HTC Evo 3D Seidio Convert Case Review

I was fortunate enough to win a Seidio Convert case for my Evo 3D from one of my favorite Evo websites Good and Evo. Just thought I make a quick video to share my thoughts on the case.

FREE Apps at the Amazon Android Appstore

I've been telling people about Amazon's Appstore for months and I don't know why I never blogged about it, but.... Amazon has their own Android Appstore and if you haven't heard about it I'd definitely recommend checking it out. Not because its better than the Android Market Place or even easier to use, nope! It gives away one paid app for FREE daily! I have it installed just for that reason. It was a good plan for Amazon who is likely setting things up for an upcoming Android based Amazon Tablet. It also provides an added level of security for developers that help prevent pirating and theft of their apps. If I'm not mistaken I think they even claim to screen apps better providing safer app downloading for you, the end user as well.

But back to the important part; everyday a new paid app is featured and can be downloaded for free! Once downloaded it is saved to your Amazon account and can be uninstalled and re-downloaded at will.... So, I've started downloading any free app of interest and just uninstalling it, going back to my downloads list in the Amazon Appstore and re-downloading (if) when I want to use the apps. This works really well for games that I don't play often but maybe want on my phone when traveling. I currently have over 20 free apps in my account of which I probably have five or less installed.

It does take a few extra steps to install the Appstore and to install apps from the Appstore, than it does in the Android Market, but it's well worth it; and these aren't just crap games and apps either they frequently give away more expensive apps and games. Many of the $5 apps I download automatically if I even think they are or could be useful at some point. Also, they often get exclusives on apps when they are first released; Angry Birds Rio was launched as an Amazon Appstore exclusive before finding its way to the Market.

DOWNLOAD and INSTRUCTIONS

Or install with QR code

Sources: Android Tapp,  Android Headlines

Mix Tape Break - Top Mixtapes of 2011 (for now)

Well its been a while since we've taken a break from tech-related news for a mix-tape break. My homie Sterling is back again with his mixtape picks highlighting the top mixtapes of 2011 so far. Some of these are my favorites as well and a few are new to me too.  Hope you enjoy; download links attached (Click Mixtape name).....

Wiz Khalifa – Cabin Fever (Feb. 2011)

Curren$y – Covert Coup (Apr. 2011)

U.S.D.A. – CTE or Nothing (Feb. 2011)

Childish Gambino – EP (Mar. 2011)

Chip Tha Ripper – Gift Raps (Mar. 2011)

The Weeknd – House of Balloons (Mar. 2011)

Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra (Apr. 2011)

The Game - Purp & Patron (Jan. 2011)

Young Jeezy – The Real Is Back (May 2011)

Big K.R.I.T. – Returnof4eva (Mar. 2011)

.... You may have noticed many of these mixtapes can be found on Datpiff.com. Which makes this a great time to talk about one of my favorite music apps... Datpiff mobile app.  If you've never used it this is an app you definitely want to grab from the market. It lets you download or stream music right from the app. You can download or listen to an entire mixtape or individual songs right on your phone. I use it all the time to listen to new music and download mixtapes and songs I like. Check it out!

 Check out the Datpiff app in the Android Market here. I believe there is an iPhone version in the Apple AppStore too

   

Swyper No Swyping: HTC + Swype = HTC Trace

One of the nice new features many people may overlook on their shiny new Evo 3D's (or T-Mobile's HTC Sensation pictured above) allows users to get Swype-like functionality right on the stock HTC keyboard! I've never been the biggest fan of Swype, preferring HTC default keyboard; but now there is no need to choose (unless you are a die-hard Swype fan).  I'm not sure if Trace matches all the intricacies of Swype's functionality, but I've always felt that it could be useful in certain situations if integrated into HTC keyboard and apparently they thought the same and decided to swype the design from their competitors.  I'm curious to hear from die-hard Swypers; how does it measure up to Swype?



