Video Review: Ultimate Ears SuperFi 5vi headphones

Rating: 10 out of 10
Pros: Outstanding audio quality, comes with hard plastic carrying case
Cons: Only a person who really appreciates good sound quality will pay almost $200 for these headphones
Verdict: Like I mentioned in the video, I’m not one of those people who are real particular about sound quality when I purchase headphones, but I can honestly say after testing these headphones out and seeing the difference, I am now a convert. Of course you’ll pay a price for this luxury, but in my opinion these headphones are worth it. The SuperFi 5vi headphones met and exceeded my expectations, so I’ve decided to award it the Editors’ Choice Award.

This product can be purchased directly from Ultimate Ears for $189.99.

Bye Bye Emoji

Well it seems that Apple does know what is good for all iPhone and iPod Touch users. If you recall the Emoji enablers that began popping up on the App Store recently, you would know that it wasn’t meant for Stateside iPhones. It looks like only iPhone users who send the characters to each other have the ability to actually use them in the manner they were created. If you’re trying to send Emoji characters to a Nokia 6230 its probably not going to work. So in an effort to halt confusion between end users, Apple will be deleting all Emoji apps. As of writing this post, some of the apps are still available for download. If you haven’t got Emoji yet, or just want to play around with it, better do it now.

[Via Gizmodo]

Video Review: V-Moda Vibe II headphones

Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: Excellent attention to detail, great sound quality, a variety of tips to choose from
Cons: The price might scare some off
Verdict: These are very nice headphones that I would recommend to anyone looking for a good replacement to their original iPhone headphones. V-Moda has not forgotten that some people don’t only want quality sound in a headphone but some also want a stylish and fashionable accessory as well. The Vibe II headphones meet and excedded my expectations, so I’ve decided to award it the Editors’ Choice Award.

This product can be purchased directly from V-Moda for $119.99.

Over 1 Million iPhones sold in the UK.

Well, it’s been 15 months since the original release date for the first gen iPhone in the UK, and O2 has just announced they have passed the 1 Million mark for both iPhone and iPhone 3G sales. This is not only great news for Apple, but also for O2. They announced as part of their annual earnings release that the iPhone is one of the key devices that is driving them to lead the UK market in all main financial and operating metrics.

O2 also highlighted a large boost in sales since they introduced the Pre-pay option late last year. This has allowed them to reach out to more markets. Click here to check out the earnings release.

App Preview: Metal Gear Solid 4

Unless you have been living under a rock you must know about the MGS (Metal Gear Solid) franchise. My brother and I personally spent 2 hours trying to beat the first boss on MGS1. Well here is a sneak preview for the iPhone and iPod Touch version of the hit game.

App Review: Infinite SMS

Ok this review is geared toward iPod Touch users as well as those of us who do not have unlimited text messaging plans. In a way it can be used by those who just want to save a buck, which is me. If you want a way to send unlimited texts messages for a one time fee of $.99, this is the app for you.

Infinite uses Google Talk to send texts to your buddies. So in order to use the application you will need to have a Gmail account. Not hard to accomplish, its free. when first using the program you are asked to enter your Gmail information. I was a little leery about plugging my email address and password into a third party app, but if you don’t want to, set up a second Gmail account just for this app.

The interface is very similar to the iPhone SMS app. Unlike other applications that provide this service, it actually looks like an SMS app, not an email app. You have access to all of your contacts just like the stock app. When you send a text to a contact, you are given a 406 number that is just yours (tell your friends to add it to your contact info) the text comes over the first time with a header saying that gmail is sending a text message on your behalf. Here is the tricky part Read the rest of this entry »

Video App Review: Record by Polar Bear Farm

Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Simple record app, ability to email recordings up to 5 minutes, folder & search functions
Cons: None really but I would have liked to see this App at .99 cents
Verdict: Record from Polar Bear Farm is a very capable and useful App that does what it’s designed to do at a reasonable price.

Record by Polar Bear Farm is available from the App Store for $1.99

App Review: AirPhones

So do you remember the infomercial that comes on TV about the couple who are in bed and the husband is watching TV? The wife gets annoyed because she cannot sleep with the TV turned up, and the husband cannot hear the TV with it turned down. I know you remember it because it gets played right before the ShamWow segment.

Well guess what, your iPhone or iPod Touch now has the same feature! AirPhones allows your iPhone to become a wireless pair of headphones. Enabling you to enjoy DVDs, web feeds, YouTube, iTunes and much more on your Mac wirelessly. As of right now the application only works with Intel Macs running 10.5. The Universal Binary and Windows versions are to follow shortly.

All that is needed is the iPhone app along with AirPhones wireless server software for your Mac. Just start the server on your Mac, then hit the AirPhones app on your phone and TaDa you are now streaming sound instantly. I also should note that you must have your headphones plugged into your iPhone. The sound quality isn’t as good as using headphones while listening to your iPod, but it is good enough. I enjoy the application quite a lot. It has helped in the W. household when fights were going to ensue about the sound level of the Mac while some where trying to sleep. The only problem i have with it, is the lack of Boxee support. But that could always change in the future. $4.99 in the App Store is a deal. Get it.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Ease of setup. Doesn’t use a lot of system resources on the Mac end of the app.
Cons: Doesn’t support all formats of sound. Cannot run in the background ( Not their fault. C’mon Apple!)
Verdict: The app has good quality sound, and through updates to the server has an opportunity to improve. Would love to see Boxee support added. Would be perfect with it.

AirPhones is $4.99 in the App Store.

Video Review: Contour iSee

Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Solid construction, no watermarks, shows the beauty of the iPhone.
Cons: Shows the dirt very easily, prone to those hairline scratches, the rubber button covers don’t stay secure but frankly I used the case without them.
Verdict: If you are in the market for an acrylic case this is a very very good option.  As with all clear acrylic cases it is prone to dirt and scratches.  This is by far one of the best clear cases I have reviewed to date.  If you really want to use the rubber button covers you may be disappointed but if those are not important to you then you will be extremely happy.

You can purchase the iSee directly from Contour Design for $29.95

Video Review: Vestalife Ladybug speaker system

Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Can be plugged in and works off of batteries also, has an auxiliary input
Cons: If you use it with the iPhone then you’ll have to put your phone into airplane mode or use the auxiliary input
Verdict: This speaker system has good quality sound, and has the ability to become a portable system. Although it’s made specifically for the iPod, it can still be used with the iPhone as well.   

This product can be purchased directly from Amazon for $99.99.