The physical design of the Droid is a slider phone with a full QWERTY keyboard, large 3.7" high-res (854 x 480) display, and 5 megapixel camera with LED flash.
It features integrated Wi-Fi for fast communications and browsing, and integrated GPS for location-aware searching and mapping.
The Android 2.0 platform supports fully-integrated voice search and multi-tasking for non-intrusive background downloads.
The Android platform is focused on syncing to your life online in the Google cloud, with Gmail and Google Contacts and Calendar. Android 2.0 does extends to more traditional business uses (multiple accounts, Exchange support), enhances the interface for responsive navigation and searching, and bulks up the camera with auto-setup, flash, and video (though the camera response is a tad sluggish).
However, the Droid with Android 2.0 is missing common functionality that will be expected by people interested in switching from PDA phone platforms like Windows Mobile and Palm, much less the BlackBerry or Apple iPhone. Particularly glaring are the absence of out-of-the-box support for syncing desktop data and files (as in Outlook and Office documents), and the lack of unified support for managing and syncing media. There's no Tasks or Memos applications at all, and Word and Excel documents can only be viewed by using an otherwise-hidden Quickoffice feature when you download in the Browser app.
In addition, the media support is very plain, with no built-in syncing or unified browsing as we're used to from iTunes. There's a Music app with limited organization (no categories or genres), and a Gallery app for displaying photos and videos, but organized only by folder. The Camera app does shoot photos up to 5 MP (2592 x 1936, JPEG) and videos at 720 x 480, but there's no built-in Voice recorder.
And there's no built-in syncing mechanism to manage and transfer collections of documents or files with a computer -- although you can mount the Droid over USB as an external drive and just drag and drop files from your computer. You also can manually sideload via microSD card, or download from online, depending on the type of media and where you can find it. For example, you can use the built-in Amazon MP3 Store app to buy and download songs and albums. You also can sync with tools like Windows Media Player, and the Motorola Media Link PC software can sync music, playlists, photos, and videos, plus backup and upload online.
The Google Android Marketplace does somewhat addresses these issues, with a variety of third-party applications, from a variety of developers, at a variety of prices (and level of support). So you can cobble together some missing applications (Notepad, PDF viewer), but it's still a clumsy combination with different interfaces, inconsistent features, and without common integrated syncing.
Still, it's fun to search the Android Marketplace, and I've had good luck so far with high-rated yet free applications, like a Wi-Fi analyzer, GPS status, NYC subway map, Weather channel, and the fun Google Sky map that responds to your viewing position. It's still clumsy to search long lists of apps on the handheld device, and would be much more helpful to be able to search and sync online.
Bottom line: The Droid is very impressive -- and tempting. It's still focused on online cloud computing services, but it's getting closer to filling my needs for a full organizer / pocket digital assistant that fully syncs with my digital life on the desktop. It's priced at $199.99 from Verizon, with a new 2-year agreement and $100 rebate.
The Droid has almost no built-in help, so see the Verizon support site for a user's guide and step-by-step instructions.
See my full article, Verizon Droid from Motorola: Android 2.0, for more on the Droid's design and features and technical specifications.
See my Mobile Communications Gallery for more on smartphones.
Find the Verizon Droid from Motorola on Amazon.com
Meanwhile, the evolution of the Zune line has lead to the recent introduction of the Zune HD, with an impressively attractive and smooth interface that flows cleanly through the entire product. (However, the Zune platform and Zune Marketplace online store are themselves incompatible with Microsoft's previous "Plays for Sure" platform for purchased music and associated players from companies like Creative and SanDisk.)
Microsoft also is playing catch-up in integrating portable and living room devices (as compared to Sony with the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 -- see previous post). It will be extending the Zune service on the Xbox 360, with unified video catalogs on the Zune Marketplace and Xbox LIVE stores, so you can play purchased movies and TV shows across the PC, Zune HD, and Xbox.
So you may have thought that the Zune brand was for portable media players, but it's extending across Microsoft platforms to the desktop and set-top, just not yet to other mobile devices.
See my Portable Media Players Gallery for more on media players
See my Mobile Communications Gallery for more on smartphones.
There's also a Start menu screen with icons of all the installed applications, for those who want the comfort of commonality with Windows (However, the Start menu is accessed from the top left of the screen, instead of the bottom left.) One of the four physical buttons below the screen also is a dedicated Windows key, which also brings up the Start screen (or press and hold the phone End call key for the Today / Home screen.
