Featured Archive

Verizon Lands on iPhone 4 – Will AT&T Customers Jump Ship?

verizon-iphone-4

One of the big questions surrounding the release of the iPhone 4 on the Verizon network is will AT&T customers start jumping ship? When I say jump ship I mean current AT&T customers will be moving their cellular service to Verizon.

Some experts speculate that as much as 20% of AT&T customers will either contemplate moving to Verizon or will actually make the move. That figure seems a bit high and really makes AT&T look like a bad company at least for those who have an iPhone (any version) on their network.

The chart below clears up any features or price difference questions that some people may have had. After looking at the chart it does not really make for a big deal breaker in terms of initial service the quality of service may be the big deciding factor here. Maybe the Wi-Fi Hotspot feature that Verizon is offering will bring some value to the Verizon iPhone 4.

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Image credit: Cnet

In large metro areas such as San Francisco and New York many iPhone 4 customers have complained about dropped calls. And let’s not forget the big Antenagate ordeal where the iPhone 4 reportedly had issues with reception when the external antenna is touched in a certain spot. I got my free iPhone 4 case when it was offered, did you?

What do you think the decision to stay with AT&T with your current iPhone or make the move to Verizon will be? What about those customers who are happy with Verizon… will they replace their Android powered phone with a new Verizon iPhone 4?

Popularity: 6%

Top Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts That You May Not Know About

windows-7-keyboard-shortcuts-2My father use to be a fan of the old IBM workstations mainly because he worked at a factory for many years that used them back in the late 80′s and early 90′s. During that time they did not have a mouse and he was forced to use the keyboard sometimes creating his own keyboard shortcuts. Sure they later upgraded to Windows XP several years later and he found himself fondling around with the keyboard to get the system to do what he wanted it to do. Now we are all faced with the new Windows 7 operating system on most of our PCs at work, home and even in public locations. Have you ever tried using Windows 7 with just a keyboard and no mouse? It isn’t very fun unless you know a good portion of the top Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts, many of them you did not know existed.

Microsoft has been so kind and generous to still allow us to use the keyboard for not only typing letters and numbers but for shortcuts to navigate your way through programs, windows and even web pages. I have compiled a list below from various sources of the several Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts that you may not have known about. Now the next time you sit down at your Windows 7 PC you can literally give the mouse a rest.

Our list of Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts that you may not know about

  • Ctrl+N opens a new window
  • Ctrl+W closes the current window
  • Ctrl+Shift+N creates a new folder
  • End moves to the bottom of the active window
  • Home moves to the top of the active window
  • F11 maximizes/minimizes the active window
  • Ctrl+period (.) rotates an image clockwise
  • Ctrl+comma (,) rotates an image counter-clockwise
  • Num Lock+asterisk (*) on the numeric keypad shows all subfolders under the selected folder
  • Num Lock+plus sign (+) on the numeric keypad shows the contents of the selected folder
  • Num Lock+minus sign (-) on the numeric keypad collapses the selected folder
  • Left arrow collapses the current selection if it’s expanded, or selects the parent folder
  • Alt+Enter opens the Properties dialog for the selected item
  • Alt+P shows the preview pane
  • Alt+left arrow shows the previous folder (same as pressing the backspace key)
  • Right arrow shows the current selection if it’s collapsed, or selects the first subfolder
  • Alt+right arrow moves to the next folder
  • Alt+up arrow shows the parent folder
  • Ctrl+Shift+E shows all folders above the selected folder
  • Alt+D moves the focus to the address bar
  • Ctrl+E and Ctrl+F move the focus to the search box
  • Windows key and the left or right arrow keys docs and un-docs the live window to the left, right or center of the screen
  • Windows key and the up arrow key or down arrow key restores or minimizes a window
  • Windows key plus ‘D’ shows the desktop

Do you know of any Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts that some PC users may not know about? Please share them with us by posting it in the comment section below.

Popularity: 7%

Techie Speculations for 2011 and CES 2011 Preview

apple-ipadWhat will the year 2011 bring in terms of tech and technological advances in our lives? No one really knows with a 100% certainty and that in itself is a 100% certain thing! In order to clearly see into the future of the year 2011 we have to look back into the year 2010 and wait for the upcoming CES 2011 (Consumer Electronics Show of 2011).

In the year 2010 we saw Apple release their first tablet in the form of the Apple iPad and they even released a new iPhone 4 with a revolutionary ‘retna display’. Microsoft put themselves back into the mobile device game with Windows Phone 7 while Android managed to steal some of the thunder away from the Apple iPhone. Blu-ray disc sales volume has gone up while Netflix streaming members has also. Social media is chugging along with over 500 million Facebook members and no competition in sight. 3D HDTVs are attempting to be a big hit among those with the monetary means. The new Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf aim to change the way we consume massive amounts of gasoline each year. Each of these stated technologies, at one point and time, had its fair share of doubters but they all seemed to prevail.

