AT&T has sent us another one of their many accessories to review and this time it is one of our favorite accessories, are portable speakers. In this case, it is the rechargeable iHome Rechargeable Mini Speakers available at ATT.com and Amazon. The box comes with a pair of magnetic speakers that are easily stuck together to make transporting easy. We have taken a few pictures so that you can see what comes in the iHome box.

When you open the box you will see the iHome Rechargeable Mini Speakers, carrying case, instructions manual, and a USB charge cable.

On one side of the speaker you have the jack for for the USB charge cable and a notch to help you line up the speaker to open and close it.

On the other side of the speaker is the power on off switch.

Both speakers pop open which gives them a fuller sound and adds to the base. Notice the blue light showing that the power is on.

One of the features of the iHome Portable speaker is the ability to stick them together via a magnet for travel.

Early Thoughts

So far, I have tested the iHome Rechargeable Mini Speakers with two different phones and my PC and as expected using these portable speakers, cross device is a piece of cake. When playing music, my wife could easily hear what I was playing up a level up from the room I was in and my daughter started dancing. Using the speakers thus far have been enjoyable, therefore if you are considering getting these speakers look for our ful review soon.

Take a look at other Hardware Reviews!

Episode # of the SMRpodcast, Chicken Wings And Beer Part 3, has been recorded, posted online, and is ready for download. This week finds Rod away on business so Robb and Chris take over the show. We talk about Brandon Watson leaving Microsoft and whether he leaves a void. We also talk about RIM losing a huge supporter of the BlackBerry platform. Robb and Chris also have some comments on the SuperBowl and a few Xbox games. Finally we talk about a surprising revelation of Apple’s revenue source and the new DROID 4.

Show Details

• Recorded: February 7th, 2012
• Published: February 8th, 2012
• Duration: 01hr 11min 00sec

SUBSCRIBE FOR AUTOMATIC DOWNLOADS

• Standard RSS
• 
• 

SHOW TOPICS

Opening Thoughts

• Robb asks Chris about Rod missing the show
• Chris has a few complaints about Rod’s timing
• Chris talks about his love of Gears of War 3
• Robb has been playing Space Marines

Robb asks Chris about the Big Microsoft News Last week

• Chris talks about Brandon Watson Leaving Microsoft
• Robb says once Brandon gets settled, hopefully he will come back on the show
• Robb wants to know if there will a huge impact
• Chris says you cannot replace that talent

Robb Talks About Halliburton switching to iPhone

• Robb says that this is devastating news for RIM
• Robb also points out why they are switching
• Chris says that the effect will also affect RIM on their server side business

We talk about the SuperBowl and the commercials

• Robb picks his best commercial of 2012
• Chris talks about his favorite commercial 2012
• Robb picks his number one Superbowl commercial of all time
• Chris talks about his number one SuperBowl commercial of all time

Allison from the NosillaCast Podcast sends us some information on Apple

• Both of us can’t believe the chart that she sent us
• We talk about Apple’s number one source of income
• We also talk about where software falls in Apple’s business

Chris Talks about the leaked Windows Phone 8 information

• Chris lays out all the features that are expected in Windows Phone 8
• Robb can see where Microsoft is headed with Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8

Picks of the Week

• Rdio for Android (Music Streaming App ) Robb Dunewood (RIMarkable)
• iHome Portable Speakers (Portable Speakers) Chris Ashley (SimpleMobileReview)

It is hard to believe we are on the 4th generation of famous Motorola Droid. Today Verizon and Motorola have announced the Droid 4. The Droid is one of the best devices for users coming from a BlackBerry or any other device with a physical keyboard. Sadly it is powered by Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) but will receive an update to ICS, Android 4.0, sometime in the future.

As expected the device has Verizon 4G LTC service, 4.0 inch qHD display, 8-megapixel camera with 1080P hd video capture, and both front and rear facing camera’s for Skype calling. Verizon / Motorola / Google are highlighting the government grade encryptions support giving users yet another reason to leave the once dominate BlackBerry.

The Droid 4 will be $199 with a 2 year agreement and have and optional Laptop Dock for $300. You can start buying on Feb 10 2010.

