I was waiting for the Nexus but it’s still MIA (and I’m glad it’s not available yet). Verizon is still courting Steve Jobs for the iPhone and I definitely would not wait on that. Then the smartphone god blessed us with the new Droid Incredible. If you haven’t heard or been living in the cave, today is the day where you can pre-order the Droid Incredible from Verizon. Pre-orders will be delivered on April 29 and so you know (or so Verizon says), it is in limited quantity. I paid for mine for only $199.01 including tax and discounts. Here’s the rundown:

Original price of the phone: $529.99
Special price with 2-year contract: $299.99
New Every Two Plan Discount: $100.00
Online Discount: $50.00
Subtotal: $149.99

CA Tax: $49.02 (based on the original price)
Total price of the phone: $199.01

Go to Engadget for a very nice review of the Droid Incredible. Once I get my hands on mine, I’ll also post my own review. For now, I just wanted to say that there are three things that made me jumped on the Incredible. First is the the company that makes it – HTC is known for making high quality mobile devices. Second, the Incredible is equipped with 8 megapixels camera, which I highly desire for my photo blogging. Not only that, this camera is supposedly more responsive and does auto focus very well.  And last but not the least, HTC’s very own next generation Sense UI that makes the Droid 2.1 OS experience better and more complete.

Oh and one last thing, did I already mention that the Droid Incredible is superior to the Motorola Droid, the Nexus One, the Palm Pre and (yes you, you too can’t escape) the iPhone

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, May 4, 2009 – According to The NPD Group, a leader in wireless industry market research, an aggressive “buy-one-get-one” promotion by Verizon Wireless helped RIM’s BlackBerry Curve move past Apple’s iPhone to become the best-selling consumer smartphone in the U.S. in the first quarter (Q1) of 2009.  RIM’s consumer smartphone market share increased 15 percent to nearly 50 percent of the smartphone market in Q1 2009 versus the prior quarter, as Apple’s and Palm’s share both declined 10 percent each.

Based on U.S. consumer sales of smartphone handsets in NPD’s “Smartphone Market Update” report, the first-quarter 2009 ranking of the top-five best-selling smartphones is as follows:

1. RIM BlackBerry Curve (all 83XX models)
2. Apple iPhone 3G (all models)
3. RIM BlackBerry Storm
4. RIM BlackBerry Pearl (all models, except flip)
5. T-Mobile G1

“Verizon Wireless’s aggressive marketing of the BlackBerry Storm and its buy-one-get-one BlackBerry promotion to its large customer base contributed to RIM capturing three of the top five positions,” said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis at The NPD Group. “The more familiar, and less expensive, Curve benefited from these giveaways and was able to leapfrog the iPhone, due to its broader availability on the four major U.S. national carriers.”

Smartphones, which represented just 17 percent of handset sales volume in Q1 2008, now make up 23 percent of sales. “Even in this challenging economy, consumers are migrating toward Web-capable handsets and their supporting data plans to access more information and entertainment on the go.” Rubin said.

Methodology: The NPD Group compiles and analyzes mobile device sales data based on more than 150,000 completed online consumer research surveys each month. Surveys are based on a nationally balanced and demographically representative sample, and results are projected to represent the entire population of U.S. consumers. Note: Sales figures do not include corporate/enterprise mobile phone sales.

Original article can be found here.

When I received the phone, it came with 4.7.0.75 version of the OS. This is an updated version which was supposed to fix some of the initial bugs when the first batches were first released. In the course of two months, a few beta updates were leaked out that fixed more bugs and made the phone better and faster. The most noticeable fix was for the quick response of the accelerometer (it orients the phone in landscape or portrait mode). Recently, RIM announced the latest official OS update of the Storm 9530, the 4.7.0.122. It was for Bell Mobility customers but would also work with Verizon Wireless. I currently have it on my phone.

To get a better view of this phone I will list my likes and dislikes.

