Samsung Galaxy S3 vs. HTC One X (EVO 4G LTE): In-depth comparison

Trying to decide between the new Samsung Galaxy S3 and the HTC One X, or its brother, the EVO 4G LTE? Well, look no further. After testing both devices, we’ve broken down these two phones feature by feature to figure out which one is the best bang for your buck.

For years, we’ve compared nearly every new smartphone to the iPhone. Even today, it remains the best-selling phone of them all. Times are changing though. Excitement over Android handsets has always been scattered, but right now, everyone keeps asking me the same question: should I get the One X (or the EVO 4G LTE) or wait for the Samsung Galaxy S3? for the first time, we’re seeing excitement for new Android handsets begin to rival the iPhone — at least more than ever before. Samsung has even acknowledged that more that more than 10 million people have pre-ordered the S3 before it even has a launch date or carrier support here in the US. 

So which should you buy? Samsung and HTC are clearly attempting to duke it out. These handsets are nearly identical in many ways, but if you’re going to lay down cash for a top phone, you want the best. and so we bring you our guide to picking which handset is better for you: the HTC One X, which is known as the EVO 4G LTE on Sprint or the Samsung Galaxy S3.

One X vs EVO 4G LTE

There are few differences between these two phones and they are both on different carriers: the One X is on AT&T and the EVO 4G LTE is on Sprint. We will say that in almost every small way, the EVO outshines the One X. it has a better Super LCD screen (same resolution), comes with a cool kickstand, has physical camera shutter button, has a slot for a microSD card (though the One X has twice as much internal storage at 32GB), and the EVO has a slightly larger battery at 2,000mAh, compared to the 1,800mAh battery in the One X. however, in the rest of the article we will treat this as an HTC vs Samsung battle. if only one of the two HTC phones is better, we will point that out. 

Winner: EVO 4G LTE

Design and construction

A good looking phone to you may not be a good looking phone to me. Choosing a phone based solely on its design is a personal choice. We can make a couple observations though. both HTC and Samsung have chosen to build their phones out of plastic, but while Samsung has gone its traditional route, creating a phone with a very typical shiny plastic-like feel to it, HTC stepped it up a notch and wrapped the One X in a polycarbonate unibody that is finely tailored to have a great, solid feel. the benefits of polycarbonate are many: it is much more durable than traditional plastic, handles the elements better, and because the One X uses it, that white design isn’t paint, so if you chip the phone or scratch it (it’s harder to scratch), the entire shell is white underneath — there’s no paint to scratch off. the HTC One X screen also bends a bit over the edges. 

The Galaxy S3 also uses polycarbonate, which is good, but has a more traditional, layered design to it. It’s still one of the better looking phones out there, but its shiny white design picks up fingerprints and it just doesn’t look as premium as the One X. To be fair, the design of the EVO 4G LTE isn’t exactly mind blowing either. It’s shell is half-shiny plastic and half aluminum with a black matte finish and red stripe that pulls out as a kickstand

Winner: One X

Feel

Feel is another subjective category. We will say that all three of these phones are absolutely huge, and probably too large for a lot of phone buyers. the EVO 4G LTE and One X are both fairly comfortable, though we prefer the One X by a hair due to the shape of its sides, which bend inward toward the screen to help you keep a better grip on the phone. both the One X and EVO 4G LTE have a power button on the top right (port) of the phone and a long volume toggle on the ride side. the Galaxy S3 is curvier than either of the HTC designs, and had a feel that was reminiscent of the Galaxy Nexus, which I like. the power button is on the right side of the phone (toward the top) and the volume toggle is on the left side, but it’s shorter and located about two-thirds of the way up the side. Having the power and volume buttons separated like this feels more comfortable for me, but if you’re someone with smaller hands (again, don’t buy any of these phones), then you might have trouble reaching that far. 

Though Android 4.0 doesn’t require physical navigation buttons (see: Galaxy Nexus), both HTC and Samsung have chosen to retain them. however, the version of the Galaxy S3 that we tried, also featured an iPhone-like Home button as well, and reversed the multitasking and Back buttons, oddly. 

Overall, this category comes down to preference. After a few days, you’ll get used to either phone.

Winner: Tie

User interface

All three of these phones run on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), which is great, but they both look different nonetheless.

