The 2011 Gadget of The Year

After considering many test units, reviews and user ratings I have decided on the one tech device that I feel is worthy of the Geno's Gadget of The Year badge. I considered tablets, notebook computers, smartphones and many other types of beloved tech, but one device stood out as really having shook things up in the tech world.

Smartphones are probably the most aggressive tech segment with an increase in users over the last year it's absolutely staggering. Now with over 91 million smartphone users in the US, its no surprise that a smartphone takes top spot. There is no denying that 2011 has been the year of the smartphone, arguably one platform in particular. The Android platform represents 47 percent of  the US smartphone market share, with iOS (Apple iPhone) at around 29 percent and RIM (Blackberry) at over 16 percent respectively. Google's Android OS has shot to the top seemingly overnight and the surge has shown no sign of letting up any time soon. This is mostly due to the always entertaining, multitasking, large screened, super slim pocket computers like our Gadget of The Year winner.

Geno's Gadget of the year is the Samsung Galaxy S II. The stylish 4.5 inch Super AMOLED screen, Dual-Core processor, 4G SUPERPHONE is the best of the best. It has won over the hearts of smartphone users all over the world, even convincing smartphone users from other platforms to switch sides from iOS and other smartphone manufacturers.(Samsung Commercial link here)  It sports intuitive features like NFC, split-screen e-mail viewing, DLNA, home screen folders for organizing your apps, utilities and favorite places to visit on your phone as well as helpful widgets that integrate cloud services, social networking and multimedia. This phone is the REAL DEAL and it sets a high bar for manufacturers of future handsets to reach as smartphones evolve into the next phase of must-have technology.

What was your favorite tech of 2011? Was it a smartphone or some other form of technology? Have you seen Samsung's latest ad campaign and do you think the Galaxy S 2 is a major player or major hype. Please share your thoughts below in the comments. Happy New Year!


Via: MSNBC and comSCORE

Verizon Suffers More Outage Issues

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Verizon Wireless prides themselves in how advanced and reliable their 3G and 4G LTE wireless coverage is. They are known to tout this reliable reputation as the reason why they are not only the largest US wireless carrier but according to them they are also the best US wireless carrier. As of late they have faced some technical challenges that have resulted in uncharacteristic outages in some of their major wireless markets over the past month or so. Many users reported some small network interruptions in November that only affected a small number of service areas, but the more recent and widespread outages have all occurred in December affecting both 3G and 4G networks and affecting more subscribers. Verizon's VP of Network Engineering Mike Haberman offered an explanation today to shed light on what occurred. (Full statement below)

Haberman explained that the outages were all due to (IMS) IP Multimedia Systems not responding correctly on their 4G LTE network. He also noted that LTE customers were rerouted to their 3G connection during the outage to insure that those subscribers had active data connections and that they are making software upgrades while working closely with those who provide their network infrastructure to resolve the issues quickly.
 

Verizon 12/29/11 Statement: 

In light of recent events, Verizon Wireless shared the following statement about its 4GLTE Network:

The Verizon Wireless 4GLTE Network is BY FAR the largest and the most advanced 4GLTE wireless network in the world. It is available in 190 US markets and covers more than 200 million people, providing the fastest 4G Network in the US.

Being a pioneer comes with growing pains. The recent issues that affected our customers’ 4GLTE service were unforeseen despite careful, diligent planning, deployment and ongoing upgrade programs.

Problems customers experienced affected connectivity to the 4GLTE Network and data service. Several times, we have proactively “moved” 4GLTE customers onto our 3G Network to ensure all would have a data connection. For brief periods, such as on Wednesday (12/28), 4GLTE customers could not connect to the 3G Network as quickly as we would have liked.

Nonetheless, we estimate that 4GLTE connectivity has been available approximately 99 percent of the time this year.

Why have these issues occurred with our 4GLTE Network? Each incident has been different from a technical standpoint. Our engineers have successfully diagnosed those past triggering events, and they have not re-occurred. We also work diligently to rectify technical problems in the Network before they affect any customers.

Our 3G and 1X Networks continue to reliably process calls, texts and data for customers with 3G devices and, when necessary, 4GLTE devices. It continues to perform at the high level that established it as the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G Network.

