This is a guest post by Joe Pawlikowski. He edits BBGeeks, a site dedicated to helping BlackBerry users get the most out of their devices. If you would like to write for TheDolt’s Blog, do read our page Be My Guest; Write A Guest Post.

When you announce a device in September for an anticipated first quarter release, you’re setting yourself up for abounding speculation. Research In Motion tried to get out ahead of the tablet market in 2010 when they announced the BlackBerry PlayBook. But even then they admitted that it would be a while until the official release. In the interim we heard rumors galore, some good and some bad. Yet one struck me at the time as a wonderful idea that had zero chance of happening.

At some point in early 2011, we learned that the PlayBook would support Android apps. The rumors were vague at the time, but sources pointed to two possibilities. The first was what actually happened: RIM would create an Android Player and allow developers to easily port their apps. That’s not a terrible solution, especially for a platform that lacks for apps. The only problem is that the number of apps available to RIM is necessarily limited:

Key features which will be unavailable to Android apps running under the compatibility layer on the PlayBook and future BlackBerry devices include Android’s famed battery-sucking Live Wallpaper, SIP and SIP VoIP, anything built using the Native Development Kit, apps containing only App Widgets, and apps containing more than one activity tied to the Launcher.

In addition, any packages which rely on Google Maps, in-app billing services, Android’s text-to-speech engine, or the cloud-to-device messaging system will all be rendered unusable under the company’s runtime system.

While these limitations don’t render the Android Player completely useless, it does mean that eager PlayBook users will be disappointed when they finally see what’s available. The pressure is back on RIM to attract developers that can fill out its library and replace many of these incompatible apps. That’s going to take some time, and RIM doesn’t exactly have a lot of time. The PlayBook is already six months old, and it doesn’t even have email, calendars, and contacts yet. By the time RIM gets all these updates out, it will probably be time to start thinking about the follow-up product.
The second rumors tantalized at the time, and in hindsight it absolutely should have been the path RIM took. The rumor: The PlayBook would be an Android tablet. This likely wouldn’t have been a pure Android tablet, as we saw in the spring with the Motorola Xoom. Instead it almost certainly would have been more along the lines of the Amazon Kindle Fire. That is, it would have run Android, but it would have been distinctly a BlackBerry tablet. That’s really the beauty of Android: anyone can build code on top of it and create something distinctly their own. RIM would have benefitted greatly from this, in a number of ways.

Read more: What BlackBerry Needs To Go High-End

First, it would have given them a viable product at launch. When RIM launched the PlayBook, seven months after announcement, it came with little fanfare. Some BlackBerry users enjoyed it because of its integration with a BlackBerry smartphone. That is, they could get email, contacts, and calendars by bridging their two devices. But even then, it took a while for the PlayBook app library to grow. If they had launched with Android they would have had a full app library, plus all of the email, contact, and calendar features of Android. Gmail users would have loved it, and even those who don’t use Google services would have a number of external email options. It would have been a complete tablet.

In the meantime, RIM could have continued to work on its own tablet offering. As we’re starting to see, they do have something going with the BBX platform. Heck, it was easy to see that they had something going with the PlayBook. Despite its incompleteness, the PlayBook clearly has the potential to compete in the tablet market. But if RIM had released an Android tablet in early 2011, they could have been far along on their own tablet platform by now. In early 2012 they could have released a BBX-based PlayBook, complete with email, contacts, calendar, and, with a little luck, a relatively large catalog of BBX apps.

It’s easy to understand why RIM wanted to release a tablet in 2011. They had fallen behind in the smartphone race, and the tablet market was just starting to develop. By getting out ahead of the pack they might have made an impact. Yet I can’t help but think that they would have been better off creating an Android-based tablet to start. They would have then had enough time to work more on their own model, making sure that it was a complete product at launch. Unfortunately, they’re still running out an incomplete product. Even when the native functions drop, I have to say that I’m more excited about the Samsung Galaxy Tab. It’s a shame that RIM couldn’t have jumped on that Android bandwagon, both for the present and for the future.