  

Sprint's HTC EVO 3D

The day has finally come and my Evo 3D is in hand and I must say I am thoroughly impressed thus far. I've only had a limited amount of time to play with it so here are my initial impressions so far:

The Actual Phone:

Picking the phone up it immediately feels better than the Evo 4G. Its a bit more narrow and a smidge longer but this redesign in shape makes it more comfortable to hold. The build quality seems better too. It just feels a bit more solid and the battery door (which wraps around the enitre phone) seems to fit more snug than its predescessor and feels like it is built better. The Evo 4G battery door felt flimsy and cheap in my opinion, whereas the Evo 3D's door is solid and has a nice textured design on the back which feels great and adds grip. I will say that the huge dual camera bay is going to take some getting used to; there really is no way to hold it with out having your hands all over the camera(s), aside from this however the phone feels great in hand! I have no complaints about the power button like I read in some other early reviews/previews. Weight seems to be very close to the original Evo and overall it feels a little better in my pocket (most likely due to it being slimmer).

Camera:

So far I'm really impressed with the new camera's 2D functionality. The E3D uses the top camera when taking pics in 2D and despite it being 5MP instead of 8MP like the OG Evo the pics are better! This is due to improved camera sensors and camera software. Pics are taken much faster when the shutter button is pushed and the camera app itself can be launched much faster. The actual physical shutter button (another reason for my upgrade) is amazing! It feels great (very solid build quality) and has the ability to be pressed halfway to focus and then fully to take the shot, like a real camera shutter button.  It definitely makes taking photos easier and more enjoyable. The on screen camera button on the original Evo made it difficult to snap pics and hold the phone sometimes, especially since the display is so large.  If you use your Evo as your main camera like me you will LOVE the new shutter button! There have also been some enhancements to the on-screen user interface that really streamline the navigation of camera functions. 

Screen:
The Evo 3D upgrades the display form the Evo 4G's TFT display with 800 x 480 resolution to a 4.3" 960 x 540 resolution display and it is immediately noticeable.  The E3D's screen is more crisp, colors seem more natural and because of the increased resolution it can fit more onto the screen. So for example, when looking at a list such as contacts you can see more on the screen (10 contacts versus 7) which means less scrolling is required.  The screen is really impressive and is one of the main reasons I wanted to upgrade; it really keeps the E3D on par with other next-gen super-phones.

3D:
When the Evo 3D was announced the 3D feature initially was a turn off for me and almost made me skip this phone. After seeing the other specs I knew I couldn't pass it up, but 3D was still not a deciding factor for me. I honestly feel like 3D in general is a bit of a gimmick. With that out of the way, I'm actually impressed by the 3D functions on the Evo 3D... I'm not sure if that will wear off over time or not but it's something I think I'd rather have than not, especially since it can easily be cut off.

The 3D is kinda weird to look at, and everyone has a different reaction. Some say it hurts their eyes, it doesn't bother mine but it is a little trippy.  You have to be looking at the screen at just the right angle and it sort of pops into focus! The Evo 3D comes with a demo for a Spiderman 3D game, Green Hornet in 3D and some sample pics that all look and play great! They really do an excellent job of showcasing the E3D's 3D capabilities.  I also watched some YouTube videos in 3D that where really impressive. I am actually looking forward to utilizing the 3D capabilities of the phone. Now if Netflix would just get some 3D movies...

Edit: I got a chance to take some more 3D movies and pics and... WOW!!! I am very impressed this is something I definitely can see myself using more!

HTC Sense 3.0:

I'm a fan of Sense and despite some of its short comings I tend to prefer it over other alternate launchers available in the market; Sense 3.0 makes this even more true! I feel that HTC does a great job of offering extended functionality and allowing customization that is easy to use and doesn't require rooting or advanced tweaking. It adds nice cosmetic improvements like 3D-ish transitions between screens and nice new weather effects.  HTC Hub lets you download themes, widgets, apps, various ringtones and notifications, wallpapers and skins to customize your phone; even down to details as small as the highlights when you make selections on your phone (which is something you typically need to root and or do advance tweaking to do). The lock screen is amazing with new animated lock screens such as weather or floating pics from your albums and customization quick launch options for up to four apps! There are a lot of small tweaks that really make it an even more enjoyable experience; like the ability to quickly access important settings and recently used apps from the notification bar. Another nice tweak that must be turned on in settings is the ability to activate Swype-like features right in the stock HTC keyboard. I haven't tried this much yet, but I think it is a feature that I will really enjoy. I always thought Swype could be useful if I could easily switch between it and my stock HTC keyboard and now I don't have to its built right in!