We are taking a number of steps, working closely with our network suppliers, to ensure the integrity of our 4GLTE Network. We continue to fortify and improve its performance, and our goal is that our 4GLTE Network meets the same high standards that our 3G Network has set for performance and reliability.

Among the numerous measures we have taken or will take are: geographic segmentation, which enables us to isolate, contain and rectify network performance issues, and maintain service to the majority of customers when an issue does develop; and software fixes that we have developed, tested and applied regularly – and will continue to do so. Both will improve performance and reliability.

And finally, we are learning from these issues and applying the same gold standard to our 4GLTE Network that make our 3G Network the nation’s largest and most reliable.

Verizon Wireless is a leader and pioneer in this cutting edge technology that provides very fast wireless data speeds, enabling customers to enjoy the best experience in video and other wireless data usage. Clear unbuffered streaming video, super fast file downloads and wide availability are among the advantages we offer to customers. The capabilities of 4GLTE have exceeded many expectations.

We will not rest until our 4GLTE network performs at the very highest levels that our customers have come to expect from us.

Source: Gigaom

No T-Mobile Deal For AT&T

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As of today the bid for an acquisition of T-Mobile by AT&T is over. AT&T and T-Mobile have both made announcements detailing the mutual decision.This has been an uphill battle for AT&T since they made their intentions known on March of this year. They face much opposition by the FCC, and Department of Justice among others and today it is officially over. (AT&T statement below)

With the 39 billion aquisition officially off the table, AT&T will have to pay out the break-up fee of $3 billion in cash and $1 billion in spectrum. The two parties did make a roaming agreement that will benefit both parties. Read the AT&T statement below and tell us what you think. Is this how you thought it would end and how will this effect the US wireless market going forward? Leave your thoughts and comment below.


AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) said today that after a thorough review of options it has agreed with Deutsche Telekom AG to end its bid to acquire T-Mobile USA, which began in March of this year.

The actions by the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice to block this transaction do not change the realities of the U.S. wireless industry. It is one of the most fiercely competitive industries in the world, with a mounting need for more spectrum that has not diminished and must be addressed immediately. The AT&T and T-Mobile USA combination would have offered an interim solution to this spectrum shortage. In the absence of such steps, customers will be harmed and needed investment will be stifled.

“AT&T will continue to be aggressive in leading the mobile Internet revolution,” said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and CEO. “Over the past four years we have invested more in our networks than any other U.S. company. As a result, today we deliver best-in-class mobile broadband speeds – connecting smartphones, tablets and emerging devices at a record pace – and we are well under way with our nationwide 4G LTE deployment.

“To meet the needs of our customers, we will continue to invest,” Stephenson said. “However, adding capacity to meet these needs will require policymakers to do two things. First, in the near term, they should allow the free markets to work so that additional spectrum is available to meet the immediate needs of the U.S. wireless industry, including expeditiously approving our acquisition of unused Qualcomm spectrum currently pending before the FCC. Second, policymakers should enact legislation to meet our nation’s longer-term spectrum needs.

“The mobile Internet is a dynamic industry that can be a critical driver in restoring American economic growth and job creation, but only if companies are allowed to react quickly to customer needs and market forces,” Stephenson said.

To reflect the break-up considerations due Deutsche Telekom, AT&T will recognize a pretax accounting charge of $4 billion in the 4th quarter of 2011. Additionally, AT&T will enter a mutually beneficial roaming agreement with Deutsche Telekom.

Via AT&T PR

The Verizon Galaxy Nexus is Official

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Verizon and Samsung confirm that the Galaxy Nexus will finally hit stores Thursday 12/15/11. This news is music to the ears of many who have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first smartphone to feature Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0).

Samsung's Facebook page states that the 4G LTE Galaxy Nexus will sell for $299.99 in Verizon Stores and online starting December 15th. This news comes fresh on the heels of a pretty vague statement earlier today by Verizon stating "The Galaxy Nexus was on track to launch this year". This statement basically echos what was said in October. Now, just hours later the device is official and will be available tomorrow. Verizon's statement can be read below.

