Our Economic Crisis

Please take a look at the links below for intriguing and beneficial information.

Courtesy of Mike Adams and www.NaturalNews.com

How the Financial Bailout Really Works (comic)

How to Build Your Financial Safety Net

Ditching my BlackBerry for Windows Mobile? Yep...

Well dear readers, I've decided to resign my commission in the BlackBerry Army. It's been a long journey that spanned Nokias, HTCs, SEs, and Motorolas. But up until now, no matter the carrier, it always ended with a BlackBerry. Well that tradition is coming to end. You may be asking yourself, 'but why now, when the Bold is set to be released in a few months?'. Well I'm just not interested in the Bold, not at all. Yes, RIM has finally created something that is finally worth putting in my pocket, but the fact still remains that it's still gonna be a BlackBerry. Fancy screen, better camera and new OS aside, it's still gonna have that god awful track ball. Worse still is that at the end of the day, all of that newness aside, it's still gonna have the same underlying OS. The same boring, tired OS that hasn't changed since RIM first introduced the damn things.

Sure RIM is gonna beautify it so that it looks pretty on the outside, but on the inside is where it counts and RIM is way behind market leaders Nokia and (believe it or not) Microsoft. S60 and Windows Mobile have thousands of ready to download applications that can instantly change your device to anything you want it to be. Like the idea of a mobile Sling player, S60 and WinMo have you covered. Wanna Geotag your photos, again the competition has you covered. With the exception of CDMA based 'berrys why is it that only now are we seeing 3G enabled BlackBerrys? It's not just that either.

Everywhere you look people have BlackBerrys. Corporate guys, soccer moms, teenagers, your grandmother probably has a BlackBerry. It's not the ubiquity that bothers me (more power to RIM) its that these people have them because other people have them. How many people do you know have 'berrys and dont have data plans attached to them? How many people do you know that have Pearls because they are cute and can text real nice? These people aren't getting them because they are powerhouse email devices that can probably organize their day better than Outlook can. They have them cuz all of their girlfriends have them and oh look the new Pearl now comes in pink!

Why does this piss me off, well it's because just like the Razr before it, getting these things out to the masses means cutting cost and keeping material cost down. Remember how luxurious the Razr was when it first came out then Moto decided everyone needed a Razr, and made a zillion clones of it. They all sucked, even the signature brand fell under the cheap feeling curse. Look at your Curve or your Pearl. Go on look at it. It's a piece of crap. Cheap plastic and rubber. $449 (MSRP, no contract) for that!? I'll pass, for $50 bucks more I'll go buy an AT&T Tilt. Or for $100 less I can get a BlackJack 2 or for $10 dollars more a Nokia E61i.

Now I understand that some people actually do use their 'berrys to it's full potential, data attached and everything. And if you are a monster texter (like me) then a BlackBerry is probably working out real nice for you. But for me, after years (literally) of using one, the time has come to explore other options and go in a different direction. Maybe one day RIM will win me back (I'm sure im not alone in this rant) but in the mean time, there are just too many non BlackBerry devices coming out just begging to be put in my pocket. Touch Pro, SE Experia 1, E71, E66, hell even the iPhone 3G is looking pretty good.

Now, back to my headline. Come back in a few days for my first impressions of HTCs Touch Dual, big brother to the orginal Touch.

Down Time is Slow Time...

So for those of you who do keep up with this site, I'd like to thank you for your continued support during times where I just don't post. I'd also like to give a big thanks to our writers for trying to pick up the slack while I get out of this writers slump.

With that said, we are still looking for writers (believe it or not...). You don't necessarily need to have a passion for gadgets or tech, just a passion about something that you wanna share. Leave a comment or drop us a line, mobilezinemail at gmail dot com.

I also have a couple of things just sitting around on my desk and maybe you all can help me figure out what I should do with them. Up for grabs is a little used (Verizon) Motorola V9m and a (T-mobile) BlackBerry 8820. Should I auction them off, maybe a contest...I dunno, but I'd love to hear your feedback.

Image via Google

Mars-Wrigley marriage leaves the Hershey camp looking to tie their own knot.

When the world's largest chocolate maker joins forces with the world's largest gum maker, you can see how the competition might get a little nervous. Family owned confectionery pros, Mars Incorporated recently agreed to a takeover of the gum gods, William Wrigley Jr. Co., for a combined annual sales figure of $27 Billion! Thats a lot of Snickers bars! This news sparked an immediate interest in Hershey Co. by London based company, Cadbury Schweppes, who attempts to put up strong a fight in whats looking to be an all out candy war! Hershey Co., makers of such delectable delights as Reeses' peanut butter cups and Kit Kats, have said they are open to the possibility of a merger with Cadbury. We will have to wait and see if Hershey bars and Cadbury creme eggs have what it takes to stand up to the apocalyptic candy powerhouse duo of M&Ms and DOUBLEMINT! Dum Dum Dum!

Wii Fit!

I've never had so much fun looking so ridiculous; all while tightening my flabs ... ahem .. I mean abs. This is so much fun! Who would have thought that you could have fun while exercising? I, for one, have been reduced from a gymnast's athletic build to a mom-of-two's plump body. There's stuff in the right places, and stuff in the wrong places. The Wii Fit measures your Body Mass Index, takes your weight, age, and Center of Balance to create a profile. After you receive your results, you can enter a goal of how many BMI points you want to lose or gain. You enter a realistic goal and a realistic time in which to achieve this goal. Wii Fit then proceeds to let you choose between a male or female "trainer". You get a Wii "bank" that collects the amount of minutes you have been training and gives you points towards unlocking other Wii Fit training games. Pretty cool, right?

