Blackberry 10: Too Little, Too Late

The company formerly known as RIM finally launched their last-ditch effort to remain relevant in the mobile industry by announcing the Blackberry Z10 & Q10 - the first devices to be based on the long-delayed Blackberry 10 operating system. The company even changed its name to "Blackberry" to drive home their focus. Unfortunately, these moves seem to be "too little, too late". Let's take a look at why that is the case.

1. Pricing & Lack of Emerging Market Focus

Blackberry seems to be making the same mistakes that have plagued Nokia under Stephen Elop. The pricing of the Blackberry Z10 & Q10 "flagship" devices seem to be squarely aimed at developed markets. The fact that less than 40% of Blackberry's Q3 revenue came from the US, UK & Canada clearly shows that emerging markets have kept them afloat so far. The pricing of BB10 devices will severely limit emerging market demand, while lower cost competitors continue to gain steam and move up-market.

2. Defensive Move

Blackberry's marketing focus clearly hints that their moves with BB10 are defensive in nature. Their goal seems to be to sell BB10 devices to existing Blackberry users to ensure that their subscriber base does not continue to decline. Given the state of the Blackberry subscriber base in the US, the price points & market focus make even less sense. Switching existing enterprise users over to BB10 will not save the company, and even that seems to be a long shot. As flawed as Nokia's Lumia strategy was, at least their marketing strategy seemed to target users of competing platforms.

3. Incremental Improvements

While a few Blackberry 10 features may appeal to certain consumer segments, they are unlikely to abandon their current ecosystems for BB10's relatively sparse platform. At the end of the day, much like Windows Phone, all new BB10 features are incremental improvements - an outcome of "playing catch-up" with Android and iOS. It is very difficult to "out-innovate" established platforms when you find yourself so far behind. Blackberry needed a truly disruptive platform to grab consumer attention and Blackberry 10 is not it.

Outlook

While there may be some pent-up demand for BB10 devices at launch, I don't expect consumer interest to last. I expect BB10 sales to fail to match even Nokia's Lumia portfolio. Blackberry's goal was to use a successful launch to drum up OEM interest in licensing the BB10 platform, but a break-up sale may be a more likely outcome.

Microsoft Surface Pro vs. iPad

We compare the specs - and other features - of the Microsoft Surface Pro and iPad 4

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Microsoft’s interest in tablets goes all the way back to 2002. The original Microsoft Tablet PCs ran Windows XP, were thick and heavy, and used styluses. They didn’t sell. But now that the iPad has made the tablet a cultural centerpiece, Microsoft has a new one. It runs Windows 8, is thick and heavy, and uses a stylus. Is Surface the future of computing, or just a retread of a past failure? Read on, as we compare the specs – and other features – of the Microsoft Surface Pro and 4th-generation iPad.

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Size

Surface Pro is longer and narrower than the iPad, but the biggest difference is its thickness. It’s a beefy tablet, with a depth 4.1 mm greater than the iPad.

Weight

Microsoft’s Surface Pro is also much heavier than the iPad: by a whopping 254 g.

Display

The iPad has higher resolution and pixel density. But Surface’s ClearType (subpixel rendering) tech can make its display look sharper than its above-average resolution would suggest.

Processor

This is the first category that Surface clearly wins – at least in terms of raw performance. Its Intel Core i5 is the same processor found in the entry-level MacBook Air.

The iPad’s A6X, though, delivers all the performance iOS requires, while taking much less of a hit on battery life.

RAM

Surface Pro’s RAM is also laptop-like, with 4 GB next to the iPad’s 1 GB.

Storage

Why does Surface's storage have asterisks? Its usable free space falls well short of the advertised 64 GB and 128 GB: 29 GB and 89 GB, respectively.

Every mobile device offers less available storage than what’s advertised (including the iPad). But Windows 8 and Surface's recovery partition take up much more space. Surface's free space is closer to the numbers in theMacBook Air (and Ultrabooks) than other tablets.

Wireless

Microsoft went Wi-Fi-only with Surface. If you want mobile data, you’ll need to tether your phone or plug in a USB hotspot.

The iPad is available in both Wi-Fi-only and (more expensive) 3G/LTE models.

Battery

Don’t be fooled by the similar capacities. Surface Pro’s Intel chip and desktop operating system will drain its battery in around four hours. The iPad, with similar use, could last closer to ten hours.

Cameras

If cameras are a priority, the iPad is a much better choice. Microsoft describes both of Surface’s shooters as “720p,” which probably means about 1-megapixel.

Starting price

Surface Pro’s specs are Ultrabook-like, and that includes its price. If you add its keyboard (not included), you’ll be plunking down at least US$1,020.

