Hardware

When you open the box, the first thing you’ll be greeted with is a pair of headphones, a wall charger, and a USB cable. The case design is simple and pleasing, and is complemented with a huge 4.65″ Super AMOLED 720p display on the front. The display is curved, which makes for a more comfortable calling experience when making calls. The phone features a button-less design lends to a very sophisticated look. The only buttons on the device are the volume rocker and the power button. There is also the standard 3.5mm headphone jack and micro USB for PC connection and charging.

While I’m not a big fan of huge displays, this device didn’t feel too big. I had no problem carrying it around in my pocket and had no issues with navigation and usage with one hand. The Verizon version features a 1850mAh battery, which is bigger than the GSM version, due to higher power demand from LTE.

There is a “Verizon” logo on the back of the device, which some worry that Verizon’s influence might take away from the Vanilla experience. The device is stock vanilla and the only Verizon influence outside of the logo is that it comes with the “My Verizon” app preinstalled to manage your Verizon wireless account and watch your data usage (which is a great tool for those not on unlimited data), which I don’t mind at all and actually like that it came that way.

Software

Ice Cream Sandwich is a huge update for Android. The first thing noticed is the new UI and how it resembles Android 3.0. It utilizes a new font specifically designed for Android, called Roboto. The Roboto font was created for the HD displays that’ll soon become the norm. There is a new, slicker lock screen, app drawer has been refreshed and also houses resizable widgets as well. Google added the Honeycomb-style multitasking with a dedicated soft key and the ability to drag applications on top of one another to create folders similar to iOS, along with a some additional features like being able to individually clear notifications and improvements to Google services (Gmail, Calendar), Google+ integration, Contacts, etc. The web browser has been significantly improved, with very fast scrolling and zooming and a nice thumbnail view of tabs. Overall, ICS feels the most consistent and refined of any previous Android version. Also, for those who are “hardcore” and don’t want any carrier software on their device, ICS allows you to get the My Verizon app out of your app drawer.

The camera on the Galaxy Nexus is 5MP. The quality is subpar, compared to many other offerings on the market. The camera does have the ability to take pictures in a second or less, but the quality is even worse if you try to take pictures as fast you can. The camera software has been enhanced, giving users the ability change the lens effects, similar to Instagram (though not as many nice options) and also offers basic editing and a panorama mode.

Performance and Battery Life

The Verizon version is complimented with LTE 4G, which is amazingly fast. I was averaging around 13Mbps down and 6Mbps up off Verizon LTE in my area. The call quality off CDMA was clear and loud. People on the other side reported that I sounded clear to them as well. The speakerphone was powerful and loud, with virtually no audio distortion at the loudest setting. The battery life on 3G and WiFi was exceptional, getting me easily through the day with moderate usage; however, when on LTE, expect to get about 4-6 hours with moderate usage.

Conclusion

If you’re in the market for a new phone and are on Verizon, this should be at the top of your list. With the enhancements from Android 4.0, the vanilla experience of the Nexus device, a safe assumption that you’ll get OS updates in a timely manner, and complemented with the nation’s best 4G network, this is the best Android device you can get from Verizon Wireless, or from any carrier. It is currently available from Verizon Wireless for $299 with a two-year agreement with a data plan starting at $20/month for 300MB. Verizon Wireless has also extended their double data LTE promotion, so you can get the 4GB for $30/month, which will be the best deal for most.

The Motorola Droid Bionic is the first smartphone (superphone?) from Verizon Wireless that combines nearly every high-end spec imaginable. It has a 4.3” qHD display, dual-core CPU, 4G LTE, 8MP camera w/ 1080p video recording, Mobile Hotspot, and more! The main question is: “Does the Droid Bionic live up to the eight months of hype?” Find out after the break!

I know many people have been waiting so long for this device to finally come to Verizon Wireless. Having been given the Droid Bionic to review, I was excited to be getting back into Android after a few months of being iOS exclusive, especially a dual-core unit with the latest version of Android (Gingerbread 2.3.4) and access to the fastest 4G network out.  I will admit that my excitement for the phone has dwindled down since it was first announced back in January, but a good portion of it still remains. The device has seen a few changes, both internally and externally, since its original announcement, and while I prefer the look of the original, some changes were for the best in order to make it the capable device we have today.

