As a product reviewer, I look at a lot of different items from a number of different genres and vendors.  I’ve looked at everything from beer glasses to PC’s and mobile devices over the last 15 years. One of the things that I learned early on, especially with electronics, if your review is going to be value-added for ANYONE it can’t be done in a couple of days. That kind of "off-the-cuff" review doesn’t nearly give the reader the opportunity to see what the product is REALLY like after the honeymoon period or "wow factor" wears off.

That being said, let’s take a good at one of the newer Android offerings from T-Mobile – The Motorola CLIQ.  The phone is supposed to be a social networking junkie’s dream. Everything that you would be interested in – Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, e-Mail, Text/SMS/MMS, Last.FM, etc., is completely integrated and available to you on one of five different home screens.  Is the CLIQ for you? Does MotoBLUR live up to hype and deliver? Let’s take a look and see..!

 

Device
As you’ll see below in The Full 360, the device is comparable in size to the AT&T Tilt/HTC Kaiser, albeit a little taller and somewhat thinner than the Kaiser. Interestingly enough, I found that I could carry both the CLIQ and the Tilt in the same pocket in the SeV Quantum Jacket that I am also currently reviewing.

 

 

Specs
The device’s specs are pretty decent.  The full monty can be seen below:

Spec sheet courtesy of Phandroid.com

The device’s specs are halfway decent, but have me a bit concerned.  The device has a Qualcomm MSM7201A processor running at 528mHz.  The device itself has 256MB of RAM, 256MB of onboard storage and comes with a 2GB microSD card.  The slot, also supports microSDHC.

Many of you are likely wondering what has me concerned at this time.  The device’s performance should be excellent; but leaves a bit to be desired.  At best, the device has mediocre performance for such high technical specs.  The device’s battery life, also leaves a GREAT deal to be desired. I have a very hard time getting through a full day at the office without the device wanting for some kind of power plug-in. If you’re going to be out and about for a full day, you might want to have an extra battery with you or stay close to some kind of power outlet.

 

The Full 360

 

I chose to compare the CLIQ to the Tilt because of the similarities in the device’s form factors.  They are very close.  The CLIQ has a larger screen than the Tilt and its buttons are relegated to a simple three near the bottom of the device’s face. 

 

The bottom of the Tilt has its memory card slot, mini USB connector and soft reset hole.  The bottom of the CLIQ is bare.

 

The left side of the CLIQ has its vibrate switch (like the Treo and iPhone before it), volume rocker and micro USB connector.

 

The top of the CLIQ has a centered audio jack.  The Tilt’s top is bare.  As you can clearly see from this shot, the Tilt is MUCH thicker than the CLIQ.  You can really feel the thickness difference between the two devices. The CLIQ while not anorexic by any means, fits easily in your hand and isn’t too heavy or too wide. The thickness (though thinner than the Tilt, its still a bit on the thick side) isn’t too bad, and some of it is to be expected, as it is a slider.

 

Both devices have their power and camera buttons on the right side.  The Tilt has a 3MP camera.  The CLIQ has a 5MP camera, and  takes pretty good pictures for a camera phone. I was really quite impressed.  The camera also location tags the photos (actually the file name with your location) with its GPS receiver.  I’m still out to lunch on the whole geo-tagging thing; but for now, its at least helpful in that it can remind you of WHERE you were when the picture was taken. The GPS receiver’s data is not saved to the photo’s meta data, but unless you’re really into tagging your photos, its not going to be a huge deal.

 

Build Quality & Form-Factor 
The form factor of the device is really top notch.  I like the way this device looks, feels and works.  However, I did bump into a couple of issues that I’d like to bring up.

I like this type of messaging device.  The only other messaging form factor that I prefer is the Blackjack/Blackberry form factor. You’ll notice that the amount of buttons on the CLIQ is a few shy of those.  As such, the device is very touch oriented. You’ll find that the device requires a bit more touch screen interaction than you might otherwise think.  I was a bit surprised that so much of the device and MotoBLUR relied on touch as opposed to buttons or keyboard interaction.  The keyboard, unlock, back and home buttons are truly just meant for those direct functions – the keyboard for messaging and other typing, the unlock button for unlocking the screen and bringing up a specific screen’s menu, the back button for going back one screen or one action and the home button for returning you to the last viewed home screen.  Every other interaction with the device is done through the touch screen.

