The iOS vs Android battle rages on - and Apple is losing talking points

This latest news about the two major mobile operating systems does not look good for Apple.  A new report, created by the mobile analysis company Crittercism, provides a very good (and surprising) analysis of mobile operating system stability In short, Apple’s most recent release, 5.0.1, has almost 34% of all iOS crashes, and 28.6% of total crashes recorded. While this is just one study, this is awful news for Apple if it proves repeatable. Android is often decried as the less stable OS (critics usually point to its fragmentation) but if less crash-prone than iOS, Android could get a big boost in market and mind-share.

This is an issue that Apple will have to partner with developers to tacke. While the App Store is the largest market, many apps may have been created a year or two ago and not updated recently (nor updated by the user). If you’re interested in the study, Forbes.com has a great in-depth exploration (as well some great graphics) here.

Related articles

• Which Technology Team Will You Be On? (ctovision.com)
• Ryan’s 2012 Tech Predictions (ctolabs.com)

Aldiko Sync gives your Android "Whispernet" capabilities

For many of you Android fans, Aldiko (the free epub/pdf/ebook reader) is an app that you use daily. One of my favorite things about Aldiko is that it is easy to use. I can find epubs all over the place, send them to my Dropbox and easily open them on any Android device. This is great, if you only use one device, or only read one book per device. But if you’re like me, and have too many devices, this doesn’t work.

That’s why there is Aldiko Sync. Basically, Aldiko Sync allows you to easily save your Aldiko library information to your Dropbox account. It uploads your books, the library information and an md5 hash tag to Dropbox for comparison. The Pro upgrade (only $.99) allows you to auto-sync. The auto-sync does get a little annoying, (every time you unlock your phone it quickly syncs) but the benefits are worth it.

One of the things I was happiest about with my new Galaxy Nexus was the ability to actually use the screen for reading. This has made my old SGT sad and lonely and mostly unused. Aldiko Sync is a program that makes it easy to read across all of your devices. If you’re an avid reader, and an Android user I would definitely recommend checking out Aldiko Sync (and paying the $.99 to a solid developer).

Related articles

• Aldiko Book Reader Gets Huge Update, Shows Love For Tablet Book Fanatics (androidpolice.com)
• Using Dropbox with Aldiko (teleread.com)
• Will the Amazon Kindle Fire further fracture Android? Or do just the opposite? (ctovision.com)

The Galaxy Nexus has raised the bar for all mobile devices

While Apple recorded their best quarter ever, Samsung and Google released the most impressive smartphone to date. Appearing on the Verizon network with LTE radios in the US, as well GSM w/ HSDPA+ radios internationally, the Galaxy Nexus is the most groundbreaking phone available.

The mix of 32GB internal storage, a dual-core TI OMAP processor, Android 4.0, a beautiful 720p 4.65″ screen and high-speed 4G networks make it the phone to measure to. Running the un-distilled version of Google’s Android OS, the Galaxy Nexus has all the first-party support you’d expect from Samsung, and unrivaled support from the Android development community.

The Galaxy Nexus offers great battery life (for a LTE device) and the best user experience Android has had to date. While there is a bit of a learning curve coming from Gingerbread (2.3.x) or Honeycomb (3.x), Android 4.0.x is ready to play. With the right ROM, you can force the “menu” buttons back into play. Android 4.0.x was created to be easier on the average user – but with all the developer support, it can still be a geek powerhouse.

Developer support is part of what makes the Galaxy Nexus the phone to beat. A quick search of XDA Devlopers or Rootzwikiwill show the preponderance of developers out there supporting the Galaxy Nexus (in both GSM and CDMA/LTE forms).

Application support is coming. Google has been rolling out 2 or 3 updates to their core applications ever week, and the top 3rd party developers are joining the party as well. Many of the best Android applications are already updated with ICS versions in mind – so that they take full advantage of the huge screen and capabilities of the Nexus.

Trust in Team Kang for all your GNex ROM needs

I’ve been using the Android Open Kang Project ROM for over a month now. It’s my favorite ROM available, and gives you a great deal of flexibility and customization. Additionally, the creator, Roman, added some key performance options which increase battery life (and thus the usability of the device).

While Cyanogen Mod 9 is not out yet (the one based on Android 4.0.x), installing it on your device is something every user should consider. Part of the fun of Android is Rooting/ROMing/Theming your phone – getting it to exactly the specifications that make you work and play best. The Rooting process can be intimidating, and there will be some issues, but you’ll learn a lot about your device in the process. While you may lose of your data (most of it is backed up to the cloud), the capabilities gained (battery life, Wi-Fi Tether, full Nandroid backups, etc) will more than outweigh that in the future.

