Instead of roses that wilt and chocolates that go bad, why not pick up a fun gadget gift this year, one that your special someone can enjoy all year long.

Whatever your budget for Valentine’s Day tech gifts, we have you covered with a collection of our favorites. You may notice that this list isn’t over run with red and pink gadgets or heart shaped USB drives. Skip the novelties this year and get your valentine something they’ll love all year.

iHome iB40 Over-the-Ear Headphones

Audiophiles will tell you that there’s no such thing as a good pair of cheap headphones. I disagree and so will most average users hooking up to a notebook or an iPhone. These over-the-ear headphones won’t cost too much but will deliver decent audio. You can give these to your kids and not worry about them ruining an expensive set of cans. If you take them on the road with you, you won’t worry as much about losing them. You get good sound and an in-line volume control. They feel comfortable too. In my review, I recommended them despite a little distortion and some audio bleed at the highest volume levels.

$19.99 @ Amazon

MiLi 10W Dual USB Car and Wall Charger

A charger isn’t a sexy gift, but if you’re at the state in your relationship where practical trumps exotic, then this charger will make a nice gift. The design makes it compact since the DC and AC connectors fold into the charger. Plug any USB device into the port and you have power in the car, hotel room, the office or home. The wall plug can be replaced with international plugs for the world traveller. I am able to charge my iPad as well as other USB powered devices. Keep it in the car or unplug it and take it inside when needed.

$34.95 @ Amazon

Capsule Case for iPhone 4/4S from Uncommon

Anyone who has an iPhone needs a case. Why not give your friends or family members a customized case that will let them show the world how much they love you or another family member like the kids or maybe the dog. Upload a photo and let Uncommon create a case you know they will love because you “made” it for them. If you don’t want to take the chance that your idea of a beautiful case isn’t their idea of a beautiful case, then get a gift card so they can customize their own.

$39.95 @ Uncommon

Razer Orochi Gaming Bluetooth Mouse

I reviewed the Razer Orochi almost a year ago but haven’t found a better Bluetooth mouse yet. If you’re a gamer it has a lot of useful features, like the ability to change the mouse sensitivity on the fly with thumb buttons. It connects quickly and feels great. Using ordinary AAA batteries you’ll get a lot of mousing. If your batteries die, you can plug in the included USB cable. I love this mouse and gamers and non-gamers alike will enjoy it too.

$79.99 @ Razer

Roku 2

Couch potatoes you love will love you for getting them a Roku 2, the second generation of the tiny set-top box that lets you stream Netflix, Amazon Instant videos, hulu Plus, and a lot more. You add channels, either for free or subscription. The box plugs into your TV and the Internet and streams the shows, movies or podcasts. It works well. If you have a speedy home Internet connection video looks great. You can also plug a USB drive or SD card into the box to watch your own video, stream music or view slide shows on the higher end models.

$49.99 – $89.99 @ Amazon

Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS will entertain your younger children for hours. They have games for all ages, but I think the younger kids will be happier with the 3DS while older kids might want something like a smartphone for gaming plus other entertainment. With the Nintendo 3DS, they can play 3D games without the need of special glasses. The system runs older Nintendo DS games too.

$111.44 @ Amazon

iPod Touch

The iPod Touch fits older kids better than a Nintendo 3DS because they will want to not only play games, but enjoy music and video as well. Hook them up with one of the many free messaging apps so they can enjoy texting with their friends without having to sign up for a two-year phone contract and pay the ridiculous text messaging fees. In the future you can dangle the reward of new apps in their face if they do their homework or clean their rooms. By the way, big kids like your spouse or special friend will enjoy one too, especially if they’re tied to a phone contract on an old feature phone.

$188 @ Amazon

Amazon Kindle Touch

You have two options depending on your budget and the recipient. If you don’t have as much to spend or they only want to read books, the Amazon Kindle Touch will fit perfectly. The latest Kindle has the easy to read e-ink screen and the huge Amazon library of books. The design shrunk making it even more portable and comfortable to use without sacrificing screen size. The ads don’t bother me, but if you don’t like them you can pay a little extra to remove them. The touch display makes navigating so much easier than previous generation Kindles with the buttons.

$99 @ Amazon or $149 for 3G version

Amazon Kindle Fire

If you have a little more to spend or the recipient wants more than just books, then the Kindle Fire should work. You can read books, magazines and documents like a regular Kindle. Add to that games and apps from the Amazon App Store and the expanding video content via the Amazon Prime service. You get a free month to try Prime and if the recipient likes it he or she can add the service or better you can add buy a year for the person to make the gift even better. I love my Fire and it’s the best non-Apple tablet for the money.

$199 @ Amazon – $79/year for Prime Membership

Toshiba Portege Z835

If you have someone you really love, a high-end gift like a new notebook will make them really love you. On the Windows side, one of the new Ultrabooks like this one from Toshiba is a great choice. When our editor Josh Smith reviewed this machine he said:

This model has enough power for most consumers looking for an affordable light and thin notebook, but those looking to do video editing or processor intensive tasks will be best served by a different notebook with a more powerful processor.

It isn’t perfect. Josh dinged it because of consistent fan noise and a display that’s too flexible, but despite that he called it a “stellar choice” because of the backlit keys and plenty of ports in a “super thin package.” The average user will enjoy using it for surfing, office docs, casual gaming or streaming video.

$849.99 @ Best Buy

Great Valentines Day Gadget Gift Guide is a post by Kevin Purcell from Gotta Be Mobile.

Again, that price is for a 4G LTE device that launches today.