Included are: Strength training games, Balance games, Yoga positions, and Aerobics games. I just got it yesterday and I've tried a lot of the games and have unlocked a few. I haven't tried any of the Strength exercises yet. The Yoga is really cool. I have never done Yoga before and I found it extremely relaxing, and rewarding as well when I realized I felt a burn in my abs, arms, butt, and thighs, from holding various demonstrated positions. I saluted the sun and lined up my chakras this morning. I also went for a jog in the "park" along with all of the Mii's in my Wii. =) I hula hooped my hips 182 times and caught 4 hula hoops tossed at me while still gyrating my hips. Pretty damn sexy if you ask me. I also hit soccer balls with my head (by shifting weight from one side to the other on the Wii Fit board) while dodging (sometimes) shoes flying off of the kickers' feet and what looked to me like panda bear heads. The best thing about that game is when you get hit by shoes; my kids were cracking up every time I got hit with a shoe. The rest of the games are games I haven't played enough. All in all. I give this game 2 enthusiastic thumbs up. It's entertaining to watch, fun to play, and dammit - it's good for you!

Note: If you don't already have it, good luck getting it. It's sold out everywhere except on ebay, where you will pay a lot of money for it. I will post a video of me and my family members doing it soon.

Welcome Our Newest Member, David!

Things have been humming along here at the .zine and I'm happy to welcome our newest team member David. A native NYCer (unlike some of our other team members, *cough*cough*), David enjoys sleeping, being completely lazy and eating junk food. He also has an unnatural obsession with the History channel and the Food Network. A sharp wit and knack for writing ensures he'll fit right in with our rag tag bunch, if I can get him to write on a constant basis. Let's make him feel right at home shall we...

Sony Ericsson C905, 8.1MP Cam Puts Your Cam Phone To Shame

Sony Ericsson has been having a hard time keeping unannounced handsets out of the limelight as of late and the C905 has been no exception. Officially making it's debut, SE's flagship Cyber-shot model for 2008 boasts some impressive features for a non-smartphone handset. Along with that massive 8.1 mega pixel sensor, you get aGPS, quad band EDGE, tri band HSDPA, WiFi (!), auto screen rotation and TV out. Other features like a xenon flash, 2 gig M2 memory card in box, and a scratch resistant 2.4 inch QVGA screen. SE's really upping the ante here with a feature set that rivals that of today's high end Smartphones (N95 we're looking at you). Get your wallets ready, the rest of '08 is looking to be a phone lovers paradise.

Via SE

Nokia E71 is Finally Official

Well it took them long enough, but Nokia has finally made official what damn near all of us already knew was coming. We've covered this one before, but in case you missed it, GPS, WiFi, HSPA, 3.2 MP cam all in that very nice and thin 10mm shell. To get all that sexy in such a small package, Nokia had to cut a few corners, mainly the display. At 2.36 inches, it falls painfully short of the 2.8 inch screen its prior incarnation possessed (E61i). I guess that's the price you pay for something you'll barely notice in your pocket. Get it sometime in Q3 for a rumored price of ~$500. Nokia also fessed up the E66 which is basically this in a slider form factor.

Via EngadgetMobile

"Southern Style Chicken Sandwich" a hit.....with me anyway.

While I often try to thwart my frequent visits to the many franchises of the fast-food industry with sad attempts at eating healthy, I can never seem to resist their charm. I am constantly pulled in by their tractor beam of tasty new menu items like Burger King's Indy Double Wopper or the Baconator from Wendys. Cmon could you really resist a sandwich with meat, meat and cheese? I think not! Very recently McDonalds added a new menu item of their own with the Southern Style Chicken Sandwich. While at first glance the sandwich seems like a sad and simple concoction, (consisting only of a breaded chicken breast filet and two pickle chips on a butter toasted bun) the first bite will tell a completely different story. As will the second, third, fourth until you've finished and realize, "wow that was a pretty freagin good sandwich". But where in the world did McDonalds come up with such an ingenious recipe? They copied it of course! Southern founded chicken franchise, Chick-Fil-A is the actual brains behind this simply delicious white meat masterpiece, and while many SSCS critics(mostly Chick-Fil-A fans) are denouncing the Micky D's sandwich as a frozen fraud not worthy of the two pickle chips, I say they are just haters who are afraid to admit the big bad fast-food empire actually produced a very tasty product (or should i say "re"produced). To McDonalds I say great job at finally making something I can enjoy eating, even if you obviously five fingered the recipe. Even Chick-Fil-A's corporate PR guy, Mark Baldwin was quoted saying "they did a good job copying our product". Thats gotta count for something....right.

Diet Coke and Mentos Booby Trap, The Video!

As much as I hate Diet Coke, this prank makes me almost, almost want to reconsider. Check out the video and see the prank that is sure to piss off even the most easy going person.

Via
How To Build A Mentos And Diet Coke Booby Trap

Verizon Brings The Thunder, No Really...The BlackBerry Thunder

This news is a bit old, but I thought it'd be nice, seeing as how we got all that iPhone news on the interwebs as of late. Looks like the rumors are holding true and what you see above is indeed the BlackBerry Thunder (9500) headed straight for Verizon and only Verizon. It's a crazy world we live in folks. Spec's again are on the short side, but expect that massive touchscreen, some sort of EVDO radio and an international HSPA radio for Vodafone users across the pond (Vodafone has a 45% stake in VZW). You Sprint users feeling a little jealous?

