21 Awesome Tech Gift Ideas for Dad

If you order within the next week most of these gifts will arrive in time for Father’s Day 2011 which is on Sunday June 19th.

Verbatim Tuff N Tiny USB Flash Drive – $10 and up

The Verbatim Tuff N Tiny USB Flash Drive has become our go to drive for two reasons. It is tough and as you can guess, it is tiny. We have it attached to the our key ring and so it is always there. Because of its size we barely notice it. Because of how tough it is we don’t worry about breaking it. We tested this drive and really beat it up. Our data was safe despite dunking it in water, stomping on it, and plunging into dirt. The drives start at $22 for a 2GB model and range on up to $158 for the 32GB model. But you can find them cheaper on Amazon.

Mimobots – $22 and up

If you are looking for a thumbdrive that shows off dad’s love for comics or science fiction, then you need to check out the licensed Mimibot thumb drives. These incredibly detailed drives don’t just carry your documents, they show off your geeky side with licences from Star Wars, Marvel and more.

We’ve been using several of these drives over the past few weeks and everyone we show them to loves the fun look of the Mimobots. The drives look as good in person as they do on the Mimibot website and with a large collection of characters you have a good chance at finding dad’s favorite comic book hero. The backside of the drive is flat enough we could use it with the MacBook Air, which sits close to a table, but if you are trying to plug into the recessed ports on some desktops you may have trouble.

iPhone, Android & iPad Protection – $30 and up

Some of our favorite cases for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices come from Speck and OtterBox. These two companies offer a range of solutions for multiple Android devices and the every popular iPhone. Speck offers a collection of colorful and fun cases mainly focused on Apple products, offering all types of looks and protection.

OtterBox on the other hand is known for their incredible protection for devices including drop protection. For fathers who work in construction, like to go outdoors or are just rough with their phones, an OtterBox case is the perfect gift.

ScotteVest Travel Vests and Jackets – $25 and up

It wouldn’t be a Father’s Day gift guide without ScotteVest travel vests, jackets and shirts. We’ve been big fans of the ScotteVest gear for a while now because it allows dad to carry all of his gear from cameras to the iPad without looking like a dork. Seriously, the pockets in these devices will accommodate all types of gear for around town or heading off on an adventure.

ScotteVest is having a Father’s Day sale right now, that allows you to get jackets, hoodies and shirts at 30% off. The standard ScotteVest Travel vest isn’t on sale, but is well worth the $100 price tag.

LightScoop – $30

If Dad is a shutterbug, the Lightscoop is a great choice. This handy little DSLR accessory will snap on to his camera and bounce the flash off the ceiling or the wall for better photos. Rather than washing out the image or delivering a deer in the headlights look, the Lightscoop bounces the photos off your surroundings for better lighting.

The Lightscoop is probably a better fit for budding photographer dads, rather than a pro photographer who likely has a full lightbox and studio setup on hand.

Eye Fi – $49.99 and up

Another good Father’s Day gift is the Eye-Fi X2 SD card which connects to wireless networks and iPhone or Android devices to upload your photos to your computer and to the web without any wires.

We really like the ability to upload our photos automatically to our computer and to the Eye Fi Center which allows us to share them with family members on the iPad rather than the small screen of our camera. Dad can choose to selectively upload photos to Facebook and many other websites to automatically share. We like the control, which keeps unwanted photos from going public. Check out our Eye Fi Review.

WetCiruits 4 Outlet Water Resistant Rugged Power Strip – $70

This is not an ordinary power outlet. Sure it is a little expensive but how many power strips from WalMart will withstand pouring water into them or having Junior stick a pair of metal tweezers in one of the outlets and survive without even a shock? With the WetCircuits power strip pouring water on it while it is plugged in and in use has no effect. The water is kept out of the actual circuit. Putting a set of tweezers down into the outlet will not shock anyone. We know because we tested it. Check out the video below.

This thing is great for plugging in a number of things like a laptop, a video projector, and your cell phone while you are working at a table with people drinking coffee or while outdoors at a beach or park.

Razer Orochi Bluetooth Laser Mouse – $79.99

There might be a better mobile mouse out there, but after testing a bunch of Bluetooth mobile mice, we don’t think there is a better Bluetooth mobile mouse available. Designed primarily for gamers in mind, this mouse is also great as an everyday mouse. In fact, we use it that way with the notebooks we use most o the time. You can view our full review and video and decide for yourself. Dad will love this mouse whether he’s a gamer or not.

Cadence 4-bit Binary Watch – $90

This is less a tech gift and more a gift for a techie. If your dad is a geek he will love this binary watch. From a distance it looks like any casual analog watch. Up close you realize that instead of Latin or Roman numerals each hour is represented by a four digit binary number.

Fitbit – $99

If dad is a data geek, tracking and analyzing anything he can put into a number, he may like the fitbit. This small device clips onto his pocket or belt and tracks steps, miles walked, activity, calories burned and can even track his sleep habits. The fitbit is $99 and includes access to the fitbit website for tracking fitbit stats and can log eating habits(he’ll have to do this manually though). If he wants to go deeper into the data and gain comparisons to other people in his age group he can upgrade to the premium account for $49 a year.

We’ve been using a fitbit for the past few weeks and we really like that the fitbit can handle being worn day to day at the office, in the yard or out on a long walk without any worries of it falling off or breaking. The fitbit battery lasts a whole week and uploads data to the fitbit website whenever you get within 15 feet of the base station which is attached to your computer. The fitbit isn’t waterproof, but it can handle being washed off and reportedly can survive a drop into the toilet. Below you’ll see just a snippet of the data fitbit records.

One of our favorite uses has been to monitor our sleep habits. With the included armband dad can wear the fitbit while you sleep and it will monitor how often he wakes up and moves during the night.

Booq Bag Computer Backpack – Starting at $129.95

We think Booq makes some nice computer bags and backpacks. They have almost any style you prefer, but we like the backpack style the best. The Boa Squeeze is their least expensive backpack bag. They sell sizes that fit anything from a 13″ up to a 17″ computer. They offer great protection and will look cool doing it. Dad will be very happy with this bag or any of the other styles. Maybe he likes a something more like a messenger bag with a flap, a simple sleeve, or a briefcase style bag. They have them all. We also like the Cobra Courier which is a messenger style bag with a sleeve to protect your notebook. It comes it at $195.

Plantronics Voyager Pro UC 2 Bluetooth Headset – $199

Bluetooth headsets are for the most part poor performers when you actually start to use them, but not the Plantronics Voyager Por UC 2. This headset is the smartest Bluetooth headset we have ever used and the only one we have stuck with for more than a few weeks. It’s so good, we gave it an Editor’s Choice award at GottaBeMobile.com.

