2.3.5) and storage/pricing. The Nitro HD is certainly competitive thanks to it’s access to AT&T’s LTE network, but that network is currently too small to make any prospective buyers to pick up the Nitro HD for that feature alone. The 720p display is certainly great as well, but I’d have really liked to have seen better storage/pricing options, such as a $200 starting price tag or a 32GB flash card instead of the included 16GB card (and perhaps a price increase to $275/$300 to match the additional memory).

Those two things would instantly put the Nitro HD on par with the iPhone 4S for prospective buyers, and make the purchasing decision much harder. Without them, I would absolutely recommend the iPhone 4S over the Nitro HD.

I don’t know about you, but I’m an AT&T user. Partly because I owned the original iPhone, and partly because Ma Belle has the best local service in my area. While other companies built up their line of Android phones to compete with the iPhone, AT&T waited until their exclusive contract with Apple ended to pile on all the major manufacturers to develop serious handsets for them that are competitive with the Cupertino device. How does AT&T fare? Pretty damn well, with some of the best phones available to date.

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

Samsung Galaxy S II

Last yea’rs Galaxy S phones were exceptional, and by far the best competition to the iPhone. This year Samsung’s done it again with the Galaxy S II, a 4.3″ phone with a brilliant Super AMOLED+ display, a great 8MP camera, a brilliantly thin design all in a sleek 3.5G package. The Galaxy S II is truly a sight to behold. There is no better pocket companion from AT&T than this device, with the possible exception of it’s slightly larger brother, the Galaxy S II Skyrocket, which boasts access to AT&T’s LTE network available mostly in the east coast.

Apple iPhone 4S

The iPhone is still the most complete package you can find out of any smartphone. The 4S may not be a gigantic improvement over last year’s model, but the upgraded camera, antenna, processor and the Siri personal secretary are just a few reasons why Apple is the largest company in the world today. And on AT&T versus other carriers, the 4S has access to 3.5G download speeds, which is much faster than typical 3G speeds (albeit nowhere near LTE). If you’re going to get an iPhone 4S, AT&T’s the only company that offers those data transfer rates and the ability to use data and be on a call at the same time.

LG Thrill

The Thrill is the second 3D-ready smartphone in the US, and the first to feature a Nintendo 3DS-like depth slider. Compared to the Evo 3D, the Thrill has some very neat 3D options, such as instantly turning 3D pictures and video into 2D, and automatically adjusting the depth when both shooting and viewing pictures. Plus it’s the only 3D-ready phone on AT&T, so if going into the 3rd dimension is your thing, the Thrill is your phone.

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.

When Steve Jobs introduced iTunes ten years ago, it changed the world. But not without having to drag the record labels kicking and screaming to it. But a decade later, the music industry has been reborn and downloads are common place. And, as Steve Jobs predicted, people who want their music “ala carte,” are more than happy to pay for it. But they also want to be able to use the music they buy with all their devices. And that’s how iTunes Match was born.  For $24.99 a year, iTunes Match allows users to store their music in the cloud and access it from up to 10 different devices. So, finally, not only can music fans finally just buy the songs they like, they can listen to them anywhere on just about any platform. And it couldn’t be easier to set up. Here’s what you need …

1. Be up to date

First, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes (vs. 10.5.1). It should automatically ask for your approval to update it when you go into iTunes, but if not, then PC users can select About iTunes from the help menu that then Check for Updates. If you’re a Mac user, go directly to Check for Updates from the iTunes menu. Download and install.

This is also a good opportunity to make sure you have all the songs in your iTunes library you want to match initially. You can always add later, but remember that iTunes will store purchased song from the iTunes Store for free in the Cloud, but ripped songs will count against your iCloud storage allotment.

2. Lay down the plastic

Once iTunes is updated, then open and look under the “Store” category. Your second choice will be iTunes Match. Once you click on that, iTunes will give you one last spiel (including reminding you will have millions of songs with which to match, and listen to at 256kbps) and then ask you to subscribe for $24.99. Click on the button and iTunes will ask you to login into your Apple account, where upon the charge will go onto your stored credit card.

