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Aaron Gingrich

Aaron is a geek who has always had a passion for technology. When not working or writing, he can be found spending time with his family, playing a game, or watching a movie.

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Oct

[Weekend Poll] Do You Prefer The Classic 10" Tablet Layout, Or The New Hybrid UI?

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Polls

This is the latest in our Weekend Poll series. For last week's, see Pick A Phablet Edition: HTC DLX, Samsung Galaxy Note II, Or LG Optimus Vu II?

The release of the Nexus 7 brought a new phone/tablet hybrid UI to Android tablets. And today, most people agree that it works well - on the 7-inch form factor, anyway. The latest leaks from the upcoming Nexus 10 suggest that Google will keep using that same hybrid UI, despite having a display that's a few inches bigger in each direction.

As David correctly pointed out, the result is that the phone and tablet UIs are now virtually identical.

Oct

Thanks, Sandy: Google's October 29 Event Officially Cancelled

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in News

You know how everyone is excited for Google's Android event on Monday (October 29)? Sorry to rain on your parade (heh), but they just cancelled it thanks to Hurricane Sandy.

No word yet on when it will be rescheduled for, but obviously we'll let you know as soon as we do. Until then, you can always console yourself by checking out what we expected to see at the event - namely, Android 4.2, the Nexus 10, and the Nexus 4.

Oct

Samsung Galaxy Note II Available From Sprint Today For $300, No Pre-Order Necessary

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Galaxy Note II, News, Sprint

As promised, the Galaxy Note II is now available for purchase on Sprint for $650 less a $350 instant rebate, for a total of $300. Though T-Mobile was first to the punch by a day, Sprint is offering it for a not-insubstantial $70 cheaper.

$300 may seem a bit steep for a smartphone, but keep in mind that this isn't your typical device. It's got a 1.6Ghz quad-core Exynos CPU, 2GB of RAM, LTE, 5.5" 1280x720 Super AMOLED Plus display, plus that infamous S Pen stylus to help you get the most from the ginormous screen. And on top of all that, it runs Jelly Bean and packs a massive battery.

Oct

[Review] Motorola DROID RAZR HD: Far From Perfect, But I Love It Anyway

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in News, Phone Reviews, RAZR HD / RAZR MAXX HD, Verizon Wireless

As we all know by now, Google purchased Motorola in August of 2011 for a whopping $12.1 billion. Nerds rejoiced, analysts balked, and the general public didn't really notice or care. But Motorola's newest wave of handsets - the excellent Razr M and the new Razr HD/ Razr Maxx HD - aren't the result of Google ownership. They were already in the pipeline, so they're products of the old Motorola.

I'm happy to report that the analysts' skepticism was unfounded. The Razr M hinted that Motorola was already on the right track before being acquired; the Razr HD confirms it. Although it has some silly software flaws, it's one of the most lovable devices I've used in ages.

Oct

[Weekend Poll] Pick A Phablet Edition: HTC DLX, Samsung Galaxy Note II, Or LG Optimus Vu II?

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in DLX, Galaxy Note II, Optimus Vu II, Polls

This is the latest in our Weekend Poll series. For last week's, see Are You Content With Your Phone's Stock Battery Life?

Complain as some people might, smartphones are getting bigger and bigger. Nothing exemplifies that fact more than phablets like the HTC DLX (or other variants, such as the J Butterfly), Samsung Galaxy Note II, and LG Optimus Vu II. Packing 5"+ displays, powerful CPUs, and 2GB of RAM, these phones aren't for your grandmother.

^{Left to right: HTC J Butterfly (Japanese variant of the purported DLX), Samsung Galaxy Note II, and LG Optimus Vu II.}

Oct

Blurrycam Shots Leak Of Verizon HTC DLX, Sporting 5" 1080p Display, Quad-Core CPU, And 2GB Of RAM

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in DLX, News, Verizon Wireless

Last week, HTC announced the J Butterfly, a 5" phone with a monster 1080p display (that's 440ppi) mated to a quad-core CPU and 2 GB of RAM. The announcement made it pretty clear that the J Butterfly wasn't coming to the US, but similar devices certainly weren't out of the question.

Now, we're seeing blurrycam photos of what's claimed to be Verizon's variant, dubbed the DLX ("Deluxe"). Sure enough, it's apparently packing similar specs: the same 5" 1080p display, a quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, 8MP rear shooter and 2MP front. Otherwise, the source of the shots reports a 2,500 mAh battery, centered power button on the top, and capacitive touch buttons.

Oct

What We Use: The Apps, Tools, Devices, And Other Stuff Aaron Can't Do Without

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in What We Use Series

Well, you've already seen what gear David, Cameron, Eric, and Liam use. I suppose now it's my turn - though, a disclaimer: I like to keep things very streamlined. The less clutter (physical and digital) I have, the better. While I may not have as much stuff as them, the things I do use, I use more.

The Hardware

Desktop

There's no denying that my desktop is dated, but it's capable enough for my needs. It's a self-built PC with an Intel Core i5 750 CPU overclocked to 3.4 GHz, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB HDD, Radeon HD 6850, Sound Blaster X-Fi, and old Creative 5.1 speakers, coupled to two 22" monitors.

Oct

Verizon Is Selling Subscribers' Personal Data; FTC Busy Scoping Out Google For Patent Abuse And Search Dominance

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Editorials, News

Warning:NSFW language.

Bad news for Verizon subscribers: Verizon isn't just raping you on your bill, they're really getting you up the pooper because they're making a few more dollars off of you by selling your personal data. Things like where you are, what you're doing on your phone, your gender, age, and personal details like whether you're a "sports enthusiast, frequent diner, or pet owner."

Meanwhile, the FTC is investigating Google for possibly "abusing its dominance of internet search in violation of antitrust laws" and - get this - "misusing patent protections to block rivals' smartphones from coming to market." What?

Oct

[Weekend Poll] Are You Content With Your Phone's Stock Battery Life?

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Polls

This is the latest in our Weekend Poll series. For last week's, see If The Major Manufacturers All Made Similar Nexus Phones, Whose Would You Buy?

LG was hard at work this week pimping the new Lithium Polymer battery technology used in the Optimus G. Promising higher battery density in a smaller, lighter package, word's still out on how much of an improvement it is in the real world. Obviously, though, any advances in battery tech are welcome - more battery life is never a bad thing.

It got me thinking: are people happy with their phone's stock battery life? Sure, your phone probably can't go 3 days between charges like the dumbphones of yore could, but these days, most do make it through a full day of use.

Oct

LG Escape For AT&T Review: The Best Budget Phone I've Ever Reviewed

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in AT&T, Escape 4G LTE, Phone Reviews

When it comes to the newest generation of phones, "budget" is closer to "flagship" than ever before. Two months ago, I reviewed the free-on-contract Pantech Marauder and came away highly impressed. Ron, too, reviewed the $100 Motorola Razr M and said "This is what budget phones are like now? Where do I sign up?" The old budget formula of taking last-gen hardware and slapping it in a cheap chassis has given way to current-gen hardware in a better chassis - not to mention that the optimizations and polish of Android 4.0 make the experience better than ever on virtually any level of hardware.