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Latest Gear Live Videos
How Apple and ATT can fix the iPad 3G pricing bait-and-switch
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Editorial, Features, Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,
After having a couple of days to let the absolutely ridiculous bait-and-switch that AT&T just pulled on Apple’s iPad 3G customers sink in, I’ve come to the conclusion that one, or both, of these companies needs to do something for the customers that just got screwed.
In a nutshell, when Apple announced the iPad, there was the Wi-Fi-only version, and there was the 3G version. The big draw with the 3G model was that it had a very reasonable unlimited data plan for $29.99 for 30 days of access. You could start and stop at any time, no contract required. Let’s not fool ourselves here—this plan was a major selling point for the 3G iPad. However, in just three days—just a little over a month after the iPad 3G went on sale—that unlimited plan goes away and is instead replaced with a $25 plan that allows you just 2GB of data. A true bait-and-switch if we’ve ever seen one.
Click to continue reading How Apple and ATT can fix the iPad 3G pricing bait-and-switch
Gallery: How Apple and ATT can fix the iPad 3G pricing bait-and-switch
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HP TouchSmart 600 Entertainment PC giveaway!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Microsoft, Video Games,
Hot on the heels of our HP TouchSmart 600 review, we’ve got a contest for you guys where we will be giving a brand new TouchSmart 600-1055 away to one of you! In case you didn’t read the review, the HP TouchSmart 600-1055 is an entertainment all-in-one PC that rocks Windows 7 64-bit, 4GB RAM, 750GB hard drive, and supports Blu-ray playback as well as HDTV tuning and DVR functions. So, how do you enter to win this bad boy? Here’s your answer:
- If you don’t have one already, sign up for a Twitter account
- Follow the Andru Edwards Twitter account
- On Twitter, post this tweet about our contest: “Hey @andruedwards hook me up with that @gearlive HP TouchSmart 600! http://bit.ly/touchsmart-600” (Click here to tweet this now)
That’s it! You must be following the Twitter accounts listed, because we will be sending the codes to the winners on Twitter via DM, and if you aren’t following, we can’t DM you. Simple as that. We will be choosing a winner at random next Monday, so you’ve got a week. Get your entry in before then!
Gallery: HP TouchSmart 600 Entertainment PC giveaway!
HP TouchSmart 600 review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Home Entertainment, PC / Laptop, Product Reviews,
The HP TouchSmart 600-1055 is an attempt at bringing together computing and entertainment in a way that hasn’t really been done before. Incorporating the 64-bit flavor of Windows 7 Home Premium with a 1080p high definition display, HDTV playback, and integrated Blu-ray player, you begin to see the potential and possibilities that you have at your fingertips with the TouchSmart 600. Oh, right, and it also has a multi-touch capable LCD touch display, and a bunch of apps optimized for touch interaction. So, does it live up to the challenge of meeting your every need as your entertainment hub? Join us after the break as we find out. Oh, and we are giving one of these bad boys away as well. Here are the details on how you can win the HP TouchSmart 600!
Click to continue reading HP TouchSmart 600 review
Gallery: HP TouchSmart 600 review
Moxi 3-Tuner HD DVR review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Product Reviews,
Moxi DVRs have been around for almost a decade, but chances are good that you’ve likely not heard of them. Moxi was originally developed by a company called Digeo, founded in 1999 and bought the rights to Moxi Digital in 2002. The company put out some cable boxes that cable companies distributed to their customers, and those that lived in those limited areas that were lucky enough to have access to Moxi HD DVRs from their cable providers generally said that they were fantastic. In December of 2008, the Moxi HD DVR was released, and it was the companies first retail product, available to anyone who had the cash to buy one. In September 2009, Digeo was purchased by ARRIS Group, which took over development of the Moxi products, from both a software and hardware perspective, and five months later, they released the product that we are reviewing today, the Moxi 3-Tuner HD DVR.
