The BlackBerry Z30 Is Coming November 14th for $200 On Contract

BlackBerry is undeniably facing some tough times. But it’s also still in business, and still making phones. And, if you liked the Z10, you’re probably going to be excited to discover the Z30 is coming tomorrow.

Big Screen, Big Dreams

The Z30 is more of an upgrade than a reinvention, but then again, the Z10 was a pretty major bid by BlackBerry to reinvent itself. This largely adds a better screen and more support for mirroring; for example, BlackBerry emphasizes that you can walk into a meeting with nothing but your smartphone and put up your presentation using Miracast or similar apps. It’s also overhauled BlackBerry Messenger to include previews of messages while you’re doing something else on the phone, which isn’t revolutionary but is a welcome touch to BlackBerry Messenger.

The main problem, though, is one of self-fulfilling prophecies.

Crushed BlackBerry

Here’s the thing; like we said, BlackBerry is struggling. It’s lost a bid to go private and is having to sell a few somewhat exotic financial instruments on the market to stay in business, not to mention a fair chunk of its own campus. While BlackBerry Messenger is undeniably popular, the fact is this is a company that couldn’t sell itself to anyone, and is facing serious trouble. That’s going to be a factor when you consider buying any phone, especially a high-end phone that might have to last you two years, even if the company that built it goes kablooey.

Z For Zippy? Or Z For Zero?

The Z10 didn’t set the sales charts on fire, but it was undeniably a good phone. And it’s good to see BlackBerry following up with it, especially as it’s trying to prove that it can still be viable in a sector dominated by Apple. If you want to get one, it’s available through Verizon for $199 on a two-year contract.

Stylus Cap Converts Any Sharpie Pen into a Tablet Stylus

Those that tag walls, bathroom stalls, and everything in between have long chosen the Sharpie as their weapon of choice.  It’s is an iconic pen that adheres permanent black marker onto just about any surface, except for glass.  So suffice to say, anyone doodling their next defacing piece of artwork on their iPad surely won’t achieve the same results when they go to commit to the real thing.  Unless of course they have the Stylus Cap for the Sharpie.

The Stylus Cap from MoreReal replaces the standard cap of the Sharpie Pen and in turn adds a firm rubber tip to the pen, allowing it to be used with a tablet.  It costs a ridiculous $25, and comes in black or silver.

Bracketron Universal Tablet Cup Holder Mount

iPad mounts are hardly the kind of product that gets us all hot and bothered.  In fact, they have the opposite effects and we tend to hit the mailbox delete button when they come swimming into our inbox.  The Universal Tablet Cup Holder Mount from Bracktron ain’t too shabby looking, though.

At a quick glance you can see that can hold your tablet (cough, iPad, cough) for a handsfree experience.  Now, we’d never suggest that you drive and touch your tablet, but come on, you’re gonna do it to your smartphone, so you might as well do it with a screen that is 5 times the size and easier to see.  This mount allows you to adjust the tablet 180 degrees and rotate it 360.  Below the swing arm is a cup holder that can expand or contract depending on where you’re sticking so it should fit any vehicle, provided you have a cup holder in the center console.  There is also room for a smartphone, pens or whatever other assorted items you have floating around the interior of your vehicle.

Bracketron says it takes just minutes to install and costs just $39.95.

Matrix Tablet Cover

The “Matrix” will forever have a place in our scifi hearts.  While we won’t go as far as to say it’s on par with Star Wars, it most certainly runs a second to Lucas’ movies.    And that might explain why we find the Matrix Decal Skin Covers so darn attractive.  The skin attaches using an adhesive and should protect your tablet from minor scratches and dings.  According to Etsy maker “stickitskins,” they’re compatible with most cases.  Unfortunately, they’re only available for the 7-inch and 10-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.  So keep dreaming iPad loyalists.

JAVOedge Austin Axis Galaxy Tab 10.1 Case Review

As I had said before, I’ve been really looking high and low for a good case for my Galaxy Tab 10.1 – I mean my girlfriend has a sweet one for her Iconia, so why is it so hard to find one for the Galaxy?  The ZAGGfolio which I previously took a long look at might have had a nice BlueTooth keyboard, but it was bulky and felt way too tight on my tab.  Surely there has to be a better option – right?  Enter JAVOedge with their slick little Austin Axis case.  While it may not feature an attached keyboard, it’s nice enough to become my case of choice, and here’s why.