I find it hard to believe that the first smartphone featuring Android 4.0, a High Definition 4.65" Super AMOLED curved glass display, Facial Recognition capabilities, a dual-core 1.2Ghz TI OMAP processor, a high capacity1850 mAh battery and 4G LTE data speed isn't worth a descent launch. I have not seen one TV spot advertising this device, but I lost count of how many iPhone 4S and Droid RAZR commercials I saw during "The X Factor" show broadcast on FOX! Why is this happening this way? It just seems wrong to me.

The Galaxy Nexus is indeed going on sale tomorrow, but is it landing with a BANG? It's a high end premium smartphone that brings a lot of "firsts" with it to the telecom world. What do you think about the Verizon Galaxy Nexus? Is this what you expected the launch to be like? Share your comments and thoughts on this subject below.

The Galaxy Nexus is still on track to launch this year. We will definitely send a press release to announce availability. Feel free to visit www.verizonwireless.com/galaxynexus to sign up for email alerts to be one of the first to know.
Via: Verizon Wireless PR , Samsung Facebook , AndroidAndMe

Samsung's New Ad Campaign: Ouch!

If you haven't seen Samsung's new ad campaign, you are missing out. Much has been made about the relationship between Google Android's flagship smartphone manufacturer, Samsung and Apple lately. Some people are die-hard Apple iPhone fans to the end and nothings gonna change that. Google Android fanboys have become quite a faithful following themselves. Despite the smartphone consumer buying war, there has also been a very intense legal battle between Apple and Samsung that has literally gone world wide. There are pending bans that Samsung has against Apple and bans that have made Samsung unable to sell their devices in Australia and other countries.

The Samsung ad can be seen here . The surprising part is that Apple's iPhone is clearly the butt of the joke in their commercials. You can identify the iPhone faithful as they stand in line hoping to be on of the first people to get "The Next Big Thing". Samsung's message is that "The Next Big Thing is already here" and it is the Samsung Galaxy S2 . What do you think? Do you think that the iPhone 4S is the next big thing? Is the Samsung Galaxy S2 the next big thing or is it something else entirely?

Via YouTube , Samsung

The Missing Galaxy Nexus...

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Where is the Galaxy Nexus? Google's first Android 4.0 smartphone is missing and no one seems to have any answers as to where it is and when its going to land on a US carrier. The latest news and rumors on the Galaxy Nexus are nothing short of a roller coaster ride. Samsung and Google told the world in October that the device was going to land in the US by December. This obviously didn't happen, instead we saw the UK get theirs, but the rumor mill hasn't slowed either. This weeks rumored US launch date was December 9th, todays online buzz suggests a December 13th launch, but that seams unlikely because Google, Samsung and Verizon are completely quiet.

So, what is really going on with the Galaxy Nexus and why has Verizon still not announced a release date for this highly anticipated smartphone? Is it still a work in progress with Verizon's LTE connection issues of late? Are Google and Big Red (Verizon) working on an agreement for the NFC features (Google Wallet) for the phone? Maybe they are just having some differing opinions on the direction of how to market the phone (DROID or No DROID). We really don't know!

The folks at phonedog.com are reporting that despite the fact that previous Nexus phones were pure Android, the Verizon Galaxy Nexus will likely include some pre-instaled bloatware apps as well as Verizon branding on the device. This is a big deal because previous Nexus phones have pridefully offered a pure Android OS experience without carrier branding, custom UI influences or apps outside of stock Google Android.

I for one have been excited about the upcoming Galaxy Nexus even before the big Hong Kong announcement in October and I'm obviously not alone in saying "Come on already!" In my opinion, it seems that Google may be tragically allowing Verizon to fumble a game changing touchdown! This is not just another smartphone, its the king of all Android phones and the first Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) device ever. This should be handled with quick and decisive action on the part of all parties directly involved and with the consumer moral high during the holiday season shopping season, there is no time like the present.

What do you think? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Tell us what you think of how the Galaxy Nexus launch is being handled or mishandled and when you think it will actually arrive in the US.


[ Via PhoneDog  ]

And They Say: Update Coming Soon!