Press Release

DROID 4 BY MOTOROLA READY TO WORK AND PLAY ON THE VERIZON WIRELESS 4G LTE NETWORK

Power, Speed and Reliability Get the Job Done

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – The award winning DROID 4 by Motorola will be available to handle even the most demanding lifestyles starting Feb. 10 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com. Introduced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the DROID 4 is the thinnest and most powerful 4G QWERTY smartphone measuring at less than half an inch thin. DROID 4 not only features a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, but also a five-row QWERTY keyboard with a PC-like layout and edge-lit keys for fast, precise typing, even in the dark. Powered by America’s fastest, most reliable 4G network, DROID 4 customers will have access to 4G LTE coverage in 195 markets covering more than 200 million people.

Additional features

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE – Customers can expect fast download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G LTE Mobile Broadband coverage areas

Android™ 2.3.5 Gingerbread, to be upgraded to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

4.0-inch qHD display with scratch and scrape resistant glass

Government-grade encryption (FIPS 140-2) for email, calendar and contacts; preloaded with Citrix® Receiver™ for Android (available in webtop) for desktop virtualization and access

8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture

Front-facing camera for video chat

4G LTE Mobile Hotspot supporting up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices

Business Ready

DROID 4 is designed to help customers get more done. Business professionals can impress their audience by presenting to a conference room full of potential customers in a snap by plugging the DROID 4 into an HDTV and presenting directly from the phone. Professionals can also combine the DROID 4 with the Lapdock 500 and its 14-inch display to create a full-featured mobile office. They can download documents, make edits using Lapdock’s full keyboard and email the updated documents to colleagues or customers. The Lapdock even features a built-in webcam so customers can attend virtual meetings and manage their business face-to-face.

The Smart Actions app on the DROID 4 helps automate everyday tasks and optimizes battery efficiency by letting customers create rules, such as automatically setting the phone to vibrate during work hours or dimming the display at a specific battery level.

Business professionals can leave their laptops behind and use the MotoCast™ app to remotely stream documents, videos, music and pictures from their work or home computers to their handset. The remote access of MotoCast eliminates the need to store documents on the handset as everything is stored on their office laptop.

Pricing and availability

· DROID 4 by Motorola will be available on Feb. 10 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

· The Lapdock 500 is available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online for $299.97.

· Customers that purchase a DROID 4 will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Follow @VZWnews on Twitter for the latest news on Verizon Wireless.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Media can access high-resolution images of DROID 4 by Motorola in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.)

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 108.7 million total wireless connections, including 92.2 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 82,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Motorola Mobility

Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE:MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people’s lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Google, and Android are trademarks of Google, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2012 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved.

Episode #102 of the SMRpodcast, Number One Somewhere, has been recorded, posted online, and is ready for download. This week Rod seeks out to get some vindication against Robb in what turns out to be a very funny moment. We talk about Rod switching back to iPhone because of Android reboot issues and Robb has a solid plan to help RIM get back on track. Finally Chris points out some solid Windows Phone news from the last week including Brandon Watson setting people straight.

Show Details

• Recorded: January 31st, 2012
• Published: February 1st, 2012
• Duration: 01hr 09min 00sec

SUBSCRIBE FOR AUTOMATIC DOWNLOADS

• Standard RSS
• 
• 

SHOW TOPICS

Opening Thoughts

• Rod points out that Robb could have been mistaken about his tablet travel intentions
• Robb defends himself by pointing out Rod may have incorecty inferred is intentions
• Chris sits back and laughs

We talk about Rod’s reboot issue on his Galaxy Nexus

• Rod switched back to iPhone because his Galaxy Nexus kept rebooting
• Robb says Rod just has bad luck with phones
• Chris is wondering if Google reader reboots too

We get into a conversation about return policies for carriers

• Rod said he was forced to return the phone because there was two days left on the return policy
• Chris says he hates that carriers use that policy
• Robb explains why they use that method for returning devices

Robb points out that RIM should be working on deal with Amazon

• Robb feels that an Amazon deal would help give app credibility to their platform
• Rod says that they should make the deal before Amazon does it without them
• Chris says he has no faith that RIM can right their ship

We discuss Microsoft and Windows Phone news

• Chris brings up another reason why Brandon Watson is great for Windows Phone
• Rod is happy to hear that Barnes and Noble lost their suit against Microsoft

Mentioned Links

Blake Griffin Dunk

Picks of the Week

• Formspring (Android Social App) Robb Dunewood (RIMarkable)
• Snapseed (iPhone Photo App) Rod Simmons (SimpleMobileReview)
• Man Up / Lost Phone Screen (WP7 apps Man up Button / Lost Phone return info) Chris Ashley (SimpleMobileReview)

Recently AT&T provided us with one of the many smartphone accessories they carry the Jawbone Jambox for review. This device is a desktop Bluetooth speakerphone functional enough for your office and sleek enough for your living room. Our network site WinGadgetNews.com reviewed the Jambox specifically with Windows Phone 7 and were quite happy with the results.

