Still interested? Hop inside.

Cheers is the brain child of Farhad Mohit (Shopzilla and BizRate.com) as well as acquired talent from Google and Stumbleupon.

The gist of Cheers is to not so much share artsy pictures like Instagram, but to “share life” and allow you and your followers to rate and comment on those special moments. The overall layout borrows from various other social apps including the aforementioned Instagram, Oink, and Stamped, but differentiates witha vastly different color palette. Also, similar to its competitors, Cheers ties into Facebook, Twitter, and others by allowing quick and easy friending/inviting and sharing of content.

Rating of users and content is measured by “Cheerfluence”, though according to the devs, isn’t meant to be taken too seriously.

On the surface I must admit I really like Cheers. It’s a beautiful app (more-so than the other apps mentioned here, save for maybe Instagram) that makes me want to use it even if their amount of users is still low.

And there-in lies the problem. Even the best looking mobile apps can have a stagnant, pittance of a following. A perfect example of this is Path. Path has shown what a good UI can do; a lot of hype and prolonged “honeymooning” was made possible by Path’s gorgeous UI and unique layout. Facebook, meanwhile, is a perfect example of the opposite — a (now) decent UI and utterly terrible experience can still trounce good design/layout and a more personal/inviting experience at the end of the day. And that’s sad. I’ve deleted the stock Facebook app from most of my iOS devices because it’s buggy and can’t even make the simplest of tasks, notifications, work without me wanting to punch Zuckerberg in the head.

While Cheers isn’t quite as unique as Path in the aspect of UI, it is a well designed, niche social networking app that given enough media hype, could elicit a small but loyal following. And who knows, Cheers could even become the next Instagram. This particular sector of the market is so full of competition it’s almost impossible to amass Facebook/Twitter-like numbers at this point. But we’re hoping Cheers is different in the public’s mind.

How Cheers Could Beat Facebook

If we think about “what’s next” for Cheers now that their mobile app is out, we know how they could challenge even the mighty Facebook — build a full blown website that can be used on phone, tablet, computer, smart toothbrush, etc. Instead of “Liking” something, in a year or two the new hot thing could be “Cheering” things. While the mobile-only route is notable given the continual increase of time spent on mobile devices, truly becoming a “life sharing” service requires more than just a phone app. We’d certainly love to see Cheers (or anyone, actually) shake up Facebook’s monopoly.

I’ll give Cheers a couple of weeks (and hope you will too). If you decide to join, be sure to give me a follow (thegadgeteur) so we can really put Cheers to the test, and don’t forget to comment on your experience with Cheers. Time for eye candy.

More: Chee.rs

Gallery

Further adding credibility to AllThingD’s claim is a recent discovery of “March 9th” being detailed in newly released carrier profiles for iOS 5.1 straight from Apple — files which could mean absolutely nothing at all, or, could mean Apple will launch both the new iPad and software.

Generally speaking, when (multiple) pieces of a next-gen Apple device begin hitting the web in troves, it’s usually a good sign that we’re nearing the official announcement/release.

That said, the iPad 3 is still shrouded in mystery. Until Apple makes it official (or people starting leaving those in bars) we’re not going to know for sure.

Ok. So Tweetbot isn’t a universal app. In our opinion, it’s easily worth the $6 spread across two devices. We, as well as countless iPad users who use and abuse Twitter have been waiting for months to get Tweetbots beautiful pixels all over their 9.7″ of Cupertino-designed glass. And now that Tweetbot for iPad is available, what do we think? It’s great! It is robust and full of features, yet at the same time simple in design. Honestly, if you’ve used Tweetbot for iPhone, the iPad version is pretty much identical, just bigger. Everything from the iPhone app: Push Notifications, gestures, gorgeous UI, support for multiple services (Read It Later, Instapaper, Cloud App & more) as well as the ability to customize which shortcut links are present on the sidebar.

At $2.99 it’s not worth a second thought as to if you should purchase it or not, because quite frankly, it’s awesome. Tweetbot has instantly become our favorite Twitter app for iPad, unseating our previous favorite (stock Twitter app). Download it now (App Store link).

