Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000: Review

Microsoft recently launched its Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 in India. It can be paired with any Bluetooth enabled mobile phone, notebook, desktop or tablet.

Mobile Keyboard 5000 succeeds company's Mobile Keyboard 6000 and the only major difference between the versions is the missing numeric pad in the former.

Packaging and contents
The red keyboard box is just as sleek as the product. Apart from the Bluetooth keyboard, the package comes with a user manual and two Alkaline AAA batteries that are required to power this device.

Design and build quality
Microsoft's Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 is a visually appealing device. Unlike the competing keyboards that are rectangular in shape, it has a slightly curved design that works in its favour.  Another positive for this keyboard is its slim and light-weight profile.

The keys are large and well-spaced, but unlike other keyboards not all keys on Microsoft's Keyboard 5000 are of equal size. The function keys placed in top row are very small in size; however, as the function keys are hardly used, we did not find it much of an issue.

Function keys aren't the only ones with smaller size on the keyboard. While centre keys such as 'B', 'N', 'G' and 'H' are larger, the corner keys like 'O', 'K', 'L' and 'Q' are smaller. According to the company, this unusual size of keys, and the design of this keyboard, encourages natural posture while typing. That might well be true, but it certainly takes some getting used to.

Talking about the other parts of the keyboard, the battery lid has been placed at the rear along with power button and Bluetooth pairing button. The pairing button is quite small and we found it a little uncomfortable to use. If you plan to pair with different devices on a regular basis, this may be a slight pain-point.

Moving on to the build quality, this keyboard is made essentially of the plastic but it does not look cheap and feels like a sturdy device.

With mere 414 grams weight, the keyboard is quite lightweight, but because of the size, we didn't find portable enough for tablets. To make it more travel friendly, the keyboard should have ideally come with a soft cover/pouch. But, Microsoft seems to have overlooked it.

Further on the downside, there is no indicator for Caps Lock, or the battery life. Company has just given a power indicator, which informs you if the device has been powered on and also blinks while the device is in discoverable mode.

Performance
To use the Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000, all one needs to do is insert two AAA batteries in the keyboard and pair it with a compatible Bluetooth device. We paired it with an Apple iPad and Windows notebook, and in both cases we found the connecting procedure to be similar and fairly straightforward.

In terms of usage, the device is comfortable to use and is very responsive. However, as we have already pointed out, it takes a while to get used to the keys on this one.

Verdict
If you are out in the market looking for a wireless keyboard for home-use, Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 is a decent option, but if you want a portable keyboard for your new tablet, you might find it a bit large.

Pros
Appealing design
Light-weight/Portable
Easy to connect

Cons
Takes a bit of time to get used to the key placement
No battery life/Caps Lock indicator

Price: Rs. 3,350

Ratings:
Performance: 3.5
Price: 3
Ease of setup: 4
Ergonomics: 4
Wow Factor: 3.5

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BlackBerry Curve 9220: Review

n the wake of increasing popularity of Android phone and Apple's iPhone, Research In Motion (RIM) has not been having a good run with its BlackBerry devices. Fortunately for the company, India is one of the few markets in which it is still popular amongst youngsters, thanks largely to the BlackBerry Curve 8520. Launched way back in 2009, 8520 was the first Curve smartphone from the Canadian handset maker and it continues to be their bestselling smartphone in the country. 

The reasons why Curve 8520 proved to be such a big hit are easy to understand. It's the cheapest BlackBerry around, and the go-to option for the young crowd who use BlackBerry Messenger as if their life depended on it. The wide variety of colour options no doubt helped the sales.

Though the Curve 8520 continues to be the top selling model for RIM, it runs on the dated OS 5, has a slow processor and an average battery backup.

This is where the new BlackBerry Curve 9220 steps in. Priced attractively at Rs. 10,990, the company expects it to be as popular as the first Curve and is specifically being targeted at the youngsters. 

Hardware and looks
The first thing that you notice about the new Curve 9220 is that it looks very similar to Curve 8520. However, despite having a larger battery, it is 1.2mm thinner than its predecessor. 
The Curve 9220 also has the full plastic body but the build quality is nice. It feels sturdy and can bear a few falls with without any major damage. 