The only problem that I had with this setup is due to the implementation of BLUR.  The lag placed on the OS and the device was enough, at times, to delay the device’s response to touches.   The device’s response should be better than it is.

The build quality of the device is so-so. For the cost of the device, it really should have a metal casing. Instead, the device is wrapped in either black (titanium) or white plastic. While this isn’t a major sin, it really is very disappointing. Compared to the Tilt, which does have somewhat of a metal case, its really very noticeable, and disappointing.

The keyboard is a little on the stiff side; but usable.  There are times when the keys are difficult to press, especially when texting with any speed or purpose. This again isn’t a major sin, but can make things a bit difficult if you’re trying to type or text anything of length.  When you’ve got statuses to update and tweets to, well…tweet, this can take the fun out of BLUR.  You need to spend a little bit of time with the device, if possible, and make certain that you can really make use of the keyboard.  I’m not to crazy about this feature on the device, but at the same time, wouldn’t want to use another type of Android device (like the MyTouch 3G) without a keyboard.

 

Android
The Motorola CLIQ is running Android 1.5 (Donut). I’m not going to go nuts and review Android here.  You can see a number of different reviews available around the internet if you’re interested in an Android only review (Gizmodo, Phandroid, C|Net).  However, I will say this about the mobile OS:

Android is very similar to Windows Mobile/Windows Phone, and I found it both very easy to get used to and at times, alien and unknown.  However, the more time I spent with it, the more used to it I got, and the more alien and unknown Windows Phone seemed.  Having used Windows Phone, iPhone, PalmOS as well as Android now; and as a utility OS, one that can do more, much more than simply PIM and phone calls, Android is a lot better than I thought it would be. I’m actually very impressed.  Google seems to have done a very good job at getting the mobile operating system right.

What bothers me the most about this device is that the operating system is 2-3 versions behind as of this writing.  The device should be running Cupcake or better yet, Éclair. If and how the device will be updated to the next version of the OS, and not the next version of MotoBLUR, is not entirely clear.  Will it come from T-Mobile?  Will it come from Motorola?  Which will it be; and if it comes, WHEN will it come? 

Personally, I’m very interested in the CLIQ on T-Mobile; but won’t jump on it until I understand the life cycle of this device.  I’m not going to enter into a new contract with a new carrier on a device that has an unclear end of life time frame.

T-Mobile Service
Ok.  I admit it and I totally apologize to Catherine Zeta-Jones for ever doubting the strength of the T-Mobile signal (at least in Chicago-land, anyway).  In a word… wow!

I’ve been an AT&T customer since 2004. The coverage in Nashville, TN, where I initially got my AT&T account was excellent, at least compared to T-Mo and Sprint.  Verizon is too expensive, no matter where you are; but the AT&T coverage, combined with it being an early 3G market, convinced me that it was the way to go when I left VzW in late 2003. What a contrast to the coverage here in Chicago.

You would think that coverage for any of the 4 major wireless carriers here in Chicago would be excellent.  No so. The coverage and signal strength for AT&T is, in my experience, ABYSMAL. I often have substandard signal (2 bars or less) and often drop calls, and go without any signal on the BNSF Metra commuter rail line. 

Interestingly enough, I can carry a T-Mobile 3G signal through the entire length of the track UNDERNEATH the old Post Office at Chicago’s Union Station (about 4 floors of concrete and steel) and lose my AT&T signal before we’ve gone 1/4 of the way in or out of the station.  So TOTALLY sucks.

I have always been reluctant to go with T-Mobile service ANYWHERE in the US, because they tend to have rotten coverage outside of any major metropolitan area. However, I really don’t travel as much as I used to, and we haven’t been outside of Chicago AND away from a major interstate highway for the last three years.  With the best pricing plans available on a major wireless carrier, T-Mobile with this device is an excellent choice.