Gallery full of eye candy after the break…

Gallery

If you let your mind wander a bit more, one could deduce that March 9th is also the date in which Apple will announce and/or release the iPad 3 seeing as how it is supposed to get its grand reveal in the February/March timeframe. But of course, Apple release rumors are always to to be consumer with a heaping pile of salt.

But as awesome as Tweetbot is, we (as well as many other potential Tweetbot customers) are still left waiting for an official iPad version as well as the elusive #006 app. Another day, perhaps. But for now, enjoy Tweetbot 2.0 and let us know what you think.

Available now in the App Store for $2.99 to newcomers or as a free upgrade to current users.

New Features & Tweaks

• Updated timeline view along with support for inline thumbnails within timeline

• Links within timeline are now easily discernable by a different color and single-tappable

• “Retweeted by” bar now integrated and tappable

• Cell colors have been tweaked for better contrast

• New DM view

• “New Tweets” bar has been redesigned — (Can be dimissed by tap and configured in Settings > Display)

• Timed auto-refresh. Set the timeline, mentions, and DMs to refresh every 5 minutes

• Readability support added as mobilizer service

• “Much improved” tweet replies view

• Links in user profiles are now tappable

• “Huge” font size option in Settings

• Improved scrolling performance

More: Tabots.com/Tweetbot

Gallery

The X-Protect (and similarly designed, equally robust Extreme Grid) are now available for pre-order over at G-Form’s website – $39.95.

• Extreme Grid
• X-Protect

Video of what an 82 MPH slap shot against an iPhone 4/4S might look like after the break…

Video

]]> http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/02/08/g-forms-new-x-protect-iphone-case-takes-an-82-mph-slap-shot-to-the-gut-survives/feed/ 0 http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/02/04/speck-candyshell-review-roundup/ http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/02/04/speck-candyshell-review-roundup/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:34:39 +0000 Jordan Carpenter http://gadgetsteria.com/?p=76024 If you have spent any time hanging out at the GS headquarters, or even read the site once in a while, by now you have probably noticed we like iPhone cases. When I say we like them, I mean we like to review the heck out of them. I personally hate iPhone cases for the pure fact it takes away from the beauty of the iPhone. But when someone sends me a case to review, I won’t say no. I’ll give em a shot and see how they stand up to my sweaty 8bit-blistered fingers day in and day out.

If you recall, a few weeks ago we were trolling the streets of Vegas and the Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center. A tiny little tech convention that goes by the name of CES was in town and we were there to not only check out the Thunder From Down-under, but to also see all the latest technology being announced. We happened by the Speck booth to see their new line of cases and see if they had anything else worthy of our magnificent eyes. We left with not only a sweet MacBook Air case, but we also left with over9000 iPhone cases. I am here to give you the lowdown on what is coming out of the Speck castle to protect your iPhone 4/4S.

Drop on in for some Specky good times and read our oh-so-nasty important thoughts…

CandyShell Card

My favorite of the cases I have been using from Speck would have to be the CandyShell Card. This case came in very handy while Mike and I were invited broke into numerous after-parties. I found myself dumping my wallet into my bag and forgetting about it. Speck claims up to 3 creditcards fit perfectly. I’ll agree with these claims as I stuck my ID, credit card as well as my hotel room key in slot on the reverse side of the CandyShell Card. The case offers great protection, as I had dropped the phone once during my use with it. Especially from the back as it has the second layer over the cards.

The CandyShell Card comes in 6 different colors and offers great protection as well as a very handy slot for your clubbing belongings! Coming in at $39.95 we recommend this to anyone that wants to ditch their purse and hubby at home! You must beware the level of difficulty there is to be had when attempting to remove your phone from this case, it took me a good few minutes to even slightly get it out. So if you are going to put your phone in this case, plan on leaving it there for a while

CandyShell Flip

Next on our list is the CandyShell Flip. This is the perfect case for those of you that use the Apple dock for syncing/charging your iPhone. A convenient bottom lip flips up for a perfect fit into the dock. I liked the design of the Flip. A glossy finish on the back and sleek design offer up some additional flare over the traditional CandyShell. You’ll have problems using this in any docking station not designed for cases other than the Apple Dock. If you are looking for a case that will work with that, then this will be what you want.