Do you have an Android device, if so, is it rooted, if not, what are you waiting for?

Related articles

• Amazon drops price of Galaxy Nexus to $100 (inquisitr.com)
• All Hail the Galaxy Nexus (ctovision.com)
• Now that ICS is here, don’t buy an Android that’s not the Galaxy Nexus (bobgourley.com)

Apple knocked it out of the park this quarter - but is it enough?

Apple Inc just had their first $40B quarter ever – to the tune of $46B dollars in revenue.  They sold 37M iPhones, 15M iPads and 15M iPods. Additionally, they sold 5M Mac computers. These numbers are ridiculous. Right now Apple is stacking away a ton of cash – so much so that it makes the $100M they wasted on a spurious lawsuit against HTC merely a drop in the bucket.

These numbers are astounding – but are actually not surprising. In this quarter, Apple released the iPhone 4S and was bolstered by holiday spending. But Apple wasn’t the only one with a big quarter. According to Strategy Analytics, 10M Android tablets were shipped in the final quarter of the calendar year. AT&T themselves had a huge quarter, selling 7.6M iPhones.

Samsung, as well, hit record profits this quarter due to strong smartphone sales (I’m sure their memory chips they sell to Apple, etc are not hurting their bottom line either). Samsung sold 35M smartphones in the quarter (a large percentage running Android OS). Samsung made a lot of this money on the Samsung Galaxy SII platform.

So what does it mean: Apple’s money pile is growing, and they are starting to make wise investments. The purchase of Anobit shows a look toward the future. Apple must integrate vertically to protect their supply chain, and might be looking to move manufacturing away from entities such as Foxconn (and the PR nightmare that they are). I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – Apple will continue to integrate vertically to protect their interests.

Related articles

• A look at the Tech of 2011 – Mobile and Gadgets (ctovision.com)
• What does Apple’s latest purchase mean? (bobgourley.com)
• Wall Street Goes Bonkers Over Apple’s ‘Historic’ $46B First Quarter (cultofmac.com)

Protecting and connecting

Here are a few recent links of note on cybersecurity and disruptive technology:

• The Cyber Power Index by Booze Allen Hamilton. The G20 are ranked by their potency in cyber, determined by their legal and regulatory framework, economic and social context, technology infrastructure, and industry application. The United States is ranked second with the United Kingdom surprisingly first and China in 13th place. This tool is interactive and, if you disagree with Booze Allen Hamilton’s assessment, you can change the weighting of the determining factors.

• Federal Researchers Push the Limits of Cloud Computing. The results of the 2 year Magellan project, where the DOE”s national labs compared their traditional High-Powered Computing to cloud models, were released last month. Can the national labs use cloud computing to measure the expansion of the universe? Maybe, but not quite yet. We also did some further analysis on Lessons Learned from Magellan.

• Nearly a Third of Americans Now Own an E-Reader or a Tablet. Almost 20% own each. Increasingly mobile is becoming the norm, which means that mobile applications, services, and security need to keep pace and are some of the most pressing topics in information technology.

• Military’s New Plan to Weed Out Counterfeits: Plant DNA. Counterfeit goods are a tremendous concern in military logistics, but serial numbers can be rubbed out and even holograms can be mimicked. Applied DNA Sciences Inc. has just won a contract with the Defense Logistics Agency to try a novel solution –  coating electronics with plant DNA markers. Matching the plant DNA would be almost impossible for counterfeiters.

Related articles

• Alex’s 2012 Tech Predictions (ctovision.com)
• Adam’s 2012 Tech Predictions (ctovision.com)
• Ryan’s 2012 Tech Prediction (ctovision.com)

Google TV is headed to your living room, whether you like it or not

I recently purchased the Logitech Revue with Google TV. I absolutely love it. It’s one of the coolest ways to interact with TV to date, and offers the best overall interface for digesting internet streams as well. It is not as simple and intuitive as the Roku boxes, nor as pretty as the Apple TV, yet it is more powerful and capable than both. The Google TV comes with a crazy remote – it’s a full sized wireless keyboard with touchpad, yet that’s not the only way to control it. Android apps allow for easy control, using the device most likely to be in your hand. Google TV is coming, and coming fast.