Here are some of the highlights of the Jambox with Windows Phone Review

The Jambox is loaded with accessories including a 3.5mm stereo cable for devices without Bluetooth. Here is the full list

• 60″ micro SB charging cable
• 12.5″ micro USB charging cable
• 36″ 3.5mm stereo cable
• Carrying case
• A/C wall charger
• User guide

The design is quite nice and subtly attracts attention from people show see it. In addition, the controls are located at the top of the speaker, which make it very accessible.

Listening to the Jawbone Jambox provides a surprising yet awesome surprise as the sound that comes from the speaker more than easily fills the room. This makes the device perfect for background music during a get together or even great for relaxing on a beach.

The Jambox also doubles as a speakerphone for conference call, which is achieved by including a microphone. The only downside was the lack of power on the Microphone as some callers had trouble hearing us during conversations.

Overall, the Jawbone Jambox that AT&T sent us is a pleasure to use. With the combination of a simple slick design and powerful stereo speakers, you are sure to enjoy this device with your phones. You can grab a Jambox from AT&T or of you prefer Amazon.com.

You can read the full Jawbone Jambox Review at WinGadgetNews.com

Surely one of my favorite features of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the ability to show your data usage over a monthly cycle. In the data usage area, accessed via Settings | Data Usage, you can set a mobile data limit and track your data usage by application. While the Data usage feature is not an exact measurement, it does give you a good idea how close you are to your data cap. This is a feature of the Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android (4.0), and will be available regardless of your carrier once you upgrade.

The benefit of being able to set a data usage warning at a user defined level and a data limit at another level is fantastic.  Once you hit the data limit, the mobile data network is disabled to help you avoid overage charges. Thus if you have a 2GB data plan, you can elect to be warned at 1.5 GB but set the limit at 1.9 GB. The reason I would set your data limit, the point where mobile data is disabled, below the actual carrier cap, is to account for the inaccuracy that the phone and carrier bring.  It might be wise to do several checks online to verify how close this measurement is. It also goes without saying that if you hit your data limit and still need to continue and are willing to take the over-data charge, you can quickly adjust to allow a higher data limit.

This utility gives you a great deal of flexibility. In addition to showing how much data usage a given app has used, it also highlights the number in MB for both foreground and background data usage. For apps that are huge data hogs, you can restrict the background data usage on a per app basis as needed. I was shocked to find that my Evernote app was using approx. 1.4 GB of data per month. It led me to reduce the number of folders that I replicate to the phone, for offline use.

In addition to setting a data limit you also have the option to define the usage cycle. Thus if your billing cycle the Starts on the 12th of each month you can make this adjustment.

In full disclosure, using this utility is the first time I have seen this phone become unstable. I experienced a spontaneous reboot, unresponsive soft keys, unresponsive power button, and overall system lockup for 2-3 minutes. I only experienced this issue when I was adjust settings or drilling down on details for a specific application and the phone seemed slow to put the pie chart up for the app in question. Others I have talked to have not seen this, so I am not sure what was going on or what would cause such an instability.

Overall this is a welcome feature and it puts the power and control of data usage back in the users hand.

Episode #101 of the SMRpodcast, Finger In The Light Socket, has been recorded, posted online, and is ready for download. In this episode we talk about RIM’s CEO shake up and Rod’s back from vacation. Someone broke the ruled to the tablet travel challenge. We also talk about Nokia’s Windows Phone sales numbers and Rod has a pet peeve about the Galaxy Nexus.

Show Details

• Recorded: January 24th, 2012
• Published: January 25th, 2012
• Duration: 01hr 18min 30sec

SUBSCRIBE FOR AUTOMATIC DOWNLOADS

• Standard RSS
• 
• 

SHOW TOPICS

Opening Thoughts

• We jump right into RIM’s CEO shake up
• Rod says the new CEO has already made the wrong statements
• Robb says that the stock prices are taking a hit
• Chris says it’s still time for RIM to adopt Windows Phone

We talk about Rod’s vacation and travelling with just a tablet

• Rod says the iPad really slowed down his productivity
• Robb switched to his laptop because he saw the same problem
• Chris talks about travelling with just the Acer Iconia

