Electronics Get Personal Affordable Gadgets Top Everyone S Wish List Copied with permission from: http://plrplr.com/33654/electronics-get-personal-affordable-gadgets-top-everyone-s-wish-list/

It shouldn't come as a surprise that consumer spending on personal electronics is at an all time high. After all, gadgets are getting both cooler and more affordable. The device viewed as extravagant only a few years ago is a must-have today. Here's an overview of some of the consumer electronics that top everyone's wish list.

Digital Camera

In today's digital age, film cameras are an anachronism. Although a few years ago, experts in the technology field viewed the digital camera as a computer peripheral rather than as a consumer product, the digital camera has caught on like wildfire. And, why not? After all, a filmcard gives the amateur photographer virtually unlimited opportunities to take pictures, review them, and know instantly whether or not he or she got the shot. With options ranging from point-and-shoot to specialty lighting for, say, eBay pictures, digital cameras have something for everyone. The newer models even have the capability to record high quality digital video and easily upload it to popular sites like YouTube.

GPS Receivers

GPS stands for Global Positioning System, and consists of a number of satellites in the Earth's orbit. A GPS receiver takes the information from the satellites to determine your latitude and longitude on the Earth's surface. Map overlays and other data provide the user with valuable information, such as driving directions, the locations of nearby stores, banks, and gas stations, and so forth. GPS receivers are also extremely popular for the relatively new sport of geocaching, where they are used to find containers hidden at certain longitudes and latitudes.

Video Gaming Consoles

When it comes to video games, the numbers are astounding. The video game industry brings in more money per year than the motion picture industry. It's no wonder, then, that video gaming consoles are some of the hottest commodities around. The PlayStation2 is still going strong, while the Xbox 360 made history with the stupendous success of the recently released Halo 3 game.

But perhaps the most revolutionary console of all is the Wii console. With the Wii, gaming is no longer passive. The controllers and nunchuk let players physically become part of the action, and the Wii console welcomes players into an online community where they can construct their own avatars, participate in surveys, and so much more. Plus, the Wii is a fully functional Web browser!

Cellular Phones and Accessories

It's an understatement to say that cellular phones are ubiquitous. Whether you're on the subway, in a bookstore, or driving in a car, chances are good that you are either talking on a cell phone or overhearing another person's conversation. Now that we're always in touch, accessories like a Bluetooth headset are almost a necessity. Wireless connectivity is safer and more convenient, and a Bluetooth headset is like a fashion accessory.



The best news about personal electronics is that, whether you're looking for a digital camera or a laser printer, you can buy it online with a few clicks of your mouse. There are wonderful one-stop online electronics stores that carry everything you could wish for – at incredibly affordable prices. The only question that remains is, what new must-have device will hit the stores next?

Copied with permission from: http://plrplr.com/33654/electronics-get-personal-affordable-gadgets-top-everyone-s-wish-list/

Google Sub-$250 7-Inch Tablet Coming This November

Amongst new rumors of an Apple 7.85-inch “iPad Mini”, Google are reportedly set to launch their own 7-inch tablet this July according to The Verge.

The launch of the first Google-branded tablet has allegedly been delayed from a planned May release in an effort to bring down costs of the $249 device. The Google tablet is set to be in direct competition with cut-price offerings such as the $199 Kindle Fire from Amazon.

The Google tablet is said to feature an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core CPU, running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and will be built in partnership with Asustek.

Samsung Threatening to Sue Apple Following iPhone 5 Release

The advancements that we’ve seen in smartphones in the last few years have many of us wondering how we even handled car phones or the bag phones of the 1980s. Having a phone that only makes calls? Nonsense. Why would we have ever created such a simple piece of technology.


Smart phones nowadays can manage our lives, entertain us for hours, and even guide the way when we are lost. They come fully equipped with HD displays, excellent 8 MP cameras, and apps that can do nearly everything.

It used to be that Apple was the industry leader. The iPhone was untouchable by other smart phone creators. However, in the last year, HTC and Samsung have released some of the most advanced smart phones on the market. Leading many to wonder if remaining loyal to Apple was even necessary. Samsung’s Galaxy S2 was even dubbed “the best smart phone on the market” upon its release.

Samsung was ecstatic; Apple immediately filed suit.

And now Samsung intends to return the favor by immediately suing Apple upon the release of the iPhone 5. Because Apple was able to successfully ban the sale of certain Samsung Galaxy devices in multiple countries, Samsung hopes to do the same with the iPhone 5 – even if they are only successful with postponing the sale of the smart phone in Korea. Limiting those sales alone would actually be highly detrimental to Apple.

