By: Tony Novoa (Contributing Editor)

Staff Note: Don’t forget about our ongoing contests and prize giveaways such as the Sony Xperia X10 phones, 12 Nokia N8s, weekly iPhone 4, Apple Magic Mouse and exciting passes to exclusive events! We’re always doing contest giveaways every month so it pays to stay tuned in!

Well.. Monday certainly was a big day for Microsoft and their Windows Phone product line.  With the Advent of the totally revamped and rewritten Windows 7 smartphone platform, they have essentially rebooted their recent reboot of their Windows Mobile Platform in the form of their failed Kin.  Microsoft and rebooting… seems to be a long running theme.  At MyRealityTech we are all about fair exposure for all things tech and we are excited about what the Windows 7 smartphone platform and the accompanying devices bring to the table.  As Microsoft CEO, Steve Balmer said at the opening of his New York press conference: “I’ve been looking forward to this day… for some time, you might say.”  I guess we can say that we share that sentiment!

Beginning November 8, the Windows Phone 7 will be available on three AT&T networked phones which will sell for $199.99.  Another phone will be offered thereafter by T-Mobile. As for applications, there will supposedly be thousands of third party applications available and during the conference, programs from eBay, Amazon’s IMDB, AT&T’s U-Verse Mobile and EA’s “The Sims 3″ were shown.  Not surprisingly, the Windows Phone 7 will connect to the Xbox Live gaming service as well as the Office platform.  My understanding is that this will provide support for an integrated to-do list – something that is missing on the iPhone & Android platforms.

The Samsung Focus

As for devices, there were nine Windows Phone 7 devices shown from Dell, HTC, LG and Samsung with the expected variations in interfaces and screen sizes. In this case, our opinion is that the Samsung Focus stands out for its sleek and light design and vibrant, high resolution screen.  The phone features a 4″ super-AMOLED  display, 110g weight, 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 Processor, 8GB of internal memory and up to 32GB with a microSD card, 5MP camera with 720p HD Video and GSM, HSDPA and UMTS network support.  Battery life is documented at 3 hours talk time – a bit light by many standards – and up to 10 days standby time.

All being said, the morning did leave some questions unanswered.  Most notably: what of multi-tasking capability?  What about support for other carriers beyond AT&T or T-Mobile or the ability to synchronize with non-Windows computers or non-Microsoft Web services?  I guess time will tell.  In the meantime, we can celebrate variety, innovation and lots of options in this competitive market that will surely continue to keep vendors on their toes and customers salivating at the next new shiny thing to capture their attention.

Want to know more?  Go here for more details on Microsoft and Windows Phone 7: Microsoft Windows Phone 7

So, what are your thoughts?  Is this the shot in the arm the Windows Mobile platform needs?  Are you already down a different path?  Sound off and share your thoughts.  As always, don’t forget to follow @MyRealityTech on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook for additional chances to win our super cool giveaways. 99% of the time, we choose individual winners exclusively through Facebook & Twitter!

By: Edward Jackson (Senior Editor)

Consumer installable in-vehicle Device Holder / Device Mount makes the [BlackBerry 9800 Torch]  and the [BlackBerry 9650 Bold]  smartphones easier to view and access while in the car. 

[ProClip USA, Inc.] today announced a variety of new Device Holders / Device Mounts designed to securely mount the AT&T BlackBerry Torch, and the Verizon and Sprint Bold smartphones to car, truck and SUV dashboards and consoles. [ProClip Device Holders / Device Mounts], designed and manufactured by Brodit AB, in Sweden, are custom made and attach to a vehicle specific [ProClip Car Mounts]. Once this two part solution (Device Holder / Device Mount plus Car Mount) are attached, to the dashboard, the solution provides better viewing and easier access. ProClip Device Holders / Device Mounts may also be attached to other manufacturers’ car mounts or any flat surface.