Hardware and Design

As stated above, the Droid Bionic had a few changes on the hardware, externally and internally. The original design for the Bionic had a more futuristic, rounded look, as shown.

The actual design of the Droid Bionic is definitely a look expected of the Motorola Droids. The current design is essentially a Droid 3 without the keyboard. The Droid Bionic is also Verizon Wireless’s slimmest 4G handset to date, which is impressive.

The Droid Bionic features TI OMAP processor, which replaced the NVIDIA Tegra 2 found in the original design. There are also monster specs of 1GB of RAM, 16GB built-in memory, and a 16GB microSD memory card is included. There are also an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording and a VGA front-facing camera for video chat. The Droid Bionic also has a LED notification light for those who enjoy taking a quick glance to see if they have any messages waiting. The only physical buttons to be found on the device are the volume up and down buttons on the left side of the device and the power/lock button on the top, while the right side houses the micro-USB charging port and HDMI port.

The Droid Bionic features a 4.3” qHD display complemented with the nearly indestructible Gorilla Glass. The text on the device looks very sharp and provides comfortable reading. The display is VERY responsive, possibly the most responsive display I ever used on an Android handset. The lag was very minimal while scrolling and swiping through the device. The device does utilize the PenTile display, which for me was a bit of disappointment, making whites look a little less white; however, I doubt most will notice it since I’m used to using the iPhone 4’s retina display and the Droid Charge’s Super AMOLED Plus display.

Software and Performance

Software-wise, the Droid Bionic is rocking Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) with the MotoBlur UI (albeit a moderately skinned version). The MotoBlur used on this is similar to that in the Droid 3 and Motorola Photon. It doesn’t require any additional accounts (like Blur of the past) and no changes that hinder the performance of the device both speed-wise and ease-of-use. Personally, I enjoy the new Blur and how it handles moving icons and widgets around. I never found myself wanting to go to a vanilla version while using this device.  Also, since it’s Android 2.3.4, you also have support for video calling through Google Talk right out of the box, whether you’re on WiFi, 4G, or 3G.

Phone, Battery Life, and Camera

The phone quality was crisp and clear, as expected with a Motorola device, and the speakerphone was very loud and clear. For a 4G LTE device, the battery life is amazing! You can easily get a day of usage out of the device, even if you’re on 4G. I managed to get through an entire day with moderate usage downloading apps, checking email, sending texts, and making a few calls.

The Droid Bionic features an 8MP camera with dual-LED flash. The picture quality wasn’t the best with the Droid Bionic. Pictures came out a bit over-exposed and there was noticeable lag while the device focused and finally took the shot.

Conclusion

So does the Droid Bionic live up to the hype? From my experience, I would say no. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a stellar device, but having seen what the next generation of phones coming out in the coming months have to offer (Samsung Galaxy S II/Droid Prime, Samsung Note, HTC Vigor), I would recommend holding out for them.

If you wish to get a phone now, the Droid Bionic is definitely the best Android device you can currently get on Verizon Wireless. Dual-core awesomeness with 4G LTE goodness is a combination that’s hard to beat. At $299.99, it is a bit on the expensive side; however, if you’re in the market for an Android device on Verizon Wireless right now, with the latest and greatest hardware/software, it’s well worth it.

Subscribe:
RSS | iTunes

Download MP3

Nic:
twitter.com/NicBall
Nic@TheGadgetGurus.net
Google+

Liz:
twitter.com/Liz_Money
hellolizzy@facebook.com

Show Notes After the break…

http://blogs.ajc.com/news-to-me/2011/07/13/woman-uses-captured-burglar-as-sex-slave/?cxntlid=cmg_cntnt_rss

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59004.html

Secret Service Investigating ‘People Staring At Computers’
Apple Store Sets Secret Service on Spy Camera Artist
Kyle McDonald’s tweet https://twitter.com/#!/kcimc/status/88956546972778496

