Author: Shy Mukerjee

Want Evernote Clearly and Facebook sharing on an e-Reader? Check out the new Sony PRS-T2

by Shy Mukerjee

Evernote Clearly, Instapaper, and Pocket are all great ways to save the best stories and blog posts on the web and read them in a distraction-free (and often ad-free) environment later on your favorite mobile device. While these services all integrate fabulously on touchscreen phones and tablets, trying to set up Instapaper to deliver to your Kindle is a convoluted process that doesn’t work as seamlessly as you’d expect. Other “read it later” services don’t offer any kind of e-Reader support whatsoever. Thankfully, the latest from Sony, the Reader PRS-T2, is here to change that, with tight Evernote and Facebook integration that make it easier to read what you want, where you want it, and share what you’re reading and your favorite passages with friends, family and colleagues.

While every mobile business professional I know has a laundry list of books in their queue, more often than not we’re struggling even more to keep up with the latest information on the web. I personally struggle with this all the time, leaving tabs open with lengthy articles I want to get back to and read at a later date, or stuffing those articles in Clearly or Instapaper so I can check them out later when I’m on the go. But anyone who’s tried to read a long article or a phone or even a tablet knows how those devices are far from perfect. Notifications of new emails and news stories getting in the way, as well as the ease of multitasking over to a web browser or Angry Birds session means that you’re far from a distraction-free reading environment. The new Sony Reader, the PRS-T2, is here to help.

Articles saved with Evernote Clearly automatically sync with the device, and highlights and annotations you make can automatically be synced back into your Evernote account as well. As someone who depends on Evernote to keep track of everything I’m working on and thinking about, this is a killer feature and moves the new Sony reader to the top of my list.

For those looking to get more social with their readers, the Facebook integration is another way Sony stands out from the crowd with the PRS-T2. The Reader makes it easy to share passages from the books you’re reading to your wall, which for those of us who are both Facebook and reading enthusiasts could be yet another killer feature.

So, you want to know about the tech specs and other features of Sony’s new reader?  Read More

First look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

by Shy Mukerjee

Meet the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1″

This morning, Samsung announced their latest tablet, the Galaxy Note 10.1″. The word “Note” here is perhaps the most important, as it signifies Samsung bringing their S-Pen technology to tablets from the 5.3″ phone bearing the same name. With the S-Pen, Samsung is hoping that people will be able to use the tab not just to consume content on the web and through apps, but to become producers of content as well. To that end, they brought out film director Baz Luhrmann and fashion designer Zac Posen to talk about how they have been using their tabs over the past few weeks creatively in their work.

This new tab brings a quad core processor to the table, 2GB of RAM, Ice Cream Sandwich (Google’s latest OS, Jellybean, won’t be coming until “later this year” says Samsung), font and rear facing cameras, and of course the S-Pen tech, now boasting more than a thousand levels of pressure sensitivity.

Mario and I got to spend more than an hour with the tablet, and while it wasn’t enough time to form a full opinion, we did get to test much of the hyped functionality of the tablet.  Read More

Will a portable dual monitor help you be more productive?

by Shy Mukerjee

In Mario’s latest Small Biz Go Mobile podcast, he talks about using a portable dual monitor and offers tons of tips about how they can be used.

Although we’re doing more with our smartphones and tablets, for the ultimate in mobile productivity most of us still our laptop. While mobile apps can provide many of the tools we need to work, for some tasks there is simply no equivalent to fully featured software. On top of my preference for an actual keyboard to write on, I personally depend on several outstanding apps every day that provide professional features not yet present on mobile devices, including Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, and Apple’s Final Cut Pro. While similar or alternative apps certainly exist for these, including Apple’s Pages and iMovie and Adobe’s Photoshop Touch, these often lack key features only available on the desktop.

With a workflow that involves heavy multitasking, simultaneously working on writing, video and images while sharing on the web, social media and via email, there is no alternative for a good laptop computer. So check this out: what if you had two screens to work with while on the go? On a desktop with dual monitors, you can have twice as many windows open, be looking at twice the amount of data without switching apps. Wouldn’t that be great on the go? With a USB dual monitor solution like the 720p Cinq, you can replicate that desktop experience while on the go.

Like this tip? Want to hear more? Check out Mario’s Small Biz Go Mobile podcast today.

The new iPhone is coming September 12th, but will there be an iPad Mini?

by Shy Mukerjee

Apple news and rumor site iMore is reporting that the date has been set—Apple will be unveiling the next iPhone and possibly a 7″ iPad Mini on September 12th. This date is somewhat ahead of last year’s October 4th iPhone 4S announcement, indicating that Apple may have worked quicker this year than they did previously to ready the next iPhone.

Japanese repair shop iLab came in with a huge exclusive over the weekend, showing off the first images of a fully assembled iPhone 5 (or as Apple will likely call it, “the new iPhone”). Based on the reports we’ve heard from around the Internet, we can only assume that this is the new form factor. Notable features include a taller, 4″ screen and a new, smaller dock connector.

As for the other big rumor, a 7.85″ iPad Mini seems likely to be released on September 12th as well. With the wild success of Google’s Nexus 7″ tablet (the 16GB model is completely sold out right now) it seems very likely that we’ll finally see a smaller, cheaper and more affordable iPad, possibly in the $250-300 range. While I’d be shocked if it’s as cheap as the Nexus (which starts at a possibly-price-subsidized-by-Google low, low $200), a cheaper and smaller iPad would definitely be the deciding factor that gets a lot of people into the tablet game. And while the Nexus 7 might be impressive, nobody’s counting Apple out. After all, with more than 250,000 apps specifically designed for the tablet, Apple’s iPad has a huge leg up on the competition. Still, Apple does have competition in the 7″ tablet space and if any company is ready to make a dent in Apple’s dominance on tablets, Google seems ready to make that move.

