Chanatown

Less than a year ago, I discovered the TuneIn Radio for Android and I raved about the ability to listen to local radio stations regardless of location . Although I still appreciate the functionality of TuneIn, this year's discovery app for listening involves podcasts, an audio genre that I have grown to enjoy on weekday commutes, long runs, and times when I'd rather listen to spoken text than reading it. After listening to an ad for Stitcher Radio via one of these podcasts, I took the bait and downloaded the free app, and boy was I glad I did.

Those with an iPhone don't know how good you have it when it comes to to-do list apps. When I had my iPhone, I installed and tested several applications that synced with my to-do list of choice, Toodledo . From a native app ( Toodledo ) to the visually appealing 2Do , to my eventual favorite, Todo , these were just a few of a plethora of applications designed to keep you on top of your lists. Cross over to the Android platform, and the pickings are much slimmer. With no native app available, I have experimented with several noble attempts, but none have come close to producing a simple, elegant, and efficient interface capable of helping me keep track of my to-dos while on the move. That all changed when I found DGT GTD .

Image by Saad Irfan via Flickr Article first published as Review: Droid X and Gingerbread - A Delicious System Update on Blogcritics. After checking for system updates for the past few days, and drooling with jealousy from those included in the "soak" test group , I was finally treated to a system update (Version 2.3 aka "Gingerbread") from the folks at Motorola. A list of new features can be found here . For a review and reflection from hands-on experience, continue past the jump.

Article first published as Lost or Stolen Smartphone? Three Actions to Take After It Happens on Blogcritics. Image by _rockinfree via Flickr Losing a cell phone or getting one stolen from you is always a tough predicament to be in, yet more and more people are finding themselves in exactly that position. And with mobile devices costing upwards of hundreds of dollars to purchase, replacing a lost or stolen device can easily become an unfortunate financial burden. Furthermore, the reality of having your data now in the hands of someone else may actually prove to be the bigger problem. Two weeks ago, I thought I fell victim to losing my beloved Droid X (happy spoiler alert: the device was found earlier this week). Here are a few actions I took with the hope that you won't have to take them yourself some day.   So should your phone get lost or stolen...

Article first published as A Review of the Amazon Appstore - Stealing the Market's Market Share? on Blogcritics. Window shopping on a mobile device involves a simple tap of a button and you're immediately taken to the App Store on iOS or the Market on Android devices.  Until recently, the Android Market was the only place you could find to spend your hard earned money on cool apps. Amazon decided to enter the app marketplace by starting its own storefront, controversially titled Appstore . Well, a month of browsing for apps and finding a few free gems, I find myself shopping at Appstore more and more. Here's why:

Pop quiz, hot shot. What is the number one application I use on my smartphone? If you said web browser, you're a winner (I need to get some prizes out), and I suspect others would agree that despite being called a phone, today's smartphones are used more for mobile browsers than for making calls. With that said, the browser that ships standard with the iPhone and all Android phones tends to be rather dull. Leave it to third party applications to improve the experience, and today, we focus on a set of browsers in particular for the Android: Dolphin Browser HD and the newly released Dolphin Browser Mini.

I woke up one morning last week to find my Droid X acting particularly slower than normal. I did what we gadget lovers know unfortunately all too much: reset the device. However, this procedure was not just a power cycle but rather a hard reset, and it involved a completely fresh start for the phone. The good news is that the device is back to its original blazing speed. Today, I thought I would share a few protocols in case you wake up to find your smartphone acting up as well.

It has been a whirlwind of a week for all things Google with its eBookstore, Chrome OS, and Cr-48 notebook announcements. Android saw a Google Reader app appear last week (review coming soon), and Droid X users were not to be left out as a quick check of "Settings, About, System Update", and this user found an update waiting for download. Check out the initial thoughts after the jump.

I suspect that I am in a large majority that wondered when wireless syncing of data between computer and phone would finally make its way to the mainstream user. I figured Apple would make some grandiose announcement and hold a huge event broadcasting to the world about "one more thing..." Instead, I read a short blurb on my Flipboard about how doubleTwist, an app that I already had on my Droid X phone, had quietly released a new application called AirSync. The app claims to let you wirelessly sync your iTunes playlists, photos, and videos using your home Wi-Fi network. So, what's the real story behind the experience? Find out after the jump.

One of my favorite features of the Droid X and other Android OS smartphones is the live wallpaper functionality. For the past few months, I've dabbled with the stock options and installed a few of the more prominent marketplace apps (Mario Live, Beautiful Weather, and Aquarium are some favorites). However, with a new baby in the house, and changes happening every day, I've been trying to document as much as I can. And of course, I've succumb to the cliche parent move of using pictures of baby on my desktop, iPad, and laptop. Why should my mobile phone be any different? With MultiPicture Live Wallpaper , I'm able to fully customize the experience. More on why I may never use a different wallpaper after the jump.

