B&N Nook App Now Available On Android

The good news is that Android users now have a choice of buying and reading eBooks with apps from Amazon, Borders, Kobo, or Barnes & Noble (not to mention free eBook apps such as Aldiko). That’s because Barnes & Noble is the latest major US booksellers to launch an Android app, with today’s introduction of Nook for Android. The … Read more

Closer To A Universal Mobile Power Adapter?

I doubt we’ll ever see a single, universal cable or connector to power each and every single mobile gadget… However, given the various devices that pass through my home and auto, it appears like we’ve settled on a solid trio of options. Of course, there’s the iEcosystem’s dock connector. Yeah, it’s mostly proprietary. But given … Read more

TV.com Android App Streams (Some) TV

The TV.com app for Google Android is one of the best tools available for streaming clips and full length episodes from recent and classic TV shows on an Android phone. Unfortunately, that’s not really saying much, since there are no official Netflix or Hulu apps for Android yet. To be perfectly honest, the selection of … Read more

MOG Streaming Music App for Android & iPhone

A few months after announcing plans to launch a subscription-based music streaming and download service for mobile devices, MOG is now available for iOS and Android. The MOG app is available as a free download for each platform, and new users get a 3 day free trial of the service, after which the prices is $9.99 … Read more

Resolving the iPhone 4 Antenna Problem

Late last week, Steve Jobs cut his Hawaiian vacation short so that he could respond to iPhone 4 reception concerns with a press conference. The takeaway seems to be that most smartphones suffer degraded network performance when held in specific ways, but the issue is overblown in real world usage. Yet, to overcome the iPhone’s particular deficiency … Read more

Hands On with the Samsung Galaxy S

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Samsung’s making a splash with their new, high-end line of Android “Galaxy S” handsets. And while they’ve already launched overseas, the US variants with custom enclosures and functionality, start rolling out today:

As part of the launch festivities, I was provided a stock Galaxy S to evaluate. Media outreach and spec sheet highlights have led with Samsung’s 4″ 800 x 480 Super AMOLED screen. And while I initially found it oversaturated, even garish (combined with Samsung’s Touchwiz skinning), I’ve landed somewhere else entirely. In fact, I’ve concluded that the Galaxy S utilizes the most pleasing mobile display I’ve encountered — striking an excellent balance of resolution, size, and vibrancy. The Galaxy S obviously isn’t as high res as Apple’s iPhone 4 pixel-dense “retina display” … but with uncorrected sub-20/20 vision, it’s not like I’ve been bothered by aliasing at 18″. So, ultimately, I find myself in the same camp as Harry McCracken of Technologizer:

if all other phone features were equal, I’d take more square inches over more pixels

A common Galaxy S knock has been a plasticy appearance and/or feel. And while the enclosure is indeed plastic, it contributes (positively) to a lightweight feeling device, despite sporting that 4″ display. (And how quickly folks have forgotten iPhone 3GS and 3G’s slippery plastic backside?) There’s no debating that the Samsung’s handset doesn’t pack the same level of materials or symmetry found on the iPhone 4 but, in my week of usage, the Galaxy S has been both comfortable and functional.

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Regarding the Galaxy S’s photographic capabilities, I can tell you the handset captures 5 megapixel stills and 720p video. I haven’t shot enough sample content to pass judgement, other than saying quality’s in about the same ballpark as most of the competition. Two other camera notes… The Galaxy S doesn’t incorporate a LED, or other, flash. Which isn’t a problem for me, as a flash-free photographer, but it’s something you may want to consider. Also, my particular unit houses a front-facing camera. But, sadly, I’m unaware of any Market apps which support the feature (yet) and believe only the Sprint model in the US will contain similar.

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Sirius XM iPhone App Now Supports Multitasking

Sirius XM has launched an updated version of their app for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. The biggest change is that the new version lets you play music in the background while using other apps — assuming you’re running iOS 4 on a mobile device that supports multitasking. The Sirius XM app for Google Android, of … Read more

Want a Rdio Invite?

While I’ve yet to really dig in, Rdio looks to be a cool, new music service supporting various web and mobile playback options. In fact, Rdio seems like something we’d get if unReal Rhapsody was re-conceptualized and modernized with a little Web 2.0 and a whole lot of mobile. In addition to the typical playlist building and streaming … Read more