In an era where TiVo rules the mass market DVR space years after ReplayTV fizzled away, Moxi is looking to claim a piece of that pie with a box that they feel offers an experience that you can’t get anywhere else, TiVo box, cable DVR, or otherwise. So, did they pull it off with the 3-Tuner HD DVR? Let’s find out.
Click to continue reading Moxi 3-Tuner HD DVR review
Gallery: Moxi 3-Tuner HD DVR review
Opinion: Apple, iPhone 4, and the Case against Gizmodo
Posted by Alex Lifschitz Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Editorial, Features, Handhelds, Rumors,
I’m a pretty crappy journalist.
I do it in my free time, and for the most part, I’m an opinions and hands-on writer. I don’t go monstering around the nation’s capital with a fedora and notepad, and I rarely find myself in a position where I have to probe into anything that matters past an arbitrary release date. I don’t always fact check if I’m not making accusations.
But I know a scummy move when I see one. And Gizmodo’s actions in the iPhone HD prototype debacle have been consistently unethical, unprofessional, and, yes, illegal.
It sucks. Gizmodo’s parent company, Gawker Media, is home to a lot of great blogs and great people – people who seem to have some professional standards. But in the face of such reprehensible journalism, Gizmodo has been inexplicably wearing their tarnished reputation from this saga as if it were some kind of badge of pride. I’m sure they have lawyers going over every step of their story, but how someone in their legal or PR departments could have greenlit this is really beyond my comprehension.
Before I get into the ethical issues of yellow journalism, I think it’s important we establish a fact pattern and what I hold to be the optimal course of actions they could have taken through this whole sordid affair. Join me while I use my rudimentary Google-fu to make my case against the actions of nearly all parties involved.
Click to continue reading Opinion: Apple, iPhone 4, and the Case against Gizmodo
Gallery: Opinion: Apple, iPhone 4, and the Case against Gizmodo
Early Halo: Reach multiplayer beta code giveaway!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Microsoft, Video Games,
If you own an Xbox 360, then we’re fairly confident that you’re salivating over getting early access to the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta. Sure, the beta goes public on May 3rd, open to all who have a copy of Halo 3: ODST, but who wants to wait 4 more days to get in on the action if you can have it today? Yep, that’s where we come in. We’ve got a bunch of Halo: Reach beta codes that we are going to be giving away today, and if you get one, you’ll be able to download and play the Halo: Reach beta today! So, how do you enter to win one of these super-exclusive codes? Here’s your answer:
- If you don’t have one already, sign up for a Twitter account
- Follow the Gear Live Twitter account
- On Twitter, post this tweet about our contest: “Hey @gearlive hook me up with a Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta code please! http://bit.ly/haloreachbeta” (Click here to tweet this now)
That’s it! You must be following the Gear Live Twitter account, because we will be sending the codes to the winners on Twitter via DM, and if you aren’t following, we can’t DM you. Simple as that. Again, we’ve got a bunch of these, so you have a good chance of walking away with a code! We will start choosing winners this afternoon.
Gallery: Early Halo: Reach multiplayer beta code giveaway!
Sprint 4G Case for iPad review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Features, Handhelds, Hot Deals, Product Reviews,
Update: Check out our Sprint 4G Case video review as well!
A few days ago, we applauded Sprint for the way they were promoting their 4G service in conjunction with the launch of the iPad with their Sprint 4G Case. Obviously marketed towards the iPad buyers to get them to choose using a Sprint Overdrive 4G device rather than AT&T’s 3G plan, Sprint teamed up with Best Buy to give these cases away for free to anyone who’d purchase an Overdrive mobile hotspot at a participating Best Buy location.
Since we are in a 4G-enabled area, we figured we’d head on over to Best Buy to see if we couldn’t finagle one of the Sprint 4G Cases from the store. We weren’t going to be buying an Overdrive hotspot (we already have one,) but we were willing to just pay for one if that’s what needed to happen. The first surprise came when Best Buy told us that we certainly could just buy one outright, and that it would cost us a full $0.01. A penny. For an iPad case! We gladly paid for it, and were on our way.
