LG Star Gets First Hands On

GSM Israel managed to get their hands on the LG Star, the first Tegra 2-running phone out there, and boy, what a big disappointment. I really don't know what plagued this device, but it is laggy in the browser, not lightning fast like I expected, and the quadrant score was a measly 1759. What? If I remember, the HTC Desire HD with the second gen, snapdragon & HTC Sense scored in the 1900's. Either this is a really (can't emphasize this enough) bloated UI overlay, or it is just that Froyo doesn't support both cores of the Tegra 2. Besides that, the harware of this device is gorgeous, and the camera looks pretty good. Looks like a good array of widgets are added on to this thing, also. The video down below is in Arabic, just try focusing on the device, not what the people are saying. Hopefully Gingerbread brings support for multi-core processors, as this thing was running froyo.  So, what do you think about the Star? Is it just going to be another android device, or is it going to challenge the top of the line Droid & IPhone? Tell me in the comments down below! Please follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/techbloggerjohn, and LIKE our fan page on Facebook: http://goo.gl/sxjTF. Thanks for listening guys!

Motorola Olympus Coming to AT&T, Or is It?

AT&T said on their official Facebook page that the Motorola Olympus was going to be release sometime in December or January, on their network. Later, the post was moved, and AT&T said that they have nothing to give out about upcoming devices and that post was made "erroneously". Besides the fact that the Olympus is going to be on AT&T (sad face), what does this mean for Verizon? Is their going to be a Droid that can match the specs of this phone? Besides the fact, I am extremely happy that NVIDIA is finally going to be bringing their chip to a mobile phone, and it will be coming as soon as December. Obviously, that was not intended to be leaked out today by AT&T and Motorola. This device can not be coming out in early December due to the fact that it is inevitable this thing will launch with Gingerbread or Honeycomb, and neither of those are announced. Remember, December is just two days away! Please be sure to comment down below telling me what you think about this whole ordeal. Be sure to follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/techbloggerjohn, LIKE our page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/TechBlogwithJohn/103754693026752, and share this post using the buttons down below!


 Image from Engadget, no copyright infringement intended.  

My Top 5 Apps

Hey Guys! There wasn't much "important" news to talk about today, so I am going to do something different. I am going to tell you about my top 5 favorite apps that I use. They can be on my Droid and my IPad. The countdown will start at 5, but they are in no particular order.

5. ITranslate (IPad)
This app is one of the most helpful apps I use on my IPad. It is great for Spanish class, and I cannot imagine how good it is for people that travel to foreign countries frequently. ITranslate lets you translate to over 20 languages and even has a feature that lets the IPad say the translation out loud, even a paragraph worth of words. The app is free but you can pay to eliminate the banner ad that takes up a small part of the screen. Rating: 10/10.

4. Lookout (Droid)
If you haven't heard of Lookout, you should really check it out in the Android market. Lookout is an antivirus for your mobile phone. It scans any newly downloaded app on your phone for malicious code and harmful data, backs up all of your phone's data to their website to make sure that you don't lose any precious memories, and it has a feature that can show you your phone on a map and make it scream a loud sound to help find it. This feature is particularly good because it can save you at times when you have your phone on silent. You can buy the regular version for free in the Android market, but more features are available in the premium one Rating: 10/10.

3. Let's Golf 2 HD (IPad)
The sequel to the fun game Let's Golf, Let's Golf 2 offers a great variety of courses and skill levels to get your game on. The app has a great feel to it and the graphics are spectacular, but a little laggy at times. Produced by Gameloft, this application is one of the most polished games in the app store (and that is saying a lot). You can download this app for 99 cents (Thanksgiving deal) in the Apple App store. Rating: 9.5/10. 


2. Twicca (Droid)
Twicca is one of the top notch twitter clients available in the Android market. Still in beta stage, this app provides functionality with a bevy of features. Most importantly, the scrolling is butter smooth, which is a big pet peeve of mine. The app includes all of the features you would like in a mobile Twitter client including video upload, auto URL shortening, and even a widget. This app comes for the low low price of FREE! Rating: 10/10


1. Better Keyboard (Droid)
As we all know, the current stock Android keyboard really stinks. Better keyboard is one of the best replacements to the stock keyboard in the market for all devices. On the Droid, Swype is kind of laggy, so this is the perfect replacement. The keyboard is taller, the keys are better, and there are themes. Aside from some of those trash themes in the market, there is a few good themes for this keyboard. The current one that I use is called Simple, and it is beautiful. The app also has virtually no lag at all. Rating: 10/10.