Social Media Background Check

iPhone/iPad/and iPad 2 (first time) Jailbreak Uses zero-day exploit

Microsoft: No botnet is indestructible

Murdoch hacking phones and what not

http://mashable.com/2011/07/18/news-of-the-world-whistleblower-dead/

Spoitfy

The Coffee Clutch is a hard case with a handle for easy transportation. The case also comes with a shoulder strap to allow for it to be carried around like a purse, giving it a more feminine feel (though I wouldn’t advise walking down the street carrying around an iPad like that). The case has no protection for the screen, which is a huge disappointment for me, especially if you’re using the shoulder strap and bump up against something that could scratch the screen. The case also makes the iPad much wider, which in turn makes it more difficult to carry in backpacks, purses, etc. The Coffee Clutch leaves ports and buttons exposed, so you have easy access to them.

The Coffee Clutch also features kick stand to prop the iPad up vertically. It sucks that you can’t prop it up horizontally, but still a cool feature nonetheless.

The Coffee Clutch is a good case if you like the idea of being able to carry your iPad on a shoulder strap or really love the concept of a handle on a case. With the convenient carry options come some trade-offs with the screen being exposed while it’s in the case (though the case can be supplemented with a screen protector) and the added width from the case as well. For the price of $30, this case is a good buy is you don’t mind the trade-offs for something that allows you to easily carry your iPad around with you in your everyday life. The Coffee Clutch is available now from DigiPower.

The HTC Inspire 4G

The HTC Inspire is AT&T’s first 4G device and one of the best spec-ed Android phone in AT&T’s lineup. It barrows heavily from the HTC Desire HD that launched in Europe last year, which is a great place to get Inspiration (see what I did there). The Inspire 4G has a beautiful 4.3in SLCD screen, 8 megapixel camera with HD video, mobile hotspot support, and HTC’s latest iteration of Sense UI. Is this the beast AT&T customers have been waiting for? Read on to see how the HTC Inspire 4G handles the Guru Inspection.

Hardware

The HTC Inspire 4G is one of the best looking and feeling devices I have had the pleasure of using. I don’t want to gush about it, but it’s hard not to. The screen is a SLCD panel coming in at 4.3in with a resolution of 800 x 480 (WVGA). Outside viewing is slightly hindered in direct sunlight, but not as bad as AMOLED screens and is still completely usable. The LCD sits directly under the glass of the touch screen and is almost completely “gapless” which provides a great feeling of accuracy and sensitivity. On the bottom of the face rests the capacitive home, menu, back, and search keys Android users are familiar with. The sensitivity of these button is great and the haptic feedback is very solid.

MT4G, Inspire, and G2 In Direct Sun

The back of the phone is mostly brushed metal with some soft touch plastic accents for the battery cover, sim card door, and around the 8 megapixel camera. Both the micro USB charging port and 3.5mm headset jack are located at the bottom of the Inspire, while the power button rests at the top left of the device. The build quality of the materials are top notch, and it really shows in this hardware.

The Inspire feels very solid in the hand

Software and Sense UI 2.0

The HTC Inspire is the first U.S. device to come with the latest version of Sense UI, simply called Sense 2.0. If you are familiar with devices like the Evo, Evo Shift, or Droid Incredible, than you already have an idea of what Sense UI brings to Android. HTC has really raised the bar with Sense 2.0 and added even more customization and eye candy. The notification window has been tweaked to show you your six most recently used apps when you drag the shade down allowing you to switch apps quickly. The customization doesn’t stop there, the whole phone can be “themed” using HTC Sense UI’s skins. The skins change the colors and looks of the dock, notification window, wallpaper, widgets, and menu accents. It’s really refreshing seeing the attention to detail that HTC has put into the themes. Sense UI also has the ability to set “scenes” which are pre-configured home screens for different situations. For example you could have a “media” scene that places all of your music and photos apps in easy to reach places. Your “work” scene could have your exchange email and calendar widget, while your “weekend” scene could have your Foursquare and Yelp apps. The possibilities are pretty endless and completely customizable.

