We have had the opportunity to review this powerful device courtesy to Lily and Louis, and LG New Zealand.

Before I begin, I wish to point out that our unit is quite possibly a pre production unit, and had been used for various reviews prior (there were imperfections).

The LG is a little ‘heavy’ but was very comfortable to hold even for a small handed person. Turn the phone on and you’re greeted by a beautiful WVGA screen, bright and crisp. Controlling the touchscreen is a breeze; it is light and responsive, and with 4.3-inches of real estate, there’s more than enough room to manoeuvre. It needs a little more firmness than the iPhone 4, for example, but it’s not massively noticeable.

The screen, although large, isn’t so wide that it’s difficult to control with one hand, although typing is noticably more comfortable with two.

The handset is running a standard version of Android 2.2, with multiple home screens and widgets as standard. Consequently the messaging inboxes, contacts and media player are all standard froyo.

Now to the 3D, which I am sure what you all are here for to find out.

LG has grouped all the LG Optimus 3D’s tri-dimensional content into one handy hub, accessed by the 3D button on the side of the handset. This includes a guide to 3D, to familiarize newcomers with what’s on offer.

There’s also a shortcut to 3D apps and games, which currently houses the three games available. One interesting thing is LG’s deal with YouTube, which sees users able to upload their 3D videos directly to YouTube using the hub.

The background may have been spectacular, but the foreground was a little bit trickier. There’s a definite sweet spot directly in front the face and if you mediate from here you end up with quite a bit of fuzz and loss of the 3D effect.

Displaying an undoubtedly impressive 3D image when you hold the phone in the right place, it is a real shame that the LG makes your eye water rather quickly. There’s no way anyone be able to play an entire game or watch a full movie with aching eyes, which defeats the purpose of the 3D display.

We found the camera on the 7Q was a bit better with how they were positioned, instead of the 3D launcher where the button on the 3D is utilised for. If you’re not careful, you can slightly shake your phone and you will take a pretty average picture out of the 5MP camera.

The camera also records 1080p HD video – the quality is hard to judge on just the handset screen, but it certainly looked crisp and the colour quality felt natural.

There is an HDMI port for connecting the handset to a larger screen though; it can also output 3D video to a 3D TV, if you’ve invested in one (although 3D content will be 720p HD).

The Negatives:

As mentioned this device is a demo, pre production unit that has been handled by various testers and media personnel. We find the device to hang at various activities, to the point that I need to pull the battery out and put it in again.

In conclusion:

This phone is definitely worth all the hype of a 3D device without glasses, however I would not recommend using it to play games all day long. If you are not wearing any glasses, no doubt you will soon require one.

The device is excellent, and definitely a contender for top spot. It has no competition in the market until the HTC Evo 4G 3D (a mouthful) comes out.

Original Article

Global warming or a natural cycle to the Earth’s climate patterns. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Regardless of the explanation, it is becoming more and more evident that weather patterns are changing and we are evidencing more extreme weather systems more frequently. The key to keeping one’s self and loved ones safe is early warning and Oregon Scientific is bringing that to a personal level with its Public Alert Radio system. By monitoring U.S. Emergency All Hazards and Emergency Alert System (EAS) as well as National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA) reports, Oregon Scientific’s Public Alert Radio system provides advanced warning and up-to-date details on developing and current emergency advisories effecting ones area.

Portable and rechargeable, Oregon Scientific’s Public Alert Radio system also comes with a Lifeline First Aid Emergency Kit, providing essential survival supplies in the event that one is faced with imminent extreme weather systems or other natural disaster. For peace of mind and advanced warning of inclement weather, Oregon Scientific’s Public Alert Radio system if your answer. Check out the following for full features:

Emergency Public Alert Radio features:

• Monitors U.S. Emergency All Hazards, and Emergency Alert System (EAS) weather bulletins, warnings, & forecasts
• Receives all National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA) reports, which provides all available emergency advisories on tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, floods, evacuations, civil danger warnings & more
• Flexible programming - select Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) broadcasts in up to 9 different locations
• Manual and Automatic Channel Select
• 3 levels of messages: Statement, Watch, Warning, and Test in English, French, or Spanish
• Signal Strength Icon with Signal Loss Reminder
• Clock with alarm
• Programs up to 9 FIPS codes
• Modes for both home and travel use
• Includes rechargeable Ni-MH battery pack, belt clip, and charging dock

Original Article

We last posted of Ballistic with the announcement of their SG™ (Shell Gel™) case for the iPhone 4 and are excited to hear of their new expanded line with both SG™ and HC™ (Hard Core™) cases now available to even more smartphones. The Ballistic HC™ case is now available for the Motorola Atrix, HTC Incredible 2, HTC Thunderbolt and Samsung Infuse 4G and the SG™ case covering the Blackberry Bold 2, HTC Incredible 2, HTC Thunderbolt, Motorola Atrix and Samsung Infuse 4G. Meeting military specifications for shock and impact protection, the HC™ case provides an amazing 5 layer protection system with the SG™ case providing a not to be scoffed at more slim form factor 3 layer protection.