3 snazzy colors and serious protection. I find the $34.95 price tag to be a tad high. I understand that Speck is the beast they are, but for this case, it just seemed a little over priced. It does land at the same price range as the standard CandyShell case, so I guess that is a bonus!

MightyVault

The MightyVault is one of the reasons I don’t like cases for my iPhone. I understand the protection that is needed, but why stand in line for days just to hide it. Anyways, I’ll put that aside and give you my thoughts on this case. If you want protection, and I mean protection against the likes of Chuck Norris, the MightyVault should be at the top of your list. Some construction background is needed when attempting to install your phone into the case, as there are multiple layers you’ll have to peel through. But once in, your phone will be safe from all types of clumsy human stupidity. I was actually somewhat pleased with the sleekness this case offers. When I think of maximum protection, I think of some of those gigantic cases that look like Buick Skylark.

With 3 colors to choose from, you don’t have to lug around an extra 3 pounds in a case. The three layers of protection include a two-layer co-molded inner vault with a silicone gasket band. Over your precious screen is a screen protector that doesn’t affect usage at all. All of your buttons and ports are protected and covered, but still allowing easy access. Speck is even nice enough to through in a detachable holster with rotating belt clip. The nice feature about this attachment is that it doubles as a viewing stand. I did use it for that for an episode of Justified while riding the train to work. The MightyVault will set you back $49.95, but for the level of protection you’re buying into, it seems extremely fair.

CandyShell

Last but certainly not least is the original CandyShell iPhone case. I don’t care who you are, you’ve either owned one, seen one, lusted after one, or made fun of one. These have been around for a very long time and have been the top case for so many iPhone consumers. Speck started this back when they were first producing cases for the iPod. 10 years later and they are creating cases that will fit each and every lifestyle. Combining the hard and soft rubbery feel has been perfected over the years and I’ll admit, after using all of these cases for the last couple weeks, I am starting to become a fan. I was never fond because of the flashy cases they offer, but I’ve been sucked in after using them.

And with 15 colors to choose from, the CandyShell will be sure to please any iPhone user. The case will hug your iPhone very well. The case isn’t as bulky as I once assumed. I loved how it didn’t add much weight to my 4S and kept a sleek appearance. This case was probably the easiest to remove. I’ll admit, even though I didn’t enjoy the color I had, this was a nice case to use. The CandyShell will set you back $34.95, again, I still find this to be a tad bit pricey.

Conclusion

Speck made me smile when I gave their SeeThru case for the MacBook Air a try, and they did it again with their CandyShell line. I wouldn’t find myself purchasing and using these cases on my own time, as they aren’t my style. But after some time with these I did come to appreciate what they are doing. They are offering so much to the consumer. Great features and outstanding protection. Tons of different colors to choose from, everyone will be able to find something they like.

I recommend everyone head on over to Speck and check out all of their products for the iPhone, iPad, iPod and MacBook line. They even have some stuff for you eReader folks out there.

Gallery

I would like to thank Speck for all the great samples to try out!

]]> http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/02/04/speck-candyshell-review-roundup/feed/ 0 http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/02/03/software-copyright-lawsuits-and-ip-bickering-is-getting-ridiculous-apple-and-motorola/ http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/02/03/software-copyright-lawsuits-and-ip-bickering-is-getting-ridiculous-apple-and-motorola/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:47:05 +0000 Mike Norris http://gadgetsteria.com/?p=76012
The constant back and forth fighting over old, outdated and common sense patents and IP is getting ridiculous. Seriously. Look no further than this morning’s news which sees Apple and Motorola currently battling it out in Germany over email push services (the biggest infringement claim, according to Motorola). The initial result of the two cases is a permanent injunction on Apple’s iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4 and iPads in their German online store. (It’s worth noting that Apple retail stores and authorized Apple resellers can still sell the banned Apple gear because of how Apple separates their businesses.)