Likes:

• slick black device
• easy email integration
• nice button layout
• fast accelerometer
• usable browser
• 3G connection cut out right away when app is closed (compare that with WinMo devices)
• contact list
• phone dialer (i like the big buttons)
• decent video/photo resolution
• good voice quality and an okay speaker
• huge community of Blackberry users
• RIM is frequently releasing updates for this phone (I had to wait a year to get some bug fixes on my old WinMo phone)

Dislikes:

• SurePress Touch Screen!!! If it wasn’t for this most annoying feature of the phone, I’d give the Storm a grade of 100%. I will never get used to it and unfortunately I have to interact with the touch screen to use the phone. I always mistype words and typing is painfully slow!

If I get a better touch screen, I will keep this phone oherwise iPhone will be my next mobile phone when they come to Verizon.

There are some smart people out there that hacked the phone and was able to unlock the GPS via a ROM update. This not a Verizon approved update so the people that installs it do it at their own risk. I personally updated my phone with one of these custom ROMs and it did wonderful thing to my phone. Last year Verizon released two updates to the XV6800 phone, which also upgrades the phone to Windows Mobile 6.1. Everyone hoped that this updates would unlock their GPS but once again we were disappointed. But don’t worry, a fix has came out to work with these updates

So enough with the rant and let’s get on how to enable the GPS on your phone using the latest ROM update from Verizon. Please note that this instruction is for phone updated with the latest build from Verizon and not a custom ROM build.

Instructions:

1. First, download the ROM update from Personal Communication Devices website. Either the MR1 Upgrade or the MR2 Upgrade will work. I personally installed the MR2 because that’s the latest build.MR2 Upgrade – http://www.pcdphones.com/downloads/XV6800_MR2_Software_Upgrade_File.zipQWERTY keyboard fix (optional) – http://www.pcdphones.com/downloads/XV6800%20QWERTY%20Keyboard%20Fix%201-9-08.zip
2. The upgrade download is a zip file that contains the ROM build file and the instructions on how to update your phone. Unzip it and follow the instructions. It is as simple as connecting your phone to your PC via USB cable and running the exe file. Wait ’til it finishes updating your phone. You’ll see a progress bar on your PC and your phone. Once it’s done, the phone will automatically reset and go through the setup process.
3. After updating your phone with the new software, download the file that will enable the GPS on your phone. You can download the file from here – http://rapidshare.com/files/165096506/Valhalla_Legends_GPSServer.cab. But before installing this file, make sure to follow #4 asnd #5 first.
4. On your phone, navigate to Start -> Settings. Under the Personal tab, click on Phone . Click on the Services tab at the bottom. Highlight Location Setting and click Get Settings. Make sure that LOCATION ON is selected.
5. Navigate to Start -> Settings. Under the System tab, click on External GPS.
   In the Programs tab, set the GPS program port to COM4.
   In the Hardware tab, set the GPS hardware port to (None) and Baud rate to 4800.
   In the Access tab, make sure that Manage GPS automatically (recommended) is checked.
6. Now install the Valhalla_Legends_GPSServer.cab file. Make sure to install it on your Device and NOT the Storage card or else it will not work. Soft reset the phone after installing the software.
7. You should now have an unlock and working GPS. Now try it with Google Maps.

If you have a custom ROM, you can follow the instruction on this site – http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=VerizonAGPSFix.

I need to replace my cell phone soon. Carmela chewed it up and shorted the earpiece. The phone still works but I have to put it on speaker everytime I’m on a call. I currently have a HTC XV6800 with Windows Mobile 6.1 and unlocked GPS. Yeah, Verizon, thanks for locking GPS on our phones! Anyway, so I need a replacement PDA phone. I would get the iPhone if Verizon carries them. Since that’s out of my options, the only PDA phones that are worth getting right now is either the Blackberry Storm or the Samsung Omnia. Both phones have their own strength and weaknesses aside from the fact that the Omnia runs on WinMo and the Storm on RIM’s more stable platform. The Storm touted to be the first Blackberry with touch screen and an iPhone killer, but with its half baked software and multiple bugs when it was released, it was a perfect storm for a lot of early adopters. Although there were a few leaked updates that supposed to fix these bugs and make the phone more responsive and enjoyable to use. I could take that risk as I’ve heard, RIM is pretty good on supporting their devices. Samsung Omnia on the other hand runs on a dated OS but they try to cover it up with their custom user interface called the TouchWiz. It still can’t hide the fact that it is running on Windows OS which is a turn off to some.

