gadget news and reviews

Verizon’s New Early Termination Fees +

Just a few years ago, every Verizon Wireless customer was eligible towards a $100 discount when they upgraded their phone after their two-year contract expired. In 2007, I wrote an article about Verizon downgrading their Upgrade Plan. Their new “Every Two Plan” would only entitle customers paying over $80 a month on services a $100 discount towards a new phone, while the rest only received a $50 discount. They recently once again made some changes which has upset many customers.

Verizon Wireless’s latest changes apply to their Early Termination Fee (ETF). Normally if you choose to cancel your two-year contract, there would be a $175 fee for any device. As of November 15th, there’s a new fee for Smartphone owners, categorized as “advance devices” by Verizon. If you were to purchase a smartphone such as the Motorola Droid and decide to switch providers or cancel your contract, you’ll now have to pay a $350 ETF. If you moved to a new location that doesn’t have signal and decided to cancel your service the second month into the contract, that would mean you would end up paying nearly $550 for just the device. While Verizon does knock $10 off the ETF each month, that’s still a $130 left over to shell out 22 months into a contract. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) has even introduced a bill to revert this change since it’s “anti-competitive” and “anti-consumer.” As for now, fortunately, non-smartphone devices still only have a $175 ETF.

It’s true that the devices such as the Motorola Droid are heavily subsidized; otherwise we would have to pay a couple hundred bucks extra up front. However the required Smartphone data plans with the cheapest calling plans will still cost an average customer nearly $2000 over a two-year period. Even with the subsidy for the device calculated in, that’s still large amount to spend. While this won’t affect customers that don’t plan on canceling their contracts, it would still be nice to at least see Verizon increase the amount knocked off the ETF each month by at least a couple dollars so that the ETF would be close to zero a month before a contract ends.

While it’s great to see new high tech phones with more features become available for lower prices each year, it’s a bit depressing when you realize the service cost through just about every provider hasn’t.

What do you all think about the increased ETF? Is it fair to charge Smartphone owners more?

Links: VerizonWireless.com

Black Friday 2009 Tech Buying Guide +

Black Friday is just 5 days away. In all the chaos that’s bound to happen, it’s best to plan before heading out. To help all you geeks out there, we’ve got a “master list” to all the tech deals out there. This includes just about everything from Cameras, DVDs, Flash Drives, GPS Navigators, Hard Drives, Laptops, Memory Cards, Phones, Printers, Routers, TVs, and Video Games. So before you to show up at a random electronics store on November 27th, look through our tech guide. Don’t be unprepared. The file includes a comprehensive list of names of retail stores, opening times, items, and their prices listed.

Download:
black-friday-2009-tech-buying-guide.xlsx (~116 KB)
Download is only a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. We don’t distribute spyware/malware/adware.

I should also mention that Skatter Tech did not create this list, only modified it. I found it on Gophn.com who updated the FatWallet.com list. I’ve stripped out everything that doesn’t have to relate to gadgets for all you geeks out there! I’ll do my best to add any new information thought the next few days.

Related Links: BlackFriday.info | BFAds.net | FatWallet.com | SlickDeals.net

Video: Install Chrome OS In VirtualBox 38

Google Chrome was announced yesterday. As a geek, the first thing I naturally wanted to do was install it. Since I don’t have an extra machine lying around, the easiest way to do so is to run it virtually on my existing machine. So I decided to make a quick screen cast on how to install Google Chrome OS in VirtualBox. (Credit for the idea goes to UbuntuForums) It’s actually quite easy, even if you’re computer illiterate. To get started, just watch the video below:

Things Needed:

• Download & Install VirtualBox (Free)
• Download & Unzip the Chrome OS image (via GDGT.com)

Update: Looks like GDGT posted a image for VirtualBox as well. However it doesn’t seem to work. Just stick to the VMWare .vmdk file for use with VirtualBox as I did. Otherwise it just loads a black screen.

That’s pretty much it. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask below!

Links: Watch This in HD on Vimeo.com

Google Announces Chromium OS 4

It’s finally here. After an announcement earlier this year, Google finally revealed their new open-source project named Chromium OS. As the name implies, it’s closely associated with the fairly new and increasingly popular Google Chrome browser. Although it won’t be available to users for another year, they plan to work with the open source community and developers to make improvements before an official launch. Just about every line of code is available to anyone who wishes to contribute to the project. Google hopes to begin to make final implementations to the code through out the next year.