I haven't had much time to test the battery life yet, but so far it seems to be really good.  I have to test it more to make a final decision. Also I'm still on the fence about the updates that have been pushed out to "fix" some minor bugs; some are saying that it significantly improves their battery life, but others are saying that it causes new issues, so I have not updated mine yet.... But so far I'm very impressed and think this will be an excellent device and it is easily a worthy upgrade from the original Evo 4G... Check out the videos and pics before and I'll continue to play with the phone and post my impressions.

 

Screen shots borrowed from Geekfor.me

  

HTC EVO Shift 4G Gets Updated to Gingerbread

After the Evo got its update to Android 2.3 (2.3.3 to be exact) a week or so ago it's keyboard equipped sibling the Evo Shift 4G will be getting its update too, just before the new big sibling the Evo 3D drops. Monday June 20th Sprint will start its OTA (over-the-air) updates to all Evo Shifts. Be on the lookout for the notice on your phone. Or if you don't want to wait Sprint has announced that the update is available now by manually starting it. Simply  press your MENU key from the home screen, go to SETTINGS, then SYSTEM UPDATES, then HTC SOFTWARE UPDATE. Your phone should start the download and run the necessary process to upgrade. In addition to the improvements in Gingerbread you'll get improved download management, fixes for media streaming and a few other tweaks.  I've really been enjoying Gingerbread on my Evo just from the improved battery life and enhanced cut-and-paste capabilities. I've read that updates have been going smooth and come with some enhancements to HTC Sense too, moving it to version 2.1! It also adds SWYPE for all you fans of this keyboard. Now if I could get a very special lady in my life to let me upgrade her Shift early.... lol ;) ;)

  

Sprint's HTC EVO 3D Review of Reviews

The official hands on reviews of the Evo 3D are beginning to come out and so far so good... Well except for Engadget's.  Most of the reviews found the E3D to be a great; emphasizing the main reason I want it, those 1.2GHz dual processors. Reports are saying that the phone is FAST!!! I cant wait. I love my OG Evo but I definitely push it to it's max running multiple apps almost constantly and multi-tasking like crazy, an extra processor should help with these issues.

Most of the reviews say the increased battery capacity helps; maybe not as much as hoped, but it improves noticeably. Honestly, even Engadget's review which said it wasn't to great gave it 14hrs 44mins with all radios on taking 80 pics and video (with 50% of it being in 3D) sounds pretty good to me. I'm pretty confident I can't get much more mileage out of the E3D with proper settings and still nearly 15hrs with 4G on alone is an improvement over what I see on my Evo 4G. (BTW looking at pics w/out battery cover show that the larger battery and dual cameras take up the space where the kickstand would've gone)

Engadget also slammed the camera and said that the optics on the camera cover created rings and basically that it was just not a great shooter; whereas other sites seemed to praise at least its 2D capabilities. I'm not surprised at all that most reviewers found the 3D to be  bit "gimmicky". I honestly feel all 3D tech is a bit gimmicky at this point and like many of the reviews I feel that the rest of the phone's specs hold their own with or without the 3D icing! But it seems clear that for some people the 3D just isn't a good experience some reviewers said it was even painful and nauseating, so you may want to try it out for yourself once its out.

The display is another area there where mixed reviews. It was criticized for its poor viewing angles, 3D funkiness and not having as vibrant colors as the Super AMOLED- Plus toting Galaxy S II.  But other reviews said the clarity was great and it has a much improved display that sits with the best available soooo... idk. I know it wont be as vibrant as a Samsung Super AMOLED-Plus and I can live with that. I was geeked tho, to find out that the screen is covered in Gorilla Glass, a super strong glass that helps prevents cracks and scratches. As far as the viewing angles.... Its a phone. When I hold it, can I see it? Yeah? Ok, we're good lol.  I honestly wouldn't mind reduced viewing angles for some privacy. One down side to these new massive screens is that it makes it too easy for nosy bystanders to look at your screen over your shoulder or while next to you. I wouldn't mind if their unwanted viewing angle was not view-able lol.