The reason we love this bluetooth headset so much is that it is smart enough to know when you want to use it and when you don’t. With a normal Bluetooth headset, audio will be sent to the headset even if it is in your bag or out in the car. The Plantronics Voyager Pro UC 2 knows when you have it on your ear and when you don’t, allowing it to route the audio to the right place. The headset will even auto answer calls when you put it on your ear. This model includes a Bluetooth adapter so that you can use it with your PC or Mac as well.

Android Phone – Various Prices

As popular as the iPhone is, we think an Android phone might be a nice way to reward dad this year. They are easy to use and have a lot of powerful features. Recommending just one is hard since not all phones are available with all carriers. So here are our recommendations for the carrier that old dad is using. These come from our sister site’s list of the top 5 phones for May 2011.

LG G2x – T-Mobile – $200

It has a fantastic 4-inch LCD display, HSPA+ 4G speeds and it has the ability to capture 1080p which is something most top of the line smartphones aren’t able to do.

HTC Droid Incredible 2 – Verizon – $80

We recently previewed the HTC Droid Incredible 2, the successor of the wildly popular Droid Incredible, and came away very impressed. The increase in display size from 3.7 to 4-inches works well and doesn’t add any additional bulk.

Its single-core 1GHz processor is quick and it comes with almost an identical form factor to the original Droid Incredible.  Add in all the other bells and whistles and you have yourself a fantastic 3G phone.

Motorola Atrix 4G – AT&T – $99

The Motorola Atrix is the flagship Android device on AT&T and like the G2x, it can be considered a superphone because of the fantastic specifications it has on board. It packs a high-resolution display, dual-core processor and a massive battery to boot.

HTC Thunderbolt – Verizon – $249

The ThunderBolt is essentially an HTC EVO with 4G LTE speeds, which as you’ll see in a second, isn’t a bad thing whatsoever. The hardware is solid, the software as well and with an upgrade to Gingerbread coming in the not-so-distant future, the ThunderBolt is worthy of this list.

Amazon Kindle eBook Reader – $114, $139, or $189

There are a number of good eBook readers available, but the best one for the simple task of reading books is still the Kindle. The iPad is the premium do-it-all device. The Nook Color wants to be. But if all you want is an eBook reader cheap, the ad-supported Kindle is the best option. It is only $114 and the ads are not that intrusive. It requires a Wi-Fi signal to shop, download books, and sync things like bookmarks, highlights or notes, but can be read anywhere.

HP dm1z Notebook Computer – $449

Not quite a netbook, the diminutive HP dm1z series of notebooks is a great choice for an ultra-portable budget notebook for the mobile dad who needs a business notebook that can handle almost any basic task you throw at it. More powerful than a little netbook, he will be more happy too. It is an 11.6″ system with a dual-core AMD Fusion processor. The AMD Radeon 6310 graphics makes this little system a lot more powerful than you would think. The 1366×768 display makes it 720p HD capable, great for watching HD videos downloaded from one of the various video buying or rental sites. For an extra $129 you can get dad an external Blu-ray drive too. HP promises 9.5 hours from the battery. If you only get the typical two-thirds of the promised battery life that it still around 6 hours. It has VGA and HDMI output for presentations or hooking up to a TV.

Apple iPad 2 – $499 – $829

This is likely one of the number one requested tech gifts this Father’s Day. It is still the standard for tablet devices despite all that people are trying to do to unseat it with Android-based devices. The huge app ecosystem and accessories market make it the number one device. It is dead simple to use and one of the most versatile computing devices ever made.

Our sister site did a very comprehensive iPad 2 review if you want to read up before taking this big a plunge. Just know that if you can afford it, dad will be extremely happy with you. We suggest a sweet spot of 32GB with 3G if you can afford it. That model is $729. Take one step back and go with the 32GB wi-fi only model for $599 if possible.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 – $1399

Not officially ready till May 24, this business class notebook is one of the nicest we’ve seen this year. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 was give the editor’s choice award by our editor, Josh Smith. He said:

The ThinkPad X1 shows a now look for Lenovo and includes a collection of features and design changes which exciting and new. Lenovo has been able to add to the ThinkPad features we love, like durability and an amazing keyboard, without compromising on why businesses choose to equip their employees with ThinkPads. The ThinkPad X1 shows that the company can adapt and bring consumer features like high-end audio and backlit keys to the traditional ThinkPad line. Lenovo may still need a bit more time to perfect the mousepad, but the ThinkPad X1 is without a doubt the best ThinkPad we have had a chance to use.

The ThinkPad X1 we looked at had a 2.5GHz 2nd generation Intel Core i5-520M processor. It also included 4GB RAM and a 320GB hard drive. The display is powered by Intel 3000 HD integrated graphics. The glossy 13.3″ screen is made with a gorilla glass wich makes it durable and particularly scratch resistant. The computer is 3.73 pounds and between .65″ and .84″ in thickness. The 6 cell battery gives you over four hours and the optional slice adds another four hours. Please read our comprehensive review for more detailed information.

Additional Reporting by Josh Smith

Father’s Day 2011: 21 Awesome Tech Gift Ideas for Dad is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

