Section: Communications, Computers  If you’re going to meet the president for dinner, one of the first questions might be, “what to wear?” Apparently, that question was not on the mind of Steve Jobs, CEO (albeit on medical leave) of Apple, Inc. Mr. Jobs sat at the presidents left hand and was adorned in the usual black mock turtleneck.
Can we assume Mr. Jobs is also sporting his trademark jeans to go along with the trademark mock turtleneck? Good God man, do you think he’s got running sneakers on too? That’s a mistake according to the TimesUnion, whose tips on “what to wear to see the President” include, “stay away from denim” and “get your shoes shined.” Rolling out the old turtleneck and jeans at Apple events is one thing. But a private dinner with Silicon big whigs? Spring for a dress shirt and blazer like almost everyone else there. Or is that just more of Apple’s “think different?” Read:[SearchEngineLand] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Computers, Laptops, Reviews, Features, Originals What is being reviewed?
Up for review today is the Dell Vostro V130 notebook. The model that we are reviewing features a 13.3 inch (1366 x 768) display, 1.33GHz Intel Core i3-380UM processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive and is running Windows 7 Professional (64-bit). Other features include Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator graphics, Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0, a 2 megapixel webcam with digital microphone and a 6-cell battery. And for those wondering, the V130 is showing a 3.4 on the Windows Experience Index. In terms of price, the unit we were reviewing is $799. Disclaimer: The Dell Vostro V130 was loaned to Gadgetell by Dell for the purpose of this review. Our thoughts Lets see, where to begin. How about the coming out of the box experience. Coming out of the box we liked two things right off the bat, first the aluminum exterior casing made it feel good and second was the weight—3.5 pounds and the thickness—0.78 inches. But moving past that, the Vostro V130 has what we would describe as a fair price considering the specs and features. Of course, that is subject to our opinion so read on to find out why we deemed it worthy. To start with, the notebook is set up nicely, the headphone and microphone jacks were on the front towards the right side. In other words, it is easy enough to be able to sit with headphone plugged in and not only have cord length but also not have your arm get tangled up. Otherwise, all of the other ports (with the exception of the SD card slot) were on the back. And as someone who is right handed and likes to use a USB mouse, it was nice to see a USB port toward the back right, which allows the user to maximize a short mouse cable. As for what you can find on the back, there is an HDMI, eSATA/USB combo, Ethernet, VGA and two regular USB ports. Plus, the power jack is also located on the back side towards the left. All said and done, we were happy with how everything is set up. Opening the notebook up and beginning to use, lets touch on the display. Nothing overly surprising here, 13.3 inches is a nice sweet spot and the 1366 x 768 resolution works well. The display is anti-glare, and true to the description, we had no issues while using the V130 in a variety of settings. But perhaps the make or break item for us—the keyboard and touchpad. After all, we type for a living so this is the most abused portion on any of our notebooks. In this case the keyboard felt nice. The keys were solid and typing felt good. Of course, we can probably attribute that to the fact that the keys did not feel overly mushy, but also because our wrists were sitting nicely on the sturdy aluminum casing. All said and done, it just felt solid and that brought a smile. In terms of the trackpad, nothing really good or bad to say here as we tend to prefer the external mouse on any notebook. But for the purpose of this review, we did take some time. The trackpad did work well and in our experience seemed to be large enough for regular use and still small enough to not get in the way when typing. As for controlling the touchpad, there is a Function F6 option to disable when using an external mouse. Otherwise, the tracking and scrolling were done without issue and for those wondering, the trackpad does offer goodies such as two finger scrolling. In terms of using the computer and the power we were able to get. For most of our daily use that meant living in the browser. For that we can say that Chrome as well as Firefox served us well. Of course, with 4GB of RAM and an Intel Core i3 processor that comes with little surprise. That aside though, we were also able to enjoy doing some image editing, watching video and listening to music, with both of those latter