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Below, you will find reviews for laptops, cell phones, mp3 players, and much more!

The New Macbook and Macbook Pro

Well, Steve Jobs has done it again. With the release of the new Macbook and Macbook Pro, Steve Jobs has raised the bar even higher. While there are many improvements, there are also a few glaring features, but we’ll get to those later on, shall we?

Apple Macbook

First and foremost, the Macbooks look beautiful. If there’s one thing Jobs does right, it’s design. Compared to its PC competitors, the Macbook looks sleek and polished and would easily win a beauty contest any day. Plus, when you boot it up, OS X doesn’t look too shabby either. With a little research, it seems the streamlined feel of the new Macooks is due to an improvement in the manufacturing process. Instead of using multiple parts, only a few pieces of covered with aluminum allowed for stronger laptops that would withstand more punishment. I’m not a fan of Macbooks, but the design of current PC computers does make me envy the cosmetic advantages of the new Macbooks.

The Innards

An important piece of hardware that Jobs upgraded was the graphics card. As a follower of many types of technology, this was to be expected if Jobs wanted to future-proof the Macbook and Macbook Pro. However, what I didn’t expect was for Jobs to pull an “Alienware scheme.” What I’m talking about is the inclusion of two graphic cards instead of one. Like the Macbook, the Macbook Pro has a NVIDIA 9400M graphics card, but it also has a 9600M GT graphics card for those graphic intensive tasks such as video editing or even gaming. My only grievance with having two cards is unlike Alienware, the Macbook Pro has to reboot in order to switch memory cards.

As for the LCD, this is something that many consumers and reviewers have called both a blessing and a curse. While the new displays show better black and whites as well as improved viewing angles, the biggest problem is that Apple is only offering high-gloss displays. For those unfamiliar with display types, the two main displays that laptops have are glossy and matte. The matte does not have a perfectly smooth surface, resulting in dramatically reduced reflections. This is usually the preferred display type for those that work in bright areas, such as in an office setting or outside. On the other hand, the glossy display type is known to display at a higher quality and clarity, producing richer colors and deeper blacks. The problem is that the Macbooks have high-gloss displays, resulting in a ridiculous amount of reflection on the screen, as shown below. However, I’m hesitant to agree with anyone that the reflections could be a deal-breaker for me.

Macbook Pro Old vs Macbook Pro New

The philosophy that Macbooks are easy to use has spread to other parts of the Macbook family. For those interested in installing more RAM or swapping out hard drives, Apple made this easier by a “quick flip of a release hatch.” Also, the hatch on the lid has been replaced by a magnetic one, making it easier to open and close the laptops. Lastly, the trackpad has been enlarged and the physically clicking part, removed. This seemed to cause confusion to me at first because using a button to click seemed a lot more reliable, as well as having the physical feedback. However, it seems as though there are no major complaints about it and having a larger trackpad definitely helps with multitouch.

New Trackpad

Overall, this is another step in the right direction for Apple. The newly redesigned Macbook and Macbook Pro have once again given old and new Apple users something to appreciate.

Are Netbooks Really Worth it?

The introduction of this device has spawned many headlines over the past few months. While still considered a portable computer or a.k.a. laptop, its small size, low cost, and extended battery life sets it apart from the traditional laptops. Due to its lower specifications, it’s primarily built for basic tasks such as email, web browsing, and typing up documents. This is particularly useful for college students and people who don’t need the more advanced features of a laptop or desktop. From my experience, a popular combination that college students buy is a netbook and a home-built desktop. The desktop is powerful enough to play the latest games and intense multi-tasking while the netbook allows for in-class note-taking. In fact, the popularity of these little netbooks has risen to such a point that a multitude of netbooks are available, with nearly every major computer manufacturer offering their own version.

So far, the netbook does sound pretty good. However, this review quite over yet and it’s time to shed light on a huge problem that plagued netbooks for quite some time. As mentioned above, netbooks are built for basic tasks. Very rarely would you see anyone use it for anything more than light gaming or anything intensive. Thus, the issue of what Operating System netbooks use has caused much controversy. While I am a fan of Windows Vista, it’s a shame to see Microsoft take heat from consumers complaining about how much Vista bogs down the computers, even making them unusable. In a purely coincidental way, another complaint that many Windows fan had was the retirement date of Windows XP, which was originally set to January 31, 2008 and finally pushed back to June 30, 2008. While XP has become “the OS of the netbooks”, Linux, an open-source operating system, is offered as another choice. However, I would recommend against using a Linux-based netbook because XP offers way more compatibility and support for drivers and software.