Chris Had a debate on another site about a Windows Phone review

• Chris took issue with the reviewer missing a few features
• Robb says that is difficult to separate what you are used to in a review
• Rod points out an issue with a complaint about screen resolution

Nokia already accounting for almost half of the Windows Phones

• Chris says that it is not surprising but good for Nokia
• Robb says it makes sense as this is the only Phone they are pushing
• Rod agrees with Robb

Rod talks about some intuitive features of the iPhone vs. the Galaxy Nexus

• Rod points out some subtle things that make the experience on an iPhone better than Android
• Robb is wondering if any phone will make Rod Happy

Mentioned Links

Classical Violinist Playing Nokia Ringtone

Picks of the Week

• Evi for Android and iOS Robb Dunewood (RIMarkable)
• Ready Player 1 / Amazon Price Checker Android Windows Phone iPhone (Book / Amazon App )Rod Simmons (SimpleMobileReview)
• Tap the Birds (WP7 Game) Chris Ashley (WinGadgetNews / SimpleMobileReview)

After everyone in the world felt RIM needed a drastic shakeup, today they announced that Co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie are stepping down and named Thorsten Heins the new CEO of Research In Motion. Even though Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie are stepping down as CEO’s they will remain involved with the company.

This really comes as no surprise as the company’s BlackBerry Smartphones have been in trouble for months however, the question becomes is this too little too late.