The big highlight of this smartphone is the presence of a dedicated BBM key. This key is placed on the left side of the handset, and gives instant access to BlackBerry Messenger. However, it works only when the handset is unlocked, so not really a shortcut to access BBM.

Unlike other BlackBerrys, this smartphone does not have any dedicated media keys on the top panel. This clears a lot of space at the top, which now only houses the screen lock key.
The keyboard is pretty much the standard one found on any BlackBerry device and the QWERTY lovers will find it quite convenient to use.

Just like the BlackBerry Curve 8520, the new Curve handset, too, will be available in vibrant colour options such as fuchsia pink and teal blue, apart from the usual black and white.

Display
The BlackBerry Curve 9220 comes with 2.44-inch TFT LCD display with 320x240 pixels resolution. When pitted against the other Curve devices at similar price point, Curve 9220 scores better than the rest in terms of display. Having said that, the display of this handset is still nothing to rave about when compared to other smartphones.

Camera
BlackBerry Curve 9220 sports a 2.0-megapixels fixed focus camera. The images captured through this camera in proper light conditions were at the most average. Needless to add, the quality deteriorates even further in low-lighting conditions.

Considering that RIM is trying to catch the fancy of the young consumers through this handset, we feel that the camera should have been better. Most devices at this price point come loaded with at least 5-megapixels primary camera. 

Another downside of this smartphone is the fixed-focus nature of the camera rather than auto-focus found on other smartphones. The quality of videos recorded through this handset is also average. 

Software/ Interface
Curve 9220 comes loaded with the latest BlackBerry OS 7.1, which makes it the first handset at this price point to do so. To put things in perspective, the more expensive BlackBerry Curve 9300 (commonly referred as Curve 3G) and BlackBerry Bold 9780 handsets are still running on the older BlackBerry OS 6.

When compared with BlackBerry OS 5 and OS 6, the new operating system seems far sleeker, faster and more user-friendly.  Also BlackBerry OS 7.1 brings mobile hotspot, universal search, BlackBerry tag and FM Radio support, which were in the earlier version.

The addition of Social Feeds in an entry-level device is handy, especially when it is targeted to young users. We liked the experience of using Facebook through Social Feeds more than the native Facebook app. One of the most important aspects of any BlackBerry device, without any doubt, is its BBM experience. We found the experience of using this app on Curve 9220 to be almost identical to other BlackBerry OS 7 devices.

Performance/ Battery Life
RIM is tight lipped regarding the processor inside BlackBerry Curve 9220, but irrespective of the which processor has been used in this phone; we found that this smartphone was pretty smooth in terms of functioning. There were no lags in transitioning between different apps; neither did we encounter any unusual crashes.

Another addition in this handset is the FM radio. The radio app is quite basic with no frills attached. The voice quality and music playback quality on the handset, both through loudspeaker and earplugs, is good.

The best part about this smartphone is the battery-life. The Curve 9220 comes with a 1450 mAh battery, which easily lasted for a day with frequent app use and web browsing without needing a charge. 

In terms of connectivity, this mobile handset comes with a Wi-Fi and 2G but lacks 3G support. It's a bit disappointing to find a device at this price point of Rs. 10,000 that does not have 3G support.

Verdict
The biggest drawback for BlackBerry still continues to be its inability to excite the developers to create apps for its platform and the BlackBerry Curve 9220 is unlikely to change that. However, if you are not into the apps and are looking for a budget BlackBerry smartphone to connect with your BBM friends, then Curve 9220 is worth considering. It is also be a good upgrade for users of BlackBerry Curve 8520 as it offers an updated OS and better battery at a similar price point. 


Pros
Battery life
Affordable BlackBerry OS 7 device

Cons
2.0 MP Camera with fixed focus
No 3G

Price: Rs. 10,990

Ratings:
Design: 3
Display: 2.5
Camera: 2
Performance: 3.5
Software: 3.5
Ecosystem: 1.5
Battery Life: 4
Value for Money: 3
Overall: 3

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HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE for Verizon hands-on at CTIA 2012 (update

This handset didn't surprise anyone when it was officially announced at CTIA Wireless 2012, but we're still happy to spend time with the HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE for Verizon Wireless regardless. After catching enough glimpses of the smartphone over the past few months, we already had a good idea of what to expect: Big Red's latest LTE device will have Ice Cream Sandwich dressed in Sense 4, a 4-inch Super LCD qHD panel, a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 (Krait), 1,700mAh user-removable battery, microSD support and an 8MP BSI f/2.2 camera with a 28mm lens.