This is a guest post by Simon. He writes on behalf of Best Mobile Contracts, the leading phone comparison website in the UK.  If you would like to write for TheDolt’s Blog, do read our page Be My Guest; Write A Guest Post.

With the rising popularity of smartphones in recent years there has become an abundance of do-everything mobile devices with the added benefit that it is now easier than ever to pick up a phone to perform all of your web browsing, photography and entertainment needs at a low price. You need not pick up the very latest iPhone or Android device to be enjoying these features, as what was once reserved for the wealthy has now come within everyone’s grasp on the current crop of mid-range smartphones. So what are the best that are currently on offer?

1. Samsung Galaxy Ace

One of the many Samsung Galaxy phones that has caused no small amount of annoyance to Steve Jobs and his sycophants, and also one of the many devices that may possibly be pulled from sale in various markets along with the Galaxy Tab. It is probably easier to see Apples annoyance when it comes to the Galaxy Ace than it is with any of the other Samsung devices currently on trial as it does have a very iPhone-4-esque feel to it.

It has the squared shape and rectilinear external antenna as well as the offending TouchWiz interface. The Ace runs on Android Froyo although a Gingerbread update is in the works. The Galaxy Ace still offers some of the better features of the top range Galaxy SII, such as DLNA Wi-Fi sharing with the AllShare app and excellent entertainment features up its sleeve. It also has one of the best cameras to be found on a phone of this price range, although the 5 megapixel snapper is limited to just VGA video recording.

The Ace has a 3.5 inch screen and is fairly similar in size to the one on the iPhone 4. While the screen is not quite as high quality as the one found on the Apple phone it does offer a great deal of detail. The Ace has a number of other benefits too, including support for 32GB expandable memory with microSD cards, with a 2GB card included, and some excellent music and video support. The Galaxy Ace can be picked up for as little as £150.

2. LG Optimus Hub

The Optimus Hub has all the trappings of a high end Android device but comes in at a much more delightful price tag thanks to some scaled down hardware components. Even though it is cheaper than top Android devices such as the Galaxy SII and Sensation it still manages to possess all of the features you would want in a smartphone.

In fact, the Optimus Hub can pretty much be thought of as LG’s version of the Galaxy Ace. The two phones are pretty evenly matched in terms of hardware and software features, although the Optimus Hub is a little bit cheaper in the price department. 3G, DLNA Wi-Fi and fantastic multimedia options are all on offer and the Optimus benefits from coming with Gingerbread Android out of the box, unlike the Ace which requires an upgrade.

Like the Ace, the Optimus Hub has a 3.5 inch screen and so is a much more pocketable phone than some of the larger 4 inch Androids on the market. The Optimus Hub has a 5 megapixel camera with VGA video too, as well as support for 32GB microSD cards with a 2GB card included. The Optimus Hub can be obtained for as little as £150.

3. BlackBerry Curve 9360 &lt

BlackBerry devices have always been popular for their messaging features and the Curve has always been a particularly strong range from BlackBerry. BlackBerry devices are becoming increasingly popular with younger generations thanks to BlackBerry Messenger, instead of the traditional professional business clientele that RIM attracted during the last decade. Because of this the Curve phones are becoming even more popular due to their lower price tag compared to more expensive BlackBerry Bold phones.

The Curve 9360 is the latest in this series from RIM and the first Curve phone to come with OS7. The new operating system packs in plenty of new updates to web browsing and entertainment bringing it into line with competing Android and iPhone devices. Of course, it has all the usual goodies such as BlackBerry Messenger and BlackBerry App World, but is much more enjoyable to use than earlier phones in the Curve series.

In the hardware department the Curve 9360 has had a bit of an upgrade from earlier models in the series. It comes with a pretty nippy 800MHz processor which puts the new OS to good use, and has a much improved 5 megapixel camera with VGA video support. As well as having support for 32GB microSD cards the Curve 9360 is the first BlackBerry Curve to come with Near Field Communications support. Much of the physical design remains the same, including the 2.5 inch screen, although the Curve 9360 has received a major improvement in its screen resolution.

The Curve 9360 is one of the more expensive phones on this list and will cost about £350 without contract.