New Notebooks for the Week of June 3rd

• ASUS Shows Off Republic of Gamers G53SX Naked Eye 3D Notebook
  ASUS is showing of some new 3D gaming notebooks at Computex, including their new Republic of Gamers G53SX Naked Eye 3D. They call it the “world’s first naked-eye 3D laptop meaning you can have 3D gaming or video without the need for those annoying 3D glasses.
• MSI F Series Gains FX620DX and FX420 with Quad Core Options, GPUs from AMD and NVIDIA
  MSI showed off a wide array of new notebooks at Computex this week including updates to the premium F series line of notebooks. The new MSI F620DX notebook and the FX420 are what MSI calls the “supercar of laptops,” due to a collection of performance, looks and multimedia options.
• ASUS Announces ROG G74Sx 3D Gaming Notebook
  ASUS announced a new 3D gaming notebook for the hard-core gamer called the ASUS G74Sx. It is part of the Republic of Gamers (ROG) line which is designed for serious gamers who want the power to run any game they choose anywhere they please.
• MSI CX640, CX670 and CX480 C Series Notebooks Arrive w/ Latest Intel and AMD Processors
  MSI announced a trio of new notebooks in the C Series lineup at Computex 2011 this week. The new C Series notebooks include the MSI CX640 as well as the MSI CX670 and CX480 which have 15.6″ displays.
• MSI X460 Arrives with Slim Design, Sandy Bridge & GeForce GT540M
  MSI announced a collection of new notebooks at Computex 2011 including the MSI X460, the latest addition to the MSI X Series of notebooks. This new X series notebook packs a decent amount of power into a size that looks like a perfect fit for students.
• Lenovo Unveils IdeaPad U300s UltraBook at Computex
  Intel is doing all it can to push the new UltraBook platform and it appears that they have convinced Lenovo to get on board with the IdeaPad U300s/U3s Ultrabook at Computex 2011.
• Dell Latitude E6420 XFR and ATG Bring Rugged Power to Police and Professionals
  Dell has just announced the Dell Latitude E6420 XFR fully rugged notebook and the Dell Latitude E6420 ATG semi-rugged notebook with the latest Intel Sandy Bridge processors and discrete graphics. These rugged and semi-rugged notebooks aren’t just designed to be standalone tools, but rather full solutions for users that need to meet specific needs.
• MSI GT683 Gaming Notebook Arrives with NVIDIA GTX 560M GPU and $1,599 Price
  MSI has unveiled the MSI GT683, first notebook to ship with the NVIDIA GTX 560M GPU, both of which were announced at Computex 2011 this week.
• ASUS UX21 UltraPortable Tries to Out-Air the MacBook Air (Video)
  ASUS introduced a the new UX Series notebooks at Computex 2011 today, showing off the ASUS UX Series ultraportable notebook which measures 17mm at the thickest point and 3mm at the thinnest and weighs 2.4 pounds. One look at the ASUS UX and it will be clear to you which notebook the company is going after.

Notebook News for the Week of June 3rd

• Apple Handling Early Malware Threats More Aggressively Than Microsoft
  Apple released an update yesterday that deals with the MacDefender problem and also will help you avoid future infections. It adds a new tool to the security features of OS X that daily updates a list of known malware.
• Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper Cleans Viruses and Malware
  Microsoft has released the Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper, a new tool that works alongside Microsoft Security Essentials, as an advanced system cleaner. If you have a difficult to remove malware or virus problem, this new tool from Microsoft may be able to detect and remove the problem.
• Apple Offers MacBook Bottom Case Replacement Program
  Due to an issue affecting the white plastic MacBook model where the bottom plastic cover would separate from the rubber, Apple is offering a case replacement program.
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M Notebooks Arrive Today with Optimus at Gaming SweetSpot
  NVIDIA just announced the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M mobile notebook GPU which is the latest gaming GPU to roll off the lines at NVIDIA with support for Direct X11, NVIDIA PhysX, NVIDIA 3D Vision, 3DTV Play and for the first time NVIDIA Optimus.
• Steve Jobs To Unveil OS X Lion, iOS 5 & iCloud at WWDC
  Steve Jobs will be on hand at WWDC to unveil OS X Lion, iOS 5 and iCloud next week on June 6, 2011 at 10:00 am PDT. OS X Lion and iOS 5 are the next versions of Apple’s operating systems for the computer and mobile devices.
• Intel Attempts to Define Computing Future with Thin “Ultraboooks” Starting under $1,000
  At Computex 2011 Intel announced a new plan to help usher in a new class of thin ultraportable notebooks that cost less than $1,000. Intel is calling these new notebooks “Ultrabooks” and wants to move at least 40% of the consumer notebooks to this thin form factor by the end of 2012.

Smartphone and Tablet News for the week of June 3rd

• Ahead of WWDC, iPhone 6 Rumors Abound
  Ahead of Apple’s annual congregation of developers at WWDC 2011 in San Francisco, California, a destination where the company is expected to showcase the latest features of iOS 5 and Mac OS X Lion, rumors of the next-generation iPhone hardware are picking up momentum.
• Crux Loaded Case Turns iPad 2 Into Asus Transformer, But Is It Worth the Price?
  For iPad 2 owners looking on at the Asus Eee Pad Transformer‘s clever laptop dock in envy, Crux is bringing its Crux Loaded case to the second-generation iOS tablet to enable the same functionality.
• 5 Features iOS 5 Needs to Make Me Switch from Android [WWDC]
  What iOS 5 neeeds to stay in competition with Android and convert one of our editors.
• Asus PadFone Details, First Impression & Hands On Video Roundup
  Asus has unveiled a new tablet concept at Computex 2011 called the Asus PadFone, which has an opening in the back that allows you to dock your smartphone to power the tablet, similar to how the Motorola Atrix 4G powers a laptop dock.
• Windows 8 Touch Interface Impresses But Is It Enough?
  Well, Microsoft took the wraps off their touch tablet strategy yesterday and if I had to describe the effort in one word, it would be “impressive”.
• Ever Wanted An HTC Smartphone Running WebOS? Well, You Might Just Get It
  HP’s CEO Leo Apotheker is open to licensing his company’s mobile software, webOS, to companies like HTC.
• Verizon Announces 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Pre-Orders Start June 8th
  Verizon has made the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 official which means that Big Red is finally going to have a 4G LTE capable tablet within its stable of devices.
• High on Apple’s iCloud: Top 5 Reasons to Care Even If You’re Not a Music Lover
  We’ve been talking about iTunes streaming, cloud storage, music streaming, and a digital locker for some time now at GottaBeMobile, and here are the top five things that may shape iCloud, though some of these items may take time to happen.

Weekly Wrapup: Notebook, Tablet and Smartphone News & Reviews (June 3rd) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

If you missed out on our reader meetup for June 3rd in San Francisco, don’t delay. We just received a new allotment of tickets and more prizes. Stop down, enjoy some cocktails and chat with your favorite tech writers from GottaBeMobile, SlashGear, Android Community, IntoMobile, BetaNews and Netshelter. In all we are giving away 10 Samsung Galaxy Tab Wi-Fi’s, 5 Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1′s and five different smartphones!

Smartphone and Tablet News for the week of May 27th

• Android Tablets Aren’t Made To Be Held The Right Way
  Tim Bray, Google’s Developer Advocate for Android, has taken a stand on tablet orientation, and he says portrait mode is the way to go. I wouldn’t go that far, but he makes some good points. Unfortunately, the problem isn’t with how people are holding their Android tablets, but how manufacturers are designing them.
• 10 Ways to Fight Desk Job Death & Stay Active at Work
  A new study of how Americans work shows that as we have made the move to desk jobs we have become less active, leading to obesity and other health issues. Here are 10 ways to stay active.
• Top 50 Android Apps, Widgets and Shortcuts – What’s On My Android Homescreen
  Here’s a look at my Android home screen which includes my most used apps, widgets and shortcuts for Android.
• Is There a Lack of Smartphone Diversity on Verizon’s 4G LTE Network?
  Granted, 4G LTE and its consumer-facing devices are still in an infancy period having only been recently made available for purchase within the last few months, but the three Android smartphones–two of which are available today and one coming later this week–all exhibit similar traits.
• Sprint Poaching Motorola Droid X2 from Verizon, Launching as Photon 4G?
  Sprint may be adopting another handset from Verizon Wireless–the Now Network had previously announced that it will be launching the Verizon Motorola Droid Pro as the Motorola XPRT on its network–and this time it’s the Droid X2, which would launch as the Photon 4G.
• HTC ThunderBolt Reboot Fix Coming Soon, Verizon Offering Trade-In to Those Affected?
  HTC and Verizon are well aware of the random reboot issues that have been plaguing the HTC ThunderBolt since it was updated earlier this month. In fact, it appears that Verizon is on the verge of releasing a fix for the issues as its apparently ready and will head to Verizon employees with ThunderBolt’s first and then to the general public if all goes smoothly.