Those of you looking to upgrade, you’ll also be treated to a discount at Amazon. The retailer is currently offering the Droid 4 to upgraders for a mere $149. And while $50 isn’t as good as $100, it’s certainly a decent discount.

We’ve had a Droid 4 in our possession for a couple of days now and we’ve come away extremely impressed with Verizon’s latest addition to the Droid series.

Before you buy, you’re going to want to check out:

• Droid 4 Camera Review: Photo and Video Samples
• Droid 4 Review: Hardware Tour & Keyboard Performance (Video)
• Droid 4 in for Review: Photos and Impressions

We’ll also have a full review up later on today so be sure to check back in.

In addition, we’ve done some comparisons between the Droid 4 and other devices that Verizon is offering. They include:

• Motorola Droid 4 vs. Droid RAZR MAXX
• Motorola Droid 3 vs. Motorola Droid 4

The Droid 4 is Verizon’s third successor to the original Motorola Droid and it may just be the best one yet. From the laser cut keyboard which is likely the best keyboard you’ve ever used to its high-resolution display to its 4G LTE speeds, the Droid 4 is an extremely capable device.

And at that $100 price point, it’s certainly worth your attention.

Check out the Droid 4 in action in the video below:

If you find your eyes fixated on the Droid 4, you can find it for sale at Verizon here. Or, if you want to save some money, you can find it on Amazon here.

Motorola Droid 4 Available for $100 at Amazon is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

The commercial starts off with an iPad owner walking up to a woman lounging on a chair somewhere nicer then where you’re sitting right now. You might miss it the first time around but if you look closely, he’s having a hard time dealing with the glare from the sun which has hampered his ability to see the contents, presumably a book, on his iPad.

He then stops and asks if the device that the woman is holding is the new Kindle.

Of course it is.

Even though he’s an iPad user, the man knows his tech and exclaims that the device is a mere $79. The woman, obviously amused, says that the Kindle is the best way to read, even in sunlight.

He then gets snarky, just like an iPad owner in a commercial for a competitor would.

The man exclaims that the Kindle doesn’t allow owners to surf the web or watch movies at which point the woman points to her children who are using the Kindle Fire which allows for both web surfing and movie watching.

At this point the man suddenly suffers from apparent amnesia as he says that buying three Kindles must have been expensive. Wasn’t this the dude that just came right out with the $79 remark not 10 seconds before this?

Anyway, the woman rather excitedly shoots him down and says that all three devices are less than a single iPad. Totaling it all up, the $79 Kindle and two $199 Amazon Fire’s come to $477.

The cheapest iPad 2 that Apple sells is $499. Unless you decide to buy it refurbished.

Shortly thereafter, the man asks if anyone is sitting next to her as he is clearly intrigued by this lady’s prowess.

He is then immediately shot down, sent off to enjoy his expensive iPad 2 in the glaring sunlight.

Overall, I thought this ad was better than any of the Samsung advertisements. It points out the low price points. It talks about the features. It’s snarky. And it doesn’t insult Apple fans.

In other words, it’s classy.

I like classy.

Well done, Amazon.

If you’re thinking about picking up a Kindle Fire, you’ll want to read our review first. Then, you’ll want to check out 25 of the best Kindle Fire cases so that you can protect it from harm.

You can also read our extensive review of the iPad 2, which will soon be replaced by the iPad 3.

Amazon Takes on the iPad in New Kindle Ad is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

We don’t know exactly how many Nikon D800 and D800E units Amazon plans to ship on launch day, but it’s likely a significant number. Whatever that number is it’s not enough to satisfy the hoards of Nikon photographers waiting to get a piece of its 36.3 megapixel glory.

As of early this morning, Amazon shoppers could pre-order the Nikon D800 and D800 from this Amazon.com page. Sometime between then and now, Amazon switched out the pre-order option for an email notification option. Instead of being able to slap down a credit card and reserve a Nikon D800 for pre-order, all shoppers can do now is sign up for a newsletter or add the camera to their wish list.

The following note on the page is the same as it was when D800 pre-orders were available:

Note on Availability: This item is in high demand and supplies from the manufacturer are limited. Its availability will fluctuate, and if the item is not currently in stock, we cannot guarantee that we will receive additional quantities in a timely manner. We will not charge your credit card until we ship the product.

Amazon arguably has the most advanced online store and inventory management systems in the online shopping world. There have been plenty of stories of other online retailers, including Best Buy, of overselling hot items and not delivering them on time.

Of course professional and enthusiast Nikon shooters will be able to purchase the D800 at some point, but they may not be able to get one on launch day or for months afterwards, depending on how demand for the camera shapes up. Nikon rarely releases new professional-grade cameras. It announced the Nikon D4 at CES 2012, but its been more than three years since the company introduced the Nikon D700, a camera that’s of similar stature and price to the D800. Some Nikon fans have waited for years for the D700 followup to be released since the older camera cannot shoot video and the full-frame Nikons that cost significantly more.

Since new phones, tablets and computers are released so often that’s it’s nearly impossible to keep up, buyers will sometimes switch allegiance to a new gadget if it takes a few days or weeks to get ahold of one of them. That’s not the case with cameras like the Nikon D800 and its predecessors. DSLR buyers that don’t get in on the initial pre-order wave can sometimes be forced to deal with waiting lists that can stretch on for weeks or months. Brick and mortar camera shops are sometimes relegated to a handful of the latest models until demand tapers down.