Via BGR (as usual)

iPhone 3G, Are You Excited?

So Apple either made a zillion fanboys cream their pants today, or underwhelmed a hell of a lot of would-be fanboys. Either way today at WWDC, Apple unveiled the most anticipated product of the year. The 2nd generation iPhone may look the same, but its what's under the hood that counts (isn't it always though) and that's where things really start to stand out. Let's start with the new shall we: Tri band HSPA (the 3G in iPhone 3G) internal GPS, support for the App store and support for MS Exchange services. The rest is the same stuff we've come to love from the iPhone: quad band GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WiFi, Bluetooth (still no A2DP!!) 2MP camera and that glorious 3.5 inch 480 by 320 touchscreen. 8GB in that fashionable black that's all the rage or 16GB in black or a lovely white. Starting July 11th you too can sell your soul to AT&T for 2 years to get your hipster groove on. $199 for the 8gig, $299 for the 16 gig, and for all you unlockers out there...this one is only in-store, no online purchasing. For more pretty pictures and the sales pitch by Apple, hit the link and wonder like me...'that's it?'.

Via Apple

10 Ways To Make A Good Man Happy -

Ladies!  There is no such thing as Prince Charming.  There is no Superman.  There are okay guys, great guys, good guys, not-so-good guys, bad guys, and terrible guys.  You should be able to distinguish the differences in a few dates.  For those of you who are lucky enough to find a great guy or a good guy, hold on tight!  Here's what I learned from my own experiences and by closely observing my family and friends.  

1.   Pick one of the things your man likes to do; and do each one atleast once (if it's not outrageously beyond your comfort zone) you may surprise yourself and like some of them.

examples: video games, action flicks, paintball, strip clubs, rock concerts, fishing, sports

2.  Don't ramble on about your hair, waist size, shoe size, birthmarks, stretchmarks, fingernails, toes, etc. (ladies, that's what your girlfriends are for) ---- Your man does not care. He wouldn't be with you if he found you repulsive.  Confidence = SEXY

3.   Don't nag your man. If you want something done, do it yourself. If you're trying to make a point, nagging is the worst thing you can do. If it's something that ONLY your man can do and he puts it off for some reason, refuse do something that he ONLY needs you to do and he'll get it. But only use this as an example once or twice, because it will backfire if used incorrectly or in abundance.

4.  What you give is what you get. Take that any way you want to. wink wink

5.   Tell your man exactly what you feel. The old cliche, men are not mind readers. It's true. If you're pissed because he hasn't taken you out in a while, don't act all weird and then when he asks you what's wrong you say ..."nothing" with an attitude and expect him to know what's buggin you. Better yet, if you want to go out, take HIM out. Yes, chivalry, for the most part is a thing of the past, and women fought so hard for equality, so now's the chance to flex it.

6.  Know when to leave him alone.

If he comes home from work exhausted or moody, don't ask him what's wrong a million times. Just leave him alone.  Let him sleep, watch TV, play video games ... Or give him some lip service,  a shoulder rub,  or a cold beer. That'll turn his mood right around.

If he's in the middle of saving the planet from aliens, or if he's robbing a "hoe" for her money and blasting away at cops, leave him alone.  Go paint your nails, read a magazine, call your best friend.  Do something, but for goodness sake, do not get in his face while he is playing a game!  (You know he can't hear you anyway - so don't ask him if the dress you're wearing makes you look fat)

7.  Be spontaneous.  This is hard to do if you have kids, but it's not impossible.

 

8.   Don't make yourself available 24/7. Keep them wondering.  They like it.  Even when you're in a long-term relationship, go out with your friends, do your own thing.  

9.   Don't be jealous if he looks at another girl. He's JUST LOOKING. Want to throw him for a loop? Let him catch YOU looking at another girl and say "damn she is HOT".

10.  Never, ever, ever, put your man down; especially in front of other people.  By this, I mean don't emasculate your man.  It hurts.  It's embarrassing.  It's disrespectful.  Some women think that because a man is supposed to be "strong" and "tough" it means they can do and say hurtful things without consequence.  Your man is a human being with feelings just like you.  Be nice.  If you're pissed at him wait until you're not so pissed to approach him.

There are probably 20 more things I can come up with, but these are probably the most important ones that I can think of right now.  Ladies, stay cool.  Gentlemen, stay good.  

Polaroid Releases PoGo, Makes Printing Instant!

Polaroid hopes to recapture some of their early nostalgia of instant cameras with their just released PoGo instant mobile printer. Based on Zink technology, the PoGo produces 2 by 3 inch pictures in under 2 minutes from most bluetooth enabled cellphones or digital cameras. Small enough for a pocket or purse (or man bag, if that's your thing), your $150 bucks gets you the distinction of being the cool trendy kid on the cutting edge, or the total dork who carries a mobile printer in your pocket. Either way, with only 15 prints per charge, $10 per 30 sheets, and just ok performance, it's looking like a lose-lose situation. Which sucks, cuz I really wanted this thing to be cool. Maybe at a lower price point more people will bite on novelty alone. Oh well...

Via Polaroid

Light Up Shower Head Tells You When It's Safe To Jump In The Tub

Think Geek has always been a place where you can get really cool things and really outrageous but still cool things. The LED Shower Light is no exception then. Lighting up blue when the water is cool and red when it goes past 89 degrees, it's the perfect thing to let you know its safe to get out of your skivvies and hit the shower. Powered by an internal turbine, just turn on the shower to get your morning party started. Make it a shower for two and leave the bathroom light off for a little B-movie fun.