I actually had a chance to play with both phones side by side at a Verizon store. At first glance, the sleek looking Blackberry Storm looks more appealing than the Samsung Omnia. But the Omnia is narrower and easier to hold in my hand. The screen resolution on the Storm is definitely much brighter than the Omnia, thanks to its 480×360 high resolution TFT display. Because I’m a long time WinMo user, it’s easy for me to get used to the Omnia. I’ve never used a Blackberry before but it didn’t take long for me to get used to it. The look and feel of the UI on the Storm is simpler and nicer in my opinion. Some of the features on the Omnia (which I blame on the OS) are not really meant to be touched by finger like for example the X button that closes the window. This is why Samsung decided to add a dongling lipstick style stylus on this phone. Yes, it dongles because there’s no storage room for the stylus. Thankfully, the Omnia comes with an optical mouse that is easy to use and very responsive so you might not need a stylus after all. As far as the touch screen goes, I believe this is a user preference.  The Storm features the SurePress touch screen, which is supposed to be the biggest selling point of this phone. The screen acts like a big button. When touching the menus, it does not actually do anything until you press it. The same thing goes when typing on the screen keyboard. I have a mixed feeling with this feature. I played with it for a bit and this is something that I need to get used to. I’m not sure if I’m gonna like it in the long run. The Omnia has the normal touch screen similar to the iPhone.

Honestly, I’m leaning towards the Omnia but what kills it for me is the Samsung’s proprietary port for audio, data and power. This means, every time I want to use an earphone or charge the phone I would need to bring all these cable adapters. I had an old Samsung SCH-i600 and I hated the port on that phone. I don’t get it why Samsung didn’t use the standard USB port. The Storm is not a bad choice either but the wide profile of the phone might not do it for me. Plus, I’m not really a huge fan of the SurePress touch screen.

The things that I din’t really care much about are:

- High 5.0 megapixels camera on Omnia vs the 3.2 on Storm – if I want a high quality photo, I’ll use my DSLR

- WiFi on the Omnia and none on the Storm – who needs WiFi when you have a 3G

- FM radio w/ RDS on the Omnia – the only place I’ll use this is… oh, I don’t need it

Update: I ordered the Blackberry Storm on Feb 12 from Verizon and received it on the Feb 16. Checkout my latest review after 2 months of hands-on time with the phone.

Here’s a complete product description and spec for the Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ800U.

Pros:

• Instant movie at your fingertips
• No more DVDs to wait for in your mailbox
• Easy to setup and use
• Streams instantly. I didn’t experience any lag at all.
• Plays in acceptable HD (720p) quality (may pixelate depending on internet connection)
• No limit on the number of videos you can watch
• Movies can also be streamed directly to your PC

Cons:

• Videos are streamed in stereo mode only (no surround). It’s okay for movies with not a lot of sound effects.
• HD is still in 720p. I know 1080p maybe too much for streaming but still…
• I still have to go to Netflix site to add the movies I wanted to watch.
• Some movies are out of sync (video and sound). Sometimes, it can be easily fixed by restarting the streaming.

I’m happy with this service so far. My main gripe is the quality of the sound. If they can stream the movies with surround sound then I’ll give it a score of 95. With my experience with Tivo, I’m sure this will get fixed eventually. Overall, I highly recommend Netflx on Tivo.

Netflix on Tivo became available on December 8 and are already receiving a lot of positive reviews. It is a video-on-demand  which is similar to Amazon Unbox. Basically, Tivo connects to Netflix and stream videos to the tivo box and to your tv. While Amazon charges per movie, videos instantly played from Netflix on the other hand are part of the monthly service. Not to mention, that the streaming video from Netflix is supposed to be in HD quality (720p) as opposed to DVD quality (480p). To me, that’s a significant feature specially when you’re home theater system at home is already setup for HD viewing. Why wait for a DVD to arrive in your mailbox if you can just do a couple of clicks on your PC and watch a movie instantly.

I think this is something that I will enjoy and may turn me to a Netflix loyal customer again. I already put my Blockbuster account on hold and I have three months to try this Netflix Video-On-Demand before I say bye-bye to Blockbuster.

