Better late than never right? I have been meaning to pick up Amazon’s Kindle Fire for months and have finally got around to placing an order. I got it much quicker than I expected and turned it on immediately. I actually got a much different interface than I expected. I knew Amazon put their own interface on top of the Android OS, but I didn’t expect it to be this different. I found the front page to be a large waste of space with huge icons taking up the middle of the screen. Those icons are what you used recently, which is a nice idea, but I would’ve preferred a different layout.
Feb 01
Oct 17
Long ago, when red and blue (or green) glasses were the only way people could watch a movie in 3D, it appeared and faded quickly. It’s fading was probably expected, how long could someone stand watching a movie with only red or blue. Not to mention the headaches it could cause. Polarized glasses were around in the 50′s, but it was expensive to print and film. For a while 3D was out of the picture, then suddenly it made a resurgence. We can blame the hype of Avatar and it’s record breaking sales for the sudden onslaught of 3D films. Technology was now at the point that making a film 3D wasn’t that expensive, and in some cases, drew more ticket sales. The rise of digital downloads and streaming movies have made it tougher and tougher for theaters to get us off the couch and into a theater seat. 3D, was the answer according to the industry. They needed something that you couldn’t get at home and 3D was that something.
Oct 06
Apple has lost a great visionary last night as Steve Jobs passed away some time in the evening. He revolutionized personal computers, MP3 players, tablets and smart phones not with great technology, but with great simplicity. He saw that technology doesn’t have to be complex and super powerful in order to sell. He saw that technology can be sleek, appealing and, in some ways, fashionable. There will always be the PC guy and the Mac guy, but both sides can agree that he changed the technology world over and over again. I count myself as a hardcore PC guy, and even I can’t deny that Steve Jobs changed everything, and even though I may not have known it at the time, he changed it all for the better.
Apple released a memo to all their employees that they will be having an internal celebration in honor of Steve’s life.
Tim Cook
Team,
I have some very sad news to share with all of you. Steve passed away earlier today.
Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.
We are planning a celebration of Steve’s extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences in the interim, you can simply email rememberingsteve@apple.com.
No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve’s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.
Tim
Steve Jobs’ Family
Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family.
In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve’s illness; a website will be provided for those who wish to offer tributes and memories.
We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.
Bill Gates
I’m truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs’ death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.
Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.
The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.
For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.
We here at The Bluedot.net are sad to see such a great man go and we hope his spirit, determination and innovation lives on in the company he helped create.
Sep 26
Years ago Blackberry used to be “the Cadillac of smart phones”. The iPhone and Android didn’t exist in a time when CEO’s and VPs all owned Blackberrys. Smart phone was synonymous with wealth and business. Though times have changed, and the smart phone market is more mainstream, Blackberry still holds the wealthy mantel. According to a survey done by Prosper Mobile Insights, Blackberry is favored among the wealthy at 11.9%, which is about .4% higher than iPhone and a whopping 4.1% higher than the Android. But what is “wealthy” to PMI? According to them, anyone making over $150,000 a year. Perhaps that’s not what some consider wealthy, but it’s certainly very comfortable.
The survey didn’t stop there though. They checked several other income brackets, including anyone making $100,000 to $149,000. In that pay grade the favorites stay close to the same, but it has become evident that the Blackberry is losing some of their comfortable ground. The lower the income bracket the more the iPhone takes over the lead and Android begins creeping up to the Blackberry. People making between $75,000 to $99,000 favor the iPhone at 19.6%, with Blackberry at 18.7% and the Android right behind the Blackberry at 18.2%.
But where the iPhone begins the gain, so does the Android. Google’s Android phones have one advantage over iPhone, which is they offer their operating system on a wide variety of phones and are now available on all major carriers. With this in mind, more companies are able to create a wide variety of prices in their phones, which allow for more affordable phones for the middle to lower class. So when we get below $74,000 a year, Google’s Android begins to dominate. But what else makes the Blackberry lose favor with the middle to lower class?
Games. Games are much easier to play with a touch screen, like everyone’s favorite Angry Birds, as oppose to Blackberry’s staple ball navigation. Not to say Blackberry phones aren’t worth it anymore. They are excellent business phones and can surf the internet just as well as the competition. They even dabble in the touch screen world, most notably with the Storm and Storm 2. But their strong point, and stereotype, will almost certainly always be in business. Even their old commercials played on this stereotype of the business suit go getters sending emails and conference calls on the go.