By comparison, you can buy the 32 GB iPad (which has about the same usable storage as the 64 GB Surface Pro) along with a Bluetooth keyboard for $670.

Intangibles

Like the early Windows tablets – and unlike last year’s Surface RT – Surface Pro runs full-fledged Windows. Any Windows app that you can install on your desktop is fair game for Surface Pro. They aren’t all touch-friendly, but the included stylus (and an optional mouse) can help.

While Surface Pro brings the desktop PC into mobile, the iPad brings itsiPhone roots into the world of personal computing. Apple’s App Store doesn’t have Windows’ advanced, productivity-focused apps (like, say, CS6). But it does have an app library that's 100 percent touch-friendly. You can also use the iPad’s apps all day without worrying too much about battery life.

Scosche rolls-out new line of Lightning chargers

Scosche as unveiled four Lighting chargers and a retractable Lightning cable for iDevices

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One issue for those upgrading to an iPhone 5, fourth generation iPad, or iPad mini is the lack of accessories designed to work with the new Lightning connector. Scosche is looking to help rectify the situation with its new line of Lightning cables and chargers.

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Scosche's new chargers include the strikeBASE wall charger, which has a 3-foot cable, and comes in both 5 W and 12 W versions. The strikeBASE also has a compact form-factor designed not to block the other outlet on your wall.

The strikeDRIVE car charger, like the strikeBASE, is available in 5W and 12W varieties and comes with a 3-foot cable. The difference, which is standard among car chargers, is the inclusion of a coiled cable.

The new line-up is rounded-off by the strikeLINE PRO. Billed as the first official retractable cable for Lightning devices, the strikeLINE PRO extends to 3 feet long.

The strikeBASE in 5 W and the strikeDRIVE in 5 W both retail for US$29.99. The 12 W version of the strikeBASE and strikeDrive both come with a retail price of $34.99, and the strikeLINE PRO will set buyers back $24.99.

HTC One X+ vs. One X

It seems so long ago. Before Samsung grew into the dominant player, the hottest Android manufacturer was HTC. Fast-forward to today, and HTC is trying to regroup with its series of One phones. Its latest offering is the upgraded version of the One X, dubbed the One X+. How does the new phone compare to its predecessor? Let's take a look.

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Google gave HTC a shot in the arm with the first Nexus device, the Nexus One. The Taiwanese company subsequently solidified its status with the hot-selling powerhouse, the HTC EVO 4G. Then HTC made the mistake of going all-in on 3D (has that ever worked for anyone besides James Cameron?) and Beats Audio. This led to a disappointing 2011, and 2012 hasn't fared much better.

HTC's attempt to rebound has come in the One series. It rekindles the type of simple, elegant, and powerful device that put the company on the map. The high-end handset of the bunch, the One X, was praised by critics, but hasn't exactly been a hot seller.

Now HTC is continuing its back-to-basics approach by introducing the One X+. Much like Motorola did with the Droid Razr Maxx, Peter Chou and company are taking their flagship phone and tweaking it in several key areas.

Lets break down the specs between HTC's two One X revisions:

Dimensions

No differences here

Look familiar? As you can see, the phones are physically identical. These are somewhat beefy phones compared to anorexic handsets like the Droid Razr and iPhone 5, but their sleek design should help make up for that.

Weight

The upgraded battery in the One X+ adds a negligible amount of heft

The One X+ tips the scales a bit more than its predecessor, because of its superior battery (see below).

Display

The display in the One X was already top-notch; so no changes there

The display also stayed the same in the One X+. HTC decided that the terrific 720p resolution, 312 pixels per inch (ppi) screen in the One X was good enough to leave alone. You will probably agree.

Processor

The One X+ has an improved Tegra 3 over the international version of the One X, and a big upgrade from the dual-core chip in the US One X

Here's another big upgrade in the One X+: a quad-core Tegra 3 processor. The global (non-US) version of the One X sported a Tegra 3, but the US version had a dual-core chip. With the One X+, everyone gets in on the quad-core action.

Clocked at 1.7GHz, it looks better on paper than just about any other smartphone CPU.

RAM

RAM stays the same in the One X+

RAM stayed the same in the One X+, with HTC focusing more on the upgraded processor for a performance boost.

Storage

Internal storage gets a big upgrade in the One X+

Flash memory also got upgraded in the One X+. It ships with a whopping 64GB of internal memory. This helps to offset the absence of a microSD card slot, which the One X also lacked.

