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Posts Tagged ‘review’

iPhone 3G S, Re-inventing the wheel?

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

Any of you who have read my previous ‘iPhone vs G1′ post will know I am a HUGE Apple fan, and so inevitably I went out this afternoon and signed my life away to get the new iPhone 3G S. We have tried here at FlipCurve.com to fish through rumours of the new iPhone, and now finally it is here!!!

As any phone-geek is aware, the iPhone has never been about the spec-sheet, but rather about the way it does what phones do. It’s browser is second to none, the video playback is superb, and usability is stupidly simple (it makes pretty decent phone calls too).

The newest and biggest thing to occur with the latest incarnation, the 3G S, is the new software, OS 3.0. Apple, (rather nicely) made this available for download a day before the phone release for everyone who has the iPhone 3G, meaning not only does it look exactly the same as the previous model, but it has the same operating system. So it looks the same in every way… (almost). The iPhone 3G S owners will know they have the faster version, with twice the RAM etc… and a few will even have twice or even 4 times the memory if they opt for the 32GB version.

There are a couple of new shiny features, like voice control, digital compass, 3.2 megapixel camera (rather classily disguised, and not plastered all over the back of the phone like a Sony Ericsson), Video Recording and editing… All which work well. My favourite new adition, personally, is the voice control, I can’t imagine myself using it while the handset is in my hand, but whilst walking and listening to the iPod function I can press a button on my inline mic and command it to call anyone I like or change track. Genius!

Do I recommend it? Only if you don’t already have the iPhone 3G, just update your OS, but if you have any other phone… change it now!

Cam

Popularity: 7% [?]

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Posted in gadgets | 3 Comments »

Thumbs ‘UP’, a great review

Sunday, June 7th, 2009




Disney had a habit during the late 90s and into the early 00’s of making okay, family animated films that children of age 1 to 12 fell in love with. Anyone beyond that sat in the there with their eyes glazed over. Well as of late, Disney/Pixar (Pixar was bought by Disney last year) has continually put out incredible family films that are just what their name suggests family films. UP! is the newest in the line of films created by the geniuses at Pixar and I must say, they’ve gone above and beyond the standard of an animated family film.

pixar-up
The film, unlike what many of the trailers have suggested, is focused more on the older gentlemen, Carl Fredricksen, and how he ends up with a boy scout in a floating house. Carl is like any other old man, he just wants to enjoy his time to himself, in his house, without the bothersome annoyance of outside influences. Well, this isn’t exactly how things pan out and Carl constantly finds himself at odds with the rest of the world.
UP Disney Pixar May 29, 2009_2_jpg
Carl grew up a curious and very quiet young man, interested in exploring from a young age. It’s during this time that he meets the woman he eventually marries, and end up in the childhood clubhouse, living their days together. He’s happy, she’s happy and you really have to do a double take when you think about where this film is going. Like Carl, his wife has been interested in exploring as well, and they plan a trip to South America in order to satisfy their childhood fantasies. Now, I don’t want to give away the film, but I will say this. It’s the first film since Wall-E where I’ve been brought to tears for a cartoon.
2009_up_0031
Now fast forward to today. We have old Carl in his house, surrounded by the loud craziness that it the world and up comes some boy scout named Russel, to “help assist an elderly person”.  Through a strange set of circumstances, the pair end up together inside the house that is Carl’s home, heading toward South America.
Throughout the film the two encounter many obstacles in the fight to get the house to it’s destination. With talking dogs, colorful and funny birds, and evil explorers, bent on clearing their smeared name, the movie will have many moments of pure laughter, enjoyment, and raw emotion.
up-image1
If I do have one complaint about this movie, it’s that there are points when you feel as if the creators were pushing a bit too hard to get that tear out of your eye. Sometimes you just want to say “Okay, really? It’s a kid film, let’s not rip their hearts out.” Namely the curious relationship between the boy scout and his father. Also, in regards to being for children, there are lot of times when Russel’s life is put in grave danger and while this can be an effective tool to get your audience’s attention, it’s a bit annoying when it happens over and over again and even more so when you have kids screaming, scared that a little boy is about to fall to his death.

