scattered technology news

Photos: HTC Droid Eris vs. HTC Hero 2

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!

Samsung Reclaim M560 – Sprint (Review) 0

As living a “green lifestyle” has been on the top of the public’s mind, the tech industry has tried to create gadgets to appeal to the growing audience. Sprint has taken an active stance to promote the eco-friendly technology campaign. It’s rare to see corporations taking or at least trying to take responsibility to protect the environment. The Samsung Reclaim is one of those devices. Although it may not have all the bells and whistles a smartphone may have, it’s worth taking a look at since it’s made almost entirely from recycled materials and leaves a lighter footprint on our environment.

Body Design: 4/5 stars
Keeping with the environmental theme, the Samsung Reclaim is available to customers in two colors: “Ocean Blue” and “Earth Green”. Although the colors are quite bright and standout, it has a nice glossy feel and texture. Plus, it stands out and is a nice change from the standard black and silver trimmed phones that most phones have today. The Reclaim has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, which is great for texting. Although they keys were somewhat narrow and cramped, it should be fine after some getting used to. There are dedicated left/right soft keys and send/end buttons. A speakerphone key, okay, and back key are also included. The large size and color almost reminded me of Fisher Price toys, but they are solid and comfortable. There’s also a volume rocker and a camera shutter key on the side. I was also truly surprised to see a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, which even some smartphones launched earlier this year didn’t offer. There’s also a standard microSD card expansion and an micro USB port concealed under a plastic cover. Other than that, sliding out the keyboard reveals a 2 megapixel camera on the back. The device is fairly compact to fit into just about any pocket.

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iPhone App: Delivery Status Touch 0

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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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

Comparison Chart: iPhone vs. Droid 2

After my insanely in-depth Droid Review, everyone still kept asking the same question: “How does it compare to the iPhone?” Although reading my Skatter Tech review would answer that and even share a few thoughts about what this means for the smartphone industry, I thought a visual comparison wouldn’t hurt. So after some Bill Shrink inspiration, I came up with a Comparison Chart that covers a bit more about the technical differences between the two phones. And here it is, enjoy: Read More

Verizon: HTC ERIS & BlackBerry Curve 0

It’s November 6th and Verizon’s major launch of the Droid, which we reviewed earlier this week, is finally on sale! Although it might not be a well-kept secret, the HTC ERIS is also available in stores today. It’s quite similar to the Sprint HTC Hero, which we also reviewed a week ago. It runs on the Android OS, unfortunately not v2.0 like the Droid, but is available for a more affordable price of $99. That’s after a $100 rebate and a new 2-year contract, of course. For some quick specs, it’s got a 5 megapixel camera, an included 8GB microSD card, WiFi, 3.5mm headphone jack, GPS, and a Browser with Flash support.

On another note, Verizon Wireless also announced the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530. Unlike the clickable touch-screen the Storm2 features (see our review), it has traditional form factor with a physical QWERTY keyboard. Unlike older BlackBerry phones, this one does away with the trackball, replacing it with a touch-sensitive trackpad. And for some quick specs for this phone, it’s packed with WiFi, 3G, GPS, 2 megapixel camera, and mainly a lot of business/enterprise features. The Curve 9530 will be available on November 20th for $99 after a $100 rebate and signing a 2-year contract.

We will be getting a hold of both of these phones in the coming days and will be publishing full reviews shortly after. In the meantime, to be the first to read our reviews, subscribe to our RSS Feed, sign up for Email Subscriptions, or find us on Facebook or Twitter!

Motorola Droid – Verizon (Review) 21

Last week we unboxed the upcoming Motorola Droid for Verizon Wireless and now it is my privilege to give you a full review. I am too fascinated by new technology to ignore the new wave of smart phones – it’s just that I’ve regretted going in that direction in the past. Even the ever-popular Apple iPhone, the king of the smart phone, has failed to meet my expectations in the past. My first generation iPhone lacked basic features like MMS, a removable battery, and video recording. The recent stream of so-called “iPhone-Killers” created by competitors such as HTC, LG, Motorola, and Samsung have tried to improve on Apple’s shortcomings. Unfortunately, they have failed produce a superior product and experience Apple’s success.

If there is anything you should take from that last paragraph, it should be that I am hypercritical when it comes to reviewing smart phones because I have yet to experience the recipe for a so-called “iPhone-Killer”. So when I say that the Motorola Droid is my new favorite phone, you can take me seriously. Yes, yes, all of the smart phones in this generation do just about everything short of cooking for you. But the Droid just does it better with Motorola’s feature-packed hardware, Android’s new open source operating system, and Verizon’s high quality network. I’ll explain.

The Hardware
This phone is built like a tank. It weighs about an ounce more than the iPhone, but the extra weight just makes the Droid feel like it’s expensive and has a lot to offer rather than just a heavy burden. I was initially concerned about the sliding mechanism for the keyboard, which is often the first to break on phones with a similar form factor. However, this isn’t the case. The Droid is far from flimsy. Although the phone doesn’t sit flush on a flat surface; the shape of the back elevates the phone just enough so that it doesn’t vibrate off of a table or let the camera get scratched. The lip below the screen didn’t seem to serve any purpose, but I soon realized that it houses the microphone and helps the user to tell the speaker from the microphone.