Sadly, I actually want this...and about a million other things they offer...

Via Think Geek

Verizon Maybe Pops the Question, Proposes to Alltel

Reuters is reporting that Verizon wireless is in talks to buy out regional carrier Alltel wireless for $27 billion, a move that would have Verizon overtaking the No. 1 spot from ATT wireless. Sources familiar with the talks who declined to be identified, said the $27 billion would most likely come from debt and a small amount of cash. Alltel has about 13 million customers and a merger would put Verizon ahead of the pack with 80 million customers when all is said and done.

While Verizon has been making strides in becoming a more open carrier, we can't help but notice what will happen to Alltel customers and some of the nicer perks they get such as myCircle and exclusive phones. We'll just have to wait and see how this one pans out.

UPDATE: It's official!

Via Reuters

HTC Touch Pro

Dammit HTC, how am I gonna keep up with all the new phones I want, when you keep introducing lust worthy devices like this. Big brother to HTC's Touch Diamond, the Touch Pro brings all that VGA, HSPA, 3.2 MP AF cam, 512 MB ROM, 288 MB RAM goodness into a sliding QWERTY keyboard layout. Those of you still on the fence in joining the BlackBerry army now have another option in your quest for QWERTY dominance. Just don't let that little thing called Windows Mobile cloud your judgment.

Via HTC

95 Percent of Faulty Gadget Returns Still Work, General Public too Dumb?

Consulting firm Accenture took a lil survey and found that 95 percent of what is returned to retailers isn't actually broken. Most returns, or 68 percent, are goods that are returned simply because the customer didn't know how to use it or the product didn't do what they thought it should. Talk about short attention span. Accenture went on to say that the other 27 percent just didn't want the damn thing, or experienced some form of buyers remorse (spouse nagging) and felt the need to return the product. So that leaves us with 5 percent of returned gear that just didn't work. 5 percent seems like a reasonable estimate if you ask me, but most wouldn't ask me cuz I return things just for the hell of it or to try a new product out. Gotta love thirty day return periods.

Via PC World

Canned Bacon, For That Instant Porktastic Satisfaction

Ahh bacon, on it's own a delicious treat yes, but pair it with any number of food stuffs and you have created a masterpiece of culinary consumption. Enter then, Yoder's canned bacon. Yes ladies and gentlemen after 20 years canned bacon is back (not my line, theirs). With a shelf life of 10 years, your bacon fantasies can continue long after your heart has made it clear it really doesn't want to. For just under $110 you too can have 12 9 oz cans of precooked swine made only here in the good ol US of A. If you can't be proud of this, what can you be proud of. Seriously, it's bacon in a can, and if that picture above wasn't enough to revolt you, then by all means, please hit the link.

Via MREDepot

Street Fighter Returns, Street Fighter 4

It's a little bit of a slow news day, with me doing the game news and all, but this is one post I didn't want to pass up on. We've all played our share of fighting games, but there's one that always stands out (at least for me) and warrants comparison to every other fighting game out there. Street Fighter 2 defined 2D fighting and to this day is still the gold standard, until now. Capcom is hoping to lure us all back into its warm embrace with Street Fighter 4 and judging by the trailer on GameVideos, I can hardly wait. The second half of 08 is sure to leave your wallet begging for a little mercy. Hit the link and check out what is definitely gonna be on heavy rotation in my PS3.

Via GameVideos

Dean Kamen's Luke Arm, All Things D

Gizmodo was at All Things D where Dean Kamen (of Segway fame) was showcasing his revolutionary Luke Arm. It's a mechanical prosthetic arm that you control with your mind. As unbelievable as that sounds you have to actually see it in action. Named after Luke Skywalker (yes really) the arm is capable of incredible things. You really have to see it to understand what I mean. Head over to Gizmodo and check out the video and pics they have up.

Via Gizmodo

The Glovephone, Need I Say More

I don't even know what to say...dude, it's a freaking glovephone! I mean look at the damn thing. While I would have put the numbers and screen on the top side of the glove, this could very well be the best damn thing I've seen all month! Sadly it's just a concept, but hit the link to check out all the details.

Via Nikoladesign

NTT Docomo Show T-mo USA, Rest of World How its Done. Release 19 Phones You Only Wish You Could Have

Remember that post about how T-Mobile USA was gonna release 16 new phones in the next few months? Well Japanese powerhouse NTT Docomo would like to school you on how its really done, outrageous my mobile can kick your mobiles ass, style. The 906i and the 706i series continues Docomo's tradition of introducing phones you only wish you had. Of the 8 906i handsets, all, yes I said all, have VGA screens. HSDPA-check, GPS-check, 1seg tuner-check, credit card payment-check, aww it doesn't even seem fair to go on. The other 11 706i handsets round out the pack with decidedly less, but with still way more than you'll get on your typical American carrier. You guys can all sit and wait for your 3G iPhone, I'll secretly be wishing for that sweet Bravia SO906i.

Via Engadget Mobile, Via NTT Docomo

iPhone 2? You Decide

What is it about Apple products that get people in a frenzy? Rumor and speculation run rampant when ever the mere mention of the fabled iPhone 2 hits the intarwebs. Ever since the release of the first iPhone, people have been clamoring for something better, faster, more lust worthy. It's true that the first iteration left something to be desired. But since that time, it has practically eclipsed nearly every product that has come before or after it. The iPhone has become the bar that every manufacturer has tried to over come. We've all seen the impostors from LG and Samsung. Even global market leader Nokia has conceded its relevance and is making a completely touchscreen device. So that picture above, is that the long awaited 3G iPhone? You be the judge, but come June, we will all know for sure what Apple truly has up it's sleeve.