being done from the web as well as off an external drive. With that, perhaps another make or break item is the battery and while we were far from scientific on this, we can say that we were pleased with what we experienced. Lets just say it this way, we did not see more than 6 hours, however we can say that the V130 offered more than enough to outlast what we needed. In other words, battery life was more than satisfactory and allowed for us to wander without worrying about leaving the power cord at home. The bottom line In the end, we would say that the Vostro V130 was a nice notebook to work with. In fact it is one that we would have loved to keep around the office, but alas, it is being shipped back as soon as this review is wrapped up. As for suggesting that someone should buy one. Well, that is easy enough to answer—we already have. Granted I am not sure that person has actually followed through as of yet, but the Vostro V130 is on their short list of possibles. And just in case you missed our hands-on image series from earlier in the week, you can check that out by clicking here. Product [Dell] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Features, Originals, Columns, Who's On Crack 
What's the most common phrase heard around the Gadgetell newsroom? Is it "I love Apple?", "that's cool!" or "sweet!"? Answer: none of them, it's "they are on crack." This week we take a look back at the things that made us chuckle in the tech world. Assembled here are companies whose moves are so strange, we suspect some illegal substances are involved. This week saw mobile mayhem spew out of Barcelona, Spain from the Mobile World Congress. Let’s see how much of it was fueled by illegal drugs, I am edited to say allegedly, but we all know the truth. The accused:
Search for this
Wait, that’s not a pimple it’s a Facebook button!
If #2’s motto is “we try harder”; then #3s is “we get the scraps” 
Courts will use your search history against you Before we dive headfirst into the mobile world, a quick PSA, thanks to Tarun Kunwar, “Be careful what you search for. These days, court rooms are allowed to look at your search history on the web as evidence for a conviction.” To me, that seems a bit over-reaching. Going through my trash, cool. Looking over my credit card statements, fine. But reviewing my Google searches? That’s a bit personal, yeah? To that end, from here on out, I’ll be peppering my search engine history with some gems and I’d advise you law-abiding citizens to do the same. Here are some freebies to throw the fuzz off your tracks, search for: - Pink Fuzzy bunny costume
- Acme truck driving school
- best igloo fire alarm
- leech farming tips
Verdict: I’ve asked our editor to change Gadgetell’s slogan from “tech, news and interesting things” to “Gadgetell: we’ll make that insanity plea stick.” That would make a hell of a -shirt. 
HTC adds special Facebook button You know the problem with todays smartphones? The 3 clicks you have to make to wake the phone up, swipe to unlock and select the Facebook app. When I have got a hot-and-heavy status update, like “searching for pink fuzzy bunny costume” (stick it, coppers), the last thing I need is 3 clicks to deprive me of instant status-fication. Thankfully according to our Shawn Ingram, HTC is here to save the day: “[e]arlier today HTC announced the Cha Cha and Salsa, it's first two Facebook phones, Android phones with dedicated Facebook buttons. Now we know at least one US carrier that will carry some version of those phones.” Hallelujah. But wait, that’s the button? The thing that looks like a zit that just showed up on Prom night? The lone eskimo button looks ridiculous. Fact: we may be on Facebook, but I don’t go around in a “I <3 Facebook" t-shirt. It's like the "I am live blogging this" shirts. Meh.
Verdict: HTC is crazy. This isn't going to fly - I'd expect a shorter lifespan than the wunder-KINs. 
Windows Phone creeps into 2004 smartphone status Oy. I am still getting over the whole Nokia tie-up and then Shawn Ingram has to go and document just how lame the OS is right now. It’s no wonder Nokia won’t launch one single darn phone until the next version of the OS is out there. Let’s take these in tablet-size doses so no one gets hurt:
“First, coming up next month is copy and paste. ” - Ugh, still no copy/paste. Cripes.
“The same update will bring about improvements to the software so apps don't take as long to launch.” Tranlation: apps take forever and a day to launch now.
“March will also see CDMA support for WP7” Hey, that one’s not bad, you know, except for everything else on this list, which won’t help it at Sprint or Verizon.
“Microsoft will add Twitter to the People tile sometime in 2011. ” Yes, more cowbell. If it’s one thing we all need, it’s non-stop chatter from twitter.