Here is RIM’s Press Release

•    Board Acts on Recommendation of Co-CEOs to Implement Succession Plan
•    Mike Lazaridis Named Vice Chair of the Board
•    Jim Balsillie Remains a Director
•    Barbara Stymiest Named Independent Board Chair
•    Prem Watsa Named Independent Director
Waterloo, ON – The Board of Directors of BlackBerry® maker Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced that, acting on the recommendation of its Co-Chief Executive Officers to implement the succession plan they previously submitted to the Board, it has unanimously named Thorsten Heins as President and Chief Executive Officer.  Mr. Heins was also appointed to RIM’s Board. The Board acted after conducting its own due diligence. Both appointments are effective immediately.
Mike Lazaridis, former Co-Chair and Co-CEO, has become Vice Chair of RIM’s Board and Chair of the Board’s new Innovation Committee. As Vice Chair, he will work closely with Mr. Heins to offer strategic counsel, provide a smooth transition and continue to promote the BlackBerry brand worldwide.
Mr. Heins said he looks forward to continuing to work with Mr. Lazaridis, globally recognized as a technology pioneer. He said, “Mike created a whole new way of communicating and I look forward to continuing our close collaboration.”
On the transition to CEO by Mr. Heins, Mr. Lazaridis said, “There comes a time in the growth of every successful company when the founders recognize the need to pass the baton to new leadership. Jim and I went to the Board and told them that we thought that time was now.  With BlackBerry 7 now out, PlayBook 2.0 shipping in February and BlackBerry 10 expected to ship later this year, the company is entering a new phase, and we felt it was time for a new leader to take it through that phase and beyond.  Jim, the Board and I all agreed that leader should be Thorsten Heins.”
Jim Balsillie remains a member of the Board. “I agree this is the right time to pass the baton to new leadership, and I have complete confidence in Thorsten, the management team and the company,” he said. “I remain a significant shareholder and a Director and, of course, they will have my full support.”
Mr. Lazaridis said that he decided to move from Co-Chair to Vice Chair of the Board in order to return the public’s focus to what is most important: “the great company we have built, its iconic products, global brand and its talented employees.”
Mr. Lazaridis added, “Thorsten has demonstrated throughout his tenure at RIM that he has the right mix of leadership, relevant industry experience and skills to take the company forward.  We have been impressed with his operational skills at both RIM and Siemens.  I am so confident in RIM’s future that I intend to purchase an additional $50 million of the company’s shares, as permitted, in the open market.”
Mr. Heins said he believes that RIM has tremendous potential.  He joined RIM from Siemens Communications Group in December 2007 as Senior Vice President for Hardware Engineering and became Chief Operating Officer for Product and Sales in August 2011.
“Mike and Jim took a bold step 18 months ago when RIM purchased QNX to shepherd the transformation of the BlackBerry platform for the next decade,” Mr. Heins said.  “We are more confident than ever that was the right path. It is Mike and Jim’s continued unwillingness to sacrifice long-term value for short-term gain which has made RIM the great company that it is today.  I share that philosophy and am very excited about the company’s future.”
Mr. Heins said that RIM has a strong foundation on which to build. “We have a strong balance sheet with approximately $1.5 billion in cash at the end of the last quarter and negligible debt.  We reported revenue of $5.2 billion in our last quarter, up 24% from the prior quarter, and a 35% year-to-year increase in the BlackBerry subscriber base, which is now over 75 million.”
Mr. Heins said, “BlackBerry 7 has been well received.  We are very excited about PlayBook 2.0 and BlackBerry 10.  The reception of our products at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show was encouraging.”
He continued, “RIM earned its reputation by focusing relentlessly on the customer and delivering unique mobile communications solutions. We intend to build on this heritage to expand BlackBerry’s leadership position.”
Mr. Heins said that RIM has grown quickly. “As with any company that has grown as fast as we have, there have been inevitable growing pains,” he said. “We have learned from those challenges and, I believe, we have and will become a stronger company as a result.
“Going forward, we will continue to focus both on short-term and long-term growth, strategic planning, a customer- and market-based product approach, and flawless execution. We are in the process of recruiting a new Chief Marketing Officer to work closely with our product and sales teams to deliver the most compelling products and services.”
Barbara Stymiest, who formerly served as a member of Royal Bank of Canada’s Group Executive and has been a member of RIM’s Board since 2007, has been named the independent Board Chair. John Richardson, formerly Lead Director, will remain on the Board.  Prem Watsa, Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings, also was named to the Board, expanding it to 11 members.
Speaking on behalf of the Board, Ms. Stymiest said:  “We believe that Thorsten is the right executive to succeed Mike and Jim.  He has 27 years of telecommunications experience, including four years at RIM in senior management positions.  As a Board, we have been impressed with his outstanding management skills, his leadership and his accomplishments within the company.”
Ms. Stymiest also expressed the Board’s respect and admiration for Messrs. Lazaridis and Balsillie, the company they built, and the steps they have taken to position RIM for the future.
“They created RIM, nurtured it, and in the process not only built an iconic brand, but literally pioneered the smartphone industry,” she said.  “It is Canada’s largest tech company and one of the largest in the world.”
Conference Call and Webcast
A conference call and live webcast will be held beginning at 8 am ET, January 23, 2012, which can be accessed by dialing 1-800-814-4859 (North America), (+1)416-644-3414 (outside North America) or through your personal computer or BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet at www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml. A replay of the conference call will also be available at approximately 10 am ET by dialing (+1)416-640-1917 and entering passcode 4509630#. A replay of the webcast will be available on your personal computer or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet by clicking the link above. This replay will be available until midnight ET, February 6, 2012.
About Thorsten Heins
Thorsten Heins, 54, is a respected business leader with 27 years of broad experience and expertise in wireless networks and consumer electronics devices. Mr. Heins has a global reputation for his organizational and leadership skills and his ability to build successful organizations that deliver on their commitments. Prior to today’s announcement, Mr. Heins was one of RIM’s two Chief Operating Officers and, before that, Senior Vice President for the Handheld Business Unit.  He played key roles in the creation of RIM’s product portfolio. Mr. Heins came to RIM in December 2007 from the industrial conglomerate Siemens AG.  He joined Siemens in 1984 after graduating from the University of Hannover in his native Germany.  At Siemens, Mr. Heins rose through the ranks of R&D customer service, sales and product management positions.  After serving as Chief Executive Officer of various business divisions in the communication business, Mr. Heins moved to Chief Technology Officer and member of the Group Board of the Siemens Communications Group. He came to RIM after being impressed by the level of innovation displayed by founders Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. Mr. Heins is married with a daughter and a son. Away from RIM, he is usually outdoors bicycling, motorcycling, skiing or hiking.
About Barbara Stymiest
Barbara Stymiest has served as a director of RIM since March 2007.  She has an HBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, and an FCA from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario.  Ms. Stymiest joined Royal Bank of Canada in 2004, where she served as a member of RBC’s Group Executive, which is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the company.  Prior to that, she held positions as Chief Executive Officer at TSX Group Inc., Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer at BMO Nesbitt Burns and Partner of Ernst & Young LLP.  Ms. Stymiest is currently a Director of George Weston Limited, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, the Royal Ontario Museum.
About Prem Watsa
Prem Watsa is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, a financial services holding company whose corporate objective is to achieve a high rate of return on invested capital and build long-term shareholder value, since 1985. He is also Vice President of Hamblin Watsa Investment Counsel Ltd. since 1985. Mr. Watsa formerly served as Vice President of GW Asset Management from 1983 to 1984 and in va

Episode #100 of the SMRpodcast, Corporate Ego, has been recorded, posted online, and is ready for download. This week features Kevin Wheeler from wingadgetnews.com and Andrew Zarian from the Guys From Queens Network. This week we talk heavily about RIM being up for purchase again and who should buy them. We also cover the Windows Phone and Sprint saga and Ice Cream Sandwich on devices.