Smartphone Reviews for May 27th

• Motorola Droid X2 Review (Video)
  You know the saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” Well, Motorola and Verizon apparently had that phrase posted all over their offices when mulling over ideas for the successor to the original Motorola Droid X because the Motorola Droid X2 is a splitting image of its older brother. Thankfully it adds a qHD display and dual core processor.
• Square: Small Business Owners Love This Mobile Payment System (video review)
  From what I can tell, small business owners absolutely love Square and the service is going viral. Spin City Cafe is an example of one business I frequent that uses Square.
• How To Tether To Your Android Phone with WiFi Tether
  WiFi Tether is an app for rooted Android phones that lets you use your phone as a wireless hotspot. This allows users to bypass carriers’ built-in Wi-Fi hotspot software, which is especially helpful on phones that come with unreliable hotspot apps, such as the HTC Thunderbolt.

New Notebooks for the Week of May 27th

• Dell XPS 15z: Thinnest 15″ PC on the Planet, Takes on MacBook Pro
  The Dell XPS 15z may look like a MacBook Pro, but it has a few extras you won’t find on Apple’s high end notebook.
• Sony VAIO S Packs High Res Display an Optical Drive into Tiny Package
  Sony delivers a crazy high 1600×900 resolution on the 13.3″ VAIO S.
• Quad Core AMD Llano Processor Inbound to HP Pavilion dv6
  AMD FUsion A Quad Core processors are likely to hit HP notebooks next month
• Eee PC Netbook with MacBook Air Styling Coming at Computex
  Asus is teasing a MacBook Air looking netbook to be unveiled at Computex. Check out what it might look like.
• Notebook Designed for Seniors and Aging Population
  We hope a manufacturer brings these notebooks designed to meet the needs of the elderly into production.
• Sony Vaio F Notebooks Arrive Packing a Multimedia Punch
  Sony unleashes a second upgrade, this time to the VAIO F notebooks with a full 1080P HD display and multimedia touches.
• Panasonic Toughbook 31 Continues to Set Benchmark for Rugged Notebooks
  Panasonic adds Sandy Bridge processors to the new Toughbook 31 notebook. This refresh also allows the screen to go form super bright all the way down to 2 nit for use in nighttime applications.

Notebook News for the Week of May 27th

• Amazon Mac App Store Launches With Apps You Can’t Get in Apple’s Store
  Amazon’s new Mac App Store has apps you can’t get direct from Apple’s App store like Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac.
• New MacDefender Called MacGuard Installs Without Your Password
  Malware authors continue to pester Mac users with fake antivirus software. Now you don’t even need to enter your password to install the software.
• Kanex mLinq USB to HDMI Adapter Gives Macs a 2nd or 3rd Display
  Use the Kanex mLinq to turn your Mac’s USB port into a HDMI port capable of connecting to a monitor or HDTV.
• 11 Last Minute High School Graduation Gifts That Don’t Suck – Tech, Gadgets and Games
  Need a fast graduation gift for a high school senior? Check out our list of Graduation gifts that will actually get used.
• 10 Tips To Getting Things Done While Working at a Coffee Shop
  After spending 3 to 5 days a week working from a coffee shop for the last 5 months, we share our secrets to getting things done while working from a mobile office.

Notebook and Accessory Reviews for May 27th

• Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 Offers Basics [Review]
  The Microsoft Bluetooth Mouse 5000 is a capable Bluetooth mouse, but doesn’t stand out, even with a low price.
• Verbatim Touch Mouse Brings Apple Magic Mouse Feel to Windows [Review]
  Verbatim brings touch to the mobile mouse, a la the Apple Magic Mouse, but doesn’t deliver on the experience.

Weekly Wrapup: Notebook, Tablet and Smartphone News & Reviews (May 27th) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

We also announced a reader meetup for June 3rd in San Francisco where you can come out for a chance to meet up with GottaBeMobile writers and other top tech blogs and influencers in the Bay Area. You also have a chance to win a Galaxy Tab 10.1 and one of 5 Galaxy S phones. Only 400 tickets are available so sign up today.

Smartphone and Tablet News for the week of May 20th

• New Facts About the Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 Slate
  Sumocat finds out why Fujitsu (and everyone) is choosing N-Trig for their 10″ tablets, how Intel AppUp plays into their strategy, just how swappable that battery is, and what mobile broadband providers it supports.
• Bill Gates Says “The PC Is The Tablet”. Is He Right?
  Is the every tablet a PC? What about smartphones?
• HTC Sensation Details, Review & Hands-On Video Roundup
  Everything you need to know about the HTC Sensation which was formerly known as the HTC Pyramid.
• HP TouchPad Coming Soon to Best Buy
  Best Buy looks to be getting the HP TouchPad soon.
• One Droid X Owner Gets Gingerbread Update Pushed Out Early
  It looks like Verizon Wireless may have already begun to push out the Android 2.3 update for some owners of the original Motorola Droid X.
• Android 2.3 Update List: Phones That Won’t Be Getting Gingerbread
  Roundup of some of the more popular devices that have officially been shunned by Gingerbread.

Smartphone Reviews for May 20th

• Droid Incredible 2 Review (Video) – Verizon Wireless
  Can the new Droid Incredible 2 deliver a worthy replacement to the dated Incredible and compete with 4G smartphones like the HTC ThunderBolt and Droid Charge? Read our Droid Incredible 2 Review to find out.
• Casio G’zOne Commando Review (Video) – Verizon Wireless
  The Casio G’zOne Commando is designed for adventurers and contractors. Watch us abuse this phone to see how it handles cold and water.
• Motorola Droid X2 Hands On (Video) – Verizon Wireless
  The Droid X2 arrives in stores on May 26th, check out our hands on video and comparisons to the HTC ThunderBolt.