Florian Mueller from FOSS Patents believes the new injunction is actually the result of a case that took place back in November of 2011, and is coincidence that the new lawsuit(s) and their outcomes are being announced at the same time iPhones and iPads are disappearing from Apple’s German online store.

Motorola is now deciding on whether or not to enforce a patent on high-end, highly advanced pieces of mobile gadgetry (iPhones/iPads) with a patent that pertains to pagers and push services like email. Yes. Fucking pagers from the dawn of the mobile industry. The fact that a company (regardless of who it is) can stop another company with a patent, that by this time should have been invalidated/rendered a museum artifact, is mind boggling and troubling to me. Even more disturbing: Motorola is looking to use the same patent(s) in question to sue Apple in U.S. court, too.

In order for Apple to comply, they’ll have to either (1) license motorola’s pager technology or (2) remove the feature in question. So Germans will have to either get non-push iCloud email or Apple will have to figure out another way to push email to devices — all stuff that should be common IP not “owned” by anyone at this point.

Innovation around the world isn’t being hampered by copying between companies/people. It’s being hampered by useless and unnecessary lawsuits that do nothing but fund IP lawyers’ fancy houses and extreme vacations while the rest of us suffer.

This has got to stop.

Update

The same German court that issued the injunction be enforced beginning this morning has pulled it (for now). If they haven’t already, expect Apple’s online German store to once again see iPhones and iPads available for order and shipment.

Source FOSS Patents (1, 2)

]]> http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/02/03/software-copyright-lawsuits-and-ip-bickering-is-getting-ridiculous-apple-and-motorola/feed/ 0 http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/02/01/is-this-the-ipod-nano-7th-generation/ http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/02/01/is-this-the-ipod-nano-7th-generation/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:01:04 +0000 Rahul http://gadgetsteria.com/?p=75888
Rumors of next-gen Apple gear are always floating around. But a new (alleged) prototype iPod Nano has something new — a camera.

From the leaked pictures, the only physical improvements appears to be the addition of a camera and a camera alone.

In other Nano news, a patent filing back in November eludes to an iPod Nano featuring a built-in speaker of some sort, possibly for future Siri integration. Bluetooth 4.0 has also been name dropped a few times. Maybe the iPod Nano will become the new “iPod Touch Nano/iPhone Nano” if Siri, internet capabilities, and a camera end up making an appearance, no?

It seems like it would be kind of weird taking a picture with something as tiny as the iPod Nano (with camera) would be. Of course, on the opposite end of the spectrum, taking pictures with an iPad isn’t exactly natural looking either.  

If the rumors pan out, look for the new iPod Nano to hit stores sometime in March/April.

Source 9to5Mac

]]> http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/02/01/is-this-the-ipod-nano-7th-generation/feed/ 0 http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/27/apples-record-revenue-compared-to/ http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/27/apples-record-revenue-compared-to/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:01:38 +0000 Mike Norris http://gadgetsteria.com/?p=75695
It’s no secret that Apple decimated the previous quarter, raking in a staggering $46.33 billion of cold, hard, cheese. Basically, Apple can do and buy just about anything they way. But for the sake of curiosity (and it being Friday), we’ll point you over to AppleMadeMoreThan.com — a handy site that compares Apple’s awesome quarterly earnings with that of other countries’ GDPs, NFL football teams, and other giant tech corporations such as Microsoft. Speaking of which, Apple’s quarterly revenue is apparently enough to buy Microsoft outright…two times over. But what really hit home for us: Apple could buy 46,330,000,000 McDonalds McChickens (sans tax of course).

After seeing some of the comparisons, it really is pretty insane how much money Apple made.

Source AppleMadeMoreThan.com

Via 9to5Mac

]]> http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/27/apples-record-revenue-compared-to/feed/ 0 http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/25/rumor-next-gen-iphones-running-around-foxconn-with-4-lg-display/ http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/25/rumor-next-gen-iphones-running-around-foxconn-with-4-lg-display/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:03:20 +0000 Mike Norris http://gadgetsteria.com/?p=75584
When Apple sailed through last summer without a new iPhone in sight, tech gurus cried out how it was going to be devastating for Apple’s market share and bottom line. But as we’ve seen over the last few days, nothing could be further from the truth. Along the same lines, Apple usually keeps to a pretty rigid yearly upgrade cycle for most of their hardware, the iPhone being a chief example of such a schedule. So after last years October release common sense would indicate the next-gen iPhone dropping October 2012. Right?