Show Details

• Recorded: January 17th 2012
• Published: January 18th, 2012
• Duration: 01hr 12min 00sec

SUBSCRIBE FOR AUTOMATIC DOWNLOADS

• Standard RSS
• 
• 

• Chris Ashley @bigcashley
• Robb Dunewood @RobbDunewood
• Brent Harman @jbharman
• Kevin Wheeler @wheelerk2011
• Andrew Zarian @andrewzarian

SHOW TOPICS

Opening Thoughts

• We welcome Andrew Zarian from the Guys From Queens network
• We also welcome new wingadgernews.com writer Kevin Wheeler
• This is episode 100 and Rod is on vacation.

We talk about RIM being up for sale

• Robb lets us know that RIM wants Samsung to buy them
• Brent tells us RIM’s stock price
• Kevin feels adopting an operating system is a better move for RIM
• Andrew feels they should have bought WebOS when they had the chance
• Chris agrees with Kevin

We discuss Jerry Yang Leaving Yahoo

• Brent feels Yahoo Never kept their properties up to date
• Andrew is surprised that Yahoo has survived this long
• Chris is not a fan of any of their properties
• Robb says he still uses Yahoo Finance

We Talk about the power carriers have

• Andrew is waiting for Verizon to get more Windows Phones
• Robb explains the culture of buying phones in the States vs. Europe
• Brent feels that we lose with paying full price with phones because contracts are the same price
• Chris feels this is the carriers end game to keep customers stuck
• Kevin points out that carriers just don’t want to give up control

The Windows Phone, Sprint, and Verizon snub saga continues

• Chris points out that Verizon may have gotten their feelings hurt
• Robb feels Verizon has the upper hand
• Kevin Points out Sprints excuse of not taking a chance on Windows Phone
• Robb points out that Verizon can charge a premium for their Android phones

Picks of the Week

• SocialCam (Android App)Robb Dunewood (RIMarkable)
• HaxSync BitCasa (Android App / Unlimited Cloud Storage) Brent Harman (SimpleMobileReview)
• Pictionary Draw (Windows Phone App) Chris Ashley (SimpleMobileReview)
• Wikipedia Offline (Offline Wikipedia Install) Andrew Zarian (Guys From Queens)
• Add to Contacts (Windows Phone App) Kevin Wheeler (WinGadgetNews)

Episode #99 of the SMRpodcast, All About CES, has been recorded, posted online, and is ready for download. This week we have are talking about CES and all the cool gadgets and phones that have been announced and not announced so far. The big conversations are around the new LTE Windows Phones and Android Phones. And Robb and Chris are starting a movement.

Show Details

• Recorded: January 11th, 2012
• Published: January 12th, 2012
• Duration: 01hr 14min 00sec

SUBSCRIBE FOR AUTOMATIC DOWNLOADS

• Standard RSS
• 
• 

SHOW TOPICS

Opening Thoughts

• Rod is pretty much shut down and ready for Vacation
• Allison Sheridan leaves a funny story about her and Verizon

CES is this week and there were some big announcements

• Robb said there were many new TV’s announced
• Rod says he really likes the OLED and the new Samsung with DirecTV built in
• Chris points out that the Samsung has 5 tuners on it

AT&T is getting two new LTE Phones

• Chris talks about the new HTC Titan II and the Lumia 900
• Robb is asking if we will see some marketing behind these phones
• Rod says the marketing needs to happen yesterday

BlackBerry devices are having batter issues

• Robb discuses a new battery issue with the BlackBerry
• Rod can’t wait to tease Allison about her phone

We talk about Voice to text On the New Galaxy Nexus

• Rod talks about the video he posted showing the different voice systems on Android
• Robb points out how one is really good and the other not as good
• Chris talks about the mini competition he and Rod had between Android and Windows Phone

Picks of the Week

• Drag and Go For Android () Robb Dunewood (RIMarkable)
• iTimelapse Pro ( Time lapse Video Recordin )Rod Simmons (SimpleMobileReview)
• GSI USB Cradle ( Dock for HTC Titan )Chris Ashley (SimpleMobileReview)