Amazon.com isn’t the only place to pre-order a Nikon D800, but many camera geeks (myself included) pre-order from Amazon since they seem to receive a large number of early units from Nikon and other major camera manufacturers. B&H Photo and Adorama are still taking pre-orders, but I’m not sure if they’re simply adding to a wait list or selling their initial allocations of D800s.

The Nikon D800 is capable of shooting cinema-quality movies and taking stunning photos. You can view Nikon’s official D800 video sample above and learn more about the D800 video sample here. Of course most D800 buyers will be buying the camera for its photo prowess. You can see several Nikon D800 photo samples here.

Nikon D800 Pre-Orders Sold Out at Amazon is a post by Xavier Lanier from Gotta Be Mobile.

When the Galaxy Nexus launched on Verizon in December, the $299 price put off many potential buyers, but less than two months later you can purchase the Galaxy Nexus for the same price on Amazon as it would cost to get the budget Samsung Stratosphere or Pantech Breakout at Verizon.

The Galaxy Nexus is available for $99 on Amazon Wireless for shoppers who are willing to sign a new two year contract with Verizon. Unfortunately this deal is not valid for current Verizon customers who must pay $259 through Amazon. New Verizon customers can get the Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for $99 on individual plans or on family plans.

Current customers on Verizon can upgrade at $259, a savings of $40 off the Verizon price, and can add a new line to a family plan to pick up the Galaxy Nexus for $179.99.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus won an Editors’ Choice Award thanks to the large HD display, 4G LTE connectivity and stock Android 4.0 operating system that brings a refined user experience to Android phones. While we had initial concerns about battery life many members of the GottaBeMobile staff have the Galaxy Nexus and are able to go a full day without recharging.

Read our Galaxy Nexus Review for more details on how this phone performs.

This is another example of why it just isn’t worth it to by a $50 or $99 budget Android smartphone at a Verizon retail store. The best smartphones drop in price very quickly, which often means you can get a 2 month old phone at a better price, with way better features than the just launched budget Android phone.

Even if you do have to pay more for your phone, it is such a small percentage of the actual cost of owning a smartphone, which can range from $1,000 to $2,000 when you factor in monthly charges, that it makes sense to buy a phone that has a chance at lasting for a full two years.

Verizon Galaxy Nexus Drops to $99 at Amazon is a post by Josh Smith from Gotta Be Mobile.

Amazon is still testing the concept and the location is said to be open before the holiday shopping season begins.

If successful, Amazon may try to replicate Apple’s success in the retail space by providing expertise and the space for users to get acquainted with its technology products. Microsoft, a company also in Washington state, has already entered the retail space as well with its own stores. In recent years, Amazon has begun making deals with big box retailers, like Target and Best Buy, in the U.S. to offer a physical place for users to come test drive its e-readers and now the new Kindle Fire tablet.

Direct bookseller rival Barnes & Noble already operates a retail chain of stores to sell books, e-readers, and the company’s Nook tablet.

Via: Good Reader

Amazon to Join Apple, Microsoft with Physical Retail Store to Hawk Tablets, E-Readers is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Gotta Be Mobile.

That’s right. Amazon is already offering a discount on the Droid RAZR MAXX for new customers which brings the price down to $199.99. And it didn’t leave those of you upgrading out either.

If you’re looking to make an upgrade, you’ll still get $70 off as Amazon has it available for $229.99.

Many of you have expressed interest in this phone because of its massive battery, it houses a 3,300 mAh battery that’s capable of 21 hours of continuous talk time, so if you’re thinking about pulling the trigger, you’ll want to do it through Amazon.

But, you’ll also want to check out a couple of things before you do that.

First, have a look at our comparison between the Droid RAZR MAXX and the Motorola Droid 4, both of which were announced at CES 2012. Second, you’ll want to take a peek at our hands-on with the Droid RAZR MAXX at CES 2012.

And third, you’ll want to check out our review of the original Motorola Droid RAZR.

Remember, the Droid RAZR and Droid RAZR MAXX are very similar. The two key differences are that the Droid RAZR MAXX has that massive battery and is just a tad thicker sitting at a mere 8.9mm.

The original is 7.1mm.

For those of you that have already made up your minds, you can find the Droid RAZR MAXX on Amazon right here.

Droid RAZR MAXX Arrives on Verizon, Price Immediately Slashed is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Yeah, that’s a full $200 discount off of Verizon’s current asking price of $300 and it’s an absolute steal for a phone that many feel is the best Android phone ever to hit the market.

Unfortunately, the deal is only available to those of you who are willing to sign a new two-year contract. Those who are looking to upgrade need not apply. A shame considering this is the lowest price that the Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus has seen yet.

So, if you can look past what I consider poor battery life and you don’t mind the possibility of having your handset randomly reboot, this is an offer worth taking a look at if you’re looking for a new smartphone.

Why?

This is a Nexus device which means that its easily customizable via rooting and unlocking the bootloader. It means that you’ll have a pristine, vanilla version of Android without the interference of a manufacturers user interface.

You’d be surprised at how nice that is.

And finally, you’ll have the latest and greatest version of Android, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, right out of the box.

For a bit of perspective, you can read up on why I decided to buy this device, and  in addition, you also might want to check out why our own Warner Crocker decided not to buy it.

And then, for those of you who want a lot more information, be sure to check out our full review of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus.

If interested, you can find the deal on Amazon right here.

Galaxy Nexus Price Falls to $100 at Amazon is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Pad & Quill is known for producing high quality cases that protect your tablet, computer or iPhone with a touch of class giving users a classic book-like experience even though they’re holding a very modern electronic device. Their extremely high quality comes at a price, but you have to pay for nice things.