3. Scanning commences

Once you’ve finalized paying for your iTunes Match subscription, iTunes will begin to scan your library and match it with the higher 256kbsp versions in the cloud. Any songs you may have that iTunes cannot match will then be uploaded along with matching artwork. Once this three step process is finished, you can then proceed to adding up to 10 iOS devices or computers to your iTunes Match list.

4. Add your computer

To add your computer to your iTunes Match list, go back to the iTunes Match option under Store and iTunes will depict a splash screen with a blue radial button which says “Add this computer.” Select it and your computer, iTunes Match will repeat the process of scanning, matching and uploading any available songs. Only do one library at a time, since iTunes Match will not allow for simultaneous matching. Once matched, your computer is ready to listen. Songs that have been matched will have a familiar cloud and arrow head. Click on the Cloud and you can download those songs to enjoy.

5.  Add Your Mobile Devices

Now it’s time to add your mobile iOS devices (i.e. iPhone, iPad or iPod). But before you take the plunge, make sure you’ve backed up your device to iTunes (before you match would be ideal). The reason is that when you match your iOS device, it will replace your music library with the matched library. This is a good thing as iTunes will be replacing them with higher quality 256kbps versions.

Next, access Settings in your iOS device and then Music. There will be a new menu item at the very top for iTunes Match. You’ll want to turn that on. Then, Match will request your Apple ID password. Once entered, select Enable. The your iOS device will proceed to match your music found on your device.

Once matched, there will now be another item in your Settings menu … Music screen: Show All Music. When you enable, all the songs that iTunes has matched will be shown in your iOS library. They will be the songs with the little cloud icon to the right. When you choose the song to play, iTunes will download it to your device to play and the cloud will disappear. If you leave the Show All Music option off, you won’t see any of the songs from the cloud in your library. Each song in the cloud will be listed with a cloud/arrow head and you can select as many songs as you would like to queue up and download. And here’s a neat thing, the song will play as it downloads.

6. Wrap Up

And that’s it. Now you have access to all your songs in the Cloud. But understand that while iTunes has access to millions of songs in it’s master library, not everything is up there. So if you have an eclectic ear, or love to listen to obscure and older artists, you may have to wait a short interim until iTunes acquires those songs. But that’s the price for being eclectic, isn’t it?

It seems that the plot thickens in the race for smartphone superiority with the entrance of a new challenger, the HTC Rezound. With some pretty stiff competition in the marketplace, the Rezound boasts some pretty cool capabilities and specs, but how does it measure up amongst Apple’s still popular iPhone 4S, who entered the market strong with its release last month, but still disappointed many when it wasn’t the highly anticipated (and rumored) iPhone 5? Here’s how these smartphone titans size up amongst each other!

Size

The iPhone is the smaller and lighter of the two, weighing in at 140 grams and measuring 115.2 mm x 58.6 mm x 9.3 mm (h x w x d), while the Rezound is 164 grams and 129 mm x 65.5 mm 13.65 mm (h x w x d). However, keep in mind that the Rezound boasts a bigger screen, which means a larger overall form factor and generally speaking more weight. But since this category largely relates to portability, the iPhone wins without question.

Winner: The iPhone is tiny and fits easier into pockets, purses and tight places. It’s also thinner and lighter.

Appearance

The iPhone 4S is practically a split-image of the iPhone 4S, with its black and white color options and sleek, glossy exterior. The iPhone is looking as sophisticated as always with its minimalist exterior. The Rezound seems to share this with the iPhone, supporting minimal button/port placement and a black exterior. However, where the iPhone is sleek on both sides, the Rezound features a sleek top and some soft-touch plastic on the battery cover. While soft to the touch, it does make one worry less about scratches to both sides and makes it more grippable. But some can also see this as cheap, preferring the exterior of the iPhone 4S because of its sleekness.

