photo credit: HBO Go Mobile Apps

Your Smartphone isn’t just a cell phone any more. Starting next month you can start using HBO for streaming videos to your iOS and Android devices. Following Netflix and Time Warner Cable, HBO will start the new HBO Go for mobile devices next month. Available with subscription will be all your favorite HBO shows, including all the past seasons, as well as feature films. The new service will no doubt be especially popular with tablet users.

HBO Go has been available since 2009. It wasn’t really catching on all that well. Now with the new mobile app available for Android and iOS platforms, HBO is hoping it will gain some ground on Netflix. HBO snubbed Netflix by not allowing any of its content to be available on Netflix. Netflix already has free Android and IOS apps available. HBO is now taking on the mighty Netflix giant with 1400 choices, and more promised. According to an article posted by Don Reisinger, The Digital Home, In January, HBO senior vice president of corporate affairs, Jeff Cusson, told The Hollywood Reporter that his company “believes in content exclusivity, especially for high-value content.” He said that HBO “has no intention of making its content available for streaming on Netflix.”

An HBO video was posted last week on YouTube. According to the video, HBO Go is scheduled to be released May 2nd to Android and iOS devices. “Get every episode of every season of your favorite HBO shows, plus hit movies and much more,” the video’s voiceover states. “All free to HBO subscribers and all streaming on your iPad, laptop, or Smartphone wherever you are.” They aren’t specific about whether it will work on 3G, but since they are touting “Wherever you are,” I am assuming it will also work on 3G.

DirectTV won’t be streaming HBO Go through mobile apps. According to Richard Lawler, Engadget, a “mis-tweet” by the DirectTV Twitter account originally stated it would be including the HBO Go mobile apps. Corrected, it now stands that DirectTV won’t be adding HBO Go access through their own apps and DirecTV customers will have to use the native HBO Go app just like everyone else.

Are you anxious to watch HBO shows on your Smartphone? I think even with my Droid X’s 4.3 inch screen, I would rather watch shops on a tablet. Of course until I get a tablet (hint for Mother’s Day), I will probably try it out on the Droid X. What about you?

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photo credit: BlackBerry Torch 2

BlackBerry should be renamed LeakBerry. Photos, videos and technical specifications have been “leaked” over and over in the past few weeks. Rumors are flying. There are now stories of four new RIM Smartphones (BlackBerry Bold Touch, Torch 2, Orlando, and Touch), all of which have new capacitive touch screens. Mostly they seem to be “re-made” versions of the Curve and Torch, although there is a touch only phone as well.

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photo credit: Japanese Factories at Risk

A devastating earthquake and tsunami earlier this month in Japan caused shortages of electronic components. It will also result in increased prices. Currently, Apple has to find alternative manufacturers for components of their new iPad2. While Apple may be able to find substitute manufacturers, those same manufacturers realize they have Apple in a desperate situation, and are charging more for those parts. In addition to Apple finding itself in a bind, consumer electronics as a whole are finding shortages of components. And of course, the old “supply and demand” axiom is pushing prices up.

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photo credit: iPhone 5

The new iPhone from Apple is due out sometime this summer. Rumors are flying about just what the new iPhone will include. First of all, will it be called the iPhone 5? For simplicity, that’s what I will call it. Notable sites like PC World Report, iPhonereleasedate.org, and the UK’s The Independent are reporting “reliable rumors” (if there are such things.) Speculation about what will and won’t be included in the new iPhone differs, but most agree there will be a new case design. The back will be made from aluminum rather than glass, and the phone itself will be thinner. It is rumored that the screen will be shatterproof and scratch resistant. Other rumors include an HD audio system and a better “all the time” GPS mode.

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photo credit: Verizon iPhone vs. AT&T iPhone

Which iPhone is faster—Verizon or AT&T? According to an article by Peter Svensson, (AP Technology) posted on TechBits, “the Verizon iPhone loads Web pages just as fast as AT&T’s version of the phone, even though Verizon’s network has lower data speeds, phone testing firm, Metrico Wireless reported.” However, Metrico Wireless said that data downloads on the Verizon iPhone turned out to be half as fast as those on AT&T’s network, but unless you are downloading data, most users didn’t notice much difference in web browsing. Metrico tested the Verizon iPhone’s performance with 4,000 calls and 10,000 Web page downloads in New York, Seattle, Washington, Baltimore, Chicago and Dallas, Rich McNally, Metrico Wireless’ VP of Information Products said.