HTC’s custom interface is called HTC Sense 4.0 and looks a lot like its previous interfaces, though some of the edges have been smoothed over. All of the core Android 4.0 features are intact, but many of them have been modified to feature more blacks and more customization. As usual, HTC has the most and widest variety of widgets and pre-installed apps, making it a great first smartphone. both HTC phones have the same interface.

Though the One X and EVO 4G LTE attempt to make Android 4.0 feel more like previous versions of Google’s OS, Samsung has gone a different route, claiming that the Galaxy S3′s version of TouchWiz UI is inspired by “human emotion” and “nature” (why pick just one marketing slogan?). As much as we hate gimmicky stuff, we found the new interface to be extremely pleasant. the unlock screen is animated water, allowing you to swipe across waves to unlock the phone, and the rest of the interface has a relaxing, blue tone to it, filled with new icons and a decidedly pleasant set of water sounds. if you held a gun to my head, I’d probably opt for the vanilla Android experience on the Galaxy Nexus, but Samsung is on to something. the S3 has a fresher look to it that doesn’t tinker around with too much. Users can enjoy the new colors and elegance but don’t have to relearn how to use an Android phone either.

Winner: Galaxy S3

Untethered Jailbreak for iOS 5.0.1 !

Greetings, friends & jailbreakers!happy holidays & all that jazz from your favorite iOS hackers at Chronic Dev Team (& pod2g)…

…and, in hopes of making your holidays just a bit happier, this morning we are pleased to announce the release of an untethered jailbreak for iOS version 5.0.1, for all supported A4 (& lower) devices! this jailbreak is brought to you courtesy of pod2g’s ninja-like magic + userland exploits, which he first publicly described in this blog post and then turned over to both the Chronic Dev & iPhone Dev teams for further testing + integration into our existing jailbreak tools.

You can quickly access, download & install Corona 5.0.1 Untether (Chronic Dev team’s version, packaged in the Cydia store) for your iPhone 4, iPhone 4 (CDMA), iPhone 3GS, iPad 1, iPod Touch 4G & iPod Touch 3G *CURRENTLY RUNNING iOS 5.0.1* by following the steps below:

  • Open the Cydia app on your tethered jailbroken device**
  • Search for “Corona”
  • Hit the “Install” button (as shown in the screen grab below)

This package will allow your 5.0.1 device to install pod2g’s untethered exploits and reboot without requiring an external tool like redsn0w or sn0wbreeze, and without having to restore your device (so you get to keep all your apps, contacts, etc).

**Note: if you do not currently have access to the Cydia store on your 5.0.1 device, you can use the redsn0w 0.9.10 tool developed by the iPhone Dev team. It is exactly the same set of files as our Cydia package, but bundled with redsn0w for new jailbreak users and/or those who are not already running a tethered jailbreak.

If you have one of the A4 devices listed above and are not using iOS 5.0.1 yet, you can update your iOS version now (though you should not update to 5.0.2 when it is released, or you will lose your jailbreak) or you can wait a few days max for our Corona 5.0 Untether package, which will be available in the Cydia store upon release.

Apologies to those of you iPad 2 & iPhone 4S users who are waiting for an A5 jailbreak; we all (pod2g + everyone here at Chronic Dev) are still working feverishly ‘round the clock to get an untethered jailbreak into your hands as well, just as soon as we possibly can.

As always, thank you for your continued support of the Chronic Dev team, as well as (we hope) your wholehearted support of our new Corona 5.0.1 Untether! I’m sorry that we still haven’t maintained the best track record when it comes to updating this blog as frequently or as often as we all would like, but unfortunately, I’m still a socially anxious geek who needs to imbibe mass quantities of alcohol in order to write anything longer than a grocery list, and anyway… wouldn’t you rather we spend our time & effort working on the A5 jailbreak!?

Also a big thank you to saurik for his hosting of the package and time in helping us with the cydia side of things.

If you have any questions, problems, suggestions and/or concerns you want to bring to our attention, you can leave them in a comment below [*note*: if you wouldn’t say it to your grandmother, please don’t write it on our website] or contact us through Twitter (via the accounts of Chronic Dev team, Greenpois0n or p0sixninja).

Bear in mind: on an average day, we receive thousands of emails, tweets, comments & the like; this number grows exponentially after we release any kind of new software. we would have to hire 3 full-time assistants if we tried to respond to each & every one of your messages. Patience is a virtue, though! even if we aren’t able to send you a personal reply right away, we do read every note you send us and try to address widely-reported issues as quickly as we can.