Unfortunately, the finger-friendly Today / Home screen interface is still only skin deep on top of the underlying Windows Mobile platform. Launch an application like Messages or Outlook E-mail, or set options in a dialog box, and you're back to really needing a stylus to access the small menus and controls -- much less to hit the tiny "x" application close box at the top right of the screen -- another remnant of the Windows heritage.
But if you're looking for a phone that works well with Windows, then Microsoft is clearly directed to your needs with the aptly named Windows Phone platform, and the AT&T / HTC Pure is a nice implementation, with a relatively big and responsive touch-screen display in a quite pocketable device. Just be aware that you'll still need the stylus (or a sharp fingernail edge) to fully navigate the interface.
See my full article, Windows Phone -- AT&T / HTC Pure, for more on the AT&T / HTC Pure phone and the Windows Phone platform.
See my Mobile Communications Gallery for more on smartphones.
But what if the bulk of the mouse could disappear completely? This is the magic of the MoGo Mouse line from Newton Peripherals -- business-card sized mice so thin that they dock in the PC Card or ExpressCard slot of your laptop.
Just store them away when not in use, as they hibernate and recharge. Then pop them out to get to work -- They connect using Bluetooth wireless, and have a flip-out "kickstand" to lift up the back for a more natural hand position.
The MoGo Mouse line also includes Presenter versions that switch modes to become a wireless control for your PowerPoint presentations.
For laptops with a PC / PCMCIA Card slot, the MoGo Mouse BT is $79, and the MoGo Presenter Mouse PC is $89. The kickstand strip along the back also serves as the power switch.
For laptops with an ExpressCard / 54 slot, the MoGo Media Mouse X54 is $89, with the ability to control iTunes, Windows Media Player and other media players, and the MoGo Presenter Mouse X54 Pro is $89 with a laser pointer.
These charge in 30 minutes, and have a battery life of 8 to 10 hours of use. There's also the MoGo X54 / BT Charging Cables for $19 to connect the cards to a USB port to recharge, and the MoGo Bluetooth USB Adapter for $29 if needed to add Bluetooth to a laptop.
The MoGo Mice are clearly not intended to compete with ergonomically designed desktop mice, with contoured grips and precise button action. But for a credit card design, they are impressively functional, with two buttons and even a center scroll wheel replacement -- a scroll button on the PC card designs (press and hold to scroll by moving the mouse), and a scroll strip on the ExpressCard.
So for minimal weight and no extra bulk, you can carry a mouse and presenter tucked into your laptop, ready to pop out and start scurrying along whenever you need it.
See my Portable Peripherals and Accessories Gallery for more on these and related products.
The Nikon D90, introduced in August 2008, was a trailblazer in integrating HD movies and sound into an advanced, full-featured Digital SLR camera. The D90 is a 12.3 MP digital SLR with full-up Nikon optics and processing. Plus it adds D-Movie mode with 720p HD video (1,280 x 720) shot at cinematic 24 fps frame rate. It's priced around $899.
Of course there are trade-offs with retrofitting video into DSLR cameras, including limited shooting times (around 5 minutes for HD video), lack of full autofocus (the D90 offers three AF options in Live View mode), and some visual artifacts in the D90 from horizontal pans, fast movement, or bright lights.
But the advantages of shooting video with a photo camera come from the flexibility control provided by using DSLR optics: interchangeable lenses, the range of control over focus and exposure, i.e., for shooting in low light, and the precise control over depth of field, to pull out the subject in a shot with shallow depth of field for a more emotional and cinematic look.
So if you're a hands-on photographer used to working with Digital SLRs, this kind of hybrid camera adds short HD video clips to your repertoire. And if you're a videographer who may have been hankering to shoot photos, a HD DSLR offers a whole new array of interesting creative options to explore.
See full article: Nikon D90: Digital SLR Cameras as HD Video Camcorders
See my Digital Cameras Gallery for more on the D90 and other cameras.
The current Lensbaby line offers three lens models, depending on the amount of hacking you like -- precise setup with the Lensbaby Composer, as the ball and socket design holds the position ($270), fast and loose with the Lensbaby Muse, as you manually set and hold the position ($100 / $150), or methodical with the Control Freak, which you set up, lock in, and then can further fine-tune both the focus and tilt.
All the models use the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, with four swappable elements: Double Glass (sharp), Single Glass (soft, dreamy), Plastic (softest, ethereal, abundant chromatic aberration), and Pinhole / Zone plate ($94 for the kit). Again, see the online Optic Comparison showing the results of using the different lenses and swappable optical elements.