Finally, one last  area of concern was that reviews stated it had poor call clarity/quality... This is another one I will have to test for myself. I have never tried a phone after reading it had poor call quality and truly felt like it was a big deal. I guess my expectations just aren't as high or I have never truly experienced superior call quality. I'm sure it will meet my modest needs as long as it is loud enough and I can hear what you are saying I'm sure it'll be fine for me. But that's just me. I've just apparently never been as critical as these reviewers in this department and I doubt the average user is either. I never heard anyone I know say "Man I love this new phone, but the call clarity isn't good enough I think I'm returning it". Again, could just be me, but we'll see.

 I am not swayed and will still be getting my Evo 3D next week, then I will decide what I think is good or bad about the phone and determine whether or not to keep it. Tho I'm pretty sure since it upgrades my beloved Evo 4G in every area that matters I will be sticking with the Evo 3D until the next Evo with better specs (or slightly improved specs sans 3D) is offered. It's important to remember with any device, especially smart phones, if you buy it when it first comes out there will likely be some bugs! That's early-adopter 101! Most of the concerns in the reviews can and will be addressed in firmware updates before, at or slighlty after launch. Believe, Sprint is going to take care of their new baby. Like I said I'll have mine come launch day... What about you?!

Check out some of the early reviews below and share your thoughts!









Sources:
Engadget
The Wall Street Journal
CNET
This Is My Next
Boy Genius Report
Phone Scoop

  

Transitioning From The OG EVO 4G to The EVO 3D

If your upgrading like me or thinking of upgrading from the OG EVO 4G to the upcoming (June 24th) EVO 3D, you might want to check out this handy comparison chart posted over on Good and Evo's blog. The EVO has been the best phone I've ever had and is arguably one of the top phones to date, so it definitely isn't necessary to upgrade but lets be real the EVO 3D is a beast! In addition to the 3D features which may or may not excite you, it improves upon it's one year old sibling in many other categories. EVO 3D has more horsepower; 1.2GHz dual-core processor, double the RAMof the original EVO with 1GB and four times thee internal storage at 4GB of ROM helping the phone handle all the apps you throw at it even better. The Evo 3D has a superior 4.3" qHD screen, so while it is the same size it has much better clarity and resolution (960x540 pixels to the EVO 4G's 800x480). It has dual 5MP cameras instead of the EVO 4G's 8MP shooter but it is a better quality camera sensor, recording 1080p 2D video (vs the OG EVO's 780p) in addition to 720p 3D video. The E3D has a combined HDMI and microUSB port called a MHL port instead of the separate microUSB and HDMI ports so yes you will need another cord if you already bought an HDMI cord, but luckily MHL is becoming the new standard for mobile devices.  Another big plus for the EVO 3D is the increased capacity battery; the E3D has a 1730mAh battery vs the EVO 4G's 1500mAh.  I'm sure many will want it for the increased battery alone lol.  When you take into consideration the $200 price tag for new/upgrading customers this is a great deal.  No one is losing here tho because the still very capable OG EVO is seeing price cuts all over the place!

Edit: Almost forgot to mention the enhanced HTC Sense 3.0 "skin" that HTC puts over Android 2.3 Gingerbread. I've been playing with some Sense 3.0 ROMS on my EVO 4G and I am pretty impressed! I'll post a video below to show some of the new Sense 3.0 features.

For me the 3D is just icing, The 1.2Ghz battery, upgraded (2D) camera specs, increased RAM/ROM, and battery capacity are enough. I will be counting down the days until this beast drops I can't wait.