The Google TV platform got a much needed refresh earlier this year when it was upgraded to “2.0″ or “Android 3.x.” The refresh offers much needed better user experience and a fuller Android Market experience. But the exciting thing about Google TV is not where it is now, but rather the huge potential of the platform. Google TV has been one of the stars of the Consumer Electronics Show this year.

Google TV is coming to living rooms everywhere, in 3 form factors;

• integrated directly into your HDTV. Sony already does this, LG, Vizio and others are going to as well. I am opposed to this if it costs money, however, because updates will hit with less regularity (and might cost you valuable ports on your TV!)
• integrated into your set-top box. AWESOME. Everyone knows the user experience of your FiOS/Cable/Satellite box stinks, but Google TV is coming to fix this. Motorola Mobility (owned by Google) also makes set-top boxes, and we should see some really great implementations in the near future.
• stand alone device. This is what I have (Logitech Revue) and while it is not for everyone (I’d say early adopters only) it is very cool. These will receive the most rapid updates and will be the most standardized devices.

Another big update this week is ARM processor support for Google TV. Since most Android applications are optimized for ARM processors, this represents a big jump forward for the platform. It is far easier to accommodate a small board with the ARM system on a chip design than it is a full ION or Atom instance.

Google TV is definitely going mainstream – and it might well be more a reaction to Apple TV than on any individual merits of the platform. I think the major manufacturers fear getting in bed with Apple and thus are hopping on the Google TV train. Get ready for Google TV, because like it or not, it’s coming to you.

Related articles

• Ryan’s 2012 Tech Predictions (bobgourley.com)
• A look at the Tech of 2011 – Mobile and Gadgets (ctovision.com)
• A look at the Google Ecosystem (bobgourley.com)

The two biggest stories of the year were the iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus

2011 Was definitely the year of mobile and gadget explosion. Our favorite devices became more capable, widespread and cheaper than ever. WiMax fell by the wayside as LTE and HSPDA+ protocols replaced them – the latter just a placeholder until LTE networks could be rolled out. We got some awesome new tablets, some great updates to our favorite mobile OS’s and killer new smartphones. We found that cable cutting is possible — just not if you’re a sports junkie (yet). Keep reading for our summation of 2011 in Mobile and Gadgets.

The Year in Short:

• Apple released their iPad 2, iPhone 4S and iOS 5.
• Google/Android released versions 3.x (for tablets) 4.x for all and the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus smartphones.
• Microsoft released Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) yet still does not have a flagship device in NA.
• HP/Palm drops WebOS development, TouchPad firesale creates more development than anything HP every did
• RIM BlackBerry PlayBook released, is horribly crippled and costs RIM upward of $300M (might even cost the jobs of the Co-CEOs).

Apple and Google Win 2011 – to no one’s surprise

The Mobile/Gadget World was utterly dominated by Android and iOS in 2011. At the end of the day, the two operating systems captured over 70% of the US smartphone marketshare. They have marginalized the once great RIM, while Microsoft is struggling just to stay even remotely relevant. The battle between Android and iOS is one of differing approaches to the same problem. Apple has integrated fully in the supply chain, controlling and curating the entire platform. Apple makes large profits on handsets, service, as well as app sales (30% share of every sale).  Google is making their money through ad sales and services, as well a portion of application sales. At the end of the day, Apple is making more money off of smartphones and tablets – while Google has greater influence. Microsoft needs a huge 2012 to remain relevant – and they have the capabilities to do that.

Android and iOS are the only mobile operating systems that mattered in 2012

Both Apple and Google have had some stumbles in the past year. However, these stumbles have created stronger offerings. Android’s Tablet offerings – the 3.x (Honeycomb version) of the operating system was not well received. However, the recently released Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.x) and the Galaxy Nexus have given Android the true flagship device they have always needed. Apple’s iPhone 4S was not what the pundits (nor the consumers) desired. It was just another incremental upgrade – but their iOS 5 brought many features (just look at @dbehr24’s post) that were necessary and improved the experience. With Android 4.x and iOS 5, we have two mature, developed operating systems for mobile devices and tablets, and should provide excellent competition in the near future. I do believe that there is room for another contender – if it is done right.