Recent Apps in the Notification Window

Speaking of HTCsense.com, this service enables Inspire users to use track, lock and wipe all data off their phone via the website. This service also lets you ring your device, even when silenced, if it’s lost near by as well as forward your calls and text messages to another phone number. iPhone users are familiar with features like these with MobileMe, and now Android users have this great service available to them for free. When you create a HTC Sense account you are also given access to extra downloadable widgets, ringtones, wallpapers, skins, scenes and all kinds of other HTC goodies for your Android device.

HTC has also updated many of the 70 widgets that are included with Sense UI on the Inspire 4G. Everything from the calendar and contacts widgets to music and news are all included in Sense 2.0. This is one area where HTC really out shines the rest of the Android manufacturers. The amount of personalization you have in your hands is really amazing and the qulity of Sense 2.0 puts this software leagues above the likes of MOTOBLUR and Samsung’s Touchwiz.

Personalize Menu

HTC packs a few other cool features into Sense UI that are very useful. The Inspire uses it’s accelerometer to lower the ringtone volume of an incoming call when you pick the device up. Flipping the Inspire’s face down will mute the ringer of an incoming call as well. Syncing your Facebook and Twitter accounts with Sense UI will allow you to see you caller’s latest social updates right on the call screen. This comes in handy when someone calls you and they have an interesting status update you would like to comment on or talk to them about.

Camera and Camcorder

The Inspire records memories using a 8 megapixel camera and a camcorder that shoots in 720p. The camera takes above average shots in good light, but takes a serious hit when the conditions are a little darker. The dual LED flash is almost to bright and washes out the photos when used. The video quality again is above average and looks great, but the sound quality from the video is not good at all. If you’re recording in a quiet environment, it’s no problem, but forget about using it at a concert or noisy arena.

Performance and Battery

The Inspire 4G is equipped with the latest Snapdragon MSM 8255 1ghz processor from Qualcomm and is backed by 768MB of RAM. I have found that the Inspire is just as fast as even some dual core offerings like the Motorola Atrix. Since using the Inspire, I have never experienced an ounce of lag, slow down, or hesitation. The other side of this coin is the weak 1230mah battery that keeps this beast alive. While this new core is more battery efficient than what is found in the Evo, it is still a small battery for a lot of phone. I can make it through a 8-10hr day, with moderate use, but I’m needing to plug it in as soon as I get home. If you are using this device heavily, you may want to pick up a spare battery, or be prepared to give it a hour charge or so in the middle of your day.

4G Speeds

Being AT&T’s first 4G phone, I was excited to test the speeds compared to what I get on T-Mobile. While downloads speeds matched the 2-3mbs down, the uploads speeds are all consistently under 300k. AT&T and HTC for some reason has decided to cap the Inspire at less than 3G speeds for uploads. It has been show that the device does support the faster uploads, but has been throttled via software. Now to be perfectly fair, I did not notice any issues or real world speed difference when using the Inspire against my T-Mobile G2 on “4G”, but this may effect you when using the mobile Hotspot or uploading large amounts of data.

Conclusion

The HTC Inspire is a great piece of hardware that not only feels solid but looks great too. The 4.3in screen really hits a sweet spot and is wonderful for web browsing, videos, and using the on screen virtual keyboard. HTC Sense UI is hands down the best version of Android out of all the “skins” manufacturers use. Sense 2.0 takes an already great platform, and adds more user personalization that really feels polished. Pairing up this great hardware and software, you are left with a package that is hard not to like. The camera might have it’s flaws, and “4G” might not be exactly that, but despite these flaws the HTC Inspire is one of the best Android phones on the market. You can get one at your local AT&T for a steal, priced at only $99 with a two year contract.

Guru Inspection: PASSED

I think it is safe to say that the HTC Evo really set a standard for smart phones when it was announced. The Evo came packed with so many features and “firsts” that it literally dwarfed the competition. Can the same be said for the newly released Evo Shift 4G? The Evo shift is smaller than it’s older brother, but as David might tell you, size is not everything. This Evo packs just as many features as the first, and even has a couple tricks up its sleeve. Read on as we put the HTC Evo Shift 4G through our Guru Inspection.