4. Samsung Wave M

The Samsung Wave range of smartphones pack in all of the same excellent hardware that is to be found in the more expensive Galaxy range, but includes the much more cost effective operating system Bada instead of Android. This still uses the same TouchWiz interface that is found on Samsung Galaxy Android phones, and to many ordinary people there will not be much in the way of difference aside from the price.

While it does not come with Android Market it does still benefit from Samsung Apps, which provides many of the same features anyway. The Wave M has a pretty decent 5 megapixel camera with VGA video, excellent web browsing and entertainment features and is one of the first Samsung phones to feature the Samsung ChatON messaging service (Samsung’s answer to BlackBerry Messenger, but unlike BBM can be used on any phone platform).

The Wave M has a 3.65 inch screen and a fairly similar physical design to the Galaxy SII, albeit at a smaller size. The Wave M is powered by an 800MHz processor which is more than enough to power the less demanding Bada operating system. Like some of the other phones here, the Wave M comes with a 2GB microSD card and can support up to 32GB of expandable memory.

The Wave M should be available for as little as £150 when it is released.

5. HTC Wildfire S

Another Android phone, this time from HTC. The Wildfire S is the follow up to 2010′s Wildfire and can be picked up for as little as £150. The Wildfire S is a bit like a miniature Desire S, as it comes with many similar features and the distinctive HTC look. The Wildfire S is slightly smaller than the original and has a few changes including a faster 600MHz processor, sharper screen resolution and, like the Desire S, it does away with the earlier optical trackpad.

The Wildfire S runs on Android Gingerbread and comes with the highly popular HTC Sense UI. Because of this it has plenty of social networking prowess with Facebook, Twitter and HTC Friend Stream, and plenty of entertainment on offer through Android Market.

Like all the phones on this list the Wildfire S has a 5 megapixel camera with VGA video support, with an LED flash included. 32GB microSD support is on offer with 2GB thrown in with the deal.  The Wildfire S has great connectivity through 3G and Wi-Fi so it is excellent for all sorts of online endeavours, and is also particularly noteworthy for its excellent battery life.

Bonus 6th: iPhone 4S

Now confirmed and released , many people had speculated that Apple would not just be releasing the iPhone 5 on contract this October but will also be releasing smaller and cheaper iPhone 4S deals. Rather than being a completely new model the iPhone 4S will be a slight redesign of the existing iPhone 4, with some stripped down features to make the phone more appealing to the budget section of the market.

The iPhone 4S  is a little bit cheaper than the iPhone 4, which is still around £400. The real savings with the iPhone 4S will come via much cheaper monthly contracts than are available with current models.

When we compare mobile phones we seldom think about the range of recepton the provider offers. This is because most mobile phones are sold in the big population areas within reasonable proximity to a mobile phone tower and good coverage is to be expected from the major network providers. It is another thing altogether when you live out in the bush where the towers are limited. In this case the range of operation becomes very important to your considerations when making comparisons. This is probably the reason why Australian researchers are at the forefront of trying to establish a mobile phone network without being reliant on expensive towers.

New Technology By-Passes Towers

Australia is a vast continent with many areas sparsely populated and it is in these areas where mobile phone signals are impossible to pick up. This becomes a real problem for travellers, as well as people living and working in such areas, and in need of a reliable communication system. For this reason researchers at the Flinders University in South Australia are trialling new technology, which if successful, will solve the often encountered problem of being out of range of a mobile phone tower.

The answer is not in having to compare mobile phones to each other, or their service providers, but by using their already existing Wi-Fi technology. It appears that all mobile phones have a certain Wi-Fi capability even though its distance is limited, but when a developing software can allow individual phones to transmit calls between each other without the need for a tower this connectivity can be spread over a large area.

Software Based on Wi-Fi Capabilities

The team at Flinders University, which is led by Dr Paul Gardner-Stephen, has developed such software which can create this connection. This software is able to detect other mobile phones within its Wi-Fi area and can place calls through each automatically, without the need of an operator, therefore creating its own network, free of the need to construct expensive towers. Put simply, this new software will allow each mobile phone to act as a small cell tower. Each phone will be able to receive and transmit another person’s call until it reaches the desired destination.