Now, on to some popular netbooks and my thoughts about them:

ASUS Eee PC

One netbook has been in the market for quite a while and it is the ASUS Eee PC. This netbook has been out since 2007 and is arguably the current netbook leader. One of the keys to its success is how much thinner and lighter it is compared to the other netbooks, yet offers more usability, notably its keyboard. Ben, one of the authors here at Portatech, actually owns an ASUS Eee PC, albeit an older model. However, one thing that would probably create headaches for most users is the lack of storage space most netbooks have. As evidenced by the smaller size storage space of mp3 players and the increasing popularity of flash drives and solid state drives, this particular netbook is only offered at 40 GB. It does have a hard drive based storage method which comes in at 80 and 160 GB, but it drains the battery at a faster rate, thus the switch the flash based storage.

Dell Mini 9

A new entrant to this competitive market is the Dell Mini 9. Introduced in September 2008, it gives a the other netbooks a run for their money. An especially interesting thing that caught my eye was the lack of the F11 and F12 button. However, all’s well when you see the keyboard is still quite large and not cramped, another major complaint of any netbook user. However, I didn’t choose to give this netbook some free advertising just because Dell is my preferred brand. For back to school students, a special promotion was launched for the introduction of the Dell Mini 9: $99 a pop. When I saw this, it literally blew my mind that they could sell a netbook at this price. However, the offer is valid when the purchase of a Studio or XPS laptop is purchased. Still, thinking back to when I said students look for the best combinations in ultraportable and powerful computers, this definitely did take the cake.

All in all, what do I think about the netbook? With an actual market created for it, it’s definitely here to stay. Advances in technology will only allow netbooks to become more powerful and still stay lightweight and energy efficient. Who knows, today’s laptops may become tomorrow’s netbooks.

GPS’s Fore Golfers

As GPS’s are becoming more apart of our lives and have been around for a longer time people are finding new uses for them. GPS systems are now expanding beyond the car, and out on to the golf course. I am going to give you the scoop on two of these such devices to compare which one is the better purchase.

SureShot

The first product I am here to present is called the SureShot GPS. The SureShot is a small, light weight device that thrives on it’s simplicity. The user-interface is quite simple with buttons that, for lack of a better phrase, just make sense. On the left side you have a little control pad that act as your scroll bars and looking around the different holes. Directly below the screen are three buttons that will correspond to three different icons located directly above them on the screen, similar to two buttons on some cell phones. The SureShot will be able to give you almost any distance you could ask for while playing a golf course. Some of these include: distances to the front, middle and back of the green, distances to various spots in the fairway and the location of up to 15 hazards per hole.

The SureShot learns the course you want to play when you download that course’s information to your SureShot from the company’s website. To do this though, you must buy a membership that lets you have access to their database.  If you try to play a course you have not downloaded the SureShot will be of no use. Some good news is to make sure you don’t have to download something every time you play a different course, the SureShot can store the information of up to 40 courses at once.

CaddyAid

Another option out there is called the CaddyAid made by DMC. The CaddyAid is sleek and stylish and could easily be confused with a blackberry or some other PDA. How the user interacts with this GPS device is more modern than any of the others I looked at, part of CaddyAid’s user interaction is via touchscreen. It has the usual key pad, enter button, and the couple other standard buttons as well. While actually on the course though, what the golfer will be touching most are the virtual buttons on the screen.

The touchscreen also comes into play when calculating distances as well. It has an aerial picture of every course of every hole available in it’s on-line database (yes, you have to do the same download thing here as with the SureShot). The CaddyAid will tell you where you are on the course and you can then touch any spot on the virtual course and it will tell you your distance. The big thing about this is that with every other golf GPS it only gave you distances to significant points on the hole, not whatever spot you wanted. With this touchscreen you can get the distance to any place on the hole!

The ability to find distances wherever can accomplish a lot more than just yardage to where you want to hit it. There is a feature that lets you find the distance between two points you plot yourself. For golfers this is huge. A golfer can now know exactly how wide the fairway is at any point on the hole as well as how wide the green is for his approach. This also can let the golfer know the exact distance to hole on the green. All other GPS’s give the distance to the front, middle and back of the green. Well, sorry to say but the pin is not always in the very back, middle or front. This is where the CaddyAid comes in. The golfer can pick the exact spot on the green where the pin is located, with this finding out the precise distance.