All in all, the film is a great movie that will have you leaving with tear stains on your face and a smile spead wide from ear to ear. I give it 2 thumbs up and worth the extra cash to see it in 3D

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Posted in movies | 1 Comment »

It’s Better With Windows – ASUS and Microsoft

Monday, June 1st, 2009



Microsoft and ASUS have recently teamed up in a joint advertising venture to demonstrate why Windows is the much more suitable choice for netbooks as opposed to its “biggest” competitor, Linux. The reason that I have “biggest” in quotation marks is that as of January 2009, 90% of all netbooks were being shipped with Windows and the remainder of them were running on Linux. Suffice it to say, as of this moment, Linux really isn’t a formidable competitor in either the netbook, notebook or desktop market. The only market share that Linux truly shines in is the server one.

Now, I’ve never been a big fan of Linux on the desktop. I’ve always found it a little too tedious to use on a daily basis, even with distributions like Ubuntu. I think Microsoft has been aware for quite a while that many people think like this. So then, this begs the question, why is Microsoft so concerned about an OS that has less than 10% of the netbook market share? Why even waste the money on advertising at all, when they don’t feel compelled to in the notebook or desktop market?

The reason is embedded within their arguments for Windows on a netbook in which they claim that users won’t have to “[deal] with an unfamiliar environment or major compatibility issues.” What is this really? The same argument for the desktop environment regurgitated for the netbook market. However, this doesn’t really make any sense given this context. The “unfamiliar environment” is questionable, considering most people buy netbooks to surf the internet and read e-mails. What difference does it make if I surf in Firefox instead of IE, write an e-mail in Outlook as opposed to Evolution, or even view a presentation in OpenOffice as opposed to Microsoft Office? The answer lies in terms of the GUI. Functionally, they are all the same. The second piece of the argument deals with compatibility issues. Again, with what? I doubt netbook users typically have a tremendous number of peripherals. They might attach a camera or a printer, but most of the models on the market can be handled via Linux. The aspects that make Linux challenging to install on regular laptops (wireless drivers, getting X11 graphics drivers, and so forth), would be non-existent if a customized version of Linux were pre-installed on each netbook.

This campaign is likely driven by fear. Unfortunately for Microsoft, Linux does make sense in this case, simply because it’s free and will do everything that most netbook users expect. It can surf the internet, browse e-mails, and view and edit that Word document on the go. I doubt many of these users are looking to play games (something that pretty much needs Windows), edit Photoshop files (requires Windows or Mac if you want to use Photoshop), or develop apps in Visual Studio. If you’re looking to do these, then that’s OK because Windows is available to you. Otherwise, save your money and choose Linux because it excels in the basic tasks, and that’s what’s worrying Microsoft.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Posted in geek talk | 2 Comments »

New iPhone 3.5G at WWDC: Rumor Roundup

Sunday, May 31st, 2009



Well, it’s that time of year again. You know, the time of the year when summer’s gearing up in full swing, the heat starts getting unbearable (well in some places at least), and of course, Apple hosts its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. For Apple “fans” and developers, WWDC is often used to launch the latest and greatest in the Apple lineup. Arguably the most monumental announcement at any WWDC was the switch from PowerPC to Intel processors. These days the developer’s conference doesn’t seem to be nearly as focused on the Macintosh line of computers. Rather, the main interest seems to be the iPhone and for those who haven’t heard, Apple is widely expected to announce a significant upgrade to the already very handy device. We’ll take a look at all the rumors and assess the probability of each one being true.

Rumor 1: 32 GB Space

Probability: Very Likely

It has been rumored that the new iPhone will include 32 GB of storage space, representing a significant upgrade from the current 8 GB and 16 GB offerings. While it’s unknown if Apple will still offer any of the current lower storage iPhones, a capacity upgrade is definitely quite feasible and follows in line with Apple’s history as they often increase storage with each revision. A 32 GB iPhone seems like a no brainer as something that will be offered.

Rumor 2: Increased CPU to 600 MHz and 256 MB RAM

Probability: Likely, but might not be these specs.

I believe that the iPhone will include some sort of a performance upgrade but these rumors would both double the RAM and nearly double the power of the processing unit (well, actually, the clock speed is 1.5 that of the current CPU, but apparently the new processor is more efficient, rendering its effectiveness closer to double that of its predecessor). This seems like a dramatic improvement that is sure to create two classes of applications – those that can run only on the new iPhones and those that can run on all the iPhones. Historically, Apple has had no qualms forcing users to upgrade so this might be the case here again, but I’m more inclined to believe that there will be a more gradual increase in these specs. Maybe a more efficient 400 MHz CPU and a 64 MB RAM boost would be in order for this generation and after the majority of users have switched to that, then offer something a little better. There will definitely be a performance upgrade but how much is still up for debate.