Winner: It really comes down to personal preference on this one, so it’s a tie. Having a sleek exterior like the iPhone 4S has both good and bad traits. Sure it looks great, but it’s easier to scratch and the appearance of fingerprints can by annoying without a cover. The Rezound sports a soft-touch plastic back, which eliminates the aforementioned nuisances.  But they both are sleek and let’s be honest, you know you’re going to probably get a cover for either, so really, does it matter?

Display

Given that the Rezound is larger than the iPhone 4S it might be bad in the size department, but it’s a major plus in terms of display. The iPhone 4S has a 3.5-inch 640×960 Retina display, while the Rezound has a 4.3-inch 1280×720 Super LCD HD screen. Where the iPhone boasts that it features the highest pixel density and resolution despite having a small display, the Rezound can now take that claim away since it beats the iPhone 4S with a 12-point difference with its 342 ppi against the iPhone’s 330 ppi, so the Rezound has a higher pixel density.

Winner: The Rezound’s 342 ppi knocks out the iPhone’s 330 ppi and does so with a larger display, making for a quite amazing viewing.

Operating System

It’s another Android vs OS challenge. The Rezound sports Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread with an HTC Sense 3.5 skin (but can upgrade to 4.0).  The iPhone runs iOS 5.0, Apple’s latest and greatest operating system. The HTC Sense 3.5 has come along way and features stuff you won’t find anywhere else on Android-based phones. When Ice Cream Sandwich becomes available next year, expect a significant upgrade to the Android platform in terms of features. But many find apple’s iOS to be easier to use and its 5.0 version is definitely the most advanced yet. And let’s not forget that iOS 5 includes 5GB of free cloud storage allowing you to sync your photos, contacts and more.

Winner: Since the iPhone 4S’ iOS 5.0 is easier to use and includes 5GB of free iCloud storage, Apple takes this one.

Processor

Both feature a dual-core processor but the Rezound’s 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8660 processor beats the iPhone’s 4S by 0.5 GHz. The Rezound also has more 1 GB of RAM besting the iPhone 4S’ by 512 MB.

Winner: Ummmm, the numbers don’t lie.  The Reszound’s chip is 50% faster, thus providing faster browsing speeds and multitasking compared to what the iPhone 4S offers.

Storage

The iPhone 4S comes in three options: 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB with no extra SD cards allowing you more. So as you go up in storage, you go up in price, too. For the Rezound, it comes with 16 GB of internal memory, but you can get a microSD card to provide you up to 32 GB of additional space.

Winner: Sorry Rezound, but the 64 GB option can’t be beat for many who like to have the biggest storage capacity available for all their apps, games, files and stuff. That built-in storage capacity plus that iCould service provided really can’t be beat.

Wireless Connectivity

So the Rezound is capable of true 4G speeds thanks to its LTE status, where as the iPhone 4S is technically 3G only. They’re both Bluetooth-enabled, though the iPhone boasts version 4.0, and the Rezound V3.0. The iPhone 4S is a world phone so it can work anywhere you go and has Wi-Fi a/b/g/n.  The Rezound isn’t a world phone and is capable of  two frequencies(850/1900 MHz) and single-band LTE (700MHz) with the same Wi-Fi capabilities as the iPhone 4S.

Winner: 4G speeds on the Rezound make it the definite winner.

Camera and Video

So this is a tough one.  Both smartphones include an 8 megapixel camera and can capture 1080p video.  While we have yet to test out the Rezound, we do know that the iPhone 4s takes stunning photos and video for a handset device.  But based on numbers alone, the Rezound does have two up on the iPhone 4s, which is a larger, 2mp front facing camera and a bigger f-stop of 2.2.

Winner: We’re gonna go on numbers alone on this one since we haven’t had a chance to get a hands on with both handsets.  So the Rezound is the winner in this bout.

Battery Life

This bout is moving target since it largely depends on how you use your phone.  Also, keep in mind that 4G is a huge battery suck when compared to 3G, but at the end of the day we have to look purely at specs.  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 WiFi.  The Rezound however claims a standby time of 261 hours, besting the iPhone 4s by 61 hours and 404 minutes of “usage.”

