Today Show – iPhone vs Blackberry

 

 

Spoke with Karl today about how rival smartphone handsets are faring in what is a pretty cutthroat market. We compared the iPhone to the Blackberry.

Initially the iPhone started out as a handset aimed at consumers, but has slowly turned out to be a handy tool for business people. I was sitting having a beer with a six mates the other day and we got talking about handsets. Most were businessmen, and they used to be fans of the Blackberry – five of the six now have an iPhone.

Research in Motion’s Blackberry on the other hand started out as a business phone, but is also now trying to make inroads into the consumer space. One thing I like about the Blackberry is that if you use the email feature it is a lot more secure than using the iPhone and it uses less data.

Then, of course, there is the Google Android-based phones such as the HTC Desire, which I am currently using.

We also had a quick talk about Facebook and its privacy settings. While people are up in arms about it – and it sounds like the company needs to fix the privacy issues – at the end of the day you have handed over information willingly to a private enterprise company. I’m not saying they are right or wrong, just pointing out their point of view.

Kerri-Anne and 2UE eBook Readers

Three electronic eBook readers. the Amazon Kindle, iRiver Story and Kobo, were checked out on both Kerri Anne and 2UE with Stuart and Tracey

Both the Kobo and Kindle are tied to online bookstores – Borders and Amazon respectively, while the iRiver allows you to download books from a variety of vendors.

There are pros and cons with ebooks. Obviously the comfort of having a physical book in front of you, and having a copy always available to you is good. Ebook readers stop small forests being destroyed when a best seller hits the stand, plus you can change the font size if your eyes aren’t what they used to be.

Had a couple of call with Jan wanting to know how to convert her old VHS tapes to DVD. The unit she is after is the Sony DVDirect VRD-MC3 from Sony.

On the back of our eBook reader story, Andy wanted to know about the copyright of books etc. When you buy a book you get to keep it, but most eReaders have limited space. Some can store up to 8000 books and more if you add an external storage device. I know with Amazon, you have an account and if your Kindle gets destroyed you can go into your account and retrieve your books (although I guess you would have to prove that your Kindle was destroyed, after all, how would they know you are not downloading books from your account to a third-party – ie friend’s – Kindle).

Also Bob was a tad annoyed that he had bought a Sony eBook reader from the US, but there is no way of buying content for it in Australia. If there was one big warning I would give to those who want to invest in an eBook reader, I would tell you to ask the shop assistant what sort of access they have content.

A Current Affair – Project Natal

Later this year Microsoft will be rolling out Project Natal – its remoteless gaming widget that will can be connected to an Xbox and your arms and legs become the controller. This will take gaming to a whole new level, whereby the interactivity is now as close as you can get to be in a game without jumping into the screen itself.

This widget will get people off the couch and into exercise, even if the game is not exercise specific like Your Shape or Wii Fit. While some parents will still not be that happy about their kids spending too much time gaming, at least they will be getting some form of exercise.

Also out is Sony’s Move remote, which isn’t as funky as Project Natal, but certainly more interactive than current PS remotes, even the wireless ones. Similar to the Wiimote, the Move allows you to use the remote as an extension of your arm, which makes you get up and take a more active part in the game.

Also mentioned was a secret Nintendo project that involves a portable DS console that will have 3D capabilities without the need for glasses.

This year is turning out to be groundbreaking in the gaming stakes…