For the most part, it’s unlike any other operating system. It focuses at making the web a better experience rather than on local desktop applications. Chromium tries to utilize Google’s vastly growing “cloud computer” network. Instead of installing applications, most will run right out of a browser, while still offering a similar experience. The entire OS caters to the idea of a light weight operating system. Most data will be stored on Google’s network instead of your computer’s hard drive. Google also boasts safer working environment since each application would be contained within a “sandbox,” preventing access to other bits of data on your machine. It supposedly can fix itself with a simple reboot if the base code becomes damaged. Reboots don’t take long either, Chromium takes just a few seconds to start up.

With that kept in mind, the OS will initially be designed for low-powered Netbooks. It won’t be able to replace a full Windows, Macintosh, or Linux system anytime soon, but it would be a great complement.

Links: Chromium.org | YouTube – “What is Google Chrome?”

Update: Install Google Chrome OS in VirtualBox (Video)

Photos: HTC Droid Eris vs. HTC Hero 3

A few weeks ago, Skatter Tech published a review of the Sprint HTC Hero. Shortly after, Verizon Wireless announced their iteration of the phone, entitled the Droid Eris. Both run on the same version of the Android OS and have nearly same hardware specifications. There are a couple of software differences, but what sets them apart are the looks. The Hero has a lighter colored body with a silver/chrome coat, while the Eris has a darker black body. My review of the Eris is only a couple of days away, in the mean time enjoy the gallery to see how they look besides one another:

While you are waiting for the review of the Droid Eris to go live, please feel free to subscribe to our RSS Feed or sign up for Email Subscriptions. If you haven’t heard, we’re also on Facebook and Twitter!

UPDATE: Droid Eris Review is here!

iPhone App: Delivery Status Touch +

As someone who reviews gadgets, I constantly receive and ship packages through different carriers. Although I receive email updates from couriers including DHL, Fedex, UPS, and USPS, I’ve always been looking for a convenient tool to track all of them with my iPhone. After messing with many Apps, I finally came across one that works: Delivery Status Touch by Junecloud.

After grabbing the Delivery Status Touch from the iTunes App Store, it’s quite easy to start using. Just tap the Edit button, and click the ‘+’ icon to add a new item to track. Just about every major domestic delivery service I’ve used was listed and there are quite a few international ones as well. There’s even tracking tools for Amazon, Apple, and Google Checkout orders. Once you choose the service, you’ll have to key in the tracking number and pick a name. Fortunately since the iPhone now has copy and paste, it’s quite simple to grab the code from an email and enter it into this App. Although it might be overkill, I would truly be impressed if they added Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for use with the Camera. I would love to be able to just take a snap of the tracking number on a sheet of paper.

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Are Netbooks With Contracts Worth It? 4

Netbooks have become a popular trend in recent years. They are popular amongst college students since they offer a great battery life and are affordable. Even many business customers purchase these as a complement to their regular machine for travel. Although the capabilities of these Netbooks are limited and they don’t offer nearly as much performance or features as a standard computer, it’s still an easy and affordable way for people to get online.

An average brand-name Netbook (e.g. Dell, HP) with a standard 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor and 1GB of RAM costs about $300. Cell Phone carriers including AT&T and Verizon now offer subsidized Netbooks with a 3G Wireless Broadband card built in. So the big question: “Is it worth purchasing a Netbook with a contract?” The simple answer is NO.

For example, let’s take a look at the HP Mini 110. It retails for about $300 excluding tax straight from HP.com. Verizon Wireless offers the same configuration of the Mini 110 for a subsidized price of $150. Half-off seems like a great deal, but it’s not. First there’s a $35 activation fee. Next you’ll have to sign-up for a data plan that costs $60 per month for just 5GB of data. I should note that there’s also a $40/month data plan that offers just 250MB of data. Considering that I feel 5GB itself is too little, 250MB is just ridiculous. Plus there’s also a 2-year contract associated with the device. To get out, you’ll have to pay the $175 early termination fee. So if you add that up here’s what you get:

$150 (HP Mini 110) + $35 (Activation Fee) + $1440 (5GB Plan, $60 x 24 Months) = $1625.

