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Top 5 Kindle Cases for Christmas

Kindle will with out a doubt be one of the biggest Christmas presents this year. So if you are getting one for Christmas or know of someone getting one for Christmas, here are the top 5 Kindle Cases and Covers from Gearzap.com

1. Amazon Kindle Gift Pack – Black

This gift pack includes all of the essentials that anyone could need for an Amazon Kindle 4. It makes a great present, or a great starter kit if you have or are thinking of getting a Kindle.

  • Book style case
  • Silicone case
  • Screen protector
  • Kindle light
  • Car charger

Available in Black and Purple

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This Weeks Mobile and Gadgets Round Up

Christmas is almost here and I still have some serious shopping to do. If you are in the same boat, here are a few ideas for you.
At Mobile Fun, following on from last week’s retro handset, have a look at the iDock. The iDock is a great iPhone docking station which allows you to turn your iPhone into a traditional handset held telephone.  This means you can dock your iPhone at a nice comfortable angle and use the attached phone to answer calls – it’s like old school call handling.  The dock is also great for Facetime and other video calls as it can be positioned to the perfect angle and saves you having to hold your phone during video calls.

You can also charge your phone up whilst it’s in the dock and just simply use it to stream media from and hold your handset so that you never misplace it. Excellent gift idea.
iDock BlackiDock White
Also new in is the iDuck Waterprood speaker. The iDuck Wireless Waterproof Speaker (lots of i’s this week).  This is a great idea – using the iDuck means you can relax in the bath, listening to either the radio or the music from your iPod, whilst your device is in another room! The iDuck comes with an egg which you plug into your musical device and it streams through an FM wave to the Duck which is in the bath with you  - saves talking your phone or MP3 player into the bathroom and breaking it.

You can also take the iDuck on your travels with you as it has a built in speaker, so you can use it in the garden or anywhere. Another great gift idea.
iDuck
Also check out Mobile Funs Blog for guides to help answer the question of which cases fit the Galaxy S2 with the 2000mAh Extended battery on? The extended battery is really popular and helps to keep your S2 juiced up for a lot longer, but because it adds a small amount of bulk, not all cases will fit with it… so here’s Will’s guide to help you and your readers:
Over at GamingZap, they’ve had gift packs arrive for the Xbox 360 and the PS3.  Each pack is in stock now and costs £19.95.  In theXbox 360 Gift Pack there’s everything you need to start gaming: a headset, so you can chat on Xbox Live, a HDMI cable to improve your gaming experience and a plug and play rechargeable cable and battery, so you’ll always be juiced up.
The Playstation 3 Gift Pack is full to the brim of PS3 accessories including an wireless Orbyx headset, a quad charger for Playstation Move remotes, a stand for your PS3 so you can store it upright and a HDMI cable for HD gaming.
Gaming Zap have also got their paws on the Hori Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Xbox 360 Fight Stick and the Hori Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 PS3 Fightstick.  These are coming into stock next week and they feature a great piece of artwork on them showing all the characters.  Using the Fightsticks, gives you the feeling of playing the arcade style game with the original layout.  It can help to increase your accuracy and speed whilst playing with the Xbox 360 Fightstick which contains genuine Sanwa-Denshi parts.
The fightstick makes the action seem a lot more realistic and adds a new edge to the game.  It’s a great gift for those who are fans of arcade style games and Marvel and Capcom.
Marvel VS Capcorn Fightstick
Over at Gear Zap, they’ve sourced the Padstand 2, this is a small robust stand which is compatible with the iPad, iPad 2, iPhone and numerous other tablets.  It simply allows you to dock your device and charge it with the wire you already have – but it keeps your space looking tidy and uncluttered.  The soft matte coating of the iPad stand doesn’t cause any damage to your device and is nice to touch.
Using the PadStand 2, docks your iPad at the most comfortable angle for streaming media and sending emails, making it one of the most useful iPad accessories for such a small price tag.  The Padstand 2 costs £9.95 and will be in stock soon.
LoveCases have got in a whole new range of Capdase camera cases and bags for all types of cameras.  Two of the products they’ve sourced are the Capdase NEX-5 Camera case and the Capdase mKeeper 33a SLR Camera and Laptop bag.  The SLR and Laptop backpack is £46.95 and is a stylish nylon bag which has organiser pockets inside so that you can store all the accessories needed for your camera as well as your laptop.  It’s great for those who are citizen journalists or freelancers as you can carry everything you need in one place.
The Sony NEX 5 case comes in a bright red colour.  It fits your NEX-5 perfectly and offers full protection, coming complete with a water-resistant lens pouch.  The case has suede lining so that your camera is kept looking in great condition, and it’s under £30 so a great buy.
Hope this gives you a few gift ideas. Happy shopping.