According to a new post on 9to5 Mac, Apple is going to throw us a curve ball by moving back to a summer release for the next-gen iPhone. Citing a “reliable” and close source, Foxconn is already prepping production for the iPhone 4S’ successor, and even claims to have seen many different (slight) variations of the next-gen device floating around. The source is quick to note, however, that none of the spied models are the “official”/final next-gen iPhone.

Considering Apple’s long held tradition of secrecy, the multi-device demos floating around isn’t surprising. What’s more exciting is that the source claims the new iPhone is longer/wider than the iPhone 4/4S thanks to — drumroll please — a 4″ display (one of which is supposedly manufactured by LG). The source also notes that the device is uniform in thickness (read: not tapered/teardropped as previously rumored).

We’re not so sure Apple would go a mere 8-10 months between major iPhone refreshes. But…stranger things have happened. We’re going to keep a few grains of salt close by just in case. You?

Source 9to5Mac

]]> http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/25/rumor-next-gen-iphones-running-around-foxconn-with-4-lg-display/feed/ 0 http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/25/review-speck-seethru-for-macbook-air/ http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/25/review-speck-seethru-for-macbook-air/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:11:40 +0000 Jordan Carpenter http://gadgetsteria.com/?p=75517 I know what you’re thinking; “why in the flipping World would I want to cover up that gorgeous aluminum piece of pure sex?!?” Well, I never thought I would either. But while we were trolling the show floor a couple weeks ago, I found myself drooling over the cases that were at my finger tips. With so many to choose from, it’s kind of hard to even know where to start. But if you’ve owned an iDevice for any length of time, the word Speck probably means more than that little piece of dust that is stuck under your protective skin on your iPhone.

We happened to make our way to the Speck on a Wednesday afternoon because of some free beer. Now, don’t get me wrong, I wanted to hit it up because of a certain CandyShell View Case that they were showing off. I wanted to see about picking one up to make my plane ride home a tad bit more enjoyable. To my dismay they were plum out except for what they had on display, but that sure as hell didn’t mean Mike and I got some serious goodies from the great people working the floor. I inquired about something for my little old 11″ MacBook Air and was handed a shiny blue SeeThru to try out.

How did it fare? Will I keep using it? Does it keep me from waking up in cold sweat after having vicious nightmares about scratching the Apple logo on the outside of the laptop? I guess you’re just gonna have to hit ‘continue’ to find out!!!

Design

Well, there isn’t much to the design on this one folks. The MacBook Air is about as small as they come. But what the Speck SeeThru does well is not really cover up the glorious beauty that is an Apple product. The SeeThru hugs the MacBook Air tight, and completely protects the outer being of the laptop. With the exception of a couple of small cut outs for all of your various ports, nothing can get to the outside of your MacBook Air.

This is what I like. I have only paid out of pocket for the first iPhone I ever purchased, since then, because of my sweet taking-care-of abilities, I am able to sell it for enough to cover the next version released. This is pretty much my plan for MacBook Airs. I’ll only have to worry about greasy fingers on the inside while wearing this case. The durable and shatter-proof polycarbonate shell does an outstanding job at protecting your MacBook while keeping the design in mind.

I was highly surprised at how this fit on. Mike and I were hustling back from our exclusive hands on at Western Digital when I thought I should go ahead an plop the case on. I was a bit confused when I saw no signs of how this was going to attach itself to my Air. I thought I’d give it a whirl, and after about 10 seconds I had the case snapped on and hugging my oh-so-slim MacBook Air. Not only is it just as slim and sleek as the Air is, but it is also extremely light. Not much changed in terms of weight while wearing the case either. This part was also very important to me. I don’t want to sacrifice the light weight of an 11″ MacBook Air for anything, and Speck hits the nail on the head with this.