Category: 5.0.1, Untether

Reviews: ZeroChroma VarioProtect for iPhone 4/4S

While VarioProtect’s case design isn’t revolutionary, the little touches make a big difference. unlike Teatro-S, which was a simple shell with almost complete exposure for the iPhone’s top, bottom, and side controls, VarioProtect is a full-fledged plastic and rubber case on par with leading options we’ve tested from SwitchEasy and Speck, offering comprehensive protection for nearly everything save the iPhone’s glass face. this time, the side and top buttons are covered with nicely molded protectors, leaving only the headphone port, microphones, Dock Connector port, bottom speaker, rear camera, and side switch open—then only with nicely-shaped holes that are generally very accessory-friendly where necessary. ZeroChroma has also lined the case with black velvet to keep the iPhone’s glass back scratch-free, a nice solution given the movements of the integrated hard plastic stand, and includes reinforced holes for attachment of an optional hand strap, which wasn’t included with our review units.

The critical differentiator for VarioProtect is its rear stand, which deserves even more credit here than we gave it in our earlier review of Teatro-S and Vario-SD. Both prior iterations of the stand bulged conspicuously from the backs of ZeroChroma’s cases, but in VarioProtect, the bulge has been reduced to a taper with a much gentler curve than the iPhone 3G or 3GS. while your iPhone 4/4S will feel a little thicker with this case on, the difference is so negligible that only people with calipers would care. And the stand fully justifies the added thickness.

There may be room for debate over whether the iPhone 4/4S really need an integrated stand in a world where iPads continue to grow in popularity, but if you’re an iPhone user who has ever had a need for a way to keep your device upright—say, as an impromptu way to entertain a child at a restaurant—ZeroChroma’s implementation will strike you as world class. It folds down completely flat into the back of the case, ratcheting out with a simple finger-in-divot mechanism to hold 12 different positions, and spinning in 360 degrees to lock into four different orientations.

Having spent quite a bit of time with the iPad Vario-SD case, and now additional time with VarioProtect, we can say with confidence that the stand is impeccably designed and useful in a wide variety of situations: certain positions are ideal for video, widescreen web browsing, or reinforced typing. moreover, we’ve seen no degradation of stand performance over extensive testing of Vario-SD, and would expect the same to be the case with VarioProtect. Flawless isn’t a word we toss around lightly here, but if any stand deserves such praise, it’s ZeroChroma’s.

VarioProtect has only a handful of flaws. First, its front bezel coverage may tug at screen protection film, though the word “may” is key; it pulled at the top corners of one piece of film we tested, but not another. Less critically, it’s only available in black, at least for now. an all-white version to match the white iPhone 4/4S would be great, assuming that these iPhone models will stick around after the introduction of a sequel later this year. And though our testing results have been non-conclusive on this, we’ve seen slight on-the-edge signs of reduced wireless signal strength in both VarioProtect and Vario-SD—not a guaranteed drop of a bar of cellular or Wi-Fi, but sometimes what appears to be a step down under already shaky conditions. this would hardly be the only case with such an issue, but it’s worth noting.

Modest issues aside, VarioProtect is a shining example of excellent iPhone case design, incorporating some of the very best assets of top cases we’ve reviewed with a world-beating stand design—all at a very reasonable price. If you’re looking for an iPhone 4/4S case with an integrated stand, we’d certainly recommend that you start here, because you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything with the same combination of device protection and stand versatility elsewhere. Ideally, ZeroChroma would offer screen coverage and the ability to choose from more colors, but it has made so many improvements from its prior-generation design that the remaining issues are generally trivial. We sincerely hope that ZeroChroma will bring the same degree of protection and streamlining to a new iPad case, as Apple’s tablets could certainly benefit from a solution as thoughtfully implemented as this one.

Benefits and Uses of iPhone Applications

Today, the iPhone is a powerful and entertaining tool and is being used in various domains like – healthcare, travel, finance, news, entertainment, music etc. when the iPhone was launched in 2007, it was the most advanced touch screen Smartphone. the iPhone is an ultimate PC and one can do all the activities directly on their devices, which they do on a PC. This is the reason why the iPhone has become a large part of our life and many of us cannot think of life without it. the iPhone applications can be used in our daily life to stay organized with our routine activities. most of the iPhone applications we use support or work in co-operation with web-based tools on our desktop. there are many applications of iPhone that have received lot of media attention. the iPhone can be used from health to entertainment to travel for just about anything.