“Securely and conveniently mounting handheld devices like the BlackBerry, without damaging a vehicle’s interior, is what we do best,” says Bjorn Spilling, president of ProClip USA. “We offer mounting solutions that are custom designed for virtually every car in the world, and all popular handheld devices.”

ProClip USA has just released new Device Holders / Device Mounts for other new smartphones such as:

• Samsung Captivate, Samsung Galaxy S phone (AT&T)
• Samsung Vibrant, Samsung Galaxy S phone (T-Mobile)
• HTC EVO 4G (Sprint)

Also, coming soon are Device Holders / Device Mounts for:

• Samsung Epic 4G, Samsung Galaxy S phone (Sprint)
• Samsung Fascinate, Samsung Galaxy S Phone (Verizon)
• Motorola Droid X (Verizon)
• Motorola Droid 2 (Verizon)

Device Holders / Device Mounts are available for other BlackBerry, Samsung, HTC and Motorola devices. All products available at [www.proclipusa.com].

ProClip Car Mounts provide the mounting platform to attach any ProClip Device Holder / Device Mount or adapter. The ProClip Car Mount is the only vehicle specific, consumer installable mounting bracket in today’s global market. The mount clips into the dashboard seams, providing a very sturdy and tight fit. Average installation time is 2 minutes. No dismantling of the dashboard is required and there is no damage to the vehicle’s interior!

By Michael Hunter (Contributing Writer)

Its obviously hotter than T-Mobile thought it would be. While some retail locations sold out in only minutes, T-Mobile as a company sold out in just under 4 hours. This powerful device was removed from T-Mo’s website before nights end on March 24th only to show back up a few days later. Then what?

Yup, it was taken right back down. People are dying to get their hands on this device, and I don’t blame them. I even ordered two of them myself, no clue when I’m going to receive them, but I’m waiting as patiently as I possibly can. I’m not going to lie, I check my email at least 10 times a day looking for shipping confirmation only to be disappointed.

Anyway, my point here comes in the form of a question or questions rather:

Is T-Mobile having issues deciding on exactly what the “HOT” devices are going to be?

Let’s not use the HD2 drought as an example, instead let’s use the BlackBerry Curve 8900. In March of 2009 the 83xx Curve series received a much needed upgrade on T-Mobile’s network. Although it wasn’t a 3G device like AT&T’s BlackBerry Bold 9000, it was still a highly coveted next generation BlackBerry. So highly coveted that T-Mobile released it almost a month early for their business customers, and what happened? Yup! They sold through inventory and barely had any for the customers that make up for a majority of their customer base. Thus making the hunt for the 8900 just like the hunt for the HD2.. an Easter Egg Hunt.

T-Mobile knew this would be a “HOT” device despite Windows Mobile’s reputation. Snapdragon Processor, TV application, rent movies on demand, Barnes and Noble eBook Reader, 6 months of free in-flight WIFI, 4.3 inch capacitive HD screen, whats not to want about this device? So why not have enough inventory to supply the demand? I don’t recall T-Mobile running out of their flagship MyTouch 3G.

So I’m going to check my email now to see if mine shipped, hopefully you all can get your hands on one too.

By: Nate Nelson (Contributing Writer)

The most talked-about pair in the tech world is Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who were recently seen conversing over coffee at an upscale cafe in Palo Alto, California. Optimistic observers saw it as an apparent step toward repairing a sharp rift that had appeared in recent months between the two tech companies. More cynical commentators questioned what seems to be an obvious setup: why use public outdoor tables unless they wanted to be seen together? (The photos are courtesy of Gizmodo, in case the large watermark did not give it away.)

None of gawkers or picture-takers overheard enough of the conversation to make sense of what was going on, but some quotes from Jobs have surfaced. According to reports, he spoke about web content, saying: “They’re going to see it all eventually, so who cares how they get it?” Then, in the face of a gathering crowd, Jobs requested a change of location: “Let’s go discuss this somewhere more private.” On the way to his Mercedes-Benz SL 55 AMG, Jobs was heard to mutter: “Just wait until the mind control programming finally kicks in, you mouth-breathers.” (Just kidding on the last one.)