Samsung Galaxy S III Now Available in Red—Check it Out!

by Shy Mukerjee

Want a great smartphone to take advantage of blazing LTE speeds (now in 51 markets!) but can’t wait to find out if Apple’s next iPhone will be able to connect to the network? The Samsung Galaxy S III on AT&T is a great choice. And with AT&T, you can exclusively order the phone in Garnet Red (seen to the right). And just like the white and blue models, the red Galaxy S III is available for just $199 with a 2-year contract.

If you’re still on the fence about the S III, then you might enjoy our preview video where we look at some of its top features. And we don’t even cover everything in that video! There’s a bunch more photo modes (take pictures while video records, for one) as well as NFC technology built into the phone, so you’re getting a lot with a phone that’s available today. Well, Sunday, technically.

What do you think? Is a red Galaxy S III enough to get you to embrace Android? If not, what killer feature does Android lack that’s holding you back? Let us know in the comments!

AT&T LTE now available in 51 markets, adding Miami, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Worcester, MA and expanding in Baltimore!

by Shy Mukerjee

While many consumers have found the term “4G” a confusing marketing buzzword and not the indicator of mobile data speed they might expect, “4G LTE” or, simply, LTE, is an entirely different game. Offering speeds that compare favorably with your home broadband connection, LTE makes a huge difference in terms of how much you can get down, download, browse, and share while on the go.

Today AT&T is announcing that they’re adding 4G LTE to four new markets: Miami, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Worcester, MA. This brings the total count up to 51, and they’re still going—many more markets will find themselves downloading at insane speeds by the end of the year.

As well, coverage is expanding in the greater Baltimore area! Rob Forsyth, vice president and general manager for AT&T in the greater Washington/Baltimore area, noted in a press release yesterday that, “[AT&T has] seen positive response from customers on our 4G LTE launch in the Baltimore region, and as today’s expansion shows, we’re continuing our rollout of fast LTE speeds to more areas of Maryland, including Baltimore and Anne Arundel Counties, as well as Ellicott City. Today’s launch means being able to beat your friends to the punch when accessing webpages, updating social networks and streaming video.”

Keep reading to see the complete list of markets where AT&T currently offers 4G LTE service. Read More

#neverbepowerless with the Duracell Powermat 24-hour Power System

by Shy Mukerjee

We’ve talked with Duracell Powermat CEO Ron Rabinowitz, showed you how the system could be a lifesaver during a hurricane, and today we get to show you yet another huge commercial (this is really a week for big commercials, huh), this one featuring none other than Jay-Z himself.

Oh and by the way, like the looks of the club in the video? Jay-Z’s 40/40 isn’t just a backdrop to this commercial, it could be the backdrop to your next big party! Mario Armstrong Media and Duracell Powermat are teaming up with several Socialcam users to throw a huge party in New York City on September 12th. Be sure to save the date—we’ll be able to talk about the full details soon!

The Latest Version of the Mac Operating System, OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, Is Now Available

by Shy Mukerjee

Back at the beginning of June, we detailed some of the top new features in the next version of Apple’s operating system for Laptop and Desktop, OS X Mountain Lion, the 8th major revision to Apple’s wildly popular OS X system.

While the list of new features is far from staggering, neither is the price. While previous updates to OS X have cost as much as $129, you can buy Mountain Lion today from the Mac App Store for only $19.99. At that price, you have little to lose. Keep reading to find out what you get for your money. Read More

VIDEO: New Apple iPhone 4S Ad Featuring Martin Scorsese Talking to Siri

by Shy Mukerjee

Apple’s latest television ad for everyone’s favorite iPhone 4S feature, Siri, just hit YouTube a few minutes ago. In it, Scorsese takes a cab ride in NYC where he changes his schedule on the fly, gets a live traffic report, and much like the other celebrity ads Apple has been running lately, jokes around with Siri.

While many commentators were turned off by the ads and Apple’s attempt to leverage some celebrity star power to boost awareness of Siri, reporting data from Ace Metrix shows that they’ve been doing quite well. While the shortened clips of Scorsese using Siri aren’t exactly realistic portrayals (no wait time, for one, and Siri seems to understand him perfectly every time), how can you deny the charm of the Oscar-winning Director joking around with his phone?

What do you think? Are these new Apple ads a hit or a miss? Leave a comment below and we’ll respond!

Mobile Video App Socialcam Acquired by Autodesk for $60 Million

by Shy Mukerjee

We heard the news last night, and this morning it’s everywhere: our favorite mobile video app Socialcam is worth quite a bit—$60 million in fact! While the mobile video scene has been heating up, and Socialcam is by no means the only player, the purchase should mean that the app will absolutely have the funding and support it needs to grow to the next level.

Socialcam’s CEO, Mike Seibel, previously a part of Justin.tv and a two-time vet of startup accelerator Y-Combinator, is a seasoned vet in this field. I’m not surprised in the slightest to hear the news of a successful sale so quickly after his team leveaged Facebook’s open graph to drive awesome growth. After all, Michael assembled a crack team (our friends Ammon, Guillaume, and, of course, the Roxie!), and the four of them built up more than 55 million users mostly over the last few months.

We’re huge fans of the service, after all—Mario has talked extensively about Socialcam these past few months, from what it means to have so many followers, to suggestions for launching a web video series on Socialcam. So while we don’t completely understand how this acquisition will affect our favorite platform, it does tell us a few huge things. For one, mobile video is worth big, big bucks and worth taking a risk on. And two, it definitely isn’t going anywhere.

And if you’re not already on Socialcam, making videos and sharing them from your iPhone or Android device, it isn’t too late—you can download the app today!