I tested a pair of Pad & Quill cases – the Octavo for the Apple iPad and the Fire Keeper for the Amazon Kindle Fire. The Octavo case for the Apple iPad 2 is a premium case but has a couple of drawbacks.

Video Review

The following covers both the Octavo for Apple iPad 2 and the Fire Keeper for the Amazon Kindle Fire.

Design and Build Quality

The Octavo shines in design and build quality. The manufacturer paid close attention to craftsmanship and detail. You get a case with a Baltic birch frame you know won’t fall apart soon. The cover looks like a fine leather-bound ledger or book. They accent the black leather cover with one of three attractive internal colors – Cranberry Red, Camden Blue or Field Green.

The attention to detail you expect from fine products exudes quality. You can also get the options of an internal pocket for papers. Pad & Quill sent me the beautiful Field Green accented case that has a matching bookmark used to pull the device out of the tightly fitting case (see the video above).

Every case must have one feature to stay on my iPad 2 – the magnetic on/off function that you get with the Apple Smart Cover. Open the Octavo and the device wakes. Close it and it goes to sleep. That feature pleased me.

A Few Drawbacks

While I really liked the other Pad & Quill cases I’ve used including one for my MacBook Air and the Fire Keeper for my Kindle Fire, I’m less enthusiastic about the Octavo for a few reasons. First, it feels too bulky. I like a thin and snug case that doesn’t add much thickness or girth to the iPad 2. The Octavo doubles the thickness of the iPad 2 and adds about half an inch to the length and width making it feel like you’re carrying a very large textbook or ledger. They claim it’s the “slimmest design ever” but you still feel like you’re carrying around a big book instead of a thin tablet.

You can remove the case fairly easily with the bookmark. At first I had trouble getting my iPad 2 out of the case and mentioned it in the video above. However, you get the hang of it and it isn’t that hard. You could just use the case to protect it and pull the iPad out when you’re sitting down at home or at the office. But I’d rather have a case I can use all the time.

In addition to the bulk, the case makes it difficult to reach the volume buttons and the toggle switch used for either rotation lock or muting the iPad 2. The cutouts aren’t big enough for my fat fingers. If you use these buttons a lot, the case will frustrate you. This wasn’t a problem on their other cases, but its a significant issue for the Octavo.

Finally, I want my iPad case to double as a stand. You can prop it up using the cover flipped over the back at about an 80 degree angle, which isn’t comfortable for viewing or typing if you are a tall person. Any lower and the iPad 2 will easily slide on most slick surfaces, like a wooden table or desk, falling flat. If you open the cover and fold it over the back you get an ever so slight incline, but not enough to make it comfortable or useful while laying your iPad down on a table.

Recommendation

The Octavo costs $59.99 from Pad & Quill and because of the above problems seems over priced. I can recommend their other cases, but not this one. It looks elegant and beautifully made. Sadly, the Octavo has serious flaws. The bulk of the case makes it cumbersome to carry. The tiny cutout around the volume and toggle switch frustrates and you can’t use it as a stable stand. I’d pass on the Octavo.

If you have a Kindle Fire, check out my review and do yourself a favor. Get the Fire Keeper from Pad & Quill. Also, check out their attractive new note taking app for iPhone and iPad for $.99.

Pad & Quill Octavo iPad Case 2 Looks Great but is Bulky is a post by Kevin Purcell from Gotta Be Mobile.

This is quite the discount considering the LG Spectrum launched on January 19th, last Thursday, for $199 with the signing of a new two-year contract.

Now, that $80 requires you to be a new customer. However, if you are thinking about upgrading, Amazon is also offering you a discount as well. For those fortunate enough to have an upgrade, you’ll have to shell out $129.99.

Again, not so bad.

There is a slight problem though. If you go to Amazon’s website, you’ll notice that the Spectrum is currently on backorder and won’t be shipping out for another one to two weeks.

We went hands-on with the LG Spectrum at CES and we came away mildly impressed. The specs are there – HD screen, quick processor, but the software and design qualities are not.

We’ll reserve final judgement for a full review but just know this. It’s very plastiky and it’s running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. LG has promised Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich but there is no telling when it might arrive.

If you can look beyond those though, the LG Spectrum is a solid device, especially at this price.

You can find it on Amazon here.

Via: Android Police

LG Spectrum Now Available for $80 at Amazon is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

The Kindle Fire hasn’t been formally deployed at SAP, but Bussman and his colleagues are exploring how affordable Android devices like the Fire can be used to access large data sets and reports. He noted that his company can’t ignore the Kindle Fire since it’s quickly become the second best selling tablet since it was launched late last year.

Many people argue that media tablets such as the iPad are good for little more than playing video games and watching movies. But there are countless examples of business professionals using iPads to get real work done. In less than two years, SAP has issued 14,000 iPads to its employees and is in the process of rolling out 1,000 iPads per month.

Though Bussman has deployed thousands of iPads at SAP, he’s giving Android devices a lot of attention these days. In addition to the Kindle Fire, he was carrying a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy SII phone. He pointed out that phones like the SII have closed the gap on the iPhone in terms of usability and that the lower price points make Android phones attractive. Android’s security, a primary concern at large organizations, is also being improved thanks to newer versions of the OS and third-party vendors, including SAP.