So, what do you think your favorite apps are? Tell me down in the comments! Also please follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/XnfHr, Like our fan page on Facebook: http://goo.gl/sxjTF, and be sure to save and share!

Nexus S Pictures Taken

The people over at XDA-Developers were lucky enough to get their hands on something that everyone is dying to see. One of their tipsters got a hold of the Nexus S, and took the usual blurry pictures. This is really unbearable for me. If these people are so important and have access to a device that all the tech sites are trying to get their hands on, why are they not capable of taking a picture that looks decent? All of the photos look like they were taken during a 8.0 earthquake. Anyway, back to the news. Gingerbread looks to have many more squared-off edges than that of Froyo in cases of the launcher dock and the call button in the phone app. Another imminent thing about Gingerbread is the use of the Android green color. The phone and browser buttons on the dock are now green, and the little notifications at the top of the screen have a green tint to them too. Something important to notice about the Nexus S is that it is still stuck on T-Mobile's network. Hopefully they make a Verizon compatible one this time around, because that failed miserably last time. Please feel free to tell me what you think down in the comments. Also, be sure to follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/XnfHr, and Like our fan page on Facebook: http://goo.gl/sxjTF. Happy holidays!  

Motorola Olympus Leaked!

Endadget has recently reported photos of a mysterious Motorola device that looks like the recently launched DEFY, but it isn't the DEFY. This thing is thin, has a giant screen, and what looks like a front facing camera to accompany it. Is this the Tegra 2 carrying, 1080p shooting, Android 3.0 running, all in one device that we have been waiting for from Motorola? I sure hope so, and this thing looks like it has the hardware to be it. Nothing is confirmed, but at least we have an image. The one thing that shows me that this device really can be one for the two great Moto devices to be released next year is the fact that this has a front facing camera. Motorola has not included a front-facing camera in any of their devices, and there is a long list of released devices, starting from the Droid 1. Droid, Droid 2, Droid 2 Global, Droid X, Droid Pro, Bravo, Flipside, Flipout, Citrus, Defy, Charm, Backflip, Devour, and the Cliq family. All of those devices were passed up by Motorola in the past year, none containing a front facing camera. This tells me that this thing is gonna be the new DROID. the one that is faster, thinner, higher-res (retina display challenging), new OS (3.0 Honeycomb if available for phones, not just tablets), better camera (12+ MP, 1080p), and all of the features. Tell me if or if not you think this phone is going to be the Motorola Olympus in the comments below! Please bookmark and share using those handy buttons down below! Please follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/XnfHr, LIKE our fan page on Facebook: http://goo.gl/sxjTF, and happy holidays guys!



Original Story (Engadget): http://goo.gl/acNMk

Apple News. A Lot of it

I guess the title was pretty clear, there is a TON of Apple news today. First, we promised we would keep you updated on this; the official IOS 4.2 for the IPad (and its smaller counterparts) is now live for Europe and the U.S. New features of IOS 4.2 include multitasking, Airplay and Airprint, folders, Gamecenter, Safari improvements, keyboard improvements (very subtle, but it is improved), and much improved overall speed. Next, Apple's find my IPhone and IPad is now available to everyone, not just people with a mobile me account. I really like this, and I still believe it should be a built in feature for all of the devices it applies to. Hopefully sometime in the future Apple will make their MobileMe service for free to everyone. Finally, IOS for Apple TV is now live to update to also. Not sure what the update adds, but I am guessing it will be good. In other news today, Verizon is rolling out their 4G LTE services to 110 million people (wow) by the end of the year, and you can check out their official website here. Also, Verizon is now offering a 150mbps down/35mbps up plan for people that subscribe to Verizon FIOS currently. You can see the offical Engadget report here. So, have a comment on one of these topics? Just leave me a comment by using the box down below! I will be happy to hear from you! Please follow me on Twitter by clicking the link right here: http://goo.gl/XnfHr, Like our Facebook fan page by clicking the link here: http://goo.gl/iYiOr. Also, be sure to bookmark and share this article by using the buttons down below!