Lensbaby also offers a variety of accessories, so you can shoot these amazing images for everything from wide-angle landscapes to portraits to table-top and macro set-ups.
See my Digital Cameras Gallery for more on these and other tripods.
But the focus at PhotoPlus was the mobile stands, based on the Gorillapod Mobile (previously the GoGo) for handheld devices, including mobile phones through gaming systems, and compact cameras through mini camcorders (up to 7 oz., $29).
The new Gorillapod Mobile for 3G / 3GS, then adds a soft-touch case for the iPhone 3G / 3Gs to attach to the tripod to stand ready or attach securely as needed ($39).
But the new clever extension to the line is the Gorillatorch hands-free light, a bright LED light (maximum 65 lumens) with the now-familiar flexible legs, for $29. It is water resistant, and has a dimmer switch to control the light intensity and extend the battery life (from some 20 to 80 hours on 3 AAA batteries).
Between the wrappable legs, rubberized grips, and magnetic feet, the Gorillatorch should allow you to get the lighting you need in almost any situation -- by standing, hooking, twisting, or otherwise sticking it on an available surface.
See my Digital Cameras Gallery for more on these and other tripods.
- The Plantronics Discovery 975 has an understated design with blocky base and small boom extension. It's good for extended use, since it comes with a small charging / carrying case that can recharge the headset for triple the talk time.
It's priced at around $129 with the case. (See the Plantronics Discovery 975 on Amazon)
- The Jabra BT530 has a compact and functional design, with dedicated single-use buttons. It's particularly helpful for occasional use, since it's so straightforward to turn on and use, albeit with somewhat less effective noise reduction.
It's priced under the others at $79, with lower street prices. (See the Jabra BT530 headset on Amazon)
Beyond the looks, the clever element of the Discovery 975 is the included charging carrying case. This is a small padded case that includes a rechargeable battery, so you can dock the headset to recharge, tripling the headset talk time when on the road.
You can charge the headset and case separately through a standard micro-USB connection, or charge them together when docked. The case has been upgraded from the Discovery 925 to include a handy eject button, plus a LCD status display showing the battery levels of the headset and case and the Bluetooth connection status. It also provides longer and faster charging.
The Discovery 975 uses the Plantronics AudioIQ technology to remove background noise while maintaining the voice quality. It protects against wind noise with grooved vents and acoustic fabric on the boom, plus electronic filters in microphone circuitry. The result was very good in my testing, but not quite as clean and natural sounding as the Voyager PRO. It also provides handy voice prompts for muting, low battery, and lost connections.
The headset uses silicon gel eartips with a small flange plus a stabilizer loop that fits in the folds of the outer ear. This is designed to fit comfortably and securely, and be easy to insert and remove.
The Plantronics Discovery 975 is priced at $129, on the high side of its competitors, but it delivers a simple, functional design plus the clever charging case.
See my Audio Accessories Gallery for details and related products.
Which brings us to the new Flip MinoHD 120 minute model, just announced today. This doubles the recording time of the original Flip MinoHD 60 min. model, increases the screen size to 2 inches (matching the Ultra), and adds a HDMI connector so you can play videos directly on an HDTV.
Yet the new MinoHD still keeps the same form and size -- albeit with a new brushed metal front (yes, metal, not plastic). As a result, it is slightly heavier, growing from 3.3 to 4 ounces. But it keeps the same basic simplicity of operation, with only subtle refinements like the ability to zoom before recording and a new more rugged all-metal pop-out USB connector.
The built-in FlipShare software also has been upgraded, adding direct sharing to Facebook, and Magic Movie creation to automatically trim and arrange selected videos into a movie. The software will be rolling into the entire Flip line later this month, and can be downloaded from the Flip website (see previous post).
As a bonus, the new Flip MinoHD 120 min. model is priced at $229, the same price as the original 60 min. model when it was introduced last year. The current Mino model prices also have been reduced: the Flip Mino (SD) is now $149, and the original Flip MinoHD 60 min. is $199. The Flip Ultra continues at $149, and the Flip UltraHD at $199.
The Flip Mino design works great as a take-anywhere camcorder, small enough to keep in your pocket or bag to catch the spontaneous moments that you would never get if you had to think about bringing along a conventional camcorder along with its assorted accessories. The new Flip MinoHD 120 min. is a welcome addition -- The two-hour recording time gives you more of a safety margin when you're away from a computer, and the two-inch screen is a significant improvement, brighter and with truer colors.
Check the Flip site to compare the Mino and Ultra models
See my Digital Camcorders Gallery for more on the Flip line and other digital camcoders.