I only have a few small complaints. My first complaint is with the external buttons. Don’t get me wrong, all three power, volume, and camera keys work fine, but they sit loosely in the frame, which feels as though it takes away from the quality of the build. My second complaint is with the battery compartment cover. It slides off rather easily. It even came off once when I pulled it out of a tight pocket in my backpack. I suppose that’s better than not being able to take it off at all, but it’s something to keep in mind if you like your jeans extra tight.
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Verizon Wireless MiFi 2200 (Review) 0

Although just about everyone has internet access at home, people still enjoy the freedom remaining connected while on the go. Even with WiFi hotspots around every corner, many still prefer to use 3G network for their own personal network. USB modems have been a popular solution, but they have limitations. Most require installation of drivers and leave a device sticking out of the side of your laptop. Although most new laptops offer configurations with broadband cards built in, those are even more limited since only that device will be able to utilize the network. Fortunately the MiFi 2200 came to the rescue earlier this year, introducing a personal 3G-powered WiFi hotspot.

Novatel MiFi 2200 Specifications:

• Network: Verizon Wireless CDMA
• Wi-Fi Mode: 802.11b/g
• Security: VPN & WEP/WPA/WPA2
• Size / Weight: 3.5″ x 2.3″ x 0.4″ / 2.05 oz
• Connector: microUSB
• Battery Life: 4 hours use / 40 hours standby

Hardware: 5/5 stars
The MiFi 2220, developed by Novatel, is about the width and height of a business card. It’s 3.5 inches wide, 2.3 inches tall, and just 0.4 inches thick to be exact. While weighing just about 2 ounces, it packs both a CDMA and WiFi antennas inside. There’s a power button on the top that lights up green when it’s on. A microUSB connector, for charging the device, resides besides another green LED indicator that displays WiFi activity. On the bottom, there’s a sliding back door that reveals a battery pack. Other than that there’s not much else to say. It’s light weight and compact enough to take with you.

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Sprint HTC Hero (Review) 7

As a long time Sprint user, I had been deciding on a new phone to upgrade to. I’ve had the Motorola Q for over a year and although it might have been a decent device at the time, both the hardware and the Windows Mobile OS are truly outdated. After a long debate between the Palm Pre and the HTC Hero, I decided to go with the Android powered device. The future of Windows Mobile looks shady and there’s a reason why. After just a minute of use, I was in awe about the ease, speed, and power of the Android OS. With HTC’s excellent hardware and Sprint’s network with affordable data plans, the HTC Hero has been amazing. There’s a lot this phone offers to help organize and centralize all the data in your life.

The Hardware: 5/5 stars
Although the HTC Hero shares similar elements of style from it’s European predecessor, this model has a new and revised body. The distinctive bottom lip (Jay Leno chin?) that characterized the original Hero has been replaced with a more traditional rounded edge. I never spent much time handling the chin-ed version, but I’m satisfied with the comfort the new HTC Hero offers. There’s a large illuminated trackball centered below the display. A send and end button are on the far left and right of the bottom portion, respectively. A Menu and Home key are on the left of the trackball while the search and back key are on the right. The mini USB port is on the bottom, the camera is centered on the top portion of the back side, and the headphone jack is on the top of the phone. The trackball was quite responsive and the inclusion of physical keys for answer and ending calls suited my taste. The phone isn’t the most fancy device on the market by any means, but it’s smoke gray coat with gun-metal accents look elegant. The phone’s also has a great grip to it and feels durable enough to survive a few small drops.

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Verizon Motorola Droid Unboxed 5

Skatter Tech received the upcoming Motorola Droid which runs on Verizon Wireless earlier today. The phone will be available for purchase online and in retail stores on November 6th, 2009. The price is currently set at $199 with a new 2-year contract after a $100 mail-in-rebate. The phone runs on the new Android 2.0 operating system, uses the Verizon Wireless 3G network, has a slide out QWERTY keyboard, WiFi, a high resolution touch screen, and even a 5 mega pixel camera. To top that off, it comes integrated with just about every service Google offers: Search, Google Talk, Gmail, YouTube, Google Calendar, and more. And as a bonus, it features a free beta version of Google’s new GPS Navigation software that offers voice guided turn-by-turn direction. It’s going to take a few days before we post a full review, but for now here’s a great gallery of some product shots I just took:

I had some time to handle the device and mess with the interface. My first impressions were quite positive. Everything from Verizon’s marketing to the quality of the hardware to the Android 2.0 software are stunning. Ian Thackston will be publishing an in-depth review of the phone in the next couple of days, prior to launch. This should give you guys some time to read the review and decide whether it’s the right phone for you before you pick one up. In the meantime subscribe to our RSS Feed, Email Subscriptions, or on Facebook/Twitter to get notified when the review is up!

UPDATE: Read Our Full Review!

Link: Verizon Wireless Motorola Droid