The Ballistic Hard Core and Shell Gel cases for the Samsung Infuse are available now at AT&T retail locations as well as www.goballisticcase.com, The Ballistic Shell Gel for the Blackberry Bold, HTC Thunderbolt, HTC Incredible 2, and Motorola Atrix is available at www.goballisticcase.com as well as various retailers and e-tailers nationwide. The Ballistic Hard Core for the HTC Thunderbolt, HTC Incredible 2, and Motorola Atrix will be available in June at www.goballisticcase.com as well as various retailers and e-tailers nationwide.  The MSRP for Ballistic Shell Gel (SG) is $34.99 and $49.99 for the Ballistic Hard Core (HC).

About Ballistic
The Ballistic® brand was realized 6 years ago when the owner was getting out of his car and his phone fell, cracking the screen.  He believed there had to be a way to offer consumers a high level of protection in a case that still looked good.

The Ballistic engineers designed private label holsters and belt clips that simply would not break. During this time, the company made millions of OEM branded holsters and belt clips.

As smart phones became more popular, the need for drop protection became necessary.  Ballistic engineers examined their competitor’s products and knew they could do better. The result is now a line of a variety of Ballistic cases. These cases provide the most advanced degree of drop protection currently in the market.

We think everyone will drop their phone.  We say, “Just Drop It!”—as long as you are using a Ballistic case.  Ballistic cases are Designed to Survive Life!™

Original Article

Primarily targeting the smartphone and tablet market, Kingston Technology has announced an expansion of their microSDHC line-up to include a 32GB Class 10 card. At a blazing minimum data transfer rate of 10MB/s, the latest card to join the previously released 4GB, 8GB and 16GB Class 10 cards makes for a significant jump in mobile data storage capacity. Available as a stand-alone or accompanied with optional SD adapter and USB card reader, the SDC10/32GB microSDHC card from Kingston Technology is shipping now with a MSRP of £80.35 or $126 CAD. Check out the following specifications and expand your mobile opportunities:

Kingston microSDHC Class 10 Features and Specifications:

• Compliant: with the SD Card Association specification
• Versatile: when combined with the adapter, it can be used as a full-size SDHC card
• Compatible: with microSDHC host devices; not compatible with standard microSD-enabled device/readers
• File Format: FAT32
• Reliable: lifetime warranty
• Capacities*: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB
• Dimensions: 0.43” x 0.59” x 0.039” (11mm x 15mm x 1mm)
• Speed: Class 10 – 10MB/s minimum guaranteed data transfer rate
• Operating Temperature: -13°F to 185°F (-25°C to 85°C)
• Storage Temperature: -40°F to 185° (-40°C to 85°C)
• Weight: .1 oz. (2.7g)

Original Article

Thanks to Lily and Louis, LG New Zealand and Telecom NZ, we have had the privilege to review the above unit.

I have also had the pleasure to have Tony Clark, a senior engineer at Fuji Xerox who is a heavy user of Windows Mobile device (6.5) giving his opinion. His review:

First impressions of this phone are very favourable.  It is quite a heavy phone, but this just adds to the impression that it is very ruggedly constructed, and would withstand a lot of hard use.

The touch screen is very sharp, clear to read, and is very responsive to finger movements on the surface.  Flicking from screen to screen is very fast, and a joy to use.
Arranged around the sides of the phone are three sets of buttons, on/off, camera, and volume up and down.  These buttons are almost level with the surrounding surface, and are easy to use, without being accidently activated when the phone is picked up, as can happen on some phones.

When the phone is switched on, the Windows Phone 7 locking screen is displayed, and a flick up with your finger slides this up out of the display to show the home screen.  This consists of many square button icons that are shortcuts to various functions such as Phone, Contacts, camera, calendar, and any other shortcuts that are pined to this screen, so that you have a fast and instant way to run your favourite apps, or other any resident functions.
A side flick to the left moves the home screen out of the way to expose a list of all the apps, or settings that are stored within.
The whole operation of the phone through Windows Phone 7 is very easy, and for anyone wanting a good basic usable phone, it I would highly recommend it.

A couple of features impressed me, among other things.  The camera is very good, being 5 mega pixels, and it does take great photos.  The camera lens actually focuses when the shutter button is half pressed, and then further pressing of the button takes the photo.  It also has a flash, although this is somewhat limited, and the camera really only performs at its best when there is plenty of light.