Keep in mind that I didn’t include tax either. That’s nearly the cost of a fairly high-end Dell XPS laptop or MacBook Pro. Although Netbooks are a great tool, it’s not a good idea to spend that much for one and be stuck with it for two years. The technology is evolving and new models that run faster and longer keep coming out. Dual Core Atom processors are probably going to hit Netbooks within the next few months. Your Netbook will be outdated in no time. Unless you need a computer with 3G Broadband at all times, it might be better just to use hotspots when you need access. If you decide to upgrade your netbook every year, you can do so and still end up paying less than half of what a contracted Netbook costs. If you really need broadband on the go, either try to add a tethering plan to your current phone, grab a MiFi that works with multiple devices, or a separate 3G USB Modem.

Links: AT&T Netbooks | Verizon Netbooks

Skatter Tech Gets Facebook Connect 12

About two months ago, Skatter Tech upgraded the commenting infrastructure by adding threaded comments. Today I’ve got some good news. Facebook users can now “connect” to Skatter Tech with just one-click. Just scroll down to the commenting area, click on the “Connect with Facebook” button. If you aren’t already logged into Facebook, you’ll be prompted to do so. Afterward, your profile image, name, and a link to your profile will appear each time you leave a comment. You can even share the blurb expressed here with your friends on Facebook immediately!.

Of course, if you wish to opt-out after signing up, you can do so easily at anytime. Just hit the logout button or delete the Skatter Tech App in your Facebook App settings. We honor Facebook’s privacy settings so your real name and profile photo won’t appear if you have it locked down. Also we haven’t done away with the traditional commenting system. You’ll always be able to manually type in your information and even pick a Gravatar when posting a comment!

So what are you waiting for? Leave a Facebook-powered Comment below!

Links: Skatter Tech Facebook Fan Page

Now Shipping: Nokia N900 3

After the launch of the Motorola Droid, BlackBerry Storm2, and HTC Hero, another smartphone is about to hit the market. The Nokia N900, stands out from the rest by trying to offer a “PC-like experience.” Much of the ideology behind Nokia’s internet tablets is packed into the N900.

It all starts with the hardware. It’s shocking. With a 600MHz processor and 1GB of RAM, the phone resembles the configuration of a high end laptop just about 10 years ago. The 3.5 inch display packs 800 x 480 pixels, just a bit short of what the Droid offers. But it’s also has 32GB of on-board flash memory and even offers 16GB microSDHC card expansion. There’s also a 5 megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, HSPA 10Mbps, a FM Transmitter, and a microUSB data port.

As for the software, which has recently been a trending topic in regards to smart phones, the Nokia N900 runs on Maemo 5. If you haven’t heard of it, that’s because it’s fairly new. It’s a Linux-based open source OS and it deviates from using Symbian, which is found on just about every other Nokia phone. And of course, it’s quite powerful with multi-tasking, a Mozilla-based browser that supports Flash and AJAX, multi-protocol instant messaging, VoIP Skype support, and a consolidated all-in-one contact manager.

That’s just touching the surface of what this phone has to offer. An unlocked version of the Nokia N900 is already up for Pre-Orders on Amazon for $559. While I try get in contact with Nokia for a review unit, please enjoy some product shots of the phone that were included in the official press kit:

Pre-Order: Nokia N900 for $559
Links: Nokia.com N900

Windows 7 Dual Monitor Snap Tip 2

I recently wrote about setting up Dual Monitors in Windows 7 and today I’ve got a tip to alleviate some issues many of those users face. Although Windows 7 handles multiple monitors better than Windows Vista, it’s still faces a few issues. The new window Snap feature is a great addition and works seamlessly with a single display, however it faces a major issue when using two or more displays. The “half-screen” snap will only work on the far left and right ends of your display. Windows 7 won’t snap programs to the halves to the left and right of the center divider. There’s no telling why Microsoft decided to leave this feature out, but it definitely causes a major drop in productivity.

• Snap Right: WIN Key + Right
• Snap Left: WIN Key + Left

Fortunately after digging through the “internets,” I found a solution workaround. To move an active window to the left or right half of the center divider, just hit the WIN Key + Right or WIN Key + Left. Repeatedly pressing through either combo continually moves the window to all the possible snap positions. You can also add the SHIFT key as another modifier to have it jump to the same position on the next display. I’m definitely not a fan of having to do this and would have definitely preferred a visual method, but it’s the best option at the moment. It’s a lot better than manually resizing windows…

Microsoft, if you’re listening, please make a small tweak or two for Service Pack 1.