Now on with 2011 and we have 2nd generation products speculated to be introduced in the coming months such as the Apple iPad 2. 2011 is not such a mystery after all because we already know that these tech items are going to be naturally upgraded in some fashion. If 2010 taught us anything about the advancements of technology it is we cannot put anything in stone based off of some rumor although many of the techie rumors of 2010 proved to be very accurate. So now let today’s rumors shape tomorrows dreams. Start saving your money now because from what I hear (another rumor), 2011 will bring us some of the most advanced and revolutionary tech devices and software we have ever seen.

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Check out Cnet’s CES 2011 preview video below.

Stay tuned for our update during the CES 2011 (Consumer Electronics Show of 2011) which is set to kick off January 6, 2011. This should give us a clear indication as to what specific tech devices we will see throughout year 2011. Happy New Year!!!

Popularity: 13%

World’s First: 630 Horsepower V8 Supercar Engine Powered Skateboard

tony-hawk-v8-powered-skateboard-1It is one thing to live your life ‘on the edge’ and then it is a totally different thing to play with that fine line between sanity and being absolutely nuts. Leave it to a bunch of Aussies to build a creation that you have never heard of or seen in your life, the world’s first supercar engine powered skateboard.

Sure you may have seen skateboard powered by little electric motors or even ones with little gas powered engines producing up to double digit horsepower. But that is nothing compared to a shear 630 horsepower from a supercar V8 engine strapped to an over-sized skateboard as its chassis. The video below shows you the full build time-lapse of this monstrosity. The infamous skater Tony Hawk has plans to be in attendance at the Telstra 500 V8 Supercar race in Sydney, Australia next weekend where he will actually ride this ‘thing’ on the Monster Vert Ramp. Can’t wait! For now check out the videos below and be sure to turn up your volume!

Popularity: 5%

Evolution Picture Gallery: 25 Years of Microsoft Windows

The guys at computerworld.com posted an interesting ‘visual tour’ showing the past 25 years of the most popular computer operating system ever, Microsoft Windows.

Can you believe November 20, 2010 marks 25 years since Microsoft introduced the first version of Windows to everyone? It is rather obvious that Windows has evolved into something we could never fathom 25 years ago. From a never-seen-before GUI (Graphical User Interface) in 1985 to what we know as Windows 7 today, Microsoft has taken the world’s most recognized and used PC operating system beyond our dreams.

Below are computerworld.com’s images of Windows throughout the 25 years showing a representation of each version starting with version 1 which most of us probably do not remember.

Windows 1.0

Windows 1.0

Windows 2.0

Windows 2.0

Windows 3.0

Windows 3.0

Windows 95

Windows 95

Windows 98

Windows 98

Windows ME

Windows ME

Windows 2000

Windows 2000

Windows XP

Windows XP

Windows Vista

Windows Vista

Windows 7

Windows 7

Can you imagine what the next 25 years will have in store for us?

Popularity: 5%

Best Tech Gifts for 2010 Holiday Seasons – Gift Guide

It is that time of year again. You have to figure out what to get your loved one or a close friend and you don’t mind footing the bill to buy them some new tech gadget. So which one do you choose? We have a few top-tech-gifts to choose from for this year’s holiday season.

Some of the new tech gadgets out this year are simply amazing. You have everything from the new Apple iPad to new Flat-Screen HDTV sets. So what are some of the best rated tech gadgets to choose from for holiday gifts?

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Best Tech Gifts for 2010 Holiday Season

Apple iPad
A great gift for those who do not mind using iTunes and the App Store to purchase apps. Great for someone who is already familiar with Apple’s iOS and who may already have an iPhone. Pretty much the number 1 rated tablet on the market in terms of portability and ease of use. Prices start at $499.

Samsung Galaxy Tab
Available on Sprint, T-Mobile Verizon and AT&T. An excellent alternative to the Apple iPad. Runs off of the Android OS and has a starting price of $399

Amazon Kindle
Great e-book reader that has the largest library of e-book readers so far. Excellent screen for reading in bright sunlight with built-in Wi-Fi. Prices start at $139.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350
An excellent pocket digital camera with a fast shutter. If you are sick of that shutter delay then the Sony Cyber-shot line-up may be your answer. Prices start at $150

Garmin Nuvi 3790T GPS
One of the best GPS units on the market currently but comes at a higher price point starting at $440. Great function and super slim. Has an excellent touch-screen and software is easy to use compared to many other GPS units in this class.