Windows Phone 7 For Verizon Coming Soon

We sure have had a lot of Verizon news lately, haven't we? Windows Phone 7's official Twitter account (see here: twitter.com/windowsphone) tweeted today saying that Windows Phone 7 devices will be coming to Big Red in time for the holiday season (which is quickly approaching.) They also included that more devices will be ready for the carrier in early 2011. One of the devices almost sure to be included in the lineup is HTC's Trophy (see why here: http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/15/htc-trophy-with-windows-phone-7-coming-to-verizon-in-early-2011) because a leaked Verizon image shows the Trophy being available for $199. This just keeps getting better and better, adding competition for the Motorola DROID devices, and adding more money in Verizon's bank. Also, they did say "devices" not "device". Hopefully this does mean that there will be more than one device. Thanks for listening to today's post! Be sure to follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/XnfHr. Also, be sure to save and share by using the buttons down below!

Verizon Now Has 4G...Kinda

Verizon is launching their "4G" campaign promoting their new 4G LTE wireless signal. The problem: There is no device compatible with this yet. These posters are probably not out yet, but this leads me to believe there are going to be some mobile WIFI cards and possibly a new "God" cell phone. The thing I find funny about this is that Verizon is going at AT&T again with another map. Verizon is the king of the dual map comparison, and AT&T is again being put down for their 3G/no 4G service. Their commercial says they cover 97% of all Americans. That is a HUGE stretch in my opinion. Someone I know has the Blackberry Torch, and that thing drops calls like there is no tomorrow, and I don't think it is the phone causing the problem. There must be a happy medium between Verizon's map, and AT&T's "97%" map. I predict AT&T is going to be unveiling their 4G LTE network soon because they are falling behind the other 3 carriers again (not again for T-Mobile, first time). Tell me what you think in the comments down below! Be sure to follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/XnfHr, like our Facebook page http://goo.gl/sxjTF. Also, use the buttons down below if you liked this article! Image from Engadget.

Review: Seesmic Desktop 2

What Twitter client do you use? There's Twitter's official site, Tweetdeck, a bunch of other apps, and then there is Seesmic. I love, Seesmic Desktop 2 and Seesmic for Android. I am going to review both tonight. The categories are going to be speed, features, customization, and simplicity

Seesmic Desktop 2 Review: 

Speed: 10/10

Seesmic Desktop 2 is by far the fastest desktop application for my Dell. It takes a mere 4 seconds to open, and displays all the media immediately. The application itself has little lag, and most importantly, takes very little time to actually send a tweet. Also, the very beautiful transitions such as opening the settings panel are very smooth. 

Features: 10/10

Seesmic is by far the leader in this category. They offer every singe thing that Tweetdeck has, plus more. It has plugins (a big plus for me), and it even has a little settings tab when posting to Facebook to post only to your fan pages, which is the most convenient thing ever for me, because when I go to Tweet a blog post, I always have to go to Facebook's site separately. 

Customization: 8/10

This really is a great thing about Seesmic, but I feel that they can make it even better. Seesmic has the option to change the color of your background, as well as adding an image. The images come with Seesmic, but with a little tinkering (dragging and image and dropping into the backgrounds folder), you can make Seesmic look however you want. Tweetdeck can customize every part of it. The text color, the color of the tweet box, and pretty much the color of everything. If Seesmic added that feature, that would make the app really shine. 

Simplicity: 9.5/10

This desktop couldn't get any simpler, except for one thing. It is easy to see all the updates from your columns, which accounts you have added, and moving around your columns is a piece of cake. One problem I have though is the settings button is really small. It may be hard to figure out it's location if you don't look. 

Overall: Seesmic Desktop 2 is a great choice for a desktop Twitter client. It is chock full of features, and has simple ways to make Tweeting faster, easier, and smarter. 