Amazon Kindle Fire coming to UK in January

Amazon Fire

Amazon Fire

According to Know Your Mobile, it’s been announced that the Amazon Fire Tablet, running android, will be available in the UK in January despite rumours that it may never be on sale in the UK.

The Amazon Fire was launched in the US on the 15th of November. Unfortunately it’s a little late for those wishing to buy it for Christmas.

Its rummer that the price will be aggressive and a true match for the iPad2

Samsung Galaxy Nexus Car Holder Review

I’ve never been a fan of using car holders for my phone.  I always felt that a car holder would limit and possibly block your vision whilst driving, which can be pretty dangerous.  Therefore I was reluctant to try the Exogear Exomount Car Holder, but surprisingly I liked it.
When using this car holder I was able to keep my mobile phone cover on, which is something you can’t usually do. The grip holder of the Exomount says it can extend up to 5 inches meaning that it’ll fit any handset with even the thickest of cases on.  My phone feels really secure in the holder too, thanks to the rubber grip – a great feature which means if I dock my phone without a case on it won’t get damaged.
Once in the holder, I’m still able to access all the ports and features on my phone, meaning that I can charge it whilst it’s in the holder and control the volume and lock screen too.
What I really like about this Samsung Galaxy Nexus car holder though is that I can either attach it to my windscreen or dashboard or any other flat surface in the car, so I can place it in an area which doesn’t obscure my view whilst I’m driving.  The ball and socket joint of the car holder means that I can position my phone at any angle – again making it comfortable to use and most importantly safe.
All in all, this is a durable and multi-functional car holder which is suitable for a number of handsets, so it’s perfect for a family car.
Exogear Exomount Universal Case Compatible Car Mount

Weekly Mobile Phone and Other Accessories Round Up

Well only 30 days to go before Christmas, I better get shopping for gifts.
In our round-up this week I’ve got a couple of handsets to tell you about – a Blackberry and a Nokia dual-sim handset.  I’ve also got a pretty cool Retro Phone which is a great Xmas present if like me you haven’t even thought about shopping yet. Also the new XCM Kinect accessories, Macbook Pro13″ inch cases for the girls and a whole new range of compact camera cases.
First up the handsets – following on from the success of the Blackberry 9900 sim free, RIM are releasing a new handset; this one’s an entry level one so it’s great for someone who’s new to the smartphone world.  It’s called the Blackberry Curve Touch 9380 Sim Free and should be in stock from the 28th November, costing £329.95 from Mobile Fun.
Sim Free BlackBerry Curve Touch 9380
Controlled through a 3.25″ touchscreen, the signature Blackberry buttons and the optical trackpad, this Blackberry is simple and easy to use; it has a 5MP camera complete with HD recording facilities and an 800MHz CPU, so it’s speedy and can handle everything you require from an entry-level phone.
The second handset is a dual-Sim Nokia handset, the Nokia C2-00 Dual Sim Phone Sim Free - this is a great handset for those who frequently travel abroad or for those who have work and personal numbers – it means you can control both numbers from one handset.
Sim Free Nokia C2-00 Dual SIM Phone
This handset is available now costing £79.95.  The handset also has multimedia playback, a VGA camera and advanced messaging features built in – so you can keep up to date with all your contacts on both Sims in one place and still have the features you’d expect built into the handset.
Finally from Mobile Fun we have a really cool Retro Phone Handsfree Kit - I had a little play with this yesterday and it’s a lot of fun and great to use not only with your phone but with Skype and other video messaging services on your computer.  These are in stock now and they only cost £14.95!
Retro Phone Handsfree Kit - Black
The retro design of the phone is great and it’s got a really nice feel to it too – you simply plug into into any 3.5mm jack and it’s good to go.  Using the phone you can surprise your friends when you pull it out of your pocket as the last thing they’ll be expecting to see is an old school phone!