New Notebooks for the Week of May 20th

• Toshiba Qosmio X770 & X770 3D Gaming Notebooks Previewed
  Toshiba is bringing a new Qosmio gaming notebook to the states soon. You need to check out the hot looks of this notebook.
• 1080P HD Screen Options Come to HP Pavilion dv6t and dv7t Notebooks
  HP is adding 1080P HD screen options to select Pavilion notebooks.
• Samsung 9 Series 11″ Notebook Hits U.S. with Core i3 and High Pricetag
  The smaller 11.6″ Samsung 9 Series lands stateside, can it compete with the MacBook Air?
• Dell XPS 15z Ultrathin 15.6″ Notebook Coming Soon With Sexy Curves, USB 3.0 & Sandy Bridge
  Dell is set to show off the thinnest 15″ notebook soon. Check out this teaser video to whet your appetite.

Notebook News for the Week of May 20th

• Buy a Windows 7 Notebook over $699, Get a Free Xbox 360 4G: Back To School Promo
  Microsoft is offering up a free Xbox 360 4GB with the purchase of any Windows 7 notebook over $699 from select retailers.
• Five Reasons the Apple Store Surprise Might be a New MacBook
  Apple has big plans for the Weekend. We cover 5 reasons why it might be a new MacBook.
• Seagate GoFlex Satellite Wireless Hard Drive Syncs and Streams Content
  The new Seagate GoFlex Wireless Syncs and Streams Content to your computers and wirelessly to the iPad.
• Apple Back-to-School Promotion Starts Next Week: Free iPod Nano with MacBook, MacBook Air or MacBook Pro
  Apple will begin offering a free iPod Nano with the purchase of a MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air next week.

Notebook and Accessory Reviews for May 20th

• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Review
  If you are interested in the ThinkPad X1, check out our monster review with loads of great photos and videos. This is the notebook you should ask your IT guy for.
• Dell Latitude E5420 Review
  If you want a sturdy business notebook then you have to check out the E5420. It is rock solid and comes with a nice 14″ display.
• OWC Auro Pro Express 480GB SSD Review
  Need more space on your MacBook Air? Check out this pricey MacBook Air SSD Upgrade and how to. Assuming you have $1,500 to spare.
• Razer Orochi Bluetooth Gaming Mouse Review: Close to Perfect
  Need a mobile mouse for gaming? Kevin finds a good one.
• Logitech V470 Bluetooth Laser Mouse Review
  Kevin also looks at a cheaper, Bluetooth laser mouse from Logitech, which fits the bill for most users.

Weekly Wrapup: Notebook, Tablet and Smartphone News & Reviews (May 20th) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Smartphone and Tablet News for the week of May 13th

• Samsung Droid Charge Launches May 13th
  The Droid Charge will finally launch on May 14th. Saturday is an odd day to launch a phone, but it’s been confirmed by Verizon.
• Can the Verizon 4G Network Handle More Phones
  The 4G LTE network has experienced growing pains, is it ready for more devices?
• Verizon Answers 4G LTE Network, Device Questions…Sort Of…
  Chuong gets answers, about the ability of Verizon’s 4G network to handle more devices
• The cost of switching from Android to iPhone
  Kevin explores how much it costs to switch from Android to iPhone in part 3 of his switching series.
• Will an Amazon Tablet Succeed?
  Hugo Ortega explores what it will take for Amazon to bring a viable tablet to market.
• Netlfix Launches on Android
  Netflix lands on five Android devices. Find out if yours is one of the few supported devices.
• Google I/O 2011 Roundup
  All the big Android news from Google I/O
• Google’s ChromeBook Shakes Up the Status Quo with Offline Access
  Warner looks at what it means for Google to deliver offline access on the Chromebooks
• Motion Computing CL900 Tablet PC Goes on Sale
  The Motion Computing CL900 Tablet Pc is now available for purchase.
• Google Aims to Succeed Where Microsoft Has Failed
  Sumocate explores Google’s new strategy.
• The Best iPad and iPad 2 Apps [May 2011]
  Our top iPad and iPad 2 apps for gaming, productivity, photography, productivity and entertainment.
• Google Confirms New Nexus Device Is Coming
  A Nexus 3, or some yet to be determined name will grace the next Nexus device which was confirmed by Andy Rubin of Google.
• Google Confirms New Nexus Device Is Coming
  Photoshop lands on the iPad in the form of three apps – Adobe Eazel, Adobe Nav and Adobe Color Lava

New Notebook for the Week of May 13th

• HP EliteBook 2560p Combines Optical Drive and Small Form Factor (video)
  The new HP EliteBook 2560p brings an optical drive to the small 12.5″ form factor.
• HP EliteBook 2760p Tablet Announced
  HP adds Sandy Bridge processors to the Elitebook convertible tablet and keeps the 16:10 aspect ratio and 12.1″ display.
• HP ProBook 5330m Arrives with Consumer Features
  Hp’s new probook brings Beats Audio and other consumer features to enterprise users. Hands on Video.
• HP Mini 210 Gets Beats Audio and New Look
  Hands on Video of the new HP Mini 210 netbook with Beats audio and a slight design change.
• The HP Pavilion dv4 Gets Updated (Video)
  Hands on with the new HP Pavilion dv4 which will provide an option of Intel and AMD processors.
• HP Envy 14 Updated to Sandy Bridge and Gains a New Trackpad
  The popular HP Envy 14 gets Sandy Bridge Intel processors and a new trackpad with an image sensor, but no new high-res display.

Notebook News for the Week of May 13th

• Samsung and Acer Google Chromebooks Launch June 15th: Details, Specs & Pricing
  Google Chromebooks from Samsung and Acer are announced with a June release date. You can purchase outright or if you need 10 or more units, lease starting at $20 a month for schools and $28 a month for busineses.
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Arrives May 17th: Struts Thin & Rugged Design (video)
  Video of the ThinkPad X1 ultraportable arrives and shows off the rugged nature of this ultrathin notebook.
• Panasonic Announces Toughbook 53 w/ Sandy Bridge and Updates Toughbook 52 Rugged Notebooks
  Panasonic introduces a new business rugged notebook in the Toughbook line with Sandy Bridge processors.
• Dell Precision M4600 and M6600 Available For Sale With Speedy New Promo (Video)
  A look at what some customers can do with the powerful mobile workstations from Dell, which are now available for purchase.