Winner:  Again, without real world testing we can only gauge this one objectively, and since the Rezound sports a 1620mah battery vs iPhone’s 1432mAh battery, we gotta give it to the Rezound. Furthermore, the Rezound’s battery is user replaceable.

Carriers

The iPhone 4S is available on Sprint, AT&T and Verizon.  The Rezound will be the first smartphone to hit the U.S. market with a true 720ppi screen on Verizon. But since it’s on Verizon, it will compete with not only the iPhone, but with the new Galaxy Nexus and Droid RAZR.

Winner: For those who aren’t part of Verizon can’t get the Rezound unless they break their contract with one of the other carriers or are on a month-to-month plan, making the iPhone 4S the winner here since has more carrier offerings.

Extras

The iPhone 4S come with Siri, which is a pretty advanced and unique voice activated system that’s witty and useful. It’s what’s really making the iPhone 4S as popular as it has become since it first dropped. But the Rezound has some extra goodies, too, boasting some awesome sound quality thanks to optimized hardware that has Beats by Dr. Dre (software AND some expensive ass headphones that are free with the phone). This is great for music lovers who really want to have amazing sound when listening to music from their phone.

Winner: We gotta give it to the Rezound.  Nothing beats (pun not intended) a pair of quality headphones included in the deal and chances are Google will roll out a comparable voice app very soon.

Price

The Rezound will set you back $300 bucks, while the iPhone 4S varies in price, making it a bit more flexible. The 16 GB is $199, the 32 GB is $299 (about the same as the 16 GB Rezound without the extra microSD card) and the 64 GB is $399 (but this all depends on contract status and goes higher when you’re not eligible for an upgrade).

Winner: The iPhone’s price flexibility is still pretty cool, making it available to those at different income levels, while the Rezound is $300 off the bat. This makes the iPhone 4S the winner here.

Overall Winner

Sorry Apple, it seems your iPhone 4S has some stiff competition with the HTC Rezound that boats a number of impressive capabilities like its display, processor, camera and video, price and more. It seems to be the Android that could really cause a dent in Apple’s iPhone 4S sales and popularity. While once a Mac lover always a Mac lover, those who want the latest and greatest will definitely want to top for the Rezound that has a better overall package.

Update: We’ll be updating this post very soon to reflect 5.0.1.

Apple’s position was always that “jailbreaking” – the process by which users can get core control over their iPhone and install unapproved apps and services – is an illegal act that shouldn’t be allowed. Then the chief officer of the Library of Congress chimed in and state that it was purely legal and that users can do whatever they want with an iPhone once they buy it. So Apple begrudgingly accepted that decision and merely said that jailbreaking your phone “could” void your warranty. And understand this. If you choose to embark on this fun little hacking of your iPhone, you need to realize that we do not warranty, endorse or indemnify you against any calamity that may befall you. Like Apple, if you jailbreak your phone, you are on your own with the consequences. Understood? So now that the legal issues are out of the way, the question comes how, and if, one should jailbreak their phone? Here’s a few tips:

“It is also important to note that unauthorized modification of the iOS is a violation of the iPhone end-user license agreement and because of this, Apple may deny service for an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that has installed any unauthorized software.”

 

1. Should you?

The first step in jailbreaking your phone is to ask yourself if you should? The only real reason to jailbreak is to install an app that isn’t available on the iTunes App Store. But recently, someone has accomplished porting SIRI to a jailbroken iPhone 4, and 3S. With Apple having no immediately plans to offer SIRI onto older generation phones, there may be a good reason other than Apps to jailbreak the phone. There used to be that tethering was a good reason, but now most carriers offer tethering at a price. So, unless you’re trying to avoid a monthly charge – which could end up on your bill if you jailbreak anyway, the real question is, it it worth it?

