GeekSugar

iPhone Review: Forget The Phoney Talk

GeekSugar — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 10:00:28 PDT

Yes, we attended the iPhone launch at the Apple Store in downtown San Francisco and a neighboring AT&T store. No, we did not buy one on launch day. At the time, waiting for the crowd to die down seemed like a good idea (two days spent interviewing the people in line turned out to be a real energy blaster). A few days later, I succumbed and joined the 40 percent of you that said you would be buying the iPhone this year and ordered it from the nearby AT&T store. While I half expected it to make my dinner and wash my hair, I am honestly more impressed with it than I am disappointed. Here is part one of a series of reviews I will be doing on the gadget of the moment.

Touchscreen: The rave reviews about the iPhone's multi-touch screen are all true. As soon as I began navigating my way around the menu and web browser, my finger effortlessly tapped its way through the screens. With two fingers I could shrink and expand web pages, as well as move the page around with one finger to zoom in on a particular spot. Even typing letters for messages and pressing numbers on the dial pad turned out to be easy.

Browser Speed/Edge Network: When connecting to the internet with the iPhone, I noticed that using a WiFi connection is much faster than using the EDGE network. Even when I couldn't pick up a wireless connection, using EDGE wasn't that painful - despite what all the critics say.

For the rest of the review,

read more
Smudging: Either I have really greasy fingers or the iPhone's new screen is super shiny because after a few minutes of playing, the screen was covered with finger-prints and smudge marks. I'm guessing that the large 3.5-inch screen only contributes to the appearance of smudges. But then again, the screen on my BlackBerry Pearl is covered as well and I hardly touch that. My advice is to get yourself a soft screen cloth so you can keep your iPhone's screen looking brand new. My second piece of advice is to quit worrying about smudges because you won't be able to avoid them.
Blackberry Comparison: I'm a dedicated Blackberry Pearl user so I've been a little squeamish about the idea of a transition. Overall, my Pearl is much smaller and lighter than the Apple iPhone (the Pearl is 89 grams while the iPhone is a noticeably heavier 4.8 grams), but the iPhone's widescreen makes it much nicer for web browsing and watching videos, which was near impossible on the Pearl or my older 8700. In terms of loading time, the Blackberry and iPhone run on the same EDGE network and don't seem to have any obvious speed differences. The issue for me lies in the fact that the iPhone's e-mail is updated every 15 minutes, which is too infrequent for my liking. Conclusion: I like the iPhone, but that doesn't mean I'm dumping my Pearl.
iPod: When I first heard the iPhone would be controlled via a touchscreen and feature an iPod I was a bit baffled and wondered what it would be like to use an iPod without a traditional click wheel. I found there's no major difference, and the iPhone's touchscreen is so uber sensitive that it's a joy to play with the phone's iPod features. Of course, the iPhone does not have a click wheel and is controlled instead by an intuitive bar.
Complaints: I've found the iPhone's e-mail to be less than revolutionary. It does not update often enough for my "on the go" personality (it updates every 15 minutes) and I'm so used to my BlackBerry's reliability in that department that it's hard to compare. Of course, I'll have to use it for a few weeks to really get the hang of it. How is your iPhone relationship working out? Share your reviews, tips and observations in the Geeky Things I Love group. To learn how to share, see list below. I know that this long list looks scary, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it'll be a snap the second time around.

First of all, join the Geeky Things I Love
Click "Create and Share!" on the left hand side
Choose "Blog"
Give your photo a Title
Leave the category as "general"
Change the channel to "technology and gadgets"
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this post was "museum, Lego")
Click on the "Add Image" link below the "body" box
A popup window will happen - click on "Browse" to find your image on your computer
Once you have the image chosen, click "Submit"
The popup will show you your image, choose size: "normal" - if you want, you can give it a title (which will show up as a caption)
Click "Insert" and the popup will go away
Your "body" box will now have some text in it. Leave it as is. If you want to add some text before the picture telling me why you love the download, do it before the code that has appeared.
Click Submit

So join the Geeky Things I Love and start sharing your observations. They might end up on the geeksugar homepage.

One Day With the Samsung Focus S

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:15:37 PST

You may have noticed how excited we've been about the Windows Phone operating system around these parts, so of course, I jumped at the chance to review the Samsung Focus S ($200) on AT&T. This lean and mean phone comes with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus touch screen and is only 8.5 mm at its thinnest point. But take away all the impressive specs and the cool features that come packed in Windows Phone Mango, and it's simply an enjoyable device that can become quite the addiction.