Notebook, Tablet and Accessory Reviews for May 2011

• GBM InkShow: ARMOR X7 Rugged Tablet PC – “Tough Enough”
  Sumocat reviews the rougth and tumble ARMOR X7 Rugged Tablet in a GBM Inkshow. Watch it now. You know you want to!
• HP ProBook 6560b Review
  Check out this business class notebook from HP. Designed for the mobile professional this notebook doesn’t disappoint.
• Toshiba Satellite E305 Blue Label 3.0 Review
  The Toshiba Satellite E305 takes home an Eidtor’s Choice Award for overall value and performance. Definitely one of the hottest consumer notebooks of 2011.
• Antec soundscience rockus Speakers Offer Good Affordable Sound
  Kevin reviews a nice set of speakers that can go from your desk to the backyard and kick out enough sound to handle a outdoor movie this summer.
• Verbatim Tuff-N-Tiny USB Drive is Both Tuff and Tiny (Rugged USB Drive)
  Kevin reviews a small thumbdrive that can take a beating without losing your data.

Weekly Wrapup: Notebook, Tablet and Smartphone News (May 13th) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

HP DataPass Hands On Video

Correction: In the video it is stated that HP is working directly with Sprint on DataPass.HP is purchasing wholesale Sprint data capacity through Peregrine, a third-party company.

The service piggybacks, for now, on Sprint’s 3G network, and HP says that it’s service is available only in the U.S. at this point, but the computer-maker is looking into expanding the service in other territories. The great thing about HP DataPass is users can either choose to use it, choose to use another carrier’s mobile broadband offerings–like those through AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint, or choose to ignore mobile broadband together if they don’t need it.

With many laptops now coming with the option for a Gobi chipset, users don’t need to choose which carrier they want their notebooks to work with. The Gobi chip allows users to choose if they want Verizon Wireless, Sprint, or AT&T service after the point of sale as it is compatible with all three carrier’s mobile broadband 3G networks.

With more laptops coming with embedded 3G modems, meaning you won’t need a MiFi or a USB dongle to connect to your carrier’s Internet, having an inexpensive, short-term option for mobile broadband access may mean that you’ll be more productive on the road on the off chance that you can’t find a free WiFi hotspot.

HP DataPass Pricing

Essentially, you can buy data by time periods–between 5 hours and 30 days–or by the bucket–between 75 MB to 1 GB–whichever expires first. The service is similar to a pre-paid cellular service. Here’s the pricing breakdown:

• $5.00: 75 MB or 5 hours of use
• $10.00: 150 MB or 3 days of use
• $20.00: 450 MB or 14 days of use
• $30.00: 1 GB or 30 days of use

In the enterprise market, the service will be great for users who may not otherwise get their manager’s approval for a $50-$80 monthly service for 2 years at a time. HP explains that in many companies, users who may not be as high up on the totem pole can still have access to mobile broadband access while traveling and would be more easily able to expense their data charges without being tied to an expensive monthly contract.

Connecting to the service is easy and seamless through HP’s connection manager. Additionally, when you run out of time or data through your purchased bucket, you can reload at any time.

HP DataPass Brings Pre-Paid Mobile Broadband to HP Notebooks (Video) is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.

Smartphone and Tablet News for the week of May 6th

• The Best Android Smartphones – Coming Summer 2011
  A look at the hottest Android smartphones coming this summer.
• The 5 Best Android Smartphones [May, 2011]
  The hottest Android smartphones available right now.
• How My iPad Made Me Hate Paper and Helped Me Save Over $15,000
  Kevin saves a load of money by using his iPad ad ditching paper.
• Kevin Saves the Dough by Going Paperless, I’m Not So Lucky
  Warner still has trouble going paperless, note for lack of trying though.
• RIM Demos Android Apps on BlackBerry PlayBook, Again (Video)
  RIM has posted another video of the tablet showing off its ability to run applications of the Android variety with more details.
• Verizon to Target Female Demographics with HTC Bliss Android Smartphone, Droidette?
  Verizon is rumored to be coming out with an Android phone geared towards women. With a glowing charm accessory.
• HTC EVO 3D Details, Review & Hands-On Video Roundup
  Everything you need to know about the HTC EVO 3D before it launches this summer.
• Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 Tablet PC Slate Launching Today
  Sumocat delivers his thoughts on the Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 slate Tablet PC.
• LG Revolution Details, Review & Hands-On Video Roundup
  What we know so far about the LG Revolution, likely the 3rd 4G LTE device to come to Verizon.
• RIM Announces BlackBerry 7, Says Current BlackBerry Phones Won’t Get It
  RIM also introduced its latest and greatest operating system, BlackBerry 7, which will launch on the new BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 aka BlackBerry Bold Touch at some point this year.
• RIM Announces BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 (BlackBerry Bold Touch)
  RIM introduced the BlackBerry Bold Touch at its BlackBerry World conference. The device, which had been expected for quite some time, will officially be known as the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and the BlackBerry Bold 9930
• Finger Nose Stylus for Stall Surfers Might Be Carrying Things a Bit Far
  A strap on nose stylus lets you stall surf and tub surf with ease.
• Prepaid Smartphone Showdown: Virgin Mobile, Metro PCS, Verizon, T-Mobile & More
  A look at the prepaid smartphone options from national carriers like Virgin Mobile, Verizon and T-Mobile as well as smaller carriers like US Cellular, Metro PCS and Boost Mobile

Smartphone and Accessory Reviews for May 2011

• Review: Sprint MiFi 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot (Video)
  Check out our thoughts on the Sprint MiFi 3G/4G hotspot.
• SugarSync Review: Back Up and Sync With Multiple Computers – Better Than Dropbox
  SugarSync stole Kevin away from Dropbox. Find out why he switched.
• Verizon Droid Charge Review (Video)
  The Droid Charge is the newest 4G LTE phone to land on Verizon, check out our review before the Charge arrives in store.
• BooqPad iPad 2 Folio Review: The iPad Case for Note Takers
  The BooqPad + Evernote makes for a great inking experience.
• Casio G’zOne Commando Rugged Android Smartphone Hands On and First Impressions (Video)
  The Casio G’zOne Commando is a rugged Android smartphone that looks intimidating, but loves a good soak.
• Droid Incredible 2 Hands On and First Impressions (Video)
  The Droid Incredible 2 is a slim but powerful 3G smartphone. Check out our first impressions.

Notebook News for the Week of May 6th

MacBook Air Running Windows 7

• Mac Owners Targeted with Fake Antivirus App
  Malware programmers are after Mac Owners with a new fake Antivirus app that tries to get your money and your credit card information.
• USB Modems Preferred 3 to 1 over Personal Hotspots. Why?
  Users prefer USB modems over mobile hotspots. We don’t know why either.
• Is the MacBook Air a Good Windows 7 Notebook?
  A look at how Windows 7 runs as a full time OS on teh MacBook Air. Also, how to set this up for yourself.
• Is Apple dumping Intel for ARM?
  Rumors point to Apple ditching Intel for ARM powered notebooks and desktops. Find out our take.
• Standing Desk Guide: Measurements, Examples and Benefits
  Everything you need to know to get started with a standup desk.
• Two Reasons the Mac OS X Lion Update Will Come On a Disc
  Two reasons why OS X Lion will come on a disk or drive when it arrives this summer.