Wohooo! I just received my laptop a little while ago, thanks to FedEx for delivering it while I’m still home . What an awesome shipping service from HP as well. Initially, the PC was supposed to be built by today but it looks like the elves aren’t too busy these days. I have something to play with tonight.

• Screen Size – I spend more time coding than actually playing games so screen real state is more important for me.
• Graphics Card – 8600M GS is fine for casual gaming and should be more than enough for Photoshop and video editing.
• Weight – 7.7lbs is bearable for lugging it around the house. I can take my smaller laptop for traveling.
• Design – I really fell in love with the beautiful imprint (radiance) finished on the dv9700t.

Here’s the summary of what I ordered:

- Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (32-bit)
- Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T8300 (2.40GHz)
- 17.0″ diagonal WSXGA+ High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1680 x 1050)
- 50% OFF Upgrade to 3GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
- 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS
- HP Imprint (Radiance) + Fingerprint Reader + Webcam + Microphone
- Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection and Bluetooth(TM)
- 240GB 7200RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (120GB x 2)
- LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
- No TV Tuner w/remote control
- 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
- Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
- HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

Expected delivery is May 27.

I’m currently looking at two laptops right now, the 15.4″ Dell XPS M1530 and 17″ HP Pavilion DV9700T. Both are customizable on Dell’s and HP’s websites. Since the XPS M1530 was designed as a gaming machine, it can be had with the powerful NVIDIA 256MB 8600M GT graphics card as oppose to the DV9700T entertainment machine that can only be configured with up to NVIDIA 512MB 8600M GS. When it comes to graphics capability (specially games), processor is more important than memory. The GT comes with 32 stream processors vs 16 for GS. Besides the graphics card, the more obvious difference between my two choices is the screen size. Of course you can’t really compare the two so you’ll end up weighing their features instead and my needs for a laptop. Here is the spec comparison for these two laptops base on my personal configuration:

Dell XPS M1530 – $1,483

• 15.4-inch WXGA+ (1440 x 950) CCFL glossy screen
• Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (32-bit)
• “Tuxedo” black shell
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T8300 (2.4 GHz, 3 MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
• 3GB DDR2-667 SDRAM
• 250GB 5400 RPM SATA HDD
• Slot-loading dual-layer DVD±RW drive
• NVIDIA GeForce Go 8600M GT with 256MB GDDR3
• Ethernet, 802.11a/g/n (Intel 4965), Bluetooth option
• Integrated 2.0 megapixel webcam
• HDMI, VGA, S-Video, Firewire/1394, three USB 2.0 ports, integrated media reader (MS, SD, xD), fingerprint reader
• Media Center remote located in ExpressCard slot
• Windows Vista Home Premium
• Dimensions (with 6-cell battery): 14.06″ x 10.34″ x 0.93″ – 1.38″
• Weight starts at 5.9 pounds with 6-cell battery (6.29 pounds with 9-cell)

HP Pavilion DV9700T – $1,456

• 17.0″ diagonal WSXGA+ High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1680 x 1050)
• Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (32-bit)
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T8300 (2.4 GHz, 3 MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
• 3GB DDR2-667 SDRAM
• NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS with 512MB
• HP Imprint (Radiance) + Fingerprint Reader + Webcam + Microphone
• Intel PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection and Bluetooth
• 240GB 7200RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (2 x 120GB)
• LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
• High Capacity 8-Cell Lithium Ion Battery

As you can see both are capable for their intended use. Both are good looking laptops and garnered good reviews. The question is, do I need a gaming laptop or an entertainment laptop. I am a casual gamer and I don’t think I need the power of the 8600M GT. I heard that “Crysis,” a high intensity graphics game is playable with 8600M GS on a medium setting. But do I want the heavier 17″ laptop though? It definitely will give me more screen real state, which is good when I’m doing my web development. For portability, the 15″ is clearly the winner. But I’m only gonna use it around the house.

15″ or 17″? GT or GS? portability or bigger screen? I’m leaning towards the XPS M1530 because of its size and weight but I also like the beautiful design of the DV9700T and the bigger screen. Which one?