Companies like SAP don’t dole out iPads so their employees can play Angry Birds and update their Facebook statues. SAP’s business apps let smartphones and tablets tap into powerful servers and terabytes of data.Sales people to update their sales forecasts and for managers to quickly analyze terabytes of data with a few taps and swipes. Managers can approve employees’ purchase requests and paid time off by launching an HR app and tapping a couple of buttons. Android and iOS apps can be used in lieu of clunky business applications and overly complex web apps.

Despite the prevalence of tablets and smartphones at SAP and other large businesses, Bussman noted that the notebook isn’t going anywhere. Editing documents and presentations is still physical-keyboard territory. Until there’s a much better way to edit office documents on a tablet business people will have to lug their notebooks on business trips out of necessity.

SAP Playing with Fire…and Other Consumer Tablets is a post by Xavier Lanier from Gotta Be Mobile.

Except: they’re not.

First, there’s more to the cost of a device than just the price of parts. You have to pay people to assemble the parts, the packaging as to be designed and created, you have to ship the thing around, and you have to pay marketing and PR people to promote it.

That people don’t understand this is the cause of much eye-rolling here in my house whenever the latest iSupply teardown reveals that – horrors! — someone is selling a product for more than the price of its parts.

Beyond that, Amazon can afford to not make any profit off of the Fire itself because customers who buy it will buy more things. Anyone who purchased or was given the tablet has already made an unofficial commitment to the Amazon ecosystem. You’re going to buy books, you’re going to rent or buy VOD (or join Prime), you’re going to buy apps, you’re going to buy MP3s. You just are. It’s why you wanted a Kindle Fire. It’s why Amazon made the Kindle Fire.

How much are each of these customers worth? At least $100, according to data from the RBC investment banking firm. Right now it looks like most of that extra revenue is coming from eBook and app sales. I suspect that video will account for a bigger chunk and even raise the average once Amazon builds up their Prime streaming catalog and gets more day-after TV episodes. The Netflix ship is listing and Amazon is poised to become the iceberg that takes it down.

I’m surprised that this is news to anyone else. Amazon’s strategy here was clear to me from the beginning.

Remember how the first Kindle was super expensive at $399? The second generation wasn’t much better at first, selling for $359. Remember when people cried How Dare They! when iSupply revealed that the device’s parts cost much less than retail price. Shocking, I know.

Amazon continued along, eventually lowering the price of the second gen and third gen and, with the latest iterations, finally hitting the sub-$100 price point everyone had been hoping for. But the parts inside didn’t get so much less expensive over the years. Some have come down in price — like eInk displays — but not that much. It’s just that now Amazon has an ecosystem and can afford to give you the delivery system for less because they know you’ll keep buying stuff over time.

The more Kindle customers they gained the less Kindle devices were to purchase. Funny how that works.

What’s even better is that Amazon is one of the few companies where this strategy will work. For example, Samsung is a major global manufacturer, but they didn’t price the Galaxy Tab Plus 7.0 at $199 in the hopes that customers would buy apps from their store or music and video from their Media Hub. They just don’t have a customer base like that. Samsung is a device maker first. Amazon isn’t.

Can this strategy work for other manufacturers? Is it even worth emulating?

The bottom line is: Amazon is not losing money on the Kindle Fire. At all. If anyone tries to tell you this, laugh in their faces and keep moving.

Amazon Makes Money Off Of Kindle Fire Owners, Not Device Sales (Duh) is a post by K. T. Bradford from Gotta Be Mobile.

We know it’s hard to comprehend for some of you, but not everyone is willing to throw down hundreds of dollars for a new smartphone.

Well, those not looking to break the bank when purchasing a new 4G smartphone will be happy to know that there are some inexpensive options out there that not only won’t cost you an arm and a leg but might even last you all the way through your contract.

Here, we’ve selected five phones that we feel are the best of the best in terms of what you get for the price.

HTC ThunderBolt

While we have a love-hate relationship with the original 4G LTE smartphone, there is no denying the fact that the HTC ThunderBolt is an extremely solid device when priced at a penny.

You’ll not only get those 4G LTE speeds, which are 10 times faster than normal 3G, but you’ll be getting a well-built phone that should be getting the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update in the future.

It doesn’t have a high-resolution screen or a dual-core processor but it can handle just about anything an average user would throw at it. Things like surfing the web, playing games, making phone calls, and sending or receiving emails.

HTC ThunderBolt at Amazon

LG Thrill 4G

Unless you have a finger on the pulse of the mobile industry, you’ve probably never heard of the LG Thrill 4G for AT&T’s HSPA+ network. Well, now you’re about to, so welcome to the party.

The Thrill 4G is a decent Android phone that becomes an exceptional Android phone when offered at this price point. And that’s because of the hardware that it has on board.

It has a large 1,500 mAh battery which gets good battery life. It has a dual-core processor that will allow you to multitask with ease. It has two rear cameras which allow for 3D filming in 720p quality and 1080 HD when in 2D. And it has got a 1.3MP camera in the front for video chat.

It’s still on Android 2.2 Froyo but it should be getting the upgrade to Android 2.3 Gingerbread at some point in 2012 which should only make it better.

LG Thrill at Amazon

Nexus S 4G

While not the most current Nexus, Sprint’s Nexus S 4G is still a worthy option for those looking for a vanilla Android experience paired with 4G speeds.

For those unaware, Nexus essentially translates to developer phone which means you’ll get a version of Android that is not only easily customizable, but one that isn’t bogged down by a manufacturers user interface.

This means that, for the most part, you’ll get a much smoother experience.

The Nexus S 4G also has a fantastic design (it’s still one of my favorites) and has enough juice in the hardware department to satisfy everyone but the hardcore power user.