Tablets had a strong showing in 2011, which will continue in 2012

The iPad 2 was the tablet winner, but the Kindle Fire surprised everyone

Tablets have been a secondary story in 2011. The iPad 2 sold like gangbusters, around 12M units a quarter. Apple is still selling some original iPads as well. Android was released for tablets early this year – but still has yet to be widely adopted. The Amazon Kindle Fire has outperformed any and all expectations, with over 4M in sales since it was released (around Thanksgiving). The success of the Kindle Fire has been attributed to both the cost ($199) and the Amazon ecosystem. But in my opinion it is more than just one or the other – but a mix of both, plus the great form factor that is a 7” tablet. The rush for bargain touchpads underscores the consumer demand for a tablet – yet the price points have not met with consumer expectations. India is rolling out their $50 budget tablet now – and I imagine we’ll continue to see the $200-$300 price point to continue to be the sweet spot.

This year, gadgets and mobile were undeniably inextricably entwined. I do not believe that this will necessarily stop. The Android OS is widely available for installation on a vast amount of gadgets, from set top boxes to PMPs. It is used on the majority of smartphones and tablets worldwide (just not the best-selling). Apple made a big move by releasing the iPhone 4S on every single carrier at the same time – Google needs to follow in their footsteps with further Google Experience Devices. While the Galaxy Nexus launch was a success, it was mitigated by infighting and other issues with Verizon. Google has to fight to keep their gadgets in stock – and allow OEMs to ship launchers that can be easily ignored (or changed). So long as OEMs insist that their “special sauce” increases the usability, Android (Google) will lag behind Apple.

The "Beta" gives me a warm and fuzzy for old Google products

Disruptive Actors of 2011

2011 did have some disruptive actors. Most notably is Republic Wireless, (blog here). They offer unlimited mobile data, text and voice with a commitment to using Wi-Fi for only $20 a month. The service piggybacks Sprint’s network, which cannot be the only network they use. Cable cutting is another disruptive capability; one that removes the monopoly of cable and satellite providers. Apple, Roku, Boxee, and Google TV are among the products that enable cable cutting. As Android is better adopted for the big screen (it already looks great), cable cutting will become more widespread.

Related articles

• Which Technology Team Will You Be On? (ctovision.com)
• Now that ICS is here, don’t buy an Android that’s not the Galaxy Nexus (bobgourley.com)
• Google’s Currents is what Reader should have been (ctovision.com)

The RAZR is the coolest looking phone out there, but it's not the best.

When I first got my hands on the Droid RAZR I was more than a little in awe. It just looks SO cool. The harsh lines, the beveled screen, it is a really sharp looking phone. I normally don’t care what any phone looks like, but I was really impressed by the design work (from a visual standpoint) on the RAZR. The phone internals are impressive as well, a 1.2GHz Texas Instruments OMAP dual-core processor with 1GB RAM, 16GB internal memory and a 16GB SD card, an 8MP camera and a bright and vibrant 960×540 screen. Obviously, the phone that this is most often compared to is the Galaxy Nexus, and with good reason. However, I aim to look at it in somewhat of a vacuum, but with an obvious nod to both the Nexus and the iPhone 4S.

General Thoughts

The RAZR has a bigger screen but the same number of pixels.

The Droid RAZR is fast. It is without a doubt the speediest Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) experience I’ve ever seen. It’s also thin, like REALLY thin. It is the pure evolution of the Droid X (one of the most popular Android devices) not just a minor iteration (think Droid X2). The RAZR handled everything I threw at it, from apps, to games, to video – with no problems. The on-board memory is quick, which makes connecting it to your PC a breeze. The 4G modem is good, and the GPS extremely quick and accurate (unlike a lot of other phones I’ve used).  The RAZR is a wickedly fast phone, that offers a really nice screen and is at the absolute top of the Gingerbread game. The 4G modem is fast, yet seems to stay on while on WiFi (definitely hurting the battery life). Speaking of battery, I got nowhere near the promised run time, and found that I was always running for my charger.

When seated next to the iPhone, it just plain looks cooler.  The RAZR screen is about the size of the entire iPhone – but the bezel is hard to miss. There are a few other excellent design qualities of the RAZR, most notably the inclusion of KEVLAR to make it strong, light and water resistant. Thus, the battery is inaccessible (a huge problem for me). Motorola also included Gorilla Glass on the front, protecting the screen from scratches and damages. It is a tough, good looking phone, that definitely stands out in any crowd. It does feel a little weird in the hand – all hard edges, and the Nexus or iPhone 4S are definitely more ergonomically friendly.

At the end of the day, the RAZR is still not a Nexus, and it shows

On their website, Motorola states that it is Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) ready – yet I wouldn’t expect an update before Q2 2012. The fact that Motorola decided to ship it without ICS is disappointing, and does not bode well for the phone’s future. Of further concern is the screen. Google has stated that 1280×720 (720p) will be the standard for ICS (and further devices) and it is rumored that a Droid RAZR MAXX edition is in the works (overseas phones have 720p screens). With limited developer support, and seemingly little OEM support, the Droid RAZR is a great phone that will just be slightly left behind.