So for those who were excited to get the latest Apple product to complete their perfect device sync of their computer networking systems, they may just have to wait for the iPhone 5. If Samsung is successful, the much anticipated release of the long overdue iPhone could be postponed. However, this most likely will not be the case in the States.

“For as long as Apple does not drop mobile telecommunications functions, it would be impossible for it to sell its i-branded products without using our patents,” stated a Samsung senior executive. “We will stick to a strong stance against Apple during the lingering legal fights.”

While the fighting between Samsung and Apple is not likely to cease anytime soon, they may want to watch where they are placing all of their energy. While these two smart phone giants are bickering, HTC, another industry leader, is silently gaining ground. It just may be that while Apple and Samsung continue to damage and limit each other, that HTC may come out as the industry leader – in a fashion that is ever so indicative of their slogan “quietly brilliant.”

US Customs ‘delays’ HTC One X, Evo 4G

US Customs has delayed shipments of the HTC One X and Evo 4G, pending investigation. There are many ways to measure success and, although the setback might could be merely temporary, it is hard to put a price on how costly this is for HTC. That said, at least as far as Apple’s concerned, the timing is pretty darned good.


Nilay Patel at The Verge is reporting that the US Customs Service is delayingshipments of the HTC One X and Evo 4G LTE. Agents are investigating whether or not the devices violate Apple’s #5,946,647 patent, which covers the automatic conversion of information like phone numbers and email addresses into actionable links that open a menu of options.

That said, Apple won a US International Trade Commission (ITC) mandated exclusion order covering HTC products that violate the ’647 patent in December 2011 that came into effect on April 19 of this year. Now, Customs Agents are checking to see if HTC cleared up previously defined violations in these new devices.
Assume the position…

And, the timing couldn’t worse, or better (depending on your perspective), as both devices are purportedly listed as out of stock at AT&T retail stores. Whereas HTC has been on something of a rebound recently, following a year of market and legal setbacks worldwide, the sudden interruption of their supply chain just as the One X and Evo 4G LTE were gaining market momentum has to be extremely painful.

Even if HTC sails blameless through this patent-inspired Customs Service investigation, the Taiwanese smartphone maker will have lost millions. It seems Apple has executed perfectly again, hitting HTC with both impeccable timing and at a great location — right on the airport tarmac — which is probably an excruciating form of punishment in and of itself…

Leaked iPhone 5 Part Suggests 3.95-Inch Screen, 16:9 Display

Leaked iPhone 5 Part Suggests 3.95-Inch Screen, 16:9 Display

Apple’s next-generation iPhone will have a larger screen, but it won’t quite be 4-inches.

Photos of leaked parts exclusively given to MacRumors suggest Apple’s iPhone 5 will feature a 3.95-inch display. Previous rumors pointed to the iPhone 5 featuring at least a 4-inch display, with credible media sources like the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg confirming the rumor with their inside sources.



9to5 Mac originally reported that Apple is currently testing two prototypes of the iPhone 5 that have taller screens, not necessarily wider screens. That report says the height would measure in at 1,136 pixels, up from its current 960 pixels. That’s pretty significant. The screen size diagonally would increase by just under a half of an inch.

That increase in size would allow for a 16:9 ratio display (finally!), which means video (mainly movies) with that ratio wouldn’t have to readjust. The current iPhone offers a 3:2 display.

The parts leaked to MacRumors are supposedly front panels for the next-generation iPod Touch, which historically share the same screen size as the iPhone. I don’t think Apple would release an iPod Touch with a larger screen and not an iPhone.

Top 5 Best AT&T Phones

Our picks for the Best AT&T phones. This list is updated every time we review a phone. Newcomers include the HTC One X, Samsung Focus 2, and Nokia Lumia 900.

After last year’s botched purchase of T-Mobile (didn’t happen), AT&T is now pushing ahead. It’s current mission is to expand its own 4G LTE network to match Verizon’s and launch some killer phones. With the impending release of the HTC One X, things are finally looking up for the carrier. The list below is our picks for the best phones on AT&T, and mostly consists 4G LTE-capable devices. We believe that if you are upgrading your phone this year, you want to get a phone capable of tapping into this new network. If you don’t, you’ll be on the slowest phone in town by the time your next renewal kicks in.
HTC One X

 

Screen: 4.7-inch AMOLED, 1280×720 pixels

Specs: 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB storage

OS: Android 4.0 (ICS) running HTC Sense 4.0

Camera: 8MP rear (LED flash, 1080p rec), 1.3 front

Connection: 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+

Price: $200 with two-year contract

Description: If you want the best HTC phone currently on the market, look no further than the One X (and its T-Mobile brother, the One S). It’s on the large size, but should be usable for most people. It has a killer camera, runs Android 4.0, and is one of the best designed phones on the market. Universal Beats audio integration also helps make this our pick as the best phone currently on AT&T. It is also a dual-core phone, but in our benchmarking tests, it runs as fast as many Tegra 3 quad-core phones. There just aren’t many downsides to the One X. 