The Verdict

We the jury (me, myself and I) find in favor of the CaddyAid sitting it’s super-awesome touch screen technology and everything that comes with that feature. In my opinion the CaddyAid has better features while still keeping at the same simple complexity of the SureShot. Also, the CaddyAid costs less than the Sureshot by about 20 bucks. Getting more for less, hard to argue with that.

Find Your Way to the Dash GPS

There is no more worse of a feeling to a driver than the feeling of being lost. This means you have to pull over to the side of the road and fumble around with the map you hopefully still have in your car or, take the gamble and drive around and hope you come to an area you remember. There is also a third option of stopping and asking for directions, but if you’re a guy odds are that won’t happen.  Is there any sure way to solve this problem, or better yet, avoid it all together? You bet, get a GPS. But what if you want streaming traffic reports, finding the cheapest gas around, and to see what houses are for sale in the neighborhood you are in? Then, get a Dash GPS.

The Dash GPS is made by Dash Navigation Incorporated and went on sale this year. What makes the Dash GPS so special is it’s ability to give an astounding amount of real-time information to it’s user. It is able to do this because it gathers information from the entire network of Dash GPS’s that is constantly being updated by the other Dash GPS’s themselves.  The thing about Dash GPS’s is that they are always connected to the network, while in park through Wi-Fi or while driving through cellphone bands.  This one feature opens up a whole new world for this device.

With the updated network drivers can access the most real-time traffic information as possible, the most updated road maps and so much more.  For one, all you lead foots out there, the Dash GPS can make your job of watching for cops so much easier. If a driver sees a cop sitting on the side of the road looking for speeders he can upload that location to the network to and it will show up on all other Dash GPS’s.  I can tell you, if I had that in my car my insurance rates would be a lot lower.  With this updatable network, there is no end to what you can find on this GPS system. If you are touring a city you can wikipedia a building and learn if you are really interested in taking a tour. If you are looking at buying a house there is an application that will show you which houses near you are for sale.  So if you’re driving through a neighborhood and think it would be a nice place to live just look at your GPS to see where you can move in.

Dash GPS can also find you almost anything you are looking for. If you are out on the road and looking for a place to stop and eat the Dash GPS is your dinner guide. It can find a restaurant based on type, price, and distance from your current location. If you need money to pay for that meal it can find you the nearest ATM specific to your bank.  Even if you were supposed to meet somebody at that restaurant and you can’t remember when, it can link your Google or Yahoo calender to your GPS to check your schedule! Now there’s no excuse for forgetting you had to go to your mother-in-laws.

With all these bells and whistles you may be thinking that this little gadget is out of your league? Well, let me break the good news to you, it’s only $299. I know that’s not an amazing price, but that is an average price for a GPS and with all the Dash GPS can you I’m sure you can get your money’s worth.  Or, if you’re looking for a different perspective, think about buying a navigation system through a car dealership. “Navigation Packages”, as they call them, can run you two grand, or more.  The sad thing is I bet those navigation systems don’t do half as much as the Dash GPS, and yet they will cost you over three times more.

My overall evaluation of the Dash GPS is that it is an above-average product for a relatively low cost.  The features it has can make any driver’s life a more enjoyable one. We all know at least one person in our life who is bad with directions, and with the holiday season upon us now is the perfect time to help.

MP3s for under $50

Do you want to buy an mp3 player that won’t require you to empty your wallet? If so, then you’re in luck; just as there are plenty of expensive mp3 players loaded with fancy features, there are also a variety of inexpensive ones to choose from. While these may lack many features that the more expensive alternatives offer, they still play music well, albeit with slightly lower sound quality. If you think the extra features of some mp3 players aren’t worth their extra cost, consider these devices below instead. All the mentioned mp3 players mentioned below are under $50 and of good enough quality that you won’t have to worry about buying a piece of trash that will break the second time you use it.