The other feature that impressed me greatly was the “Play to” function that is on the home screen, or accessed through the apps screen.  This only works if you have got a DNLA device to play to, such as a network connected TV.  Most modern TV sets are now coming out with this feature built in.  If your phone and TV are connected to the same wireless network, then when you select “Play To” on the phone, you can send photos, videos, or music from your phone to the TV screen.  Playing photos from the phone to the TV is almost instant, with very little delay, and they look really good and sharp on the TV screen.

If you want a phone that you want to customise and set up with a lot of extra settings, such as IP addressing as in Window Mobile 6.5, then this phone will not do the trick.  I suspect though as time passes, Microsoft will perhaps, though updates, add a lot of extra advances features to set up and use, as users feedback demand.

Original Article

It is one of those products that you wonder what you would use it for.  The Jabra speak 410 has stayed plugged in to my laptop since its arrival.

Let’s start with its features:

• Built-in echo cancellation with no sound distortion, even at maximum volume
• 3.5 mm headset port lets users quickly and easily attach a headset for privacy
• Built-in ringer alerts users to incoming calls
• Full duplex and wideband sound
• Compatible with all leading Unified Communications (UC) solutions, including Cisco, Avaya, and Alcatel-Lucent
• VoIP compatible
• The first enterprise speakerphone to be Lync 2010-certified by Microsoft

There are touch controls on the top of the device and is simple to use. I pulled it out of the box, plugged it in and installed the software. That was the last thing I needed to do. My laptop auto installed the drivers and I had crystal clear sound within 2 mins. Not just crystal clear sound, my wife likes loud music so it was turned up to maximum and still no distortion. Even the microphone was clear.

This product was designed for communication and as such worked perfectly with Skype. No set up involved. The Jabra also works with many of the other messenger programs.

So a well designed product that’s easy to use and stylish. The only downside that I can see is the price. The Jabra speak 410 retails in Australia for $199 and after searching around I only found minimal price reductions on the web.  So as an average user I can’t justify the price and would not buy one.

Review by Brendon Finch

Original Article

Award winning Scosche Industries has announced the availability of their freeKEY keyboard for tablets. Wireless and flexible, the freeKEY provides a perfect mobile typing solution for all Bluetooth enabled tablets. Constructed out of silicone, the freeKEY simply rolls up for quick and easy storage and portability. Bluetooth 2.0 compatible the freeKEY provides a range of up to 30 feet and is charged through its retractable USB to micro-USB charge cable. The freeKEY automatically re-pairs with with previously connected devices and is compatible with Windows, Android and Mac OS X (iOS) operating systems.

The Scosche freeKEY is available now at Scosche.com for $59.99 and be sure to check them out at twitter.com/scosche or facebook.com/scosche.

Original Article

Hello All.  It’s been a while, hasn’t it?  I’ve been busy outside of TechXplosion, and am slowly catching back up on our world.  And what follows is my first trip back down TechVille lane, and sadly it isn’t pretty.  It looked great, but wasn’t pretty.  Keep reading, you’ll see what i mean.

I managed to get a gift certificate to SlickWraps.com (Thanks Dan), and chose to get an awesome looking wrap, among other things… the brushed steel full body wrap.

Look at it.  Take in all its glory.  It appeared awesome on the web page, and truth be told, I liked a couple more.  Though this one stood out to me for some odd reason.  I decided to make an account and order away.  And this is where the trouble begins.

Before I created my account, I went through what I wanted to order to find out the total costs, like taxes and shipping.  Apparently it remembered what I had in the cart when I made the account and placed in all the information it asked me for, and it never once asked me for a credit card,so I figured it would at the end of the order.  AND I was wrong.  I received a receipt saying that I owed a couple dollars still, but no confirmation.  So I followed the link in the receipt and updated my account to reflect my credit card.  Done.  Actually, wrong again.  It says 2-3 business days to ship, and since I ordered on a Saturday night, I figured I’d hear something by the following Wednesday, right?  Nothing.  I even waited till the end of the week before I emailed them asking what might be the issue.  I received a reply saying that I had to update my credit card info.  Really?  I obliged and followed the link they gave me and selected “Use card on file”.  I then waited another full week without any response.  I wrote an email yet again asking about any issues.  Not a peep.  From a company trying to sell stuff online, you’d think they monitor their emails better.  I was now quite unhappy, so I wrote yet ANOTHER emeil, this time much less cordial.  When they responded, it simply said “your order has been shipped”.  I replied asking what the mix-up might be, so as to avoid it in the future… Guess what?  They deleted my order!  Thats why it went missing.  Now to their benefit, I was never charged, and I appreciate that.