So again, Catherine, I apologize for, uh-hem… keeping us apart, as it were. I’ve seen the light, and will be "getting more" as soon as I can shed some weight off my AT&T ETF.

 

MotoBLUR
I’m really out to lunch on the whole MotoBLUR thing.  The device is still VERY much Android powered, and its difficult to see the difference between a regular Android widget and what MotoBLUR provides.  This really indicates that MotoBLUR is really nothing more than widgets that sit on an Android home page.  However, while reviewing the device, Motorola shot out an OTA update, indicating that BLUR is a bit more than the widgets it appears to be.

BLUR is all about Facebook, Twitter, MySpace… i.e. your social networking circle and consolidating it into one central place.  The device does a decent job of this, but as with everything, for you to make it work, you have to embrace the paradigm… no, I mean REALLY embrace the paradigm.  I have found it really hard at times to NOT pull up Twitdroid instead of using BLUR’s Happening widget.  While Happenings is very much like Seesmic Desktop (in that it combines your networks into a single interface), I even have trouble with Seesmic.  I’m just an old fashioned guy at times.

 

Price: While writing this review, the Motorola CLIQ’s price dropped from $199 to $99 with 2 year agreement on T-Mobile; and then later returned to $199.  Wal-Mart’s Cell Phone kiosk and Wal-Mart.com have the device at $99. With such disparity in price, I suspect that T-Mobile will soon lower the price of the device to match or beat that of Wal-Mart and other retailers at a near point in the future.

What I liked: The form factor, light weight design, and device feel.  After the OTA update that the CLIQ got, its performance was much improved. The battery life was also a lot better after the update; but still not something that I’d write home about.

What Needs Improvement: The build quality of the device is only so-so.  The body is made of plastic; and for as much as the device’s introduction cost was, it should have a metal body.

 

Conclusion
As far as AT&T is concerned, unless they come up with some serious changes in their rate plans (like unlimited plans that don’t cost "one of these and one of these") me and my business are going to be making a change later next year.    T-Mobile service in Chicago is just as good, if not WAY better than AT&T’s. The CLIQ is a very compelling device; but honestly, at $199, I don’t think its the right device for me.  This is the right form factor – a cross between touch and non-touch – at least for me; but while the device itself isn’t a bad device, its got a number of minor issues that when you add them up, make it a bit difficult for me. 

This however, shouldn’t deter you from taking a serious look at the device, as always, your mileage may vary. The CLIQ is a decent device that is clearly signaling a pulse in Motorola’s mobile device division.  With it and the introduction of the Moto Droid on Verizon, there’s a great deal of life left in them; and I’m looking forward to seeing more from Motorola’s Android line in the IMMEDIATE future.

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Being a World of Warcraft player, I like bags.  The more slots the better.  In real life, I tend to wear a hip pouch and add on various belt clip-ons so that I can carry my camera, smartphone, 10 USB thumbdrives, a portable HD, and other little contraptions.  Downside of having everything on your waist is that sometimes you do need to get on your back to mess with cables and the such.  The answer would be the SeV/SCOTTEVEST as it has a plethora of pockets in the front so that if I’m on my back, I’m ok.  19 pockets – good enough to carry several electronic toys including my new Sony PRS-505 e-book reader which houses my large collection of computer books or even my ASUS EEE PC 701 from the looks of it.  Airplane travel these days can be inconvenient when during the last hour of flight, the TSA prohibits access to your carry-on luggage.  The new SeV travel clothing provides the solution as it is the bag where you can conveniently wear and it makes airport x-ray checks a breeze.