As first glance, the Austin Axis is a very simplistic case – it’s a cloth case (unlike the hard plastic shell of the ZAGGfolio) that comes in either a slate grey or purple, and the Galaxy Tab snaps right in without any problems what so ever.  Unlike with the ZAGGfolio, I never once was scared to take my precious Galaxy out of the case, or put it back in.  The fit was snug enough to make sure it was held fast, but gentle enough to ensure a smooth entrance or exit.  The Austin Axis case is also extremely light, and not bulky in the least.  Unfortunately with being as light as it is, the Austin Axis doesn’t offer a tremendous amount of protection from drops – but it will keep your outside from getting killed by the rigors of daily life.

One of the best features about the Austin Axis, is the joint on the back cover.  This joint allows you to rotate your tab either horizontally or vertically while using the front cover as an adjustable angle rest.  The front cover has three places where the tablet will rest in order to change the angle for optimal viewing.  It’s really nice to be able to spin the tab on the fly like that, as some of the applications only work good in one position or another.  Being able to just spin it eliminates all the hassle of having to move it and the rest all around the place.  Another thing, the ZAGGfolio was locked in the horizontal position if you wanted to be able to use the keyboard – this made it basically impossible to play something like Life is Crime – a game that is only playable vertically.

I also really like how easy it is to charge my tab with the case still on – just fold the front cover backwards and the plug goes right in.  Granted you have to leave the cover off of it while charging (maybe a better solution is a moveable piece that lets you access the plug in port), but because of its slim form factor, it’s not an issue to leave it open.  I tried that with the ZAGGfolio, and had numerous issues because of how bulky it was.  Also, if you have an extra Bluetooth keyboard lying around, it’s no big deal to just rest it on the front flap while in use.  While it may not be optimal, the material that the case is made of really helps keep a keyboard from sliding around.  Lastly, the way the front closes is pretty sweet as well.  Rather than have a traditional “button” clasp, the Austin Axis has a small magnet to hold it together.  Just another nice feature to seal the deal.

Editor’s Rating:

[rating:4.5/5]

Excellent

The Bottom Line:  While the Austin Axis doesn’t have a keyboard or added features like some other cases, it’s a solid and affordable option for people that want something to protect their Galaxy Tab 10.1 and not add a lot of extra bulk – and why would you want to bulk up something so nice and slim anyways?

Pros:

• Being able to easily and effortlessly rotate your tablet without removing it from the case is a huge plus
• The material that the Austin Axis is made from looks extremely sophisticated, and would go well with any executive’s attache
• Coming in at about half the price of other cases for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 makes owning one almost a no brainer

Cons:

• Still need to leave the case open to charge your tab – hoping this is addressed in a future revision
• Not much padding or cushioning means this case can’t take a high fall as well as some others
• No attached keyboard – I think they could make a killing by putting a super thin keyboard as an optional component

You can get the Austin Axis Galaxy Tab (10.1) case by JAVOedge from Amazon for $42.95

JAVOedge mini Stylus Docks into the iPhone’s 30-pin Connector

We sort of loathe those that use a stylus with any touchscreen device.  But then again, there are exceptions to that rule.  Such as drawing and design work.  To perform great feats of accuracy, and actually keep one’s design job, a stylus is a necessity.  Course, these people shouldn’t be completing their design jobs on an iPhone or iPad, but perhaps there is a desire to keep things consistent.

Enter the JAVOedge Mini Style for all things Apple touchscreen.  The stylus portion resembles that of used number 2 pencil’s eraser, so accuracy is probably not at the top of the feature list.  But we’re willing to over look that shortcoming in light of the fact that it plugs into the iPhone’s 30-pin dock, meaning it’s always within hand’s reach.   It’s small and awkward looking, so we can only imagine that after prolonged use your fingers will get drained of all their energy.  But in a pinch it should probably suffice.

The JAVOedge is available in black or white for $9.95.

Google Wallet Will Let You Send Your Friends Money With Texts

Android with an open mind, which allows, for example, texting cash with Google Wallet

If you have friends, and most of us do, you probably want to go places with them and enjoy restaurants and bars with them. And then you promptly learn that splitting the check is a massive pain in the ass! And, thanks to apps, we have many solutions to split them up. But none of them are quite as convenient as what Google Wallet wants to make it.

Text Cash

Yes, Google Wallet is trying to make your text messages as good as cash. To be fair, it’s a bit more involved than we’re making it sound. First, you send your friend a text message. That message contains a secure link. They follow the link, enter their debit card details, and then they get the money.