A couple days later, in the mail, was my new wrap.  I watched the YouTube video explaining what to do for application and it seemed simple enough.  Boy was I wrong.  Though all the holes were cut, they weren’t cut out, or even all the way through (The camera lens and flash, the ear-piece on the front, etc.).  While peeling this off the papers, I had to push out the cut-outs with the tip of some sewing scissors.  The front facing camera hole actually tore some of the “metal” material away.  I struggled through the application.  Back first, since there was more material, then the front.  Then there were some brushed pieces as well as plastic pieces that fit on the antennae.  The theory, I believe, was to keep the metal from killing the signal.  Although I have the Verizon iPhone instead of the AT&T version, and hence no signal issues, I applied the plastic before the metal strips.  I turned my phone back on and immediately noticed something bad, very bad.  I went from four 3G signal bars to 1!  I immediately took off the antennae wrap, but that made no difference.  For the benefit of look, I replaced the wrap and then I tried, for a whole day, to see if this would work.  My phone bounced in and out of 0-1 signal bars, in and out of roaming.  I couldn’t send or receive text messages, emails, nothing.  After work that day, I took the antennae wrap off.  I gained, almost, 1 bar.  The following day I had exactly the same issues.  When I got home that night, I took the front off, no change.  I then peeled the back off and voila!  Back to 4 bars.

What does all this mean?  It means, I had a very poor experience with the wrap.  While the end result was a sight to behold, the functionality of my phone was more important.  Combine that with the order mis-hap and I’m glad I didn’t pay anything, otherwise I would be quite upset.

BUT… I like the wraps.  Simply enough, they look good.  They are not the most insane thing to apply, but they sure are more difficult then putting a case on.  But I’m eye-balling another one,  NOT a metal one mind you.  But why not give them another chance?  While it isn’t happening right away, it will be coming, so keep your eyes peeled.

Original Article

Wireless Computing Introduces Wireless Keyboard for Power Typists

AUSTIN, Texas—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Looking for a wireless keyboard with 100-foot range, AES encryption and the smoothest, most consistent typing performance? Wireless Computing’s new RF-600 Mechanical Wireless Keyboard may be your next favorite keyboard.

What sets the RF-600 apart is its “old-school” premium typing feel. This is no accident: Under each of the 104 keys is a mechanical keyswitch from Cherry Corporation, the leading builder of precision miniature switches since 1953. Compared to keyboards using less costly technologies, the RF-600 offers a superior typing experience and greater reliability.

Besides great typing, the RF-600 features Wireless Computing’s hallmark AES encryption. Adopted by the United States government in 1999, the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a powerful cryptographic algorithm widely depended on to secure all kinds of electronic data. Wireless Computing’s implementation of AES in the RF-600 (and their other keyboards) ensures keystrokes you type cannot be intercepted and read illicitly. That’s helpful in casual environments such as homes or non-secure commercial settings. It’s absolutely critical in government, military, and financial settings—anywhere security is of paramount importance.

Because demanding users operate their wireless keyboards in demanding environments, the RF-600 will work reliably at least 100’ from your computer—ideal for presentations in auditoriums, lecture halls and boardrooms, as well as use in home theaters. To minimize interference and crosstalk, this exceptional keyboard uses two-way communication, sets itself to one of 65,000 possible digital addresses and stores all settings in EEPROM, where they will stay indefinitely even if batteries are removed.

Priced at $299 (SRP), or $399 (SRP) bundled together with an RF-170 Wireless Laser Mouse, Wireless Computing’s new RF-600 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard is not inexpensive. But you get what you pay for, and demanding users will recognize the advantages of great typing, secure AES encryption, and long wireless range. It’s a great keyboard for those who must move fast in our security-conscious world.

Original Article

When I think retro for my generation, this would definitely qualify. Resurrected for the 21st Century, ThinkGeek introduces the iCADE. In classic arcade fashion the iCADE transforms your iPad into a flash from the past gaming system.

Simple slide-in docking and Bluetooth connection, the iCADE is bundled with Atari’s Greatest Hits with support for over 100 classic Atari games, bringing an old fresh breath into your gaming experience. A really great feature is the soon to be available API to developers, allowing for support to almost any game. Pre-orders are now being accepted with shipment expected around May 20th, pricing will be $99.99.

Product Specifications

• Beautifully retro-styled tabletop arcade cabinet for your otherwise useless iPad
• iPad connects to the iCADE controls via Bluetooth
• “Atari Greatest Hits” iPad App ready to go with the iCADE, including support for over 100 classic Atari games.
• Atari App comes with classic Pong for free, other games available for in-app purchase. 3-game packs are $1. All 100 games are $14.99
• API to be released later allowing any iOS developer to create iCADE-compatible games.
• Compatible with both the original iPad and iPad 2

Original Article