Here are some of it’s features:

• Easy-access pockets designed for specific items travelers carry, such as boarding passes, ID, cameras and much more. Icons stitched onto the interior pockets act as a map to help you find what you’re looking for without fumbling.
• SeV’s patented Personal Area Network (P.A.N.) – which manages wires and earbuds through the jacket’s lining, keeping them from tangling.
  Clear Touch fabric, which allows a traveler to see and control their iPod® (and cell phone, when appropriate) through the fabric without removing the device.
• NoBulge™ pocket design – just because you "actually wear your carry-on" as travel expert Peter Greenberg points out, you don’t need to look like the Michelin Man.
• Weight Management System™ engineered to balance the weight from these added devices. This system is much more ergonomic than wearing a bag that puts all the weight on one shoulder.

So, with all that said, I know what I want for the new year – not a gadget bag, but a SeV travel vest!

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Palm recently let it slip that there was an update to webOS on the way that would remove the pesky app storage limit. Well, today they made good on their promise with the latest webOS update for both the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi.

In addition to relaxing the app storage limit, there are many other updates that should make the Pre and Pixi better including improved battery life, an improved App Catalog experience, the ability to edit forwarded email text, and even a new way to perform a full release.

There are many more changes for both the Pre (found here) and the Pixi (found here).

How many of you have updated to webOS 1.3.5? What are your initial impressions?

(via @CRA1G)

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Whether you celebrate Christmas, Channukkah, Kwanza, or Festivus, we wish you a happy and safe holiday!  You may notice a slight decline in our posts the next week or so, as our team unwinds and enjoys some well deserved rest and family time.  Don’t worry, though, we will be back and better than ever in 2010.

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!  I hope our entire JAMM community gets everything they wished for and enjoys a happy and safe holiday season with family and friends.

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More and more organizations are arming employees with the tools to work from anywhere, any time. Employees are accessing the corporate network from hotels, coffee shops and their homes. There are fundamental changes in collective work habits as activities such as evening email checking and on-the-go report writing are now a part of how it work on a daily basis. Laptops and other mobile computing devices such as PDA’s give employees the flexibility and freedom they need to be more productive.

 

Yesterday, JAMM got its oats, and I could not be more excited about it.  Of course, by oats, I mean O.A.T.S., the newly created Organization for App Testing Standards.  This is an online group created to ensure that its member sites adhere to the highest ethical standards when posting reviews.  All of this is designed to ensure that you, the reader, are always provided an unbiased, fair, and honest look at the products we review.

At the heart of O.A.T.S. is its oath, to which all of the member sites agree to adhere.  The O.A.T.S. oath looks like this:

WE, THE CONSTITUENT SITES OF THE ORGANIZATION OF APP TESTING STANDARDS, have gathered under the auspices of O.A.T.S. with a common goal: to improve the quality of iPhone games and App criticism. While we applaud the great diversity of opinion now available to consumers looking for iPhone App reviews, it is equally clear to us that not all of these sources have put the best interests of the readership first. We hope to combat such unscrupulous journalism by holding ourselves to a higher standard.
TO THAT END:
1) WE PLEDGE to never mix business with editorial. We reject all forms of paid reviews, including "express reviewing" fees. Advertising on an O.A.T.S. site will have no bearing whatsoever on whether we decide to review an App, or on the nature of coverage we give it, when and if we do;
2) WE PLEDGE to clearly mark all advertisements as such on our sites;
3) WE PLEDGE to insure that each of our reviews is as thorough, accurate, honest, and fully informed as possible;
4) WE PLEDGE to promptly correct all factual mistakes in our reviews, and to post an Editor’s Note when we do;
5) WE PLEDGE that all editorial work appearing on our sites is our own;
6) WE PLEDGE to allow disagreement, dissent, and complaint through reader commentary, and to never censor it;
7) WE PLEDGE that all App reviews will follow the same process, whether a particular App is obtained via promo code, purchase, or ad-hoc distribution;
WE PLEDGE that site promotions or contests involving promo code giveaways will not influence any review in any way.

That is a lot to look at, and I know you are thinking well, how does this all apply to JAMM?  Well, bear with me for a minute.  I want to walk through each of the eight prongs of the oath and elaborate on JAMM’s policies and practices in each area.

1) WE PLEDGE to never mix business with editorial. We reject all forms of paid reviews, including "express reviewing" fees. Advertising on an O.A.T.S. site will have no bearing whatsoever on whether we decide to review an App, or on the nature of coverage we give it, when and if we do.