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Updates Coming Soon! We have all heard it before and you'll likely hear it again. For example, you may have a beloved smartphone or some piece of electronics that when you bought it, it was the newest and best thing availible. Now, however ( in some cases two weeks later ) the manufacturer has release a newer piece of hardware or software that has left your gadget nearly obsolete. This happens every day to people who have recently spent hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars on now out-dated gadgets that showed so much promise just days ago.

Generally this happens to people who purchase smartphones. The phone has great specs, a dual core processor and a high resolution screen, but the OS (Operating System) software needs updated. Maybe you are like millions of people this year who purchased Google TV sets or the stand alone Logitech Revue (in screen shot below) with Google TV. These devices are several months overdue for a manufacturer pushed firmware update that would bring access to Android Market apps and a more capable (Android Honeycomb 3.0+) user  interface.  

It's important for consumers to feel like they are getting their moneys worth when they spend hundreds of dollars on what is said to be the latest tech.  The OEM or manufacturer has to do their part in making sure that their loyal following gets the most they can out of their devices by getting software updates out quickly. When it comes to software, its all about the users comfort. The new software bring with it bug fixes, quicker and smoother transitions from apps and better home screens. These are key elements to the overall user experience with the product. If manufacturers can improve the user experience, they will create loyal repeat buyers for their product line. Then everyone is happy and that is the goal! What is your experience with software updates on todays tech? Did you finally get the anticipated update or are you still waiting? Please share your experience in the comments below.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

T-Mobile Stepping Up Small Business Wireless Effort

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T-Mobile is on a roll with new feature offerings and an improved wireless portfolio for 2011. They reported a slight financial gain of 1% over 2nd quarter results and added 126,000 to their overall subscriber base in the 3rd Quarter earnings report for 2011. They have revealed a renewed game plan focusing marketing efforts more on their Value Plans and Monthly 4G (No Contract Plans).  First the launch of the highly competitive T-Mobile Value Plans featuring T-Mobile's Best Plan Ever (2 Lines/ $49.99 each Unlimited Data, Talk and Text), then on November 16th at a Google Android event in Los Angeles, they introduced exclusive music offering (T-Mobile Free Tracks) showcasing the ability for (T-Mobile customers exclusively) to pay for Google Music downloads on their monthly wireless bill.

Now the magenta carrier has revealed a competitive offer on T-Mobile Small Business. For a limited time customers can receive a $15 monthly discount every month for a year on a 2 year T-Mobile Small Business agreement ($49.99/month). T-Mobile Small Business customers on Blackberry plans can also receive free Premium Blackberry apps worth over $100 between now and December 31, 2011. This move allows them to the opportunity to gain some ground on what competitors like Sprint, AT&T and Verizon are doing in their small business sectors as the year finishes out. We are keeping an eye on this and other moves that T-Mobile is making to stay competitive in these challenging times in wireless business. Share your thoughts in the comments area below. Let us know if you think T-Mobile is on the right road or headed towards a dead end.

Via T-Mobile Small Business

Google Music Is Official !

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Google Music was made official today, November 16th, 2011 at a launch event in Los Angeles. This is big news for music artists and fans alike because of the new Google Music Store. The Google Music Store is an intuitive platform for both hit making top 40 superstars and aspiring newcomers alike. Google's database of over 13 million songs starting at 99 cent will be available immediately, with more music soon to follow.

Google Music aims to be a much needed bridge for unknowns to be discovered and get their music out to the world. Jaime Rosenberg ( Google Director of Digital Content for Android ) outlined how the new platform allows the artist to control their own music and set pricing for it to be downloaded. This along with loads of exclusive content, music sharing and recommendations between Google+ Circles, set it apart from other music platforms like iTunes.

During the announcement, they discussed  Androids recent and dramatic growth. The Android platform occupies 52.5% of the current smartphone market. In light of that, Google Music users will enjoy integration with Google+ and their music content will be available via Google cloud service on their Android phones, tablets and computers. Google Music customers will enjoy the convenience of being able to access and play up to 20,000 music tracks across any browser including iOS devices free.