Rumor 3: 3.5G Network Access

Probability: Seems like a no brainer, but not given Apple’s history.

Apple notoriously waited way too long to provide 3G access on their iPhones. AT&T in the US has recently announced that they will be upgrading to 3.5G, permitting phones allowing this standard to download at 7.2 Mbps (960 KBps) which is technically better than most land-based broadband. This would seem like a no-brainer to include in the newest iPhone but we must remember the length of time to include 3G. If the iPhone is improved in the other ways mentioned above, Apple may choose to skip this speed upgrade and focus instead on the rumored 21 Mbps (2.6 MB per second!) HSPA+ standard. AT&T has not announced yet if this will be implemented nationwide.

In summary, I think we can expect some sort of announcement at WWDC. I think that there’s a sufficient amount of evidence (and using just plain old common sense) to suggest that Apple will improve the iPhone’s space, processing specs, and RAM. Whether or not we’ll see the awesome 960 KBps of 3.5G remains to be seen. I hope it’s included, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

In any event, we’ll all be watching for that “one more thing” at this year’s developer conference.

Popularity: 9% [?]

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Posted in gadgets | 7 Comments »

Britain’s Got Talent

Saturday, May 30th, 2009




The climax of the unstoppable Britain’s Got Talent will take place tonight (Saturday 31st May) and be broadcast live on national TV in the UK (and then re-broadcast on YouTube until the end-of-days). Britain’s Got Talent has been a guilty pleasure in my household, initially I was really skeptical but since I got on board, (around week 2 of the auditions) I have haven’t been able to miss an episode.

I found the auditions so much fun to watch for two reasons. Firstly I think they have shown contemporary British Culture in an amazing light. The mix of cultures and fields of talent are awesome, evidencing the rich heritage we are going to leave for future generations. Although the acts are often a trashy the things that have developed from the combination “traditional” British variety acts and various cultural influences are hugely creative (who could have thought that a Greek father and son Irish dance troop worth be worth watching?). Secondly, and more emotionally (I am ready to be mocked), I love the fact that most of the acts on the auditions to the opposite of humiliate themselves. I know there are some truly appalling performances at the auditions but there are a good many people who ‘do their country proud’.

This week the semi-finals have been shown, I have watched these but found them boring. The polished versions of the acts are nowhere near as good as you would see in most pantomimes (with some obvious exceptions). We all know that either the biggest freak, or the prettiest boy/girl/child is going to win – at this stage talent goes out of the window (especially if the Scots have someone home-grown to vote for).

To conclude I think Britain’s Got Talent is a great show, but the auditions are the best part. Knowing our regular readership, I guess most of you wont agree with me, but take the time to tell me why I am wrong!

Guy

PS: Diversity FTW

Popularity: 7% [?]

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Posted in tv | 15 Comments »

Samsung Omnia Review

Thursday, May 28th, 2009



I am a self-confessed phone geek.

I have lost track of the number of phones I have had over the past year. Everything from the I-Phone, to the HTC Touch Diamond to the Nokia N79.

All of the previous mentioned phones have their good and bad points, like anything.
I can be very demanding of my phone requirements, a phone to me must have:

• A good camera
• Be easy to use
• Have a GPS
• Sync with Outlook

These are just a few of the things I expect a modem phone to be able to do.

Thus far I must admit the Omnia has ticked all those boxes, this is not the say the Omnia is perfect, far from it, but I think it’s a great compromise on being usable, stylish and just plain fun.

Anyway onto the review!

Design:

I think the design is great, it’s a nice size, not too big, its smaller than the I-Phone, it sits nice in the hand and does not weight too much.
One issue I do have is it’s far too easy to scratch – In saying that there are some great cases/covers that you can now get for it.

OS/Software:

Yes, shock horror it’s Windows Mobile, but wait before you run away screaming, it’s not bad! It’s got a great widget based interface on the home screen which makes using it a real pressure. So if you usual impression of Windows Mobile is of a horrible business phone without a nice interface think again.