Via iPhoneclub.nl

Willcom 03, Just One Reason I Wished I Lived in Japan

Willcom has been pumping out phones in Japan for some time now, and the company has just announced the Willcom 03. Aside from the pretty color schemes, you get that monstrous WVGA screen (800x480) 1seg tuner (Japanese mobile TV), WinMo 6.1 and 128MB RAM, 256MB ROM. Other specs are pretty typical of a high end WinMo phone, like WiFi, Micro SD slot, Bluetooth 2.0 and 2 MP camera. Not listed though, is what seems to be a secondary morphing touchscreen ala the LG Venus. Stifle that desire to import one of these bad boys though, as it only runs on Japan's PHS network.

Well, there's always AT&T's Tilt...sigh...

Via Engadget Japanese, Via Sharp

BGR Hands On-Nokia E71

BGR has done it again. Not that it's much of a surprise, seeing as how he manages to get his hands on anything and everything he wants. This time, our favorite scoop man has gotten his mitts on Nokia's hot hot E71. All I can say is that this is going to be my next phone, BlackBerry Bold be damned! Along with it's good looks, its got what any good smartphone should have under the hood. Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and US HSPA, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.o, 3.2 MP cam, QVGA screen. Spec nuts might be alittle let down with those numbers, but when you cram that into a package thinner than an iPhone, well, you wont hear me complain. The Boy Genius can't seem to put it down, and we don't blame him. Nokia just loves a good tease, and between this, the E66, the Bold, and the iPhone 2 the rest of 08 looks to be a phone lovers dream. Now if we can just get release dates Nokia, that would be great.

Via BGR

Realistic Racing Wheel For Mario Kart Wii, For That Authentic Feel?

Blazepro thinks they have a solution for a problem that probably didn't exist. If you are having trouble with the in-box controller Nintendo provides, Blazepro thinks they can help. For a scant $5.87 you can sharpen your racing skills and "own the road with the most Realistic Wii Racing Wheel". Seems like a steal to us, but if you're serious about Mario Kart Wii, then you probably already have a classic controller or a GameCube controller plugged in for all your racing needs. The Blazepro wheel attaches to any flat surface and can be detached for in air use. You know, for when you want that throw my controller at the TV Wii feeling.

Via Wii News

T-Mobile to Release 16 Handsets This Summer, Join World Elite

Tired of that old phone in your pocket (or purse)? Looking to sign your life away for 2 more years? Well if TmoNews' info is correct, T-Mobile USA just might have something that will interest you. Some of these devices on this info list have been rumored for some time now and some are totally new and even a little surprising. The devices and their release dates are all subject to the same, 'none of this is concrete' business we have all come to know and love. Look for them between June 16 thru August 1.

Releasing that many handsets in such a short time frame is pretty much unheard of in the US, so this is a pretty big deal even if most of the phones are low to mid tier jobs.

Here's the incomplete list:

Nokia 5310
Nokia 5610
Shadow II
Nokia 2760
Nokia 1208
Nokia 6301
Shadow III
Samsung T339
Samsung T229
Blackberry Bold
Blackberry KickStart
Motorola W450
Motorola Rokr E8

As you can see some of these devices conflict with other info we have, such as the Bold being an ATT exclusive, but that Kickstart sure looks sweet doesn't it? Your guess is as good as ours...

Via TmoNews, Pic Via BGR

Palm Treo 850 out in the open, who knew?

Here's some exciting news that my last post failed to contain. Looks like Palm does have a trick or two up it's sleeve. What you are looking at there is a pic courtesy of BGR which shows, well, which shows a brand new Treo. Spec's and details are super limited right now, but it's rumored to have a 400 MHz processor and about 100 MB RAM. Looks like some flavor of WinMo 6 is on board as well. Not too shabby, if you dig that Centro like styling. Now all Palm needs to do is completely and utterly shock us with a brand new design and maybe we'll come crawling back. Flowers in hand Palm, we promise!

Via BGR

Treo 800w, Does Anyone Still Care?

You know, I had this post all thought out. It was gonna be an informative post with my usual sarcasm peppering what I was writing about. But then I thought, it's just another damn Treo. Can we really get excited by another overpriced, under spec'd Treo? I don't know about you guys, but this one just ain't cutting it. Here's the rundown though if you are interested: WinMo 6.1, 320 by 320 touchscreen, 400MHz processor, 128 RAM, 256 ROM, EVDO rev A, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 and a 2MP camera. Welcome to 2008 Palm, HTC wants it's Delorean back...

Via Palminfocenter

Remote Controlled Toilet, Cuz Manual Toilets Are So Last Year...

Flushing that toilet becoming a chore, how about actually having to turn around to fiddle with the bidet buttons, well good folks, worry no more! Blooming Bidet has heard your cries and brings you the remote controlled toilet. All your toilet needs can be had from the best seat in the house, all in the palm of your hand. Never again will you sit there and wish your toilet could be more future like and high tech. All your rear-end cleaning needs right at your finger tips, now just don't lose the damn thing.

BlackBerry Thunder!

The BlackBerry news just doesn't stop. Gizmodo (via Boy Genius) is reporting that RIM's latest and greatest is going to be a Verizon (!) exclusive for the lifetime of its product life. Seems like a waste if you ask us, but hey no one ever does. Rumored specs are one big touchscreen, EVDO rev C (?) and HSPA for international roaming, and well, that's all we got for now. Could be misinformation, or someone yanking everyone's chain, so we'll keep you updated as the info comes in.