Apple and Google have been chummy in years past, with Schmidt sitting on Apple’s Board of Directors until last year. The tension between the companies is reported to have begun after Google broke a rumored gentleman’s handshake agreement by designing functions of the Nexus One to operate too much like the iPhone. Reports of disparaging comments from Jobs and ugly personal rumors have elevated the perceived rift to “World War III” status, according to one source alleged to be familiar with both companies.

This past week another round was fired in what may go down in history as the Ultimate Computer Nerd War: Google threw its considerable weight behind Adobe’s Flash player, bundling it with downloads of their Chrome browser. Apple’s iPhone and iPad do not support Flash, which has been a point of criticism aimed at the devices. For their part, Apple has filed a lawsuit against HTC – a close partner of Google and developer of the Nexus One – for violating several patents relating to the iPhone.

Whether the coffee man-date between Jobs and Schmidt leads to a cessation or an acceleration of hostilities will remain to be seen. What does seem to be at stake is nothing less than the future of the Internet, according to at least one industry analyst. Apple has already been accused of creating a “walled garden” with their iPhone and iPad, where all games and content need to be approved by Apple and accessed through their App Store. By rejecting the near-ubiquitous Flash player for their mobile devices and supporting the upcoming HTML5, Apple is perceived as trying to control how the Internet develops by deciding what technologies it will support on its devices.

Although Google may have declared their allegiance with Flash, they maintain they will still back HTML5. In the meantime, Google is rumored to be partnering with electronics manufacturers to create tablets that would take a page (and likely momentum) from the iPad.

As if their coffee dates weren’t awkward enough. Stay tuned for more info as pertinent salvos are fired.

(via Wired, AppleInsider)

By Michael Hunter (Contributing Writer)

How ironic is this? An employee of Panda Research (an anti-malware company), received a very special, brand new Vodafone HTC Magic or what we know as the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G here in the US. This device was so special it came bearing gifts, gifts in the form of malicious malware.

When she plugged it in to her computer the virus software immediately detected some suspect auto run executable files. Now, having extensive experience with Android devices I know that the computer shouldn’t even recognize anything has been plugged in until the mount option is selected on the phone, so this part spooked me a bit.

Come to find out the device was surely infected and ready to infect any computer it may have been plugged in to. The type of malware found on the Magic was a Mariposa botnet client, a type of botnet that is very dangerous because once it has been run, programs can be downloaded and executed on demand by the bot master (hacker, i.e. the person stealing all of your information).

This “virus” has the capability of growing and causing more damage, as more code could be written and commands given. Upon digging deeper, a password stealer and a conficker variant were also found on the device. The only magic this device was capable of was giving remote access to all of your personal information and making it disappear.

Don’t worry too much though! The malware was found on the micro SD card that was preinstalled in the device, NOT the device itself. It still has me wondering how something like this could have happened though, the more I think about it the more scared I get, I’m out!

(via: Panda Research Blog)

Last October TmoNews.com got their hands on a leaked document stating that the HTC HD2 would be released in the first quarter of 2010 on the T-Mobile USA network. While this was big news it was still very hard to believe since until recently T-Mobile’s Windows Mobile line up consisted only of the HTC Wing and the Dash for almost two years. Well to kick off the New Year the HTC HD2 was officially announced by T-Mobile USA last night.

The HD2 runs on Windows Phone 6.5 and is the first Windows Phone to feature the HTC Sense UI made popular on such devices as the HTC Hero and DROID ERIS. It sports a stunning 4.3 inch high-resolution capacitive touch screen and a 5 MP autofocus camera with LED flash along with the usual features we have come to love on a Windows device. To top off the list of great features, it also comes equipped a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor thus making your mobile experience that much faster and smoother.