Apple iPhone 4
Obviously one of the hottest items on the tech market period. An excellent buy if you are upgrading that old flip phone. The iPhone 4 is getting some serious competition with Android powered phones lately and now the introduction of Windows Phone 7 OS. Prices start at $199 with a 2/year contract via AT&T.

HTC Evo 4G
Sprints best smartphone and one of the most talked about Android OS phones on the market. 4G speed is awesome but coverage of 4G connectivity is limited right now in the US. Prices start at $149 with a 2/year contract.

Roku XDS Streaming Player
The Roku XDS is a great media device allowing Netflix streaming and a very wide range of media playing abilities. If you are not an avid iTunes movie goer then the Roku XDS may be your choice over the Apple TV. The price is $99.

Panasonic Viera TC-P46G25 Series HDTV
Panasonic is still sold on their plasma technology in flat-screen HDTV as are many avid TV consumers. Picture quality is among the best in the industry providing the deepest blacks you can find on virtually any flat-screen HDTV on the current market. Has built-in streaming abilities such as Netflix. Prices start around $990 at various stores. Shopping around for this one with some patients will save you some money.

Panasonic HDC-SD60K HD Camcorder
Camcorders have come a long way now offering High-Definition recordings in just about every model currently available. The new Panasonic line has great quality and records great Hi-Def video. Shop around and look at the whole line before you drop the starting price of $350 on this one.

Apple Macbook Air
If you have the cash, pick one of these up! This is by far one of the best laptops in the smallest factor form you can get on the market. The downfalls of it is its memory is not upgradable limiting you to either the 2gb Ram/64GB flash drive version on the 11-inch or up to the 4gb Ram/256GB flash drive version on the 13-inch. Prices start at $999 for the 11-inch 2gb Ram/64GB flash drive version and go up to $1,599 for the 4gb Ram/256GB flash drive version on the 13-inch.

HP Envy 17
A great looking laptop with an Apple-ish feel to it. Big clear screen and customization options. Good price for a big laptop full of power. Prices start at $1,299.

Apple iPod Touch, iPod nano, iPod Classic
Among the best mp3 players around. Although not truly classified as an ‘mp3’ player, the vast iTunes library turns the iPod Touch and Classic into a great portable media machine. New iPod nano offers the smallest size of most mp3 players yet packed full of audio functionality. Prices start at $49 for the iPod shuffle, $149 for the iPod nano, $229 for the iPod touch, and $249 for the iPod classic.

Playstation 3 slim & Xbox 360
Gaming is on a new level this year with new systems from both Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. It all comes down to preference for which system you want. The PS3 Slip sports great multimedia features and bluray disc playback. The Xbox 360 has been upgraded to a slimmer and sleaker case with 1080p HDMI output and the optional Kinect system. The Nintendo Wii continues to offer unsurpassed interactivity. Nintendo Wii bundle starts at $195, Xbox 360 slim starts at $299 and the PS3 Slim starts at $299.

Dell UltraSharp U2711
If you are looking for the Mac-Daddy of computer monitors, then go no further than the new Dell UltraSharp U2711. This is the first monitor, aside from the new iMac 27inch built-in screen, to offer 2560×1440 resolution not to mention its 27-inch size. Prices start at $899.

Apple iMac 27-inch
If you do not know about the new iMac then you must come from under your rock. The latest iMac is the best looking desktop there is if you do not mind it’s all-in-one form factor. Pimped out with the Intel Core i5 2.8GHz and marvelous 2560×1440 27-inch LED backlit screen, the new iMac is a monster that can also run Windows 7. Prices start at $1199 for the 21.5 inch version and $1,699 for the 27-inch Core i3 version.

What items will you buy this year for the holidays?

Popularity: 58%

Apple Introduces New Macbook Air and OS X Lion

macbook-air-1Today during Apple’s Keynote address they went over new versions of their iLife software in addition to OS X Lion and the new Macbook Air. The major highlight of the event would naturally be the new Macbook Air laptop followed by the new Mac OS X Lion which features newly integrated gesture-functions from iOS (iPod touch, iPhone and iPad) devices.

The new Macbook Air is yet another revolutionary design with a slider uni-body aluminum shell and frame that at its thickest point is only .68 inches and then tapers down to a mire .11 inches. Two versions of the Macbook Air will be offered, the 13.3 inch version which weighs 2.9 pounds and a 11.6 inch version that weighs 2.3 pounds. Prices start at $999 for the 11.6 inch with 64gb of flash storage space and a 5 hour battery life. The 13.3 inch Macbook Air will start at $1299 for the 128gb model with 7 hours of battery life surfing the web. If you wish to bump up the storage space to 128gb (double the size) on the 11.6 inch version, it will cost an extra $200. For 256gb of flash memory storage on the 13.3 inch version, it will add on another $300 to the price for a total of $1599. All Macbook Air laptops have a 30 day standby time.