At the moment all is OK if there are sufficient mobile phones in the area to give you a reasonable spread but it still has the problem of limitation in the vastness of the outback. The development will have great application however in areas that have been devastated by natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes and violent storms that have destroyed previously existing mobile phone towers, but the surviving population still has a vast network of mobile phones from which to create a network.

It is a start and it does show that a future without the need for expensive and unpopular mobile phone towers is possible, in the meantime, the need to compare mobile phones will shift from the provider’s transmission distance to that of its Wi-Fi capabilities.

Image Credits

We all have entered some weird stuff while trying to pass CAPTCHAs/reCAPTCHAs. CAPTCHAs are still fine; they aren’t sadists. But reCAPTCHAs? Oh boy, they are like pissed Nazi soldiers at a torture camp. They will do anything to make your life hell and then some more, just for the heck of it.  Ergo, more often that not, reCAPTCHAs come up with pretty weird shit they expect you to type. I mean how in hell’s name can you expect a user to write superscripts to subscripts usually prefixed with a sigma sign? I can barely type my name without looking at the keyboard (that’s a lie, get the hint).

I though I was human, until now.

But then,  in reCAPTCHAs you can type in whatever shit you want and it _will_ accept it. Because that’s how reCAPTCHAs roll. Yes, it is unethical since it is against the whole goddman concept, but give us a break, we are mere mortals.

Getting back to the point. Today was different. It wouldn’t be wrong to term it as very different, though I will not. I was on Pottermore, trying to reset my password which I had quite  foolishly obviously forgotten. Now there are days when you enter a recpatcha while listening to music, then there are days you frown a little – zoom in and enter the required word, then there are days when you scream and pull out your hair after looking at the reCAPTCHA, and then, after all those days comes a day when you simply laugh out loud,  somewhat at the mind-boggling CAPTCHA but mostly at your inability to solve it even though, after all those bad deeds (yes, I know what you did last night), you are human. You can always reqeust a new CAPTCHA, but then where is the fun in that?

Today was on of one of those days. Pottermore asked me to type a word in a language which I haven’t even written since the past year and half, leave alone typing it.

स्येतानि? Seriously? And then, on top of it, स्येतानि is raised to the power zero, on the wrong side of course. Ask  Voldemort to solve that thing and even he will turn up his nose at you. Oh wait.

Charles works for a company writing epic reviews, Epic Commissions where he shares Epic Commissions review. He occasionally shares tips on buying winter coats for women as well.  If you would like to write for TheDolt’s Blog, do read our page Be My Guest; Write A Guest Post.

205 inch – Technovision’s Luxio LED TV

This particular newbie company, Tecnovision, arrived on the scene to top the list from absolutely nowhere. Its monstrous 205 inch Luxio Brought TV first displayed at Cebit breaks all records! The Luxio measures an eye slitting 455×256cm, so you need to get your  television room renovated (or get a new room) simply to accommodate it.

No other information/rumours is/are yet known/have surfaced, but that does not matter since it is meant for a-la-crème of a-la-crème from the society. We’ll probably have to sell our houses twice to be able to afford this thing.

Panasonic’s 4K2K 3D – 152 inch Plasma

Panasonic has created the world’s biggest full-HD 3D plasma TV. It was revealed during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. 4K2K has a 152-inch, 4000pixels by 2000pixels (8.84 zillion pixel) screen, along with the standard connectivity features available on other high-end TVs.

The TV actually, is just a larger version (understatement much?) of Panasonic’s current Full 3D PDP (Plasma Show Panel) line. PDP utilizes a brand new process called super-efficient quadruple luminance effectiveness technology. PDP allows  the TV to achieve the same brightness as that of a conventional full-HD panel in about one-quarter of the average response time, allowing and maintaining with  the rapid-moving three dimensional imagery.

3D 1080p LED TV – Samsung 75 inch

Samsung recently introduced LED String 9 TV. Crafted in Steel, its impossibly skinny profile defies all you could know about TV sets, while delivering an event so real that you will end up getting confused between the real and the virtual. It will also provide near to reality feel. Plan for a journey to a new dimension. For home elevators viewing in 3D mode check here. Samsung 3D images TVs combine LCD window screens with LED edge-lights. Due to various capabilities involving different Samsung solutions featuring the Samsung Internet@TV – Content Service and also limitations in your available content, selected advertised features, purposes, and services will not be available on most devices or to all territories.