2. Consider the Risk

While most of the danger in jailbreaking your phone has largely been eliminated, there is still a chance that attempting a jailbreak will end up rendering your phone non-operational (bricking it). And Apple has stated that jailbreaking your phone does void the warranty. So you’re on your own should something go wrong. But even if the worst case scenario happens and your phone does get into a bricked state, there are ways to bring it back to operational function.

Mostly, though, many have reported that their worst case scenario was some apps don’t really work right after the jailbreak, and you will certainly not be able to update your phone with new software from Apple while it is in jailbroken condition. However, with a simple hard reset, your phone is back into it’s sand-boxed condition, and then you will be able to upgrade it with any software updates. Just don’t try and update it without resetting and wiping out the jailbreak.

3. Back up your phone

Before you do anything. BACKUP. Not only to iTunes, but also to the cloud. That way should anything back happen, your data, songs, and apps are safely backed up. Also, back up to iCloud. This is fairly simple by going to Settings>iCloud>Storage and Backup>Backup now.

4. Choose your poison

There are several ways to jailbreak an iPhone. Perhaps the easiest is to go to jailbreakme.com from your mobile Safari browser. Jailbreak Me is the simplest way to jailbreak an iPhone with just a simple step. Tap on the Free button under Cydia and then tap on the Install button, this should jailbreak your iOS device and install Cydia (as seen in the screenshot below) just like installing an iOS app from the App Store. It is as easy as that.

Another option is to go with an app called Redsn0w and follow these simple steps:

1.  This jailbreak will require you to connect your iPhone to your PC and then install RedSnow to your PC.
2.Then you run Redsn0w on your PC and click on “patch.” This will patch your iPhone to accept the Cydia Store app. You can also add multi gesture functionality and a few other features.
3. Then you will follow the direction to go into DFU reset mode (top button for 3 seconds, then home button) and reboot your phone.
4. RedSnow will then use a utility called LimeRain to jailbreak your phone and install Cydia. Do not touch it at this time.
5. Once done, you need to exit and turn off your device.
6. Then, in the RedSnow desktop utility, select “just boot” and turn on your device by entering into DFU mode again according to instructions. Once that’s done, the iPhone is jailbroken and will reboot.

There are others including BlackRain, GreenPoisOn, PwnageTool and SnowBreeze and each has it’s own directions on how to jailbreak. The best thing to do is to spend some time over at the iPhone Development Team Blog for more information on each.

UPDATE:  The iPhone Development Team has recently released a new version of Redsn0w, vs. 0.9.9b8, that can not only jailbreak iOS 5.0.1, but also has some of the Pwnage tool functionality built right into it.  For more information, check out this blog post for update 16, which contains updated versions of the software for each platform, Mac and Windows.  But one thing to keep in mind … this jailbreak is still tethered, with IDT working on an untethered option.  Those who choose to jailbreak now, will not be able to downgrade to iOS5.0 to try the untethered option once it’s out, meaning once tethered, it may be the end of the line for you.

5. Understand your limitations

As I mentioned previously, with a jailbroken iPhone, you cannot just update your phone anytime Apple release and update. To do that, you have to reformat and reset your iPhone back to it’s factory condition. But the iPhone is also more open to exploits and attacks when jailbroken. Granted, it’s largely theoretical, but it can happen. You can guard against this somewhat by changing the root iPhone password. Root Click on the Password How-To button in Cydia to learn how. But if you forget the new password, you’re stuck.

Also, you’re battery life could suffer from unapproved apps that aren’t well tested and can leach power from unclosed services. Additionally, those apps may be unstable which could cause your iPhone/iPad/iPod to reboot or crash.

And depending on what phone/OS you have, a jailbreak may not be possible, at least in the short term. But time is on your side and sooner or later, even the most recent update gets Jailbroken. And then you have to go through the process all over again.

6. Wrapping up

So, after all that you have to ask yourself the first question again … is it worth it? Frankly, I don’t think so. Unless you have a very limited need to jailbreak, there really isn’t anything that Apple has addressed with an update or a new app (and there are over a half million now). In the end, jailbreaking may be a fun exercise, but one that will largely give you a pyrrhic victory over Cupertino.