The benefits and uses of iPhone applications in various domains are as below –

These apps are very useful for the users to live a healthy life. using these health applications, one can lead a healthy lifestyle. If we have a look at the health applications of iPhone, the best apps that come to the mind are –

1. Atkins Carb Counter
2. Fitness Class
3. Distance Meter
4. Body Fat Calculator

There are a number of travel apps which can be used by the user to view maps, get details about various places, take a tour of various countries and continents, book flight tickets, make car and hotel reservations and do many things directly from their mobile devices. some of the top popular travel applications are –

1. Translator.
2. Hertz car rental.
3. Tour Wrist.

One can find plenty of books, comics, novels, poetries and magazines in the app store in the category of books. the users are allowed to read and save the books on to their devices. the users are allowed to subscribe or purchase a magazine directly from their iPhones. If they want the previous issues of the magazine they can select it from the archive. some of the popular apps available in the store in the category of books are –

1. Audiobooks- 2,947 classics for free.
2. Apps Magazine App.
3. FREE true Ghost Stories from around the World.
4. Tickle Finger in the Jungle.
5. Free Books – 23,469 classics for less than a cup of coffee.
6. best Self-Help Quotes.

The app has many handy tools which can be used to handle the finances. there are some best applications featured by Apple in the Finance category. with the help of these apps, one can track their finances, expenses, investments, track their portfolios, get real-time stock quotes and updated financial news daily. some of the best apps available in the store are –

1. Spot me payments.
2. Daily Finance – Stock Quotes and Business News.
3. Spend Free – Personal Budgeting.
4. Pocket-money LITE – Checkbook.
5. EZ Loan Calc – Loan Calculator.

There are some apps for music lovers. there are hundreds of apps for music lovers and using these apps, one can listen to their favorite music anytime and anywhere. They can even tune to their favorite radio stations from anywhere. the iPhone apps brings the best digital experience which combines the best of the world to deliver everything. some of my favorite music apps are –

1. Pandora Radio.
2. Shazam.
3. Iheartradio.
4. Magic Guitar.
5. Magic Piano.

The app store has some apps in the category of news which acts as a social news reader. these app are particularly for those who has a news personality. these app keeps the user updated with all the latest and breaking news. the users can watch the news from anywhere and anytime and stay connected with the world.

1. CNN App for iPhone (U.S.)
2. FOX News.
3. USA TODAY.
4. CNN App for i-Pad.
5. NY-Times for i-Pad.

There and thousands of apps in entertainment category, which can be used to entertain others. these apps are for fun and pleasure and can act as real entertainers. the user will never get bored with these apps. some of the popular entertaining apps are –

1. Talking Tom Cat 2.
2. Emoji.
3. Remote.
4. Hulu plus.
5. TRUTH or DARE – FREE.
6. Glow Draw

Jawbone ERA Bluetooth Headset Review

1urnextwebMay 22, 2012 at 7:30 pm 2Ian LimMay 22, 2012 at 10:05 pm

Love my Jawbone II, does everything I want and hard to justify “upgrading” to a new one

Noise assassin works well for me, the issue I do have sometimes is actually being able to hear the caller.

3p51d007May 22, 2012 at 11:10 pm

I’m a huge Jawbone fan. bought the original JB when it came out and had a couple others. got the ERA the day it was released. Works like a champ & the firmware gets automatically updated when you have the JB software running, and you connect the headset to your computer to charge it.

The only thing I added is, no matter which do-dad they come up with to hold it in/on your ear, they never fit well. Since I wear one of these things, do to work, 8-10 hours a day, I spent the money for a custom fit ear piece. the kind you mix the two part goo together, mix it together, jam it in your ear for 10 minutes and send it in. A few days later you get a ear piece that nothing will dislodge from your ear.

4EricMay 23, 2012 at 5:38 pm

Co-Optimus Goes to E3 2012 – What’s in the Bag?

The bags are packed, the plane tickets are booked, and the maid is fluffing our hotel pillows.  Co-Optimus is on their way to E3 in Los Angeles California, bringing you the latest and greatest co-op gaming coverage over the next week at the show.  but what exactly does it take to cover an event like this?  some folks might think E3 is a 4 day party of playing games, but the reality of it is quite a bit different.

Let's see what each of our four Co-Optimus Editors have in their bag to help cover and survive the show.