Picture a TV which shows an image which looks real with colors that’s true-to-life or a TV that’s so big it feels like you have your own movie theater in your own home? Well, that is exactly what LG was thinking once they designed their new TV to become officially launched early this season at the Gadgets Show in Vegas.

Starting the 12 months right, LG, the actual electronic company huge from South Korea, is launching among the largest HDTV on the market today – the actual LG LZ9700 TELEVISION. The LG LZ9700 TV would be the largest Full LED-backlit 3D TV having a 72 inch keep track of to-date. With its screen measuring the whooping 72 inches diagonally, one can think how it would seem like to own one included in a home theater or the numerous viewing pleasures it may provide.  However, there tends to be some speculations regarding the clarity and imagery it’ll bring due to the huge screen.

This HDTV by LG is 59 inches wide and 40 inches tall. Combined with a 72-inch superior screen, one can just imagine what pleasure it may bring to any kind of entertainment system. The brand new LZ9700 TV is available in LG’s famous INFINIA design making to have an ultra-slim depth as well as narrow bezel. This sleek as well as ultra-chic design has created great hype with all of its features LG will certainly be propelled towards the forefront of HDTVs.

LG’s 72 inch LED- LZ9700

The LG LZ9700 provides a whole new meaning to High-Definition Televisions using its 72 inch display and 2D as well as 3D capabilities. This 72 inch LED-backlit TV functions TruMotion 400Hz which smooth edges in fast paced images making TV viewing much more fun.

With the mixture of its 3D abilities and TruMotion 400Hz program, you can anticipate ultra-fast processing with regard to smooth 3D pictures elevating 3D viewing to some whole new degree. Although there are several concerns and doubt concerning the speed and quality of image, the actual TruMotion 400Hz program may put all the doubts to an end.

This is a guest post by AbieL. She writes about discount deals for You Love Coupons, a new coupon blog that share ebags and shoebuy coupons. Her current project is providing content about ebags coupon codes and shoebuy coupon codes.  If you would like to write for TheDolt’s Blog, do read our page Be My Guest; Write A Guest Post.

Because we live in a world of gadgets, almost all of us own a gadget or two. Gadgets nowadays are so affordable and it even comes with huge promos and discounts that it is very easy to get hold of that new android phone currently released in the market. We have our iPhone for SMS and calls, our iPad for watching videos, Blackberry for email, DS Lite and PSP for playing games, cameras to capture photos and I have just only started. Each of these gadgets come with its own charger and because of this, we often get confused as to what charger goes to what device or where the charger is. Another problem with owning multiple gadgets is that we have to carry all the chargers while travelling.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could have just one charger for all our devices? And wouldn’t it be better if we could get rid of those cords which have a stupid habit of getting tangled with each other? We are now off to finally say goodbye to all those tangled wires. Now this is very much possible with the help of Wireless Chargers.

Wireless Chargers differ from the traditional conductive chargers, which need a wire to make a contact with the battery, as this new line of chargers uses inductive technology. In inductive chargers, magnetic and electromagnetic energy is used to induce power transfer wirelessly.

So how do wireless chargers work? With this cool device, you just have to drop your gadgets on the mat that comes with the charger kit. The device will start getting charged. Firstly you need to have a charging mat that you will plug into the wall. Charging sleeve, which is the connecter of the device to the mat, is also needed for each of your device.

This is one drawback of wireless chargers. Since the gadgets out in the market now have no inductive technology built into them, a charging sleeve for each device is needed to use the charging mat. Now this is a disadvantage since charging sleeve can cost around $20 or more (unless there are coupon codes or promo codes that you can use when you purchase the sleeve). The good news though is that the Wireless Power Consortium is developing the Open Inductive Charging Standard (Qi) that will allow compliant devices from different vendors to charge interchangeably. We just don’t know when this will happen as this is only a new standard that existed for just a few months.