11/12 UPDATE: Although one is always happy to see additional levels (45 in total) via an update, the folks behind the addictive Angry Birds are close to disenfranchising their fans by overloading the game with ads. I could live with a few of the ads, and the occasional video, but the placement (now in the upper right corner) and frequency (every single level for a longer period of time) have spurred numerous comments and 1-star ratings on the market. We'll see if Rovio addresses this in an update or else it'll have to worry more about Angry Fans than Birds. Review/Original Post: I first heard of Angry Birds through one of Conan O'Brien's promos . Admittedly, I was not that interested in a game for the iPad at the time, and I wasn't willing to plunk down $4.99 for the app. However, when word got around that there was a free full version available on the Android Market, I quickly downloaded, installed, and have not looked back since. Here are some happy thoughts ...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife Earlier this month, we looked at some of the core functionality that can be achieved with the Smartphone. As these advanced phones become more common, we want to make sure that we are getting the most out of these high tech devices. What happens once you've gotten familiar with your basic email, calendar, and document setup? Here are three more ways to help you maximize your smartphone's capabilities and keep you in touch with the world wherever and whenever.

You know you're a blogging geek when you can't wait to write about a new discovery. For me, this occurred with TuneIn Radio . A few weeks ago, my wife and I took a road trip to Michigan, and on our way back, we wanted to tap into a local Chicago station that was playing the top songs of the 90's (Yes, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was #1). Our car radio wasn't picking up the station, so we looked for alternatives through our Android phones. My wife was able to find TuneIn and we successfully tuned into the countdown until the signal became available again. However, it wasn't until today's bus ride home that I realized the true capabilities of this packed app.

Image via Wikipedia I am often on the move throughout my work day, and I've gotten in the habit of scheduling many of my visits with teachers on my Outlook calendar. With Wednesday's release of Android 2.2 for the Droid X , I now have a functional Exchange setup that's reasonably in sync (note: I didn't use the "push" word). Thus, it's handy for me to have quick access to my calendars. With Android Agenda Widget, I can not only have them on my home screen, but coupled with Widget Locker (reviewed here) , I can also have view events on my lock screen.

Image via CrunchBase After a lengthy wait and anticipation reaching a height with our preview yesterday, I was pleased to see the update come in earlier than the 12pm EST estimate given by several articles. I woke up this morning, checked for system updates and instead of the usual letdown, I was happy to see that 2.3.15 awaited my click of the Update button. Setup was straightforward, a restart was needed, and I was able to keep both Launcher Pro and Widget Locker on the device without any problems. In our preview post, I mentioned three features I was looking forward to the most, so here are the immediate observations.

Image by showbiz kids via Flickr I haven't read Waiting for Godot, but I think I know enough of the theater fan's movie classic, "Waiting for Guffman" to make the comparison to this Droid X user's long and patient wait for the Android 2.2 update. After weeks and weeks of rumors, each claiming that Froyo was just around the corner, looking for clues in Motorola Matt's cryptic forum messages "late summer...", and having written this opener on 9/19 after reading a PC World article that hinted at Monday being the day, it's time we take a look at what all the fuss was about. And unlike Godot and Guffman, Froyo did make finally arrive. Today, we make one final preview at what we'll be looking forward to the most with 2.3.15.

Image via Wikipedia Cue MNF music...Play the John Williams SNF prelude...Roll Hank Williams Jr. ..that's right, "Are you ready for some football!?!?!" It's opening night, and I've been watching more NFL Network lately since the Cubs checked out months ago. And I'm dying to try out the NFL Mobile app on my new Droid X. So, how did the app perform during primetime, and what's the real deal behind the pricing? Find out more after the jump.

Image via Wikipedia It has been just over a month since my original post and review of Launcher Pro , and it has easily been one of my most viewed posts. So, I thought I'd revisit the application to see what's new, and why there's been considerable buzz regarding the home screen launcher. I'll also dive into Launcher Pro Plus, and giving you the lowdown on all of the native widgets that your $2.99 upgrade includes.

Image via Wikipedia It's back to school week in Chanatown, so how's about we get started with a few tips on smartphone usage? Many teachers I meet with are now toting new and improved smartphones, and it's awesome! I don't feel like such a geek (as much) anymore, now that more and more phones are equipped with keyboards, faster processors, bigger screens, and features galore. Heck, even my wife got a new Android phone last week (more on that to come), so I thought it might be useful to consider how a smartphone can best impact a teacher's daily grind.

Image by laihiu via Flickr One of the biggest reasons I left the iPhone for the Droid X  was for the option to customize my phone. I’m not just talking about changing my background (only recently allowed on iPhone 4) or wallpaper. I wanted to ability to change launchers (I suggest Launcher Pro or ADW Launcher ), add widgets ( here’s a few Sports recommendations ), and alter the lock screen. I’ve found that there are times when I just don’t want to slide to open, and Widget Locker helped me find a solution to my problem.