If you're familiar with either the OG HTC Droid Incredible or its sequel, you'll instantly recognize the trusty hump on the back of the third iteration -- Verizon and HTC haven't strayed too far from the design formula here. Aside from the Sense 4 firmware hiding inside the phone, the Incredible 4G LTE has little in common with its cousins, the One X and One S. Frankly, we're still left pondering if the carrier will come out with a version of its own, since we've seen the other three national powers get a high-profile device from the Taiwanese manufacturer.

We had a very similar feeling when holding the new Incredible, one easily related to how we felt with its predecessors. It's quite light, and it actually feels thinner than it really is. All in all, the phone is very comfortable to hold, and from our few minutes of using it, it seemed to be rather smooth. Naturally, as we expected, Verizon reps warned us that it's running on preliminary firmware at the moment, so we don't take a lot of stock in its performance, good or bad. All in all, it's exactly how we thought it would be -- a refreshed version of the Incredible 2, with a much better processor and a few other notable bumps in specs. Head below to check out a few images of Verizon's newest darling.

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Apple Releases iOS 5.1.1 to Fix Bugs With HDR, AirPlay Video Playback

Apple issued an update to its iOS operating system Monday, fixing a handful of minor bugs that have been affecting iPhones, iPads and iPod touch devices.

Apple says the new OS version, iOS 5.1.1, addresses five trouble spots:

Improves the reliability of the HDR photography option when shooting photos using the Lock Screen shortcut.
Addresses bugs that could prevent the new iPad from switching between 2G and 3G networks.
Fixes bugs affecting AirPlay video playback.
Provides improved reliability for syncing Safari bookmarks and Reading List.
Fixes an issue where an “Unable to purchase” alert is displayed after successful purchase.
Apple introduced iOS 5 in October 2011 with the launch of the iPhone 4S, and then iOS 5.1 was released in late November. iOS 5.1 primarily addressed rampant battery drainage problems many users experienced after upgrading to iOS 5.

The free iOS 5.1.1 update is under 50MB (42.5 MB for my iPad, 47.3 on the iPhone), and you can access it by clicking the Software Update tab under General Settings.

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Weather Widget for Website & Blog

   

 Having the latest weather updates on your blog keep your site alive and fresh for your visitors. The easiest way to show off your local weather forecast on your website is with weather widgets, which can easily be implemented in your blog. Each weather widget displays the temperature, wind details, and much more.

Ibegin Weather Widget
Just enter your City, Zip Code, or State to show your local weather forecast. This weather widget will show the current weather and weather forecast with small icons.

WeatherBugWidget
This WeatherBug widget comes in multiple sizes which display your local weather forecast.
50x250, 180x150, 160x600, 300x250 , 125x125 and 728x90.
 
Weather.com Live Weather Widget
Another nice weather widget  by Weather.com, which can easily be implemented in the sidebar of your blog!
WidgetBox Weather Widgets
Choose from a large selection of widgets to show of your local weather.
WeatherReports Widget
Lets you choose the theme of your weather widget.

How to Add these Widgets to your Blog?
Please take note that all of the widgets above can easily be implemented into your blog. These weather widgets are for Blogger, WordPress, Typepad, and all the other blogging platforms. Go to the website and customize the widget, then copy and paste the HTML code into your blog. Then you're done! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

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10 Facebook Widgets and Tools for Your Website and Blog

 Facebook is the largest social networking site with more than 400 million active users and is growing larger every day! Make sure to use these Facebook widgets for your website or blog to connect with your large Facebook audience. You can use these tools to easily share certain profile information, websites, blogs, and businesses with the Facebook community.

Personal Profile Widgets

Like Badge
Display your Facebook pages for all to see.

Profile Badge
Create a Facebook profile badge to share selected profile information on your website. A profile badge will allow your users to easily connect with you and add you as a friend.

Photo Badge
This photo badge allows you to share your Facebook photos on websites and blogs. Choose from a vertical, horizontal, or two-column layout and also choose the number of photos to be displayed.