I spent one day with the Samsung Focus S, using it instead of my iPhone 4S during a typical workday. Check out my first impressions (and stay tuned for a full review) in the slideshow!

Gear Review: Nike+Armband For iPhone

Kristen Hawley — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 03:45:50 PST

Full disclosure: I am not a huge armband fan; I much prefer clipping a smaller iPod Nano or Shuffle to my shoulder during a run or other workout. But, after becoming addicted to music-streaming service Rdio, which requires a 3G or Internet connection to work, I decided to hit the treadmill with my new Nike+Armband for the iPhone ($34).

The arm band itself is extremely lightweight and made from nylon and spandex. It fits your phone very snugly; the only openings are for inserting the phone and attaching headphones. Volume and power buttons are covered by material but labeled appropriately. The front is made of a thin layer of plastic for access to the phone's screen and home button. The armband is thin and lined with velcro. Find out what I thought about it after the break.

How to Publish Your Own Book in 2012

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:40:45 PST

If writing a book is always the resolution left behind once the calendar runs out, make 2012 the year to finally get your novel out of your brain and onto the page. The fear of being rejected by publisher after publisher can set you back, but more than ever, self-published novelists are turning to ebooks to make their mark on their own.

Ebooks are gaining some serious ground in sales, even being recognized by the New York Times Book Review. It just goes to show that if you've got an awesome manuscript, you don't have to wait for a publisher to pick it up - you can self publish on digital formats with limited to no investment. Find out how you can get your ebooks on Kindles, Nooks, iPads, and mobile devices all around the world with the outlets below. Happy writing!

Barnes & Noble PubIt! - Easily publish your own books through the Barnes & Noble ebook store with PubIt! Just upload your files, and PubIt! converts it to an easy to read format that can be bought and downloaded to your Nook or other B&N apps, like the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and PC. Royalty rates range from 40 percent (for any book priced under $2.98 or over $10) to 65 percent (for any book priced between $2.99 and $9.99).
Amazon Kindle Store - Get your book sold in Amazon's Kindle store and nab royalty rates of 35 to 70 percent of sale prices. The Kindle Direct Publishing program accepts Word, zipped HTML, PDF's, ePub, and plain text files, and makes your book available on the Kindle, as well as other Amazon apps for the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, PC, BlackBerry, and Android devices.

But wait, there's more - see the rest of your options after the jump.

HotelTonight: Cool Rooms at Hot Prices

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:17:39 PDT

I love to travel, so if there's ever a way for me to take a last-minute jaunt away from home, I'm in. Thankfully there's a new app in town that can make booking a last-minute hotel room a breeze. Called HotelTonight (Free) this app offers up stylish hotel rooms at low prices. Booking right through the app, you won't have to call, email, or bust out any other gadgets to reserve your room. HotelTonight gifted me with $200 in credits to check out the app myself, and below, you'll learn more about how it works along with how my staycation went last weekend.

How It Works

The budget-minded staff at HotelTonight partner up with hip, classy, and affordable hotels in each available city to offer great rates for last-minute bookings. The app gives you three hotel options per night starting at 12 p.m., and you have until the offers close at 2 a.m. to book the room and secure the deal.

Reserving a Room

Grabbing a room couldn't be easier. Just fire up the app, take a tour of the three available hotels (hotel pages include parking, room service, and amenity info, along with a map and photos), and once you've made your decision just click the "Book a Room" button on your hotel of choice. If it's your first time, you'll be asked to put in your credit card information, and HotelTonight will automatically factor in any credits you've accumulated (you get $25 in credits just for signing up, and more if you refer a friend), and charge your card accordingly. I used it myself over the past weekend and found it super easy to book a room and I got two confirmations sent to me - one via email, and one stored inside the app.

Continue reading about my experience with HotelTonight (including a few hiccups I experienced along the way) after the break.

LeapFrog to Introduce First iPhone App With Scout's ABC Garden

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:01:10 PDT

There are plenty of tot-friendly apps on the market claiming to be educational. And while some have research and educators backing it up, none have the power of the LeapFrog brand behind them – until now. With Scout's ABC Garden ($4), which hits the iTunes store on Thursday, the company brings its most iconic plush characters to life in the palm of lil one's hands (or on their mama's iPhone, iPad, or iTouch).