Download Link: http://seesmic.com/seesmic_desktop/sd2/

Seesmic For Android Review: 

Speed: 8/10

Seesmic for Android is great at rendering all the tweets in a timely manner, but their new feature to include pictures in the timeline has made scrolling extremely choppy. Other than that, it quickly renders menus and tweets from the timeline. 

Features: 9/10

This app cannot match Twidroyd (formerly called Twidroid) in terms of features, but beats every other app in the market in this category. 

Customization: 9/10 

Again no themes, but there are plenty of settings to change to fit your liking. 

Simplicity: 10/10

Wow. Just blows any other app in terms of ease of use, but does not lose any features in the making. Has big tabs on top to let you choose what to view, and just is plain simple. 

Overall: Seesmic for Android is a great choice for your Twitter (and Google Buzz) needs. If you have a higher end device, this just gets even better, with faster picture rendering for a smoother timeline scroll. 

Download Link To Official Site: http://seesmic.com/seesmic_mobile/android/

Please be sure to follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/XnfHr. Also, save and share with the buttons down below! 

LG+Tegra 2=LG "Star"

Like that little equation there? So, Engadget has reported to us that there will be an LG Android device that will include specs such as a dual core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, an 8MP camera that will shoot 1080p video (wow), and have a 4 inch, presumable high-res display. That is the phone I have been looking for. I hope that this thing will be on Verizon, because it will be the phone to get if Motorola and/or HTC don't release a new flagship device. This thing has a huge Google logo on the back, which Engadget presumes means that this is running stock or close to stock Android, hopefully 2.3 Gingerbread or even Honeycomb 3.0. This device has other specs like a front-facing camera, a 1500mAh battery, and an expandable microSD slot. This phone just blows the Nexus S out of the water; that S could stand for slow compared to this thing. The device is codenamed "Star", but will probably be called something different by the time the launch date rolls around. Endgadget didn't really include if this is official or not, but it looks to be leaked because of the fact it has the usual blurry pictures that were taken (a clear sign that something was leaked). So, what do you think about the LG Optimus S? Do you think that another device manufacturer will release something to compete with this? Tell me in the comments! Be sure to follow my tweets: http://goo.gl/XnfHr, and bookmark and share if you liked this article. Like my fan page on Facebook: http://goo.gl/sxjTF. Image by Engadget.

Gingerbread Unveiled, Sort Of

Google CEO Eric Schmidt gave us a glimpse of what Android 2.3, or Gingerbread, will look like. Today, at the Web 2.0 Summit (watched the live stream for 5 minutes, really bored me) Schmidt gave us a glimpse of what he calls an "unannounced phone", which appears (is) to be the Google Nexus S, formerly known as the Nexus 2. He covered the brand name, as if we couldn't figure it out ourselves. We all knew that it was Samsung: 4 inch display, plasticy look, wide capacitive buttons, and rounded edges. Schmidt also added in that this new OS (Gingerbread) will be coming soon. Also, he told us about a technology that will be used in Gingerbread. This is apparently called near-field communication chip. I am guessing that this technology (the chip) will be planted in all of the Nexus S devices, as it was in the one that he showcased here. This, Schmidt believes, will eventually replace credit cards in terms of making transactions. So basically, you hold 2 wireless devices close to each other, and a transaction or operation can be made. Read the full article here. So, that wraps up our post for tonight. Please follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/XnfHr. Also, be sure to save and share!

Grilling With Smartphones

So, whenever I buy a smartphone I often ask, "does this phone grill well?" Honestly, (not really) I think smartphone vendors should spend time and money on making the phone resistant to grill marks, fire, and smoke. That is why the brilliant people over at EZ Grill decided to take 3 of the best (and most expensive) smartphones on the planet: the HTC G2, HTC 7 Surround, and the usual ringer, the Apple IPhone 4. So view the video below (3 smartphones WERE harmed during the making of this film, do not try at home.) In my opinion, it feels like when I watch "Will It Blend?" I feel as if that a good piece of engineering and time went into that product, and it shouldn't be destroyed in front of our very own eyes. Also, I want all 3 of those phones so why couldn't they have just given them to me instead of setting them on fire? Anyway, the video is going to be down below. Please follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/XnfHr. Also, be sure to bookmark and share!