RCA Pearl

 

We’ll start first with the cheapest of the mp3 players in this article: the RCA Pearl. It is different from other mp3 players in that it uses a AAA battery for power which should last for 15 hours of play time. It has 1GB of storage space (~250 songs) and a microphone for recording. Additionally, the Pearl has an LCD screen and buttons that allow the user to manage the device, but songs are played randomly and can’t be organized. The RCA Pearl connects to the USB port of the computer: there is a side cover on the device that opens up to reveal a port just like one you would find on a USB device. This is unique from other mp3 players in that the USB connection is built into the Pearl, so there is no need for a cord. Its dimensions are 1.1×0.9×3.1 inches and weighs only 1.2 ounces. Keep in mind that it requires Windows 2000 or XP (it’s not compatible with Mac OS X or Vista). For additional information on the RCA Pearl, as well as video footage (video in “review” section) of it, go here. The RCA Pearl is priced at $29 and is a great deal for what you’re paying for.

Samsung Pebble

 

Priced for $39, the Samsung S2 Pebble is a unique mp3 player that looks like a stone you would find on the beach. One side is smooth with a glossy finish, while the other has buttons that operate it; it lacks a display screen. LCD lights illuminate the lower portion of the smooth side, which indicate its status (paused, playing, etc.). It has 1GB of storage capacity like the RCA Pearl, but it has a rechargeable battery (should last 13 hours) instead of a disposable one. For extra ease of use, the Pebble can be worn around the neck since it is so lightweight (only 0.5 ounces) and portable (1.7×1.6×0.7 inches). This makes it extremely convenient to use especially if your exercising and don’t want to put it in a pocket. Songs are played randomly so unfortunately, you can’t organize your music. The Pebble works with Windows 2000, XP and Vista. Go here for more information as well as video footage (video in “review” section) so you can get a visual perspective of the Pebble. Overall, it is a great buy.

iPod Shuffle

 

At a price of $49, the 1GB iPod shuffle is the most expensive of all the mentioned mp3 players. However, it will work on both Windows and Macintosh operating systems. It uses iTunes and can either play songs randomly, or play them in the order that you put your songs on iTunes. Keep in mind though that there is no LCD display, so you will have to memorize the order of your music if you wish to play your songs in order. Regardless, this is a feature that both the Pearl and Pebble lack, and having control over what song to play is a nice luxury to have. The iPod shuffle’s design is anything but bulky: with dimensions of 1.07×1.62×0.41 inches and a weight of 0.55 ounces, it is the smallest of all iPods. The device has a built in clip so it can be easily attached to any piece of clothing. Like the Pebble, the iPod shuffle has a rechargeable battery that should last up to 12 hours. If you like to use iTunes but don’t want to buy the more expensive versions of iPods, the shuffle is a great bargain. More information on the shuffle can be found here.

 

So, if you don’t mind sacrificing a few extra features in exchange for a few hundred dollars, consider a cheaper, more basic mp3 player. After all, if the only thing you’re going to do with it is listen to music, what are you missing out on?

The Nintendo DS

By Byron Valentine

Nintendo DS

The difference just a decade can make in technology is unbelievable and the difference between the Nintendo DS® and the Nintendo Game Boy® is a testament to such a difference. As some will remember the Game Boy was a monstrosity of a so called “hand held” game console. The screen was black and white and the games came in cartridges which seemed to function much like ammunition cartridges when loaded into the back.

Not to mention that it seemed to take a car battery to fuel this small weapon of gamers. All that however has nearly faded into oblivion. The Nintendo DS® is the definition of small, lightweight and portable. It has a good battery charge time and black and white screens are a thing of the past. Released in 2004 the Nintendo DS took center stage, along with other rivals such as the Sony PSP, and brought forward a new era of gaming; touch screen.

The specifications of the DS are impressive and so is its track record. Nintendo reports that as of September 30, 2008 84.33 million units (including the new version- DS Lite) have been sold worldwide. The console features a clamshell design with two LCD screens inside – the bottom one being a touchscreen. The Nintendo DS also features a built-in microphone and supports wireless IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards, allowing players to interact with each other within short range (10–30 m, depending on conditions) or online with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service. With a volume of just 5.85 x 3.33 x 1.13 inches and a weight of 300 grams (9.7 ounces) the DS slips nicely into a pocket or purse yet still offers a fine game play experience. The strongest feature of the DS however is its touchscreen.