Blackberry doesn’t just lose out on games though. According to the survey 85% of iPhone users and 84% of Android users claim they download apps on their phones, while Blackberry users are at a low 59.9%. Does this mean there are less apps on the Blackberry? Probably not, and those numbers may have more to do with what the typical Blackberry user looks for in their phone. Blackberrys tend to be business ready right out of the box, which is enough for anyone using it as a business device. iPhone and Android play heavily on their apps, almost exclusively advertising apps as the reason to purchase their products.
So what does this survey really mean? Besides the obvious “times are changing”, the survey shows that competition on the smartphone market is looking good. With three major companies vying for the top spot we can expect nothing but improvements in both technology and choices. When one company innovates the other responds. Though Blackberry is just beginning to really kick start their competition (they have been rather comfortable at the top for some time) we should expect some surprising things around the horizon.
The iPhone, Blackberry, Android phones and more are all available at thebluedot.net!
Sep 23
So how is everyone liking their new iPhone 5′s? Oh? They’re not out yet? Well that’s not stopping the sudden spike (some as high as 85%) of iPhone 4 trade-ins to all phone refurbishing companies. Everyone is anticipating the official announcement of the iPhone 5, by Apple, this coming October. With this being the longest lull in iPhone additions, it seems many people just can’t wait to upgrade. But why trade in now? Why not wait until the iPhone 5 actually comes out? And what does this mean for people who don’t mind having the previous addition of the iPhone?
When it comes to why people may be trading in their iPhone 4′s it may simply be anticipating the price drop. This isn’t always true, and once the iphone 5 is announced the trade-in price for the iPhone 4 will remain stable for a little bit. But this is great news for other people!
How is this great news? Well, with so many iPhone 4 trade-ins coming in, that means there will be more used and refurbished iPhone 4′s for people not worried about being current on everything. The iPhones work perfectly, and considering their price when new, most are taken care of like they’re gold! So when someone with an iPhone 3 wants to finally upgrade, they have a great, cheaper option than jumping the hype wagon and getting the new 5′s. In fact, if you’re interested in an iPhone 4 they are available now at our online store at TheBlueDot.
So what kind of improvements should Apple fans expect with the upcoming iPhone 5? Of course, no official announcements have been made until October 5th, but even before that date there is news of manufacturing problems. That won’t stop the unprecedented demand obviously. But what are fans expecting? After scouring the web and digging through a few forums it seems most fans want five very important things.
One of those things is better connectivity. The iPhone 4 didn’t have much of a problem connecting, but in the world of technology there is always room for improvement. Along with better connectivity is a larger screen. Most Apple fans anticipate this because of the release, and success, of the iPad and iPad 2. With better connectivity customers will want to be able to watch movies and tv shows easily and with a bigger screen that just makes it even easier. Not to mention better resolution. Cameras have also become synonymous with cell phones. Nothing gets missed, as evident by the number of youtube videos, with cell phone cameras. So most fans are begging for a better camera for video and pictures. The iPhone 4′s camera was great, with many options and great video resolution. But, again, with technology things just get better and better.
This is all simply speculation at this point. Apple is notorious for keeping secrets, especially the last few weeks before the big announcement. At the moment, only glimpses of the iPhone 5 case has been revealed, and even those are questionable at best. Two things we can be sure of though is that the iPhone 5 will create lines of people outside every Apple store. The second thing we know is that people perfectly happy with getting an iPhone 4 will have great deals available to them before and after it’s official announcement.
We are buying the iphone 4 for cash in mass quantities. Check out our Trade-in page for more details at – http://www.thebluedot.net/tradein for an actual dollar amount for your device.
Sep 22
It’s safe to say Google’s Android is no longer new to the cell phone scene, which is quite obvious by the sheer amount of apps at everyones finger tips. With so many applications available, many for free, it can be a bit overwhelming choosing which app is best for you. There are countless calender, weather and text apps out there, but which one does the job for you? Sometimes the best way to find out is to just download it yourself and give it a try, but who wants to try a dozen map apps before finding the one that you like? Well, we’re here to help narrow the search down for you! Here are our top ten Android apps available on the Droid Market place.
1. Google Maps
Sometimes the best apps are made by the very company that created the Android OS. This is one of those cases. Google Maps has, by far, the best free turn by turn directions available. You’re able to look up traffic updates, overlay businesses (such as gas stations), update instantly when making a wrong turn and even attempts to keep you updated when losing your GPS signal. Although we would probably like another voice option for the turn by turn directions, it’s free! With so many options there isn’t much to complain about once you consider the price (or lack there of).