The Evo Shift Feels Very Good in the Hand

Hardware

To say the two Evo brothers are physically different would be an understatement. While they do share some similarities, the Evo Shift is a different beast all together. The Evo Shift is slightly shorter and not as wide across, but just a hair thicker than the Evo. The extra thickness comes in via a slide out QWERTY keyboard. The actual slide mechanism is very rigid and tight, it locks into place very securely. Personally, I don’t like the way the slide feels. I prefer the hinge style of the T-Mobile G2, but some people will like the rigidity of the Evo Shift. The other small issue I had with the keyboard is that I am constantly hitting the volume buttons on the side. They seem to be right in my left hand’s way when sliding it open or close. I will say, that after a few days of using it, I have hit the buttons less and less, but I had to “train” myself.

The keys on the QWERTY are excellent and spaced perfectly. The keys have a rubbery feel and have just the right amount of “click” when pressed. It was something I originally thought I would not like, the space bar is slightly shifted (see what I did there?) to the right and in practice works really well. On the bottom right of the keyboard you will find a directional pad, which honestly I have found pretty useless thanks to Sense UI’s text selection. One thing I absolutely love about this keyboard, is the small lights that comes on when you click the shift or function keys. I loved when HTC did this with the Tilt and other WinMo phones, and have missed it since.

The Back is Covered with Soft Touch plastic

The back of the Evo Shift is covered by soft touch plastic that makes it feel very good in the hand. Since it’s not as wide as the original Evo, it fits the your palm very comfortably. The device is very solid with no give or squeaks coming from the device. The back of the Evo Shift is home to a 5 megapixel camera that sports auto focus and a flash. The back also houses a speaker, the volume is decent, but it could be a little louder. We’ll get into the camera details a little later on.

The face of device is taken up mostly by the 3.6 inch WVGA (480 x 800) screen. The screen is a standard LCD, but it looks great and very crisp. The brightness levels are very nice and being smaller than the Evo’s screen, the Shift has a tighter pixel density resulting in a great looking display. Capacitive buttons are found on the bottom face of the device and they work quite well. I’m not sure if the sensors are larger, but they respond better than most devices with capacitive buttons. The Shift also packs a small notification LED on the top left and blinks when you have new notifications.

Sense UI on the Evo Shift 4G

Software

The Evo Shift comes with a customized version of Android 2.2 (Froyo) from HTC called Sense UI. Android customization is a double edged sword. On one hand, manufactures have a chance to make their devices stand out by creating their “version” of Android. Unfortunately most of these “skins” don’t add anything to the platform and in most cases, take away from the user experience. HTC is defiantly NOT one of the companies. Sense UI adds not only great features, but a level of polish not seen on other Android devices.

The most major contribution of Sense UI is the home screen. With the Evo Shift, you get 7 home screens to add folders, apps, and widgets to. HTC has packed many of it’s own custom widgets into the Evo Shift that not only look great, but are highly functional. The agenda calendar widget is a personal favorite of mine and just one of 30+ widgets HTC includes within Sense UI.

Text Selection is Easy with Sense UI

Text selection and copy/paste have also been greatly enhanced with Sense UI. You will see indicators that allow you to drag over text and choose what selection you would like to highlight. From there you can copy, cut, select all, and paste. Also editing with the cursor is easy as well. When you hold your finger down in a text field, a magnifying glass will pop up showing you a zoomed in view of where the cursor is within the text.

The other notable additions that Sense UI brings to the table are in the contacts, dialer, and messaging apps. All have been tweaked and upgraded to give you a better experience and look more polished. For example, on the dialer, you can dial by using the letter on the number pad instead of searching through your list manually. If I wanted to call “Nic Ball”, I would just have to dial “642″ and it would pull “Nic” from my contacts. It’s the little additions in the software that add up to make HTC Sense UI a great addition to Android and the Evo Shift.

Sprint Apps

The Evo Shift also comes loaded with a bunch of Sprint applications like Sprint Nav, Sprint TV, NASCAR, Sprint Football, and Sprint Zone. Some of these, like Sprint Nav, are useful, while others are just bloat. I really wish carriers would let us choose which to install from the Market. The good news is that almost all of these apps are included in Sprint’s data plans, not requiring any more per month.