Behold the Nexus S

The Nexus S is now known. Previously known as the Nexus 2, this device presumably has specs that include: A 5MP camera, front facing camera, Android 2.3, 1.2 GHZ Samsung Hummingbird processor, and a 4 inch super AMOLED display. The one thing that dissapionts me about this phone is the look. It has an all-plastic body, and I am SURE this thing will not feel as high quality as the Nexus One. Well you know, all HTC devices are pretty nicely built. What I am excited about this device is the fact that it has a front facing camera, and comes directly from Google. This means that Google is putting their own official software for video chat, no more QIK or other cheesy stuff from the Mytouch 4G (that phone just screams cheesy, look at that UI). Since the Android Gingerbread statue has been up for more then 3 weeks, an unveiling of this phone and it's new OS has to be in the coming weeks. I promise to keep you guys updated on this one. So what do you like/dislike about the new Nexus S? Tell me in the comments! Be sure to follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/XnfHr. Also, please save and share! Thanks for reading my post!

How I Made Google Chrome 20% Faster

Yep, that is the title. I somehow made Google Chrome 20% faster. I am following this Twitter account: http://twitter.com/#!/chromebrowser, and their latest tweet (as of this post) gave info on how to make RAM replace your hard drive on storing the cache. Follow their info, and YOU can make Google Chrome faster. And let me tell you: They are not lying. All pages, even heavy-loading websites took no time as compared to the usual 7 seconds (My Dell is really slow.) This proves how much faster RAM is than the hard drive. Now I understand why they have Mac Pros available with 32 (yes, a whopping 32) GB of RAM. I only allowed 500MB for the cache, maybe I should have allowed more. my computer has 4GB of RAM. This also brings up another topic, how much more RAM computers these days have than in the past. Old computers only had 256 MB of RAM, the same amount as my Droid 1! So now you can take this away from this post: more RAM=faster computer. Sorry about the short post today guys, not much news. Please be sure to follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/p5Nu, and please bookmark and share! I want to see more followers, tell your friends!

Verizon IPad Ad: Verizon > AT&T

Verizon has released an ad for their new "Verizon IPad" deal with Apple. I'm going to post the video down below. So, pretty much what the ad says in un-beating-around-the-bush fashion. We now have the IPad, so why buy from AT&T, everybody knows our network is better. So, that is a HUGE smack in the face for AT&T, not only are they knocked down to the ground (losing their 3G IOS device exclusivity), but then they are kicked right in the face. So now AT&T, what do you do? In my opinion, to lose their reputation as "the crappy carrier", they should focus on building their 4G, LTE network to !. Get a head start on Verizon 2. Catch up to T-Mobile and Sprint. Sprint really has a big head start in the "4G" category, but T-Mobile is now advertising that they have the largest 4G network. Ok, back to topic. AT&T needs to do something about this Apple-Verizon deal if they want to stay a credible carrier in this nation. So, what do you think AT&T needs to do? Leave me a comment down below! Please follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/p5Nu, LIKE my Facebook fan Page: http://goo.gl/iYiOr, and Share, Bookmark, or whatever you want to do! Like my image? Pretty funny, right? UPDATE: I just added the video, totally forgot yesterday when making the post. Enjoy the video!

Windows Phone 7 Available

Windows Phone 7 is now officially available in the United States! Why do I seem so excited (even though I am typing this)? Because the prices are so low! At the AT&T store, of course it is the usual 199.99, but in online stores like Amazon, the price of one of these phones goes all the way down to 99.99! If you have not experienced Windows Phone 7 (or a Zune HD OS) then you don't know the meaning of elegant and smooth. It feels like an IPhone OS, but more elegant transitions and animations. This really puts any other mobile phone OS to shame. I am not sure when a device with this OS is coming to Verizon (the carrier I am on), but I am hoping that it is coming soon. So, what do you think of Windows Phone 7? Tell me you opinion in the comments (please)! Do you like any other OS better? Just look at that little "0 comments" link down there asking you to click on it! I am going to include Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 intro video, so please enjoy the video. Also, please follow me on Twitter: http://goo.gl/p5Nu. Please bookmark and share!