GamingZap are pleased to announce the addition of Kinect shells to their already hugely popular range of XCM console modding accessories. The White XCM Replacement Kinect Shell and XCM Kinect Chameleon LED Light Shell Kit both let you customise your Kinect sensor bar to either fit in fashionably with your room or to stand out uniquely with a cool glowing effect.
As well as these Kinect Accessories, they also stock XCM mods such as PS3 Adapters to use your PS3 Controller on an Xbox 360 and Vice Versa, check them out on our XCM brand page here. Both Kinect shells are curerently available for pre-order at £44.95.
Adding to their comprehensive range of Macbook Cases, GearZap have exciting new stock of Fabrix cases for ladies. The Fabrix Black Denim 13″ Laptop Bag is a Macbook Pro 13 Case that oozes style and sophistication but also includes internal cushioning in order to provide superior shock resistance and protection.
In addition to this fantastic Macbook Pro Case, a fetching Fabrix Polka Dot version is also available.  An ideal Christmas gift idea, the Fabrix Macbook Pro cases are available now from GearZap for only £39.95!
Expanding beyond their range of Nikon D3100 Cases and similar SLR camera cases, LoveCases are continually adding to their Compact Camera Cases including the superb Hello Kitty Compact Camera Case which not only keeps your camera well protected but also looks playful and stylish.
Perfect for Hello Kitty fans of all ages, the Hello Kitty Compact Camera Case is available now from LoveCases for only £10.95!
Thats it for this week, have a good weekend.

Top 5 iPhone 4S Cases for the White iPhone 4S

5. Leather Flip Case

Stylish flip case which offers great protection.

iPhone 4s Flip Case4. Incipio Step Case

Made from Incipio’s advanced NGP material, the case is comfortable to hold and has a shock absorbent material.

Incipio Step Case For iPhone 4S / 4 - White

3. ElementCASE Vapor PRO White Edition

Made of aircraft grade aluminium for premium protection without adding any undue bulk to the phone, weighing only 22 g.

ElementCASE Vapor PRO White Edition for iPhone 4S / 42. White Diamonds Crystal Case

Stylish design with a tight fit so adds very little bulk to phone.

White Diamonds Crystal Case for iPhone 4S / 4 - Rainbow White1. Incipio duroSHOT DRX Case

Another quality Incipio case that uses the NGP material. The case has an innovative three piece design which is both impact resistant and visually interesting.

Incipio duroSHOT DRX Case For iPhone 4S / 4 - White

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs. Samsung Galaxy S2

If like me you are in the market for a new android phone, then I am sure you are struggling with similar decisions. Up till now i have been an iPhone user, but times have changed and with that I have ditched teh iPhone and am currently using a HTC Desire HD. At this stage I am going through the transitional period and for its too soon to say if i 100% prefer android over apple. One thing is for sure regardless, with the liberation of moving away from Windows on my PC to Ubuntu, I believe the same principles should apply to phones. On that note then, the search for my next phone has begun.

Now there is no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S2 is an amazing phone, but on first sight I wasn’t overwhelmed with the UI. With the announcement of the next Google phone, Galaxy Nexus, I thought great opportunity to compare the two and make a decision. For now we will ignore the Galaxy S3 scheduled for release in Feb 2012 as I cant wait that long:


Form Factor:

Galaxy S2: 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49mm, 117g
Galaxy Nexus: 136 x 68 x 8.9mm, 135g

So the S2 wins this one due to been one of the thinnest form factors around

Display:

Galaxy S2: 4.27-inch, 800x480px, 218ppi, Super AMOLED Plus, Gorilla Glass
Galaxy Nexus: 4.65-inch, 720x1280px, 316ppi, Super AMOLED HD

Although Galazy Nexus has a higher resolution, the Galaxy S2 comes with Super AMOLED Plus which offers 50% more sub-pixels (bit over the top for me), but you can find more info regarding this here: OLED-Info.com. The Samsung Galaxy S2 also comes with Gorilla Glass which is another plus. Another win in my opinion, to the Galaxy S2.