Nexus S 4G at Amazon

Samsung Infuse 4G

If you’re looking for a smartphone with a large screen without the large price tag, the Samsung Infuse 4G might just be your horse. It sports a massive 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display which is great for watching streaming content on the web or through Netflix. We should also mention that it supports full 1080p HD playback.

It also has an 8MP camera in the rear that performs admirably, a front-facing camera for video chat, a large 1750 mAh battery, and Android 2.2 Froyo which should be upgraded to Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Throw all of that in with its 4G speeds and you have a phone that should be extremely tempting for some of you.

Samsung Infuse 4G at Amazon

Samsung Focus Flash 4G

What? You thought there were only Android phones that were both good and cheap? Wrong. The Samsung Focus Flash for AT&T is a Windows Phone that is certainly worth a look at this price.

It’s running Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.5 Mango software, which is a fantastic OS, and it has a fantastic design that makes it one of the best smartphones that you can get at this price.

The Focus Flash is a perfect entry level phone for someone that doesn’t need a hardware juggernaut and it’s also perfect for those that are looking to get on board the Windows Phone train for cheap.

Samsung Focus Flash 4G at Amazon

Best Smartphones Available for a Penny is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Unlike the Kindle Fire and it’s arch nemesis the Nook Tablet, these 7-inch slates aren’t all stripped of their Bluetooth radios, their cameras, and their Android Markets. Does that make them better and more appealing? These all come out in the next few months (if they aren’t already), so we’ll know soon.

Which one of these five Android tablets appeals most to you?

ASUS MeMO 370T – $249

Specs: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS, 16GB internal storage, 1.3 GHz Tegra 3 (quad-core) CPU, 1GB RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth, 1280 x 800 resolution, microSD slot, micro HDMI, 8MP rear camera.

Pros: Quad-core Tegra performance should prove excellent; full Android tablet experience, including Android Market; latest Android OS; plenty of internal storage; HD display is beautiful; HD output; good build quality and design.

Cons: It’s not out yet.

Availability: Second quarter 2012.

Read: ASUS MeMO Hands-On [Video]

Lenovo IdeaPad A1 — $249

Specs: Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, 16GB internal storage, 1 GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 3622 (single core) CPU, 512MB RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, 1024 x 600 resolution, microSD slot, 0.3MP front camera, 3MP rear camera.

Pros: Full Android experience, including Android Market; front and rear cameras; good build quality and design; large internal storage.

Cons: Old operating system; same resolution as Kindle Fire; needs more RAM; no HDMI or HD output.

Availability: Now.

Read: Lenovo Ideapad A1 7-Inch Android Tablet Hands-On

Nook Tablet — $249

Specs: Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS with Nook Interface, 16GB internal storage, 1 GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 (dual-core) CPU, 1GB RAM, WiFi, 1024 x 600 resolution, microSD slot (up to 32GB).

Pros: Nook interface makes Android easier to work with for less tech-savvy users; robust content ecosystem for books, magazines, comics and more; good build quality and design; large internal storage.

Cons: Nook App Store isn’t as large as Amazon’s plus no access to Android Market by default; older operating system; no multimedia content buying options on board; no HD output; no Bluetooth; no cameras.

Availability: Now.

Read: Nook Tablet Review

Archos 70B — $199

Specs: Android 3.1 Honeycomb OS, 8GB internal storage, 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A8 (single core) CPU, 512MB RAM, 1024 x 600 resolution, microSD slot, mini HDMI out, WiFi, Bluetooth.

Pros: Full Android experience, including access to Android Market; robust multimedia and codec support, supports playback of more formats than most tablets; outputs display to HDTV; three-position kickstand.

Cons: Resolution is low compared to other Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich tablets; CPU/RAM combo suggests uninspiring performance.

Availability: This month.

Coby MID7042 – $179

Specs: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS, 4GB internal storage, 1 GHz ARM Cortex A8 (single core) CPU, 1GB RAM, WiFi, 800 x 480 resolution, micro SD slot (up to 32GB), mini HDMI, front-facing 1.0MP, 720P camera.

Pros: Full Android experience for much less than Kindle Fire; latest Android operating system; HD output; 1GB of RAM.

Cons: No Android Market (may be available at launch), low resolution display; may not get great performance from processor.

Availability: By March 2012.

5 Kindle Fire Alternatives is a post by K. T. Bradford from Gotta Be Mobile.

Amazon has released an iPad optimized website for Kindle Content. No, it’s not an App. That would violate Apple’s rules of the game. So, Amazon has created a site that’s easy to touch, looks very, very nice, and allows iPad users to browse Kindle content that they might like to purchase for their iPad (or other Kindle device.) You can locate the site here: http://amazon.com/iPadKindleStore/.

When Apple changed the rules back last summer, Amazon didn’t want to comply so users on that device had to be content to use the regular website on their iPad (or other device) to buy Kindle content for their iPad. Now you can browse and buy from this iPad optimized site, but be aware you won’t be reading the content through the site. Although there is a button that allows you to pop out to Amazon’s Cloud Reader should you want to stay in your browser.

The site is set up to deliver recommendations (naturally) as well as top selling and top free eBooks. There’s also a “New and Noteworthy” section. And of course you can search. You can Amazon’s full site and curiously you’re taken to the regular web page if you choose publications as well. I’m guessing that might change someday.

Amazon Launches an iPad Optimized Kindle Web Site is a post by Warner Crocker from Gotta Be Mobile.