T-Mobile was also on hand for todays announcement and they boldly displayed their commitment to Android as they will be the first wireless carrier to fully support Google Music. T-Mobile wireless subscribers will have access to free and exclusive music content, additionally T-Mobile is the only carrier to allow Google Music subscribers to pay for their music downloads on their monthly wireless bill. This seems logical as T-Mobile was the first wireless company to partner with Google as they launched the very first Android phone the HTC built (Google G1) in 2008 on T-Mobile exclusively. This partnership has continued and T-Mobile currently offers the largest line-up of  Android phones running on Americas Largest 4G network which currently reaches over 200 million people nationwide in 208 major markets .

With their entry into digital music sales, they will be mixing it up with Apple and Amazon to claim their portion of the 6.8 Billion dollars in digital music sales projected for 2012 by Gartner, a leading tech research firm. Google has done their homework and as they shared at the launch event, they intend to apply what they learned during Google Music BETA to make this service a compelling digital music offering that can compete among giants.

Via Google Music, T-Mobile, Gartner Research

2011 The Year of Gadgets and Major Technology Advances

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This year has flown by with warp speed. Its hard to believe that 2011 is coming to an end, but not before the tech world shares a few new gadget goodies. These are the top 3 gadgets (yet to be released) that I believe will have the biggest effect on our world before 2012 arrives.

The Amazon Kindle Fire: Amazon's new cloud-based 7 inch tablet/ e-reader device, with a custom web browser that promises to entertain you on the go for only $199.Is this gonna be an iPad killer or just another tablet?

The DROID RAZR: This futuristic smart phone features a sleek and super thin design that's a throw-back to the RAZR line of phones introduced in 2004. With a blend of Android OS, a durable frame built with KEVLAR and Gorilla Glass,  a speedy dual-core processor and Verizon 4G LTE data speeds, it sure to be a home run for Motorola.

The Galaxy NEXUS: This phone is the worlds introduction to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It features a 4.6 inch 720p HD Amoled screen, facial recognition abilities and promises a new level for the pure Google experience and with no capacitive or physical buttons. This is the first phone to feature such advanced technologies and many in the tech world think it will be a total game changer.

I for one would love to own all three of these great gadgets as soon as they become available, but I wonder which one will be the must-have-tech for the holiday season and beyond. Which one of these three do you have your eyes on! Is it something else altogether that you are waiting to get your hands on? Please share your thoughts!

Via Motorola  Google/Nexus  Amazon

What is 4G today?

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One of the biggest buzz words in the wireless industry today is "4G" (also known as 4th generation wireless broadband). What is 4G and why does it seem to be the must have feature for so many wireless consumers? What are the different  types of  4G technology used today and which carrier has the best 4G? These are the questions that most of today's consumers want to know.

All four major US carriers (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint) currently have a 4G technolgy operating on their respective wireless networks, but they use different types of technology to achieve this 4G performance. Although their are many who pose the question of what really defines 4G technology if  the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) technical definition is that of an IP based network capable of 100 Mbps downloads to mobile devices.  There is some grey area to how 4G is defined today but everyone seems to agree that 4G is really about speed and each of these shows a big performance boost over the 3G that we have been accustom to in years past.

Sprint was the first of the four to launch 4G in the US. They teamed up with and acquired a majority of Clearwire which utilizes a technology called WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) to achieve 4G speeds. The network yields real world average speeds between 3 to 5 Mbps with peaks of over 12 Mbps download speed.

Verizon Wireless, the largest US wireless carrier utilizes LTE technology for its 4G network. Verizon's LTE (Long Term Evolution) is thought to be the fastest, most advenced 4G technology in the US. This is due to the signals architecture, that holds end-to-end strength to the edge of the radio frequency more than other technologies. Verizon has been quick to tout this in their marketing campaign that states that their 4G LTE is America's fastest, most reliable 4G network which delivers average downloads around 10 Mbps down with peaks over 30 Mbps. Their networks also displays upload capabilities that far exceed any other wireless carrier in the US.