Notebook Reviews for May 2011

• Samsung RV511 Review: Great Features on a $500 Notebook
  The feature packed RV511 earns high marks for value thanks to looks and a collection of features typical of higher priced notebooks.
• Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Review [Video]
  Check out this Quad Core Desktop replacement. It’s not perfect, but it might be right for you.
• Ergotron WorkFit S Review: Standing Desk With Hinged Dual LCD Mount (Video)
  Review of our favorite Sit stand desk from Ergotron with a cool new hinged monitor mount.
• ASUS Eee PC 1215B with AMD Fusion Hands On (Video)
  Hands on video of the AMD Fusion powered ASUS Eee PC 1215B

How To Guides for May

• How To Make Windows 7 Look and Act Like Windows XP
  Make Windows 7 look and act like Windows XP if you can’t bear to change. Even if it is for the better.
• 9 Tips for Troubleshooting Internet Explorer 9
  How to handle common Internet Explorer 9 issues.

Weekly Wrapup: Notebook, Tablet and Smartphone News (May 6th) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

What is 4G?

While we may go back and forth about the definition of 4G, and the speeds vary from carrier to carrier, there is one thing e can agree on — 4G is fast. We ran a speedtest on the HTC Thunderbolt which uses Verizon’s 4G network and were able to clock the following speeds. Yes, these speeds may slow some when the more users get on the network, but you should still expect around 12MB per second downloading and 5MB per second uploading. Keep reading to see how the 4G speeds compare across networks.

Types of 4G Notebook Connections

There are three main ways of connecting your notebook or WiFi gadgets to the high speed 4G network – USB Modem, Mobile Hotspot and Tethering with a 4G smartphone. All of these solutions have strengths and weaknesses, but whichever way you decide to connect you’ll be able to get connected faster than you thought possible.

4G USB Modem – Small and plugs into your notebook. Pro: No battery Con: Won’t work with more than 1 device or the iPad 2

4G Mobile Hotspot – Small, portable with ability to connect multiple devices over WiFi. Pro: WiFi anywhere you are. Con: Bring a cord because the battery may run out fast.

4G Smartphone Tethering/Personal Hotspot – No need for another device, tap to start your hotspot. Pro: Built into many phones, cheaper than standalone plans. Con: Burns through battery life fast.

4G USB Modems (By Carrier)

Sprint 4G USB Modems:

Sprint 4G USB Modem

• Sprint 3G/4G USB U600 - Free with 2 Year Contract

Verizon 4G USB Modems:

Verizon 4G LTE USB Modem

• Verizon 4G LTE USB Modem USB55IL - $99 after $50 MIR w/ 2 year contract
• LG 4G LTE USB Modem VL600 - $99 after $50 MIR w/ 2 year contract
• Pantech 4G USB Modem UML290 - $49 after $50 MIR w/ 2 year contract

T-Mobile 4G USB Modem:

T-Mobile 4G USB Modem

• T-Mobile Jet 2.0 – Free after $50 MIR w/ 2 Year Contract

4G Mobile Hotspots (By Carrier)

Sprint 4G Mobile Hotspots:

Sprint 4G MiFi

• Overdrive™ 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless – $49 w/ 2 year contract
• Sprint MiFi 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot - $79 w/ 2 year contract

Verizon 4G Mobile Hotspots:

Verizon 4G LTE MiFI

• Verizon  4G MiFi 4510L – $99 after $50 MIR w/ 2 year contract
• Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot SCH-LC11 – $99 after $50 MIR w/ 2 year contract

T-Mobile 4G Hotspots:

T-Mobile 4G Hotspot

• T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot - $79 w/ 2 year contract

4G Smartphones with Hotspot

Sprint 4G Smartphones with Mobile Hotspot:

HTC EVO 4G with Personal Hotspot

• HTC EVo 4G - $199.99 with 2 year contract
• HTC EVO Shift 4G – $149.99 with 2 year contract
• Samsung Epic 4G – $149.99 with 2 year contract

Verizon 4G Smartphones with Mobile Hotspot:

HTC Thunderbolt with 4G Personal Hotspot

• HTC Thunderbolt – $249.99 w/ 2 year contract

T-Mobile 4G Smartphones with Mobile Hotspot:

T-Mobile G2x with 4G Personal Hotspot

• T-Mobile® G2x™ with Google - $199.99 after $50 MIR with 2 year contract
• T-Mobile® G2™ with Google - $199.99 after $50 MIR with 2 year contract
• Samsung Galaxy S™ 4G - $199.99 after $50 MIR with 2 year contract

4G Hotspot, Modem and Smartphone Tethering prices

Sprint 4G Data Plan Pricing:

• MiFi and USB Modem – $59.99 for 4G Unlimited and 3G 5GB/month
• Personal Hotspot (in addition to data plan) – $29.99

Verizon 4G Data Plan Pricing:

• MiFi and USB Modem - 5GB for $50/month, 10GB for $80/month
• Personal Hotspot (in addition to data plan) - $14.99

T-Mobile 4G Data Plan Pricing:

• MiFi and USB Modem – 5GB for $50/month, 10GB for $85/month
• Personal Hotspot (in addition to data plan) – $14.99

4G Speeds (By Carrier)

The 4G network speeds vary from carrier to carrier and often from place to place within the city, but we have collected the claimed speeds from Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile below. In some cases we have been able to achieve faster speeds depending on the location.

If you want to know how coverage and speeds are in your area, the best bet may be to ask around amongst your friends and coworkers to see how their 4G speeds are.

Claimed 4G Speeds: Actual Speeds may be higher or lower in practice.

Sprint 4G Speed – 3-6MBps download/1MBps upload

Verizon 4G Speed – 5-12MBps download/2-5MBps upload

T-Mobile 4G – Speed - 5-8MBs download/ not stated

4G Coverage Areas

4G coverage is limited to major cities and airports right now, but most major carriers are working on a fast and massive 4G rollout. Verizon, for example, is on an ambitious push to cover a large number of metropolitan areas by the end of 2011. We have heard from several sources who have told us that the 4G rollout should happen much faster than the initial 3G rollout.

Sprint 4G Coverage:

Sprint 4G Coverage

Check Sprint 4G coverage in more detail.

Verizon 4G Coverage:

Verizon 4G Coverage

Check Verizon 4G coverage in more detail.