Pros:

• Fastest Gingerbread experience
• Extremely slim and visibly differentiated
• 32GB total storage (16GB on-board)
• Brilliant screen (looks sharp)
• Solid device that feels like the beast that it is
• Easy to root, but still has locked bootloader
• Top charging/HDMI ports are more convenient than bottom

Related articles

• Motorola DROID RAZR update rolling out today (goandroid.co.in)
• Now that ICS is here, don’t buy an Android that’s not the Galaxy Nexus (bobgourley.com)
• Employees’ Droids among biggest government cyber menaces (bobgourley.com)

The Galaxy Nexus is totes "1337"

So Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and the Galaxy Nexus have finally arrived. It has taken a while (and taken me some major wrangling w/ VZW to get one) but I have it in my hands, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

I don’t wish to review Android 4.0, but rather talk about the Galaxy Nexus itself. It is an excellent looking device, reminiscent of the iPhone 3G in it’s form, but without the “home” button. There are no buttons on the screen, but rather digital ones that pop up as you navigate. Google started this with Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and has carried it on.  It takes some getting used to, but will probably offer more good for the most amount of people. Likewise, Google has all but done away with the “menu” button (my favorite Android button) to make options “easier to discover.” I’m not opposed to making discovery easier, but the haphazard way the menu button is used in ICS is more than a little troubling. I’ll be jumping on the first ROM that offers re-structuring of the buttons, but that’s just me.

The Galaxy Nexus is a very interesting looking phone. The huge (4.65″) screen dominates the face, it is extremely slim, but for the bottom bump. In the rounded corners, and bottom bump, it is almost the polar opposite of the Droid RAZR – which is not necessarily a bad thing. The Nexus feels great in my hands (which are big – unlike all the small hands but still in denial reviewers on the net), and is easy to operate with one hand.  It is confusing though, because you never know where that darn MENU button is! The optional extended battery (which VZW had for just $24.99 last week) fills out the back of the device, and makes it almost more comfortable (I’m not one to whinge over a few grams here and there). The charging slot and headphone jack are both on the bottom, and the charging slot is actually MHL. MHL allows you to run HDMI and microUSB charging at the same time, with an optional $20 dongle. I am virulently against dongles, but because it is standardized, it gets a slight break in my mind.

The hardware is solid, headlined by the TI OMAP 4460 1.2GHz dual-core processor. Coupled with 1GB of RAM and 32GB (28GB available) of storage, the Nexus is a powerful device. The 5MP camera has been bemoaned by many reviewers, but I find it good enough for me (a non-picturey guy), plus it’s definitely good enough for TwitPic/Facebook. The camera app is definitely improved over any other Android implementation (I’ve tried them all) and allows you to crop and more (not always available without a 3rd party app.

The screen is BIG, and BIG. It’s hard to explain how big it gets, but it looks awesome. YouTube and Netflix come in amazing (especially HD content) and the soft buttons shrink away to offer you more real estate. The screen isn’t ALWAYS 4.65″ due to the buttons, but it just feels bigger (also because of the increased pixel count). It’s easy to see why 720p is the new smartphone standard – it plain looks good. Underneath the display is something that Samsung phones have lacked for a while – the LED notification. I got used to this with BlackBerry and HTC, and really missed it. It’s a little touch that goes a long way.

The Nexus comes with a decent pair of headphones with microphone, but lackluster speaker(phone) capabilities. While calls are certainly clear, the speaker definitely leaves a lot to wish for. I like the included headset – it definitely is a nice touch for first time smartphone buyers (are there any left not in my family?) and are going to be my go-to gym earphones.

The Galaxy Nexus story is bigger than ICS

The speed of the phone is good. It is quick, some apps don’t play as well as others, but the CPU and GPU offer a strong, capable pairing. As I’ve mentioned before, there is no standardization of the “menu” option – it doesn’t exist on a lot of screens/apps, so there is a learning curve for those Android veterans out there.

What I like:

This phone is definitely the “Phone to Rule all other Phones” (Android or otherwise). It’s fast, well-shaped, and capable. ICS offers Android advanced capabilities alongside ease of use, with a small learning curve for both new and veteran users. As the “flagship” Android device right now, it will certainly receive a ton of developer support. As a device in your hand, it feels great and gives you a little something to show off – to everyone. Also, 2 updates within 2 weeks is AWESOME. They don’t reset the phone and improve usability – you can’t complain about that.