Like with the One X, HTC is also offering 25GB of free Dropbox storage (which is integrated into HTC Sense for photo and video syncing) for two years. Combining physical and cloud storage, that gives One X+ owners a theoretical 89GB for storing files and media.

Wireless

Like with the One X, it may be mostly US customers enjoying LTE in the One X+

The One X only supported LTE in the US (the rest of the world got Tegra 3 instead). With the One X+, HTC can finally combine NVIDIA's quad-core chip with "true 4G."

Many global customers, however, will be limited to a non-LTE version of the One X+.

In the US, the One X+ will be exclusive to AT&T. Keep in mind, though, that AT&T's LTE network is still growing and is only available in select regions.

Battery

The One X+ packs a better battery into an identical external casing

The One X+ also gets an upgraded battery. The One X has solid battery life, but the X+ should last a full day for most users.

Cameras

Only the front-facing camera sees an upgrade in the One X+

No changes here for the One X+, aside from a slightly upgraded front camera. As the One X has one of the better smartphone cameras available, this isn't a bad area to stand pat.

Intangibles

We're stretching here a bit, as both phones will soon have Jellybean, and both ship with Beats Audio (Dr. Dre photo: Ed Kavishe)

With two nearly identical phones, there aren't many miscellaneous differentiating factors. The One X+ will ship with Android 4.1 Jellybean, but the One X will be receiving an OTA Jellybean update soon.

The One X+ will sport an upgraded version of HTC Sense. Sense 4+ features a few perks, like a Self Portrait mode (face detection helps you take better pics with the front-facing camera), the ability to use the power button as a camera shortcut, and an enhanced Gallery.

The best features of the One X carry over to its successor, but both phones do have Dr. Dre and company's Beats Audio. The reaction to Beats in HTC phones has been mixed at best, but it can enhance your listening experience if you pair it with Beats headphones.

iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S III

There's nothing like a good rivalry. Whether it's Ali vs. Frazier, FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, or Magic vs. Bird, gritty duels have a way of getting people pumped. In this Digital Age, consumer tech has its own sets of sworn opponents: in the 80s it was Apple vs. IBM, later we saw Windows vs. OS X, and gamers even have Playstation vs. Xbox.

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In 2012, however, the biggest tech rivalry is the match between the two biggest players in mobile: Apple and Samsung. This one has gotten nasty,extending into international courts. Things only get more interesting with the release of Apple's iPhone 5 this week.

A great product is much more than the sum of its parts, but – even in this post-PC era – specs can matter. If one phone has a quad-core chip with 2GB of RAM, and another a single-core CPU with 128MB of RAM, the first one will be much faster. Likewise, a display with 320 pixels per inch (ppi) will look much sharper than one with 163ppi. You'd be foolish to worship at the altar of specs, but technical details can still shed some light on the subject.

So, with many grains of salt in hand, let's see how Apple's newest iPhone stacks up against the current cream of Android's crop, the Samsung Galaxy S III:

Dimensions

Say what you will about Samsung's originality, but its devices are beloved by millions. The Galaxy S III has an expansive surface, but measures thinner than the previous two iPhones.

The iPhone 5, meanwhile, is Apple's first redesigned handset in over two years. It's longer than the iPhone 4/4S (by 8.6mm), but maintains the same width. At 7.6mm thick, the iPhone 5 is also one of the thinnest smartphones around (the Droid Razr measures at 7.1mm, but it has a protruding hump).

Weight

The iPhone 5 is light. Though the iPhone 4/4S was far from a hulking monstrosity, the new model is 28 grams lighter. Part of this is due to its thinner design (and internal components), but its aluminum backing is the biggest reason. The past two iPhones had glass backs, which naturally added some heft.

Though it may feel heavy next to the iPhone 5, you can do much worse than the Galaxy S III. Despite sporting a monstrous display and a wider build than Apple's latest, it's still a relatively light smartphone.

Display

The iPhone 5 offers the first change in screen size since Apple entered the industry in 2007, boosting the iPhone display from 3.5 to 4 inches. Rather than adding a huge screen with the same 3:2 aspect ratio, though, Tim Cook & company lengthened it. It shifts to a narrower 16:9 aspect ratio: larger, but you can still reach your thumb across the screen.

The Galaxy S III, meanwhile, has a display that is both longer and wider than the iPhone's. If you aren't concerned with thumb reach, the S3 offers significantly more screen real estate.

Size isn't everything though. Apple is promising 44 percent greater color saturation over the iPhone 4/4S. The touch-sensing electrodes are also nearer to the display's surface, moving one step closer to the illusion of ink on paper.