It would seem as RIM is missing out on a huge market by making it CDMA only. Even the iPhone was released for different carriers in different countries. Somethings just not right with this one...

Blockbuster to Buy Circuit City, Entire World Sez Wait...What?

No I don't make these post up. With a share price offering of between 6 to 8 dollars a share, Blockbuster hopes to create an 18 billion dollar converged mega retail renter super store, or something.

I can't really see how this helps either company. I don't rent movies, and when I do, it's usually from my cable box or my xbox live. If I buy movies, it's usually from amazon for their cheap(er) Blu-ray selection. I guess I still buy my electronics from big box retail, but that still doesn't help Blockbuster as I'm not there for movies in the first place. Impulse buying is the last thing on my mind after I just dropped a couple of hundred on whatever it was I was there for in the first place.

I guess we'll just have to wait it out...

BlackBerry Bold?

BlackBerry maker RIM finally pulled the wraps off one of the worst kept secrets in the biz. No not that badly kept secret, but the long fabled BlackBerry 9000. Aside from the outright crappy name, specs were pretty much spot on with what was rumored. Along with quad band GSM, GPRS, and EDGE data you get Tri band HSDPA (yah tmobile!) and WiFi. A new 624 MHz CPU powers the new device and you get 1 Gig of on board storage. A 480 by 320 pix display, Bluetooth 2.o with AD2P, GPS, and a 2 Mega Pixel camera round out what appears to be the most lust worthy BlackBerry yet. Of course you can get any number of phones with these specs right now, but you wont get that crackberry feel out of them. But we all know how popular BlackBerry's are with the super cool, ultra hip crowd, so we're sure you'll wait.

Legendary Maps - Halo3

Same crappy online jerks, but cool new places to be a jerk based on Halo and Halo 2 maps.
Some people will argue that they should be free, those people should wait three months and they'll be free like the Heroic maps. Me? I paid. Why? Because I was tired of High Ground, The Construct, The Narrows, Last Resort and Guardian. Also, because the Heroic maps just didn't do it for me. The Heroic maps are too spread out. Too much time looking for people, not enough time kicking ass.

There's Ghost Town - lots of nooks and crannies to get into. Battle takes place in the daylight. Ghost Town is the ruins of a 24th century water processing plant built in a shallow ravine. Buildings and pipes make good hiding places. Trees, shrubs, and vines growing on the remnants of this "town" make good scenery, and good snipe-spots. Everything is close together. It's easy to get around Ghost Town which makes it more fun when you encounter your enemy. There are so many ledges to jump onto and from - they make for good ambushes and great escapes.

Blackout (based on Lockout) is my favorite new map. So much fun. Takes place at night on a drilling station. Lots of platforms that are good for death-defying jumps. I am a big plasma grenade fan, I love throwing plasmas on this map because they almost always connect with your target. On each level of the station there is something for everyone's style of play. I feel like this one is more spread out than Ghost Town, but there are so many drop points that any given time the enemy can be above you or below and make contact. You can also go to the tippy top and snipe, or use a battle rifle to get the unsuspecting respawned across the board. Super Fun.

Avalanche (based on Sidewinder) is okay I guess. The times that I have played the new maps, for some reason, I don't get Avalanche much. I have only played on Avalanche about 4 times. From what I gathered, it's a nice tribute to Halo's Sidewinder. Warp to the other side of the snow-covered hill, walk across, air lift, or take a vehicle (Ghost, Warthog, Mongoose). The map is U-shaped and the action takes place in the daytime. It has one piece of equipment the other maps don't have - trip mines. The reason for that is probably because they intended a lot of vehicle use for this map due to the terrain and long distance between bases.

For screenshots and more info go to: http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=13499

What's Your Ultimate?

We all have that ultimate something, you know, that dream thing that you just gotta have. For some, its the ultimate sandwich, for others its a bra that doesn't leave indentations on your chest. For me its the perfect cell phone. Of the hundreds of phones that I've had, 95 percent of them just didn't make the grade. There have been a few that have come close but alas, not one has put that ring around my finger.

Maybe I just have a compulsive desire for something fresh and new, or maybe it the perfectionist in me that can notice the slightest flaw, however small. It's a good thing I don't put nearly as much effort in anything else. Otherwise, I'd have shirts that say things like Conversation Snob...oh, wait...

But what about the rest of you? Is there an ultimate something out there that you just haven't found yet? Or maybe you have, and like a bitter bored housewife you are looking for the next best thing...Let us know!

The End of TV?

For those of yous still living under a rock using rabbit ears to fill your TV lust, come February 2009 the FCC hopes to break your lil heart by shutting down analog TV. Thankfully there's hope for the millions of cave people (yes millions) still sticking coat hangers out of their TeeVee's.

You could opt for cable or worse, satellite TV or you could sign up for a rebate on one of those set top boxes you can find at Walmart that will save your TeeVee from becoming a 150 pound paper weight. Or, you can wipe the drool off your chin and TV induced coma out of your eyes and go for a walk and discover fresh air. Your call

What The Hell Is Going on With Sprint?