The HD2 is expected to launch this year sometime during the spring with no details on pricing yet. If you can’t wait to get your hands on one you can sign up to receive updates on the device at its official T-Mobile website. I’ve already signed up, have you?

(via: T-Mobile Forums)

By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

In what is the most anticipated phone at this moment, you can’t deny the fanfare surrounding the Nexus One. It’s been dubbed a super phone by Google and while it was not designed by Google (that honor goes to HTC), the big G did play an important role in bringing it to market. Many have already dubbed it an iPhone killer with it’s technical specifications and powered by Android while there are others who claim it is nothing more than another Android device.

So what is the Nexus One? Is it a phone worth spending $530 on or is it just one bug hype supported by great marketing? For me, I had trouble sleeping last night, waiting anxiously for my Nexus One to arrive as I’m sure many other would-be owners were as well. And when it finally did, boy, was it worth that sleepless night.

But will I feel this way after putting the Nexus One through the paces? Or will the Nexus One stand the test of the review? Be sure to stay tuned to find out!

By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

Update: It seems that Window Mobile 7 on the HTC HD2 is not a done deal. Guess we’ll just have to keep hoping in the mean time.

Some said it would happen, others dismissed it but if it’s on Twitter, then it should be official right? According to WMExperts, and this screen shot:

that’s exactly what the sought after HTC HD2 is going to get. As with current trends, even if HTC decides to update a device’s firmware to something newer, you’re still at your carrier’s mercy as to when, if ever, you’ll be getting it. And with Windows Mobile 7 only slated to be released to the public at the end of 2010, it’s anybody’s guess as to when we’ll even see it on the HD2.

(via: WMExperts)

By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

So the web exploded again last night with more information about the Nexus One, this time the sacred data was that of sales price.

• $530 gets you the Nexus One without any contracts
• $180 is the price you pay if you want to sign a 2 year contract
• The contract runs you at $80 a month and comes with 500 minutes, unlimited messaging and web
• T-Mobile customers would need to start a new 2 year contract if they want the subsidized price and not be able to keep their contract terms

Then there are other stipulations like only limited to 5 phones per Google account and that it would be sold online here (the site is down for now but expect it to be up on or near launch date). You’ll also need to keep the plan for at least 120 days if you sign a new plan, otherwise you will be charged the $350 difference should you make changes before that. Here are more of those terms for those interested:

Head over here if you are unable to make out the text.

Either way, we’ll be getting more information during the press conference that’s slated for next week, January 5th 2010 at 10am Pacific Time.

(via: TmoNews)

By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

When you mention Verizon and Android in the same sentence, the name DROID usually comes to mind. Just DROID. Not many know about the DROID ERIS, mainly because not much marketing has been done about it but that’s not to say that it’s not worth considering. The DROID ERIS is actually a repackage HTC Hero which was released to the rest of the world with much fanfare earlier this year and continues to win fans with its highly customized system.

Specficiations

The DROID ERIS has specs very similar to a Windows Mobile device, not that it’s a bad thing. A Qualcomm MSM7600 processor clocked at 528 MHz, 288 MB of RAM and 512 MB of ROM powers the device. Screen resolution is a common 3.2” sporting 320×480 display. You get your usual cellular radios for running on Verizon networks which includes EV-DO Rev A but there’s no support for a SIM card or world bands so this not what you would call a world phone.Let’s also not forget the Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and WiFi B/G, GPS/aGPS as well as a microSD slot capable of supporting SDHC cards, all standard on Hero models. All packed into a 56x113x13mm body weighing in at 120g with battery.