Main Hardware:

Galaxy S2: Dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A9 CPU Samsung Exynos 4210
Galaxy Nexus: Dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A9 CPU TI OMAP 4460

Samsung Galaxy Nexus is no match compare to Samsung Galaxy S2 which use Exynos 4210 chipset and a much quicker quad-core Mali-400MP GPU when come to high end gaming, video editing or other seriously demanding graphical operations. Another Win for the Samsung Galaxy S2

Software:

Galaxy S2: Android 2.3 Gingerbread + TouchWiz 4.0
Galaxy Nexus: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Galaxy Nexus will be the first phone that comes out with Ice Cream Sandwich and also reap the benefits of the latest Android firmware upgrades and features e.g. Android Beam NFC sharing, Face Unlock, and bring in more exciting modern look and feel. But it will not be long before the update be available to Samsung Galaxy S2. Finally, win for Galaxy Nexus, albeit a small, short lived one.

Camera:

Galaxy S2: 8MP rear, 2MP front, 1080p video
Galaxy Nexus: 5MP rear, 1.3MP front, 1080p video

Enough said, Galaxy S2is the winner.

Connectivity:

Galaxy S2: Wi-Fi, NFC, LTE, BT 3.0, DLNA, Wi-Fi tethering
Galaxy Nexus: Wi-Fi, NFC, LTE, BT 3.0, DLNA, Wi-Fi tethering

Draw

Battery Life:

Galaxy S2: 1650mAh
Galaxy Nexus: 1750mAh

The better battery life of the Nexus could be negated by the larger screen – Draw

Memory:

Galaxy S2: 16/32GB + microSD
Galaxy Nexus: 16/32GB

The Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy S2 both feature 16GB and 32GB of in-built storage and 1 GB RAM. But the Samsung Galaxy S2 does come with an extendable microSD which can support up to 32GB while Galaxy Nexus does not come with an expandable memory slot. Samsung S2 Win.

Summary of Pros and Cons of Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs. Samsung Galaxy S2

Galaxy Nexus Pros:

  • Bigger screen size of 4.65-inch than 4.3 inch on Samsung Galaxy S2.
  • Have a higher resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels compare to 480 x 800 pixels on Samsung Galaxy S2.
  • Equipped with Google’s latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) while Samsung Galaxy S2 come with Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
  • Come with a larger capacity battery life of 1750 mAh compare to 1650 mAh on Samsung Galaxy S2.

Galaxy Nexus Negatives:

  • More heavy than Samsung Galaxy S2 (19 grams heavier).
  • More prone to scratch as not using scratch-resistant glass – Gorilla Glass display as in Samsung Galaxy S2.
  • Both the front (1.3 MP) and rear (5.0 MP) camera at the lower spec compare to Samsung Galaxy S2 (front camera – 2.0 MP, rear camera – 8.0 MP).
  • Come with non extendable memory slot, fixed at either 16 GB or 32GB only.
  • CPU of 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A9 TI OMAP 4460 with PowerVR SGX 540 GPU fall behind Samsung Galaxy S2?s CPU Samsung Exynos 4210 with quad-core Mali-400 GPU.

So from my point of view, I was hoping the new Galaxy Nexus would be awesome, but the stats don’t lie. For me the only real advantage of the Nexus is the fact that it has Android Vanilla on it and not the crappy Samsung UI. I think if the Galaxy Nexus had come out before the S2, then it would be a clear winner, but my opinion has changed and I believe the S2 is the one to go for.

On another point, checkout http://www.mobilefun.co.uk for Samsung Galaxy S2 and Samsung Galaxy Nexus Accessories

My Opinion of Ubuntu 11.10 “Oneiric Ocelot”

So yesterday I upgraded to Ubuntu 11.10 “Oneiric Ocelot“. I must say that I am not a happy bunny. Gnome classic is no longer available and you are forced to use the new unity navigation. Now that would be ok, but so many other things have change to, for example, I had some custom program launches, which are now no longer available. I though that I would be able to recreate them by right clicking in the desktop, but no joy. The bottom task bar which displayed open programs has also been removed. The other really annoying thing is program menu bar is no longer above the program window, but rather in a static window at the top of the page, which can get confusing when you have a few apps open and they are not maximised.

Change is good, but I just think that I have been forced to work differently and although I am getting around most of the issues, I am still not 100 comfortable with the new version.