Apple iPhone 4S

 

Screen: 3.5 inches, 640×960 pixels

Specs: 1GHz dual-core processor, 512MB RAM, 16/32/64GB storage

OS: iOS 5

Camera: 8 MP rear, 0.3MP VGA front

Connection: 3G HSPA+

Price: $200-$400 with two-year contract

Description: Among the best AT&T phones, the iPhone 4S stands out. It looks identical to the 4 on the outside, but it packs some new features. The update has a dual-core processor, better camera, and a new iOS 5 operating system. Siri voice control lets you use more natural language to talk to your iPhone, and iCloud will let you automatically store your documents and media on the net. The only downside is that it doesn’t have 4G LTE. The next iPhone, due in October, probably will. For more info, read iPhone 4S:

Samsung Galaxy Note

 

Screen: 5.3-inch AMOLED, 1280×800 pixels

Specs: 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 32GB storage

OS: Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) with TouchWiz UI

Camera: 8MP rear (LED flash, 1080p rec), 2MP front

Connection: 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+

Price: $300 with two-year contract

Description: We’re not big fans of the Galaxy Note for one reason: It’s too big. If you happen to have huge hands or want to endure holding your phone with two hands, then maybe the Note is for you. It has a built-in stylus that may be of use to those who like to draw or take written notes, and the added screen space is useful at times. On the downside, it’s still running an old version of Android and due to its odd dimensions, apps may look a little weird. If you’d like to learn more, 

Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket

 

Screen: 4.5-inch AMOLED, 480×800 pixels

Specs: 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB storage

OS: Android 2.3 with Samsung TouchWiz 4.0

Camera: 8MP rear (LED flash, 1080p rec), 2MP front

Connection: 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+

Price: $150 with two-year contract

Description: The Galaxy S2 Skyrocket is the same phone as the S2, but with 4G LTE. We like the S2 and it’s one of the best-selling phones of 2011. It doesn’t disappoint in any one area, though its plastic construction may turn off some. Samsung’s TouchWiz 4.0 interface rivals HTC’s Sense as does Samsung’s camera. The Skyrocket is a bit larger than the standard S2 with a 4.5-inch screen instead of a 4.3, putting it on par with the size of the T-Mobile and Sprint versions of the phone. 

Nokia Lumia 900

 

Screen: 4.3-inch AMOLED, 480×800 pixels

Specs: 1.4GHz single-core processor, 512MB RAM, 16GB storage

OS: Windows Phone 7.5

Camera: 8MP rear (LED flash, 720p rec), 1MP front

Connection: 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+

Price: $100 with two-year contract

Description: All Windows Phone 7.5 devices are pretty good, but Nokia currently takes the prize because of its dedication to the platform. It has a dozen or so exclusive apps like turn-by-turn navigation, etc available on its phones and the Lumia 900 is the only Windows Phone with 4G LTE. We found the device to be a bit more uncomfortable than the Lumia 800 due to its boxy shape and large size, but give it a try. If you like the feel, Windows Phone is definitely worth exploring. Read our Nokia Lumia 900 review.

Samsung Focus 2

 

Screen: 4.0-inch AMOLED, 480×800 pixels

Specs: 1.4GHz single-core processor, 512MB RAM, 8GB storage

OS: Windows Phone 7.5

Camera: 5MP rear (LED flash, 720p rec), 0.3MP front

Connection: 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+

Price: $50 with two-year contract

Description: Where the Nokia Lumia 900 is weak, the Samsung Focus 2 shines. It provides the same 4G LTE connection at half the price of the Lumia and in a much more comfortable package. The Focus 2 is easier to hold and sized a bit smaller, making it more ideal for those who may also be considering an iPhone. It doesn’t have some of the custom apps Nokia’s devices do, but the AMOLED screen and standard Windows 8 features will get you through. Until Windows Phone 8 comes, WP7 can’t get much better than the Focus 2.