Mike Katsufrakis: 

When I travel to conventions, I usually try to pack as light as possible, but since our E3 trip will involve a lot of content creation, so I need to bring extra goodies. Here’s the full rundown:

  • iPhone – Though I doubt I’ll actually be making any phone calls (thanks, AT&T), the quick access to a pretty decent camera should prove useful.
  • iPad – Because… I’m going to read some comics on the plane, and Evernote is a pretty useful tool for translating my handwriting and syncing to my other devices.
  • Macbook Pro – If I’m gonna be cranking out impression pieces, I’m sure as hell not going to be doing it with my phone or iPad. it also serves as my trusty podcast capture/editing station in a pinch, and if we need to perform emergency site maintenance, it has my development environment!
  • External Hard Drive – I keep lots of site assets and other goodies on this thing, and you never know when I’ll need to bust out a copy of the Golden Fitty Award.
  • Notebooks Tactical Pen – Pocket-sized notebooks are great for, well, taking notes, and my pen substitutes as a stabbing weapon for fending off crazed fanboys and/or Gamestop employees who snuck in.
  • Clif Bars – They’re a decent meal substitute when you don’t have time to seek real food.
  • 3DS (Ocarina of Time Edition) – I crave a critical mass of Streetpass, and E3/PAX are the only places to make it happen.

Nick Puleo:

This E3 I'm changing things up.  No more shoulder messenger bag, no more MacBook.  It's like a whole new start.  Needless to say, you need to lug a lot of shit to these things.

Andrew Gaskill:

I'm keeping it old school. It's a Co-Optimus pen and a half-full pocket notepad. E3 2012 = covered.

Apparently my gear isn't good enough. Fine, be that way. I'm going to bring THIS:

I'm driving to LA so I have little more space than my fellow event goers. I just kind of threw this stuff together. I'm not heading to E3 until Tuesday, so items may be substituted without notice. especially when I get panicked calls from the fellas, since apparently no one is bringing clothes.

  • I'll be bringing two replica Lancers (Mk 1 and Mk 2), mainly to help illustrate my argument that the ape-men of Gears of War should be dual-wielding these things in the next game. If I can dual-wield two plastic guns then the 300lbs of muscle that is the Cole Train should have no problems with the real things.
  • next is my trusty laptop. It's an HP something-or-other. I don't know. it let's me edit pics and video and runs Diablo 3. 
  • IPod Touch for the ride and possible backup camera.
  • Canon Elph for quality portable pics
  • Olympus audio recorder for when I have to take notes but I'm distracted by the cacophony of the showroom floor.
  • Droid 2, which will be replaced by something shiny and expensive in the next two days, because, why not?
  • Cases which will adorn my belt for all of two seconds before I chunk everything in a swag bag.
  • BigAss Power Strip, since no one wanted to carry one on a plane. Wimps.
  • Gerber Gator Machete have you seen the news lately? The cannibal apocalypse is coming, people.
  • Not pictured Clothes, a toothbrush, you know, travel stuff.

Since I actually reside in California, this is all I'm comfortable publicly documenting. There will be more. seriously, LA is like mad Max times in the bad sections.

Locke Vincent:

I'll be packing some video heat this trip so I will be including some more technical equipment than I usually have around. I wasn't allowed to bring my Luchador masks across the border so I had to resort to more conventional things.

Did I mention there are four of us in one hotel room with all this crap?

Reads: 1242  

$10,000 iPad Prototype Was ‘Most Likely’ Stolen Property, Says eBay Seller

Auctioning off Apple prototypes is tricky business. if you’re the seller, there’s always the chance that Apple will try to shut you down, and ask for the device back. The man who was selling an iPad prototype with two dock connectors suspected this when he posted his eBay auction.

“I wasn’t expecting the auction to finish. I was expecting Apple to take it down,” he told Wired.

But Apple didn’t contact the seller, who spoke with us on the condition of anonymity. in fact, the seller told us he expressly conducted his auction over the Memorial Day weekend because he figured Apple employees would be enjoying the holiday, not patrolling eBay: “I knew that Apple wouldn’t be as active over the weekend, and I had a better chance of Apple not taking it down,” he said.

Apple has a storied history of reigning in people who deal in, or posses, its prototypes. An eBay auction for a MacBook Pro with a 3G antenna was stopped by Apple, and the seller later returned the hardware to Apple. and of course, the iPhone 4 prototype that Gizmodo purchased in April 2010 led to criminal charges (later dropped) against Gizmodo editor Jason Chen. Most recently, in the summer of 2011, an iPhone prototype was lost in a San Francisco bar by an Apple employee. The resulting investigation entailed Apple security searching a citizen’s home under the escort of the SFPD.