Dell Stage UI Looks Really Cool

It turns out that Froyo won't be the only thing hitting the Dell streak in this future update. Dell is adding a custom UI (overlay, skin, whatever you want to call it) on top of Android 2.2 Froyo, called the Stage UI. This really reminds me of sense. This launcher comes with a bevy (fancy word) of widgets and includes 7 homescreens. I'm not sure what your opinion on this is, but I really love those HTC-type widgets that fill up the entire homescreen. Stock android doesn't really seem to include that. This UI really excites me, but I also can't wait until Gingerbread is released, want to see what Google has in store for us. So, what do YOU (empowerment) think about the Dell Stage UI? Do you like a different launcher better, or do you just prefer stock Android? Tell me in the comments! Also, I promised to keep you guys updated on this. I installed IOS 4.2 GM on my IPad (download link here: http://goo.gl/8gnKr) and I have to tell you, my IPad runs much smoother and faster. That annoying choppiness when you scroll to the search side (very annoying, let me tell you) is gone, and the device all around feels snappier. One problem though, is that Twitter for IPad signs me out whenever I kill the app. I guess a just have to keep it running (annoying.) Please follow me on Twitter, and  feel free to bookmark and share! Also, I finally got my Facebook fan page up! the link is here: http://goo.gl/iYiOr.

Get Kinected: Move Over Wii, Xbox Stole Your Thunder

Microsoft has released their much-hyped Kinect Xbox accessory, a camera that allows the video game to accurately mimic your movement. No more running with the Wii remote in a jogging game, in Kinect you are the controller. Now, I think this thing is really cool. This thing will set your back 149.99, but I think that it is worth the price. Throw your PS move or Wii motion-plus out the window, Kinect is where its at. The first two things that came to my head when I saw this was: 1. How will Nintendo and Sony compete with this? and 2. Soccer must be a joy on this thing. Come on, it fits it perfectly, kicking the ball around. So, what do you think Sony and Nintendo will do to compete with this game-changing device? Will they copy them the way Sony did to Nintendo with the PS move, or will they go in a totally different direction? Tell me in the comments! I have a BUNCH of links for you: Kinect official site: http://goo.gl/8EWCz. Engadget's Kinect review: http://goo.gl/tlQbp.   My Twitter: http://goo.gl/p5Nu. One more thing: I will be downloading the GM of IOS 4.2 for IPad and reviewing it soon. Stay tuned for that! Please bookmark & share!

LG enV Pro Canceled?

Has the LG enV Pro phone been killed. This image from Android Life shows the look of the dual screen touchscreen phone that has reportedly been discontinued due to failure to impress testers. Honestly, I couldn't blame them because this phone looks like a failure to me. Has LG offered any high-end android device? No. They need one. This thing  kind of looks like an Ally (Android device on Verizon) That flips around, not out. I am not sure what the specs of this device are, but they can't be the hottest on the market. Is this device done for good, or is it just going back for some new specs? I don't know, but if I get any information, it will be coming in a future post. Tell me what you think about the LG enV Pro! Post a comment down below. Be sure to follow me on Twitter, and stay tuned for the Facebook fan page! Please bookmark and share!

IOS 4 For IPad: When?

Engadget reported that IOS 4.2 has gone gold for developers, which is surely a clear sign that the official update is coming soon. So, when exactly will the update be coming? We have no clue. Let me tell you: I have an IPad, and it is badly in need for multitasking. Steve Jobs has said that the official update is coming "sometime in November." It is November 1st today. This means it could come tomorrow, or it could come on November 30th. Developers, please share the file with me so I could get my hand on this goodness. CNET says that IOS 4 provides more speed on the IPad as well as adding nice new features like multitasking, gamecenter, airplay, and airprint.I am really looking forward to airprint. So, when do you think IOS 4.2 is coming to the IPad, and why did you choose that time? Tell me in the comments! I forgot to mention: IOS 4.2 is also coming to the IPhone's (generation 2-4) and IPod Touches (generation 2-4), and offers new features like child locks & restrictions on certain IOS apps. Be sure to follow me on Twitter, and please bookmark and share!