This is an easy one.  Many sites accept payment for writing favorable reviews, speeding up the review process, or ensuring better placement of reviews on the site.  JAMM does not do engage in these practices.  We never have and we never will.  Period. 

2) WE PLEDGE to clearly mark all advertisements as such on our sites.

Like any other site, JAMM does accept paid advertising, often from the same companies whose products we review.  We always keep our editorial copy and advertising separate.  We do not accept text ads or ads which resemble editorial copy.  If it is not entirely clear that a graphic or item is an advertisement, then we will clearly mark it as such.

3) WE PLEDGE to insure that each of our reviews is as thorough, accurate, honest, and fully informed as possible.

Sadly, we do not always have as much time with a loaner device as we might like.  That being said, we use the heck out of the items we review, right up until we have to return them (if they are loaners).  We take the time to test every feature, and if something does not work properly, we’ll let you know.  Regardless of whether an item is given to us to keep, loaned to us, or purchased with our own money, we will not sugar coat a review.  We want our reviews to help your decision making process, and to do that, you need to know where each item needs to improve as well as what we liked.

4) WE PLEDGE to promptly correct all factual mistakes in our reviews, and to post an Editor’s Note when we do.

Let me be perfectly clear about this one.  We are not going to make a change just because someone disagrees with out opinion, or does not appreciate our criticism.  Each reviewer forms his or her own opinions, and those form the basis of each review.  However, if we write something which is factually inaccurate, then we will update the review to include the correct information.

5) WE PLEDGE that all editorial work appearing on our sites is our own.

We often get news and other information from a variety of sources, including other sites around the web.  If another site’s reporting forms the basis for a post on JAMM, we will include a credit and link to the original article.

6) WE PLEDGE to allow disagreement, dissent, and complaint through reader commentary, and to never censor it.

Like I said, our writers’ opinions form the basis for each review.  And your experiences certainly may have been different from ours, so please let us know.  We encourage open debate and discussion in our comments.  All we ask is that the debate remain civil.  We do reserve the right to edit or remove comments which are unnecessarily rude, hostile, or are otherwise not civil in nature.

7) WE PLEDGE that all []reviews will follow the same process, whether a particular item is obtained via promo code, purchase, or ad-hoc distribution.

First off, I edited this one a bit to make it more universal and not aimed solely at the iPhone.  Second, this is an area I alluded to earlier.  There are a lot of ways we get connected with review items.  Sometimes the company or a PR firm contacts us and offers an item for review, other times we may contact them.  Sometimes they send us a loaner which must be returned, sometimes they let us keep the item, but often we purchase many items with our own money (sometimes at a discount available to reviewers).  Bottom line, though, regardless of how we obtain an item and whether we must return it, we treat every review the same.  We thoroughly test the item, and then deliver our impressions (good, bad,and ugly) directly to you.  No item is ever perfect.  There is always room for improvement (even when it if given to us by the company to keep), and we will always be sure to point out those areas which could be improved.

WE PLEDGE that site promotions or contests involving promo code giveaways will not influence any review in any way.

Much the same as item #7.  Bottom line here is that regardless of what, if anything, a developer or company loans or gives to us (or to our readers), our reviews will not be influenced in any way.  This includes items for review, giveaways for contests, and advertising.  Our opinions are based solely upon the results of our testing, and nothing else.

One final thought I wanted to mention.  Earlier, I noted that we often receive advertising from companies whose products we review.  If this is the case, we will always note in the review if the item was manufactured or developed by one of our advertisers.  Likewise, we will always tell you how we obtained an item, whether it was loaned or provided to us. 

Like I said, I am really excited to be joining O.A.T.S., because I think their mission meshes so perfectly with JAMM’s existing editorial policies.  In other words, there were all things we did anyway, now we just have the power of the O.A.T.S. Oath behind us.

If you have any questions about JAMM’s editorial policies, please let us know either in the comments or by using the contact form

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