Here are some of the wireless charging system that are available now in the market:

1. Powermat 3x with PowerCube: The Powermat 3x is compatible with almost every device available: Blackberry, Apple, and even Nintendo products. You can also opt to buy in bundle the Powercube, which contains specialized tips for mini USB, micro USB, Apple, Sony PSP and even for old flip phone models. The Powercube lets you connect any device to the Powermat allowing you to charge almost all type of devices.

The Powermat also allows to charge up to three devices at the same time. It also comes with an internal battery so once it is full, you can disconnect the mat from the wall outlet allowing you to charge while mobile.

Price: $79.99

2. Duracell My Grid: Just like the Powermat, the Duracell MyGrid is compatible with almost all phones and gadgets except the Nintendo DS and DSi. But there are a few drawbacks for this model:

• This wireless charger uses power clip and adapters for Blackberry, Nokia and Motorola handsets which are a bit difficult and cumbersome to use, as the clip has to be glued to the device before it can use the mat to charge.
• It also does not come with an internal battery so it has to be always plugged to a wall outlet to be able to use it.
• It has no way to detect and stop the charging if the device’s battery is already full.
• It still uses the conductive method of charging which requires the device to maintain a precise contact point to the grid in order to charge. So a little movement might tip the device off the grid, and therefore stopping the charging.

Price: $69.99

3. Energizer Inductive Charger: This wireless charger has the potential to top the bill if not for its lack of compatibility with other devices as this charger only works with iPhone 3G/3GS and the BlackBerry Curve.

This wireless charger is compact and smaller compared to the other brands of charger. This can be both an advantage and disadvantage. It is good that it is small so it is easy to carry anywhere you go but this can be a limitation too as the number of devices that you can charge at the same time will be limited (this unit can only charge 2 device at a time on the grid) because of its size. It has a USB port though, which you can use to charge a third device.

Unlike the Duracell MyGrid, it has an automatic shutoff feature, which stops the charging when the device’s battery is full.

Price: $24.21

4.  WildCharge Pad: This wireless charger is from Pure Energy Solutions, which is a new company in this industry. Just like Energizer Inductive Charger, it is compatible with only a few devices: iPhone 3G/3GS, the iPod Touch, and the BlackBerry Curve, Bold andPearl. But this brand pride itself in providing eco-friendly rechargeable batteries.

Just like the Duracell MyGrid, it still uses a conductive technology, which makes connecting the device to the mat and charging it complicated.

Price: $49.99

5.  Dexim Frixbee Wireless Charger: Dexim is known for making cool products at a fraction of a price than its competitor. One of this is the Frixbee Wireless Charger which, when once released, will cost only around $80 and it already comes with the charging pad and the charging case. Though this can be a good substitute for the other brands of wireless chargers because of its affordability, the only problem is this device only supports the iPhone 4.

Another issue with this wireless charger is that it may take one or two tries before the device can recognize the iPhone case as the Frixbee requires the right orientation of iPhone case on the mat to begin charging. This wireless charger can charge two iPhone 4s at the same time.

Price: $99.99

6.    Think Geek’s Airvolt Wireless iPhone Charge: Another affordable wireless charger is the AirVolt Wireless Charger from Think Geek. This only cost $50 and it already comes with the charging tray, the charging case and the power adapter.

This wireless charger is compatible with the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS only and can only charge one iPhone at a time. The advantage that I see with this is that it makes using this charger simple unlike other charger where you have to find the perfect alignment for the charging case on the mat. With Airvolt, all you need to do is put the iPhone in the charging case and then put the case on the tray and the charging will start.

Price: $49.99

7.   MiLi Power Magic Wireless Charger: This wireless charger can only be used for iPhone 4 and it even has a certification from Apple as a “Made for Apple” product which means that this is one device that has been tested to be safe for your iPhones.

It can only charge one iPhone at a time but the cool thing about this device is that you can use it as a car charger as the transmission unit can be powered either by wall or car charger so you can use it at home or in your car too.

Price: $145.95

Wireless Charging technology is just new in the market but with a few more developments, it will surely be a great equipment that every gadget lover would want to have.