Now, I didn’t recall exactly what the case that was advertised from Sprint looked like, but we did immediately think “Huh, this feels kinda cheap - I thought it would be better than this.” When I got back, I took a look at the Sprint 4G Case promo again, and it was obvious - the case that Sprint is promoting on the site is not the same case that you will actually receive at Best Buy.
Update: Looks like a couple of people have tracked down the folio version of the case. We did some more calling around this morning to a total of 6 participating Best Buy locations, and none of them had a clue about the folio—however, they’re out there somewhere. We recommend calling up your local Best Buy before heading over, to make sure they’ve got the one you want in stock!
Click to continue reading Sprint 4G Case for iPad review
Gallery: Sprint 4G Case for iPad review
Comparison: iPhone HD vs iPhone 3GS
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Features, Handhelds,
Okay, we just hit you with the low-down on the iPhone HD being leaked and given a spec breakdown by Gizmodo, but how’s about we give you a look at the new device when compared against the current iPhone 3GS? Of course, this may not be the actual, final look for the iPhone HD - but it is an Apple prototype, and it is mid-April, so we’d have to say this is near-final.
What are your thoughts on the design approach that Apple has taken to the next iPhone?
Read More 
| Gizmodo
Gallery: Comparison: iPhone HD vs iPhone 3GS
Next Apple iPhone revealed!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Design, Features, Handhelds,
Over the weekend, rumors that Apple’s next generation iPhone (iPhone HD?) had been uncovered due to someone leaving it in a bar in San Jose had been running rampant. Images made their way to the Internet, claims that it was a Japanese fake were made, only to be taken back later. Nothing was decisive—until this morning when my pal Jason over at Gizmodo published a complete breakdown of the phone. Yeah, it seems Gizmodo paid someone a pretty penny to get the phone into their hands, and as a result, we pretty much know all about the major features in the next iPhone, which should drop in June. Here are the immediate, obvious feature additions:
- Completely new enclosure, with a flat back that is seemingly made of glass or ceramic
- Front-facing camera (finally!)
- Higher-resolution camera on back
- Flash for camera on back
- Higher resolution, albeit slightly smaller, display
- Separate volume buttons (likely also double as dedicated camera buttons when taking photos)
- Noise cancellation mic
- Battery has 16% higher capacity
- 3 grams heavier than iPhone 3GS
- Uses a micro-SIM
It’s obvious that Apple has definitely been listening to the complaints and requests from iPhone customers, and they’ve definitely done a lot to make the next iPhone stand out from the pack. In fact, this really looks and feels like the first true step up in the iPhone line, with previous new models introducing few hardware changes over previous models.
This is a big deal, as it is the first time that we can remember a major piece of Apple hardware falling into the hands of a company outsider, let alone press, in advance of it being officially unveiled and announced - especially in this manner. We think that Apple’s chief designer said it best on Twitter earlier this morning, with a simple “This isn’t good.”
Gallery: Next Apple iPhone revealed!
Slacker Radio Plus giveaway!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Announcements, Features, Internet, Music,
Here at Gear Live, we love us some Slacker. If you don’t know, Slacker is a fantastic radio’s streaming music service. It has millions of songs in its catalogue, and real DJs actually control their channels, which means you get a great mix of songs that go well together. While Slacker is free, they also have a service called Slacker Radio Plus, which adds the following perks:
- Unlimited Skips
- Unlimited Song Requests
- No Audio or Banner Ads
- Complete Lyrics
- Over 2 Million Songs
So here’s what we are going to do - we are going to give away a two 1-year subscriptions and three 3-month subscriptions to Slacker Radio Plus, and we are going to make it ridiculously easy to enter. All you need to do if become a fan of Gear Live on Facebook, and leave a comment on our wall. That’s it. Next Friday we will select five random entrants and hit them with the goods.