But the story of the dual-dock prototype, like its seller, is still shrouded in mystery. We reached out to him via eBay’s messaging platform, and he contacted us directly by phone from a blocked number. We still don’t know his real name, but we were able to glean some details about his sale.

The seller says he purchased the iPad prototype from a co-worker. he says he doesn’t know how the co-worker came to possess the prototype, and to protect himself and the co-worker, the seller wouldn’t share information about where he works, and what he does for a living.

“I don’t know if it was stolen from Apple, or if the person who was working with it kept it,” the seller told us. “Judging by how Apple works, it’s most likely stolen, but I’m not sure about that.”

However, the seller did tell Wired that the prototype came from an Apple lab in California. “It has identifying marks that describe which prototype it is, and those are the numbers that I’ve obscured on the auction,” he said. “With that you can track down who was using the iPad.”

The seller says that when he bought the iPad prototype from his co-worker, it was bricked: “I kind of took a chance and purchased it broken and had to repair a few things,” he told us. The seller was unable to fix the touch screen, which he noted in his sales language. Nonetheless, the ill condition of the prototype didn’t stop the auction price from pushing past $10,000 and attracting the attention of the technology press.

“I really wasn’t expecting that much,” the seller said.

When questioned about the buyer of the iPad, the seller told us: “for the privacy of the buyer, I’d really rather not share much more than he is based in the United States, and I just shipped it to him.”

The seller told us he’s sold another Apple prototype before, but wouldn’t provide details other than that the other auction didn’t garner publicity. “I can’t give much information about the Apple device without revealing who specifically I am.”

As for the eBay account that sold the dual-dock iPad, it’s registered to apps69, but the seller says it belongs to a friend. “they obviously know I’m using the account. this is not my account,” he told us.

While the seller says he doesn’t use his own account, the account apps69 has sold a variety of Apple hardware and other technology gear including various iPhones and MacBooks. None of the items that appear on the seller’s feedback ratings suggest anything more unusual than run-of-the-mill technology hardware.

The seller says he hasn’t been contacted by Apple, and doesn’t think the company will be happy to talk to him. “I’m pretty sure any contact I have with them won’t be very positive,” he said.

Wired emailed Apple about the auction, and hasn’t received comment.

So now that the seller is $10,200 richer, what does he plan to do with his money? “I plan to save it and buy a new iPhone 5 or new MacBook Pro when it comes out. It will definitely get back to Apple.”

5 gadget gifts for dads and grads

There’s always an excuse to buy a new gadget. I sat on my old phone. the dog chewed up my camera. the kids hijacked my iPad. it won’t work with the latest software, so I need a new one. This week: it’s Dads and grads time.

There are plenty of accessories and digital gimcracks to choose from, but finding, say, the best iPad or car accessory can be a head-spinning endeavor. over the past six months, I’ve sorted out some of the best accessories and gadgets, ranging from gifts for the Dad who has everything to practical high-tech suggestions for the grad setting up his or her first apartment (yeah, you wish).

Tivoli Model one, $149.99

A classic in the audio world, Tivoli’s tabletop radio may seem like a throwback to the pre-digital era. in many ways it is — and that’s a good thing.

The Model one does one thing: play AM and FM stations with a warmth and accuracy not found in handheld digital devices these days. the radio has a nimble and sensitive tuner and even though it houses just a single speaker, the sound is well-rounded and full. If you must, there’s also a mini jack on the back for connecting an iPhone or other digital music player.

If this is a gift for yourself, consider waiting until the end of the summer. Tivoli will be upgrading the Model one with Bluetooth. the new feature is another nod to the incursion of smart phones and Apple devices into the music world and will allow owners to stream music wirelessly from those gadgets to the radio.Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio, $129.99

There are literally thousands of accessories for Apple’s iPad, but this one stands out for its practically and ingenuity.

The Folio keyboard wraps around an iPad 2 or a so-called new iPad, leaving all the important ports, such as the headphone and adapter jacks, accessible. Open up the folder and there’s a keyboard that works with the tablet via Bluetooth. the Folio also acts as stand for an iPad when you want to stop working and watch a movie.

Best of all, this is one less device you’ll have to remember to plug in. the solar cells on the accessory work with ambient, indoor light, so it’s always charged.

