Reviews

Hands-on with the Republic Wireless Motorola Defy XT

Late last year, Republic Wireless made a big splash by offering an Android smartphone with unlimited calling, texting, and data for the unheard-of price of $19 per month.

There were a few catches, of course, most notably the phone itself: LG's Optimus S, a small, decidedly entry-level model with a scratch-prone screen and slow processor.

This month, the company dumped the Optimus in favor of a new model: the Motorola Defy XT. How does it compare? I've spent the last week or so finding out.

In terms of specs alone, the Defy XT blows the Optimus S out … Read more

The new Pitfall is great fun, but it's not the game you remember

Most of the time I put together an iOS app collection of the week, but on the momentous occasion of classic console game Pitfall's 30th anniversary (was it really 1982?), I'm going to take a deeper dive into the completely remade game.

Many old-school gamers will remember Pitfall, a must-have on the Atari 2600, in which you would run and jump over obstacles and swing across chasms.

The new version of the game still requires your best hand-eye coordination, but now it is completely 3D and offers a different experience with much more to discover.

If you were ever a classic-console-game fanatic or like escape games like Temple Run, you should check out my review of Pitfall.… Read more

Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101-X1

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101-X1 is the same as the Asus Eee Pad Transformer but the former is the version sold in Best Buy stores. There are no specification differences between the two.

For a full review on the TF101-X1 refer to the Asus Eee Pad Transformer review. For a newer alternative check out the Asus Transformer Pad TF300.

Atari classic Pitfall reborn for iOS

At the risk of dating myself, I'm old enough to remember Pitfall, the iconic 1982 Atari game of running, jumping, and swinging. Old enough, in fact, to have owned an Atari 2600 and a Pitfall cartridge.

Perhaps it was inevitable that the game would get a modern makeover, and so today brings us Activision's Pitfall for iOS.

Yep, Pitfall Harry is back, and looking mighty snazzy after his evolution from the 8-bit universe.… Read more

Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II

The Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II 7-inch tablet runs the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system, has a 1.5GHz dual-core AMLogic 8726-M6 (ARM Cortex-A9 based) processor, and has 16GB memory with microSD expansion.

It also includes an HDMI port and a Mini-USB port, as well as built-in 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi. The 7-inch touch screen's resolution is 1,024x600 pixels, and there's a front-facing 2 megapixel camera.

The tablet is currently difficult to find in stores and you may have better luck with the Archos 101 G9 Turbo.

HipGeo makes documenting your travels easy on iOS

HipGeo Travel Blog and Trip Journal (free) lets you tell the story of your vacation with images, videos, text, tags, and more all tied to your geolocation. You start by signing up through Facebook or Twitter, then you can choose people to share your travels with. If you just want to see the app in action before you take your trip (and see best practices from other users) you can use an explore button to check out blogs of popular or featured users, or look at posts from near your location.… Read more

Simple Samsung t159 coming to T-Mobile

With the Samsung t159, T-Mobile adds another simple phone to its lineup. The clamshell cell phone focuses on the straightforward act of making calls, fashioning the design around large keys, a speakerphone, and connectivity to Bluetooth devices.

The few flashes of extras come in the form of a 1.3-megapixel camera/camcorder and T-Mobile's visual voice mail. Apart from those features, you'll find text and multimedia messaging, instant messaging, basic tools like a calculator, and caller ID.

Pricing and availability details for the 3G-capable Samsung t159 are still to come.

Samsung Galaxy Proclaim is prepaid Android with a curve

The Samsung Galaxy Proclaim is proof that Samsung hasn't forgotten about the lesser-known prepaid carriers like StraightTalk and Net10. The Android 2.3 Gingerbread handset offers entry-level smartphone features for a reasonable price -- $179.99 in Net10's case.

A slightly curved screen a la the Samsung Nexus S and Samsung Galaxy Nexus is one design hallmark for the Proclaim; an aggressively contoured backing with a grippy soft-touch finish is another.

The handset has a 3.5-inch touch screen, which is small for 2012. It has a 3-megapixel camera lens and is powered by a 1GHz single-core processor. … Read more

Defend against enemy onslaughts on iOS

My gaming addiction tends to go in phases. Sometimes I like puzzle games, then I'll move on to shooting games. After that, I might switch to racing games or go on to classic arcade. Whatever the flavor of the week is, I like to really get into it to see what the App Store has to offer.

The recent release of a classic iOS game sequel got me back into playing tower defense strategy games. There is something about finding just the right combination of turrets to pass challenging levels that appeals to me right now. After playing the sequel for a bit, I started to check out a few other games. If you like tower defense, this collection is for you.

This week's collection of iOS apps are my favorite tower defense games of the moment. The first has been around for awhile, but continues to be a go-to game when I'm playing tower defense. The second adds unique game elements that change the gameplay by keeping you busy. The third is a sequel to one of the most popular iOS tower defense games of all time.… Read more

iCircle iPad case pairs protection with a pop-out stand

What's flat, black, circular, and holds your iPad?

No, not some weirdly molded LP record. The answer is Rolling Ave.'s iCircle, one of the more stylish and versatile iPad cases I've come across.

(Quick note: The vendor's Web site isn't quite finished yet, so you may notice some placeholder text. But you can order the iCircle directly from Amazon if you're interested.)

The iCircle is a glossy plastic shell that clips onto the back of your iPad 2 or new iPad. Its most prominent feature: a circle that pops out from the rear and … Read more