If there is a drawback to all this, it’s the Android operating system. While there’s only one device sporting 2.0 firmware, the DROID ERIS is still stucked at 1.5. This is probably due to the extensive customizations (which I will discuss shortly) that requires proper updating to work with newer firmware. There have been rumors floating around that all Hero devices would be upgradeable to 2.0/2.1 in the near future but as to when exactly is anybody’s guess. Till then, while you enjoy SenseUI, have faith that HTC is working hard to bring you newer firmware which brings with it cool apps like Google Navigation.

Design

For most parts, the DROID ERIS has the same functions and features that other HTC Hero models and variants sport but Verizon did request some tweaks to the hardware. Its candybar form factor with a metal edge gives it a more sophisticated look than its other variant brothers. The front is dominated by the screen and this is where you start to notice the differences.

All the Android buttons (Home, Menu, Back and Search) and no longer traditional hardware buttons but capacitive ones instead. While the this adds to the look of the device, it was at the compromise of function. Each button tap comes with a haptic feedback vibrate but here were times where you did not feel that vibrate, thinking the function was not activated when in fact it was. Then there were times when there was the vibrate but no action. While I should point out that this was not a common issue, I would have wished for real buttons like you get with the phone and end key.

The other change that Verizon made was to shrink the trackball and remove the chin. I do appreciate the chin removal which gives it a svelte look but the smaller trackball does not really help matters when you have quite a bit of scrolling to do. For most parts, the trackball handles the job well; it was smooth and responsive and when you needed to make a selection, pressing on it gets it done. If there’s one feature that the DROID ERIS trumps the DROID in, it would be the inclusion of the trackball for navigation.

The perimeter of the device is rather bland with Verizon/HTC trying to keep to a minimal look. On the left, you have you 2 volume buttons, the base sports your charge/sync port and the top sports a 3.5mm headset jack, a port that is now standard on all HTC devices (hallelujah!). I didn’t miss anything on the right because you’ll find no buttons/ports there which has me wondering if it would have been too much to ask for a camera button there seeing as to how the DROID ERIS is piqued as a social device, among other things.

Flipping the device on it’s back continues the minimal design with the 5MP camera lens and speakerphone to its side. Other than the ‘with Google’ branding, there’s nothing there.

Pictures

So at 5MP, the camera on the DROID ERIS should take some really great shots right? They say a picture paints a thousand words so here are 8,000:

These shots were taken with the highest resolution and finest quality. For most parts, you’ll get decent pictures with the DROID ERIS’s camera but nothing that would win you an award. In some photos, the pictures turned out all sharp, then there were some were that wasn’t the case. Macro shots were not too bad as long as you are not too close to it.

Software

As previously mentioned, the DROID ERIS sports Android 1.5. While this is not a bad thing, you do miss some of the applications that are only for firmware 1.6 and higher such as the new Market and Google Navigation. On the flip side, HTC has done a really nice job with SenseUI that if don’t mind not having those 2 applications, you’ll come to realize that you actually have an Android phone that knows you and helps you get through your day to day tasks.

Thanks to the power that’s packed on the DROID ERIS, it handles applications you throw at it really well. That higher amount of RAM does go a long way to helping you running multiple apps continuously as well as the SenseUI skin. That skin, in early versions, was really slow and buggy but after several revisions, you actually have something that works as it should. Good things really come to those who wait!

SenseUI

This deserves a whole heading on its own just because of what it does to the Android platform. In fact, if you were to show someone a vanilla Android device like say the DROID and one running Sense UI, they’d think it was 2 different platforms, or that the one running SenseUI was a newer version.

For one, you get 7 home screens with it! That’s 4 more screens than most Android devices to place your shortcuts and widgets on for easy access! But all that screen space would not be as useful if all you filled it with were shortcuts and the widgets that came standard with Android.

So HTC decided to do one better and added it’s own set of widgets as well. And boy, are there a lot of them. For example, you get 12 styles to choose from for just the Clock widget alone! 12 styles for a clock? Are you kidding me? Well you don’t get that many choices with a Calendar widgets, having only 2 to choose from but based on those permutations alone, you could customize a screen in over 50 different ways.