Samsung Galaxy S II, $149 and up

Saying the smart phone market is crowded is like saying that LeBron James is a decent basketball player.

One of the standouts over the last several months, however, has been Samsung’s Android-based Galaxy S II. it has all the right features, is available on several carriers, and is reliable and durable.

The phone has a sparkling 4.5-inch Super AMOLED screen that means you can surf the Web under just about any lighting conditions. It’s also powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, so it juggles apps with aplomb. and the built-in 8-megapixel camera makes for a decent point and shoot (there’s also a front-mounted, 2-megapixel camera).

The Galaxy S II is available on T-Mobile ($229.99), Sprint ($149.99), and U.S. Cellular ($179.99). the prices vary according to the service plan and in some cases are available to new customers only.  Warning for the obsolescence obsessed: Samsung already has a new Galaxy S III model available in Europe that is expected to land here within weeks.

Belkin Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router Advance N900, $199.99  Wireless network routers aren’t exactly the sexiest gadgets on the market, but they make home networks and all those other sexy devices hum. for the dad or grad — who usually has to play home tech support, let’s be honest — the Belkin N900 is a welcome relief from countless settings and usual arcana of networking terminology.

For example, the router comes set up for two wireless networks, one on each band, with the names and unique security keys right on bottom of each model. the company even plugs in an Ethernet cable into the modem port on the router so that when you take it out of the box all you have to do is plug the thing in.

The emphasis on ease of use doesn’t mean performance has been sacrificed. it supports dual 450 Mbps bandwidth operation for maximum Wi-Fi speeds, and it’s better than most and connecting to farflung 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi devices.

GoPro HD HERO2: Motorsports Edition, $299.99

Unalloyed fun is the goal of the GoPro HD Hero2: Motorsports Edition video camera. the GoPro video phenomena began with extreme sports fanatics who wanted to post videos of their daring exploits on YouTube. It’s now progressed to the point where erstwhile racers use the cameras to record lap times and assess their performance on the track.

The Motorsports Edition includes the camera, which can record true 1080p, high-definition video, and a welter of brackets and mounting gear to place it in an unobtrusive spot in your car. With a rechargeable lithium ion battery and a 32 GB SD memory card (not supplied), it can store about 4 hours of HD video before running out of gas. It’s perfect for recording a scenic summer travelogue or monitoring a novice driver’s road skills. But be careful how it’s used. A Japanese driver recently posted an in-car video of his exploits driving home in his Ferrari. Local authorities tracked him down, and he now faces some steep fines and possible jail time.

iPhone Bluetooth Headsets – Simply Talking on Your iPhone

Bluetooth is as common today in every household as infra red controls. With the use of Bluetooth technology, any data can be transferred wirelessly from one Bluetooth enabled device to another. With the popularity and hype that Bluetooth demands it’s no surprise that it’s taken precedence in a lot of devices including your iPhone.

It’s no surprise however seeing as the iPhone is one of the most advanced pieces of handheld technology available at the moment, and its only getting better. and with the advances in the iPhone, its peripherals are constantly updating and getting better. Connecting them and more is so simple.

Depending on your view of them, the iPhone can look quite sophisticated when connected to a Bluetooth headset, and there a multitude of devices you can acquire to run alongside it. you will look dressed to impress with a shiny little gadget in your ear and your iPhone on your hip or in your purse. you may even fool people by making it look like you are talking to them when in fact you are using your Bluetooth earpiece to talk on the phone.

Headsets add convenience with hands free use of the iPhone making situations like driving simpler. alongside the convenience of use, the sound quality that such headsets deliver is unmatched.

To coincide with this, a large majority of Bluetooth headsets come with noise cancelling microphones as standard which makes using them whilst driving and even in an office environment very useful. As with any wireless device, the range of use can vary dramatically but as you will no doubt be closely connected to your iPhone, distance will rarely be an issue.

Different Bluetooth headsets are available and each one possesses diverse features and specs. With a quick internet search you can find everything you need to know about any headset you’re looking at. apart from a multitude of features, these headsets come in a variety of designs, colors, and sizes.

Consider this. after spending a hefty amount on your iPhone, is spending a little bit more on convenience all that much? Multi tasking is unnecessary when it comes to using your phone. Leave that to iOS and get a headset. This is one move you are not soon to regret.

There are a wide variety of Bluetooth headset for iPhone on the market. do a little research and make sure you choose a bluetooth headset that meets all of your needs.