There are two screens on the DS, one on both top and bottom interior sides. They measure in at 3-inches and have a resolution of 256 x 192 pixels. What does that mean? Good graphics! However it is not the top of the line, but still a major step up from Game Boy Advanced. The lowermost display of the Nintendo DS is overlaid with a resistive touchscreen, which works by registering pressure from one point on the screen at a time, averaging multiple points of contact if necessary. The touch screen is activated by the included stylus, a users fingers or a curved plastic tab attached to the optional wrist strap.

The Nintendo DS also features stereo speakers thereby providing virtual surround sound. This is the first time that a Nintendo hand held console has provided surround sound and coupled with the touchscreen the effect is very realistic. The DS also features for the first time a built-in microphone, which is located below the left side of the bottom screen. It can be used in a variety of ways and has been used for such things as speech recognition, chatting online during game play and some games which require the player to shout or blow into the microphone.

The DS however does have some serious downfalls. With only 256 kB of Serial Flash Memory the DS doesn’t even compare to other hand held game consoles. Nintendo has tried to make p for this by putting a small amount of Flash Memory on the game cartridges. It has two CPUs but only one of them is capable of 3D rendering, meaning that the top screen will only display two dimensional objects. The DS however does have a very good track record and there appear to be no major flaws in the design and production. The quality of the craftsmanship is very high and Nintendo reported significantly less technical issues than other gaming companies. The Nintendo offers a fun gaming experience which is very interactive. It is priced affordably at between $100 $150 depending where you shop. All and all, it is a good bang for your buck if you are looking for a medium range priced console.

The Acer K10 Projector

Everyone loves the fun of a big screen. Projectors have proves to be a boatload of fun for years in home theatres. Now imagine if you could pack that boatload of fun into something that could easily fit into one hand, this is the Acer K10 Projector

If you want the smallest projector on the market the K10 may not be for you, there are many pico-sized versions out there. If you are looking to combine size and quality this is the projector for you. There are many other small projectors out there already but none that give this kind of quality.

The K10 has a 20,000 hour backlight LED light source capable of putting out 100 ANSI lumens. That is an amazing feat for a projector weighing in at 1.2lbs and being about 5″x5″. The K10 supports S-video and VGA inputs. You wont be disappointed with the image either. The K10 promises to give viewers 800×600 resolution in a 4:3 aspect ratio, the best on the market for this size of projectors.

The Acer K10 is not the first mini projector. Dell, Optoma and many others have already tried their hands at making a viable mini projector, but proper brightness and resolution have proven to be elusive. We hope that Acer will get it right. The only foreseeable draw back to any mini projector is the brightness you are able to pack into the small shell. Utilizing LEDs Acer is able to create a large screen in a dark room, lights will overpower the K10 may make the image impossibly hard to see. Only time will tell if the K10 will deliver true quality and brightness in one go.

The K10 is set to launch this January. With a $450 price tag this may be the perfect projector for a business. If you are looking to make a home theatre on a dime I would not suggest this unless you plan on watching your movies in utter darkness. Acer claims you can have a 60″ screen, which is impressive for this 1.2lb projector.

Should you run out and buy one? I would suggest waiting to see if this little projector can live up to the hype. Lab results for image size and quality don’t ever compare to real world situations. A 60″ screen size seems a bit ambitious for this projectors lamp. I could see myself buying the K10 just for the novelty and portability. It would be extremely cool to have a theatre right in your pocket. For more on this new gadget click here.

The PSP-3000

By Byron Valentine

The PSP-3000

Most teenagers today have fond memories of playing a Nintendo Game Boy® or perhaps an Atari Lynx® but both of these products pale in comparison to today’s handheld game consoles. The handheld game console is still a relatively new creation; however, with dramatic advancements in technology, it is now a competitive and valuable market for consol producers. Despite this relatively short lifespan, since their emergence in the early 1990’s, handheld game consoles have progressed at an astounding rate. First generation consoles were heavy, bulky and hardly worthy of the title “handheld”. They tended to have a small screen, a minuscule selection of games, limited battery life and most tended to break easily. Today game consoles such as Sony’s PlayStation Portable have completely shed their embarrassing past and now jockey for position in the technological world as leading game systems.

Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP) was first revealed at E3 2004. It is a seventh generation hand held console and boasts a wide range of features exceeding simple game play. The PSP was an instant success and Sony reports that as of August 20, 2008, 41 million units have been sold worldwide. Similarly, reflecting the constantly changing world of technology, there have already been new models released such as the PSP Slim & Lite and the PSP-3000 series. So what is it exactly which warrants such excitement from the gamming community and such large sale figures? Let’s find out…

To begin with, the PSP is not just a gaming console; it is an entertainment system! The PSP-3000, which is the most current version released on October 14 2008 in NA, can play music, movies, games, view pictures and browse the web wirelessly! And that is just the beginning! Movies are now available in UMD format disks. These 900 MB disks easily hold a full length feature film and offer high quality graphics and sound. The PSP-3000 also has access to Internet Radio offering over 22,000 stations, there’s music for everyone! And with a PSP-3000 you never have to worry about missing your favorite TV shows. With the TiVoToGo™ accessory you can watch recorded TV content from your TiVo which is saved onto your Memory Stick Duo™. This means you can watch your favorite shows, sporting events, movies, live TV and anything else on the tube anytime you want without missing anything. Another cool feature of the PSP-3000 is LocationFree™ TV. This is live streaming available whenever and wherever. This feature is great however it requires some mildly difficult setup and separate hardware purchases which are each sold separately. The key point being “each sold separately”.

In addition to these features, the PSP also is a media player, and is great for music and pictures. The PSP plays music files through either it’s built in speakers or headphones and uses a playlist system so you can tailor your own listening preferences.

The unusually large LCD (4.3 inch/11 cm) widescreen is great for displaying pictures. Simply save the files on your Memory Stick Duo and they are ready to be viewed. You can also connect your PSP to a TV and see them on the big screen. The PSP also has a slideshow option allowing you to create your own slideshow of selected photos. Music can also be played during the slideshow. There is also a choice to send photos to other PSP’s in the vicinity.

The PSP-3000 also can connect to the Internet and use Skype Instant Messenger. With its built in microphone you can make internet phone calls to any number in the world for the cost of just the Internet. The PSP also uses the same system as the PlayStation 3 thus allowing the two devices to communicate wirelessly. Any music and photos on a nearby PS3 can be played or viewed on a PSP-3000 and the PSP serves as a remote control for the PS3.

A definite plus for the PSP is its custom ability. The background wallpaper is fully customizable and can be a photo you take or one you upload to your memory card. The themes are also changeable and versatile. Icon images can be changed and preferences are easily set. There is also an option to password protect Internet access and the playback of UMD™ disks for greater parental control.

And of course, it plays games beautifully and like never before! The display is bright, highly detailed and the large screen offers a great game play experience. There is no doubt that playing a PSP is fun. With literally hundreds of game titles to choose from there is something for everyone.

There are several drawbacks with the PSP however. It’s not cheap. Costing about $200 new plus the cost of any extras and the cost of games as well, it can put a sizeable dent in your bank account. Also, it can be easily lost or stolen. I personally know two people who have had theirs stolen. Another drawback is that the screen can be easily scratched or broken. Slipping a PSP into your back pocket is fine until you forget its there and sit down; an act usually followed by a sickening “crunch” sound. The new PSP-3000 also uses a new horizontal sub pixel structure which has caused the screen to show visible dark lines, similar to traditional scan lines. The PSP-3000 is also still limited by battery time and needs recharging even more so than the original PSP. Sony is still trying to fix all of these problems and there is sure to be a new model eventually which hopefully will address these issues. Despite these drawbacks the PSP is still an amazing handheld game consol and I highly recommend at least playing one if your not interest in purchasing.

The Zune vs. iPod

Believe it or not, there are other mp3 players besides Apple’s iPods. However, many of these mp3 players pale in comparison to the popular iPods that are commonly seen everyday, whether it is due to their storage capacity, compatibility, or interface. The closest competitor to the iPod is Microsoft’s Zune, which has many of the same features that the iPod does, plus a few more. For a useful side by side comparison of the two, go here.

For starters, the Zune has a larger screen size of 3.2 inches, compared to the iPod’s screen size of 2.5 inches. However, it is also important to note that the resolution of the two screens are the same, so therefore the screen of the Zune is slightly more pixilated compared to that of the iPod’s. While this may seem to negate any reason for a larger screen, the Zune’s screen is touchable, unlike the iPod’s, which requires the use of the circular wheel at the bottom half of the device to navigate the menu. Using the touch screen is faster and more straightforward since all you have to do is press a button on the screen instead of spinning your finger around a circle repeatedly. The iPod’s wheel, however, is still allows the user to easily switch songs with the added bonus of keeping the screen clean and less likely to be scratched. Alternatively, on the Zune, there is a small circular button near the bottom that navigates the screen as well, which can substitute for the touch screen.