The last thing I really feel I should mention is the heat distribution. I am always worried about how hot my gadgets are running. And after having this case on for a couple of days, I didn’t have to even think about it. The case is fully vented for proper heat distribution. While running iStat with and without the case on, I only noticed a small hike in the temperature when running a movie. Other than that, it stayed pretty consistent.

Conclusion

As much as I hate to see my beautiful Air covered up, if I feel the need to sacrifice something that should always be naked for safety – Speck is probably how I am going to go about it. With 3 colors to choose from (Clear / Red / Blue), a sleek design that fits snug instead of adding bulk – the Speck SeeThru is one of the best cases on the market. The case in no way takes away from the design and lightweight features that the MacBook Air has. My only gripe, and this is really my only gripe – the price. I feel a $49.95 price tag is a little steep. I know that the company is damn popular and makes owns the competition in creative yet stylish cases, but for what we’re getting, I think cutting 10 bucks off would be very fair.

Gadgetsteria’s Rating: 4/5

If Speck were to drop the price to $39.99, I would gladly bump my rating up to a 5 out of 5. Other than that, this is a great case to have protecting your beautiful MacBook Air! Stroll on over to Speck’s website to check out the options for all of your devices – Speck

Gallery

Thanks to Speck for the review sample.

]]> http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/25/review-speck-seethru-for-macbook-air/feed/ 3 http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/25/inside-apple-available-now-in-the-ibookstore/ http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/25/inside-apple-available-now-in-the-ibookstore/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:20:26 +0000 Jordan Carpenter http://gadgetsteria.com/?p=75508 The much anticipated book that takes a deep look into the inner workings of Apple has hit the iBookstore this evening. It is slated to hit brick-and-mortar store shelves tomorrow, but those of us with an iDevice have a shot at it now.

Inside Apple is said to reveal the secrets, tactics and leadership strategies that allowed Steve Jobs and his wondrous company to consistently knock their releases out of the park. We’ve heard all the rumors on the testing of products. Housing new prototype model phones in older casings to avoid detection. Locked doors of the areas in which all design takes place.

Senior Editor At Large for Fortune Magazine – Adam Lashinsky – goes where not many have been allowed to go, in hopes that the rest of us unworthy people get a glimpse into what it takes to be the most successful tech company in the World.

I can’t wait to get this book in my hands and read. I look forward to all that is uncovered!!! Anyone out there gonna pick this up? Let us know what you think!

Hop on in for the link to the book in iTunes, or for an easier method, search in iBooks!

iTunes Link

]]> http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/25/inside-apple-available-now-in-the-ibookstore/feed/ 0 http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/24/review-boostcase-hybrid-1900-mah-iphone-44s-battery-case/ http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/24/review-boostcase-hybrid-1900-mah-iphone-44s-battery-case/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:19:09 +0000 Mike Norris http://gadgetsteria.com/?p=75132 The iPhone 4/4S is still one of the best designed phones around. The sleek metallic antenna band that wraps around the dual-sided glass panels is a sight to behold. Of course, that design also does two things that aren’t so great. For starters, it’s fragile as hell. The smallest drops can cause the iPhone 4/4S to crack and/or shatter. The second, due to the small size, is poor battery life. That’s where external battery packs come in. Though, if you’d like to kill two birds with one stone you can look for a 1-2 punch in battery cases.

We’ve reviewed a couple battery cases here at Gadgetsteria (Incipio offGrid and Powerskin 2000 mAh) and are proud to announce a newcomer: The BoostCase Hybrid.

Design & Features

From a physical perspective, we love the new BoostCase Hybrid. The number of colored cases that can be swapped out is a nice perk as is the simple ability to use different colored cases with the two different battery pack colors of black and white.

We also really like how slim and sleek the BoostCase Hybrid is despite packing a larger than normal 1900 mAh battery inside.

Moving away from physical looks, we’ll note the standard silence/volume button cuts on the left and open top to allow unfettered access to the headphone port and sleep/wake button. On the bottom you’ll find a small button and 4 blue LEDs that can be used to display the level of charge left in the case.

