I have moved...

Well not me per say, but this blog. I have consolidated all my blogs into one.

http://blog.jonesonthenet.com

Thank you!

Archos 5 Internet Tablet

I recently purchased the 32GB Archos 5 Internet Tablet. I upgraded from the 16GB Microsoft Zune HD.

Here are the specs:

Display - 800x480 4.8" TFT LCD

CPU - Main 800Mhz ARM Cortex-A8 32bit

Additional 32bit DSP @ 430Mhz

RAM - 256MB SDRAM

Storage - 32GB Flash + Expandable MicroSD Slot

OS - Android 1.6 Donut

Built-in GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0

To be perfectly honest I was a little dissapointed with the Archos 5 right out of the box. It is sluggish and the touch screen is not as responsive as my HTC Evo. The Android OS installed is a dumbed-down Archos version that doesn't have access to the Android Market by default (there is a hack that allows you to install it however). The built-in GPS isn't the best either, I am not able to get a satellite signal on the Archos while indoors.

After using the Archos for a week and getting it all setup just how I wanted it however I have to say now I really enjoy it. A firmware upgrade took care of the performance issues I was seeing right out of the box and having the Android Market installed opened up a whole world of apps that I didn't have access to before. I installed CoPilot GPS software and using it with the WiFi adapter disabled seems to improve GPS signal.

The audio and video quality are outstanding and I honestly have to say if you are looking for an all in one unit (GPS, MP3, Video) the Archos is a great option. I use it in my truck with a $15 window mount I found on eBay, and it is a very useful tool paired with the WiFi tether from my HTC Evo.

Sprint HTC Evo 4G .. A Review

So.. it's no secret that I am not a fan of Apple or any of it's products. What I tell people when they ask me how I can not like such a "cool" or "innovative" product is this.. I don't like them on principal, I don't agree with the way they do business therefore I am not going to support them by owning their product. That being said I do beleive that Apple's iPhone is an industry leader that has set the bar for other cell phone companies to strive to achieve. I have not seen any of them come close.. until now.

I was given the Sprint HTC Evo 4G by my wife as an early fathers day present. The Evo 4G released June 4th 2010.
First impression : "Look at the size of this screen!!" Followed by "The touch response is amazing!"

After I charged the Evo I spent the next 10 hours browsing the web, installing apps, watching videos, taking pictures, taking videos, syncing various applications etc.. and after that 10 hours was up I had gone through most of the battery, though it wasn't low enough to alert me so I am not completely sure how much more time it would have lasted. I was a little disappointed that I had to stick it on the charger, so when I did I started looking up other peoples reviews of the Evo. Most people had the same problem I did.. battery life! In comparison though, my old HTC Touch Pro would have never lasted 10 hours through the barrage of things I was doing on my Evo so I was not completely dissatisifed. Then I found it!! 4G!! It is not available in my part of town (at least not for another couple of weeks) and the 4G is enabled out of the box on the Evo.. so it had been burning battery looking for that 4G signal.. I switched this off when I removed the phone from the charger after it had charged. I also shut off WiFi and the Automatic Sync of Gmail, Facebook, and Twitter. My 2nd day of use of the Evo found 18 hours of solid use and I had just under a half a battery left! Success!!

HTC Evo 4G Specs:

• 4.3" 800x480 capacitive TFT Touchscreen with multi-touch capability.
• Android 2.1 OS with HTC Sense UI
• 8-Megapixel Camera with LED Flash and 720p HD Video Recording
• 1.3-Megapixel front-facing camera for video conferencing
• 1GB of flash memory
• 512MB RAM
• 1Ghz Snapdragon processor
• 802.11 b/g WiFi
• GPS with free turn by turn navigation
• Bluetooth 2.1
• 4G WiMax
• FM Radio
• HDMI Out port
• 3.5mm headset jack
• microUSB port
• 8GB MicroSD card out of the box (expandable to 32GB)
• Digital compass, G-Sensor, Proximity Sensor, and a Light Sensor
• 1500mAh battery
• Kickstand on its back!

After using the phone for 4 days now I really have zero complaints. I love everything about this phone and I really beleive it is the first phone that compares to (and in some cases exceeds) the iPhone. Please check back soon as I will be posting some pictures taken with the awesome 8mp camera and I hope to do a video side by side comparison with an iPhone that I will be posting as well.

iPad??? Really??

It's no secret to those that know me that I am not a fan of Apple, but Apples latest release has some devout Apple lovers cringing! The iPad (insert witty comment about feminine hygiene product here) has to be the most over priced worthless piece of technology I have ever seen. It has one thing in common with all other Apple products, it's flashy to look at. Let's take a look at the tech specs first:

Size and weight

Height:

9.56 inches (242.8 mm)

Width:

7.47 inches (189.7 mm)

Depth:

0.5 inch (13.4 mm)

Weight:

1.5 pounds (0.68 kg) Wi-Fi model;

1.6 pounds (0.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model

Display

9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology

1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)

Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating

Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Processor

1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip

Available in 16, 32, and 64GB models

Battery Life

Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music

(I pulled the above information directly from Apples website, so I find it interesting that they listed basically EVERYTHING that the iPad is capable of doing right in the battery life specs)

Yes folks, you can expect to pay a base price of $499 for a 16GB up to $699 for the 64GB version, unless you want the ability to throw a SIM card into it and (no you can't make phone calls, just connect to a 3G network) that will add $130 to the cost. All for a device that does LESS than the iPhone. There is no multi-tasking with the iPad (one thing running at a time, no multiple windows / programs at the same time)

Now I'm sure someone will Jailbreak the iPad just like they have done for the iPhone which will add functionality that Apple should have done in the first place, but keep in mind if you do you void your warranty!

It is this bloggers opinion that if you are thinking about getting an iPad because its flashy and the screen is pretty, just get an iPhone! If you want a highly portable device that will allow you to connect to the internet, read an e-book, instant message friends, send e-mails, save yourself 200 bucks and get a NetBook! At least then you will be able to do all these things at the same time!