That price comes from the folks at Amazon and it comes after the signing of a new two-year contract.

Now, obviously, this isn’t the death knell for the HTC Rezound but it’s definitely a sign that it is struggling with the competition.

Verizon’s 4G LTE network currently boasts two other high-end smartphones in the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Motorola Droid RAZR, both of which have likely done serious damage to Rezound sales.

And it should only be a matter of time before the Rezound drops even further in price.

HTC is expected to announce its latest smartphone or smartphones, widely believed to be powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 chip, next month at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

But, if quad-core doesn’t matter to you and you’re not thrilled about the prospect of owning a Galaxy Nexus or the Droid RAZR – or a number of the other Android devices available at the moment, a $199 HTC Rezound might be appealing to you.

You can find it  for sale on Amazon if you head right here.

Before you take the plunge however, you’ll want to read our in-depth review of the United States’ first Beats Audio powered smartphone.

Via: Droid-Life

HTC Rezound Price Falls to $199 at Amazon is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet, which has been a hot-selling commodity, is based on Google’s Android operating system with a heavily skinned user interface overlay. The tablet has done well in the market with dual-core specs and an attractive $200 price tag while traditional Android tablets haven’t done as well in the space.

A Nexus Tablet would go head-to-head with the Kindle Fire, according to DigiTimes’ sources, who say that Google intends to release a 7-inch tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich at under $200. Unlike Android manufacturers, Google can actually afford to do this as it could draw money and revenues from other sources to offset the losses and subsidize a Nexus tablet. Google can pull from advertising revenue generated on Android mobile view, sales from its digital storefronts (apps, music, books, and videos), and also from any content partnerships it may have. This is a similar strategy that Amazon is employing with the Kindle Fire as Amazon has effectively replaced Google’s digital store with its own Amazon Appstore for Android, and is augmenting apps with its own Kindle Store and Amazon MP3 store.

DigiTimes claims that the tablet is slated to arrive in the March-April time frame, which is typically when we see a new Apple iPad get released. It’s unclear if Google wants to take on Apple directly with the proximity in time of the release dates, but 2012 may prove to be an interesting year for tablets.

Apple is also rumored to be headed into the 7- to 8-inch tablet space with a new iPad model and the company may re-examine its pricing strategy to compete against low-cost competitors like Amazon and to shut out other rivals from entering the market.

Nexus Tablet’s Biggest Competitor Is Amazon’s Kindle Fire is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Gotta Be Mobile.

Chances are the person who gifted you the eReader didn’t know that they were also gifting you the pleasure of advertising. Amazon is being aggressive with the Special Offers versions. Not only do they advertise the lower prices as the default price, but Kindles sold in physical retail locations are all Special Offers enabled.

Consumers can buy ad-free Kindles from Amazon’s website. If you received one as a gift, there is a way to get rid of these ads. Unfortunately, it requires paying extra money unless you’re comfortable doing a little hacking.

The Touch is on the left and the Kindle 4 on the right

To remove the ads by paying, sign in to your Amazon.com account from your browser and go to Manage Your Kindle. In the column on the left side under “Your Kindle Account” click Manage Your Devices.

You’ll see a list of registered devices plus columns for Type, Actions, and Special Offers. Click Edit under Special Offers to begin the process of unsubscribing.

Amazon will charge you the difference between the Special Offers price and the regular price ($30 – $50) to turn the ads off.

Once you’ve completed the process, turn on your Kindle’s Wi-Fi or 3G and sync it with Amazon’s servers (refreshing the library will start this process). Once it syncs, Amazon will turn off the Special Offers and you’ll have an ad-free Kindle.

The process is simple and quick, but I’m sure plenty of people got an unpleasant shock when they discovered that their gift contained caveats. While some will choose to ignore the ads or do so because they can’t afford to pay to get rid of them, others have an unexpected extra holiday expense.

If you’re comfortable with engaging in some hacking, an industrious developer named Pat Hartl has figured out a way to remove the ads using a security flaw in the Kindle Touch that allows users to root the device with an MP3 file. No hacking skills required. Do note, however, that this may not work with the Kindle Keyboard or Kindle 4.

The first part of the post on his site explains how to jailbreak then use some Linux commands to get rid of the ads. But if you scroll down to the bottom you’ll see that Hartl found a way to make it far easier.

• First, create a new screensaver image to replace the ads. It needs to be 600 x 800 pixels and in PNG format. The Paint program that comes with Windows can save in this file format. Name the file screensaver.png.
• You can choose a picture, a drawing, anything you wish. It doesn’t have to be grayscale, but it will help you see how it will eventually look if you convert it to grayscale before saving.
• Click here to download Pat Hartl’s .zip file containing all the necessary components. Unzip it into a folder where you’ll be able to easily find it again (I usually create a special folder on my desktop). Replace the screensaver.png he includes in his zip file with the one you created.
• Connect your Kindle to your computer with the USB cord, then copy all the files, including the Music folder, to the top folder of your Kindle.
• Go to the MP3 player (Menu > Experimental > MP3 Player) and tap the track Press To Toggle Ads! Your device should reboot without ads and using the screensaver you created.

To turn the ads back on, just go back to the MP3 player and tap the track again. It will automatically reverse itself.

As with any sort of jailbreaking/hacking, there are some caveats. First, this may void your warranty with Amazon, which means if you need support for your Kindle or a replacement, you could be out of luck. Second, this hack is new, so there’s no way of knowing if Amazon will be able to tell if you’ve turned off the ads. It’s possible that they can tell. Since the Special Offers pricing is a subsidy, Amazon may charge you the extra money if they find you out, anyway. Last, this hack also breaks the Kindle’s ability to get software updates from Amazon.