• Game changing device, plain and simple.
• First ICS device – Android done up pretty
• Blazing LTE modem
• Easy to use
• Not too hard on battery (but you definitely want more than one)
• Lots of developer support (come on CM9!!!), source code already released!
• Some good accessories already – hopefully lots more to come
• Bootloader unlockable!
• All Android customizations are possible

What I don’t like:

The lack of removeable media is a little different – and takes getting used to. I don’t think removeable media necessary in devices anymore, and Samsung gives you plenty (w/ 32GB) but what am I to do with all these microUSB cards I’ve collected? The Google Wallet issue is certainly troubling – VZW and Google need to stop butting heads and make this a true Google experience device.

• Difficult to root (not impossible, but did take over an hour – requires adb…SCARY!!!)
• Google/Verizon need to work out differences
• Might not work for baby hands (but worth a shot)

The only real reason not to buy this phone is Verizon. I was able to hop on before their (RIDICULOUS) tiered pricing plans, but you might not be as fortunate. Right now they are still offering double data (4GB for $30 a month), but that really isn’t great. The mobile data explosion will be coming soon, and Verizon is hoping to get everyone by the short hairs. Also, the Verizon/Google cat-fight needs sorting.

However, buying the GSM version right now isn’t a great idea for the US consumer. Not only do you pay an extreme surcharge ($750 and up incl shipping), but you do not get LTE. Much as I don’t think the iPhone 4S is a good purchase without LTE (especially on VZW’s CDMA network), I am hard-pressed to suggest buying any phone that is not also LTE. AT&T is rolling out their LTE services (as well their devices) so until there is a GSM LTE Nexus, I would advise waiting.

In my opinion, if you’re not on VZW, just wait. While I love ROMs and the Galaxy S II line will certainly get their share, I find it important to have at least the base Android version of the ROM be supported. All networks will soon be on LTE, and if you buy a phone without it, you are going to find yourself spending for a new phone shortly – or with serious buyer’s remorse.

Related articles

• Now that ICS is here, don’t buy an Android that’s not the Galaxy Nexus (ctovision.com)
• Will the Amazon Kindle Fire further fracture Android? Or do just the opposite? (bobgourley.com)
• Government Android Should Concern You (bobgourley.com)

Sorry Bob, Santa isn't a miracle worker!

Welcome and Happy Holidays! We here at CTOvision wanted to provide some of our favorite gadgets as suggestions for presents. While this is a little late, there’s always Amazon Prime (or Gizmodo’s final ship dates here). We tried to put together the devices that we think are the best in their class, while highlighting some technologies for certain “stereotypes” in your lives!

Tablet:

Transformer Prime/iPad2 32GB ($500, $550).  The Prime (our thoughts here) is the first Tegra 3 device, and is to receive Android ICS in the near future. The dock is an additional $150, but take it from an Transformer 1.0 owner, it’s well worth it.

Lighter and thinner, the Prime is a true iPad contender

No, the Galaxy Nexus does not eat iPhones for breakfast

iPhone 4S (~$200 on contract). The 4S doesn’t have 4G, and it still has a tiny screen. But it’s not the most popular smartphone in the world for nothing. The dual-core processor has really improved the viability of the 4S, but you may find yourself lusting over “the next big thing.”

Xbox Kinect is sure to entertain your family for hours

Web Media Devices:

Any of these devices will be great under the tree (and next to your tv) this year

Apple TV ($100). The Apple TV is still a great device at a good price that continues to get better with constant software updates.  I keep finding new uses for it all the time.  With an Ipad 2 you can mirror almost anything onto your TV.

Don't believe the hype, the Kindle Fire is a great e-consumption device

For fun + reading:

Kindle Fire ($200). The Kindle Fire (despite the myriad of garbage reviews) is not a replacement for an iPad. It’s a better reader, and more portable. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime or Netflix subscriber, it’ll provide you with a bevy of entertainment options wherever you’ve got Wi-Fi.

If you need more ponies under your TV, or a small pc, you can't go wrong w/ the Mini

Small Form-Factor/Simple Computers:

Related articles

• The Roku Player – What’s it Good for Anyways? (ctovision.com)
• The Kindle Fire is Already making BIG Ripples (ctolabs.com)
• Which Technology Team Will You Be On? (ctolabs.com)