Microsoft's Zune

In terms of size, price and formats, nether of the two devices stick out. Each are priced at $249, have 120GB hard drives, and roughly the same battery life (iPod has 36 hours, 6 hours longer than the Zune). The Zune is slightly larger, but lighter, with dimensions of 4.25×2.4×0.5 inches and weighing in at 4.5 ounces. Compare these to an iPod’s weight of 4.7 ounces and dimensions of4.1×2.4×0.4 inches, and it is clear that neither of the two devices is significantly different from one another in these regards. The 120GB iPods come in either black or white, while the 120GB Zune comes in only black, but it is possible to change the background on the Zune’s screen.

What separates the two mp3 players apart the most is their compatibility and special features. The Zune cannot be used on Macintosh operating systems or with iTunes. Instead, the Zune uses Zune 3.0, which is similar to iTunes. On the other hand, the iPod can be used with either a PC or Macintosh computer. Both the iPod and Zune are compatible with the same video formats, but the Zune is also able to play FM radio. Additionally, it can connect to a computer wirelessly and synch songs instead of having to be constantly plugged in like the iPod. Zunes can also connect to each other wirelessly and transfer music. Unfortunately, the shared songs can only be listened to three times before you are no long able to listen to it and asked to buy the song online. In my opinion, this restriction makes Zune to Zune sharing much less appealing , but on the plus side it makes it easier to find new songs to listen to since you can easily compare music with another Zune user. Overall, the Zune has more features than the iPod, but suffers from being exclusively made for the PC.

Apple's iPod

In this comparison, I only focused on the 120GB versions of the two, but if you go to the official Zune website, you can find other versions of Microsoft Zunes. You can also go to the iTunes website for information on the iPod. Yes, I know both websites are biased towards their own products, but when it comes to finding basic information about the two they are still informative. If you are considering buying an mp3 player for the holidays, give the Zune a thought instead of instinctively running out to buy an iPod. In my opinion, the Zune offers everything the iPod does, plus a little more; if you have a PC and want to try something different, give the Zune a shot. However, as with all technology, the ultimate decision of which one to pick is in your hands.

The Google Phone

Google released the Google phone (G1) on September 17^th. With a T-mobile contract the phone cost a mere $175. This puts the phone’s cost just below the coveted i-phone. For the price this phone may be just what you need.

The G1 features a full qwerty keyboard that slides out from underneath the screen. This may be preferred to the Apple i-phone on-screen keyboard that can be tough to type on. The phone also features a 5″x3″ touch screen that allows for easy navigation through Google’s applications. The phone features a 3.0mp camera and 3G network connectivity.

The Google Phone

Some may wonder if it is worth buying the phone, or waiting until the platform has more capabilities. I feel that the G1 will ship with enough to compete with today’s biggest hitters in the smart phone category. The web browsing and email support will be fully functioning along with Google Maps support. On top of having web browsing, you will be able to play a fair amount of video formats straight out of the box, with many more being added later by users.

The biggest excitement, however, is the open source linux based Android firmware. This allows the users to create, share, and download each other’s. While most other companies, such as Microsoft and Apple, are locking out the consumer Google is making an unprecedented move to open source. As for now there probably won’t be a plethora of apps available to the user, but as android matures you can expect to be able to fully customize the phone to your liking.

This phone looks like it will hold its own against the i-phone. USA Today did a side by side comparison of the two here. According to their comparison the I-phone has more memory and weighs less, has a headphone jack and slightly larger screen. The G1 on the other hand has more capabilities such as multimedia messaging and a removable battery and memory card. The memory is less on the G1 but can be expanded up to 16 gigs. The camera is 3.0mp compared to the i-phone’s 2.0mp camera. As always the i-phone is not open source or adaptable.

Should you ditch your i-phone? Not just yet. Google and T-mobile’s open source platform may be more capable in the future, but for now apple has the best operating system for a phone. Some people have complained about certain apps being buggy or not present. This is probably due to the fact this is version 1.0. lets not forget Apple’s Generation 1 i-phone bugs and major issues. I’m confident that within months this gadget will be the one to own. Being open source and user friendly will allow the Google Phone to succeed where others are failing.