Features:

This is where the Omnia really shines, it’s got a fantastic 5 mega pixel camera with smile detection, auto focus and a flash it’s one of the stand out features of the phone, and totally blows the camera on 99% of other similar phones out the water.
It also has GPS, Wifi and Bluetooth, just to name a few more.
The touch screen is also very responsive and gives haptic-feedback.

Over all impression:

Overall I think its great, OK it has some issues, the screen is VERY hard to read in direct sunlight, But other than that, with a the latest firmware update it’s a fantastic phone, so much so I think I might even hold off on the Nokia N97!

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Posted in gadgets | 4 Comments »

iPhone 3G v G1. A real users review…(with no techno jargon)

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009



The Problem with most reviews is that they will have been written by people who haven’t used the phone they’re writing about, if they have it is a brief encounter. I’m not going to argue on grounds of specification like most, but rather what they are like to use day to day for an average user. Most consumers in the past, especially in the UK are only interested in the highest spec phone, with the most megapixelled camera, bluetooth, MP3 player etc. The issue is with the phones that meet this need (coughs Sony Ericsson), that they don’t perform fantastically in any of them.

The G1, a real practical phone.

The G1, a real practical phone.

Rant over, and on to the debate, is the iPhone really worth all the hype? Is the G1 an “iPhone killer’? Both in their own rights are fantastic phones, for usability and features. Having worked in phone retail for 3 years I can honestly say they are the two best touch screen interfaces ever made. The ease of use, and sensitivity puts any of the other competitors to shame. I used the g1 for almost 6 months, and it really did make life much simpler (once I created a gmail account), it automatically syncs your contacts, calendar and emails over the air…(forcing you to pay the extra for T-mobile’s w’n'w bundle…grrrr). Nothing about using it was difficult, you can customise your home screen to have shortcuts to all your favourite programs. Text is displayed in threads, keyboard was easy to use, and it never went faulty. On the negative side, the battery life was atrocious and it was about as good looking as a mountain gorilla’s rear end.

Beautiful, Shiny and still geeky enough to be cool.

Beautiful, Shiny and still geeky enough to be cool.

“TO THE IPHONE”… It looks fantastic, it feels fantastic, it syncs fantastically with my Mac, and it has replaced my iPod for listening to music. It only has a 2mp camera, and you can’t share files via bluetooth or send MMS (yet!), and it doesn’t matter.  Texting is easy (on my beta release of the OS 3.0), I’ve found that I now type my texts and emails even quicker than on the G1. The screen is really clear, the layout is brilliantly simple, and I don’t have to worry about it going faulty, because I know it won’t (tempting fate). I don’t even mind that the battery needs charging every other day, because it operates without a care in the world. It’s almost like it just strolls through the day, as if walking through a summer park, whistling as it goes.

For me the iPhone is a clear winner, but only because I like pretty, shiny gadgets, and am a Mac user. If you are someone only concerned with having a practical device and you have a googlemail account, then get the G1. But if you really want a device that does everything it’s supposed to do well, and looks nice doing it, get the iPhone. Plus, there’s a new version coming out very shortly, which I am almost wetting my pants about. It’s definitely worth the hype!

Popularity: 9% [?]

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Posted in gadgets | 16 Comments »

Star Trek The Movie Review

Sunday, May 17th, 2009




star trek movie 2009The last seven days has been a busy week of media consumption for me and I think it has come to a close with a trip to the cinema to see the new Star Trek movie. I cannot recommend it to you enough, I enjoyed every second of it. (more…)

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Posted in movies | 3 Comments »

Angels & Demons Review Vol 1.

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009



ad_ambigramsmThis is quite a presumptuous review title, mainly because I am now committed to seeing the movie, after recently finishing the book.  Firstly, I am a fan of trashy conspiracy theory literature, so I wasn’t disappointed by Dan Brown’s choice of subject matter.  (more…)

Popularity: 4% [?]

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Posted in books | 5 Comments »

X-Men Origins Review

Monday, May 11th, 2009




 wolverine_origins_usa_today

I have to come clean and admit that I am not a comic book geek, or even a movie geek ( I will leave that to Cam) but I do like a good movie, especially one that doesn’t require too much thought.

  (more…)

Popularity: 3% [?]

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Posted in movies | 5 Comments »

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