No optical drive and no hard drive in either of the models although they all include a built-in web cam to take advantage of Facetime, which is offered in beta version to all Mac users starting today. The screen resolution for the 11.6 inch Macbook Air is 1366×768 while the bigger 13.3 inch version gets 1400×900. A full list of all of the specs can be found on Apple.com.

Will you be purchasing the new Macbook Air which goes on sale today any time soon? Do you think Apple has done a good job with the newest Macbook Air?

Popularity: 3%

Sony Internet TV Rolling Out First HDTVs Powered By Google TV

sony-internet-hdtv-google-tv-1Cable and Satellite TV better watch out because there seems to be a new sheriff and deputy in town by the name of Sony and Google. Sony is finally rolling out details on the first HDTV sets that will support a new Google TV (internet TV) platform. The new ‘Sony Internet TV’ comes in 1080p LCD and LCD LED flavors under $1,500 and will be available later this month around October 24 at local Best Buy stores to start off.

The new Sony Internet TVs will have built in Wi-Fi and an included keypad remote with integrated mouse and keyboard for navigating the Google TV interface.

There will be a starting line of 24-inch ($599) Sony Internet TVs along with 32-inch ($799), 40-inch ($999) and 46-inch ($1,399). LED (LED backlit) models will also be included in the lineup with a slightly higher price of course. Each TV will have pre-installed apps including Netflix, Pandora, Twitter, YouTube and Sony’s Qriocity streaming-video service. The Google TV integration may be the forefront hit of these new TV sets. There will also be apps available to control your Google TV through an Android powered phone.

In the world of ‘Internet TV’, we have yet to see anything ‘sure-shot’ thing to stick and take off. Google TV may be the answer to cutting the cord but we won’t really know until we see these new Sony TVs on the market, faster and not-so-expensive ISP (Internet Service Provider) support and a large library of available TV programming and movies available.

Due to this news the question arises, would you dump your current cable or satellite subscriptions in place of Google TV/Internet TV service offered on one of these new Sony Internet TVs if the price is ‘right’? What would it take for you to leave your current cable or satellite TV? Is this the wave of the future?

Popularity: 8%

Google’s Self-Driving Car Captured on Video and Revealed

google-self-driving-car-1Google has revealed a self-driving vehicle on their blog explaining how they have been testing this type of technology for over year now. The cars, so-far, have logged over 140,000 miles where about 1,000 of them have been fully-automated runs.

Over year ago, Ben Tseitlin was able to capture a video of one of the test cars which happens to be a Toyota Prius, one of the many fleet vehicles Google is using for the self-driving test. In the videos, shown below, you will notice a big spoiler rig with a rotating device and cameras mounted on the roof of the vehicle. At the time Ben captured this video he simply thought it was another Google-Street-View car capturing the landscape. Little did he know, it was an autonomous driving vehicle manned by one of Googles technicians.

Since the spotting of the ‘test cars’ Google has notified the public of them conducting such tests and assured everyone that a human being was always present in the driver’s seat in the event that a manual override is needed.

Google Computer-Driven Prius from Ben Tseitlin on Vimeo.

Do you think we will ever have self-driving vehicles for sale on the automotive market in our lifetime? What about the next generation? How close do you think Google is to actually releasing this technology for a fully self-driving car?

Popularity: 3%

Apple iPad over-’Exposed’ In New Amazon Kindle Ad?

Have you seen the interesting commercial where a woman at the poolside is reading her Kindle in direct sunlight while the guy next to her is attempting to do the same with an iPad but is not successful at doing so? If not, then check out the video below.

The video below is Amazon’s new commercial for its Kindle e-reader that is going after the Apple iPad in many ways than one. For starters, Amazon touts the Kindle’s screen as being readable in direct sunlight which can be a make-it or break-it kind of deal for those looking for a new e-book reader. Not only does Amazon’s Kindle ‘shine’ in readability outdoors, but the advertisement takes another stab by having a bikini-clad actress in the ad saying, “It’s a Kindle. $139,” and then smiles and says, “I actually paid more for these sunglasses.” These are all bonuses in my book. Also, who wants to look at the dorky guy that needs to shave holding his hand over the iPad so he can read it in the sunlight?

We all know that the iPad can do all types of stuff that the Kindle can’t but that is at a price of $499 vs. the Kindle’s $139 price. The point in this ad just takes a different direction for picking a fight with the new Apple iPad.

What do you think about it? Is it a very clever ad or are they (Amazon) barking up the wrong tree and bound to get pooped on by the Apple iPad?

Popularity: 9%