Multimedia and Social Apps

Music Controls on Lockscreen

Thanks to Sense UI, the Evo Shift has some really nice multimedia and social networking features that you wont find with vanilla versions of Android. The music player on the Evo Shift is completely customized and offers a great looking UI that is highly functional. The music app even puts your player controls on the lock screen for easy access. Since the Evo Shift is rocking Sense UI, you are going to get built in support for Facebook and Twitter. All of your friends’ updates are aggregated into the Friend Stream app where you can view and update statuses from both social networks simultaneously. Friend Stream also has a home screen widget for quick access to the latest tweets and status updates from your friends. Last but not least, the Evo Shift packs a FM radio as well. You do need to have a headset plugged in in order to use the FM radio, but it’s there.

Camera and Camcorder

The Camera on the Evo Shift 4G is 5 megapixel with auto focus and a LED flash. The still images taken with good light came out very nice. As soon as you get into low light condition, the image quality degrads pretty quickly and the flash is little help. The Evo Shift’s camera is not quite as good as the 8 megapixel found in the original Evo or in the Droid Incredible. The Camcorder shoots in 720 HD, and while on paper that sounds great, in practice it leaves a lot to be desired. The videos shot with the Evo Shift had a good bit of artifacting and the audio was very poor. From what I understand, HTC uses 3gp to encode the sound when you take a video, which yields very poor audio quality versus the AAC codec the iPhone 4 uses. Don’t plan on replacing your point and shoot with the Evo Shift, but it will take decent photos when you need to take them quickly.

Performance and Battery Life

The Evo Shift is powered by a 800 MHz Qualcomm MSM7630 processor and has 512MB of eDRAM. Don’t let the “lower” clock speed fool you. The Shift uses a newer version of the Snapdragon processor which can produce the same performance with a lower clock speed. This results in a very responsive device that is fast, but is also more gentle on your battery. The Evo Shift will easily make it through a full day with moderate to heavy use. Even with leaving 4G, WiFi, and GPS on all day, I am able to make it through a work day with 30-40% to spare. The Evo Shift is plenty fast and performance is a non issue for potential buyers.

Various Speed Tests

Sprint 4G and Mobile Hotspot

I have had some mixed results with Sprint 4G. When it’s good, it’s great. When it’s bad, it’s really bad. Sprint utilizes WiMax as it’s 4G technology and while it can be very fast, WiMax has absolutely horrid in building penetration. The times I can use 4G I am usually outside or somewhere with a clear view of the sky via a window. Sprint’s 3G service is solid as a rock, but not exactly the fastest thing around. Now this will all depend on your area of course, so your experience may vary depending on location.

Sprint Mobile Hotspot

The Evo Shift 4G has the ability to become a mobile hotspot, supporting up to eight devices simultaneously. Although this will cost you a little extra monthly, it’s a great feature to have and if you have good Sprint coverage in your area, it can really save you in a pinch.

Wrap Up and Guru Inspection Pass/Fail

The Evo Shift is powerful, sports a great full QWERTY keyboard, offers Sprint 4G with Mobile Hospot, and comes with HTC Sense UI. There is really a lot to like about this device. I am not particularly fond of the slider mechanism, but others like it’s solid feel and honestly I can’t gripe about too much more. If you’re on Sprint, want a device with a great keyboard, and have $150 to drop, the Evo Shift 4G might just be the device for you.

Guru Inspection: PASSED

We know your situation. You love the Gurus, but we don’t fit in your pocket and you can’t bring us all with you every where you go……..until now! Enter the Gadget Gurus Android app. The Gadget Gurus app includes some really great features like instant streaming of all our episodes, starring your favorite episodes, episode extras like special wallpapers and sounds, and easy ways to get in touch with us. Lets take a closer look shall we.

Hands down, the best feature of The Gadget Gurus Android app is the ability to stream our ENTIRE podcast collection right on your device. No downloading or waiting is required. Scroll to the episode, click and BOOM, you’re streaming the first time Nic Ball joined us, or Vic’s first date, or Ray waxing on poetically about Sprint. It’s that easy!

If you enjoy the Gurus podcast and have an Android phone, you will love our Android app. It’s $1.99 in the Android market and worth every penny! Plus by purchasing our app, you help us continue to make The Gurus better and better!