CPU

Remember when I said specs weren't everything? These chips are great examples. On paper, the processors in both versions (North America and international) of the Galaxy S III are superior - faster clock speed and an equal or greater number of cores. But early tests reveal that Apple's custom A6 SoC is a beast, breaking records in Geekbench and Sunspider benchmarks.

Unsurprisingly, the A6's closest rival in those tests has been the Galaxy S III. Both editions of the handset deliver some of the best smartphone performance you'll see in 2012 ... but they may not match the wicked speed of the iPhone 5.

RAM

Another big factor in performance, RAM is evenly matched at 1GB in the iPhone 5 and the global Galaxy S III. The US/Canada S3, meanwhile, doubles the memory with a whopping 2GB.

Storage

Here's another closely-matched category. The 64GB version of Samsung's flagship launches soon, and the only other difference is the microSD card slot that it (and most Android phones) offer.

As always, more flash memory means you're spending more money.

Wireless Connectivity

After over 18 months worth of LTE-equipped Android phones, Apple has now given us an iPhone with "true 4G." Those who live in an area with available coverage will see cellular data speeds that are faster than many home broadband connections.

The Galaxy S III also supports LTE, like most high-end Android phones from the last year or so.

Battery

The biggest reason for Apple taking its sweet time delivering LTE? It took a while to get battery life up to snuff. Early LTE phones like the HTC Thunderbolt and Motorola Droid Bionic sometimes struggled to last a few hours. We finally saw an LTE phone with great battery life in the Droid Razr Maxx, and the Galaxy S III is no slouch either. It should last a full day for most users.

We've yet to put an iPhone 5 through the paces, but Apple promises better battery life than the iPhone 4S, even while on LTE. Early reviews suggest that it lives up to this promise, but we'll update after getting our hands on one.

Camera

You can't go wrong with either camera. At least before the iPhone 5, many valued the S3's shooter as the best on the market. Despite many similarities to the 4S' camera, Apple is promising key improvements over its predecessor - including better low-light shooting.

Apple is highlighting a new panorama shooting feature in iOS 6 (exclusive to the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5). Though it offers Apple's customary polish and attention to detail, there are already several quality third-party panorama apps on both iOS and Android, and a similar stock panorama feature on the S3.

Intangibles

Though Apple design guru Jony Ive isn't part of the iPhone 5, he does represent those elements of Apple's appeal that can't be drawn from tech specs alone. While rival manufacturers focus more on specs, marketable features, and pricing, Apple's main focus is on the customer's experience. That includes the feeling one gets from holding, viewing, and using the product. With its combination of lightness, unprecedented thinness, and beautiful design, the iPhone 5 may epitomize this philosophy more than any prior Apple product.

The Galaxy S III, on the other hand, is today's Android flagship. In a crowded field of high-end smartphones, that's no small feat. In other words, if a friend asked for advice on the one Android phone to buy, you'd be wise to recommend the Galaxy S III.

The Galaxy S III isn't quite on the software cutting edge, sporting the nearly year-old Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (skinned with Samsung's Touchwiz UI). Samsung did, however, cook up several unique features: S Beam (which utilizes its Near Field Communication chip to enable peer-to-peer sharing), a variety of social sharing features, and its (less intelligent) Siri rival, S Voice.

The iPhone 5 ships with iOS 6, which heralds the arrival of a new Apple Maps app - including Siri-powered turn-by-turn navigation - and system-wide Facebook sharing. It also brings incremental improvements to Safari, Mail, iCloud, and Siri.

Long-term Apple customers will notice another big difference this year: Apple has redesigned its bundled earbuds. Now known as Earpods, the tiny headphones promise a more secure and comfortable fit, as well as improved acoustics. As a standalone $30 product, these aren't high-end models for audiophiles, but they do look to drastically improve on the old earbuds.

One last iPhone update to keep in mind: Apple added a new connector to the iPhone 5. Dubbed Lightning, it's smaller, promises faster speeds, and is reversible. Unfortunately, it also requires you to buy a $30 adapter to keep using all of your old docks, speakers, and other accessories. It was time for the old 30-pin connector to go, but it would have been nice to see a cheaper (or bundled) adapter for those old accessories.

Summing Up

So which phone is better? Who's the grand poo-bah of the smartphone market? Much of that will come down to your preferences. If you've already dug your heels into either the Android or iOS camp, then your mind was likely made up long ago. But if you haven't yet chosen a side, we recommend you head to a retail store to get some hands-on time with both phones. It's hard to go wrong with either one.

As the iPhone 5 begins to arrive on people's doorsteps (and in the hands of weary Apple Store campers), we'd love to hear your thoughts about it. Does it live up to expectations, or feel like another incremental update? Feel free to let us know in the comments.