Customizing the screen is also a lot easier when you have SenseUI. When you choose to add or move your shortcuts and widgets, it draws a boundary box as to where you can move it to which is really useful when you they come in 16 different sizes.

Another cool feature that SenseUI brings to the Android platform is that of Scenes. Think of this as the profiles that you get on a Nokia Symbian device or Blackberry but on steroids. Not only does it come with 5 Scenes (that you can customize), you could even add your own to make it 100% YOU! Each Scene lets you choose which background and shortcuts to go with them so your Work Scene could have your Calendar and Work Email widget while your Social Scene displays your Twitter updates prominently on the first home screen.

One last feature which many will find useful is the inclusion of Mail. This inconspicuous name packs a lot of power for Enterprise users as it not only allows you to receive email based on an Exchange server, but it also lets you sync Contacts and Calendar entries on that same server to your DROID ERIS as well! What’s even better is that entries from your Exchange server show up side by side with entries from your Google account but they don’t cross-over. So if your Exchange has only work contacts and your Google contacts are all personal, they will remain that way.

Besides adding useful features, you also have HTC tweaking various aspects of the Android operating system for a better user experience. For example, when you open the Contacts application, you are greeted with the bottom slider which Windows Mobile users are familiar with on their HTC devices. Sliding your finger across this bar will bring up different filters such as All, Favorites, Groups, Updates and Events and your Call History. Like I said, HTC has gone a long way to integrate all your information together and it makes you wonder, why couldn’t Android be more like this?

That same bottom slider is seen in many other programs as well such as Mail, Stocks and Time as well.

One last feature which I think many users who have used the Android platform will love is that of Smart Dialing. With this feature, you just press the number that corresponds to the letter of the name that you want to call. So if you wanted to call Michael, you would pres 6, 4, 2 and so on and all entries that match your search will pop up as you see above. This makes choosing the contact to dial a really simple task and save you the trouble of scrolling through your list of contacts!

Battery

With so much going on for the Verizon DROID ERIS, you wonder if the battery holds up to this behemoth? 2 hours of phone calls, 100 text messages, web surfing on a mobile network and WiFi for about half hour, updating Twitter and Facebook throughout the day and I still had 30% of battery at the end of the day. Not too shabby and granted, I did have sync, GPS and brightness turned on, all of which constituted to a larger drain than usual. Turning these off or even tweaking brightness slightly would give you a better battery life than what I saw.

Conclusion

The DROID ERIS, while not as widely advertised as the DROID, can definitely hold it’s own. With the SenseUI overlay on top of Android, HTC has made the operating system a lot more polished and complete. Not only does it fill many gaps that exist in other devices running the same firmware (and in newer firmware as well actually), it also brings with it a level of sophistication that you don’t normally see on mobile devices.

If you’ve been waiting for a while for the Android platform to mature before jumping on, the DROID ERIS is a great stepping stone to begin your journey. Not only does it integrate well with your professional and social life, it’ ever-growing number of applications in the Market ensures that as your use grows and evolve, the DROID ERIS will follow suit.

What I Like About It

• SenseUI makes Android a lot more sophisticated and functional.
• Great looking device that feels just as nice to hold.
• Inclusion of 3.5mm headset jack to use your favorite headphones.
• Good amount of RAM to ensure the phone runs smoothly.
• Decent battery life with moderate usage.

What Could Be Improved

• A new version of the Android operating system could have been included.
• More memory for application installation
• Ability to take a SIM card and support for international bands so it would appeal to international travelers.
• A larger trackball for better navigation.
• Hardware buttons instead of capacitive ones for the standard Android buttons.

Reality Grade: HTC has done really well to mesh form and function into the DROID ERIS and while the Android 1.5 firmware might seem jaded and old when compared to the DROID, you just have to give it a shot to see why the HTC Hero is a must-have for many Android fans and curious onlookers out there.