T-Mobile USA is Americas largest 4G network. Currently available in over 190 major markets, T-Mobile utilizes a technology called HSPA+ (High Speed Packet Access+). This evolved wireless technology is currently a 21Mbps theoretical type in some markets while most area markets have been upgraded to a 42 Mbps theoretical type. T-Mobiles branding of their HSPA+ technology as 4G network drew early fire from their competition and many in the wireless industry. After launching more devices that support their faster HSPA +42 capabilities many of those who did not respect T-Mobile as a viable 4G option compared to Sprint's WiMAX and Verizon's LTE are now humming a slightly different tune. The upgraded networks performance has been consistently fast, boosting average downloads around 10Mbps and peak downloads around 30 Mbps. This speed boost makes T-Mobiles 4G network just as fast as Verizon's in day to day real world usage in most major markets.

AT&T is the second largest wireless carrier in the US. Like T-Mobile, they currently operate HSPA+ for their 4G network, although they utilize a different wireless spectrum band to achieve the 21 Mbps HSPA+ theoretical 4G variety. They have also in recent weeks launched LTE 4G in 9 major cities and have plans to expand that to 15 markets by the end of 2011. This planed LTE expancion is sure to raise them to comparable speeds that Verizon and T-Mobile customers currently enjoy.

The wireless industry is very compettitive and is constantly growing and changing. Their are more people buying smartphones and taking full advandtage of 4G speeds over the air that are faster than the internet speeds in most homes. This is all due to the massive reponse to the 4G WIRELESS movement. So What is 4G to you today and furthermore, what will it be tomorrow?

*Via POPSI, SPEEDTEST.NET 

Google Announces Android Event November 16th, With a Side of T-Mobile

This could be BIG news! Google has been sending out invites to an event to be held in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday November 16th 2pm pacific time. There isn't much detail on what the event is about. Looking at the picture, one can definitely conclude that Android and T-Mobile will be in the house for the LA event. Google definitely has something up their sleeve considering this is an (invite only) event and keeping with a host of other BIG 11-11-11 announcements, it will surely be a substantial unveiling.

Wanna be in on the Google goodies set for November 16th? Simply click YouTube.com/Android at 2pm pacific (5pm eastern time) and you're in!

What is Google's big announcement? Will it be an exclusive service or app for T-Mobile Android users or a killer device (aka Galaxy NEXUS) that they introduce to the world? Your guess is as good as any, so post it in the comments below. Until then, I will be counting down the days to the Google event .

Via Fandroid

HTC officially announces their list of devices to get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Photo Source

Not to be outdone by any other smartphone manufacture, HTC announces their first wave of Android 4.0 devices today. After some speculation this list confirms that the Nexus One will not be getting the updated OS. All of the devices that HTC named sport the newer S2 or S3 Snapdragon processors.

The list of HTC phones to receive Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich: (HTC's full statement is below)


HTC Amaze 4G
HTC Rezound
HTC Sensation
HTC Sensation XL
HTC Sensation XE
HTC EVO 3D
HTC EVO Design 4G
HTC Vivid

Keep in mind this is the first round of phones HTC plans to update, so don't fret if you don't see a phone that you expect to sport the update. Stay tuned for updates on HTC and other OEMs as they make the transition to Ice cream Sandwich.


"HTC knows how excited our fans are to get their hands on Google's latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, so we're thrilled today to announce the first wave of HTC phones that will receive upgrades: We can confirm the brand new HTC Vivid, on sale beginning today, is upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich. In addition, Ice Cream Sandwich is coming in early 2012 to a variety of devices including the HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XL and HTC Sensation XE, as well as the HTC Rezound, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G and HTC Amaze 4G through close integration with our carrier partners. We're continuing to assess our product portfolio, so stay tuned for more updates on device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Ice Cream Sandwich."
Via Facebook

So Why All The iPhone 4S Talk?

Of all the talk in the tech industry these days, much of it seems to be about the iPhone. I'm not sure if the iPhone buzz has really been good or bad but there is clearly no shortage of news and media coverage about Apples latest addition, the iPhone 4S. Here are some interesting reads about the ever popular smart phone of late. Follow the links below and give feedback as to if you think this latest version of the iPhone measures up.
Links:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20128182-233/iphone-4s-real-world-data-speeds-what-siri-wont-tell-you/?tag=epicStories

http://www.phonedog.com/2011/11/02/apple-confirms-ios-5-battery-life-problems-says-a-fix-is-coming/

http://www.techrepublic.com/photos/cracking-open-the-apple-iphone-4s/6315300