The rumor mill and the blogosphere are abuzz with talk of a few different things coming Sprints way. First and probably the biggest and most unrealistic rumor is that T-mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom is considering buying the struggling American carrier. Sources are saying the deal would make it the biggest carrier in the USA. It would also make it the carrier with the most acronyms seeing as how Tmo uses GSM, Sprint uses CDMA and Nextel is kicking and screaming with it's iDEN network. For the uninitiated, none of those work with each other. Lot of good that will do...and with Tmo finally starting to roll out its 3G network, things just get messier and messier.

The other rumor, the one that actually seems like it might (and should happen we might add) happen is that Sprint is considering spinning off or selling outright, Nextel communications. Ridding Sprint of the baggage that is Nextel could be step one in the 12 step program in bringing back what was once a competitive and cutting edge carrier. As it stands now, with Sprint bleeding customers, the FCC and spectrum issues (Nextel) and its stock being downgraded, getting rid of excess baggage and being bought up doesn't seem like a bad idea at all.

Somethings gotta happen Sprint...and we don't think WiMax is the answer...

Mario Kart - Wii

Mario Kart for the Wii is awesome!  Just like the old school game you used to play when you were younger except with much better graphics!  If you play it on a 52 inch plasma...even better!

All of the cool things about this game are even cooler on the Wii.  The only thing I must warn you of:  Your arms will get very tired using the Wii steering wheel.  I raced four circuits in a row and my triceps were burning (shaadup, I know, I'm out of shape).

I don't remember if there was a boost feature in the original Mario Kart, but they have a mini boost feature in this one.  Hold the accelerator button down for about thirty seconds on a straightaway and your cart will throw out blue little flames and you rocket out a little.  Cute. Oh, and you can do tricks when you hit the half-pipe ramp!  Nothing like Yoshi bustin a move.  

Vehicles -  Standard Kart, Bikes, Racing Baby Walkers (check the game out for yourself if you want to know) and other Karts. 

The circuits are a little harder than I remember too, but that may be just because I am getting older.  Some are old, some are new, but it's all based on the original game, so I like!  

Another cool thing;  the Mii's in the Coconut Mall.  If you pay close enough attention, you will see some Mii's watching you race and some Mii's on advertisements throughout the mall.  

Anyway, that's it for now, I haven't played enough of it to give you more details.  My next review will be of the Halo 3 Legendary maps.  I know I said I quit, but I went back to test out the new maps.  

Nokia N95 8GB Edition

In keeping with the namesake of this blog, I give you another phone review. This time, we here at the .zine have gotten our grubby little hands on Nokia's finest, the N95 8GB. Is it everything you could hope for in a device? Should we have gotten Nokia's other wunderkind, the N82? Read on to find out!

The N95 8GB (from here on in known as the N95-4) is by no means a small device, coming in at almost an inch thick its nearly as big as a blackberry. But its what's under the hood that counts here and the boys in Finland sure know how to throw in everything but the kitchen sink. Just about everything you could put in a phone has been intergrated into to this monster of a device. Quad band GSM, GPRS, and EDGE and dual band HSDPA in the American flavor along with WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 , GPS and a 5 megapixel auto focus camera round out what many believe is the worlds best smartphone. It doesn't end there, with a 2.8 inch QVGA screen, dual slider and 8 GB worth of memory on board, maybe all those people are right. TV out and a 3.5 mm headphone jack only sweeten the deal.


S60 3rd Ed. Feature pack 1 round out the deal, bringing one handed ease of use to all those that can afford this pricy piece of kit. But the real question is, is it worth all that and more? Well it depends on who's using it. Phone use and calling is a snap, with outgoing and incoming audio being topnotch. Signal reception is the usual Nokia gold standard with the phone able to hold on to a call even with one or no bars of service. Texting is a breeze with the tactile, albeit smallish keyboard. Setting up email takes no time at all and support for Exchange mail is just a download away. Stereo speakers make sure you don't miss a beat, much less a phone call or message. This thing is seriously loud, almost scarily so.


The slider is much improved over the N95-1 and we are happy to report no wiggle or shimming. Good job Nokia for listening to a lot of the complaints many users had with previous versions. Surfing over EDGE or Wifi is simple and intuitive. Just pop in your SIM card of choice and the proper settings are loaded on to the phone. No hassle or fuss. Searching for a WiFi signal is easy and I logged onto to my WPA2 protected router with no problem after putting in my security key. Setting up access points for future use is a little bit of a hassle for those not experienced with s60, but after digging through a few well laid out menus you'll be surfing in no time at all. Speaking of S60, it has come a long way from the days of the 7610 and it's our opinion that ease of use rivals that even of RIM's (Blackberry maker) OS.


Like taking pictures, well the N95-4 has got you covered. Still images in sunlight rival that of standalone cameras. Indoor shots are good with a steady hand and lots of ambient light. Night shots and those indoors with low light are helped with an LED assist light, but the quality suffers as to be expected with a camera phone sensor. Still, if you want your camera phone to live up to its name you can't do much better than this or Nokia's own N82 or Sony Ericsson's K850i. So do we like our new toy? In one word, yes. Those looking for a Qwerty super phone might have better luck with one of HTC's WinMo devices. But if speed, ease of use and a relatively small device are what you are looking for then your search is over. Nokia has managed to squeeze an mp3 player, 5mp digital camera and GPS unit into something that slips into your pocket and still makes phone calls. I'd say thats pretty damn cool, now all Nokia needs to do is drop it's laptop like price tag.

As always, leave your questions in the comments or drop us an email.

Halo 3

I Quit!!!!!!  

I've said that about 100 times since I bought my one year subscription to Xbox Live - just for Halo 3.  Before that, I was playing as a guest on another account, and not getting any credit for what I did.  Here's the story.