“Later in the year Microsfot will also bring the promised multitasking to Windows Phone 7.” Question: how long does it take to copy webOS cards? Answer: you’ll find out on WP7 later this year.
“Later in the year we'll also see an improved browser based on IE9 hit the platform. It might not be the best browser out there, but it'll at least handle HTML5 better than the current WP7 browser.” For the lot of you that still use IE, this should have you peeing your pants. Then again, I’d wager most users of IE are in their 90s and probably pee their pants regularly anyhow. “Windows Phone: we’re not the other two ecosystems.” or maybe “If Google gives you the willies and all your friends have Apple gear, we’re the other option.” Maybe just a sticker that says, “we deserve to be #3, kinda.” Verdict: It could be a symbiotic plan to sell WP7 to drug dealers at this point. Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Mobile, Computers, Mobile Computers We have learned that the 3G equipped Motorola Xoom tablet would come priced at $799 and we are expecting it to arrive for pre-order on February 20th. Though, in truth that bit about the pre-order date has yet to be confirmed. Sadly that means the price point is confirmed to be the real deal and while many will make the iPad comparison and then realize that the Xoom is about $70 more. Well, for those who think that is more expensive than it should be, Sanjay Jha of Motorola recently defended that price point stating that; “We feel that from the hardware and capabilities we deliver we are at least competitive and in a number of ways better [than the iPad]."
And as far as what makes it better, Jha went on to say; “We felt that our ability to deliver 50Mb/s would justify the $799 price point. It is 32GB with 3G and a free upgrade to 4G. Being competitive with iPad is important.”
Via [WSJ] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Computers, Mobile Computers We learned about the Dell Rosemount tablet by way of some leaked presentation slides yesterday, however at that time the information was rather basic. What we know was that the Rosemount would be running Windows 7 and have a display with a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. Well, as it turns out, some more information has come available and it looks like the Rosemount will also have a 10.1 inch display, removable battery, software encryption and remote wipe capability. Furthermore, the Rosemount will be powered by an Intel Oak Trail processor, have a dual-digitizer that supports touch and stylus input and be Latitude branded and marketed towards business channels. Via [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile While nothing is ever really set in terms of an Android software update until you see the update notification alert on your phone, it looks like those sporting an Epic 4G or Zio with Sprint will soon have Froyo. The details are coming by way of a leaked Sprint document and suggest that the Android 2.2 rollout will begin on February 22nd for both devices. Via [AndroidCentral] Software Updates: Samsung Epic (EB13, Froyo) & Sanyo Zio (2.200SP, Froyo)
Effective 2/21/11, software updates will be available for both devices
Over-the-Air (OTA). Both updates will be pushed over a period of days, so
customers will receive them based on their status on the Google servers.
Details: Samsung Epic
Update will be pushed over a 4-day period
After the update completes, verify the new software version (Menu > Settings
> About Phone)
Baseband Version = S: D700.0.5S.EB13
Build Number = FROYO.EB13 Enhancements/fixes: upgrade to Froyo 2.2, improved bluetooth device support,
bluetooth voice dialing, Flash Player 10.1, GPS enhancements, improved OS
performance, ability to install applications to external storage
Sanyo Zio
Updates will be pushed over a 5-day period
Customers are required to download (accept) three portions of the update to
receive Froyo 2.2
Customers should use WiFi if possible to complete the update
After the updates complete, verify the new software version (Menu > Settings
> About Phone)
Baseband Version = S.M910.04.5.DF05
Build Number = Samsung ÉCLAIR.DF05
Enhancements/fixes: upgrade to Froyo 2.2, addition of Swype, Sprint Zone
2.5.5, Sprint ID activation improvements, better battery life
Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Smartphones, Mobile We know that there’s no promise that any particular Android phone will be able to get Netflix streaming for a variety of reasons. There is an option now to get that content on your Android phone now. That’s if you’re willing to pay a bit more for the privilege. PlayOn has now announced the official launch of it’s Android app which has been in beta for months. Incase you’ve never heard of PlayOn, it’s a service that let’s you stream Flash and Silverlight content from your Windows computer to a variety of devices. It doesn’t work with all content, but it works with popular services like Netflix and Hulu as well as Amazon VOD, CNN, CBS, and ESPN among many others. PlayOn does requie a separate fee of $40 per year or $80 for a lifetime subscription. Signing up will give you a 14 day free trial of PlayOn. With the service you’ll be able to watch the content you want over WiFi, 3G, or 4G. Read [Android Market] via [Lifehacker] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile ...(enter random date of your choosing here). I am not sure we have ever started a post with a fill in the blank, however it seems like the only fitting thing to do when talking about when the HTC Thunderbolt is going to be released. But that said, just to recap, we have heard several dates over the past few weeks and for a while they all focused on or around February 24th. Of course, things change and the latest rumors are saying that has been pushed back and that the Thunderbolt may not be released until the 28th or sometime in March. Via [Droid-Life] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Web Be careful what you search for. These days, court rooms are allowed to look at your search history on the web as evidence for a conviction. Take Jared Lee Loughner for example. This righteous young lad has been charged for shooting and killing 6 people and injuring 14 others in Tucson, Arizona last month. Loughner’s online search history is about to be brought into the court room in what seems to be a rather extreme invasion of personal privacy. But hey, when it comes to prosecuting a convicted murder, it’s all gravy, right? It’s easy to watch from afar as a murderer’s search history is pitted against him in the court of law. In all honesty, I’m kinda glad this is happening to someone like Loughner. But as our web searches/postings become more accessible through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, we should be mindful of the implications our “status updates” could have on us in the future. All I’m saying is to be cautious when the next time you’re letting hundreds of “friends” on Facebook where and when you’ve checked in somewhere. Also keep in mind that social networking is very much a double-edged sword, people. Via [SingularityHub] Full Story » | Written by Tarun Kunwar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Smartphones, Mobile While we are still waiting for the Motorola Atrix 4G to come available, it looks like Radio Shack will have it on February 22nd—and have it for $50 less than what AT&T is charging. We have seen the AT&T pre-orders and they have it priced at $199.99, however a recent Radio Shack Facebook posting shows they will have it for $149.99. Furthermore, the bundle package with the laptop dock is $499.99 with AT&T and $479.99 with Radio Shack. Of course, the catch with the laptop dock is that you will need to have the Data Pro 4G add-on which will also add some more money to the monthly cost. But that aside, if you were considering getting an Atrix 4G, then Radio Shack may be your place to save. Via [Radio Shack on Facebook] and [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Apple, Communications, Smartphones If you’ve been on the Internet the past week or so, you may have heard the rumors of a smaller, cheaper iPhone hitting the market soon. If you have been waiting and hoping for said phone, I present to you some counter arguments that say such a phone does not exist. The New York Times says they talked to some people at Apple, including one unnamed senior executive. According to those sources, Apple has no plans on working on a smaller phone. The company’s engineering team is currently working on putting the finishing touches on the next iPhone, what we’ve all assumed will be called the iPhone 5. That iPhone 5 is said to be of similar size to the iPhone 4. Sources did claim that the new model could be made cheaper with a smaller amount of memory and a lower-grade camera. Apple’s current plan for offering cheaper iPhones is to sell last year’s model at a reduced cost. There doesn’t seem to be any reason to stop doing that. Making a smaller iPhone would cause fragmentation issues like we’ve seen in Android. Apps wouldn’t work well on a smaller screen, and would have to be coded to work on both iPhone version. Steve Jobs himself has spoken out against this problem with Android. Now, people like to point out that Steve Jobs likes to speak out against something and go ahead and do it himself. But, fragmenting your mobile platform is quite a bit different than video on an iPod, and reading books. Offering new things to an existing platform leaves room for failure, risking your mobile platform to fragmentation doesn’t make sense. That next iPhone might have the free MobileMe we’ve been asking for, though. At the end of the articles the Times claims that Apple is looking into making it free as a way to wirelessly sync media to your phone, and for storage. That would allow Apple to put less storage on the iPhone, which is one of the most expensive components. Read [New York Times] via [Gizmodo] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
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