Basic Widgets for Website or Blog

Like Box
This allows your users to publish their content and activity to Facebook.

Share Button
A powerful facebook widget which allows your visitors to share your content on Facebook! An excellent Facebook widget for blogger.

Page Badge
Lets you share your Facebook page (one that you have created) information on your website.

Twitter Link
Connect your Facebook page with Twitter. Whenever you update your Facebook page, your twitter followers will be updated as well with a tweet. A great Facebook widget for your website!

Developers Widgets for Website or Blog

Like Button
Allows facebook users to share web pages from your website on their profile.

Comments Box
Lets your users comment on your website content with their Facebook account.

Recommendations
Provides your website users with personalized suggestions for pages to visit.

Live Stream
Lets Facebook users to post and share content in real-time.

Activity Feed
Lets users know what their facebook friends are doing on your website through comments and likes.

Login Button
Displays a login button along with profile pictures of facebook friends who have already signed up.

Facepile
Shows profile pictures of people who have liked your facebook page or have signed up for your webpage.

Registration
Another way for users to sign up for your site.

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Scosche debuts Revolt H4, a four-port, 10W USB charger at CTIA Wireless

Say goodbye to swapping out the litany of chargers at your desk or nightstand. It's time to streamline, and the crew at Scosche have a rather nice solution. The company is taking the wraps off of its Revolt H4 USB charger, which offers four 10W (2.1A) USB ports that'll properly (and quickly) reinvigorate up to four smartphones or tablets simultaneously. Sure, it's nothing like the 16 port behemoth of the PowerPad, but this is for home use, and we can't deny -- it's quite the temptress. Consumers may choose between the base model or the Revolt H4 Pro, which offers a micro-USB cable along with an adapter for Apple's dock connector. As another product of interest, Scosche is similarly introducing its 2.1 amp Recoil II car charger, which allows users to cut down on the clutter with its retractable cable while also quickly juicing up a single iOS device -- just hop the break for a peek. Pricing isn't yet available for either, but keep your eye on Scosche's website for the official word. For other charging solutions, you'll find the full PR after the break.


Scosche Announces Availability of Four New 4 USB-Port Home Chargers at CTIA 2012 – New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS – May 7, 2012 – Scosche Industries, award-winning innovator of consumer technology, is excited to announce the availability of four new 4 USB-port home chargers and display several new additions to its Power line of chargers at CTIA 2012. All of the new chargers work with the free Scosche reVIVE battery management app for both iOS and Android devices.

The immediately available reVIVE h4 and reVIVE h4 pro feature four 5 watt (1 amp) USB ports to charge four devices simultaneously. The reVIVE h4 pro model ships Scosche's 2-in-1 sync cable to charge either a 30 pin or micro USB device.

Also available now on www.scosche.com are the reVOLT h4 and reVOLT h4 pro chargers, which both feature four 10 watt (2.1 amp) USB ports for charging up to four power hungry tablets simultaneously. Like the reVIVE h4 pro, the reVOLT h4 pro comes with a 2-in-1 sync cable. All four of the newly available chargers feature an ergonomic flat top design and flush folding wall prongs for added portability.

The new reVOLT h2 and c2 dual 10 Watt (2.1 amp) USB chargers pack enough power to refuel two tablets simultaneously at home or on the go. The reVOLT c2 is the first and only shotgun shell sized car charger to fit two 2.1A USB ports into such a compact form factor. Scosche will also display the reVIVE pro h2, a two 5 watt (1 amp) port charger for charging two smartphones simultaneously.

The 2.1A reCOIL II car charger with a retractable 30 pin cable allows users to neatly charge an iPod, iPhone or iPad. The 3 foot long, magnetically locking cable eliminates unsightly cable clutter when not in use. Scosche will also unveil the newest generation of the ever popular reviveLITE docking charger and LED nightlight for iPod and iPhone. The reviveLITE III features a side 2.1A USB port for charging an iPad or additional device.

The company will also display a micro USB version of its popular flipCHARGE burst backup battery and charger at CTIA. Capable of charging an Android phone up to 30% of full power, the flipCHARGE provides an emergency burst of power. A folding USB cable allows users to charge and sync their phone while powering up the flipCHARGE burst.

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