Similar to the company's highly-praised Leapster and Explorer units, the new app features interactive exercises designed to teach lil ones about letters and sounds. Scout and Violet (players can choose which character to use) can be personalized (just like their plush counterparts) to say up to three children's names, their favorite colors, food, and animals. Tots can then explore Scout's garden, pop bubbles, sprinkle seeds, play a whac-a-mole-like game, and listen to kid-friendly songs while practicing their letter skills. Each activity is offered three times before moving on to the next, under the belief that kids must be exposed to something three times before they've mastered it.

Keep reading to see what I thought of the app experience and if it is worth downloading!

Keep Your iPhone 4/4S Slim With the Moshi iGlaze Case

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:01:50 PDT

Some people just feel better with protection. iPhone protection, that is. I've been using the Moshi iGlaze case ($25) on my iPhone 4S for the past few days now, and I have to say - it's been a very pleasant experience. Not only does the iGlaze keep my phone from getting scratched up in the back (thanks in part to a buffer film that you attach before slapping on the case), but it also keeps my iPhone 4S looking slim and trim. The sides of the case don't protrude out, and after a while you'll barely know you've got a case on your device. What's more, there's a nice matte finish on the back of the cases of color, while the clear version virtually disappears altogether.

The Moshi iGlaze comes in the five colors you see here (along with a clear version), but you can get a closer look in the gallery!

Survive Black Friday With These 5 Apps That Make Bargain Shopping Easier

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 03:11:06 PST

Heading out to brave the crowds on Black Friday? Don't go it alone. Pack along some willing friends and family members, and load up on these apps that should make your experience much more tolerable.

ShopSavvy - Scan a bar code to see if the product you're about to buy is actually discounted. ShopSavvy scans available prices for identical products online and in nearby stores so you can see if you're getting the best deal.
Aisle411 - Android and iPhone users can get custom views of participating stores with Aisle411 to help you find what you're looking for fast. Or at least faster than the folks that don't run to the electronics section. Also included is a list maker so you know what to grab.
BFAds - Scan the available Black Friday ads, make your shopping lists, and reference items on the go. You can search by item or category, and even compare prices between stores.
Amazon Price Checker - Even though you won't likely find any Black Friday prices on this app (available for Android and iOS), you will be able to see the regular price of an item, which will tell you if they've actually been discounted, or if you're about to get scammed at the register.
Snaptell - Comparison shop while you're on the go with this app that lets you snap a pic of the item in question, then provides reviews and prices from various stores.

15 Web Sites For Finding Deals Online

Kiplinger — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:59:08 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

We've tested and picked 15 Web sites we think are easy to use and will help you save money all year. Even if you don't end up buying online, it never hurts to find the best deals on the Web before you hit the stores. Then you can comparison shop and make better choices. We also list three smart-phone applications that will help you get deals in stores. Take a look:

Find deals

If your number-one goal is to score deals, start by checking out sites that do the bargain hunting for you. Deal sites scour the Web for discounted items - saving you both time and money.

Our favorite deal site still is dealnews, which has a team of deal hunters keeping their eyes on a million products at more than 2,000 online retailers. Plus merchants and the site's visitors tip them off to bargains. The deal hunters hand pick the best deals among the thousands they get daily and update the site at least 200 times a day, says Dan de Grandpre, founder and chief executive of dealnews.

The site also bans stores with poor customer service. Plus, you can sign up for e-mail or RSS alerts for products or stores you're interested in and get gift ideas from the site. Dealnews also has added a local deals section to help you find discounts at brick-and-mortar stores near you.

GottaDeal.com is another great source of deals. You may find some here that you won't find at dealnews (we did recently).

A reader favorite is Slickdeals.net, a user-driven deal sharing site. It features a few deals on its homepage daily, but its forums are where you'll hundreds of deals posted daily.

Read on for more great deal websites.

Post Your Geek Gear Reviews in Our Community Group!

GeekSugar — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 01:21:18 PDT

We all get excited when we get a new tech toy, so don't keep your opinions to yourself - post your thoughts about the new products in your life to our Geek Gear Reviews group! Tell us if your new iPhone case is crappy, if your shiny new laptop is totally worth the price, or if that new video game you bought (and spent hours playing) is really worth our time. What you review is totally up to you!

What do you have to do to get started? First, you'll want to log in with your PopSugar Network account (or create one if you aren't a member yet). Then join the Geek Gear Review group, and get to blogging! Bonus - your review may end up being featured on GeekSugar! If you need some additional tips, here's a detailed guide on how to post to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community. Happy reviewing!