Those are your two choices: pay to get rid of the ads and ensure that your warranty stays intact or get rid of them for free and possibly make Amazon angry. I know some people are mad enough about the situation to choose the latter.

How To Remove Ads From Your Kindle Touch, Keyboard, or Kindle 4 is a post by K. T. Bradford from Gotta Be Mobile.

That of course means that there is a long way to go before we can recommend throwing it on your Kindle Fire. However, if you’re insanely curious or if you’re a developer, you can get it going right now.

Normally, Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet has a heavily modified version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board. So, what you’ll see here is a vast departure from that. And, as we’ve said, this isn’t a finalized version in the slightest.

Video doesn’t work, audio doesn’t work normally yet, and it is apparently littered with other glitches and bugs. But, that’s not really the point. The point is, this is Android 4.0 running on the Amazon Fire, an update that may never officially come to Amazon’s tablet because of how much Amazon would have to alter it to get it to function properly.

Remember, the Kindle Fire’s OS is tied in directly with Amazon’s services.

While we suggest grabbing some popcorn and watching the video before a more stabalized version of this is released, we know that we can’t stop you all.

If you want to take the plunge, you can find Android 4.0 for the Kindle Fire right here.

Video: Android 4.0 on the Kindle Fire is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Here are links to last year’s wish list as well as 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.

• Now that we’ve gotten past the “everybody needs to market a Tablet right now” phase and are moving into phase that determines who is really going to compete in this sector, I’d like to see the manufacturers acknowledge that there really isn’t that much difference between their hardware and ecosystems, so we can all move on from the ridiculous lawsuits.
• I’d like to see Amazon continue to move the Kindle Fire platform forward and become a real player in the mobile and Tablet sector. They have the resources to compete on the one feature that will drive things the most: price.
• I’d like to see Google really focus on the Tablet space with Android. Honeycomb was a farce visited on us by folks who know better. Let’s hope Ice Cream Sandwich yields a better effort when those “high class” Tablets debut in June.
• I’d like to see the pace of releases slow down enough so that early consumers aren’t forced to deal with v1.0 issues or greeted with an immediate update.
• 4G is coming. It’s here in some places. When it works. Great. Now, let’s get some mobile gadgets that can actually use it without depleting the battery so quickly. I’m tired of the one step forward, two step backwards game.
• Truth in advertising. Is that concept dead, or should we resurrect it?
• I’d like to see Siri and whatever Google’s answer to that (Majel?) will be really get some laser focus for future development.
• Apple’s iCloud is full of promise. So are politicians. Until Apple makes iCloud work seamlessly with its desktops and laptops, it’s not even a Beta. The fact that this is a cloud service with out some sort of easily accessible photo storage is laughable.
• GMail needs to live up to Google’s promises about speed and reliability. I know the push is on social at Google. But I’d rather have reliable and dependable access to email than social features.
• Let’s have some honest discussion about media streaming, online backup, always-on connectivity, and bandwidth caps.
• I’d like to see Microsoft really succeed with Windows 8 and what that means for Tablets. I fear it will only partially do so, and that won’t be enough. But I’m hoping I’m wrong.
• I’d like to see Microsoft’s Windows 8 Tablets bring about a resurgence of Ink Enabled Apps.
• I’d like to see some acknowledgment from Microsoft that OneNote is indeed a Killer App.
• I’d like to see the mobile tech and gadget industry move away from the horrible trap it has built for itself with a focus on early sales numbers. First weekend numbers are great to announce, but I’m not sure it is accurate barometer of anything other than first weekend numbers.
• In fact, I’d like to see the “horse race” for numbers about Apps and activations and whatever become less important.
• I’m hoping that Rumor Blogging dies a quick and sudden death. At least for rumors that mean absolutely nothing. Yes, company X will be releasing a new version of product Y. Only morons don’t know this to be the case and continuing to ginny up hype about this kind of common sense rumor only shows how little you think of your audience.
• It really is time for a single sign on that cuts across platforms, business models, and cuts through the nonsense.
• It is time to admit that there privacy on the web is just an illusion.
• I’d like to see RIM’s two CEOs step down. RIM needs to be shaken up badly and not just for having drunken employees misbehaving on planes.
• Thunderbolt. Whoopee! Call me when there are consumer level devices that work with it.
• As we move deeper into the battle for the living room I hope that at some point we see some forward thinking by the content controllers that acknowledges that they are probably losing money in the long run while they fight to retain control.
• I hope HP’s move to open source webOS actually becomes something. I have my doubts.
• I repeat this every year and will until we see some change. CEOs of gadget companies should be forced to unpack or unbox their products on video or when they announce the product.
• Now that the FCC and US Justice Department have actually shown that they can deal with a carrier and a US corporation (AT&T) in a responsible fashion, I’d like to see Congress at least pretend that it knows what it is doing when it tries to write laws about a technology that it doesn’t understand and doesn’t seem to care about its ignorance.
• I’d like to see Facebook go through a year without changing anything.
• I’d like to see an end to Early Termination Fees. Or at least I’d like to see consumers be able to demand rebates when a product that is overhyped doesn’t work as advertised.
• If your product isn’t ready for reviewers to touch it and use it when it is announced, then don’t announce it.
• And as always, whirled peas.

A Christmas Wish List for Mobile Geeks and Tableteers is a post by Warner Crocker from Gotta Be Mobile.