Performance

Here’s where it gets a bit disappointing. Now, we’ve always had better battery life with battery cases if we left them off until the phone was crying out for juice, turning it on, and then letting it do its thing. It’s a given that no battery or battery charging process is 100% efficient. That said, we expected the robust 1900 mAh battery in the BoostCase Hybrid to bring our iPhone 4S back to at least 100% (and perhaps a spare 10-15% after the fact). In actuality, running our phone all the way down to 1% and then activating the case and letting it sit saw it only climb back to 88% in the best test. Following tests saw 81% and 83% respectively.

Changing tactics we decided to go the “top-off” route and leave the case activated so that it trickled charged the phone as needed. Going this method seemed more satisfying as we saw the case keeping our iPhone at 100% for almost 10 hours before we saw the charge go down.

Here’s where it gets weird. The case (in either charging scenario) would sometimes show 2-3 charging lights still indicating ample reserve, and the iPhone itself would still have the charging indicator displayed, but the actual battery percentage on the phone would drop. We watched it go all the way down to 60% over the course of several hours with the BoostCase Hybrid still reporting 2-3 charging lights. Odd to say the least as every battery case we’ve ever dealt with before looses all charging LED indicators (if they have them) when it is out of reserve power. We let the case sit for a couple days, re-charged it again, and re-ran a 1-100 test as well as a top-off test and saw more normal operation — that is, the lights went off as normal.

Be it a defect in our case or some other unseen force we’re unsure but it is worth highlighting.

Conclusion

Capacity and LED issues aside, we still really like the BoostCase Hybrid. It’s an awesome looking battery case (one of, if not the best) and does provide ample additional runtime for your iPhone. The interchangeable, standalone case colors are a nice touch that goes above and beyond pretty much all other battery cases.

What leaves us a bit perturbed is the fact that the BoostCase Hybrid’s 500 mAh larger 1900 mAh battery is not able to get the iPhone to 100%. Still, at $79.95 it’s a worthy competitor to Mophie’s Juice Pack Air (more power) as well as pretty close to a several 2,000 mAh battery cases by other competitors as well. We just wish it were more consistant.

Gadgetsteria’s Rating: 7.5 (Average)

• Design: 8

• Performance: 6.5

• Value: 7.5

Gallery

]]> http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/24/review-boostcase-hybrid-1900-mah-iphone-44s-battery-case/feed/ 0 http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/19/apples-education-event-round-up/ http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/19/apples-education-event-round-up/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:23:22 +0000 Rahul http://gadgetsteria.com/?p=75258
This morning was Apple’s education event in the Big Apple, New York, with the big focus being primarily on textbooks, iTunes U and the new iBooks Author. For students and education content creators, there’s a lot to like.

In iBooks Author you can make your own interactive book for the iPad. It’s similar to publishing a app to the iOS AppStore, except for books. The textbooks are priced under $14.99 and other book’s prices are up to the publisher.

On top of iBooks 2, Apple also released a revamped iTunes U app for iOS and iTunes 10.5.3. Said app goes above and beyond the old app by including full lectures from a slew of leading schools as well as being able to provide syllabuses, instructor’s office hours, notes, and tons more.

“The iTunes U app gives you access to complete courses from leading universities and other schools — plus the world’s largest digital catalog of free education content — right on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Whether you’re majoring in molecular biology at a university, taking Spanish in high school, or just interested in European history, you now have a valuable tool to help you learn anytime, anywhere.”

But Apple’s new education announcements haven’t been without some pretty harsh criticism. Books created in iBooks Author have to be distributed through the iBookstore if they are for sale for a price, but free books can be distributed through the author website if they want to. Also, Apple is essentially claiming ownership of any and all content created with the iBooks Author — a problem if an author ever tries to move outside of Apple’s ecosystem against Apple’s wishes. Potentially more troublesome (for now) is that Apple’s new tech-ified education system is rather pricey when you add up the cost of hardware (read: iPad and accessories) to make such a learning method practical.

While we usually focus more on hardware, Apple is large and prominent enough now that we really couldn’t go without at least mentioning their latest venture.

Source 9to5Mac
]]> http://gadgetsteria.com/2012/01/19/apples-education-event-round-up/feed/ 0