Maximizing your Gadgets

As a consumer I always have this motto “Get more than what I pay for”, when gadget shopping always pick the right gadget for you, also consider price tags that won’t stress your wallet, practice your freedom to choose there are other brands out there that offers the same features but at a much more reasonable price, like Samsung for instance. As soon as you got your smartly picked gadget, maximize it by learning all its’ embedded features from top to bottom, then install some free third party apps to further boost its’ full potential. Turn your ordinary phone into a smartphone, your android tablet into a gym trainer and more, now that’s getting your money’s worth. Here are some sites that will help you maximize your gadgets.

www.umnet.com = free apps and games, all platform supported

mobile9.com, zedge.com, getjar.com = free cellphone apps, games, wallpapers, etc.

www.apptrackr.org/ = a haven for jailbroken apple devices

www.getandroidstuff.com = free android apps and games

www.uiqwenru.com = free apps and games for the classic Sony Ericsson P-series

Alcatel OT980 android phone specs.

Android phones are getting cheaper by the year, but to some average pinoy it is still out of reach, some of the cheap branded android phones in the Philippine shore are the Samsung Galaxy mini (7,990Php) and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 (7,780Php), until I came across the Alcatel OT980 android phone (5,900Php), the cheapest I've seen so far. I got a hands-on experience with this device in a cellphone store at Robinsons Metro East, although, the sales lady didn't allow me to take snapshots of it, company rules; it seems. It is one of a few Android phone that has a physical button, basically, it's a slider phone with qwerty keyboard, it's a bit chunky, but then again, it's typical to all sliders. As I go deeper into testing the device, I find myself satisfied with its' performance. For 5,900 pesos it is affordable to consumers who are in a tight budget, like me. The phone is not as good looking as to some Android phones out there, but the built quality of it is solid, and posses a business-like look. I'm planning to put this phone on my wishlist and hopefully buy it before Christmas, I'm very much aware of the consumer rule that Price equals Quality and Features, so I won't expect much from it than that of the more expensive Samsung Galaxy S.

Alcatel OT980 Specifications:

NETWORK: 2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900
3G: HSDPA 900/2100
SIZE: Dimensions: 108 x 60.4 x 15.9mm
Weight: 152g
DISPLAY: Type: TFT resistive touchscreen, 256K colors
Size: 240 x 320 pixels, 2.8 inches
- QWERTY keyboard
- Accelerometer sensor for UI auto rotate
SOUND: Alert types: Vibration, MP3 ringtones
- loudspeaker
- 3.5mm jack
MEMORY: Phonebook: practically unlimited entries, Photocall
Call Records: practically unlimited
CPU: 600Mhz
Internal: 194 MB
Card slot: Micro SD, up to 32GB
DATA: GPRS: class 12(4+1/3+2/2+3/1+4 slots) 32- 48 Kbps
EDGE: class 12
3G: HSDPA,7.2 Mbps, HSUPA,5.76 Mbps
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g
- bluetooth
- micro USB v2.0
CAMERA: Primary: 2MP, 1600 x 1200 pixels
- video recording
FEATURES: OS: Android 2.1 Eclair
Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email, IM
Browser: HTML
Colors: Black soft touch, Steel gray
GPS: A-GPS support
Java: via java MIDP emulator
- Digital compass
- MP3/WMA/AAC player
- MP4/H.263/H.264 player
- google searc, maps, Gmail
- youtube, calendar, google talk
- organizer, voice memo
Battery: Type: Lithium 1150 mAh
Stand by: 245 hrs.
Talk time: 10 hrs.
Music play: 35 hrs.

Gadgets on the go.

Every time I travel, I always carry with me, my gadgets, whether be it, work, leisure or out of town, and it’s always a question what gadget is to bring. I always have two kinds of every gadget I own, like two handhelds, PSP, NDS lite, two phones, a smartphone and an ordinary phone, two internet tablets like Nokia N800, and a 7inch android tablet, two mp3 players, Creative Zen and an ipod touch. Each of them have their own purpose; let’s say if I’m traveling out of town like a resort or a beach, its best not to pack too much weight in my bag. So instead of bringing a laptop, I’ll bring a tablet, and my Nokia N800 is best suited for the job, with its’ pocket friendly size, and long battery life, giving me less hassle by recharghing it less often, and in an instance, where wi-fi is unavailable my android tablet is an alternative, it can connect online using my Globe Tattoo broadband stick, don’t want to miss those live updates on my FB, twitter and blogger. Other gadgets will be my sleek and lite Samsung CorbyII, a digicam for those precious moments, and a PSP to keep my little boy occupied trough out our stay.

There are times that I travel from Manila to Laguna to do some business errands, and sometimes it is more practical and convenient to ride a bus than to bring a car, and one way of enjoying a long bus ride is with an ipod touch; listen to my favorite music, watch movies and play games on the go, and since my travel is business related my windows mobile smartphone is a good partner, afterall; my transactions and inventories are all recorded in there.

I’m also a motorcycle enthusiast and a member of a local biker group called T.O.C.S Riders Club, there are times that we organize long bike rides, like riding from Antipolo to Laguna, Batangas and Quezon Province. In these types of activities, size matters; carrying bulky gadgets in your pockets may restrict your body from moving freely to tight curves and may result to accidents, so it’s best to pack as light and as comfortable as possible. Riding a motorcycle is best appreciated when listening to music, my credit card size Creative Zen mp3 player will fit comfortably in my left pocket, and in case of emergencies communication is a must, my right pocket is home to my light weight Samsung Corby II. My choices may vary from time to time, and there are instances that I carry more than three gadgets at a time, depending on my willingness to pack an extra load.