Once upon a time ago, I was in love.  This shooter game had me at hello.  The thrill of becoming a virtual killing machine sent adrenaline pumping through my body, and I was hooked.  It was a beautiful courtship.  I win, I go up in rank.  Being that Halo 3 was my first shooter game for Xbox live, I am somewhat soft on it. They say you never forget your first (heh heh heh).  I know there are other fish in the sea (Unreal Tournament 3 for PS3, Assassin's Creed), but I can't seem to let it go.  I've been playing ranked matches since February, and I am only a 30.  A Major Grade 2.  With as many games as I have played, I should be a Commander, Colonel or higher.  When I reach 35 I will get promoted.  Funny thing is, that Team Slayer is not what it used to be, so I may never get to 35.  Teammates are going for MVP (not much team work there), teammates drop out in mid-matchmaking, and in mid-game.  These factors are not the only factors messing up Team Slayer for me.  Occasionally I suck pretty bad (but don't let it get out).

I guess the mechanics of the game can use some sprucing up.  You start off with your energy shield right? So let's say you are shooting a guy with an Assault Rifle, and he's shooting you back with the same weapon, and it all began at the same time, shouldn't you both die at the same time assuming both of your energy shields were at the same level?  On that same note... someone who is getting shot in the head with a Battle Rifle ( which, by the way, is very precise) should not be able to reach out and throw a grenade.  Also, you shouldn't have to empty one and half clips of Assault Rifle (not so precise) ammunition in your opponent before they die; usually you end up dying anyway because in mid-reload, your opponent melees you.  And if you do pump that many bullets into your opponent and they don't die, a quick elbow to the head or torso had better do the trick. The sad thing is, that sometimes it doesn't do the trick, you end up with a plasma grenade stuck to your face and BOOM!  

All of these stupid things happen during the game that make you so angry that you're smashing your controller on the floor (I've done this a few times) which, subdues some of the anger, but then brings it back once you realize that you now need a new controller.  

Maybe a few days or weeks off will give me a fresh view on the game, and a chance to try out other games.  Until then...

How do you like them apples?

Ha! Walk away from that Master Chief...

Welcome!!

Our little site is growing! We have a new sucker..er...writer joining the fold. Somehow I convinced her that this was gonna be a good idea...so let's not let her down. A NYC native (kinda), Letty enjoys videogames, candy, big teevee's and Halo (ugh). She also enjoys telling you how much you suck and how you can fix that (ok my words not hers). You'll be seeing alot of her so get used to it...

Welcome to your new headache...lets make something of it!

You talking to me?

When you absolutely have to kill every motherfucker in the room, Nerf has you covered with the Nerf Rapid Fire 20. No longer will you sit idly by and wish you could pop someone in the head. Nerf has your back.

Man do I wish I had stuff like this as a kid...But this is gonna get so much use now its ridiculous. Pick one up here for $30. And this ain't even the best one they have!! Hipsters beware...

I Am Legend

So, when this movie first came out in the theaters, I missed it. Didn't get to see it, and I was pretty upset about it.  The trailers were so mysterious, so intriguing.  I couldn't wait for it to come out on DVD.  

On Tuesday I saw it on BluRay disc and I was a little disappointed.  After all of the hype.... another zombie movie.  A different spin on it, I'll give it that.  The effects were great.  Making New York look like a ghost city, that was eerie and great at the same time.  The zombies looked really good.  I'm more of a plot person though.  Plot-wise, it was a good attempt at making a zombie movie more realistic than it's predecessors.  The writers managed to get the horror, action, suspense, drama, and comedy across wonderfully.  Will Smith did a great job portraying a man who has been alone for so long, he eventually believes he is the only person left.  I also liked how the writers put little things in the movie to show the effects of long-term loneliness. 

I hated the ending!

 The big "seller" about the DVD is the "alternate ending".  What's with Hollywood; the loose ends, and alternate endings?  Everyone has Sopranos fever.  Hey let's make the ending ambiguous.... let the audience interpret what happens... Ugh... 

Why did they make two endings?  To make it controversial.  The DVD cover says that the alternate ending/version is controversial.  The only thing controversial is that both endings suck, that if  combined, would make one complete ending, and would make the entire movie great.   

What's wrong with people?

As stupid as this girl looks, maybe everyone should get one of these Nubrellas, that way we wont have a bunch of retards walking around with canopy's for umbrellas.

And if it isn't raining why do people still insist on walking around with their umbrellas still open? My patience for NY is wearing thin...

Should you fancy humiliation from every person you walk by then that there contraption can be had here for $59.99. Just don't come crying to us when people point and stare.

Ant

Coming up...

Well we're back...after a long long break things should be getting underway here at the .zine!. We got a couple of phones to talk about and take pictures of and oh, speaking of pictures!! I just got a Sony T70 and I must say I'm in love, who'd a thought I could fall for something like a camera...the worlds a strange place my friend. Well if you stick around we should have a Moto V9m onceover and sadly, a Treo 755p onceover. How did I get roped into that you ask...well that's a good question. Come back to find out! I might even write about my new camera...

The sites gonna take a more generic approach to gadgets, so while we will still be obsessive about phones, you'll see other things too. And not just gadgets, things like current events, pop culture, and a rant or two or three should keep things entertaining.

And finally, we're looking for writers. Ok, I'm looking for writers...if you are interested, hit up the comments, or hit us up at our new email address... mobilezinemail@gmail.com. I know this is just a Blogger blog and the sites email address is a Google one...but hey we all gotta start someplace.

Ant