T-Mobile 4G Coverage:

T-Mobile 4G Coverage

Check T-Mobile 4G coverage in more detail.

4G Hotspot and USB Modem Roundup: Notebook & Laptop 4G Connections is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Notebook News For the Week of April 1st:

We kicked off World Backup Day with a collection of deals on services and storage that will help you keep your data safe without spending a fortune. You still have a few hours to enter to win a free 30GB SugarSync account by Tweeting the following.

I’m in to win a @SugarSync 30GB/year account from @Notebooks.com  Find out How & Check Out these Backup Deals -Notebooks.com/go/BackupDay

Dell Latitude E6320 Business Notebook

New Notebooks for March 2011:

• Dell Latitude E6320 Available for Purchase
• Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s Now For Sale, Tempting Prices and Performance
• MSI CX640 and CR640 with Sandy Bridge and Fast Boot Times
• Lenovo ThinkPad W520 Mobile Workstation W/ Quadro Graphics Up For Sale
• Lenovo ThinkPad T420s Now Available for Purchase w/ Core i5 Sandy Bridge
• MSI GX680 Gaming Notebook Specs, Pics and Details
• MSI X370 to Challenge 9 Series, MacBook Air
• Dell Inspiron M5030 Spanish Laptop Launches w/ Spanish Keyboard (Video)

Notebook News:

• 11″ Showdown: Samsung Series 9 Compared to the MacBook Air
• MSI Resumes Shipping GT680R and GE620R Sandy Bridge Notebooks, Adds Addtl 1 Year Warranty
• Boxcar for Mac Launches, Simplifies and Centralizes Notifications
• EeePad Transformer Notebook/Tablet Coming To Best Buy for $400 (video)
• Lenovo S205 AMD Zacate Notebook Unboxing Video

Tablet and SmartPhone News for the Week of April 1st:

Kyocera Echo

• Verizon Casio Commando Shows Off Rugged Design
• HTC unveiling ‘what’s next’ on April 12th, is it the HTC Pyramid?
• Adobe Shows Off Photoshop for iPad
• Sprint Kyocera Echo and T-Mobile Nokia Astound Get Unboxed (Videos)
• Dell exec claims iPad too expensive for enterprise. Sounds familiar…
• Answering Some Questions on Digital Inking and the iPad
• Microsoft’s Craig Mundie Not Sure Tablets are Here To Stay
• Battery Life Comparison Between the iPad and iPad 2 Yields Some Interesting Results
• Verizon USB551l 4G LTE Modem Arrives March 31st
• Why All This Fretting Over Apple and No New Hardware at WWDC? It’s Not About Hardware Anymore
• LG Said To Be Working On Google Nexus Tablet

Notebook and Accessory Reviews:

• AT&T 3G MicroCell Review: Good Quality But Don’t Pay For It
• Breffo Spiderpodium Review: Versatile Phone Holder Attaches to Anything
• MyDitto Review: Affordable Network Attached Storage That’s Simple To Use
• Victorinox Slim Swiss Army Flash Drive Review (32GB)
• Speck SeeThru Case for MacBook Air Review
• Pad&Quill Cartella Case Review: Turns MacBook Air into MacBook with Class

Popular How To Articles for the Week of April 1st:

• How to Enable TRIM Support for SSDs in OS X 10.6.7 With a Click
• How To Edit Video from a Flip Camera on iPad 2
• How to Play Amazon Cloud Drive Music on iOS
• 10 Great Uses of Preview for Mac OS X
• How to Customize Wallpaper Themes in Windows 7

Weekly Wrap Up: Notebook, Tablet and Smart Phone News for April 1 is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

First, when the software connects, unlike on the Windows PC software, the Verizon VZAccess Manager connection suite cannot report how much data has been used so far in the current billing period. Verizon offers a number of different 4G LTE data plans, but the two popular ones are 5 GB of data for $50 or 10 GB of data for $80. On the Windows side, every time you establish a connection through VZAccess Manager, a pop-up box appears telling you how much data you have consumed, which is important as overages will run you $10 per 1 GB of data. With faster connections, and if you’re heavily reliant on the 4G network, you’ll be eating through data quicker than you realize so it’s nice to be able to gauge how much data you’ve consumed so you can pace your usage to avoid overages. On OS X–I’m using Apple’s latest OS X 10.6.6–I get a pop-up box that says an error has occurred and I have never been able to get my month-to-date usage information on the Mac.

Second, connections are glitchy at best, especially if you put your computer to sleep without disconnecting first. On the top status bar, there is an icon at the top that will allow you to quickly connect to 4G LTE on the OS X environment. On my Mac, if I put the device to sleep, I would only be able to successfully re-connect via the VZAccess shortcut on the menu bar about 30% of the time. Most of the time, the system appears to connect to the Verizon network for a few seconds before disconnecting me. I find that when this happens, removing the USB modem and re-inserting it into the USB port would solve the problem. Other times, the VZAccess shortcut would disappear and I wouldn’t be able to re-connect until I restart my Mac.

Also, it seems that the connection speeds are somewhat slower than they are on the PC side. I am not sure why this is, but on the Mac, there is also a bit of latency when trying to open a webpage where there is a delay before the page begins to load. I haven’t had any of those experiences on the PC side.

Moreover, with Apple’s design, the USB modems are somewhat wider than a standard USB port. That means that when plugging the modem directly into the USB port, you’re going to cover up some ports next to the port you’re using. On my MacBook Pro 15-inch, for example, plugging in my USB modem covers up my Mini DisplayPort (now the ThunderBolt port on newer systems) and the USB port next to the one I am using. Since the MacBook Pro 15-inch only has two USB ports, I can’t insert another USB device. That problem is semi-mitigated with a USB extension cable that comes with the LG modem so that the modem won’t block nearby ports. On the Pantech modem, the USB modem can twist around to free up some room when you’re trying to access the nearby ports.

For now, because of the software limitations and the hardware design, I would urge Mac users to wait until Verizon releases the 4G MiFi unit from Novatel or a 4G mobile broadband router from Samsung–both products were announced earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show. Additionally, with 4G Android smartphones launching with mobile hotspot capabilities, those units may be better suited for Mac users as they won’t block adjacent ports and would connect over WiFi, mitigating the problem with glitchy VZAccess Manager connection software on OS X.

Verizon advertises download speeds of 5-10 Mbps and upload speeds between 2-5 Mbps, which is faster than most home DSL networks and rivals some slower cable connections. I am a huge fan of LTE speeds, but I just wished the experience for OS X users were better.

Why Mac Users Should Wait Before Joining Verizon’s 4G LTE Fray is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.