Review: BodyGuardz for iPhone 3G

Posted by: Brandon Steili on Oct 17 2008 - 69 views

So this one’s been a long time coming … like since the launch of the iPhone 3G. Hey, better late than never.

Story Time. Since the original iPhone I’ve been a big fan of skin style protection for my devices and during that time I’ve been a proponent of two specific products, the InvisibleShield by Zagg and the bestskinsever skins. These two companies have been on my list for two distinct reasons: Price (bestskinsever) and warranty (InvisibleShield). Now, truth is you’re likely not going to find a better deal price wise than bestskinsever. That’s just reality since they sell the skins at rock bottom prices and they are comparable to both InvisibleShield and BodyGuardz. However, when it comes to a shootout between the InvisibleShield and BodyGuardz, it quickly starts to turn into a deathmatch.

Why you ask? Well, because when you have two products similar in scope, price and warranty, you end up with the inevitable - constant comparisons and people who are on one side of the fence or another. So, rather than tell you which side I’m on, I’m going to give you a look at the product and let you make your own decisions.

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BlackBerrWinMo? Could Microsoft buy the real competition?

Posted by: Brandon Steili on Oct 10 2008 - 20 views

Look, as much as I may like to goad my fellow writers around here that the iPhone is kicking the snot out of Windows Mobile - reality is Microsoft only has a couple real competitors in the business market and Apple is not one of them. But RIM (the undisputed king of email) could in theory be taken out, not by some catastrophic meltdown causing downtime in their data centers, but by catastrophic meltdown in the housing markets. Never would have seen that one coming!

With all the turbulence in the American financial markets, the mass layoffs, the mass business failures, and all the other things remaining to be seen, RIMM’s market value has taken a serious turn for the bottom of the pool with its current stock value at almost 1/3rd of the year’s high value of just over $148/share.

Rumors of Microsoft’s interest in Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM have swirled in the past, but no deal has ever materialized. A marriage of the two companies would bring together two of the best-known high-tech names in the world and give Microsoft a formidable wireless-handset presence through access to RIM’s roughly 20 million BlackBerry subscribers.

Brandon’s Feeble Minded Take

Reality is this isn’t likely to happen. I can’t for one see Microsoft admitting defeat in the business market by purchasing RIM. And yes, it would be defeat - simple because if Microsoft can’t beat someone in a product line, history has proven they either steal it or buy it. I also can’t see RIM letting this happen, nor the fed, nor a billion other entities.

But, would I like to see it? Yes. Definitely. I would love to see Microsoft pick up RIM and bring some of the email-centric qualities of the RIM devices into their fold, like the near “dummy-proof” setup of accounts. I would also love to see it happen on the chance that adding the RIM engineers to the WinMo group would hasten a change in direction for WinMo. I think we all can agree that the slogan “more of the same” can’t be attached to the next version of WinMo - and the purchase of RIM might be just what the doctor ordered.

(via billions of blogs pointing to Reuters)

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Excuse me - your fring is ringing. (iphone/touch)

Posted by: Brandon Steili on Oct 03 2008 - 39 views

You’re still here?

Alright, well if you’re still here, you either haven’t found the download link yet (hint: click the price thing below) or you don’t quite know what “fring” is. So for the latter part of you, here’s a clip from their website … but I’ll give you a hint: IM + VoIP + extras = fring

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Review: invisibleSHIELD for iPhone3G

Posted by: Brandon Steili on Oct 01 2008 - 71 views

Alright, cut to the chase time. This is going to be a bit of a different review from what you’re used to seeing come through most blog sites including this one. I’ve already done a review of the iPhone invisibleSHIELD full body shield a short while back so I’m not going to rehash the entire thing. I could go through all the things I went through before, but to be honest most of it remains the same. So, you’re wondering what am I going to do? Well, click on through to find out!

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Wal*Mart shutting down DRM server - October 9th

Posted by: Brandon Steili on Sep 27 2008 - 13 views

Alright, look - I’m not going to waste my time or yours debating whether legally buying music or illegally downloading music is right or wrong. Chances are my opinions are going to be totally different from yours and that’s just fine. However, my big issue is not the cost of music - my issue is the ridiculous crap that LEGAL downloaders are continually put through. Let’s be perfectly clear on this, people with DRM’d tracks are SCREWED when the DRM auth servers shut down like Wal-Mart is about to do. LEGALLY purchased music will NOT WORK after October 9th. That my friends is complete and utter BS. I personally am SICK AND TIRED of the people who DO THE RIGHT THING, getting screwed.

We hope you are enjoying the increased music quality/bitrate and the improved usability of Walmart’s MP3 music downloads. We began offering MP3s in August 2007 and have offered only DRM (digital rights management) -free MP3s since February 2008. As the final stage of our transition to a full DRM-free MP3 download store, Walmart will be shutting down our digital rights management system that supports protected songs and albums purchased from our site.

Click the link below for the full text of the Wal*Mart screw you email and get some instructions for jumping through the legal hoops

via BoingBoing

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App Store Update: No Review without Purchase! WOOHOO!!

Posted by: Brandon Steili on Sep 27 2008 - 9 views

Need I say more? Ok - I will. YAY! No more Bullshit reviews that are nothing more than - “this apps sucks - it should be free because I don’t think you should charge me for anything. Everything should be free” OR “You want me to spend a dollar on THIS?!”

Unfortunately now we may not see an many of these gems:

Maybe now the star ratings will actually mean something?!

via iphonefreakz

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