On one level, yeah, some people would think that would be a little too complicated. On the other hand, sit down for a moment and work out paying the check where two people have cash, two have credit cards, one has a debit card, and one just had a salad and forgot to bring their wallet, conveniently enough for the fourth time. After you experience that a few times, sending a text message is probably going to seem joyous.

Textual Healing

Google Wallet advertising materials display how it works.

Money can’t solve all your problems, but being able to properly distribute money to your friends is a good way to solve at least a few of the annoying ones. This might also have the advantage of making Google Wallet more popular or, well, popular at all, as mobile payments struggle to be accepted outside of Silicon Valley. And if nothing else, it means you can get the friend who always has to bug you about the five bucks you owe him off your back with a text.

gadget review

You Can Now Set Alarms for Your Public Transit Stops Using Google Now

Google Now is one of the best features available from Google — I’m not sure about you, but for me, it is. The app provides users with the right information at the right time, telling you everything about the weather before you decide to take a walk, or the distance to your home from your current location and more. Google has been updating the app quite often, and has introduced another feature to make it more awesome.

Recently, Google rolled out a new Google Now feature, tailored specifically for people who use public transportation. If you open Google Now while using public transportation, it will give users an option to set an alarm which will sound off when you get close to the saved location say your home or office. The alarm will estimate when you should exit the public transport to reach your destination. It may not be 100 percent correct, but it will give users an estimated time before they should reach the transit stop to their destination.

Users also get the ability to enable the alarm by tapping on the clock icon, or tap it again to disable it. Surprisingly, the alarm has nothing to do with the default Android clock app, and is functional within Google Now. It’s still unclear if this feature will hit the device across the globe or for selected regions only. It also remains to be seen if it will make its way to Google Now for iPhone.

Google Fit Arrives To Fight The iPhone’s Health Apps

Health tracking is going to be, apparently, the next battlefield the major tech companies fight it out on. We’ve already seen that Apple has the ambitious new Healthkit app suite to track everything from miles traveled to beats of your heart. And Google, not to be outdone, has just debuted an similar app for Android called, what else, Google Fit.

A Good Fit

Google Fit is pretty much what you’d expect from a fitness app. You can install it for free and then, it’ll begin tracking everything you do; all you need to do is carry your phone with you as you move, although, of course, it integrates with Android Wear. As you move, it’ll track said movements and give you the necessary data. It’ll also integrate with third-party apps that you use, so you can have that data in one place.

Setting Goals

The other key functional of Google Fit, at the moment, is to set goals for yourself and track how you reach them. Using it a bit, the interface is surprisingly clean and pretty, and the goals are simple to set up and track; it offers both a look at your overall percentage in the form of a number, and a meter you can slowly fill as you get in more exercise and aim for your goals.

The main concern, though, is whether you want Google to have this data. Google’s pretty up front in the permissions; it’s going to find your account, collect your data, and store it under that account, and that’s a troubling concern. Do you want your insurance company to know exactly how much you’re working out and when? There are some data questions both Apple and Google need to answer about this, and until then, it’s something to consider before downloading.

Tablo Wants To Be A New Kind Of DVR

The DVR has gone from luxury to necessity over the last few years. As more and better TV is put on the air, it becomes harder and harder to keep track of it. But it can be annoying to use a TiVo when they’re not exactly up-to-date, technologically. Tablo hopes to fix that, although it’s got a few concerns.

At The Tablo

Essentially, it’s a dual-tuner DVR with streaming technology. And it’s fairly impressive stuff on that score; you can stream to up to six different devices at once, all using the same Tablo. The dual tuner means you can record two shows at once, meaning you’ll never have to decide between shows again. And in all, it’s pretty impressive. But there are some technical drawbacks.

Incomplete Tablo

First of all, for this to work, you’re going to need an HDTV-capable antenna and a USB hard drive, which you bring to the party. Considering the Tablo costs $220, and that hard drives aren’t exactly pricey, it seems kind of odd that you’re expected to bring your own HD to the party. Secondly, if you want the actual ease of use of a DVR, you’re going to either have to pay $5 a month for a subscription, or $150 a month for a “lifetime” subscription. Finally, you’ll need a Roku, Chromecast, or Apple TV to stream to your television.

We get that guides don’t assemble themselves, and it’s not necessary to operate the Tablo. You can just enter the data manually. But by the same token, though, that drives the overall price of the Tablo from $210 or so to $500 or more, and that has to raise an eyebrow or two.

TV Watching Solved

That said, that is what you’d pay for if you got a DVR with similar features, and if you don’t have Aereo in your area, this might be your best option. Just keep in mind what you’ve got to bring to the party to make the fun happen.