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photo credit: Grey Market iPhone 64GB

An iPhone 64GB prototype has surfaced in the ‘grey’ market in Hong Kong. According to an article by Sara Yin, PCMagazine.com, the rumor was first announced on Chinese-language blog Unwire.hk and later ‘confirmed’ by MIC Gadget. The 64GB model appears to be unlocked and running iOS 4.1. MIC Gadget’s photos of the model found are much like the iPhone 4 model that Gizmodo found last spring in a bar. The model shows lots of XX’s on its case. The model number states ‘XXXXX’, FCC ID number is ‘BCG- XXXXXX,’ and printed capacity is ‘XXGB.’

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photo credit: iPhone Stick-on Keyboard

4i Concepts’s 4iThumbs2 is a stick on keyboard for the iPhone. The concept behind the stick on keyboard, available in both portrait and landscape mode for $13-$25 with bumper, is to get users comfortable with the virtual keyboard. According to an article by Doug Rule, Mobiledia, “4i Concepts’s 4iThumbs2 is an invisible, removable plastic film that sits over the face of an iPhone, with ridges between keys to help ensure a finger hits the intended key, not any of its neighbors. The film is held in place by a bumper, and can be easily removed and stored on the back of the phone when not in use.”

“As the only tactile ridged screen for the iPhone, 4iThumbs2 is sort of like training wheels for new iPhone users, making their transition to a touch screen comfortable and easy,” said Jerry Rosengarten, founder of 4i Concepts.

Have you sent embarrassing text messages because of typos? There is actually a website dedicated to the laughable and embarrassing mistakes. It’s called “Damn You Auto Correct.” It features mistakes like “Your Mum and I are going to divorce next month,” instead of “Your Mum and I are going to Disney next month.” The founder of the site, Jillian Madison, has actually been offered a book deal due out this month, according to an article by Brian McCullough, Mobiledia. Perhaps this new keyboard will help that situation.

iPhone users seem to be more susceptible to texting errors than other Smartphone texters. According to the article on Mobiledia, apparently this is due to the fact that iPhone requires specific input to decline an auto suggestion, and many users are in too much of a hurry and just press “send” without checking. Not only can this be embarrassing but can be potentially career damaging, depending on who you are texting.

What about the Android users? So far there are no plans for a similar keyboard for the Droids. Perhaps this is because they vary in screen size. Regardless, Google has given the Android users several tools to help with their clumsy fingers. I think my personal favorite is Swype. It allows you to slide your finger along from letter to letter in a continuous motion and have the Swype app auto suggest words. Another tool Google offers on the Android is speech to text so you can dictate your testing. It works fairly well, and is of course editable.

Got any embarrassing text mistakes you want to share? Are you an iPhone user or use another Smartphone? The bottom line is that you should proofread your texts before sending. Yes, a keyboard trainer would help, but you still need to check your words.

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photo credit: Confession App

Are you a Catholic needing to go to confession? There’s an app for that. Seriously though, it’s not actually an app to substitute for confession. (The Catholic Church is very clear on this issue.) It is an app for the iPhone that helps you figure out how you’ve sinned (as if you didn’t know) and formulate a confession. It’s called Confession: A Roman Catholic App, and was created by Little iApps with the help of two Catholic priests ($1.99). And it has been given the blessing of Bishop Kevin C. Rhodes of the Diocese of Fort Wayne - South Bend, Indiana.

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photo credit: Android 3.0 vs. iPad 2

Pad wars are heating up. Today Apple is hosting an event in San Francisco where they are rumored to be revealing the new iPad 2. Google revealed the new Honeycomb (Android 3.0) last month. And the race is on! There are many Android based tablets debuting this year. Will they be able to compete with the new iPad 2?

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photo credit: iPad 2 Event

The much touted iPad 2 is rumored to be revealed today in San Francisco at 1:00 pm. Special invitations for the event were sent out with a sneaky-looking iPad peeking out from behind the date. Rumors are flying about just what the new features will be. According to Catharine Smith, The Huffington Post, MacLife offers a sobering prediction: “While many may be disappointed if Apple doesn’t ’shock and awe’ with the next iPad, the reality is that the company’s tablet is leading the market by such a wide margin at this point, Cupertino can still afford to coast a little bit — at least until September, when the rumor mill claims we’ll likely see a more spectacular iPad 2 with the bells and whistles that make us all swoon.”

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