Source:
Good and Evo

  

Sprint's Motorola Photon 4G

Sprint is coming hard with super Android 4G handsets! Following the upcoming Evo 3D, Sprint will be dropping the Motorola Photon 4G that comes with a few more industry firsts! It is the first US global phone with 4G connectivity, the first Moto 4G phone for Sprint and the first Motorola phone with a kick stand! The Photon will have a 4.3" qHD display, 1GHz dual-core NVIDIA TEgra 2 processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and Gingerbread (Android 2.3) as well as the newest version of Motorola's GUI skin MOTO Blur (Which could be a good or bad thing depending on your preferences). It also has a dedicated camera button, and USB and HDMI ports which should work with upcoming Moto docks and it has "enterprise-friendly security" features. The kick-stand is a "smart" kick-stand that automatically puts it into landscape mode, and it has a 8MP shooter on back with a VGA cam in the front for video chat. The Photon 4G is set to drop this summer!

The Photon will also be capable of HDMI mirroring allowing you to connect to your TV for gaming, videos and photo sharing. Check out the vid of gaming via HDMI mirroring below.



Looks like Sprint customers will have some great options this summer!

  













Sources:
Engadget
Android Community

Skype Video Chat for HTC Thunderbolt

Verizon showed it off, made promises, but did not deliver Skype with video calling upon release of its first LTE 4G phone the HTC Thunderbolt. But the file has been leaked and is waiting for you to download and install! Reports so far state that it runs well on 4G/WiFi and decent on 3G. I just did a test call from my laptop to my friends Thunderbolt and it seemed to work pretty well. I was really impressed with the sound quality.  Unfortunately the app only works for the Thunderbolt (tried on my Evo to no avail), but this is still a good thing for all of Android.  Just like the original (video call-less) Skype app for Android started as a VZW exclusive and was later released to all Android handsets, the video enabled version will eventually be available to all as well.  Hopefully some skilled developers and hackers will make that happen sooner than Skype or more accurately Verizon has planned.  Download the app from one of the links below and give it a try!

Download:
Thunderbolt Skype App [mirror] [mirror2]

Source: Droid Life

  

Xoom or Wait?

So after a long tablet-deprived wait I finally got my hands on a WiFi-Only Motorola Xoom.  In exchange for $600 bucks the Wifi Xoom is basically identical to its Verizon 3G/4G enabled counterpart. The Xoom has a  1Ghz dual core Tegra 2 processor, front and back cameras (5MP shooter on back with a front facing cam for video chat), Android 3.0 Honeycomb (Google's newest version of Android optimized for tablets) and a 10.1" Display.

I immediately fell in love with the Xoom, but after a few days that all changed because of glitches and bugs.  I really liked having an Android tablet and would strongly recommended checking out the Xoom, but I returned mine.  There are just too many other Android Tablets on the horizon.  HTC, LG, Samsung, Asus, and Acer all have some pretty competitive tablets coming in the next few months; not to mention tablets from HP (Palm) and Blackberry.  The Xoom's quirks and bugs will be resolved in the coming weeks undoubtedly, but the Xoom is only the tip of the Tablet-iceberg.  Many more options are coming and I will be holding out to explore them.  More competition means more variety in features and hopefully more competitive pricing. So the big question for those looking for and Android tablet is Xoom or Wait?

Check out my video review of the Xoom below. Let me know what you think

Motorola XOOM Tablet Specs
OS	Android 3.0 (Honeycomb)
Differentiation	Larger and higher-resolution display in smaller form-factor, first tablet with Honeycomb software, dual-core 1GHz processor, and a wide range of docking options
Dimensions	249.1mm (h) x 167.8mm (w) x 12.9mm (d)
Display	10.1” 1280x800 resolution
Weight	~25 ounces
Processor	1GHz dual-core processor
Battery	Up to 10 hours video playback
Connectivity	3.5mm, micro USB 2.0 HS, Corporate Sync, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR + HID
Network	802.11n b/g/n
Messaging/Web/Apps	Email (Corporate Sync, Google Mail, POP3/IMAP embedded) , WebKit w/ Flash
Audio	AAC, AAC+, AMR NB, AMR WB, MP3, XMF
Video	HD capture/playback/streaming, H.263, H.264, MPEG4
Camera	5 MP rear-facing camera with dual LED flash/2MP front-facing webcam
Memory	32GB on board user memory, microSD card support after future software update, 1GB DDR2 RAM

Some of the upcoming Tablets that I am waiting to see:

HTC Evo View 4G/HTC Flyer


Asus Eee Pad Transformer


Asus Eee Pad Slider