2. Facebook for Android
Though it is still missing some options it’s website counterpart has, this app is a must have for any social media nut. News feeds, messages and even chat are all included in this easy to use application. It loads much quicker than using facebook in your phones browser, not to mention it’s news feed is a bit more user friendly. Especially after facebooks most recent “update” to their site. Staying connected to your friends is made real easy with this app.
3. Kik Messaging
Kik isn’t just available for the Android. iPhone and even Blackberry have access to this wonderful text messaging app. But what makes this app better than the built in text messaging program? It seems like such a simple addition, but the ability to see that your message was delivered and read is amazing. Not only do you now know when someone receives your text, you also know they read it. So if you’re someplace quiet and can’t give someone a ring, you’ll know they got the message that just couldn’t wait.
4. Google Goggles
Here’s Google again with another amazing app. Recently I had a picture of a cartoon character I couldn’t quite remember. It was on the tip of my tongue and was driving me crazy. With one simple click of the Google goggles app it was able to find a picture match and tell me exactly who it was and where it was from. Goggles gives you the power of the internet in the real world, giving you the ability to search for almost anything you can get a clear picture of.
5. Reddit is Fun
Reddit’s popularity can’t be ignored, especially over this past year. So an easy to use and read application was only inevitable. Reddit is Fun is both quick, simple and easy on the eyes. Mirroring Reddit’s bare bones layout, it simply lists all the top stories currently on the front page, and more. With the ability to sign in and have your front page settings imported to this handy app, it’s the perfect time waster for moments when you’re stuck waiting somewhere for any amount of time. Be warned though, Reddit is incredibly addictive.
6. My fitness Pal
Working out is hard and dieting is even harder. My Fitness Pal is the prefect app for someone who wants to lose weight and loves graphs. Simply make an account, enter your weight and height, and your adventure begins. With it’s built in calorie counter, keeping track of what foods you eat and what foods you shouldn’t eat, couldn’t be easier. By entering your weight everyday you can keep track of what works for you. Are you working out enough? Maybe you’re eating too much on Saturdays. This app can show you that and more!
7. Craigslist Notification
Are you looking for a new job? Maybe you’re on the go and can’t be by a computer at all hours scouring the internet for jobs or sales. This craigslist app is the best in keeping track of new and old posts for anything and everything on the site. The greatest feature is its updating filter system. If you’re looking for a job with a certain pay, or specialty, you can enter keywords into a search and it will update for you the moment something new comes up. Be the first on the scene at a big sale, or be the first to hand in a resume at your next big job. This app will keep you updated and in the know when it comes to local listings. This app should also be available on the iPhone and Blackberry.
8. Swype
This app has two camps, either you love it or you hate it. Androids keyboard works well enough, but sometimes it’s just not fast enough for someone in a hurry. Swype enables the ability to… swipe, your finger along your keyboard connecting the letters and spelling out the words quickly and efficiently. At first it can be clumsy and difficult to use, but once you get the hang of it you’ll be texting faster than you ever have before. Over time the app learns your most commonly used words, such as peoples names, and includes them into the swype dictionary. I use this app everyday and can be counted into the “love” camp.
9. Youtube for Android
Technically another Google app, this app makes searching and watching youtube videos easier than ever. Androids built in browser is great for general use, but like the reddit app, youtube’s app makes using their site much easier. As long as you have 3G you can watch videos in excellent quality, or watch them in full quality by linking to a wifi. Of course, all TheBlueDot review videos can be watched on this app, which you can also watch on the iPhone and windows phones since this app is also available on those platforms.
10. Pandora
This app is available on the Android, iPhone, Blackberry and Windows phones, but that doesn’t make it any less of a must have for music lovers (or comedy lovers with the new “todays comedy” channel). It’s simplistic design makes it easy to make new channels and see the beautiful artwork of every album cover. The only feature missing in this app is the details description of the bands and their music, but this application is really meant to be listened to on the go anyway. Even if you lose signal, Pandora buffers the audio ahead of what you’re listening to. So you have a few more minutes of your song before it cuts out (subways may not be the best place to use this app).
We hope this helped narrow down your quest for the best applications the Android phones have to offer. If you don’t have an Android phone, as mentioned above, many of these applications are also available on iPhones, Windows and Blackberry phones. All of these phones are available on our online store at TheBlueDot.
